Birth control comparisons

The most common "which one should I get?" match-ups, answered side by side: real-world effectiveness, what each method does to your periods and cramps, side effects, and who each one actually suits. Every page is reviewed against the same medical source material as the rest of Periodwise.

Compare birth control methods side by side

• Hormonal IUD vs. Pill: Which Birth Control Is Better?The highest-effectiveness option against the most familiar one. This is the comparison to start with if you're choosing between set-and-forget protection and a pill you control day to day.
• Mini Pill vs. Combined Pill: What's the Difference?Two pills, one missing hormone. Estrogen decides everything here — who can take which pill, what your periods do, and what happens to your skin.
• Nexplanon vs. IUD: Which Is Better?The two most effective methods in existence, head to head. Effectiveness won't separate them — bleeding patterns, insertion, and lifespan will.
• Birth Control Patch vs. Pill: Which Is Better?Chemically near-identical, practically very different. If you've ever quit the pill because of missed days, this is the swap to read about first.
• NuvaRing vs. the Pill: Differences & Which to ChooseSame hormones, a fraction of the estrogen, and two calendar dates a month instead of thirty. The comparison for anyone the pill made queasy.
• Slynd vs. Other Mini Pills: What's Different?Three progestin-only pills, three very different daily realities. If the strict 3-hour window is what's scaring you off the mini pill, start here.
• Mirena vs. Kyleena: Dose, Duration & PeriodsSame device, different dose — and the dose decides what happens to your periods. The choice between the two most popular hormonal IUDs.
• Copper IUD vs. Hormonal IUD: Which to ChooseOne makes periods heavier, the other often ends them. On a period-pain site, we'll be blunt about which side of that trade you probably want.
• Yaz vs. Yasmin: The Difference That MattersTwo near-identical pills separated by 10 micrograms of estrogen and three days of schedule. That's enough to change your bleed, your month, and what each is approved to treat.