The Pattern app has become the go-to download for astro girls, but it's also a favorite among skeptics, like your friends who roll their eyes every time you mention you're a Libra. The app uses your birth chart to provide personalized information to help you feel valued and understood, and it also provides insights that are described as "extremely accurate" - something that seems to be winning over everyone.
The Pattern was founded by Lisa Donavan, who created other popular products in the App Store such as Co-Star and Sanctuary. Donavan said in a 2022 interview with Bustle that she grew up in a family of analytical thinkers, so she wasn't quick to embrace the idea of a birth chart. It wasn't until she worked with an astrologer on her journey of self-discovery that she finally realized the power of the planets.
Donovan is one of the founders and original author of the app. Before launching, she said she tested her astrology readings on everyone from friends to Uber drivers to make sure the analysis was correct. The result is an app packed with sobering information that it looks like it must be spying on your life—but in a friendly, well-intentioned way.
From your patterns, to your timing, to your star chart, there is a lot to read, listen, and learn based on planetary cycles, which is why I knew I had to give it a try. Although the app has been around since 2017, it's always adding new features and attracting new fans, including yours truly.
Here's what it's like to try out the mode, along with an explanation of everything else it has to offer.
quick overview
- Price: Free to download, $29.99 per season
- Best for: Understanding yourself, tracking planetary cycles, evaluating relationships
- My rating: 4/5
- What I like : Daily insights, planetary movements
- What I don’t like : Busy interface, having to pay for many features
What you need to know about pattern applications
Like many astrology apps, The Pattern shows you your birth chart, which shows your sun, moon, and rising signs, the positions of other planets, and their meanings. From here, it's a deeper dive into your unique personality traits so you can better understand how you think and behave. You can also enter other people's birthdays to see how connected you are.
In the app you'll get your patterns and times, an overview of the dates and meanings of planetary cycles that affect you now and in the future. There's also a "Bonds" tab where you can learn more about your compatibility with others, whether it's friendship or romance.
To test your compatibility, you can search for their profile in the app or create a custom profile. The first custom profile is free, and then you can purchase three more profiles for $9.99. The app also has extensive library collections or audio clips of the planets, new moon guides, and other tidbits so you can become an astronomy whiz.
If you want to dig deeper, you can see past planetary transits and what's coming up by entering a specific date into the app's time travel feature. There is also a World Timing section that highlights the planetary cycles that will collectively affect everyone.
The app also helps you discover your romantic patterns so you can find your best connections, while also noticing challenges that may arise in your love life. If you're still looking for your partner, there's also the Connect dating feature, which uses The Pattern's algorithm to help you find love.
This is a separate account within the app that allows you to upload a profile photo and bio. When you upgrade to Connect+, you get unlimited Likes to send to others, 5 Super Connects sent per week to your favorite people, Bonds and other information about your compatibility, and access to secure chats .
my experience
The first thing I noticed when I downloaded The Pattern is that it gets right to the point. After entering my birthday, time, and place, my pattern popped up based on my birth chart, without any mysterious colors or cute celestial animations to go with it, as is often the case in other astrology apps.
To be honest, I thought the interface was a bit boring and clinical, but then I realized that's how it was designed to look. While some prefer a more mystical UI like the kind you'd find on Moonly or Cosmic Fusion, The Pattern treats your birth chart more like a therapy session, so it has a no-nonsense color palette to match .
On the home page, you can click on your pattern to read a detailed analysis of the chart. Mine said: "You are a true individual - uniquely yourself. Whether you want to accept it or not, you are different."
It went on to say, "Sometimes, it's hard to feel safe," and advised me to "acknowledge my divisiveness," before revealing that my circumstances "affected me deeply." Honestly, it felt like it was reading me dirty, but it went on to point out that I'm also witty and creative, so I'll take it.
As an often misunderstood and emotional Scorpio, this pattern is just right for me, and the further I read, the more I felt it. The app goes on to suggest ways to embrace these personality traits while also finding ways to achieve balance. “You live your best life when you accept the unpredictable – you are naturally adaptable and able to cope with a variety of experiences.”
My model goes on to list my divine mission or destiny, how I will grow as a person, my intuition and how I react to things, my communication style, past relationship experiences, and more. Each category was presented in a concise slideshow, and I scrolled through the slideshow as my eyes grew larger because it all felt so real.
After being wowed by my pattern, I took a break and created a custom profile for a friend of mine just to see what it would say - and this is where things got even more "scary accurate" place. It showed that we were instantly attracted to each other, which was true, and that we have been a positive influence on each other's lives. But it also shows a pattern in our dynamic, where we sometimes have different ideas about what friendship should look like.
The app provided suggestions for solving this problem that I will definitely not forget, and it also suggested how I could be a better friend to this person based on her birth chart and her needs. "If you can communicate, you can avoid hurt feelings."
From there, I checked for my world updates, "vibes," and mode alerts—all features the app sends you each day—and then I looked at times or key dates that would impact my life. Right now, the app says I'm in a Neptune transit, which will last for a few months.
I listened to an audio that described the meaning of the transit and how Neptune might affect me. "A transit, or cycle as it is sometimes called, is a temporary period of time where you are affected by a certain energy," the recording says. "In this case, that energy is Neptune, and certain transits will affect you in certain ways." It is said to think of transits as weather that comes and goes, like a rainy day.
"Do you want to go out with an umbrella or a raincoat? Do you want to take a nice walk in the rain? Or do you want to stay at home? In all cases, you know that it is raining and you are being affected by the rain, and it It changes the course of your day, too.”
For me, it was an eye-opening way to think about transits and how to deal with them. Apparently, Neptune is particularly mystical and spiritual, so the app suggested I invest in this energy over the next few months. But unfortunately, a more in-depth explanation is behind a paywall, so I couldn't find out more.
Luckily, there's still plenty to see in the free version of the app. Another nice perk is the time travel feature, which allows you to enter an exact date to see what would have happened at that time. This is ideal if you want to delay starting something new, such as a project.
For example, when Donovan created the app, she chose to launch it on the luckiest day possible based on what was happening in the stars.
Personally, I entered my birthday to see what would happen at that time of year. I also entered some summer dates to see if they would be suitable for travel. (No one wants to venture out during Mercury retrograde.)
takeout
This pattern involves more than just the surface of your sun, moon, and rising signs. Instead, it delves into your entire birth chart, explains all the zodiac signs, and even shares planetary aspects that tell you more about yourself than you might think.
I learned that my Pluto conjunct Venus means that when I'm feeling good, I can be "the funniest, funniest, most playful person in the room" and that my "independent nature inspires others to be more free" Unrestrained” – this description really boosted my self-esteem.
But when I'm not feeling well, this aspect means I may be "easily distracted," and I may be "hesitant to commit." I don’t even have to say it at this point, but yes, that’s the scary truth too.
I would recommend this app to anyone who wants more information from their birth chart or anyone who is on the fence about astrology. It has tons of useful features to help you learn more about yourself, your friends, and your future.
