I Tried The Pattern App & It’s As “Scarily Accurate” As They Say

The Pattern app has become a go-to download for astro girlies, but it’s also a fave amongst the skeptics, like your friend who rolls their eyes whenever you mention you’re a Libra. The app uses your birth chart to come up with personalized info that can help you feel seen and understood and it also offers insight that has been described as “scarily accurate” — and that’s what seems to win everyone over.

The Pattern was founded by Lisa Donavan, who has created other mega-hits in the app store like Co-Star and Sanctuary. In an interview with Bustle in 2022, Donavan said she grew up in a family of analytical thinkers, so she wasn’t quick to jump on board with the idea of birth charts. It wasn’t until she worked with an astrologer while on a journey of self-discovery that she finally realized the power of the planets.

Donovan is one of the founders, and also the original writer for the app. Before launching it, she said she tested her astrological readings on everyone from friends to Uber drivers to ensure the analyses were on point. The result was an app with info so thought-provoking it seems like it must be spying on your life — but in a friendly, well-meaning way.

From Your Pattern, to Your Timing, to Your Chart, there’s so much to read, listen to, and learn based on the planetary cycles, which is why I knew I had to try it. While the app has been around since 2017, it’s always adding new features and snagging new fans, including yours truly.

Here’s what it was like to try The Pattern and an explanation of everything else it offers.

Fast Facts

• Price: Free to download, $29.99/quarterly
• Best for: Getting to know yourself, tracking planetary cycles, evaluating relationships
• My rating: 4/5
• What I like: Daily insights, planetary movements
• What I don't like: Busy interface, have to pay for many features

What To Know About The Pattern App

Like many astrology apps, The Pattern presents you with your birth chart, which shows your sun, moon, and rising signs, other planetary placements, and what it all means. From there, it dives deeper into your unique personality traits so you can better understand how you think and act. You can also enter other people’s birthdays to see how well you connect.

Within the app, you’ll get your Pattern and your Timing, which is an overview of the dates and meanings of planetary cycles influencing you now and into the future. There’s also a Bonds tab where you can learn more about your compatibility with others, whether in a friendship or romantic sort of way.

To test your compatibility, you can search for their profile within the app or create a Custom Profile. The first customized profile is free and then you can buy three more for $9.99. The app also has a whole host of Library Collections or audio episodes about planetary aspects, New Moon Guides, and other tidbits of info so you can become an astro whiz.

If you want to go even deeper, you can look at your past planetary transits as well as what’s coming up by entering a specific date into the app’s Time Travel feature. There’s a World Timing section, too, that highlights planetary cycles that’ll affect everyone collectively.

The app also helps you discover your Romantic Patterns, so you can find your best connections while also noting the challenges that might arise in your love life. If you’re still searching for your person, there’s also the Connect dating feature, which utilizes The Pattern’s algorithm to help you find love.

This is a separate account within the app that allows you to upload a profile pic and bio. When you upgrade to Connect+, you get unlimited “likes” to send to others, five Super Connects to send each week to the people you like most, Bonds and other info about your compatibility, and access to a secure chat.

My Experience

The first thing I noticed when I downloaded The Pattern is that it gets straight down to business. After plugging in my birthday, time, and location, my pattern popped up based on my birth chart without any mystical colors or cute celestial animations to go with it, as is often the case on other astrology apps.

TBH, I thought the interface was a bit boring and clinical, but then I realized it looks that way by design. While some people love 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 serious color palette to match.

From the home page, you can click on Your Pattern to read a detailed analysis of your chart. Mine said, “You’re a true individual — uniquely yourself. Whether you’re comfortable with it or not, you’re different.”

It went on to say, “At times, it can be difficult to feel a sense of security” and it suggested that I “own my divergent nature” before spilling the tea that my environment has “deeply affected me.” Honestly, it felt like it was reading me to filth, but it went on to note that I’m also witty and creative, so I’ll take it.

This pattern felt spot-on for me, as an oft-misunderstood and emotional Scorpio, and the deeper I read the more seen I felt. The app went on to suggest ways to embrace these personality traits, while also looking for ways to strike a balance. “Your life works best when you embrace what’s unpredictable about it — you’re naturally adaptable and meant to handle a variety of experiences.”

My Pattern went on to list my sacred calling or destiny, how I’ll grow as a person, my instincts and how I react to things, my communication style, past relationship experiences, and more. Each category was presented in a neat slideshow that I scrolled through as my eyes got bigger and bigger because everything was just so true.

After being wowed by my Pattern, I took a break and created a Customized Profile for one of my friends, just to see what it would say — and this is where things got even more “scarily accurate.” It revealed that we felt drawn to each other right away, which is so true, and that we’ve always been a positive influence in each other’s lives. But it also indicated a pattern in our dynamic where we sometimes have different POVs about what friendship should look like.

The app offered advice for navigating this issue whenever it arises, which I definitely won’t forget, and it also suggested how I can be a better friend to this person specifically, based on her birth chart and what she needs. “If you’re able to communicate, you can avoid hurt feelings.”

From there, I checked out my world update, “vibe,” and Pattern reminders — all features the app sends you daily — and then I looked at my Timing or key dates that’ll impact my life. Right now, the app says I’m in a Neptune transit, which will last for several more months.

I listened to an audio that described the meaning of transits, and how Neptune might impact me. “A transit, or a cycle, as it’s sometimes called, is a temporary period of time where you’re being impacted by a certain energy,” the recording said. “In this case, that energy is Neptune, and certain transits will affect you in certain ways.” It 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 go for a fun walk in the rain? Or do you want to stay at home? In all scenarios, you know that it’s raining and that you’re being impacted by that, and it’s going to change the course of your day. The same is true for a transit.”

For me, this was an eye-opening way to think about transits and how to handle them. Apparently, Neptune is particularly mystical and spiritual, so the app suggested I lean into that energy in the coming months. Sadly, though, the deeper explanations were behind a paywall, so I couldn’t learn more.

Luckily, there’s still plenty to see on the free version of the app. Another nice perk is the Time Travel feature, which allows you to plug in an exact date to see what transits will be happening then. This is ideal if you want to hold off on starting something new, like a project.

For example, when Donovan was founding the app, she chose to kickstart it on a day that would be as lucky as possible, based on what was going on in the stars.

Personally, I typed in my birthday to see what will be happening around that time of year. I also typed in a few dates for the summer to see if it might be a good time to travel. (No one wants to venture out during Mercury retrograde.)

The Takeaway

The Pattern doesn’t just scratch the surface with your sun, moon, and rising sign. Instead, it dives deep into your entire birth chart, explains all the signs, and even shares the planetary aspects, which tell you more about yourself than you can possibly imagine.

I learned that my Pluto is conjunct with Venus, which means I can be “the most fun, entertaining, and playful person in the room” when I’m feeling good, and that my “independent nature inspires others to be more free-spirited” — a description that really boosted my self-esteem.

But when I’m not feeling my best, this aspect means I can be “easily distracted” and that I might “hesitate to commit.” I don’t even have to say it at this point, but yes, this was also scarily true.

I’d recommend this app to anyone who wants a bit more out of their birth chart or anyone who’s on the fence about astrology. It has a ton of helpful features that can help you learn more about yourself, your friends, and your future.