Allergy and Pollen Apps: Track Daily Counts and Know When to Take Medication

If you have seasonal allergies, you already know that some days are far worse than others. What you may not know is that pollen levels are actually measured and forecast daily — the same way weather is forecast — and that information is freely available on your smartphone. Knowing the pollen count for your specific area before you leave the house can help you decide when to take antihistamines, whether to keep windows closed, and whether to reschedule outdoor activities.

Pollen counts are measured in grains per cubic meter of air. Different allergens are tracked separately: tree pollen is typically high in spring, grass pollen peaks in late spring and early summer, and weed pollen (including ragweed, one of the most common allergy triggers in the US) is highest in late summer and fall. Mold spores are also tracked and tend to spike after wet weather and during fall when leaves decompose.

The most widely used free apps for pollen tracking are Pollen.com, IQVIA's Pollen Allergy Tracker (formerly Pollen.com), the AAAAI (American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology) pollen count page at pollen.aaaai.org, and the WebMD Allergy app. Many weather apps including The Weather Channel and Weather Underground also include pollen data in their daily forecasts.

Understanding your specific allergens matters. If you are allergic to tree pollen but not grass, a high grass day may not affect you much — but a high tree pollen day in April could be miserable. A good allergy app breaks down the pollen count by category so you can focus on what affects you personally.