If you’re looking for a small, or large menstrual cup then you’ve come to the right place. We have the smallest, as well as the largest diameter menstrual cups and of course, everything in between.
There are eco-friendly period cups for teens, and very small people, as well as for those who’ve given birth vaginally multiple times.
If you’re looking for your first, or next menstrual cup then you’ll need to consider the cup diameter. This is what determines a “small,” or “large” menstrual cup. Menstrual cup length is another factor, but this is more important for people with a low, or high cervix.
Check out our menstrual cup diameter chart for more details:
Table of Contents
What are the Smallest Diameter Menstrual Cups?
You might consider using a very small menstrual cup if any of the following apply to you:
- You’re a teenager
- You’ve never inserted anything into your vaginal canal before (no penetrative sex, tampon use, etc.)
- You are a very small person who has never given birth vaginally
Consider the FemmyCycle Teen
The absolute smallest menstrual cup is the FemmyCycle Teen Model. With a diameter of only 31 mm, it’s a full 5 mm smaller than the next ones (FemmyCycle Regular/Low Cervix).
The average menstrual cup has a diameter of around 41 mm, so as you can see, this is a significant difference! If you’re found that regular diameter menstrual cups cause cramping, or discomfort, you may want to give this one a try.
Cramps are sometimes caused by too big menstrual cups that push strongly against the vaginal canal walls. Another cause is a menstrual cup that is very stiff. The FemmyCycle Teen is a win on both these counts. It’s not only the smallest menstrual cup you can buy, it’s also one of the softest.
You can check out the FemmyCycle Teen model on Amazon today:
What are the Biggest Diameter Menstrual Cups?
You may want to consider a bigger diameter menstrual cup if any of the following apply to you:
- You’ve given birth vaginally (probably multiple times)
- You’ve found that the average size menstrual cups slide around inside you, slip down, and never really seal correctly
Consider the Super Jennie
Of the largest diameter cups, the Super Jennie is one of our favourites. Coming in at 47 mm, this is a full 6-7 mm more than the average diameter cups. It really can make a big difference if you’ve struggled to make the average cups work for you, especially if you’ve given birth vaginally multiple times.
Another reason that we often recommend the Super Jennie is if you have a heavy period. It’s one of the highest capacity menstrual cups you can buy. Besides the Meluna XL, it’s the only menstrual cup on the market with a capacity above 40 ml. Most of the regular cups come in at around 30 ml.
The Super Jennie is made in the USA from top-quality medical grade silicone. Although it’s a newcomer to the menstrual cup world, it’s becoming more popular, especially among people looking for a very large (diameter and capacity) cup.
Reviews on Amazon are excellent, and most people that try the Super Jennie are pretty happy with it. It’s easy to insert, and remove and doesn’t leak for most.
Check out one of the biggest cups you can buy on Amazon:
What are the Best “Average” Diameter Period Cups?
You might be a good candidate for an “average” diameter menstrual cup, but the smaller version if any of the following apply to you:
- You’re an average size person (neither tiny, nor a very big frame)
- You are under 30 years old
- You’ve never given birth vaginally
You’ll want to consider a large version of an “average” diameter cups if any of the following apply to you:
- You’re over 30
- You’ve given birth vaginally
- You are a very large framed person who hasn’t given birth vaginally
Consider the Diva Cup
The most popular menstrual cup in the world is the Diva Cup. It’s popular for good reason—it’s an excellent cup that many people try for their first one, and end up sticking with for the rest of their lives.
The Diva Cup is manufactured in Canada to very high-quality standards from medical grade silicone. They’ve been around for years, and are so popular that the name “Diva Cup” is almost synonymous with “menstrual cup.” It’s often the only menstrual cup you find in stores, instead of just online.
In terms of diameter, the small is a very average 41 mm, while the large is 45 mm. It’s recommended that younger people who haven’t given birth vaginally go with the small size, while those people who are older, or someone who’s given birth vaginally go with the large.
Both the small, and large Diva Cup have an average capacity of 30 ml, which is suitable for most people, with the exception of someone with an extremely heavy period.
You can check out this popular menstrual cup brand on Amazon:
Consider the Lena Cup
If you’re looking for an average diameter menstrual cup, then the Lena Cup also makes an excellent choice. It’s a bit of a newcomer to the menstrual cup world, but it’s becoming increasingly popular for a few reasons:
- On average, it’s around $5-10 cheaper than the Diva Cup, MoonCup, or Lunette Cup (the older, more established brands)
- The sensitive model is softer than average, while the regular Lena Cup is firmer than average.
In this case, cheaper does not mean lower quality. The Lena Cup company’s mission is to provide a top-quality product at a reasonable price. It’s manufactured in the USA according to strict standards from medical grade silicone.
We LOVE saving money here at Reusable Menstrual Cups, and we’re sure that you feel the same.
We actually predict that the Lena Cup will be the most popular cup in 5-10 years, overtaking some of the older brands. It’s often our top-rated cup, and just seems to work well for most people.
You can check out the Lena Cup for yourself on Amazon:
I Have a Small Vaginal Opening: Which Cup is Right for Me?
People with very small vaginal openings often wonder if a menstrual cup is right for them. When you look at them, they just seem daunting, and even people with normal/large vaginal openings are sometimes nervous about inserting them.
If you have a small vaginal opening, it is still possible to use a menstrual cup. Here are some quick tips to get you started:
- The diameter of the period cup is the most important thing. You’ll want to get a very small one, perhaps the FemmyCycle Teen model.
- Experiment with different folding techniques. Here are six folds to try.
- Wet the cup with some water before trying to insert it. Most companies DON’T recommend using lube because this can damage the cup material.
By using these three tips, even people with very small vaginal openings should be able to use menstrual cups!
I’m not Sure Which Cup is Right for Me! Take our Quiz
Okay, so you’ve made it this far, but you’re still not sure what the best menstrual cup for you is. Don’t worry. This is a common occurrence. If you search for “menstrual cups” on Amazon, you’ll see almost a hundred different brands. It can sometimes be a bit overwhelming.
That’s why we’ve put together our simple menstrual cup quiz. We’ve combined all the information from our detailed menstrual cup comparison chart, along with our extensive knowledge gleaned from reviewing ALL the cups. We think you’ll love the result.
There are five simple questions that will take less than a minute of your time. The result is a recommendation for the best menstrual cup for your body type. Simple, easy, and awesome.
Take the Menstrual Cup Quiz
What are the Shortest and Longest Menstrual Cups?
Do you know your cervix height? If not, here’s what you need to do.
- Insert your index finger into your vaginal canal.
- If you can touch your cervix easily with the tip of your finger, you have a low cervix.
- If you can touch your cervix with your finger fully inserted, you have an average cervix height.
- Maybe you can’t touch it? You have a high cervix.
Low Cervix: Use a Shorter Cup
If you have a low cervix, an average length menstrual cup will feel very uncomfortable. Either the stem will stick out of your vaginal canal, or the cup will push up against your cervix. Neither of these are good things. Trust us. It’s uncomfortable.
Some of the best low-cervix menstrual cups include the following (clicking the link will take you to the full review):
High Cervix/Long Vaginal Canal: Use a Longer Cup
If you have a very high cervix/long vaginal canal, then you’ll want to use one of the longer menstrual cups. This is because removing it will be much easier.
Maybe you’ve had this experience with one of the average length cups. You stick your fingers up into your vaginal canal, but your menstrual cup is nowhere to be found. Then you have to push down quite strongly with your pelvic muscles in order to even grab the stem. You then have to pull the stem down until you can grasp the base to remove it.
There’s an easier way. Just get a longer cup. You should just be able to grab the stem quite easily because you’re dealing with an average of 5-10 mm more length.
Here are some of our recommendations (clicking the link will take you to our full review):
For all the details, you’ll need to check out this chart: Menstrual Cup Lengths.
I have a Heavy Flow: Which Menstrual Cup Should I Choose?
Maybe you’re looking for the best menstrual cup for heavy flow? Perhaps you’ve had the experience of the average capacity menstrual cups leaking like crazy if you don’t empty it every couple of hours.
Don’t worry, there is a better way! An average cup has a capacity of around 30 ml (compared to a jumbo tampon at 10 ml). However, some high-capacity menstrual cups come in over 40 ml. This really does make a big difference. You should be able to get an extra hour or two out of it. Possibly even sleep through the night???
Here are some of our favourite high-capacity menstrual cups, which will work if you have a very heavy flow (clicking the link will take you to our full review):
For more details, check out our Menstrual Cup Capacity Chart:
Have Your Say! What’s the Best Menstrual Cup Diameter for You?
What’s the best menstrual cup diameter for you? Do you need a smaller, or a large menstrual cup?
Leave a comment below and tell us your thoughts!
