# Lap Swim vs SwimNow

The clearest difference is rating: SwimNow at 4.9 against Lap Swim's 3.2. SwimNow also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months) and review sentiment (76% vs 62%). Lap Swim's advantage is device support (4 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.2). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Lap Swim sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and SwimNow sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

SwimNow holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 31 and 44 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 62% of Lap Swim's written reviews are positive against 76% of SwimNow's.

Lap Swim ships an update every 3 months, SwimNow weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lap Swim | SwimNow |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.2 (31 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lap-swim/id1189805111/reviews) | **[4.9 (44 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swimnow-swim-progress-tracker/id6499453699/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 31 | **44** |
| Positive reviews | 62.1% of reviews | **76.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 5 MB | 172 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Peter Kramer](https://appshunter.io/developer/348619994) | [阳 邹](https://appshunter.io/developer/1758652914) |

## What reviewers say

### Lap Swim

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lap-swim/id1189805111)

This app automatically counts laps and tracks swim times on your Apple Watch. It detects stroke type and count, and graphs your performance on a paired iPhone. Enjoy a large font display for easy viewing during your workout.

**Highlights:** Automatic lap counting, Stroke detection (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke), Kickboard lap detection, Large font display, Stopwatch function, Workout graphing on iPhone, Health and Activity app integration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| upgrade from 250 laps to unlimited laps | $1.99 | one-time |


### SwimNow

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swimnow-swim-progress-tracker/id6499453699)

This app analyzes and tracks swimming data from your Apple Watch and other synced devices. It offers detailed insights into your performance, advanced split views, and trend charts to help you improve your swimming efficiency and achieve your goals.

**Highlights:** Import structured workouts to Apple Watch, Advanced splits views with more metrics, Data analysis and trend charts, Swimming achievement stickers, Compare two swims, Set personal goals, Yearly and monthly summaries

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Yearly | $14.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $39.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lap Swim free?

Lap Swim is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is SwimNow free?

SwimNow is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Lap Swim or SwimNow?

SwimNow is rated higher. Lap Swim averages 3.2 out of 5 from 31 ratings, while SwimNow averages 4.9 from 44 ratings.

### Do Lap Swim or SwimNow have ads?

Neither Lap Swim nor SwimNow shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lap Swim or SwimNow?

Lap Swim ships an update every 3 months, and SwimNow weekly. Most recently, Lap Swim was updated on October 24, 2026 and SwimNow on October 27, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*