Comparison

Lap Swim vs Studio Align

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Lap Swim

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
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Automatic Lap Counter with Stopwatch and LARGE FONTS; Lap Swim is an Apple Watch (Series 2 and later) App that automatically detects, displays, records and graphs the lap count and elapsed time of a swim session. Detects and displays the type of stroke and stroke count during each lap. - Detects and displays the lap direction and lap count while swimming using the gyroscope in the Apple Watch - LARGE FONT display of time and lap count - Stopwatch function while swimming - Auto start/stop mode detects swimming and automatically starts (or stops) the stopwatch - Lap counter counts up from 0 or counts down from preset lap goal - Senses and displays freestyle strokes, backstrokes, and breaststrokes - Detects and counts kickboard laps - Records and graphs (on the paired iPhone) the following: ------ Date and time of a swim session ------ Time for each lap and of entire swim session ------ Number of laps ------ Average speed and speed for each lap ------ Stroke count and type of stroke (freestyle, back, breast or kick board) ------ Distance in meters or yards - Enters workout information into the Health and Activity apps Lap Swim uses the gyroscope and accelerometer in the Apple Watch to detect the type of stroke and the orientation of the swimmer. Using this information it displays the lap count of a swim session. Lap Swim also has a standard stopwatch function. The swim session information is transmitted to the paired iPhone and displayed on both a table and a graph. Lap Swim is free and fully functional for the first 250 laps. After that, Lap Swim continues to function but it requires a low cost IAP to display the lap count. Screenshots: -Apple Watch: 1) Large 2 line display - Swimming return half of 51st lap after 49:35 2) 3 line display - returning on lap 10 after 9:10; 11 breaststrokes taken this half lap 3) 3 line display - after turning and starting lap 11; showing last half lap stroke count (11) and elapsed time (34.6) 4) 3 line display - going out on lap 12; this lap you have taken 3 freestyle strokes, 2 backstrokes, 5 breaststrokes, and over 15 seconds using a kickboard 5) Starting a Workout Session in 2 second and turning on water lock. 6) Lap length set to 25 yards. 7) Settings options - 2 or 3 line display, split times half or full lap, automatic or manual start/stop, set lap length. -iPhone: 1) Home screen also showing the app on the Apple Watch 2) Graph of the average speed in over 200 swim sessions from 12/16 to 7/20. 3) Graph of the total times in over 200 swim sessions from 12/16 to 7/20. 4) Data collected in a single swim session available for editing. ----

About

Studio Align

Features
Read full description

Features: -Purchase Class Packs and Memberships Easily browse and purchase our class packs or membership options -View our schedule Filter classes by type to find the perfect fit for your routine. -Manage your reservations Book your class reservations with ease. Keep track of your upcoming classes and manage your schedule to stay organized and committed to your fitness goals.

Screenshots

Lap Swim4 screens
Studio Align4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Studio Align at none against Lap Swim's 1. Studio Align also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). Lap Swim's advantage is device support (4 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Lap Swim sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Studio Align asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Lap Swim ships an update every 3 months, Studio Align monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Lap Swim versus Studio Align: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLap SwimStudio Align
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.2 (31 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews59.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings31 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone
Requires iOS13.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB38 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPeter KramerStudio Align Ltd

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Lap Swim

One-time1
  • upgrade from 250 laps to unlimited laps$1.99
None

Studio Align

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Lap Swim free?
Lap Swim is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Studio Align free?
Studio Align is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Lap Swim or Studio Align have ads?
Neither Lap Swim nor Studio Align shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Lap Swim or Studio Align?
Lap Swim ships an update every 3 months, and Studio Align monthly. Most recently, Lap Swim was updated on October 10, 2026 and Studio Align on October 4, 2026.

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