Lap Swim vs PaceMaker Senior
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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. ----
PaceMaker Senior
This app is designed for mature adults to easily track their daily steps with extra-large text and high contrast. Earn points for walking and reaching goals, with optional premium features for deeper insights.
- Extra-large step counter with progress ring
- Three tiered daily goals (Mild, Intermediate, Aggressive)
- Automatic points for steps and goal achievement
- Earlybird and evening reflection bonuses
- Milestone celebrations with inspiring quotes
- Optional premium for custom goals and historical trends
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Walk daily, feel more energized, and keep your independence. Made for mature adults who want a simple, no-fuss way to stay active. The only step counter with extra-large text, high contrast, and daily point rewards built for you. Tired of step counters with tiny text and cluttered menus? PaceMaker Senior puts your steps front and center in big, bold, easy-to-read numbers, so you can check in, see your progress, and get on with your day. KEY FEATURES Extra-large step counter with a bright amber progress ring you can read from across the room Three daily goals that fit you: Mild, Intermediate, or Aggressive, suggested from your own walking history Automatic points: earn 1 point for every 100 steps Goal bonuses: +100, +200, or +500 points when you reach your target Earlybird bonus: +50 points for a quick check-in before 9 AM Evening reflection: log how you’re feeling and earn another +50 points Milestone celebrations: unlock inspiring quotes from famous leaders and thinkers as your total points grow WORDS TO WALK BY “Above all, do not lose your desire to walk. Every day I walk myself into a state of well-being.” — Søren Kierkegaard “Walking is the best possible exercise. Habituate yourself to walk very far.” — Thomas Jefferson “All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking.” — Friedrich Nietzsche “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” — Lao Tzu FREE TO START, PREMIUM WHEN YOU’RE READY PaceMaker Senior is free to download, with step tracking, tiered daily goals, and check-in rewards included. Unlock Premium with a one-time $1.99 purchase (no subscription) to set your own custom goal targets and explore deeper historical energy trends, so you can see how your walking and your well-being move together over time. START YOUR FIRST WALK TODAY Download PaceMaker Senior now, take your first morning check-in tomorrow before 9 AM, and claim your first Earlybird bonus. Walk a little. Feel the difference. Keep your independence, one step at a time.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: PaceMaker Senior at 5.0 against Lap Swim's 3.2. PaceMaker Senior also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 3 months). Lap Swim's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (31 vs 1). On price, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Lap Swim sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and PaceMaker Senior sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
PaceMaker Senior holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lap Swim has 31 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Lap Swim ships an update every 3 months, PaceMaker Senior daily. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Lap Swim | PaceMaker Senior |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.2 (31 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 62.1% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 31 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Daily — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 5 MB | 13 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Peter Kramer | Gideon Chan |
Customer experience
Lap Swim
PaceMaker Senior
In-app purchases
Lap Swim
- upgrade from 250 laps to unlimited laps$1.99
PaceMaker Senior
- Premium$1.99









