# BPM Detector vs Refader

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Refader at none against BPM Detector's 13. Refader also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (80% vs 61%). BPM Detector's advantage is ratings volume (265 vs 6). On price, rating, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BPM Detector sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Refader asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.3 for BPM Detector against 4.2 for Refader. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BPM Detector has 265 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 61% of BPM Detector's written reviews are positive against 80% of Refader's.

BPM Detector ships an update every 3 days, Refader every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BPM Detector | Refader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (265 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bpm-detector-live-tempo/id1566588809/reviews)** | [4.2 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/refader/id1667127761/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **265** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 60.8% of reviews | **80.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 days | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 61 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.2** |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Quentin Hayot](https://appshunter.io/developer/362648866) | [Pedro Yamada](https://appshunter.io/developer/1604183940) |

## What reviewers say

### BPM Detector

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bpm-detector-live-tempo/id1566588809)

This application automatically detects the tempo (BPM) of any music or rhythm in real-time using your device's microphone. It offers features like song identification, detection history, and a visual BPM graph for precise timing analysis.

**Highlights:** Automatic BPM detection, Real-time tempo analysis, Shazam song identification, BPM detection history, Fullscreen BPM display, BPM variation graph

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

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| BPM Detector Pro | $0.99 | per month |
| BPM Detector Pro | $0.99 | per month |
| BPM Detector Pro | $1.99 | per month |
| BPM Detector Pro Weekly | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| BPM Detector Pro Weekly | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| BPM Detector Pro Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| BPM Detector Pro 4 Friends | Free | one-time |
| BPM Detector Pro Unlimited | $3.99 | one-time |
| BPM Detector Pro Unlimited | $4.99 | one-time |
| BPM Detector Pro Unlimited | $7.99 | one-time |
| BPM Detector Pro Lifetime | $9.99 | one-time |
| BPM Detector Pro Unlimited | $12.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and practical
- 🚀 Fast BPM calculation
- 🎶 Shazam integration is a plus
- 💯 Accurate and reliable detection
- ✨ Slick and well-designed interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😠 Excessive and intrusive ads
- ⚠️ Inaccurate BPM readings sometimes
- 🤔 Some users feel misled about functionality
- 📱 Not ideal for detecting drum BPMs
- 🚫 Music playback cuts out during detection

**Reported bugs**

- Ads cover screen and won't go away
- Ads get stuck and cannot be exited
- Music cuts out during detection
- Inaccurate BPM for certain genres (e.g., drum and bass)
- App gets hot on iPhone Pro

**Requested features**

- Apple Watch integration
- Ableton Link support
- Dark mode
- Metronome function with click sound
- DJ Tap Tempo feature


### Refader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/refader/id1667127761)

Control MIDI devices and hosts remotely via USB or Wi-Fi. Connect your device to a computer using "Audio MIDI Setup" to establish a networked MIDI session.

**Highlights:** MIDI fader controller, Control MIDI devices, Control MIDI hosts, USB connectivity, Wi-Fi connectivity, Networked MIDI sessions

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BPM Detector free?

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

### Is Refader free?

Refader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, BPM Detector or Refader?

BPM Detector is rated higher. BPM Detector averages 4.3 out of 5 from 265 ratings, while Refader averages 4.2 from 6 ratings.

### Do BPM Detector or Refader have ads?

BPM Detector shows ads; Refader does not.

### Which is updated more often, BPM Detector or Refader?

BPM Detector ships an update every 3 days, and Refader every 2 days. Most recently, BPM Detector was updated on October 18, 2026 and Refader on October 15, 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.*