Comparison

Now Serving vs Engine RPM

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

Head to head
About

Now Serving

This utility app helps manage queues and lines by providing a simple digital number board. It allows users to increment numbers with a tap, decrement with a swipe, and reset to zero with a long press, bringing order to busy situations.

Highlights
  • Digital number board
  • Increment numbers with a tap
  • Decrement numbers with a swipe
  • Reset number to zero
  • Easy to use interface
Features
Read full description

Ever have those days where everyone wants a piece of you? When your co-workers, your boss, your friends, your wife, your kids, etc. all want your help/opinion/whatever - and they all want it NOW! Based on the "Now Serving" boards found wherever there's a line-up, Now Serving lets you bring some order to your life and/or business. Now Serving could also be a great substitute for situations where an unexpected line-up forms and you want to keep some order - Garage Sales, Raffle Ticket Sales, etc. Now Serving is incredibly easy to use - simply tap on your device's screen, and the numbers go up by one. Make a mistake? Swipe down to decrease. Want to reset back to 00? Simply press and hold on the screen, and you're all set.

About

Engine RPM

Analyze engine sound to calculate RPM using advanced signal processing. Ideal for engine setup and diagnostics, it supports various engine types and provides real-time feedback for accurate readings.

Highlights
  • Acoustic RPM measurement
  • Engine sound analysis
  • Supports 2-stroke/4-stroke engines
  • Configurable cylinder count
  • Real-time autocorrelation graph
  • Adjustable update periods
  • Low-pass filtering
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Measure the RPM of an engine by analyzing the sound it makes. Engine RPM listens to the sound of a running engine and uses advanced signal processing algorithms to extract the frequency of that sound and calculate the RPM. This app is primarily for setup and diagnostics of engines. After setting the the number of cylinders and whether the engine is a 2-stroke or 4-stroke engine, the app can work with any internal combustion engine, from diesel tractors to aircraft engines to motorcycles to chainsaws. To use the app you must set an expected RPM range to guide the analysis algorithms to the correct RPM. A real-time graph of the autocorrelation graph is displayed to help in troubleshooting and adjusting the expected RPM range. The analysis requires a clear sound from the engine without excessive interference from extraneous sounds. Do not expect to read the RPM of an engine while other things are making too much noise at the same time. The analysis also requires that the RPM be stable. It cannot read the RPM of an engine that is rapidly accelerating. For this reason, and because of the need for adjusting the expected RPM range, this app should not be considered a drop-in replacement for an operational tachometer. Setup options include update periods from 93 milliseconds to 1.5 seconds, one to 12 cylinders, 2-stroke or 4-stroke, low-pass filtering, and signal clipping. The overall RPM range is 400 to 90,000 RPM (although at any one time, the operational range is typically +/- 30% around a nominal expected RPM). Precision is usually about +/- 10 RPM.

Screenshots

Now Serving1 screens
Engine RPM3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Now Serving at $0.99 against Engine RPM's $8.99. Now Serving also leads on review sentiment (62% vs 48%) and update cadence (every 8 months vs every 16 months). Engine RPM's advantage is chart position (#149 vs unranked) and ratings volume (35 vs 7). On rating, ads and in-app purchases 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

Now Serving costs $0.99 and Engine RPM $8.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.1 for Now Serving against 4.0 for Engine RPM. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Engine RPM has 35 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 62% of Now Serving's written reviews are positive against 48% of Engine RPM's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Now Serving ships an update every 8 months, Engine RPM every 16 months. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
Now Serving versus Engine RPM: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNow ServingEngine RPM
Price$0.99 — better$8.99
Rating4.1 (7 ratings) — better4.0 (35 ratings)
Positive reviews61.5% of reviews — better47.7% of reviews
Number of ratings735 — better
Update frequencyEvery 8 months — betterEvery 16 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
Best chart rank—#149 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.613.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBuzz MediaReal-Time Specialties

Customer experience

Now Serving

All ratings7 ratings
Positive85.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative14.3%
Written reviews13 reviews
Positive61.5%
Neutral15.4%
Negative23.1%

Engine RPM

All ratings35 ratings
Positive74.3%
Neutral2.9%
Negative22.9%
Written reviews65 reviews
Positive47.7%
Neutral7.7%
Negative44.6%

Bugs and requests

Now Serving

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Engine RPM

Reported bugs

12 issues
  • Does not register live RPM readings
  • Displays incorrect or random numbers
  • App opens then closes immediately
  • Blank display or flashes incorrect data intermittently
  • Cannot get consistent readings
Show 7 more
  • Does not work on specific devices (e.g., iPhone 6)
  • E-motor measurement not possible
  • Readings are not accurate
  • Cannot get a reliable reading
  • Randomly skips between significantly different numbers
  • Generates random numbers
  • Does not recognize sound correctly

Requested features

5 requests
  • Save configuration settings
  • Option to display cycle/cylinder count on home screen
  • Improved response time for transient surges
  • Simplified or automated setup process
  • Auto-scaling graphical display for easier harmonic matching

In-app purchases

None

Now Serving

No in-app purchases

None

Engine RPM

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Now Serving free?
Now Serving costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Engine RPM free?
Engine RPM costs $8.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Now Serving or Engine RPM?
Now Serving is rated higher. Now Serving averages 4.1 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Engine RPM averages 4.0 from 35 ratings.
Do Now Serving or Engine RPM have ads?
Neither Now Serving nor Engine RPM shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Now Serving or Engine RPM?
Now Serving ships an update every 8 months, and Engine RPM every 16 months. Most recently, Now Serving was updated on September 27, 2026 and Engine RPM on October 15, 2026.

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