Now Serving vs Engine RPM
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Digital number board
- Increment numbers with a tap
- Decrement numbers with a swipe
- Reset number to zero
- Easy to use interface
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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.
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.
- 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
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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
Verdict
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
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.
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.
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.
| Parameter | Now Serving | Engine RPM |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0.99 — better | $8.99 |
| Rating | 4.1 (7 ratings) — better | 4.0 (35 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 61.5% of reviews — better | 47.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 7 | 35 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months — better | Every 16 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | — | #149 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Buzz Media | Real-Time Specialties |
Customer experience
Now Serving
Engine RPM
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
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- 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
Now Serving
No in-app purchases
Engine RPM
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Now Serving free?
Is Engine RPM free?
Which has better reviews, Now Serving or Engine RPM?
Do Now Serving or Engine RPM have ads?
Which is updated more often, Now Serving or Engine RPM?
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