Comparison

Kello vs Watch Tuner Lite

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

Head to head
About

Kello

This app analyzes the accuracy of mechanical watches by listening to their ticking sounds through your device's microphone. It compares the watch's rhythm to the precise system clock to reveal timekeeping differences. Supports a wide range of watch frequencies and offers guidance on identifying mechanical timepieces.

Highlights
  • Microphone-based watch sound analysis
  • Comparison to iOS system clock
  • Automatic detection of 8 common watch frequencies
  • Guidance on identifying mechanical watches
  • Displays timekeeping differences
Features
Read full description

Kello analyzes the precision of mechanical watches against the iOS system clock using a microphone. How Kello works: All mechanically regulated watches are designed to start and stop 1000s of times every hour. A portion of the energy used during this starting and stopping motion is released as acoustic energy, resulting in an audible "tick-tock" sound. The regularity of this sound can be measured against the more precise, internal time-signal of iOS devices, such as the iPhone, and the resulting difference in timekeeping is displayed by Kello. Supported Watch Frequencies: Kello can automatically determine the frequency of the watch being measured based on eight of the most common frequencies used in mechanical watches. These frequencies are standard among low-, middle- and high-grade mechanical timepieces and will accommodate the vast majority of mechanical watches produced in the past 100 years. The following frequencies are supported: * 14,400 bph * 16,200 bph * 18,000 bph * 19,800 bph * 21,600 bph * 25,200 bph * 28,800 bph * 36,000 bph Recommended hardware: Kello works best with an external microphone that has an excellent frequency response between 10,000 and 20,000 Hz. How to know if your watch is mechanically regulated: There are four simple ways to determine if your watch is mechanical and can be used with Kello. 1. Look at the text on your timepiece. If the word "quartz" is featured anywhere on the watch, your watch is not mechanical. If the words "automatic" or "shock-proof" are written anywhere on the watch, there is a very high chance that your watch is mechanical and its precision can be measured by Kello. 2. If your watch has a hand that indicates the seconds, observe how frequently it moves. If the hand moves only once every second, it is very likely that your watch is not mechanical. If this hand moves several times per second or appears to sweep along in a smooth, continuous motion, your watch is most likely mechanical and its precision can be measured by Kello. 3. Turn the crown, that is used to set the hands of the watch, while it is pressed fully in. If the crown turns smoothly, your watch is not mechanical. If you can hear a ratcheting sound as you turn the crown, your watch is most likely mechanical and its precision can be measured by Kello. 4. Place the watch close to your ear and listen. If you hear a noise approximately once every second, it is unlikely that your watch is mechanical. If you hear a constant ticking noise, your watch is very likely a mechanical watch and its precision can be measured by Kello.

About

Watch Tuner Lite

This app measures the accuracy of mechanical and automatic watches by analyzing their audible ticks. It calculates the seconds-per-day deviation, helping you understand how fast or slow your timepiece is running. Ideal for watch enthusiasts who only need basic accuracy readings.

Highlights
  • Measures watch accuracy
  • Calculates seconds-per-day deviation
  • Uses device microphone
  • Works with ticking watches/clocks
  • Simple, focused interface
Features
Read full description

Watch Tuner Lite measures the accuracy of mechanical and automatic watches. It uses the built-in microphone or headset microphone to record the audible tick of the watch and calculates the seconds-per-day deviation. Works with almost any 'ticking' watch/clock. Use in a quiet environment. Any ambient noise can affect the accuracy of the results. Complete silence is best. Recommended way to record the ticks is to touch the crown of the watch with the headset microphone. You will get the best results using original Apple EarPods. This is a simple version of Watch Tuner application. Not everyone needs detailed information about a watch movement, sometimes only accuracy is important. Watch Tuner Lite uses very similar algorithm like Watch Tuner does but displays only seconds-per-day deviation. If you want to know how much your watch is fast or slow, this application is for you. If you prefer to measure also beat error and amplitude, try Watch Tuner - a bigger brother of this app. If you need frequency diagram look at Watch Tuner Timegrapher - the most sophisticated app of Watch Tuner series.

Screenshots

Kello3 screens
Watch Tuner Lite1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Watch Tuner Lite at Free against Kello's $9.99. Watch Tuner Lite also leads on rating (3.2 vs 2.8) and review sentiment (57% vs 37%). Kello's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). On update cadence, ads, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Watch Tuner Lite is free to download; Kello costs $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Watch Tuner Lite holds the better App Store score, 3.2 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Watch Tuner Lite has 38 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 37% of Kello's written reviews are positive against 57% of Watch Tuner Lite's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Kello ships an update every 3 months, Watch Tuner Lite every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Kello versus Watch Tuner Lite: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKelloWatch Tuner Lite
Price$9.99Free — better
Rating2.8 (5 ratings)3.2 (38 ratings) — better
Positive reviews37.3% of reviews56.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings538 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 months — betterEvery 4 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperColdflower Design Corp.Bartlomiej Swiatek

Customer experience

Kello

All ratings5 ratings
Positive40.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative40.0%
Written reviews161 reviews
Positive37.3%
Neutral8.1%
Negative54.7%

Watch Tuner Lite

All ratings38 ratings
Positive55.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative44.7%
Written reviews92 reviews
Positive56.5%
Neutral1.1%
Negative42.4%

Bugs and requests

Kello

Reported bugs

10 issues
  • App crashes on iPhone 5 and iOS 6
  • Signal detection fails inconsistently
  • Frequency auto-detection varies wildly on same watch
  • Unstable signal readings despite strong initial signal
  • App hangs on 'determine frequency' step
Show 5 more
  • Poor microphone compatibility with external mics
  • Results vary significantly between consecutive measurements
  • Crashes frequently during measurement process
  • Incompatibility with newer iOS versions
  • Microphone not detected on some devices

Requested features

10 requests
  • History log and data storage for watches
  • Graphical representation of timing data over time
  • Average readings over longer time periods
  • Watch profile saving functionality
  • Beat error measurement capability
Show 5 more
  • Export feature for timing results
  • Fine-tuning control for amplification slider
  • Improved signal detection algorithm
  • Better microphone sensitivity recommendations
  • Compatibility with more iOS versions

Watch Tuner Lite

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Kello

No in-app purchases

None

Watch Tuner Lite

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Kello free?
Kello costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Watch Tuner Lite free?
Watch Tuner Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Kello or Watch Tuner Lite?
Watch Tuner Lite is rated higher. Kello averages 2.8 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Watch Tuner Lite averages 3.2 from 38 ratings.
Do Kello or Watch Tuner Lite have ads?
Neither Kello nor Watch Tuner Lite shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Kello or Watch Tuner Lite?
Kello ships an update every 3 months, and Watch Tuner Lite every 4 months. Most recently, Kello was updated on October 18, 2026 and Watch Tuner Lite on October 17, 2026.

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