CNS Tap Test vs SmartSpeed Plus
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
CNS Tap Test
This app measures central nervous system (CNS) status using a finger tapping test. Track your performance over time to identify optimal training days or potential fatigue, sickness, or injury.
- Measures central nervous system status
- Tracks finger tapping speed
- Establishes baseline performance
- Identifies CNS fatigue
- Graphs and saves test results
- Allows for multiple daily samples
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As featured in the book Beyond Training by Ben Greenfield. As featured in the podcasts: - Harder to Kill Radio 026 - Ameer Rosic Optimal Health Show #58 - Ben Greenfield Fitness #263 CNS Tap Test is an adaptation of the Finger Tap Test (FTT) or Finger Oscillation Test (FOT) which is used to measure the status of the central nervous system (CNS), and is one of the most commonly used tests in neuropsychology, because of its simplicity and reliability, and because it generates relevant data about fine motor control, which is based on motor speed as well as kinesthetic and visual-motor ability. The application should be used on a regular basis to determine an athlete’s baseline. If the CNS Tap Test result is elevated it is suitable for a maximum effort or a heavy lifting day. If the CNS Tap Test result is lower than average it may indicate CNS fatigue and impending sickness, injury or over-training. Both hands should be tested on a regular basis in a consistent environment, typically every morning on waking. The procedure for testing is: - Rest hand palm down on the heel of the hand on a flat surface - Tapping is done with the index (pointing finger), and all other fingers remain on the flat surface - The timer starts with the first tap - When the timer expires no further taps will be accepted - The result can either be saved or discarded. Multiple samples can be saved per day. The resulting data can be graphed, emailed or managed from within CNS Tap Test. Using Swift Charts for improved accessibility and legibility.
SmartSpeed Plus
This app streamlines athletic timing and drill management. It offers athlete queueing, live leaderboards, and easy gate connection. Pre-configure drills and sync them for efficient testing and training sessions.
- Athlete queue management
- Live leaderboards
- Gate connection and reordering
- Pre-configurable drills
- Streamlined testing workflows
- Multiple running modes
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Set up and run drills with SmartSpeed Plus, the smartest and easiest-to-use timing gates on the market. With SmartSpeed Plus, you can enjoy an array of new features, including athlete queue management, live leaderboards, and a more convenient way to find, connect, and reorder your gates via the app. Pre-configure drills in VALD Hub and sync them to your mobile device for streamlined testing workflows. Set up your gates, sync team lists, run drills, and send results back to VALD Hub at the push of a button. Choose from a variety of running modes, results displays, and testing and training drills. The intuitive SmartSpeed Plus app is designed to make training sessions easy to configure and control. Whether you're a coach, trainer, or athlete, SmartSpeed Plus provides a powerful, streamlined solution for your needs. Requirements : - Requires iOS 15 or later - Requires internet connection (additional fees may apply) - Requires SmartSpeed Plus hardware
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: SmartSpeed Plus at Free against CNS Tap Test's $1.99. SmartSpeed Plus also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 69%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). CNS Tap Test's advantage is ratings volume (277 vs 2). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and iOS requirement 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
SmartSpeed Plus is free to download; CNS Tap Test costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
SmartSpeed Plus holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CNS Tap Test has 277 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 69% of CNS Tap Test's written reviews are positive against 100% of SmartSpeed Plus's.
CNS Tap Test ships an update every 3 months, SmartSpeed Plus every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | CNS Tap Test | SmartSpeed Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.6 (277 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 68.8% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 277 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 4 MB | 29 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | smudge.io PTY LTD | Vald Performance Pty Ltd |
Customer experience
CNS Tap Test
SmartSpeed Plus
Bugs and requests
CNS Tap Test
Reported bugs
1 issue- Cannot port data when switching iPhones
Requested features
11 requests- Add time of day to graphs
- Set parameters on graph
- Integrate data from sleep/step trackers
- Sync with calendar
- Option for 'best out of 3'
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- Daily average option
- Record more than 1 test per day
- Allow unlimited tests per day
- Include time (of day) in data export
- Put date in ISO standard: yyyy-mm-dd
- Reminders
SmartSpeed Plus
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
CNS Tap Test
No in-app purchases
SmartSpeed Plus
No in-app purchases








