Comparison

Tick vs Strobe

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

Head to head
About

Tick

This app helps watch enthusiasts measure and understand the accuracy of their timepieces by analyzing the tick sound. It provides real-time feedback on deviation, beat rate, and consistency, with dedicated modes for mechanical and quartz watches. Users can build a personal library of watches and export detailed reports.

Highlights
  • Real-time accuracy estimation (s/d)
  • Beat rate and BPH estimation
  • Consistency (σ) measurement
  • Two measurement modes (Balance Wheel, Uniform Tick)
  • Personal watch library with long-term statistics
  • Exportable PDF reports
  • Apple Watch companion app
Features
Read full description

Tick-O-Meter is a modern accuracy companion for people who genuinely love wristwatches — the quiet ritual of listening, measuring, and understanding how a timepiece behaves in real life. Whether you wear a high-end Swiss automatic, a vintage hand-wound classic, or a trusted daily quartz, Tick-O-Meter listens to the tick sound and estimates the daily deviation in seconds per day. The experience is designed to feel like a refined instrument: fast to use, reassuringly clear, and focused on what matters. FOR ENTHUSIASTS WHO CARE ABOUT PRECISION A great watch deserves careful attention. Tick-O-Meter helps you: - check performance after regulation or service - compare watches in your collection (mechanical, quartz, vintage, modern) - observe the effect of position, wear habits, and environment - gain confidence in everyday accuracy over time REAL-TIME ANALYSIS, CLEAR FEEDBACK During measurement you get live, readable instruments: - Accuracy estimate (s/d) - Beat rate (Hz) + BPH estimation - Consistency (σ) to judge stability - Live signal level (dB) - Clear analog-style gauges and a calm UI (Light + Dark Mode) TWO DEDICATED MEASUREMENT MODES Balance Wheel Mode (default) - For classic mechanical watches with a tick–tock pattern. Uniform Tick Mode - For quartz/electronic watches with identical, regular ticks. YOUR PERSONAL WATCH LIBRARY Save stable results and build structured profiles per watch. Tick-O-Meter automatically calculates long-term statistics per profile: - Average - Best - Worst - Consistency (σ) So the app becomes a long-term companion for your collection — not just a one-off tool. HISTORY, REPORTS, SHARING - Measurement history over time - Export detailed PDF reports - Share results instantly (perfect for documenting regulation changes or comparing positions) APPLE WATCH COMPANION Start/stop measurements remotely and view live status on your wrist — ideal when your phone is placed carefully against a watch or positioned near a clock. PRIVATE BY DESIGN - No ads, no accounts, no tracking - Audio analysis happens on-device - No audio recordings are stored - Core features work offline Tick-O-Meter is not a certified timing machine. It’s a thoughtfully engineered helper for enthusiasts who appreciate fine mechanics and want a practical, elegant way to understand watch performance in everyday life. 100% Swiss Made.

About

Strobe

Features
Read full description

Warnung: Diese App erzeugt schnell blitzendes Licht. Wenn du an Epilepsie leidest oder zu Photosensitivität neigst, benutze sie nicht. Bei Schwindel, Übelkeit oder Sehstörungen sofort beenden. Strobe macht aus dem iPhone-Blitz ein präzises Stroboskop. Frequenz und Helligkeit stellst du stufenlos ein, drei Modi decken die häufigsten Anwendungsfälle ab. Funktionen - Frequenz von 0,5 bis 100 Hz, stufenlos einstellbar - Helligkeit von 10 bis 100 Prozent - Modus „Dauerhaft": konstantes Pulsen mit der gewählten Frequenz - Modus „Auf den Beat": das Mikrofon erkennt Musik und blitzt im Takt, Pulse skalieren mit der Beat-Stärke - Modus „Hold": Finger auf das Feld = Blitz an - Sensitivity-Slider für den Beat-Modus - Hintergrund-Modus: läuft weiter, wenn das Display aus ist - Funktioniert komplett offline, keine Konten, keine Tracker Wofür Party und Disco, Long-Exposure-Fotografie, improvisiertes Bühnenlicht, Workout-Intervalle, Sichtbarkeit beim Laufen im Dunkeln. Datenschutz Strobe sammelt nichts. Keine Analytics, keine Werbung, keine Cloud. Audio aus dem Mikrofon wird nur lokal zur Beat-Erkennung verarbeitet und nie aufgezeichnet oder gesendet.

Screenshots

Tick4 screens
Strobe3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Strobe at Free against Tick's $0.99. Tick's advantage is device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). On 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

Strobe is free to download; Tick costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Scorecard3 real differences · 6 level
Tick versus Strobe: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTickStrobe
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating4.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightly—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size24 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPhilippe Zayjasper kallfelz

In-app purchases

None

Tick

No in-app purchases

None

Strobe

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Tick free?
Tick costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Strobe free?
Strobe is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Tick or Strobe have ads?
Neither Tick nor Strobe shows ads.

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