Comparison

Timegrapher vs Barcode Inspector

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

Head to head
About

Timegrapher

This app uses your iPhone's microphone to analyze watch accuracy, measuring rate, amplitude, and beat error. It provides detailed insights into your watch collection's performance and value, all processed locally on your device.

Highlights
  • Measures rate, amplitude, and beat error
  • Analyzes beat rate from 18,000 to 36,000 bph
  • Tracks watch collection performance over time
  • Computes current market value from Chrono24
  • Provides plain-language verdicts on watch condition
  • Processes all data locally for privacy
Features
Read full description

A timegrapher in your pocket: rate, amplitude and beat error from your iPhone's microphone in 30 seconds. Reads through room noise, with amplitude computed from your calibre's own lift angle. First watch free — Pro is one purchase, never a subscription. WHAT IT MEASURES • Rate — seconds gained or lost per day, the number a chronometer certificate is built on • Amplitude — how far the balance swings, the vital sign a watchmaker checks first • Beat error — the tick/tock asymmetry that says the escapement wants adjusting • Beat rate — detected automatically, from vintage 18,000 bph to hi-beat 36,000 bph WHY THE READINGS HOLD STEADY Phone timing apps have a reputation for jumping around, and for amplitude you can't trust. Two things are done differently here. The analyser tracks the room's own noise floor and rejects transients, so a quiet movement stays locked on — it will read a watch through a barking dog. And amplitude is computed from the lift angle you set for that specific calibre, because a wrong lift angle is the single most common reason a phone app reports the wrong swing. Each tick is really three tiny impacts. Timegrapher times every one to a fraction of a millisecond and fits thousands of them against your iPhone's clock — the same principle as a watchmaker's bench machine. YOUR COLLECTION Add every watch with a photo, reference and serial number, year, movement type and lift angle. Every measurement is saved, and charts show the rate drifting across months and years — so a movement slowly going off gets caught early. After each reading you get a plain-language verdict, Excellent through Service needed, with the reasons spelled out. A Guide tab explains every number in plain English. TRACK WHAT IT'S WORTH One tap pulls current Chrono24 asking prices for your exact reference and logs the median — computed on your device, in your own currency. Log what you paid and Timegrapher charts each watch's value over time, its gain since purchase, and your collection's total. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Everything runs on the device. No audio is ever recorded, stored or uploaded. No account, no ads, no tracking. PRICING Your first watch is free, forever. Timegrapher Pro unlocks unlimited watches for a single payment — no subscription. Purchases restore on any device signed into the same App Store account. HONEST LIMITS A quiet room and firm contact between phone and case give the best readings. Results are indicative: a bench machine and a professional's judgement remain the gold standard for service decisions.

About

Barcode Inspector

Features
Read full description

Decode USPS Intelligent Mail barcodes, then send a clean report by email, Messages, AirDrop, or chat. Built for people who work with mail.

Screenshots

Timegrapher4 screens
Barcode Inspector1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Barcode Inspector at 15.0 against Timegrapher's 17.0. On price, update cadence, 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

Both are free to download. Timegrapher sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Barcode Inspector sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Timegrapher ships an update weekly, Barcode Inspector every 5 days. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Timegrapher versus Barcode Inspector: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTimegrapherBarcode Inspector
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (20 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings20 — better—
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB27 MB
Age rating+44+
DeveloperFotios AvgidisJAMES ERWIN COOPER JR

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Timegrapher

One-time1
  • Timegrapher Pro$9.99
1 purchases

Barcode Inspector

One-time1
  • Unlimited IMb Scanning$4.99

Questions

Is Timegrapher free?
Timegrapher is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Barcode Inspector free?
Barcode Inspector is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Timegrapher or Barcode Inspector have ads?
Neither Timegrapher nor Barcode Inspector shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Timegrapher or Barcode Inspector?
Timegrapher ships an update weekly, and Barcode Inspector every 5 days. Most recently, Timegrapher was updated on October 31, 2026 and Barcode Inspector on October 31, 2026.

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