Comparison

Strobe tachometer (RPM meter) vs Video tachometer

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

Head to head
About

Strobe tachometer (RPM meter)

Measure rotational speeds of objects using your phone's flashlight, laser, or magnetic sensor. Detect precise RPMs with adjustable flicker frequencies and a wide measurement range. Ideal for analyzing fan speeds, engine RPMs, and more.

Highlights
  • Strobe tachometer function
  • Laser tachometer mode
  • Magnetic tachometer mode
  • Adjustable flicker frequency
  • RPM and Hz display
  • High precision measurement
Read full description

STROBE TACHOMETER When the flicker frequency of light coincides with the speed of any object, such as a fan, the rotating fan may appear to be stationary. Changing the frequency of the flicker of light may help detect the rotation speed. You may easily use the flicker frequency control buttons to quickly assign the flicker frequency with an accuracy of 0.0001 Hz (0.01 RPM): • Up to 1000 Hz (60 000 RPM) for a connected flashlight (see the video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/iq6Xiums05o). • Up to 100 Hz (6000 RPM) for the iPhone flashlight. IF THE SPEED IS MORE THAN UPPER LIMIT, YOU MAY STILL DETERMINE THE SPEED BY FIRST MAKING MEASUREMENTS WITH A LOWER FLICKER FREQUENCY AND THEN MAKING A SIMPLE CALCULATION (AS EXPLAINED IN THE APPENDIX). To change the frequency, you should simply press and hold the button. In the app settings, you can adjust the speed at which the flash rate changes when you press and hold the button. The flicker frequency can be displayed either in Hz or RPM. The image you see will be sharper in lower external light. After a long period of usage, in case of overheating, the iPhone flashlight turns off automatically. LASER TACHOMETER • Measurement range from 0.3 Hz (18 RPM) to 1000 Hz (60 000 RPM). • Step 0.01-0.0001 Hz (1-0.01 RPM). • Update time 1 sec. • 5 mW laser power required. MAGNETIC TACHOMETER This tachometer operates by measuring the magnetic field from a spinning magnet. The magnetic field is measured by the iPhone's magnetometer. The magnetic tachometer is best suited for measuring low rotation speeds (from 6 revolutions per minute). It can also be used for measuring medium rotation speeds (up to 2,700 RPM), but at such speeds there is a risk of spontaneous tearing away of the magnet and strong vibration due to center-of-gravity shift. • Measurement range from 0.1 Hz (6 RPM) to 45 Hz (2,700 RPM). • Step 0.2-2 %. • Update time 2-5 sec.

About

Video tachometer

This app uses slow-motion video to create a strobe light effect, allowing you to measure rotational speeds. It records video with detailed information like frame rate and exposure, and offers customizable text overlays.

Highlights
  • Strobe light effect simulation
  • Rotational speed measurement (RPM/Hz)
  • Slow-motion video recording
  • Customizable text overlays on video
  • Adjustable frame rate and exposure
  • Records 4K video (if supported)
Read full description

When the frame rate of a video matches the speed of a particular part, the effect is the same as using a strobe light. In the video, that part freezes. Since the frame rate of a video can be adjusted, this effect can be used to determine the rotational speed of a part. The smartphone must support slow-motion video recording (filming at a high frame rate). This is the case for all smartphones starting with iPhone 5S. The range is as follows: • 0.5—240 Hz (30—14400 RPM), for all phones from iPhone 6 onward • 0.5—120 Hz (30—7200 RPM), for iPhone 5S THE HERTZ (Hz) VALUE IS MORE ACCURATE THAN THE REVOLUTIONS PER MINUTE (RPM) VALUE, SINCE REVOLUTIONS PER MINUTE ARE CALCULATED FROM HERTZ AND ROUNDING IS DONE. To get a clear image, good lighting is important. The clarity of the image is controlled by the exposure of the video (exposure time and light sensitivity (ISO)). If the exposure time is reduced, the image will increase in clarity, but brightness will lower. To increase the brightness, you need to raise the camera's light sensitivity (ISO), but then the amount of noise increases. You also need to manually adjust the focus of the camera. The app can record video. The video format depends on the selected format in the app settings. If your iPhone supports 4K video format (3840x2160), then you can record 4K video at the frame rate supported by your iPhone. Text with important information is added to the frames of the recorded video: the selected frame rate, exposure duration, ISO, time stamp, time difference between the current and previous frames (Tcurr. − Tprev.), the sequence number of the frame in the recorded video. If you want any other information to be added, then let me know. You can choose to add only part of this information, and you can choose a different text color. You also have the option of not adding any information. You can change the information that is added and the color of the text while recording a video. At high frame rates, frames that do not have time to be processed may be discarded. This does not affect subsequent frames and can be controlled using the time difference between the current frame and the previous frame (Tcurr. − Tprev.). Dropping frames affects the video frame rate displayed in the "Photos" app. But the time interval between frames that were taken one after another and were not discarded will correspond to the selected frame rate. Frames may be dropped even when shooting slow motion video using the "Camera" app. You can check this by looking at the frame rate for slow motion video in the "Photos" app. Video containing the app's interface can be captured using the iOS "Screen Recording" function. The app can take a photo with the measurement result, date, and time written on the photo. The exposure time and ISO settings will be saved in the photo's metadata. To take a photo that shows the app interface, tap the "Pause" button and take a screenshot. It is possible to choose a video format that has the best quality, but has a significantly lower maximum frame rate. The difference between the formats is clearly visible only when using the digital zoom. Also, when using a format with better quality, the Rolling Shutter effect is stronger. Therefore, the best quality format can be used at speeds less than about 2000 rpm. You can turn on hints for easier observation of changes in rotation speed. Hints show how to change the frame rate (decrease or increase) depending on the direction of rotation of the mark. The hints are selected manually, but then you do not need to remember this information. The hints are relevant for frequencies close to the rotation frequency. If the direction of rotation of the impeller is known, hints can be selected in advance. The arrow showing the direction of rotation of the impeller must correspond to the "+" button. The video tachometer measures the rotational speed in exactly the same way a stroboscopic tachometer would.

Screenshots

Strobe tachometer (RPM meter)4 screens
Video tachometer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Video tachometer at 4.6 against Strobe tachometer (RPM meter)'s 4.3. Video tachometer also leads on review sentiment (85% vs 69%). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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. Strobe tachometer (RPM meter) sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Video tachometer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Video tachometer holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 83 and 84 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 69% of Strobe tachometer (RPM meter)'s written reviews are positive against 85% of Video tachometer's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Strobe tachometer (RPM meter) ships an update every 4 months, Video tachometer every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Strobe tachometer (RPM meter) versus Video tachometer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStrobe tachometer (RPM meter)Video tachometer
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (83 ratings)4.6 (84 ratings) — better
Positive reviews69.0% of reviews84.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings8384 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 3 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS15.615.6
Further details — not scored
Size16 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDmitriy KharutskiyDmitriy Kharutskiy

Customer experience

Strobe tachometer (RPM meter)

All ratings83 ratings
Positive83.1%
Neutral4.8%
Negative12.0%
Written reviews100 reviews
Positive69.0%
Neutral6.0%
Negative25.0%

Video tachometer

All ratings84 ratings
Positive90.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative9.5%
Written reviews52 reviews
Positive84.6%
Neutral1.9%
Negative13.5%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Strobe tachometer (RPM meter)

One-time2
  • Full version of the stroboscopic tachometer$2.99
  • Laser Tachometer and Magnetic$2.99
1 purchases

Video tachometer

One-time1
  • Full version$2.99

Questions

Is Strobe tachometer (RPM meter) free?
Strobe tachometer (RPM meter) is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Video tachometer free?
Video tachometer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Strobe tachometer (RPM meter) or Video tachometer?
Video tachometer is rated higher. Strobe tachometer (RPM meter) averages 4.3 out of 5 from 83 ratings, while Video tachometer averages 4.6 from 84 ratings.
Do Strobe tachometer (RPM meter) or Video tachometer have ads?
Neither Strobe tachometer (RPM meter) nor Video tachometer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Strobe tachometer (RPM meter) or Video tachometer?
Strobe tachometer (RPM meter) ships an update every 4 months, and Video tachometer every 3 months. Most recently, Strobe tachometer (RPM meter) was updated on September 9, 2026 and Video tachometer on September 10, 2026.

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