Comparison

Strobe Light Tachometer vs iHP48

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

Head to head
About

Strobe Light Tachometer

Transform your iPhone into a powerful strobe light and tachometer. Precisely control flashing speeds from 1Hz to 130Hz to measure the RPM of rotating objects by making them appear stationary. Ideal for precise speed measurements in dark environments.

Highlights
  • Adjustable strobe speed (1-130Hz / 60-7800RPM)
  • Quick adjustment buttons (x2, ÷2)
  • Fine-tuning buttons for precise speed
  • Manual RPM input
  • Display speed in Hz and RPM
  • Light/dark background option
Features
Read full description

NOTE: The App is just for iPhone with flashlight. It doe NOT work on iPad, iPod touch or any iOS device without flashlight. Description: Using this App, you can control the flashing on/off speed of your phone flashlight between 1Hz to 130Hz. In another word, this App makes your iPhone into a strobe light. What's the Application then?! You can use this App to use your iPhone as a tachometer that measures the speed of any rotating object. How to use it? Suppose you have a fan and need to measure its speed (RPM). Turn on the fan in a DARK environment, launch the App on your iPhone (that has flashlight). Manually tune the speed using the main slider of the App to see the rotating object looks almost not moving. Then, start fine tuning using the three buttons in the App to get the exact speed. At this point the rotating object looks like stationary! But, it is moving! So, never touch the moving/rotating object during your test! Features: - Slider to adjust strobe light speed between 1-130Hz (60-7800RPM) - x2 and ÷2 buttons for quick adjustment of flashing speed - 3 Buttons for fine tuning of the speed up to 2 decimal: 0X.00, 00.X0, 00.0X - Textfield to manually enter the speed in RPM (tap on the speed label) - Button for light and dark background option - showing the speed in both Hz and RPM - simple and easy to use!!

About

iHP48

This app brings the powerful HP48 calculator experience to your mobile device. It offers enhanced performance, seamless file management, and a customizable interface with support for various HP calculator models. Enjoy a familiar and convenient calculator solution without needing extra hardware.

Highlights
  • Supports HP38, HP39, HP48, HP49, HP50 calculators
  • Haptic feedback and customizable zoom options
  • Seamless file transfer via iTunes and Files app
  • Cloud storage integration (iCloud, OneDrive, Dropbox)
  • Object saving/loading and copy/paste functionality
  • Access to calculator packages, skins, and ROMs
  • Internal file manager and extensible settings
Features
Read full description

Introducing iHP48 - Your Ultimate Calculator Companion iHP48 emerges from the necessity to revive the unparalleled calculator experience cherished by university students and engineers across various disciplines. Reviving the legacy of the original calculator, iHP48 delivers enhanced performance without the burden of carrying an additional device in your bag. Experience the simplicity and convenience of having the powerful HP48 at your fingertips once again. Key Features: Wide Compatibility: iHP48 supports HP38, HP39, HP48, HP49, and HP50 calculators. Easily configure your preferred calculator with the Fetch options. Enhanced User Experience: Enjoy Haptic feedback on keypress and customizable haptic styles via Settings. Zoom options tailored to your iPhone and preferences, including a new lift zoom for XS devices. Seamless File Management: Transfer files effortlessly from your computer using iTunes on both PC's and MacOS. Access iHP48 files directly from your device using the Files app and share them with any compatible iOS app. Copy files to and from your favorite cloud providers supported by the Files app, such as iCloud Drive, OneDrive, and Dropbox. Convenient Object Handling: Save or Load objects to/from your device using Files, ensuring your favorite .lib is readily available on your iHP48 stack. Copy and Paste supported objects seamlessly between iOS and the iHP48 Stack. Comprehensive Library: Access a rich library of Calculator Packages, Skin Collections, ROM's, and useful libraries like Meta Kernel and QPI. Intuitive Interface: Benefit from an internal File Manager for simplified file management and an extensible Settings administration accessible directly from the Settings app or via a shortcut from the iHP48 menu. Customizable Experience: Save your current calculator configuration for easy access. Explore special features embedded in various skins, including screen swipes, sounds, and orientation options. No Hidden Costs: iHP48 is completely free, devoid of any enterprise, professional, plus, or ultimate versions. There are no hidden features or payments required. We greatly appreciate any support you offer as we continue to enhance and refine iHP48. For additional information, visit https://www.thinkchile.com/iHP48. Experience the power of the legendary HP48, reinvented for the modern era with iHP48.

Screenshots

Strobe Light Tachometer3 screens
iHP484 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: iHP48 at 4.7 against Strobe Light Tachometer's 4.2. iHP48 also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 7 months) and review sentiment (88% vs 63%). Strobe Light Tachometer's advantage is iOS requirement (7.0 vs 15.0). On price, ratings volume, 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

iHP48 holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 277 and 270 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of Strobe Light Tachometer's written reviews are positive against 88% of iHP48's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Strobe Light Tachometer ships an update every 7 months, iHP48 monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Strobe Light Tachometer versus iHP48: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStrobe Light TachometeriHP48
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (277 ratings)4.7 (270 ratings) — better
Positive reviews63.2% of reviews88.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings277 — better270
Update frequencyEvery 7 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS7.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMotionics LLCAlexis Lorca

Customer experience

Strobe Light Tachometer

All ratings277 ratings
Positive78.7%
Neutral6.1%
Negative15.2%
Written reviews76 reviews
Positive63.2%
Neutral6.6%
Negative30.3%

iHP48

All ratings270 ratings
Positive90.7%
Neutral3.0%
Negative6.3%
Written reviews195 reviews
Positive88.2%
Neutral4.1%
Negative7.7%

User reviews

Strobe Light Tachometer

From 277 App Store ratings

What we love

  • ✅ Accurate frequency and RPM measurements
  • 👍 Simple and user-friendly interface
  • 🎓 Excellent educational tool for teaching frequency concepts
  • 💰 Free application
  • ⚡ Quick and easy to use, even one-handed

Room to improve

  • 💡 LED flash brightness is too dim
  • 🐛 Strobe light cuts out or blacks out intermittently
  • 🐛 Inconsistent and erratic flashing patterns
  • ⚠️ Hardware compatibility issues with older iPhone models
  • 🐛 Strobe stops working after extended use

iHP48

From 270 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Excellent emulation of HP48
  • 👍 Familiar and nostalgic feel
  • 👍 Comprehensive functionality
  • 👍 Customizable skins
  • 👍 Haptic feedback

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes or freezes
  • 🐛 Missed keystrokes when typing quickly
  • 🐛 Blank or flickering display
  • 🐛 Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions

Bugs and requests

Strobe Light Tachometer

Reported bugs

9 issues
  • Strobe light cuts out every 2-3 seconds then resumes
  • LED flashes erratically on certain iPhone models (iPhone 14, iPhone XS, iPhone SE)
  • Strobe pulse is inconsistent and misses beats
  • App crashes or stops working after 20-30 minutes
  • Requires manual LED activation before starting strobe
Show 4 more
  • Incompatibility error message on iPhone devices
  • Strobe accuracy degrades at higher frequencies (above 45 Hz)
  • Flash pulses vary in length and brightness at high frequencies
  • App shows "only compatible with iPhone" error on iPhone devices

Requested features

7 requests
  • Ability to adjust brightness while strobe is running
  • Display accuracy specifications and hardware limitations
  • Option to set frequency by Hz in addition to RPM
  • Ability to specify number of fan blades for accurate RPM calculation
  • 2x and 1/2x multiplier options
Show 2 more
  • Reduced or removed advertisements
  • Display maximum blink rate for device hardware

iHP48

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes on startup
  • Inability to save state across sessions
  • Incompatibility with certain iOS devices

Requested features

4 requests
  • Dark mode option
  • Ability to disable haptic feedback
  • Support for HP50G emulation
  • Improved keyboard mapping and arrow key functionality

In-app purchases

None

Strobe Light Tachometer

No in-app purchases

None

iHP48

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Strobe Light Tachometer free?
Strobe Light Tachometer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is iHP48 free?
iHP48 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Strobe Light Tachometer or iHP48?
iHP48 is rated higher. Strobe Light Tachometer averages 4.2 out of 5 from 277 ratings, while iHP48 averages 4.7 from 270 ratings.
Do Strobe Light Tachometer or iHP48 have ads?
Neither Strobe Light Tachometer nor iHP48 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Strobe Light Tachometer or iHP48?
Strobe Light Tachometer ships an update every 7 months, and iHP48 monthly. Most recently, Strobe Light Tachometer was updated on September 22, 2026 and iHP48 on September 19, 2026.

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