Respiratory rate apps compared
The apps that count a patient's breathing by hand, side by side: what they run on, what they cost, how you count, and what their store listings say about your data.
Checked on , from each app's own store listing.
Two ways an app can count
A timed count. You count breaths over a set time, often 15, 30 or 60 seconds, and the app multiplies up to a rate per minute. Some apps let you tap each breath and still work this way, by counting the taps inside the window.
Tap per breath, from the gaps. You tap once for every breath and the app works out the rate from the time between your taps, so a rate appears after a few breaths rather than at the end of a window. This is the method Karlen and colleagues described in 2014 with the RRate app. Rythmo is written from that published description.
Karlen W, Gan H, Chiu M, Dunsmuir D, Zhou G, Dumont GA, Ansermino JM. Improving the accuracy and efficiency of respiratory rate measurements in children using mobile devices. PLoS One. 2014;9(6):e99266. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0099266
Many apps sit somewhere between the two, and a store listing doesn't always say which one an app uses. Where it doesn't, the table gives the developer's own description.
Side by side
Apps found by searching "respiratory rate" on the Australian App Store and Google Play, limited to apps whose job is counting a person's breathing by hand. Breathing exercise apps, sensor apps, pet apps and reference-only apps are left out.
| App | Runs on | Price | How you count | Reference ranges | History | App Store privacy label | Last updated | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RythmoRythmo (Lachlan Sallabank) | iPhone, Apple Watch, Android, Wear OS, Garmin | Free. No in-app purchase | Tap once per breath. The rate comes from the median gap between taps, with a confidence indicator | Seven age bands, shown green or red (iPhone, Apple Watch and Android) | Last 10 readings, kept on the device | Data Not Collected | App Store 12 Oct 2026, Google Play 21 Oct 2026, Garmin 29 Oct 2026 | App Store, Google Play, Garmin |
| RRatePART BC Children's, University of British Columbia | iPhone, Android | Free | Tap in time with the breathing. The rate comes from recent, consistent tap intervals | Listing describes age-based classification of the rate | Not described. Exports to a local file and to REDCap | Data Not Collected | App Store 7 Aug 2025, Google Play 16 Aug 2025 | App Store, Google Play |
| Respi-Ratemedappear s.r.o. | iPhone, Android | Free, with a paid Pro upgrade | Tap once per breath. The rate is calculated from the timing of your taps | Age-specific reference intervals, in Pro | In Pro | Data Not Linked to You: location, identifiers, usage data, diagnostics | App Store 8 Nov 2026, Google Play 5 Nov 2026 | App Store, Google Play |
| Medtimer: Heart + RespiratoryTigerpixel Ltd | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | Free, with a paid Pro upgrade | Tap each breath or beat, over a measurement period you set from 6 to 60 seconds | Reference charts for all age ranges | In Pro | Data Not Collected | App Store 12 Oct 2026 | App Store |
| Breaths Per MinutePavel Abin | iPhone, Android, web | Free, with paid Pro options | Tap once per breath. Stops on its own, or after a fixed 30 or 60 seconds | None described | Every measurement saved | Data Not Linked to You: health and fitness, location, usage data, diagnostics | App Store and Google Play 12 Jul 2026 | App Store, Google Play |
| Respi CountNesarajah Solutions | iPhone and iPad (iOS 26.2 or later) | Free | Tap once per breath. The rate is calculated as you go | None described | None. Listing says no data is stored | Data Not Collected | App Store 15 Jan 2026 | App Store |
Store listings change. Check the listing before you rely on any of this. If something here is wrong or out of date, email hello@rythmo.com.au and we'll fix it.
What the table shows
Watches
Medtimer and Rythmo run on Apple Watch. Rythmo also runs on Wear OS and Garmin watches. None of the other listings mention a watch app. A watch leaves both hands near the patient, which matters when you're kneeling beside someone or wearing gloves.
Price
Every app here is free to download. Respi-Rate, Medtimer and Breaths Per Minute keep some features, such as history or reference ranges, behind a paid upgrade. RRate, Respi Count and Rythmo have no in-app purchase.
Privacy
On the App Store, each developer declares what data their app collects. RRate, Medtimer, Respi Count and Rythmo declare Data Not Collected. Respi-Rate and Breaths Per Minute declare data that may be collected but isn't linked to you, such as diagnostics and usage data. These are the developers' own declarations.
Reference ranges
RRate, Respi-Rate (in Pro) and Medtimer describe age-based ranges or charts. Rythmo shows published ranges for seven age bands and marks the current rate green when it sits inside a band and red when it doesn't, with the source on the same screen. It does not interpret the result.
What this page doesn't tell you
- Whether any app here reads closer to a careful count than another. We haven't tested these apps against each other or against a reference count, and we know of no published head to head study of them.
- How well any app works for you. Every app here calculates a rate from your own taps, so it is only as good as your observation of each breath.
- Anything beyond the store listings. We haven't installed and reviewed each app. Where a listing is vague, so is this table.
Rythmo makes one of the apps in this table. RRate, Respi-Rate, Medtimer, Breaths Per Minute and Respi Count belong to their own developers, and Rythmo is not affiliated with any of them.
Disclaimer
Rythmo is a reference and training tool. It reports a rate calculated from your own taps and displays published reference ranges for comparison. It does not diagnose, does not decide treatment, and does not replace your clinical assessment. Confirm every reading before you act on it or document it.
For medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, consult a qualified healthcare professional.