What is the best lap counter for swimming?

It depends on what you want from it. If you only want the number of laps, a counter you can tap once per lap is enough. If you want lap times or an automatic count, you need a stopwatch or a watch app. Tally Counter is the first kind: it counts taps and doesn't time laps.

How do I use a lap counter in swimming?

Decide what one tap stands for, such as one length or one up-and-back. Tap + each time you reach that point, and tap − if you tapped too many times. The count is the number of taps.

Is there a counting laps app that works for running and walking too?

Yes. A manual counter doesn't care about the activity. Tally Counter counts anything you tap for, so pool laps, track laps and walking laps all work the same way.

Does Tally Counter time my laps or track my distance?

No. It has no lap timer and doesn't use GPS or any other sensor. It only counts what you tap.

Can I fix a lap I counted by mistake?

Yes. Tap − to take one off. The − button is disabled when the counter is at 0, so the count can't go below zero.

Can I count laps for different workouts separately?

Yes. You can create as many named counters as you want, for example one called Swim and one called Track.

Lap Counter App: One Tap per Lap for Pool or Track

A lap counter app does one job: it keeps the number of laps you've done. The simplest version has a big button you tap each time you finish a lap. Tally Counter works that way on iPhone, with a − button for the taps you didn't mean. It has no lap timer and doesn't use GPS, so it counts and nothing else.

What to look for in a lap counter app

Lap counter apps tend to fall into three groups. Which one fits depends on what you want to know at the end.

Type	What you do	What you get	Good when
Manual counter	Tap once per lap	The lap number	You only need the count
Stopwatch with laps	Press a lap button at each lap	Lap times and the count	You want to see each lap's time
Automatic or watch-based	Wear a watch that detects laps	A count without tapping	You don't want to touch anything while you swim or run

Before you pick one, check these:

A big tap target. You'll tap it dozens of times, so a small button gets old fast.
A way to undo. A miscount happens, and an app with no minus button forces you to start over.
Whether it times laps or not. Some apps add a stopwatch, distance goals or a watch app. Others only count. Neither is better; they answer different questions.
Several counters. If you swim one day and walk the next, separate counters keep the totals apart.

How Tally Counter handles laps

Tally Counter is a manual counter. The large + adds one, the − takes one off, and the count can't go below zero. Counting is free with unlimited counters.

What it doesn't do matters just as much for this search:

It doesn't time laps, and there's no stopwatch.
It doesn't use GPS, motion sensors, the camera or the microphone to count for you.
It has no Apple Watch app.

If you need any of those, pick a stopwatch or watch app instead. If you want a plain number that goes up when you tap, this is that.

Count laps with Tally Counter

Open the app. On the Counters screen, tap Create Counter (or New Counter if you already have counters).
Type a name, such as "Pool laps", and tap Create.
Open the counter. Tap the large + each time you finish a lap. The number appears on a flip-style display, and your iPhone gives a haptic tap on every count.
If you tap too many times, tap − to take one off.
To start over, tap the reset button next to +. The app asks "Reset this counter to 0?" before it clears anything.

To rename a counter, open it and tap Edit. To delete one, swipe it in the list. You can turn haptics off in Settings, under "Haptic feedback".

Pool, track and walking laps

The app counts taps, so you decide what a tap means.

Swimming. Pool laps can be counted per length or per up-and-back. Pick one before you start and tap at the same point every time. Separate counters, such as "Swim" and "Track", keep the totals apart.

Track running. Tap as you cross your starting line. The number on the screen is the laps so far.

Walking. Laps around a block, a park loop or a hallway work the same way: one tap per loop.

The Today badge on a counter shows the net change made today (additions minus subtractions, shown as "Today +12"). It isn't a lap total, because resetting doesn't change it.

Questions about lap counting

Is a manual counter accurate? The count is the number of + taps minus the number of − taps, so it's as right as your tapping. The − button is there for the ones you got wrong.

Does it work without the phone in my hand? No. You tap the iPhone screen, and the app has no Apple Watch version.

For other things to count with the same app, see counter app with multiple counters and best counter app for iPhone.

Lap counter app