True Metronome
True Metronome is a metronome app for musicians, with a pendulum display, Italian tempo markings and natural reverb sound.
What True Metronome is
True Metronome is a metronome app for musicians, with a pendulum display, Italian tempo markings and natural reverb sound. It supports tempos from 20 to 400 BPM, along with custom time signatures and subdivision control. Its audio engine is designed for frame-accurate timing, and practice tracking displays daily, weekly and monthly progress. Beat Detection uses the microphone to identify tempo from an audio source in real time; the maker says processing happens on the device and audio is not recorded, stored or transmitted. True Metronome is available on Android, iOS, macOS and the web. The browser version requires no download and includes tap tempo and a pendulum animation. The free version requires no account and has no ads during practice, but allows up to five Tap Tempo uses per day. Free users get two skins and one bell accent. True Metronome Pro costs 9.99 USD as a one-time purchase and adds unlimited Tap Tempo, a Tempo Trainer, live tempo detection, presets, more subdivision patterns and other features.
Good
- Supports tempos from 20 to 400 BPM.
- Practice tracking shows daily, weekly and monthly progress.
- Beat Detection processes audio on the device.
- Free version requires no account and has no practice ads.
Watch out
- Free Tap Tempo is limited to five uses per day.
- Free version includes two skins and one bell accent.
- Pro costs 9.99 USD as a one-time purchase.
Who it suits
True Metronome may suit classical musicians, music teachers and students who need tempo and practice tracking tools. Its browser version may also suit musicians who want a metronome without downloading an app.
Verdict
True Metronome covers tempo, beat detection and practice tracking across browser and app platforms. The free version has a daily Tap Tempo limit, while Pro removes that limit through a one-time purchase.
Plans and prices
From True Metronome's own pricing page, checked 1 Oct 2001.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | 20–400 BPM · all backgrounds · 2 skins · all time signatures · 1 bell accent · background playback |
| Free | Free | 20–400 BPM · all time signatures · accent bell · 2 skins · background playback · 5 tap-tempo detections daily |
| Special Skin | $0.99, paid once | One special skin · in-app purchase |
| True Metronome Pro | $9.99, paid once | 11 subdivision patterns · Tempo Trainer · live tempo detection · unlimited Tap Tempo · presets · Flash on Beat · all skins · all bell accents · Siri · Apple Watch · widgets · Live Activities · one-time purchase |
| True Metronome Pro | $9.99, paid once | 11 subdivision patterns · Tempo Trainer · live beat detection · unlimited presets and tap tempo · Flash on Beat · Apple Watch · Siri · widgets · Live Activities · one-time purchase |
The facts
Each one read from True Metronome's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Ads and accounts
- The teacher page says there are no ads during practice, and the free version requires no account.checked 1 Oct 2001
- Beat detection
- Pro uses the device microphone to estimate playing or recording tempo in real time.checked 15 Oct 2001
- Data collection
- The app collects limited pseudonymous analytics and does not sell personal information.checked 1 Oct 2001
- Data sharing limits
- The maker says it does not require an account, sell personal information, collect precise GPS location or use website cookies.checked 15 Oct 2001
- Developer identity
- Google Play identifies the developer as Mikhail Motyzhenkov and lists a Sacramento, California address.checked 15 Oct 2001
- Embeddable widget
- The online page says its metronome can be embedded in a teaching or blog page with one line of code and configurable theme and accent color.checked 15 Oct 2001
- History
- The maker says musicians have used True Metronome since 2012.checked 15 Oct 2001
- Licence and self-hosting
- The reviewed product and documentation pages provide no open-source licence, public SDK, public API or self-hosting option.checked 15 Oct 2001
- Limit: advertising complaints
- MWM summarizes complaints about occasional intrusive ads in the older Lite version.checked 15 Oct 2001
- Limit: locked features
- MWM reviewers complain that the Lite version caps tempo at 160 BPM and locks some controls behind payment.checked 15 Oct 2001
- Limit: sensitive controls
- Reviewers on MWM describe the tempo slider and drag-to-start control as oversensitive, making it easy to change BPM accidentally.checked 15 Oct 2001
- Microphone privacy
- Beat-detection audio is processed on the device and is not recorded, stored or transmitted.checked 15 Oct 2001
- Natural sound
- Clicks are recordings of real mechanical metronomes with small natural variations.checked 15 Oct 2001
- Payments
- In-app purchase transactions are handled entirely by Apple App Store or Google Play, and True Metronome does not access payment information.checked 1 Oct 2001
- Pendulum
- The visual pendulum uses physics-based nonlinear motion intended to resemble a mechanical metronome.checked 15 Oct 2001
- Practice tracking
- Practice time is summarized with daily, weekly and monthly statistics, and rankings can compare practice internationally.checked 15 Oct 2001
- Praise: simplicity
- MWM reports repeated praise for the simple interface and classic metronome design.checked 15 Oct 2001
- Praise: sound
- MWM’s review analysis says realistic acoustic sound is the most-mentioned positive theme, appearing in 25 reviews.checked 15 Oct 2001
- Presets
- The app can save and reload BPM, time-signature and subdivision configurations.checked 15 Oct 2001
Where it runs
- Android data safety
- Google Play reports that the app may share location and app-activity data, encrypts data in transit and says data cannot be deleted.checked 15 Oct 2001
- Android implementation
- The Android listing describes a low-latency C++ audio engine, background playback and a home-screen widget.checked 15 Oct 2001
- Apple integrations
- The Apple version includes Apple Watch control, Siri commands, widgets, Live Activities and Dynamic Island support.checked 15 Oct 2001
- Browser access
- The web version requires no download and works in modern browsers with sample-accurate timing, tap tempo and pendulum animation.checked 1 Oct 2001
- Independent Android footprint
- AppBrain lists the Android app as free, without ads, with over 12 thousand total downloads in its April 2026 snapshot.checked 15 Oct 2001
The full review of True Metronome
True Metronome is a metronome and practice tool for musicians, teachers and students who want tempo control across mobile, Mac and browser platforms. Its strongest case is a capable free core with practice tracking; frequent Tap Tempo users and players who need advanced practice tools will need Pro.
Overview
A physics-based pendulum, Italian tempo markings and natural reverb give True Metronome familiar visual and audio cues. The 20–400 BPM range, adjustable subdivisions and custom time signatures make it adaptable to varied practice. Its frame-accurate audio engine is designed for steady timing, though that promise alone is not a reason to choose it over a simpler metronome.
Practice tracking presents progress by day, week and month, giving players a way to follow their routine rather than only set a beat. Beat Detection uses the microphone to identify tempo from an audio source in real time. The audio is processed on-device and is not recorded, stored or transmitted. The app collects limited pseudonymous analytics and does not sell personal information.
Key features
- Tempo and meter: The broad tempo range, tap tempo, subdivisions and custom time signatures cover more than basic beat-setting. Free users get up to five Tap Tempo uses a day, which is a meaningful restriction for players who regularly work out tempos by ear.
- Practice tracking: Daily, weekly and monthly progress views suit musicians building a consistent practice habit.
- Beat Detection: Real-time microphone-based tempo detection can help identify the pulse of an audio source. On-device processing keeps that audio from being recorded or transmitted.
- Browser version: The web app needs no download and includes sample-accurate timing, tap tempo and a pendulum animation. It is useful for quick access on a supported browser, but the free daily Tap Tempo cap still applies.
- Practice environment: The teacher page says there are no ads during practice, and the free version does not require an account.
Pricing
True Metronome is freemium, with free access and paid in-app purchases. The free plan costs nothing and includes 20–400 BPM, all backgrounds, two skins, all time signatures, one bell accent and background playback. It is a substantial starting point for routine metronome work, but Tap Tempo is limited to five uses per day.
The Special Skin costs $0.99, paid once as a billed in-app purchase and adds one special skin. It is a narrow customization purchase, not an upgrade to the broader practice tools.
True Metronome Pro costs $9.99, paid once as a billed one-time purchase. It adds 11 subdivision patterns, Tempo Trainer, live tempo detection, unlimited Tap Tempo, presets, Flash on Beat, all skins, all bell accents, Siri, Apple Watch, widgets and Live Activities. Pro is the better fit for musicians who need those tools or use Tap Tempo often; occasional players can stay on Free if its daily cap is sufficient. App Store and Google Play handle in-app transactions, and True Metronome does not access payment information.
Platforms
True Metronome is available on Android, iOS, macOS and the web. The browser version offers no-download access in modern browsers, while the app spans the major mobile platforms and Mac. Apple Watch, Siri, widgets and Live Activities are among the Pro features.
Who it's for
Classical musicians, music teachers and students are the audience the maker emphasizes, and the pendulum, Italian tempo markings and practice tracking align with that use. It also suits players who want a browser option or a free metronome with broad tempo and meter support. It is less compelling for someone who only needs a basic beat and has no use for progress tracking, Beat Detection or the additional Pro tools.
Pros and cons
- Pro: The free plan includes the full 20–400 BPM range, all time signatures and background playback, making it useful beyond a bare demo tier.
- Pro: Daily, weekly and monthly tracking adds a practice-routine view alongside tempo control.
- Pro: Browser access requires no download, and microphone audio for Beat Detection stays on-device.
- Con: Five free Tap Tempo uses per day can interrupt regular tempo discovery; unlimited use requires the one-time Pro purchase.
- Con: The free plan has only two skins and one bell accent, while all skins and accents are Pro features.
- Con: The Special Skin purchase adds only one skin, so it does not unlock the advanced practice tools bundled with Pro.
Alternatives
Metronome Apps is a broader category directory for comparing metronomes.
- Easy Metronome is a free option for Android, iOS, macOS and Windows; additional sound packs are optional in-app purchases. Choose it if Windows support matters more than True Metronome's browser access and practice tracking.
- MagicBPM has a free core app on Android, iOS, macOS and the web, with ads on iPhone and Android and an ad-free Mac app. Consider it if those platform and ad distinctions better fit your setup.
- Metronome Beats is free across Android, iOS, macOS and the web, with ads and in-app purchases; its iOS Pro purchase is $8.99, paid once and includes saving presets and setting tempo. Choose it if that stated iOS Pro functionality is the priority.
- Bounce Metronome Pro is a freemium alternative for Linux, macOS and Windows, with a free trial. Consider it if you need one of those desktop platforms.
- PolyMetronome offers a free Simple Mode on Android, iOS and the web, with a Pro plan billed yearly. Choose it if a simple free mode across those platforms is the fit.
- The Metronome by Soundbrenner has a free core app for Android, iOS and macOS. It is another option if you want a free metronome on those platforms.
- Chronal is a free, ad-free, donation-funded Android app. Choose it if Android-only access and an ad-free free app are the priorities.
- Metronome Time is free on Android, iOS and the web, with all current features included. It suits readers who want a free option without a paid tier for current features.
Verdict
True Metronome is a strong fit for musicians, teachers and students who want a well-equipped free metronome with progress tracking and browser access. Its main reason to choose it is the breadth of the free tempo and meter tools paired with a one-time Pro upgrade for deeper practice features. Look elsewhere if five daily Tap Tempo uses are too few and you do not want to pay for unlimited access, or if your device needs are outside Android, iOS, macOS and web.
Alternatives to True Metronome
- 1
Bounce Metronome Pro
Free planLinuxmacOSWindows7.4$9.99, paid once - 2
Metronome Beats
Free planAndroidiOSWebmacOS7.3$8.99, paid once - 3
Tempo by Frozen Ape
Free planAndroidiOS7.0$1.49, paid once - 4
Pro Metronome
Free planAndroidiOS6.9From $0.33 a month - 5
MagicBPM
Free planAndroidiOSWebmacOS6.8Free plan - 6
PolyMetronome
Free planAndroidiOSWeb6.7Free plan