MagicBPM vs Yames

MagicBPM listens through a microphone to measure music tempo in real time, with a metronome and song identification. Its BPM readout updates as music plays and shows a confidence indicator as the reading settles; a scrolling tempogram displays tempo changes over time. The metronome supports up to 300 BPM, eight time signatures, accented downbeats, and eighth-note, triplet and sixteenth-note subdivisions. It can listen while music plays aloud from services including Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and Deezer. Tempo analysis runs on-device, and microphone audio is not recorded or uploaded. Song identification sends an acoustic fingerprint to Apple’s Shazam service, requires internet access, and is disabled on CarPlay and Bluetooth hands-free routes. The app does not import audio files: users measure microphone-captured sound or tap the beat. Apps are listed for Mac, iPhone, iPad and Android, with an Apple Watch metronome. The core app is free; iPhone and Android versions show ads, while the Mac app is ad-free.

Yames is a free desktop metronome app for musicians, available on Linux, macOS, and Windows. It supports subdivisions, custom time signatures, offline use, and does not require an account. The site describes timing under 1 ms. Thirteen themes and seven fullscreen visuals provide on-screen ways to follow the beat. Jam mode adds drummer, bass, and keyboard parts in styles including rock, blues, funk, jazz, latin, and metal; users can set custom chords and record. Its beta practice coach listens to sessions, scores them, identifies rushing or dragging, and adapts a later tempo. The coach works offline, and the site says playing and scoring remain on the computer. Speed drills can ramp tempo automatically and include countdowns, cyclic repeats, and saved presets. Setlists combine metronome presets, drills, and jams, then advance by bars, minutes, or user input, with optional count-in and rest bars. MIDI messages and hotkeys can control actions such as playback, tempo, and subdivision. A floating widget stays above a DAW and sheet music. Yames is identified as GPL-3.0 licensed.