Vibration meter for Android
Is that rattle getting worse?
Put your phone on a still, flat part of the machine, away from anything that moves or gets hot. RattleScope measures how hard it shakes and its strongest frequency. Save the reading, then compare it with one taken later from the same spot.
$5.99 once to unlock · no account · no subscription
Check a peak against a speed
Enter a turning speed in RPM and the strongest frequency from your reading. The check shows whether they line up. It is the same check as the app's RPM screen.
A match means the two differ by no more than 3% or 0.5 Hz, which allows for a rounded speed.
What it does
Read it live.
A big strength figure in m/s² or g, a moving trace, and a frequency chart with the strongest peak marked in Hz and per minute. A short count-in after Start keeps your hand out of the reading, and the screen stays on.
Save a baseline.
Name the reading, tag it as car, washer, fan or other, and add a photo of where the phone sat. Next time, put the phone in the same spot.
See what changed.
Compare overlays two readings and describes the measured difference in plain words, for example: strength is up 38% since 3 October, and the strongest frequency moved from 23.1 Hz to 26.0 Hz.
Overlay a saved reading on the live one.
Watch today's trace against an earlier one while it reads, and get the change stated when you press Stop.
Check it against a speed.
Enter a turning speed in RPM and see whether the strongest frequency matches one to six times that speed.
Keep a report.
A PDF with both curves, the numbers and both photos, or a CSV of the spectrum for a spreadsheet.
What it cannot do
It is not a diagnosis and not a calibrated instrument. A phone's motion sensor reads a limited number of times a second (the app shows the rate and the highest frequency it can see), so very fast vibration can show up lower down or not at all. The reading depends on where the phone sits: a different spot gives a different reading. Use it to compare readings, not to judge whether a machine is safe. If you suspect a fault, have the machine checked.
One price, once
Standard
No charge
- Live reading, trace and chart
- The RPM check
- Three saved readings, never locked
- A banner on the library and saved readings, none while it reads
Unlock
$5.99 once
- Compare and the live overlay
- PDF and CSV reports
- As many saved readings as you like
- No ads, no subscription, no account
Questions
Can a phone really measure vibration?
It measures acceleration with its own motion sensor, many times a second. RattleScope turns that into a strength figure (the RMS acceleration from 2 Hz up to the highest frequency the phone can see) and a frequency chart. It helps you compare readings from the same machine over time, as long as the phone and its spot stay the same. It is not a calibrated measurement.
What can I use it on?
A still, flat surface on a washing machine, an idling car, a fan, a pump or a tumble dryer. Keep the phone away from moving parts, heat and places it could fall from. Do not hold the phone during a reading.
Why does the spot matter?
Vibration is stronger in some places than others on the same machine. Save a photo of where the phone sat and use the same spot next time, or the comparison means less.
What is the highest frequency it can see?
It depends on your phone, and the live screen states it. At 200 readings a second the limit is 100 Hz, and readings near that limit are less reliable than lower ones.
Is it on iPhone?
No. RattleScope is for Android only.
What does the unlock cost?
A one-time $5.99 in the US and £5.49 in the UK, with no subscription. Live reading, the RPM check and three saved readings do not need it.
Get a number for that rattle
RattleScope for Android. No account, and your readings stay on your phone.