BPM Heart Rate Counter: How to Count Your Beats Per Minute

If you just want a number now, our free tap BPM counter works in any browser. Below is how each method works, how to count well, and what your result means.

How do you count your BPM by hand?

Counting by hand is the original BPM heart rate counter, and it still works well. You need a watch, a phone timer or a clock with a second hand.

Mayo Clinic suggests counting your pulse for a full minute unless your health care team gives you other instructions, and notes that some people count for 15 seconds and multiply by 4. Cleveland Clinic describes counting for 30 seconds and doubling the result. All three give beats per minute; they differ in how much a single miscounted beat matters.

Count for	Multiply by	Example	One missed beat changes the result by
15 seconds	4	20 beats = 80 BPM	4 BPM
30 seconds	2	36 beats = 72 BPM	2 BPM
60 seconds	1	68 beats = 68 BPM	1 BPM

The 15-second count is fast and fine for a quick check. If the number matters to you, for example when you are tracking your resting heart rate over weeks, count for the full minute.

What are the different types of BPM counters?

There are four common ways to count beats per minute. Each has a place.

• Stopwatch and fingers. Free and available anywhere. It needs a quiet moment and careful counting.
• Tap counter. You tap a button on every beat and the tool averages the time between taps. There is no clock to watch. Our heart rate tapper guide explains how to get a clean result.
• Phone camera app. You rest a fingertip on the camera and the app reads the small color changes in your skin with each heartbeat. Nothing to count or tap.
• Watch or chest strap. Counts continuously, which makes it the practical choice during exercise.

How do you count your heart rate step by step?

These steps work for the stopwatch method and for a tap counter. They are based on Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic guidance on taking a pulse.

1. Rest first. Sit quietly for about five minutes. A reading taken right after walking, climbing stairs or talking is not a resting heart rate.
2. Find your pulse at the wrist. Turn one palm up. Place the tips of your index and middle fingers on the thumb side of the wrist, just below the base of the thumb, and press lightly. Do not use your thumb, which has its own pulse.
3. Or use your neck. Place two fingers in the groove beside your windpipe, on one side only, and press gently. Cleveland Clinic advises checking with a provider before using the neck pulse, because pressing on the carotid artery is not safe for everyone.
4. Start the timer and count. Count each beat you feel. Start your count at the first beat after the timer starts.
5. Do the math. Multiply a 15-second count by 4 or a 30-second count by 2. A 60-second count is already your BPM.
6. Write it down. Note the time of day and what you were doing, so you compare like with like next time.

If the beats feel uneven and you keep losing count, use the full 60 seconds rather than a short count, and mention it to a doctor.

What is a normal BPM?

MedlinePlus, from the US National Library of Medicine, lists these normal resting heart rates:

Age	Normal resting heart rate
Newborns, 0 to 1 month	70 to 190 BPM
Infants, 1 to 11 months	80 to 160 BPM
Children, 1 to 2 years	80 to 130 BPM
Children, 3 to 4 years	80 to 120 BPM
Children, 5 to 6 years	75 to 115 BPM
Children, 7 to 9 years	70 to 110 BPM
Children 10 and older and adults	60 to 100 BPM
Well-trained athletes	40 to 60 BPM

These numbers are for true rest. Caffeine, stress, heat, illness and recent activity all push heart rate up, and that is normal. For more detail by age and fitness level, see what is a normal resting heart rate.

What BPM should you aim for during exercise?

During exercise, a higher number is the goal. The American Heart Association estimates maximum heart rate as 220 minus your age. It describes moderate-intensity activity as about 50 to 70 percent of that maximum and vigorous activity as about 70 to 85 percent.

For a 40-year-old, that works out to roughly 90 to 126 BPM for moderate activity and 126 to 153 BPM for vigorous activity. You can work out your own numbers with our heart rate zones calculator or max heart rate calculator.

The AHA notes these are general guides, not exact limits. Some medicines, including some blood pressure medicines, can lower your maximum heart rate. If you have a heart condition or take medication, ask your doctor what range is right for you.

Can your iPhone be your BPM heart rate counter?

Yes, and it saves you the counting. Pulse Tracker measures your heart rate from your fingertip on the iPhone camera, using the flash to light the skin. You hold still for about 30 seconds, and the app shows a live pulse wave and a quality score so you can tell a clean reading from a shaky one.

The same scan also measures heart rate variability (RMSSD, SDNN and pNN50), respiratory rate, stress and energy, and compares your results with your 30-day baseline. You can add mood and notes to each reading and sync with Apple Health. Heart rate measurement is free and unlimited.

For a walkthrough of every iPhone option, with and without an Apple Watch, see how to measure heart rate on iPhone.

When should you see a doctor?

One high or low count is rarely a worry on its own, especially right after coffee, stress or activity. Rest for five minutes and count again before drawing conclusions.

Make an appointment with your doctor if:

• Your resting heart rate is regularly above 100 BPM.
• It is regularly below 60 BPM and you are not a trained athlete, especially if you feel tired or dizzy.
• Your pulse often feels irregular, fluttering or like it skips beats.
• Your usual resting number has changed noticeably without a clear reason.

Call emergency services (911 in the US) right away if a racing, pounding or very slow heartbeat comes with chest pain or pressure, fainting or near-fainting, severe shortness of breath, sudden weakness or confusion. Do not stop to count or recheck in that situation.

Sources

• MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine, Pulse
• Mayo Clinic, How to take your pulse
• Mayo Clinic, Heart rate: What’s normal?
• Cleveland Clinic, Pulse: What it is and how to take it
• American Heart Association, Target Heart Rates Chart

Related: Tap BPM counter · Heart Rate Tapper: How to Tap Your Pulse and Get Your BPM · Normal resting heart rate by age · How to measure heart rate on iPhone

Wellness disclaimer. Pulse Tracker is intended for general wellness use only. It is not a medical device, is not FDA cleared or approved, and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or condition. Blood pressure shown in the app is either a value you entered from your own cuff or an estimate derived from the pulse signal after cuff calibration; it is not a measurement and must not be used to make medical decisions. Read the full wellness disclaimer. Camera readings, estimates and classifications are for general information only and can be affected by movement, lighting, skin temperature and other factors. Do not use them to diagnose, treat or make decisions about a medical condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional, and call emergency services if you have chest pain, shortness of breath, fainting or other urgent symptoms.