# Decibel : dB sound level meter — user reviews > 507 indexed App Store user reviews of Decibel by Vlad Polyanskiy, rated 4.60/5 from 36,118 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/decibel-db-sound-level-meter/id1227650795/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/decibel-db-sound-level-meter/id1227650795.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 28,300 · 4★ 5,105 · 3★ 1,367 · 2★ 337 · 1★ 1,009 ## What do users think of Decibel? Overall sentiment: neutral **Pros** - 👍 Useful for monitoring noise levels - 🔍 Accurate for a phone app - 🔧 Good for calibrating audio equipment - 💡 Helpful for hearing protection - 📊 Provides detailed measurements **Cons** - 💰 Aggressive upselling tactics - 🔒 Privacy concerns around data collection - 🕹️ Confusing free vs paid options - 🔁 Recurring subscription issues - 🔢 Inconsistent/inaccurate readings **Commonly reported bugs** - App crashes or freezes during use - Subscription issues and unwanted charges - Microphone compatibility problems **Most requested features** - Add option to set noise level alerts - Improve geolocation and recording features - Allow audio playback while using the app - Provide more calibration options ## Newest reviews (10 of 507) ### 4/5 — Too many questions, but works well *2026-01-26, version 9.5.2* Asks all sorts of questions, filter through that and use the free option works for most needs! ### 1/5 — You need to pay *2026-01-05, version 9.5.2* Scam ### 2/5 — Too many questions, and $$ *2025-12-30, version 9.5.2* Tries to make you pay a ton of money for such a simple thing. Asks all sorts of questions before when you just want to know how loud it is. ### 1/5 — POS Full OF BUGS *2025-12-20, version 9.5.2* It’s difficult to know where to start given how worthless this app is. And it is so full of bugs. On one of the pages you’re stuck with a huge map of the world I presume to show you where you made your recordings, but no one needs it, and it is completely worthless. Then when you try to play one of the recordings to recall what it was, half the time they won’t play. They won’t play whether you Select play on the main page or on the second page. In addition, you can’t fast forward. This recording app stupidly did not provide a means to fast-forward in one of the recordings. An elementary school student riding a tricycle could’ve done a better design job. Too much of the time nothing plays at all because it’s so full of bugs. And they don’t allow enough room. In the space for the subject of the recording to be able to provide a short but reasonable explanation so that you can find recordings later. Nor do they explain when you should use sound level C versus sound level A, nor do they explain when you should use fast response versus slow response. Truly, a POS app, avoid at all costs. ### 5/5 — B *2025-11-10, version 9.5.1* Good db meter ### 5/5 — Excellent app, does this have Dante compatibility? *2025-10-15, version 9.5.1* This is hands down best RTA app for iOS. Would love to implement in my Dante system. Are there any plans to support external sound cards or Dante networking? ### 4/5 — Sehr gute App aber leider Unperformant *2025-10-09* Hallo zusammen, Ich nutze die App jetzt schon seit ca. 1 Jahr und bin sehr zufrieden mit ihr. Sie zeigt genau die Frequenzen und die Lautstärke im Raum an was mir als tontechniker sehr hilft beim mixen. Leider muss ich aber festellen das sie auf meinem iPhone 16 Pro seit ein paar Wochen immer wieder sich aufhängt oder abstürzt. Außerdem stimmt die Lautstärke nicht die angeben wird. Meine Apple Watch zeigt z.b. 80db an während die App bei 65db oder so ist. Da ich mir jetzt das Pro Abo gekauft habe finde ich das sehr enttäuschend das diese wichtigen Funktionen nicht richtig angezeigt werden und funktioniert. Alles andere ist super und funktioniert einwandfrei. Daher klare Empfehlung! **Developer response:** Thank you for your feedback. Based on what you describe, I would first recommend you check that you have the latest version of the app installed on your device. After the release of iOS 26, we released two updates and the app currently has a 99.87% crash free rate. As regards the decibel readings, they will be different depending on the position of the device and the distance to the noise source (for more on this, you can check out this article: https://decibelpro.app/blog/sound-level-meter-readings-depending-on-distance-from-noise-source/). We also provided new calibration profiles with the latest updates so if the app isn't up to date, this may affect readings too. If any issue still persists, please email me at support@decibelpro.app with more details and I will do my best to provide a fix. Wish you all the best! ### 5/5 — Bad *2025-10-04, version 9.5.1* Nope ### 5/5 — Clean & Usefull *2025-09-27, version 9.5.1* I’ve been using it for years on multiple devices. Works like a charm. ### 1/5 — Not Happy *2025-09-25, version 9.5.1* Hot the trial but signed me up ASAP now can’t open the app at all. Please remove me from the subscription NOW! ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — App no longer useable *2026-08-04, version 9.5.3* I bought this app before it went to subscription service and now it will not work unless I subscribe. Is there a way to gain access for those of us who bought this app before it was subscription? I believe we should be grandfathered in since we agreed to pay for the use of the app at the time of purchase. This feels like breach of contract. ### 1/5 — Doesn’t work with AirPods Pro even after buying Premium Pack. *2026-07-10, version 9.5.3* I bought the Premium Pack - supposedly with all features included - because I saw it had a lot of potential use for me. Really wanted to use it with my AirPods Pro but the app always said they weren’t connected even though they were. No response from dev after logging an issue a few days ago. At this price I expect both that it works without hassle and if there’s issue a prompt response from the dev team. ### 1/5 — Keeps freezing up *2026-07-06, version 9.5.3* I recently purchased the one year membership as things were working good, all of a sudden it will freeze up and stay at zero or whatever DB number it’s at. Next, I have to unplug, the microphone restart the app plug everything back in and sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t. There are times I don’t have time to do that during a service. I need the DB information as soon as it hits the meter. Please fix the bug or I will request a refund. With Respect, Professor Bobby Glass Navy Veteran (AW/SW) ### 1/5 — Forced to pay to save *2026-06-08, version 9.5.3* Can no longer save videos without paying ### 1/5 — Not free *2026-05-30, version 9.5.3* Not cool to advertise it as if its free… ### 1/5 — Not fit for purpose *2026-04-17, version 9.5.3* Reports dBZ values below dBA or dBC, and so is inherently incorrect and unreliable ### 1/5 — Requires paid subscription *2026-04-14, version 9.5.3* "Free with in-app purchases" is a fun technicality, isn't it? ### 1/5 — This App Is Great *2026-04-10, version 9.5.3* If you want to pay £25 a year. You can’t use the app without paying at least £25. So for an app that used to be free this is ***** ### 1/5 — Delusional developer *2026-03-05, version 9.5.3* The app tries to lock you in a subscription without even letting you try it. The developer is clearly desperate to make a buck. There are apps that are free on appstore, they do the same thing. Don’t feed the machine. ### 1/5 — Terrible and highly inaccurate *2026-01-19, version 9.5.2* Don’t get it was so bad I took the test cause why not it said basically I needed help and I don’t I wasted 90$ at the doctor ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Use this app to check the decibels surrounding you *2026-08-13, version 9.5.3* One if you use plus you can actually check everything and also I actually recommend you getting plus I mean not plus premium, and plus download this app because this app is the best app to check your decibels ### 5/5 — 제작자님 부탁드려요!! *2026-07-26* 이 앱을 사용할 때 카메라라는게 있는데, 동영상으로 하고 싶었습니다. 근데 자기 반대편만 할 수 있어서 불편했습니다. 제작자님 제 리뷰를 보신다면 업데이트 할 때 참고해주세요!! ### 5/5 — love it *2026-05-27, version 9.5.3* the user experience has been exceptional!! ### 5/5 — Countless Features, No Greed *2026-04-26, version 9.5.3* This app is a diamond in the rough for a hobbyist or enthusiast. Even the free version offers more customizability and options than most other audio visualizers, with an FFT plot, spectrogram, dB reader, etc., and it can all be recorded and transferred. It’s a great all-in-one audio analysis tool with a low skill floor and high skill ceiling. ### 5/5 — Very good *2026-04-04, version 9.5.3* Because I can seee how loud it is ### 5/5 — Works so much better than the old one *2026-03-03, version 9.5.3* This is the best DB app ### 5/5 — Free *2026-03-01, version 9.5.3* I had gotten this and it said in a purchases, but I was like let me just try it and ask you to pay a monthly yearly or annual subscription. If there was an accident on the top left corner when you hit X you basically get all the features it’s wonderful. You have a sleep time where you at different icons different photos. It’s wonderful and it does the job if you’re looking for a decibel meter it does the decibel meter. ### 5/5 — 환불해주세요 *2026-02-03* 결제한적도없고 그당시에 깔고 5분도 안 쓰고 앱을 지웠습니다 왜 결제됐는지도 모르겠습니다 잘못누른적도 없고요 소액도 아니고 4만원씩이나 결제됐습니다 학교에서 깔라고해서 잠시 깔고 지운 학생입니다… 한푼한푼이 소중해서 정말 부탁드립니다 **Developer response:** Thank you for your feedback. If you started the free trial of the Pro version and did not cancel it before the trial expired, it was automatically converted into a yearly subscription, as explicitly stated at the start of the trial period. To cancel the subscription, go to the app's settings, select “Manage subscriptions” and, in the new window, select “Cancel subscription” or by follow the official Apple guide available here: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202039. For a refund, you will have to contact Apple using the guide here: https://support.apple.com/en-us/118223 ### 5/5 — Tuff *2026-01-03, version 9.5.2* My tiktok is MrJacob850 Anyways this is cool ### 5/5 — The best! *2025-12-04, version 9.5.2* No annoyances built into it! Thank you dev --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-28.*