# Decibel vs dBMeter

The clearest difference is ads: Decibel at none against dBMeter's shown. Decibel also leads on ratings volume (475 vs 8) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). dBMeter's advantage is update cadence (every 3 months vs every 18 months) and review sentiment (67% vs 45%). On price, rating, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 3.5 for Decibel against 3.6 for dBMeter. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Decibel has 475 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 45% of Decibel's written reviews are positive against 67% of dBMeter's.

Decibel ships an update every 18 months, dBMeter every 3 months. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Decibel | dBMeter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (475 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/decibel-accurate-db-meter/id1130936133/reviews) | **[3.6 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dbmeter-decibelmeter/id1466056567/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **475** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | 45.3% of reviews | **66.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 18 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 4 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [祥祎 刘](https://appshunter.io/developer/1071522659) | [Ramon Palacios Saez](https://appshunter.io/developer/1177436233) |

## What reviewers say

### Decibel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/decibel-accurate-db-meter/id1130936133)

Transform your device into a professional sound meter to accurately measure ambient noise levels. Understand how loud your surroundings are, from quiet rooms to loud events, and learn about potential hearing risks.

**Highlights:** Accurate sound pressure level measurement, Measures decibels (dB), Provides real-time sound intensity readings, Useful for understanding noise pollution, Helps identify potential hearing hazards

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and intuitive
- 💡 Useful for measuring noise levels
- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🔍 Provides instant and average readings

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inaccurate readings
- 🔍 Overly sensitive microphone
- 🔍 Inconsistent measurements
- 🔍 Readings too high compared to other apps

**Reported bugs**

- App shows high decibel readings even in silent environments
- Microphone issues causing inaccurate measurements
- App freezes or stops working

**Requested features**

- Ability to calibrate the app
- Option to record and save measurement history
- Add peak hold feature
- Improve spelling and grammar


### dBMeter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dbmeter-decibelmeter/id1466056567)

This application precisely measures sound intensity in real time using your device's microphone. It displays minimum, maximum, and average decibel levels, offers a noise-time graph, and allows for microphone calibration. The tool is ideal for monitoring ambient noise in various environments and exporting data for analysis.

**Highlights:** Real-time decibel measurement, Min, max, and average values, Noise-time graph, Microphone calibration, Background operation, CSV data export, Timer option

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Decibel free?

Decibel is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is dBMeter free?

dBMeter is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Decibel or dBMeter?

dBMeter is rated higher. Decibel averages 3.5 out of 5 from 475 ratings, while dBMeter averages 3.6 from 8 ratings.

### Do Decibel or dBMeter have ads?

dBMeter shows ads; Decibel does not.

### Which is updated more often, Decibel or dBMeter?

Decibel ships an update every 18 months, and dBMeter every 3 months. Most recently, Decibel was updated on October 29, 2026 and dBMeter on October 29, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*