Comparison

Decibel vs LabCom

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Decibel

Transform your device into a professional sound level meter and audio analyzer. Measure ambient noise, monitor decibel levels, and visualize sound frequencies in real time. It also offers advanced sleep tracking with sound recognition to identify disruptions.

Highlights
  • Real-time decibel (dB) sound level monitoring
  • Integrated Spectrum Analyzer (FFT, spectrogram)
  • Sleep tracking with sound recognition
  • Noise exposure data export to Health app
  • Add sound level overlays to photos/videos
  • Save, export, and playback sound measurements
Features
Read full description

Decibel turns your device into a powerful sound level meter without any extra hardware. Measure ambient noise in real time, monitor sound levels (dB), and explore frequencies with the built-in Spectrum Analyzer. Capture reliable sound and noise data wherever you are. Designed for casual users, audio enthusiasts, and sound engineers, Decibel works as a portable sound meter for quick sound checks or deeper audio analysis. Use it to easily check noise levels, test room acoustics, monitor workplace noise, or fine-tune audio equipment. Decibel has various advanced features, including saving and exporting noise measurement data, live sound level overlays for photos and videos, and exporting data to the Health app to track noise exposure over time. “The best way to meter sound levels” — AppAdvice SLEEP TRACKING AND SOUND RECOGNITION Decibel’s sleep tracking and smart sound recognition help you understand your sleep environment and nighttime noise. While sleep tracking is active, the app can detect common sleep sounds such as snoring, coughing, talking, and other household or environmental noise that may affect sleep quality. Each detected sound appears on a detailed sleep timeline, so you can see exactly when disruptions occurred and play back the related audio. This makes it easier to identify snoring patterns, sleep disturbances, and noise events that impact your rest. All sleep sound recognition and audio analysis are performed entirely on your device using advanced on-device machine learning. Recordings stay private, are processed locally, and never leave your device. KEY FEATURES - Visualize ambient sound levels and decibel (dB) readings in real time - Sync with the Health app to track and export noise exposure data - Add live sound level overlays to photos and videos - Save sound measurements with location data and custom labels - Record, store, export, and play back sound measurements - Export sound and noise data in CSV or audio formats SPECTRUM ANALYZER - Integrated Spectrum Analyzer with FFT and spectrogram modes - Multiple FFT sizes up to 16,384 points with selectable window functions - Flexible visualization modes and graph styles - Octave Band Real-Time Analyzer (RTA) for detailed frequency analysis EXTERNAL MICROPHONES AND CALIBRATION - Support for external microphones - Calibrate connected microphones directly in the app - Create and manage custom profiles for different microphones REPORTING AND EXPORT - Generate detailed noise measurement reports, including LAeq values - Batch export multiple measurements in supported formats Decibel app is not a replacement for professional devices and should be used for personal purposes only. By using this app, you acknowledge and agree that the developers and publishers are not liable for any decisions made based on the information provided by the app. SUBSCRIPTIONS Decibel offers optional subscriptions that unlock advanced tools and ongoing feature enhancements. With a subscription, you get access to an expanding set of professional Spectrum Analyzer features, advanced sound level weighting modes, and continued updates for compatibility with new devices and hardware. Subscriptions also include support for external microphones, unlimited saving and exporting of measurements, batch export tools, and audio and video exports with sound level overlays. Payment will be charged to your Apple account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless auto-renewal is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or disable auto-renewal at any time in your Apple ID account settings. By downloading and using the app, you agree to the following: Terms of Use: https://www.iubenda.com/terms-and-conditions/94359518 Privacy Policy: https://www.iubenda.com/privacy-policy/94359518 Disclaimer: http://dbmeterpro.com/disclaimer.html Questions or feedback? Contact us at support@decibelpro.app

About

LabCom

Download measurement results from your PoolLab Photometer device to your iPhone. Share data with other devices and applications via a free cloud service. Update your device's firmware for improved accuracy and bug fixes.

Highlights
  • Download measurement results
  • Cloud data sharing
  • Firmware updates
  • Increased accuracy
  • Bug fixes
Features
Read full description

With this app you can download measurement results from your PoolLab Photometer device to your iPhone and, using the free cloud service, even to share the data with other devices and applications. It is now also possible to upgrade the firmware of your PoolLab with your iPhone or iPad, providing increased accuracy on some parameters as well as few minor bug fixes compared to the original firmware that your PoolLab shipped with.

Screenshots

Decibel4 screens
LabCom3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Decibel at 66% against LabCom's 16%. Decibel also leads on rating (4.6 vs 2.5) and ratings volume (36K vs 6). LabCom's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Decibel sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. LabCom asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Decibel holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Decibel has 36K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 66% of Decibel's written reviews are positive against 16% of LabCom's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Decibel ships an update every 2 months, LabCom every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Decibel versus LabCom: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDecibelLabCom
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (36K ratings) — better2.5 (6 ratings)
Positive reviews65.9% of reviews — better15.9% of reviews
Number of ratings36K — better6
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size56 MB66 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperVlad PolyanskiyWater-I.D. GmbH

Customer experience

Decibel

All ratings36,118 ratings
Positive92.5%
Neutral3.8%
Negative3.7%
Written reviews511 reviews
Positive65.9%
Neutral3.7%
Negative30.3%

LabCom

All ratings6 ratings
Positive16.7%
Neutral33.3%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews88 reviews
Positive15.9%
Neutral4.5%
Negative79.5%

Bugs and requests

Decibel

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App crashes or freezes during use
  • Subscription issues and unwanted charges
  • Microphone compatibility problems

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add option to set noise level alerts
  • Improve geolocation and recording features
  • Allow audio playback while using the app
  • Provide more calibration options

LabCom

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Decibel

Subscriptions5
  • Premium Mode3 Days trial$1.997 Days
  • Premium Plus7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Premium Mode3 Days trial$7.991 Month
Show 2 more
  • Premium Mode Subscription$9.991 Month
  • Premium Mode7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time5
  • dB Meter Pro$4.99
  • Noise Dosimeter Pro$9.99
  • Decibel Meter Pro$19.99
Show 2 more
  • Spectrum Analyzer Pack$24.99
  • dB Meter Premium Pack$49.99
None

LabCom

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Decibel free?
Decibel is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is LabCom free?
LabCom is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Decibel or LabCom?
Decibel is rated higher. Decibel averages 4.6 out of 5 from 36K ratings, while LabCom averages 2.5 from 6 ratings.
Do Decibel or LabCom have ads?
Neither Decibel nor LabCom shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Decibel or LabCom?
Decibel ships an update every 2 months, and LabCom every 6 weeks. Most recently, Decibel was updated on October 27, 2026 and LabCom on October 21, 2026.

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