# Decibel vs HDTEST

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: HDTEST at none against Decibel's 10. HDTEST also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

Decibel ships an update every 2 months, HDTEST monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Decibel | HDTEST |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (36K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/decibel-db-sound-level-meter/id1227650795/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **36K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 65.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 56 MB | 20 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Vlad Polyanskiy](https://appshunter.io/developer/438646985) | [华的](https://appshunter.io/developer/1686877849) |

## What reviewers say

### Decibel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/decibel-db-sound-level-meter/id1227650795)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Mode | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Plus | $4.99 | per month |
| Premium Mode | $7.99 | per month |
| Premium Mode Subscription | $9.99 | per month |
| Premium Mode | $29.99 | per year |
| dB Meter Pro | $4.99 | one-time |
| Noise Dosimeter Pro | $9.99 | one-time |
| Decibel Meter Pro | $19.99 | one-time |
| Spectrum Analyzer Pack | $24.99 | one-time |
| dB Meter Premium Pack | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Useful for monitoring noise levels
- 🔍 Accurate for a phone app
- 🔧 Good for calibrating audio equipment
- 💡 Helpful for hearing protection
- 📊 Provides detailed measurements

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Aggressive upselling tactics
- 🔒 Privacy concerns around data collection
- 🕹️ Confusing free vs paid options
- 🔁 Recurring subscription issues
- 🔢 Inconsistent/inaccurate readings

**Reported bugs**

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

**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


### HDTEST

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hdtest/id6748893127)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Decibel free?

Decibel is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is HDTEST free?

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

### Do Decibel or HDTEST have ads?

Neither Decibel nor HDTEST shows ads.

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

Decibel ships an update every 2 months, and HDTEST monthly. Most recently, Decibel was updated on November 5, 2026 and HDTEST on October 30, 2026.

---

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