# Decibel Meter vs dB

The clearest difference is rating: Decibel Meter at 4.3 against dB's 1.0. Decibel Meter also leads on ratings volume (906 vs 1). dB's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 9) and ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Decibel Meter sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. dB asks for nothing beyond the download.

Decibel Meter holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Decibel Meter has 906 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Decibel Meter ships an update every 2 weeks, dB every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Decibel Meter | dB |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (906 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/decibel-meter-measure-db-level/id1274038012/reviews)** | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/db-tester/id1441925884/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **906** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 56.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 107 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13 | **11.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [文波 曾](https://appshunter.io/developer/1557199654) | [Shenzhen Jumaoyuan Science and Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1327619798) |

## What reviewers say

### Decibel Meter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/decibel-meter-measure-db-level/id1274038012)

Transform your phone into a professional-grade decibel meter for real-time noise detection. Features advanced algorithms, noise visualization, and recording capabilities for comprehensive sound analysis.

**Highlights:** Military-grade algorithm, Professional GB weighted detection, Noise recording, Noise classification system, AI ambient noise visualization, Noise dosimeter

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Free trail then subscribe | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| 分贝测试仪专业版 | $2.99 | per 3 months |
| 分贝仪专业版 | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| 分贝测试仪专业版 | $4.49 | per 6 months |
| Pro Monthly Subscription | $5.49 | per month |
| 分贝测试仪专业版 | $25.99 | per year |
| Remove advertisement | $0.99 | one-time |
| 终身尊享权益 | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Accurate decibel measurements
- 🚀 Easy to use
- 💡 Useful for various applications (e.g. restaurants, heating systems)
- 🚀 Free version works great

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inaccurate readings at higher decibel levels
- 🔒 Requires location access for no apparent reason
- 🔒 Excessive ads and subscription model
- 🐛 Compatibility issues (e.g. no iPad support, Chinese EULA)

**Reported bugs**

- Decibel readings capped at 90 dB
- Displaying incorrect address information
- Crashing or freezing on launch
- Showing 70 dB in a completely silent room

**Requested features**

- Landscape mode for iPad
- Ability to detect sounds above 90 dB
- Option to disable ads or switch to a paid version


### dB

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/db-tester/id1441925884)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Decibel Meter free?

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

### Is dB free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Decibel Meter or dB?

Decibel Meter is rated higher. Decibel Meter averages 4.3 out of 5 from 906 ratings, while dB averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Decibel Meter or dB have ads?

Decibel Meter shows ads; dB does not.

### Which is updated more often, Decibel Meter or dB?

Decibel Meter ships an update every 2 weeks, and dB every 3 weeks. Most recently, Decibel Meter was updated on October 26, 2026 and dB on October 24, 2026.

---

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