Comparison

Aptus vs Decibel Meter+ Sound Level dB

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

Head to head
About

Aptus

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Make use of Aptus to understand your current network and speed details. Current app Features: Network Analysis: Upon starting the service, at given intervals, your network functionality is analysed and compared against expected industry standards in your location.

About

Decibel Meter+ Sound Level dB

This app measures sound levels in decibels using your iPhone's microphone. It offers OSHA/NIOSH noise dose tracking, A/C/Z weighting, and calibration for accurate readings. Monitor workplace, neighborhood, or event noise with a clear, color-coded display.

Highlights
  • Real-time decibel measurement (0–120 dB SPL)
  • OSHA + NIOSH 8-hour noise dose tracking
  • A / C / Z weighting toggle
  • One-tap quiet room calibration
  • Color-coded radial gauge
  • Live waveform chart
  • Min, Average, and Max dB tracking
Features
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Decibel Meter: Sound Level dB turns your iPhone microphone into a live sound level meter. Press the big Start button under the gauge (or tap the gauge) and see how loud it is in decibels, with the running minimum, average and maximum right below. ▶ Measure • Radial gauge from 0 to 120 dB with a Fast (125 ms) response, so the needle follows the sound instead of flickering • dBA, dBC or dBZ: switch the frequency weighting from the chip at the top • Min, average (energy average, not a plain mean of the numbers) and max for the session • A one-line verdict that puts the level in everyday terms, from quiet library to hearing damage zone • An OVER warning when the microphone is saturated, so a flat ceiling reading is never mistaken for a real value ▶ Pause and see your summary Pause after 30 seconds or more and a summary card shows the duration, average, max, dose and 8-hour TWA of the standard you chose. Resume carries on with the same session; New session files it into your log and starts clean. The card keeps the numbers from the moment you paused, even if you change the weighting or the standard afterwards. ▶ Noise dosimeter • Two standards: WHO (85 dBA, 3 dB exchange, 8 h) and OSHA (90 dBA, 5 dB exchange, 8 h) • Daily dose %, 8-hour TWA and time left until 100 % • The dose always uses the A-weighted level, whatever weighting is on the gauge • Switching the standard shows that standard's own total for the whole session • 7-day dose chart, and an alert with a short vibration when the level stays at or above the criterion for 10 seconds ▶ Logs • Noise events: every stretch above your threshold that lasts 5 seconds or more is logged with its peak and average, and the list can be shared as text • Session log with LAeq, Lmax, L10 and L90 for sessions of 30 seconds or more, exportable as CSV • A summary report across all sessions, unlocked by watching a short video ▶ Calibration Phone microphones differ. Adjust the offset from −20 to +20 dB against a reference meter, or use Quiet Cal for a quick approximate reference in a quiet room. The app tells you when the room was too loud for that reference to be trusted. ▶ Good to know • The screen stays on while measuring, and an optional auto-stop ends a run after 4 hours • Measuring pauses when you leave the app and resumes when you come back; it does not measure in the background • No audio is saved; the app only computes levels from the live microphone signal • A phone is not a certified sound level meter. Use the readings for everyday checks and comparisons, not for legal or compliance measurements. Handy for a noisy workplace, a concert, traffic outside the window, a neighbour's music, a classroom, or checking how loud your own speakers are.

Screenshots

Aptus3 screens
Decibel Meter+ Sound Level dB3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Decibel Meter+ Sound Level dB at weekly against Aptus's every 19 months. Aptus's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.4). On price and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Aptus ships an update every 19 months, Decibel Meter+ Sound Level dB weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 6 level
Aptus versus Decibel Meter+ Sound Level dB: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAptusDecibel Meter+ Sound Level dB
PriceFreeFree
Rating—3.0 (2 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyEvery 19 monthsWeekly — better
Ads—Yes
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Ad-supported
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS14.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size45 MB86 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperMetricell LimitedKyu-Hee Jang

In-app purchases

None

Aptus

No in-app purchases

None

Decibel Meter+ Sound Level dB

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Aptus free?
Aptus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Decibel Meter+ Sound Level dB free?
Decibel Meter+ Sound Level dB is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which is updated more often, Aptus or Decibel Meter+ Sound Level dB?
Aptus ships an update every 19 months, and Decibel Meter+ Sound Level dB weekly. Most recently, Aptus was updated on November 2, 2026 and Decibel Meter+ Sound Level dB on November 7, 2026.

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