# OpeNoise vs Sound Meter (Decibel)

The clearest difference is review sentiment: OpeNoise at 86% against Sound Meter (Decibel)'s 50%. OpeNoise also leads on ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). Sound Meter (Decibel)'s advantage is rating (4.5 vs 4.0) and ratings volume (3.1K vs 4). On price, update cadence, 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.

Sound Meter (Decibel) holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sound Meter (Decibel) has 3.1K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 86% of OpeNoise's written reviews are positive against 50% of Sound Meter (Decibel)'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

OpeNoise ships an update every 7 months, Sound Meter (Decibel) every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | OpeNoise | Sound Meter (Decibel) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openoise/id1387499991/reviews) | **[4.5 (3.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sound-meter-decibel/id1626613141/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **3.1K** |
| Positive reviews | **85.7% of reviews** | 50.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 5 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 18 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 14.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Arpa Piemonte](https://appshunter.io/developer/1317255035) | [UniCom Technology](https://appshunter.io/developer/1270764210) |

## What reviewers say

### OpeNoise

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openoise/id1387499991)

This application measures real-time sound pressure levels, displaying minimum and maximum values. It offers advanced analysis like third octave and FFT, with options to save data, calibrate, and share measurements with a community. Note: it is not intended for professional use.

**Highlights:** Real-time A-weighted sound pressure level measurement, Minimum and maximum level tracking, Third octave and FFT analysis, Data saving in text file, Calibration functionality, Measurements displayed on a map, Community sharing of calibration and measurements

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Sound Meter (Decibel)

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sound-meter-decibel/id1626613141)

This application measures and displays environmental noise levels in decibels. It offers various visual representations of the data, including gauges, graphs, and numerical readouts. Users can also save their measurement history.

**Highlights:** Measures decibel values, Displays noise reference, Shows min/avg/max dB, Graphical decibel display, Saves measurement records

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Works perfectly
- 👍 Easy to use and free
- 👍 Good simple UI
- 👍 Good basic sound level meter
- 👍 Very easy and simplified display

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Spelling mistake ('quiet' spelled as 'quite')
- 🐛 Inaccurate readings compared to other apps
- 🐛 Requires a subscription for basic recording
- 🐛 Imprecise metering, not a reliable tool
- 🐛 Doesn't work in split screen

**Reported bugs**

- Apple security alert displayed on a Google ad
- Readings are half of other apps
- Misspelled 'quiet' throughout the app

**Requested features**

- Add option to prevent screen timeout
- Add landscape mode
- Improve accuracy and calibration


## Frequently asked questions

### Is OpeNoise free?

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

### Is Sound Meter (Decibel) free?

Sound Meter (Decibel) is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, OpeNoise or Sound Meter (Decibel)?

Sound Meter (Decibel) is rated higher. OpeNoise averages 4.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Sound Meter (Decibel) averages 4.5 from 3.1K ratings.

### Do OpeNoise or Sound Meter (Decibel) have ads?

Sound Meter (Decibel) shows ads; OpeNoise does not.

### Which is updated more often, OpeNoise or Sound Meter (Decibel)?

OpeNoise ships an update every 7 months, and Sound Meter (Decibel) every 5 months. Most recently, OpeNoise was updated on September 21, 2026 and Sound Meter (Decibel) on September 23, 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.*