# dBMeter vs Sound Meter (SPL meter)

The clearest difference is price: dBMeter at Free against Sound Meter (SPL meter)'s $0.99. dBMeter also leads on review sentiment (67% vs 29%) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). On update cadence, ads, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

dBMeter is free to download; Sound Meter (SPL meter) costs $0.99 up front. Sound Meter (SPL meter) sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. dBMeter asks for nothing beyond the download.

dBMeter ships an update every 3 months, Sound Meter (SPL meter) every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | dBMeter | Sound Meter (SPL meter) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| Rating | **[3.6 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dbmeter-decibelmeter/id1466056567/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **8** | — |
| Positive reviews | **66.7% of reviews** | 28.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Ad-supported |
| Size | 19 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ramon Palacios Saez](https://appshunter.io/developer/1177436233) | [庆鸿 林](https://appshunter.io/developer/1558629938) |

## What reviewers say

### dBMeter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dbmeter-decibelmeter/id1466056567)

This application precisely measures sound intensity in real time using your device's microphone. It displays minimum, maximum, and average decibel levels, offers a noise-time graph, and allows for microphone calibration. The tool is ideal for monitoring ambient noise in various environments and exporting data for analysis.

**Highlights:** Real-time decibel measurement, Min, max, and average values, Noise-time graph, Microphone calibration, Background operation, CSV data export, Timer option

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Sound Meter (SPL meter)

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sound-meter-spl-meter/id1558634102)

This utility app uses your device's microphone to measure ambient noise levels in decibels. It displays readings with graphical representations and provides historical data like minimum, average, and maximum values. Calibration options are available for different devices.

**Highlights:** Measures noise in decibels (dB), Displays decibel readings on a gauge, Shows current, min, avg, and max dB values, Graphs decibel levels over time, Tracks elapsed time of measurements, Allows device-specific decibel calibration

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Access | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is dBMeter free?

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

### Is Sound Meter (SPL meter) free?

Sound Meter (SPL meter) costs $0.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Do dBMeter or Sound Meter (SPL meter) have ads?

Both dBMeter and Sound Meter (SPL meter) show ads.

### Which is updated more often, dBMeter or Sound Meter (SPL meter)?

dBMeter ships an update every 3 months, and Sound Meter (SPL meter) every 6 weeks. Most recently, dBMeter was updated on October 29, 2026 and Sound Meter (SPL meter) on October 24, 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.*