# dBMeter vs Decibel

The clearest difference is rating: Decibel at 4.2 against dBMeter's 3.6. Decibel also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (413 vs 8). dBMeter's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6) and review sentiment (67% vs 46%). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Decibel sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. dBMeter asks for nothing beyond the download.

Decibel holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Decibel has 413 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 67% of dBMeter's written reviews are positive against 46% of Decibel's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

## The numbers

| Metric | dBMeter | Decibel |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dbmeter-decibelmeter/id1466056567/reviews) | **[4.2 (413 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/decibel-sound-level-meter/id1587049294/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 8 | **413** |
| Positive reviews | **66.7% of reviews** | 45.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | — |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Subscription |
| Size | 19 MB | 36 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 12.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ramon Palacios Saez](https://appshunter.io/developer/1177436233) | [Paula Jeff](https://appshunter.io/developer/1587049536) |

## 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


### Decibel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/decibel-sound-level-meter/id1587049294)

Measure and analyze the sound pressure around you. Compare your recordings to a reference chart to understand noise levels, from normal conversations to rocket launches. Unlock advanced features like audio recording saving and active screen history with a subscription.

**Highlights:** Measure sound pressure, Compare to reference chart, Analyze noise levels, Save audio recordings, Active screen history

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| dB: decibel sound level meter | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Decibel - Sound Level Meter + | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Decibel meter PRO | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Decibel level meter | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| 3 moths Subscription | $29.99 | per 3 months |
| Decibel - Sound Level Meter | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive interface
- 🎯 Accurate and reproducible readings
- 📱 Convenient pocket-sized sound meter
- ⚡ Fast and instant measurements
- 🎨 Clear visual display

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Extremely expensive subscription model ($30-$40/month or $5-$10/week)
- 😤 Deceptive free-to-download marketing strategy
- 🚫 Completely unusable without paid subscription
- ⚠️ Misleading App Store listing as free
- 🎣 Aggressive upsell tactics and review fishing

**Reported bugs**

- App doesn't work on some iPhone models
- Pushy notification system for upselling

**Requested features**

- Functional free version with basic features
- Free trial period before requiring subscription
- More transparent pricing disclosure in App Store listing
- Comparison with professional audio equipment accuracy


## Frequently asked questions

### Is dBMeter free?

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

### Is Decibel free?

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

### Which has better reviews, dBMeter or Decibel?

Decibel is rated higher. dBMeter averages 3.6 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Decibel averages 4.2 from 413 ratings.

### Do dBMeter or Decibel have ads?

dBMeter shows ads; Decibel does not.

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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.*