Comparison

Spectrolite vs Decibel Meter

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

Head to head
About

Spectrolite

This app visualizes sound in real-time using various spectrogram types. Explore detailed audio data with intuitive touch controls and adjustable parameters. An optional purchase unlocks advanced measurement tools.

Highlights
  • Real-time spectrogram visualization
  • Constant-Q, linear, and mel frequency scales
  • Full human hearing frequency range
  • Intuitive touch panning and zooming
  • Adjustable gain, Q, and other parameters
  • Pro version: grids, scales, spectrum view, tap-to-measure
Read full description

Spectrolite visualizes sound as spectrograms in real time. Spectrolite supports constant-Q spectrograms, which use a logarithmic frequency scale for a display where musical notes are evenly spaced. Spectrograms based on linear and mel frequency scales are also supported. The display covers the full frequency range of human hearing. Intuitive touch panning and zooming lets you dive in and explore the spectrograms in detail. Gain, Q, and other parameters can be adjusted in real time and instantly apply to the display of past signals as well as future ones. The Pro in-app purchase adds grids and scales for time, frequency, and amplitude, as well as a spectrum view and a tap-to-measure function. This expands Spectrolite into an audio measurement tool that you can use to measure frequencies, musical pitches, amplitudes, and durations.

About

Decibel Meter

This tool transforms your iPhone into a professional sound level meter, measuring decibels and analyzing sound frequencies. It helps identify harmful noise levels to protect your hearing and health, offering detailed insights and measurement history.

Highlights
  • Professional sound level meter
  • Sound frequency analysis
  • Noise dosimeter with standards
  • Accurate sound pressure measurements
  • Save and export measurements
  • Advanced measurement charts
  • MIN/MAX/AVG data
Features
Read full description

Decibel Meter is a professional tool to measure decibels & analyze sound frequency. This app turns your iPhone into a professional sound level meter, detects harmful noises and helps protect your health & hearing. Measure the noise level around you and protect yourself in case of excessive volume. Main Features: * A noise dosimeter will help you understand how noisy it is at your workplace or home. * Dosimeter with NIOSH, OSHA standards * Accurate sound pressure measurements * Various types of measurements: dBa, dBc, dBz * Save measurements to the database right on your iPhone * Get MIN / MAX / AVG information for your measurements * Export measurements * Advanced charts show you the deep details of your measurements Is your job high in noise? Do you want to find out if the neighbours are not exceeding the permissible volume values? Do you want to monitor the health of your ears? This means that our application can serve you as a faithful assistant. Are you ready to give it a go? Subscription information about pricing and terms: The app is based on the freemium model: it's free to use. However, you can subscribe for unlimited access to all features with unlimited usage. I provide different options. The longer period – the profitable subscription. Privacy Policy: https://sites.google.com/view/richapps/privacy-policy Terms of Use: https://sites.google.com/view/richapps/terms-of-use

Screenshots

Spectrolite4 screens
Decibel Meter4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Spectrolite at 4.8 against Decibel Meter's 3.5. Spectrolite also leads on review sentiment (83% vs 50%). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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. Spectrolite sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Decibel Meter sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Spectrolite holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 51 and 54 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 83% of Spectrolite's written reviews are positive against 50% of Decibel Meter's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Spectrolite ships an update every 8 months, Decibel Meter every 11 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Spectrolite versus Decibel Meter: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSpectroliteDecibel Meter
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (51 ratings) — better3.5 (54 ratings)
Positive reviews83.3% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings5154 — better
Update frequencyEvery 8 months — betterEvery 11 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB18 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperWaxing WaveRychard Matskevich

Customer experience

Spectrolite

All ratings51 ratings
Positive92.2%
Neutral5.9%
Negative2.0%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive83.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative16.7%

Decibel Meter

All ratings54 ratings
Positive61.1%
Neutral3.7%
Negative35.2%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative25.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Spectrolite

One-time1
  • Pro$4.99
4 purchases

Decibel Meter

Subscriptions4
  • Decibel Meter Premium Weekly3 Days trial$3.997 Days
  • Noise Spectrum Detector VIP3 Days trial$8.991 Month
  • Noise Frequency Checker VIP$19.993 Months
Show 1 more
  • Sound Level Analyzer dB VIP$29.991 Year

Questions

Is Spectrolite free?
Spectrolite is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Decibel Meter free?
Decibel Meter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Spectrolite or Decibel Meter?
Spectrolite is rated higher. Spectrolite averages 4.8 out of 5 from 51 ratings, while Decibel Meter averages 3.5 from 54 ratings.
Do Spectrolite or Decibel Meter have ads?
Neither Spectrolite nor Decibel Meter shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Spectrolite or Decibel Meter?
Spectrolite ships an update every 8 months, and Decibel Meter every 11 months. Most recently, Spectrolite was updated on September 23, 2026 and Decibel Meter on September 20, 2026.

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