# Bolt Reader® vs Decibel Meter Ultra

The clearest difference is monetization model: Bolt Reader® at free against Decibel Meter Ultra's free with in-app purchases. Bolt Reader® also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 18.6). Decibel Meter Ultra's advantage is ratings volume (2.5K vs 7) and update cadence (every 10 days vs every 5 weeks). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Bolt Reader® sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Decibel Meter Ultra sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Bolt Reader® against 4.6 for Decibel Meter Ultra. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Decibel Meter Ultra has 2.5K ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Bolt Reader® ships an update every 5 weeks, Decibel Meter Ultra every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bolt Reader® | Decibel Meter Ultra |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bolt-reader/id1554066006/reviews)** | [4.6 (2.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/decibel-meter-ultra/id1643525961/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 7 | **2.5K** |
| Positive reviews | — | 48.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 24 MB | 91 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Transmission Dynamics](https://appshunter.io/developer/1554066008) | [Ultrafine](https://appshunter.io/developer/1558108175) |

## What reviewers say

### Bolt Reader®

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bolt-reader/id1554066006)

This application provides users with real-time bolt tension data through intuitive bar graphs. It is specifically designed to work with Bolt-Cap Module devices from Transmission Dynamics, helping users quickly identify screws needing attention.

**Highlights:** Real-time bolt tension information, Bar graph data visualization, Identify screws requiring attention, Designed for Bolt-Cap Module devices, Works with Transmission Dynamics hardware

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full version | $49.99 | one-time |


### Decibel Meter Ultra

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/decibel-meter-ultra/id1643525961)

Measure, record, and analyze sound levels in your environment. This app offers precision metering, noise elimination tools, hearing protection features, and home audio calibration. It provides detailed reports and can be used with device microphones or external ones.

**Highlights:** Precision sound level metering, Noise logging and reporting, Hearing protection dosimeter, Fractional octave band analysis, Real-time analyzer, External microphone support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PRO Access | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| PRO Access | $11.99 | per month |
| PRO Access | $39.99 | per year |
| PRO Access | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Aesthetically pleasing design
- 🔍 Useful noise monitoring features
- 🔍 Ability to collect noise evidence

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription pricing
- 🚫 Misleading free trial claims
- 🚫 Difficult to cancel subscription
- 🔍 Inconsistent noise level readings

**Reported bugs**

- Subscription charges continue after cancellation
- Subscription cancellation page doesn't load

**Requested features**

- Lower subscription pricing
- Improve subscription cancellation process


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bolt Reader® free?

Bolt Reader® is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Decibel Meter Ultra free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Bolt Reader® or Decibel Meter Ultra?

Bolt Reader® is rated higher. Bolt Reader® averages 4.7 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Decibel Meter Ultra averages 4.6 from 2.5K ratings.

### Do Bolt Reader® or Decibel Meter Ultra have ads?

Neither Bolt Reader® nor Decibel Meter Ultra shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bolt Reader® or Decibel Meter Ultra?

Bolt Reader® ships an update every 5 weeks, and Decibel Meter Ultra every 10 days. Most recently, Bolt Reader® was updated on October 20, 2026 and Decibel Meter Ultra on October 22, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*