# Decibel Meter vs SPL Meter

The clearest difference is rating: SPL Meter at 4.5 against Decibel Meter's 3.5. SPL Meter also leads on update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 11 months). Decibel Meter's advantage is ratings volume (54 vs 11). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Decibel Meter sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days and SPL Meter sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

SPL Meter holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 54 and 11 respectively.

Decibel Meter ships an update every 11 months, SPL Meter every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Decibel Meter | SPL Meter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (54 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/decibel-meter-sound-analyzer/id1579747105/reviews) | **[4.5 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spl-meter-dbtracker/id6742470686/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **54** | 11 |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 18 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Rychard Matskevich](https://appshunter.io/developer/1395390712) | [金红 李](https://appshunter.io/developer/1781133144) |

## What reviewers say

### Decibel Meter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/decibel-meter-sound-analyzer/id1579747105)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Decibel Meter Premium Weekly | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Noise Spectrum Detector VIP | $8.99 | per month |
| Noise Frequency Checker VIP | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| Sound Level Analyzer dB VIP | $29.99 | per year |


### SPL Meter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spl-meter-dbtracker/id6742470686)

This tool measures ambient noise levels in real-time, providing decibel readings to help you understand noise intensity and protect your hearing. It features an intuitive gauge, explanations of noise levels, and recording capabilities to track variations across locations and times.

**Highlights:** Real-time decibel measurement, Intuitive gauge display, Noise level explanations, Recording functionality, Track noise variations, Hearing protection guidance

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited access | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited access | $9.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Decibel Meter free?

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

### Is SPL Meter free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Decibel Meter or SPL Meter?

SPL Meter is rated higher. Decibel Meter averages 3.5 out of 5 from 54 ratings, while SPL Meter averages 4.5 from 11 ratings.

### Do Decibel Meter or SPL Meter have ads?

Neither Decibel Meter nor SPL Meter shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Decibel Meter or SPL Meter?

Decibel Meter ships an update every 11 months, and SPL Meter every 5 weeks. Most recently, Decibel Meter was updated on October 7, 2026 and SPL Meter on October 17, 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.*