# SPL vs SPL Meter

The clearest difference is rating: SPL Meter at 4.1 against SPL's 3.0. SPL Meter also leads on price ($0.99 vs $8.99) and chart position (#117 vs unranked). SPL's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On review sentiment, update cadence, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

SPL costs $8.99 and SPL Meter $0.99 up front. SPL Meter sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. SPL asks for nothing beyond the download.

SPL Meter holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SPL Meter has 28 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 68% of SPL's written reviews are positive against 73% of SPL Meter's.

SPL ships an update every 6 months, SPL Meter every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SPL | SPL Meter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $8.99 | **$0.99** |
| Rating | [3.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spl/id293573990/reviews) | **[4.1 (28 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spl-meter/id309206756/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **28** |
| Positive reviews | 67.6% of reviews | **72.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 4 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#117** |
| Size | 29 MB | 36 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Andrew Smith](https://appshunter.io/developer/291822462) | [Andrew Smith](https://appshunter.io/developer/291822462) |

## What reviewers say

### SPL

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spl/id293573990)

This professional-grade digital sound level meter measures decibels with advanced modes and filters meeting ANSI Type 1 standards. It allows storing, exporting, and calibrating measurements, and can be used with external calibrated microphones for precise results.

**Highlights:** Professional-grade digital sound level meter, ANSI/IEC Type 1 standards compliant filters and modes, Store, recall, and export GPS/time-stamped results, Supports external calibrated microphones, Adjustable calibration for accuracy, Internal mic compensation filter

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### SPL Meter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spl-meter/id309206756)

**Currently charting:** #117 Top Paid · Music (US App Store)

This application functions as a professional-grade sound level meter, measuring decibels (dB) with advanced DSP algorithms. It offers adjustable filters, decay rates, and ranges, and can be calibrated for accuracy. It supports both internal and external microphones for versatile sound measurement.

**Highlights:** A and C weighting filters, ANSI Fast or Slow decay, 40dB to 120dB ranges, Adjustable calibration, Internal/External mic support, Universal app

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Controls & Ad-Free | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ✅ Accurate sound level measurements when calibrated
- 💰 Excellent value at $0.99 price point
- 📱 Works across multiple Apple devices (iPhone, iPad, iPod)
- 🎯 Simple and intuitive user interface
- 🔧 Analog meter design looks professional and authentic

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent and unstable meter readings
- 💳 Pricing discrepancies (advertised as $0.99 but charged $6.99)
- 📐 UI scaling issues on various screen sizes and orientations
- 🔍 Text and meter display too small to read easily
- 🖼️ Outdated retro interface design

**Reported bugs**

- Meter readings change completely and are not stable
- App crashes on iPhone 6s Plus with jumbled screen display
- Screen scaling issues on iPad models
- Display glitches when rotating device between portrait and landscape
- Greyed out settings after installation

**Requested features**

- Larger meter display in landscape mode
- Digital-only display option without analog meter face
- Peak hold and min/max reading indicators
- Time-based decibel graph visualization
- Linear response visual option in addition to logarithmic


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SPL free?

SPL costs $8.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is SPL Meter free?

SPL Meter costs $0.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

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

SPL Meter is rated higher. SPL averages 3.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while SPL Meter averages 4.1 from 28 ratings.

### Do SPL or SPL Meter have ads?

Neither SPL nor SPL Meter shows ads.

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

SPL ships an update every 6 months, and SPL Meter every 4 months. Most recently, SPL was updated on September 28, 2026 and SPL Meter on September 27, 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.*