# SPL vs Decibel meter for personal use

The clearest difference is price: Decibel meter for personal use at Free against SPL's $8.99. Decibel meter for personal use also leads on rating (4.5 vs 3.0) and review sentiment (100% vs 68%). SPL's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Decibel meter for personal use is free to download; SPL costs $8.99 up front. Decibel meter for personal use sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per month. SPL asks for nothing beyond the download.

Decibel meter for personal use holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Decibel meter for personal use 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 100% of Decibel meter for personal use's.

SPL ships an update every 6 months, Decibel meter for personal use every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SPL | Decibel meter for personal use |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $8.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [3.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spl/id293573990/reviews) | **[4.5 (28 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/decibel-meter-for-personal-use/id6448749318/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **28** |
| Positive reviews | 67.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Freemium** |
| Size | 29 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Andrew Smith](https://appshunter.io/developer/291822462) | [Svetlana Rabosh](https://appshunter.io/developer/1614133369) |

## 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


### Decibel meter for personal use

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/decibel-meter-for-personal-use/id6448749318)

This app measures ambient noise levels and offers features to suppress unwanted sounds like traffic and conversations. It provides real-time analysis, background operation, and historical data for a comprehensive understanding of your sound environment.

**Highlights:** Noise level measurement, Background noise suppression, Background measurement operation, Peak and average noise level calculation, Spectral noise analysis, Measurement history access, UI design for beginners and pros

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Decibel Meter+ | $9.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SPL free?

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

### Is Decibel meter for personal use free?

Decibel meter for personal use is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, SPL or Decibel meter for personal use?

Decibel meter for personal use is rated higher. SPL averages 3.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Decibel meter for personal use averages 4.5 from 28 ratings.

### Do SPL or Decibel meter for personal use have ads?

Neither SPL nor Decibel meter for personal use shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SPL or Decibel meter for personal use?

SPL ships an update every 6 months, and Decibel meter for personal use every 5 weeks. Most recently, SPL was updated on September 23, 2026 and Decibel meter for personal use on September 16, 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.*