Comparison

NoiseLevel vs SPL Meter

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

Head to head
About

NoiseLevel

Measure ambient sound levels in decibels using your device's microphone. Visualize sound intensity with a dynamic balloon that changes size and color, bursting at high levels. Experiment with different sounds and environments for fun and insight.

Highlights
  • Measures sound in decibels (dB)
  • Visualizes sound with a dynamic balloon
  • Balloon size and color change with sound level
  • Balloon bursts at high sound levels
  • Uses device microphone
  • Screen orientation flips
Features
Read full description

NoiseLevel is a fun way to measure the sounds in your surroundings. Measure the sound level of the music you listen to, your kids playing or your office environment. NoiseLevel uses your iPhone's built-in microphone to first pick up sound and then displays it in dB (= decibels) on a status bar at the bottom of NoiseLevel's main screen. Sounds are also displayed visually as a balloon whose size and color change according to the level of the sound measured. See the balloon burst at high sound levels - you can also make it burst by creating a sharp, high sound, for an example by clapping your hands. Have fun experimenting! For best results, turn the iPhone so the microphone is pointing directly at the sound source. The screen flips accordingly. Disclaimer: NoiseLevel is fairly accurate but it should NOT be considered a professional sound level meter. The built-in microphone of the iPhone can only measure values between 35 to 110 dB and values may vary slightly between iPhones.

About

SPL Meter

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
Read full description

noiseDB is a professional noise measurement tool that helps you monitor ambient noise levels in real-time. Through precise decibel measurements, you can understand the intensity of noise you're exposed to in daily life, protecting your hearing health. The app features an intuitive gauge display, detailed noise level explanations, and recording functionality that allows you to track noise variations across different locations and times. Whether you're checking your work environment, home noise levels, or evaluating sound levels in public spaces, noiseDB is your ideal choice. Understand noise and protect your hearing with noiseDB. This app is using the standard Apple Terms of Use (EULA) https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

NoiseLevel4 screens
SPL Meter3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: SPL Meter at Free against NoiseLevel's $0.99. SPL Meter also leads on rating (4.5 vs 2.6). NoiseLevel's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 weeks). On ratings volume, ads and device support 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

SPL Meter is free to download; NoiseLevel costs $0.99 up front. SPL Meter sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. NoiseLevel asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SPL Meter holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 2.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 28 and 11 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

NoiseLevel ships an update fortnightly, SPL Meter every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
NoiseLevel versus SPL Meter: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNoiseLevelSPL Meter
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating2.6 (28 ratings)4.5 (11 ratings) — better
Positive reviews56.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings28 — better11
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS10.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB9 MB
Age rating+44+
DeveloperKBMSoft ApS金红 李

Customer experience

NoiseLevel

All ratings28 ratings
Positive32.1%
Neutral10.7%
Negative57.1%
Written reviews25 reviews
Positive56.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative24.0%

SPL Meter

All ratings11 ratings
Positive90.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative9.1%

In-app purchases

None

NoiseLevel

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

SPL Meter

Subscriptions2
  • Unlimited access$1.997 Days
  • Unlimited access$9.991 Year

Questions

Is NoiseLevel free?
NoiseLevel costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is SPL Meter free?
SPL Meter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, NoiseLevel or SPL Meter?
SPL Meter is rated higher. NoiseLevel averages 2.6 out of 5 from 28 ratings, while SPL Meter averages 4.5 from 11 ratings.
Do NoiseLevel or SPL Meter have ads?
Neither NoiseLevel nor SPL Meter shows ads.
Which is updated more often, NoiseLevel or SPL Meter?
NoiseLevel ships an update fortnightly, and SPL Meter every 5 weeks. Most recently, NoiseLevel was updated on October 15, 2026 and SPL Meter on October 17, 2026.

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