# SPL Meter vs Open Sound Meter

The clearest difference is price: SPL Meter at $0.99 against Open Sound Meter's $69.99. SPL Meter also leads on ratings volume (28 vs 5). Open Sound Meter's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.1) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). On ads, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

SPL Meter costs $0.99 and Open Sound Meter $69.99 up front. SPL Meter sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Open Sound Meter asks for nothing beyond the download.

Open Sound Meter holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SPL Meter has 28 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of SPL Meter's written reviews are positive against 100% of Open Sound Meter's.

SPL Meter ships an update every 4 months, Open Sound Meter every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SPL Meter | Open Sound Meter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$0.99** | $69.99 |
| Rating | [4.1 (28 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spl-meter/id309206756/reviews) | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/open-sound-meter/id1552933259/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **28** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 72.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 36 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | +4 |
| Developer | [Andrew Smith](https://appshunter.io/developer/291822462) | [Pavel Smokotnin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1552933261) |

## What reviewers say

### SPL Meter

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

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


### Open Sound Meter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/open-sound-meter/id1552933259)

This application allows real-time tuning and control of audio systems. It provides comprehensive measurement and analysis tools for various audio parameters, with options to store, adjust, and average results. Calibration files and direct console connections enhance measurement accuracy.

**Highlights:** Real-time audio system tuning, Spectrum, SPL, Magnitude, Phase analysis, Store, adjust, and average measurements, Apply calibration files for microphones, Direct connection to mixing consoles, Project saving to device or iCloud

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SPL Meter free?

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

### Is Open Sound Meter free?

Open Sound Meter costs $69.99, with no in-app purchases.

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

Open Sound Meter is rated higher. SPL Meter averages 4.1 out of 5 from 28 ratings, while Open Sound Meter averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.

### Do SPL Meter or Open Sound Meter have ads?

Neither SPL Meter nor Open Sound Meter shows ads.

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

SPL Meter ships an update every 4 months, and Open Sound Meter every 2 months. Most recently, SPL Meter was updated on September 22, 2026 and Open Sound Meter on September 11, 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.*