SPL Meter vs Spectrum Analyzer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SPL Meter
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.
- A and C weighting filters
- ANSI Fast or Slow decay
- 40dB to 120dB ranges
- Adjustable calibration
- Internal/External mic support
- Universal app
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SPL Meter is a professional-grade sound level meter, also known as a decibel or dB meter, for your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. Modeled after a traditional analog SPL meter, we have faithfully reproduced all the characteristics and qualities found in those meters, including the ballistics, ranges, filters, and decay rates. Under the hood we have advanced DSP-based algorithms that meet or exceed ANSI / IEC Type 1 standards. And starting with iOS 6, we can disable the mic filters and limiters, to get the real world performance of a hand-held SPL meter. And now, upgrade SPL Meter with iTestMic, our pro-grade test & measurement mic, made specifically for iOS devices. Using iTestMic with SPL Meter, you get a calibrated, accurate SPL Meter, that meets industry standards for Type 2 performance. See our website for more information. But don't compare us to a Radio Shack meter, ours is much more accurate! We have also included a digital LCD display, as shown in the image, to make this the best SPL meter available for iPhone or iPad. And this is something that the old analog meters never had! The screen will flip when you flip the phone over, so that you can point the iPhone mic directly at the sound source. (iPhone X does not support upside down mode) SPL Meter is a universal app -- buy once, and use on all of your iOS devices. SPL Meter is built by the same team that created the other great professional audio and acoustics apps on the store, Studio Six Digital. Built on the engine of our more expensive "SPL" app, SPL Meter's filters and decay rates meet or exceed ANSI type 1. This app is not a toy or a game. SPL Meter is the one audio app that everyone who works in audio must have on their phone! Not only have we made the best one, but we've priced it so you can't afford not to get it. *** FEATURES: FILTERS -- A and C weighting filters are provided. DECAY -- Choose ANSI Fast or Slow. RANGES -- 40dB to 120dB in 9 ranges. CALIBRATION -- Comes pre-calibrated for the typical iPhone or iPad built-in and headset mic, but you can adjust the calibration if you have a professional, calibrated meter to compare it to. Accesses our cloud-based iOS device calibration database, which we updates as new devices are released. INTERNAL / EXTERNAL MIC -- Select Internal to activate the included compensation filter, which is designed to flatten the frequency response of the built-in or headset mic. External will work with our iPhone Measurement Mic, to be released later this summer. See our website for more details. SPL Meter is bargain-priced to make it easy for anyone to check out one of our professional, accurate apps. Studio Six Digital is dedicated to making the iPhone and Touch a professional audio and acoustics test device. Check out our full line of professional-grade audio and acoustics apps: SPL, the professional digital iPhone sound level meter, SPL Graph, for recording SPL over time, RTA, a 1/3 octave real-time analyzer, FFT, for detailed acoustic analysis, ETC, the energy-time curve function, RT60, for automated octave-band decay time measurement, Speaker Pop, to test speaker polarity, and Generator, the iPhone signal generator. Also, if you are looking for more great acoustical and audio test apps, have a look at AudioTools, our premier app for audio professionals.
Spectrum Analyzer
Visualize audio frequencies with real-time analysis. Features include a sound level meter, multichannel harmonic analysis, and adjustable graphical representations. Gain insights into your sound environment with advanced tools.
- Sound level meter
- Multichannel harmonic analysis
- Adjustable graphics
- AI-powered sound source analyzer
- Real-time analysis
- FFT analysis
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Spectrum Analyzer is a pro audio tool with sound level meter, multichannel harmonic analysis and detailed graphical representation. Learn something new about your sound environment with real-time analysis! FEATURES: - sound level meter; - harmonic analyzer; - adjustable graphics; - AI-powered sound source analyzer. SOUND LEVEL METER - precise measurement of sound and noise level - real-time results HARMONIC ANALYZER - multichannel FFT analysis; - adjustable parameters; - graphical representation. ADJUSTABLE GRAPHICS - various graphics and diagram types; - zoom of selected chart areas. This app offers subscriptions. The paid version includes AI noise detection, immersive 3D visualization, and customizable settings. The free version offers dB/Hz measurement, 2D mode, and limited visualization options. Privacy Policy: https://musicbreath.com/privacy Terms Of Use: https://musicbreath.com/tos
Screenshots
Verdict
SPL Meter and Spectrum Analyzer both sit at 4.1 stars, but that hides the real split: 73% of SPL Meter's written reviews are positive against 5% of Spectrum Analyzer's. SPL Meter also leads on ads (none vs shown). Spectrum Analyzer's advantage is price (Free vs $0.99) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 4 months). On rating, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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
Spectrum Analyzer is free to download; SPL Meter costs $0.99 up front. SPL Meter sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Spectrum Analyzer sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.1 for SPL Meter against 4.2 for Spectrum Analyzer. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Spectrum Analyzer has 197 ratings behind it against 28, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 73% of SPL Meter's written reviews are positive against 5% of Spectrum Analyzer's.
SPL Meter ships an update every 4 months, Spectrum Analyzer fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SPL Meter | Spectrum Analyzer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.1 (28 ratings) | 4.2 (197 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 72.9% of reviews — better | 5.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 28 | 197 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Freemium — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 36 MB | 132 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Andrew Smith | Music Breath |
Customer experience
SPL Meter
Spectrum Analyzer
User reviews
SPL Meter
From 28 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- ✅ 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
Room to improve
- 🐛 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
Spectrum Analyzer
From 197 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- ✅ Accurate frequency identification
- ✅ Clear and easy-to-read display
- ✅ Useful noise floor setup feature
- ✅ Works well when ads are removed
Room to improve
- 💰 Extremely aggressive monetization strategy
- 📢 Excessive and intrusive ads
- 🔊 Loud ads that ignore device mute settings
- 🚫 Requires subscription/payment to access core features
- 😤 Deceptive purchase practices and accidental charges
Bugs and requests
SPL Meter
Reported bugs
11 issues- 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
Show 6 moreShow fewer
- Blurry UI and low resolution after updates
- App fails to respond or shows 999dB reading
- Incompatibility with iOS 8 and iOS 10.3.2
- Screen only fills bottom-left corner of display
- Microphone not responding with external mics
- Feedback/screeching with certain external microphones
Requested features
12 requests- 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
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- Lighter display theme for outdoor readability
- Larger digital numbers for better visibility
- Data capture and note-tagging functionality
- Three-point calibration system
- Octave band analysis
- Automatic range selection
- Improved knob/dial controls (less touchy)
Spectrum Analyzer
Reported bugs
10 issues- App becomes unusable after iOS 16 update
- Crashes immediately on iPhone 5 with iOS 7
- Cannot exit app on iPhone X without reboot
- App freezes when changing settings or views
- Inaccurate frequency readings
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- Slow and unresponsive performance
- App hijacks device sound settings
- Accidental in-app purchases triggered by home button
- Subscription charges without clear user consent
- App locks users into year-long subscriptions with no cancellation option
Requested features
7 requests- Audio file import functionality
- Customizable background colors for chroma key compatibility
- Ability to record audio instead of only analyzing
- Better documentation and help files
- Improved sensitivity for detecting soft sounds
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- Dark mode option
- Upfront pricing disclosure before download
In-app purchases
SPL Meter
- Controls & Ad-Free$0.99
Spectrum Analyzer
- Pitch Finder: Audio Visualizer3 Days trial$4.997 Days
- Pitch Finder: Audio Visualizer3 Days trial$9.991 Month
- One Month Sale$9.991 Month
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- 1 Week Subscription3 Days trial$9.997 Days
- 1 Year Sub. with discount$19.991 Year
- 1 Month Subscription$19.991 Month
- 3 Month Subscription$25.993 Months
- 1 Year Subscription3 Days trial$39.991 Year
- 2 months subscription3 Days trial$39.992 Months
- No Ads$9.99
- Additional Settings Controls$15.99
- Full Pack + No Ads$19.99
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- Get More$19.99
Questions
Is SPL Meter free?
Is Spectrum Analyzer free?
Which has better reviews, SPL Meter or Spectrum Analyzer?
Do SPL Meter or Spectrum Analyzer have ads?
Which is updated more often, SPL Meter or Spectrum Analyzer?
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