Sonance vs SoundViz
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Sonance
This app plays music from your device and provides dynamic audio visualizations, including waveforms and spectrum analysis. It also functions as a decibel meter and offers an in-car interface with large controls for safe operation while driving.
- Plays local music files
- Audio spectrum visualizations
- Decibel meter (dB FS & dB SPL)
- In-car user interface
- Microphone audio visualization
- Customizable settings
- AirPlay and Mirroring support
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Sonance is a music player, an audio spectrum analyzer, and a decibel meter — see the beat! Sonance plays music that's on your device, and displays waveform and audio spectrum visualizations, plus power level meters, in real time. Sonance has an in-car interface with large buttons and swipe gestures to move between songs. It's easy to use while driving, since it doesn't require much focus to make a desired change — yet it also has entertaining visualizations to enhance the musical experience when you do have a moment to look. Sonance includes an easy-to-use shuffle mode, plus the ability to repeat one song or a queue of chosen songs. A variety of settings let you personalize startup behavior, the user interface, and the visualizer. The visualizer has a full-screen mode with extensive customization via pinch and swipe gestures. Sonance also works great with AirPlay, and the visualizers look great when mirroring your device. MICROPHONE VISUALIZATION Sonance can also visualize input from the microphone — have fun with sound! It analyzes audio from the built-in microphone or an attached external microphone, and displays both the raw input signal and the "frequency bars" produced by spectrum analysis. The input signal appears in the lower view as a waveform; the spectrum appears in the upper view as bars showing the strength of each frequency in the signal. Frequencies range from 0 Hz to 24,000 Hz (24K) — the range of the iPhone and iPad microphone, and roughly the range of human hearing. DECIBEL METER Levels are shown in two metrics. Recorded audio is shown as dB FS (Full Scale), from -120 dB to 0 dB, where 0 dB is the highest possible level. Audio from the internal or an external attached microphone is shown as dB SPL (Sound Pressure Level), from 0 dB to 100 dB. For reference, 120 dB can cause pain, and 140 dB can cause damage. GESTURES Use horizontal and vertical pinches on either display to zoom in and out of the visualization. On the Spectrum display, slide to move the display left and right, letting you see specific frequencies in detail. Pinches are cumulative, so keep pinching! The settings panel lets you reset the app to its defaults at any time, so go ahead and explore sound.
SoundViz
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SoundViz transforms the sounds around you into stunning real-time visual art. Whether it's your voice, music, or ambient noise, watch it come alive through 7 unique visualization modes. VISUALIZE YOUR WORLD Use your microphone to capture any sound and instantly see it rendered as beautiful, dynamic visuals. Every whisper, every beat, every note becomes a work of art. 7 VISUAL MODES - Waveform: Classic oscilloscope-style sound waves - Spectrum: Colorful frequency analyzer bars - Circular: Mesmerizing polar coordinate patterns - Particles: Explosive particle effects driven by sound - Kaleidoscope: Symmetrical, ever-changing patterns - Water: Ripple effects emanating from the center - Firework: Sound-reactive firework bursts SENSITIVITY MODES Choose from 4 sensitivity presets to match any environment: - ASMR: Perfect for whispers and subtle sounds - Quiet: Ideal for calm, indoor spaces - Normal: Great for conversation and everyday use - Live: Built for loud music and concerts CUSTOMIZE YOUR EXPERIENCE - 5 built-in color themes: Rainbow, Fire, Ocean, Forest, Neon - Custom color picker to create your own unique palette - Screenshot capture to save your favorite visuals - Clean, distraction-free interface with tap-to-hide controls SoundViz is perfect for music lovers, ASMR enthusiasts, content creators, educators, and anyone who wants to see the beauty hidden in everyday sounds.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: SoundViz at Free against Sonance's $0.59. SoundViz also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 7 months). Sonance's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). On in-app purchases 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
SoundViz is free to download; Sonance costs $0.59 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Sonance ships an update every 7 months, SoundViz every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Sonance | SoundViz |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0.59 | Free — better |
| Rating | 1.6 (5 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 18.2% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 5 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 10 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Rare Works, LLC | MIZOU, CO., LTD. |
In-app purchases
Sonance
No in-app purchases
SoundViz
No in-app purchases









