Comparison

Sonance vs SoundViz

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

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.

About

SoundViz

Features
Read full description

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

Sonance4 screens
SoundViz4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

SoundViz is free to download; Sonance costs $0.59 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

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.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Sonance versus SoundViz: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSonanceSoundViz
Price$0.59Free — better
Rating1.6 (5 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews18.2% of reviews—
Number of ratings5 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 7 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRare Works, LLCMIZOU, CO., LTD.

In-app purchases

None

Sonance

No in-app purchases

None

SoundViz

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Sonance free?
Sonance costs $0.59, with no in-app purchases.
Is SoundViz free?
SoundViz is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Sonance or SoundViz have ads?
SoundViz shows ads; Sonance does not.
Which is updated more often, Sonance or SoundViz?
Sonance ships an update every 7 months, and SoundViz every 3 weeks. Most recently, Sonance was updated on November 6, 2026 and SoundViz on November 5, 2026.

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