Decibels vs Decibel Meter
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Decibels
Measure and analyze ambient noise levels with a stylish interface. Capture photos with sound level data, and share or print your findings. Enhance analysis with advanced features like frequency weighting and chart recording through an in-app purchase.
- Analog dB(A) display
- Photo with sound level
- Share/print/store photos
- Select frequency weightings (A, C, Z)
- Record decibels on strip charts
- Annotate strip charts
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Want to know what noise level is around you? in the restaurant? in the train? in the office? This app will show you with precision & style. Features: - Smooth analog display of dB(A) - Take photo with sound level display - Share, print, and store sound level photos Extra Features (with purchase): - Select frequency weightings A, C, and Z - Record decibels on beautiful strip charts - Annotate the strip charts - Share, print, and store the strip charts This app uses the internal microphone to estimate the sound pressure level in decibels (dB SPL). Examples: - quiet bedroom at night: 30 dB - average home: 50 dB - vacuum cleaner, 1m away: 70 dB - jet aircraft, 50 m away: 140 dB
Decibel Meter
Easily measure sound levels with this accurate and intuitive tool. It displays current, maximum, and average decibel values, along with a graphical overview for quick comprehension. This utility is completely free to use.
- Simple and easy to use
- Quick and accurate dB measuring
- All-in-one meter
- Maximum, current, and average values
- Gauge meter display
- Values displayed in graph
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Understand the sound levels around you with a clear live meter, responsive graph, and session recording. FREE FEATURES • Live estimated sound-level readings • Current, minimum, average, and maximum values • Real-time history graph • Manual calibration offset • Recording playback PREMIUM FEATURES • Ad-free measuring • Advanced response-time options • Additional frequency modes • Automatic recording saves • Saved measurement history Decibel Meter uses your device microphone only while measuring. Phone microphone readings are estimates and are not a substitute for a calibrated professional sound-level meter or workplace safety equipment. Subscription pricing and trial availability are shown before purchase and may vary by region. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled in your App Store account settings. Terms of Use: https://www.devnex.nl/terms Privacy Policy: https://www.devnex.nl/privacy-policy.html
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: Decibels at none against Decibel Meter's shown. Decibels also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 6 weeks) and review sentiment (67% vs 57%). On price, rating, ratings volume and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Decibels sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Decibel Meter sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 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 — 4.6 for Decibels against 4.6 for Decibel Meter. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 265 and 719 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 67% of Decibels's written reviews are positive against 57% of Decibel Meter's.
Decibels ships an update weekly, Decibel Meter every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Decibels | Decibel Meter |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (265 ratings) — better | 4.6 (719 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 66.9% of reviews — better | 56.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 265 | 719 — better |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 6 weeks |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 16.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 18 MB | 36 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | David Bannach | Devnex |
Customer experience
Decibels
Decibel Meter
User reviews
Decibels
From 265 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Simple and straightforward
- 📏 Effective for measuring sound levels
- 🔍 Useful for various applications (e.g. home, construction)
- 🎨 Clean and elegant interface
- 💡 Ability to take photos with readings
Room to improve
- 🐛 Occasional crashes or freezes
- 🔢 Limited measurement range (max 100 dB)
- 🔍 Questionable accuracy, especially at lower levels
- 📊 Lack of advanced features (e.g. digital readout, data logging)
Decibel Meter
From 719 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Fast and reliable
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🔍 Accurate readings
- 📏 Good for monitoring sound levels
- 🔊 Useful for music/audio enthusiasts
Room to improve
- 🐛 Crashes/freezes on some devices
- 💰 Misleading about free features
- 📢 Excessive ads/prompts to buy premium
- 🤔 Inconsistent readings compared to other apps
Bugs and requests
Decibels
Reported bugs
3 issues- Crashes when trying to save images
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
- Needle getting stuck at certain levels
Requested features
5 requests- Digital readout in addition to analog meter
- Ability to save/export measurement history
- Support for different weighting scales (A, C, Z)
- Landscape mode support
- Customizable appearance options
Decibel Meter
Reported bugs
2 issues- Unable to close the app or cancel Google requests
- Recordings not saving despite claims of free saving
Requested features
3 requests- Add ability to save/export recordings
- Provide more customization options (weighting, etc.)
- Improve stability and reduce crashes
In-app purchases
Decibels
- Professional Controls$1.99
- Beautiful Strip Chart Recorder$2.99
Decibel Meter
- Weekly subscription3 Days trial$1.997 Days
- Monthly Subscription$2.991 Month
- Weekly Subscription3 Days trial$3.997 Days
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- Half-Yearly Subscription$9.496 Months
