# Decibels vs Decibel Meter

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Decibels | Decibel Meter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (265 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/decibels-db-sound-level-meter/id383207286/reviews)** | [4.6 (719 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/decibel-meter-db/id1521325229/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 265 | **719** |
| Positive reviews | **66.9% of reviews** | 56.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 18 MB | 36 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 16.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [David Bannach](https://appshunter.io/developer/286310199) | [Devnex](https://appshunter.io/developer/1486636842) |

## What reviewers say

### Decibels

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/decibels-db-sound-level-meter/id383207286)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Professional Controls | $1.99 | one-time |
| Beautiful Strip Chart Recorder | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 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

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 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)

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when trying to save images
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
- Needle getting stuck at certain levels

**Requested features**

- 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

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/decibel-meter-db/id1521325229)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly subscription | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Weekly Subscription | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Half-Yearly Subscription | $9.49 | per 6 months |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and reliable
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🔍 Accurate readings
- 📏 Good for monitoring sound levels
- 🔊 Useful for music/audio enthusiasts

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes/freezes on some devices
- 💰 Misleading about free features
- 📢 Excessive ads/prompts to buy premium
- 🤔 Inconsistent readings compared to other apps

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to close the app or cancel Google requests
- Recordings not saving despite claims of free saving

**Requested features**

- Add ability to save/export recordings
- Provide more customization options (weighting, etc.)
- Improve stability and reduce crashes


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Decibels free?

Decibels is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Decibel Meter free?

Decibel Meter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Decibels or Decibel Meter?

Decibels is rated higher. Decibels averages 4.6 out of 5 from 265 ratings, while Decibel Meter averages 4.6 from 719 ratings.

### Do Decibels or Decibel Meter have ads?

Decibel Meter shows ads; Decibels does not.

### Which is updated more often, Decibels or Decibel Meter?

Decibels ships an update weekly, and Decibel Meter every 6 weeks. Most recently, Decibels was updated on October 22, 2026 and Decibel Meter on October 29, 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.*