# Decibels vs Decibel Reader

The clearest difference is ads: Decibels at none against Decibel Reader's shown. Decibels also leads on ratings volume (261 vs 24) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 16.0). Decibel Reader's advantage is review sentiment (80% vs 67%). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Decibels sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Decibel Reader sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 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 4.5 for Decibel Reader. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Decibels has 261 ratings behind it against 24, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 67% of Decibels's written reviews are positive against 80% of Decibel Reader's.

Decibels ships an update weekly, Decibel Reader every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Decibels | Decibel Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (261 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/decibels-db-sound-level-meter/id383207286/reviews)** | [4.5 (24 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/decibel-reader/id6451411046/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **261** | 24 |
| Positive reviews | 66.9% of reviews | **80.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 18 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [David Bannach](https://appshunter.io/developer/286310199) | [Andy Sutanto](https://appshunter.io/developer/1659282966) |

## 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 Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/decibel-reader/id6451411046)

Measure ambient noise levels with real-time readings, tracking minimum, average, and maximum decibels. Offers calibration for accuracy and a dark mode for comfortable viewing. This tool helps you understand your sound environment.

**Highlights:** Real-time decibel measurement, Calibration for accuracy, Track min, average, and max noise levels, Dark mode for low-light use, Simple and intuitive interface

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Decibel Meter Pro - 1 Week | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Decibel Meter Pro - 1 Month | $7.99 | per month |
| Sound Level Meter - 6 Months | $19.99 | per 6 months |
| Noise Level Meter - 1 Year | $29.99 | per year |
| Decibel Meter Pro - 1Y 2 | $29.99 | per year |
| dB Meter Pro | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Decibels free?

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

### Is Decibel Reader free?

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

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

Decibels is rated higher. Decibels averages 4.6 out of 5 from 261 ratings, while Decibel Reader averages 4.5 from 24 ratings.

### Do Decibels or Decibel Reader have ads?

Decibel Reader shows ads; Decibels does not.

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

Decibels ships an update weekly, and Decibel Reader every 2 weeks. Most recently, Decibels was updated on October 17, 2026 and Decibel Reader on October 5, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*