# Decibels vs AE Note

The clearest difference is update cadence: Decibels at weekly against AE Note's monthly. Decibels also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 16.4). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Decibels sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and AE Note sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Decibels ships an update weekly, AE Note monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Decibels | AE Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (261 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/decibels-db-sound-level-meter/id383207286/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **261** | — |
| Positive reviews | 66.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 18 MB | 59 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [David Bannach](https://appshunter.io/developer/286310199) | [AEDISON TECHNOLOGY PTE. LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1736293832) |

## 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


### AE Note

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ae-note/id6479555921)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Basic Monthly Plan | $4.99 | per month |
| Premium Monthly Plan | $19.99 | per month |
| Basic Yearly Plan | $56.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly Plan | $99.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Decibels free?

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

### Is AE Note free?

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

### Do Decibels or AE Note have ads?

Neither Decibels nor AE Note shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Decibels or AE Note?

Decibels ships an update weekly, and AE Note monthly. Most recently, Decibels was updated on September 23, 2026 and AE Note on September 20, 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.*