# Decibels vs WaitIO

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: WaitIO at none against Decibels's 2. Decibels's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 17.5). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Decibels sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. WaitIO asks for nothing beyond the download.

Decibels ships an update weekly, WaitIO every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and June 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Decibels | WaitIO |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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 | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 18 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 17.5 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [David Bannach](https://appshunter.io/developer/286310199) | [Nerdz](https://appshunter.io/developer/1530513478) |

## 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


### WaitIO

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/waitio/id6756619595)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Decibels free?

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

### Is WaitIO free?

WaitIO is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Decibels or WaitIO have ads?

Neither Decibels nor WaitIO shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Decibels or WaitIO?

Decibels ships an update weekly, and WaitIO every 3 weeks. Most recently, Decibels was updated on September 23, 2026 and WaitIO on June 1, 2026.

---

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