Decibels vs Score Arcs
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
Score Arcs
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You sang it. Now watch the arc. Every barbershop contest you've competed in is a data point and most of them are sitting in a folder of paper scoresheets. Score Arcs turns them into a line you can actually read: your scores across every contest, so improvement (or a rough outing) is obvious at a glance. The heart of the app is a competitor: your quartet, your chorus, or any a cappella group you follow. Each one builds a history, and the history draws the arc. SNAP THE SHEET, SKIP THE TYPING Photograph a contest's scoring analysis sheet and Score Arcs reads the whole panel, every song, every judge, every category, into a draft you check and save. No re-keying forty numbers off a page. THE WHOLE PANEL, NOT JUST THE TOTAL A contest here isn't one number. It's rounds, the songs within each round, and every judge's score in every category, plus penalties and placement. Every total you see is calculated from the panel by the rules of the scoring system; nothing is hand-typed, nothing is fudged. BHS, HARMONY INC AND SINGUNITED BUILT IN Each with the right categories, scale and roll-up. Singing under something else? Define your own scoring system. GO DEEPER THAN THE SCORE • Follow one song across every contest you've sung it in • See which songs actually score best for you • Compare two or more competitors side by side • Set a goal score and watch the arc climb toward it • Keep what each judge told you in evals, attached to the contest it came from SHARE IT WITH YOUR QUARTET Send your quartet, your director or your coach a link. They see the same history and you decide who can add scores and who just watches. YOURS, WHEREVER YOU SING Works fully offline, no account needed. But if you sign in then your competitors backup and sync across your devices. Available in English, Spanish, German and Swedish.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Decibels at Free against Score Arcs's $1.99. Decibels also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). Score Arcs's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On update cadence, ads and device support 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
Decibels is free to download; Score Arcs costs $1.99 up front. Decibels sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Score Arcs asks for nothing beyond the download.
Decibels ships an update weekly, Score Arcs every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Decibels | Score Arcs |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $1.99 |
| Rating | 4.6 (265 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 66.9% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 265 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 9 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 18 MB | 42 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | David Bannach | Mike Nelson |
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
Score Arcs
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Decibels
- Professional Controls$1.99
- Beautiful Strip Chart Recorder$2.99
Score Arcs
No in-app purchases









