# Decibels vs Score Arcs

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Decibels | Score Arcs |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $1.99 |
| Rating | **[4.6 (265 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/decibels-db-sound-level-meter/id383207286/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **265** | — |
| Positive reviews | 66.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 9 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 18 MB | 42 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [David Bannach](https://appshunter.io/developer/286310199) | [Mike Nelson](https://appshunter.io/developer/1745001791) |

## 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


### Score Arcs

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/score-arcs/id6780983065)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Decibels free?

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

### Is Score Arcs free?

Score Arcs costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Decibels or Score Arcs have ads?

Neither Decibels nor Score Arcs shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Decibels or Score Arcs?

Decibels ships an update weekly, and Score Arcs every 9 days. Most recently, Decibels was updated on October 22, 2026 and Score Arcs on October 24, 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.*