Decibel X vs Live Spectrogram
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Decibel X
This app transforms your device into a professional sound level meter, precisely measuring ambient noise pressure. It offers advanced features like frequency analysis, historical data management, and dosimeter functions, making it useful for various applications and entertainment.
- Precise sound pressure level measurement
- Frequency spectrum analysis (FFT, BAR graphs)
- Historical data recording and export
- Dosimeter with NIOSH, OSHA standards
- Apple Watch and Health App integration
- Customizable calibration and filters
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"Decibel X" is one of very few noise meter apps on the market that has highly reliable, pre-calibrated measurements and supports dBA, dBC. It turns your iOS device into a professional sound level meter, precisely measures the sound pressure level (SPL) all around you. This extremely useful and beautiful tool will not only be a great tool for many uses but also bring you a lot of fun. Have you wondered how quiet is your room or how loud is a rock concert or sport event? "Decibel X" will help you answer all of those. WHAT MAKE IT GREAT AND STAND OUT FROM OTHER APPS: - Trusted accuracy: the app is tested and pre calibrated for all Apple devices. The precision is matching with real SPL devices - Apple Watch support: see noise level right from your wrist - Health App integration: export noise levels directly into Health app - Frequency weighting filters: ITU-R 468, A, B, C, Z - Powerful, smart history data management: + Recording data can be saved into a list of history records for future access and analysis + Each record can be exported as hi-res PNG graph or CSV text via sharing services + iCloud support which synchronize all history records across your Apple devices + Fullscreen mode to give overview the whole history of an record - Dosimeter with NIOSH, OSHA standards - Powerful calibration: Linear, Octave 1/1, 1/3, Load/save profile - FFT and BAR graphs to display real time FFT. Those are very useful for frequency analysis and musical tests. Real time predominant frequency is also displayed. - InstaDecibel to capture your dB report overlaid on photos and easily shared via popular social networks (Facebook, Instagram, Messages, etc.). - Support Live Activity, Dynamic Island - Support both Portrait and Landscape layouts - Beautiful, intuitive and carefully crafted UI design. Themes: LIGHT, DARK and CLASSIC OTHER GREAT FEATURES: - Standard time weightings (Response Time): SLOW (500 milliseconds), FAST (200 milliseconds) AND IMPULSE (50 milliseconds) - MIC Gain Offset from -50 dB to 50 dB - Standard measurement range from 30 dBA up to 130 dBA - HISTO graph for plotted history of the recorded values - WAVE graph with 2 display modes: Rolling & Buffer - SPECTROGRAPH - Real time scale level chart - Display Current, Average/Leq, and Max values with both nice and clear digital and analog layouts - Quick reference text to help you compare with real-life examples NOTES: - Please do not expect a quiet room reading will be 0 dBA. The range 30-130 dBA is the standard usable range and an average quiet room will be about 30 dBA. - Although all devices are pre-calibrated, custom calibration is suggested for serious purposes requiring higher precision and accuracy. You will need a real external device or calibrated sound meter as a reference, then adjust the trimming calibration until the reading matches with the reference. * Privacy Policy: http://www.skypaw.com/decibelx/privacy_policy.html * EULA: http://www.skypaw.com/decibelx/terms.html
Live Spectrogram
Visualize sound frequencies in real-time with this tool. It displays audio intensity across time and frequency using color, helping you perfect singing, analyze animal calls, or locate household noises.
- Real-time audio visualization
- Frequency analysis
- Time-based spectrum display
- Intensity shown by color
- Singing voice perfection
- Animal call analysis
- Sound source identification
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Visualize audio with this handy tool. It displays the frequencies of sound around you over time. The horizontal axis is time, the vertical is frequency, and the intensity of frequencies is shown using pretty shades of red. Use it to: Perfect your singing voice Analyze the call of animals Identify and locate annoying sounds around your house Learn about the world of frequency analysis I hope you enjoy this handy little tool!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Decibel X at Free against Live Spectrogram's $1.99. Decibel X also leads on update cadence (every 3 months vs every 31 months) and ratings volume (162K vs 6). Live Spectrogram's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). On review sentiment, 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
Decibel X is free to download; Live Spectrogram costs $1.99 up front. Decibel X sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Live Spectrogram asks for nothing beyond the download.
Live Spectrogram holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Decibel X has 162K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 61% of Decibel X's written reviews are positive against 63% of Live Spectrogram's.
Decibel X ships an update every 3 months, Live Spectrogram every 31 months. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Decibel X | Live Spectrogram |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $1.99 |
| Rating | 4.6 (162K ratings) | 4.8 (6 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 61.3% of reviews | 62.5% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 162K — better | 6 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months — better | Every 31 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | #184 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 90 MB | 15 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | SkyPaw Co., Limited | Krueger Systems, Inc. |
Customer experience
Decibel X
Live Spectrogram
Bugs and requests
Decibel X
Reported bugs
3 issues- App crashes when deleting recordings
- Microphone issues on certain devices
- Saved files not accessible after updates
Requested features
5 requests- Add GPS coordinates to recordings
- Improve reporting and data export
- Provide more weighting options
- Extend frequency range
- Allow music playback while using the app
Live Spectrogram
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Decibel X
- Weekly Membership$1.997 Days
- Monthly Membership$5.991 Month
- Annual Membership3 Days trial$49.991 Year
- ITU-R 468, A, B, C Weightings$1.99
- Data Export$2.99
Live Spectrogram
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Decibel X free?
Is Live Spectrogram free?
Which has better reviews, Decibel X or Live Spectrogram?
Do Decibel X or Live Spectrogram have ads?
Which is updated more often, Decibel X or Live Spectrogram?
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