Comparison

SpectrumView vs OpenBat

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

SpectrumView

This app provides real-time audio analysis with a dynamic spectrogram and spectrum analyzer. Visualize audible and inaudible frequencies, measure tones, get feedback on speech, identify sounds, and calibrate instruments. Access recordings and snapshots easily.

Highlights
  • Real-time spectrogram and spectrum analyzer
  • Configurable sample rate and frequency resolution
  • Record, pause, and playback audio files
  • Generate snapshots of spectrum data
  • Web file transfer
  • Tap data cursor for precise frequency and level
  • Musical notes or frequency display on tap
Features
Read full description

SPECTRUMVIEW Visualise, in real time, the frequencies that you can hear around you and even those you cannot with SpectrumView, your dynamic audio companion for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. SpectrumView provides a high-quality, real-time spectrogram and spectrum analyser display, with a configurable sample rate and frequency resolution. You can use this application to measure the highest tones you can sing, obtain visual feedback of the frequencies in your speech, identify an annoying sound, calibrate musical instruments and all sorts of acoustic analysis. Here's what it can do for you: · Refresh Spectrogram. Allows users to refresh the spectrogram so that it clears the spectrogram that had already been displayed. · Change min and max scale. Allows users to set their own minimum and maximum scale value on the spectrogram and spectrum analyser view, in both linear and log scale. · Set Recording filename. Recording filenames are editable and the suffix can be set to have an incremental value or date/time. · Generate snapshot of the spectrum data from playback and live recordings. [IAP] · Access recordings and snapshots using the "Files" app. All the data can be easily accessible using the "Files" app that is available from iOS 11. · Web File Transfer. Allows you to access your files from another device using a web browser. [IAP] · Logarithmic scale. Allows you to set either linear or logarithmic frequency scales in the Spectrogram and Spectrum Analyser views. [IAP] · Peak hold. Allows you to freeze and hold the peaks of the frequency envelope (three holds in three distinct colours) in Spectrum Analyser mode. [IAP] · Save location. Never forget where a clip was recorded – uses the devices location services. · Auto lock disabled. During playback and recordings auto lock is disabled to prevent the device from automatically locking (if enabled), for uninterrupted recording/playback · Multiple selectable sample rates from 8,000 Hz to 48,000 Hz · High-frequency resolution with configurable signal analysis window lengths or Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) orders. · Sound intensity represented using a colour spectrum scale from -96 dBFS to 0 dBFS. · Frequency Pinch-to-Zoom. Allows you to zoom into the frequency space to look at a specific tone or frequency. [IAP] · Recording and Playback of Audio Files. Provides a fully functional audio recorder that allows you to record, pause and play back files in high-quality, uncompressed, wave format. · Tap Data Cursor. Allows taps on any part of the Spectrogram or Spectrum Analyser display to obtain the exact frequency in Hertz (Hz) and level in decibels (dB) at that point. · Musical Notes or Frequency Display on Tap. Selectable frequency or musical pitch notation to obtain the cent-accurate musical note e.g. A4 (22), when the display is tapped. · Live Spectrogram and Spectrum Analyser Views of Recorded Files. Files recorded can be played back and the Spectrogram and Spectrum Analyser modes can be used to review the audio. · Sharing Recorded Files by Email or iTunes File-sharing. · High Quality Screenshots. · *Improved* Soundcloud support. Audio files can be uploaded to or downloaded from Soundcloud as well as being able to post audio to Facebook. [IAP] · Playback from iTunes library. Files can now be analysed directly form the iTunes library. · *NEW* Import audio from videos in your device library. · Fullscreen mode. Hide the menu at the bottom of the screen to get even more of the screen dedicated to frequency analysis. · Selectable spectrogram colour scales. You can now select one of 7 colour scales for your spectrogram. · Selectable window functions. You can now see the window function options provided. · Apply gain. A maximum of 24dB gain can be applied to make ‘hard to see’ details easier to view. · Open In. Audio files can be directly opened in SpectrumView. View files sent by email directly in SpectrumView.

About

OpenBat

Features
Read full description

OpenBat is a free iOS app that turns a compatible ultrasonic USB microphone into a live bat detector. It captures audio at up to 384 kHz, shows a real-time spectrogram, detects individual echolocation pulses, and, where an open-source model exists for your region, suggests species IDs on-device. Currently covers the US and Canada, with UK/Europe in beta. ** Bat detection requires an external ultrasonic microphone. Visit OpenBat.app to learn more. ** Hear bats in real time OpenBat uses two ways to turn ultrasonic bat calls into sound you can actually hear: - Heterodyne: tunes into a band of frequencies and scales it down. Preserves rhythm and loudness, but can sound clicky. - Time expansion: records a call, then plays it back at a fraction of the speed. Preserves the character of the call, but not the rhythm. - Het + TE hybrid: both running at once. Analyse your recordings Record what you hear, then break down the calls in Playback. Extract the parameters used to identify species, save them for later, or post recordings straight to iNaturalist for the community to help confirm an ID. Learn about bats AutoID suggests which species might be around you in real time. The Field Guide covers bats in your area and worldwide, curated by bat experts and kept up to date — and if you know your local bats, you can contribute too. Share it, or keep it to yourself Play the bats you're hearing through your device's speakers, or plug in headphones and listen alone.

Screenshots

SpectrumView4 screens
OpenBat4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: OpenBat at none against SpectrumView's 7. OpenBat also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 10 months). SpectrumView's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 18.0). On price, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. SpectrumView sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. OpenBat asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SpectrumView ships an update every 10 months, OpenBat every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
SpectrumView versus OpenBat: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSpectrumViewOpenBat
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.1 (74 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews63.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings74 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 10 monthsEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS9.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size17 MB52 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperOxford Wave Research Ltd.Niall Bell

Bugs and requests

SpectrumView

Reported bugs

11 issues
  • App crashes on startup after updates
  • Crashes when attempting to zoom on spectrograms
  • Crashes when playing files from iTunes library
  • Microphone hijacking error messages
  • Pinch-to-zoom and pan features not functioning properly
Show 6 more
  • App freezes when backgrounded
  • Spectrogram resets when rotating device orientation
  • Audio plays through speaker instead of headphones
  • Blank screen with no display output
  • Incompatibility with older iOS versions
  • Requires in-app purchase prompts for all features after iCloud restore

Requested features

13 requests
  • Logarithmic frequency scale for audio analysis
  • Adjustable time scale/window for spectrograms
  • Ability to analyze audio from music library/iTunes
  • Longer-term averaging for spectrum analyzer
  • A-weighting frequency selection
Show 8 more
  • Batch delete option for recordings
  • Real-time audio input from playing songs
  • Metadata storage (timestamp, location) in WAV files
  • SPL meter functionality
  • 3D display option
  • Adjustable color range for spectrogram
  • Auto-readout of highest amplitude frequency
  • Higher frequency range support (above 20kHz)

OpenBat

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

7 purchases

SpectrumView

One-time7
  • Enable peak hold$0.99
  • Access iTunes and SoundCould$0.99
  • Generate data snapshot$0.99
Show 4 more
  • Enable Log Scale$1.99
  • Disable recording length limit$1.99
  • Enable pinch to zoom$1.99
  • Enable Web File Transfer$1.99
None

OpenBat

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SpectrumView free?
SpectrumView is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is OpenBat free?
OpenBat is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do SpectrumView or OpenBat have ads?
Neither SpectrumView nor OpenBat shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SpectrumView or OpenBat?
SpectrumView ships an update every 10 months, and OpenBat every 4 days. Most recently, SpectrumView was updated on September 29, 2026 and OpenBat on October 1, 2026.

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