# Decibel Meter dB vs The Reference App

The clearest difference is price: The Reference App at Free against Decibel Meter dB's $3.99. The Reference App also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 4 months). Decibel Meter dB's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

The Reference App is free to download; Decibel Meter dB costs $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Decibel Meter dB ships an update every 4 months, The Reference App fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 2, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Decibel Meter dB | The Reference App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/decibel-meter-db/id6740335067/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Size | 1 MB | 48 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Morten Punnerud](https://appshunter.io/developer/969844397) | [Dailey Kluck](https://appshunter.io/developer/1864229691) |

## What reviewers say

### Decibel Meter dB

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/decibel-meter-db/id6740335067)

This app provides real-time decibel monitoring with a dynamic visual display and color-coded alerts for different noise thresholds. It helps users track sound levels, understand potential risks, and maintain healthier audio environments. Ideal for various settings, it offers a simple and effective way to stay aware of ambient noise.

**Highlights:** Real-time decibel monitoring, Animated visual ear display, Color-coded noise alerts, 1-minute average tracking, Spectrogram view, Optimized for iPhone and iPad

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### The Reference App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-reference-app/id6757085288)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Decibel Meter dB free?

Decibel Meter dB costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is The Reference App free?

The Reference App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Decibel Meter dB or The Reference App have ads?

The Reference App shows ads; Decibel Meter dB does not.

### Which is updated more often, Decibel Meter dB or The Reference App?

Decibel Meter dB ships an update every 4 months, and The Reference App fortnightly. Most recently, Decibel Meter dB was updated on September 2, 2026 and The Reference App on September 18, 2026.

---

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