# Listening Device vs Sidetone

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Sidetone at none against Listening Device's 5. Sidetone also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 3 weeks) and iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Listening Device sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Sidetone asks for nothing beyond the download.

Listening Device ships an update every 3 weeks, Sidetone daily. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Listening Device | Sidetone |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/listening-device-clarive/id6748903280/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **10** | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 32 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **18.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [HARSHVA TECHNOLOGIES PRIVATE LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1704859322) | [Stephen Markham](https://appshunter.io/developer/6812530284) |

## What reviewers say

### Listening Device

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/listening-device-clarive/id6748903280)

This app amplifies sound and provides live captions, turning your iPhone into a hearing aid. It helps you clearly hear conversations and spoken words in various environments, with an option to read text instead of listening.

**Highlights:** Sound amplification, Live captions, Noise reduction, Real-time audio processing, Works with various headphones, On-device processing for privacy

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Listening Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Plan | $5.99 | per month |
| Yearly Plan | $14.99 | per year |
| Yearly Offer | $24.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Premium | $29.99 | one-time |


### Sidetone

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sidetone/id6812530282)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Listening Device free?

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

### Is Sidetone free?

Sidetone is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Listening Device or Sidetone have ads?

Neither Listening Device nor Sidetone shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Listening Device or Sidetone?

Listening Device ships an update every 3 weeks, and Sidetone daily. Most recently, Listening Device was updated on October 28, 2026 and Sidetone on October 31, 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.*