Comparison

dEAR Visual Hearing Aid vs Sound Amplifier +

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

Head to head
About

dEAR Visual Hearing Aid

This application converts spoken words into large, easy-to-read text in real time. Designed for individuals with hearing impairments, it offers a clean interface and minimal controls for effortless conversation engagement. It works best with external microphones for clear voice capture.

Highlights
  • Real-time speech to text conversion
  • Large, easy-to-read text display
  • Clean and simple interface
  • Designed for hearing impaired users
  • Optimized for wireless microphones
  • Supports iOS 15 and later
Read full description

d.EAR is a simple, accessible voice-to-text app for people who just want speech turned into clear, readable text—without clutter, confusion, or tiny buttons. DESIGNED FOR GRANDPARENTS • d.EAR is a visual hearing aid that converts spoken words into large, easy-to-read text in real time.  • It’s built to help hearing impaired stay present and engaged in conversations that matter. • With a clean interface, large readable text, and minimal controls, d.EAR focuses on clarity and ease of use from the very first tap.  • Just speak naturally and watch your words appear on screen.  • This app was designed with and tested by real grandparents—but it’s easy and helpful for anyone. DESIGNED FOR MICROPHONES • For best results, use wireless microphones clipped to the shirts of speakers.  • This allows d.EAR to clearly capture voices from anywhere in the room, even in group conversations. • Search “iPad wireless microphone” on Amazon to find compatible devices. NOTES • An internet connection is required for transcription on most devices • Supports iPhone and iPad running iOS 15 or later

About

Sound Amplifier +

Enhance your hearing in everyday situations. This tool uses your phone's microphone to amplify nearby sounds and deliver them to your earphones in real time. Adjust sound with an equalizer, reduce background noise, and protect your hearing with a volume limiter.

Highlights
  • Live audio amplification
  • 3-band equalizer with presets
  • Speech boost and noise reduction
  • Left/right balance control
  • Safe-volume limiter
  • Offline functionality
Features
Read full description

Sound Amplifier picks up the voices and sounds around you with your phone's microphone and plays them into your earphones in real time — so a soft-spoken friend, the TV across the room or a lecture from the back row comes through more clearly. Missed what someone just said? Tap Replay last 10s to hear the last 10 seconds again. Want the sound shaped for your own ears? Take the short Hearing Test and a personal EQ is built from your answers. Please note: Sound Amplifier is an everyday assistive listening tool. It is not a medical hearing aid and it does not diagnose hearing loss. LISTEN • Live amplification from 0 to +40 dB, with a live level meter • Replay the last 10 seconds — kept in memory only and cleared when you stop • Voice leveller that evens out loud and soft voices automatically • Noise reduction that cuts low rumble from air conditioning, traffic and wind TUNE • 3-band equalizer: bass, mid and treble, each ±12 dB • Presets for Speech, Music, Outdoor and Flat • A Personal preset created from your Hearing Test • Left/right balance for when one ear needs more HEARING TEST • Soft tones at 250, 500, 1,000, 2,000, 4,000 and 6,000 Hz, one ear at a time • Turn the result into a personal EQ with one tap • Hearing over time: compare later tests with your first one (changes under 10 dB are shown as no change) • Earphones or headphones are required, because each ear is tested separately MY SETUPS • Save up to 8 named setups — TV, restaurant, lecture — and bring one back with a tap SAFETY • A safety limiter caps loud peaks at a level you choose (-18 to 0 dBFS) • The app will not amplify through the phone's own speaker, where the microphone would pick the sound up again and howl • If your earphones disconnect, amplifying stops and a card explains why; reconnect them and tap Resume GOOD FOR • TV dialogue without turning the room volume up for everyone • Conversations in cafés, restaurants and family dinners • Lectures, sermons, meetings and guided tours • Birdsong and quiet sounds on a walk Tips: start with low amplification and raise it slowly. Wired earphones have the shortest delay; Bluetooth earphones work too but add a little lag. If you are worried about your hearing, please talk to a hearing professional.

Screenshots

dEAR Visual Hearing Aid4 screens
Sound Amplifier +3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: dEAR Visual Hearing Aid at 5.0 against Sound Amplifier +'s 3.8. dEAR Visual Hearing Aid also leads on ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). Sound Amplifier +'s advantage is ratings volume (15 vs 4). On price, in-app purchases and iOS requirement 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

dEAR Visual Hearing Aid holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 15 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

dEAR Visual Hearing Aid ships an update every 2 days, Sound Amplifier + every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
dEAR Visual Hearing Aid versus Sound Amplifier +: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterdEAR Visual Hearing AidSound Amplifier +
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (4 ratings) — better3.8 (15 ratings)
Positive reviews—0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings415 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterEvery 4 days
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterAd-supported
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.6 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB61 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperMike Commoheekyung moon

Customer experience

dEAR Visual Hearing Aid

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Sound Amplifier +

All ratings15 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral13.3%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

None

dEAR Visual Hearing Aid

No in-app purchases

None

Sound Amplifier +

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is dEAR Visual Hearing Aid free?
dEAR Visual Hearing Aid is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Sound Amplifier + free?
Sound Amplifier + is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, dEAR Visual Hearing Aid or Sound Amplifier +?
dEAR Visual Hearing Aid is rated higher. dEAR Visual Hearing Aid averages 5.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Sound Amplifier + averages 3.8 from 15 ratings.
Do dEAR Visual Hearing Aid or Sound Amplifier + have ads?
Sound Amplifier + shows ads; dEAR Visual Hearing Aid does not.
Which is updated more often, dEAR Visual Hearing Aid or Sound Amplifier +?
dEAR Visual Hearing Aid ships an update every 2 days, and Sound Amplifier + every 4 days. Most recently, dEAR Visual Hearing Aid was updated on October 23, 2026 and Sound Amplifier + on October 24, 2026.

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