Comparison

PocketHear vs Spy Hearing

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

Head to head
About

PocketHear

Read full description

Hear TV dialogue more clearly with PocketHear. Turn your iPhone and headphones into a personal listening companion for watching TV. Bring dialogue closer and adjust the sound to your preference—without turning up the TV volume for everyone else. Place your iPhone near the TV, connect your headphones, and start listening. PocketHear picks up sound through the active microphone and plays enhanced audio through your headphones. It’s also useful for everyday conversations and small meetings. Key Features - TV Mode: Audio settings designed to bring out speech and make television dialogue easier to follow. - Personal Volume Control: Adjust the listening level for each ear independently. - Speech Enhancement: Optional Apple Voice Processing helps reduce background noise and echo. Results depend on your headphones and surroundings. - Automatic Gain: Helps balance input levels when Apple Voice Processing is enabled. - Flexible Listening Modes: Choose TV or Meeting mode, or let Auto switch between them based on the sound around you. - Optional Pink Noise: Add a gentle background sound with its own volume control. - On-Device Processing: Audio is processed on your iPhone, without uploading it to the cloud or saving recordings. Using PocketHear with Headphones Works with compatible wired and Bluetooth headphones, including AirPods. For TV listening with AirPods, turn off Apple Voice Processing to use your iPhone’s microphone with high-quality Bluetooth playback. Turning it on uses the AirPods microphone and call audio, which may change the sound quality. Bluetooth audio may introduce a noticeable delay. Your experience will vary depending on your headphones and setup. PocketHear is a listening assistance app, not a medical device or a replacement for professional hearing care.

About

Spy Hearing

Amplify distant sounds and record audio with your phone. This tool offers enhanced listening capabilities with various EQ presets and acoustic space options. It processes audio on-device for privacy and works with multiple headphone types.

Highlights
  • Up to 16x audio amplification
  • 5 tuned EQ presets
  • 9 acoustic space settings
  • Background recording
  • Noise cancellation
  • 8-band parametric EQ
Features
Read full description

Hear what others can't. Spy Hearing turns your iPhone into a long-range listening device. Amplify distant voices, pull muffled audio through walls and doors, and record every session — all from your headphones, on a phone you already carry. Whether you're a curious investigator, a journalist capturing interviews, or someone with mild hearing difficulty who wants extra clarity, Spy Hearing puts professional-grade audio control in your pocket. KEY FEATURES • Up to ×16 amplification through your headphones • 5 tuned EQ presets — Long Range, Through Walls, Whisper, Bass, Custom • 9 acoustic Spaces from Small Room to Cathedral • Independent stereo balance for one-ear listening • Background recording — capture audio with the screen off • Noise cancel for indoor conversations • 8-band parametric EQ with manual control WORKS WITH AirPods, AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, wired EarPods, third-party Bluetooth headsets, AirPlay receivers — any audio output your iPhone can route to. PRIVACY-FIRST Your audio is processed entirely on your device. We do not run servers that receive your audio. We do not collect personal data, embed analytics SDKs, or track you. No accounts. No sign-in. No tracking pixels. PRO ACCESS — PRICING & TERMS • Weekly subscription with a 3-day free trial. After the trial ends, the subscription renews automatically each week at the price displayed in the app and in App Store Connect. Cancel anytime in Settings → [your name] → Subscriptions at least 24 hours before the period ends to avoid renewal. • Lifetime — a single one-time non-consumable purchase. No trial. No recurring charges. Yours forever. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. Subscription auto-renewal can be turned off in iOS Settings. Refunds are handled by Apple at https://reportaproblem.apple.com. SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED Spy Hearing requires an active subscription or a one-time lifetime purchase to use. There is no free tier. Choose between a 3-day free trial that converts to a weekly auto-renewing subscription, or a single lifetime purchase with no recurring charges. IMPORTANT Spy Hearing is an entertainment and personal-use audio amplification tool. It is not a hearing aid, not a medical device, and not registered with the FDA, EMA, or any other regulator. For hearing concerns, consult a licensed audiologist. You are responsible for complying with the laws of your jurisdiction regarding microphone use, audio recording, and consent. Recording without consent may be a serious offense in your area. Headphones are required for the best experience. Without them the microphone picks up the speaker output and creates feedback. Privacy Policy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/162eu7hM3lMA9uxrXoFx83Fu1Ia_-F0aGA_XbP18uyA0/ Terms of Use: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yx-SP0V9sydnA5gZfu45RN_lJZYvW6EI9LWTaw5XXZg/ Support: aistemsolutions@gmail.com

Screenshots

PocketHear3 screens
Spy Hearing4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PocketHear at none against Spy Hearing's 2. Spy Hearing's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence, 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. Spy Hearing sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. PocketHear asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PocketHear ships an update every 2 weeks, Spy Hearing every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
PocketHear versus Spy Hearing: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPocketHearSpy Hearing
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.8 (65 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—65 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Subscription
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS26.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size34 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer君文 古Muhammad Ajmal

In-app purchases

None

PocketHear

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Spy Hearing

Subscriptions1
  • Weekly3 Days trial$4.997 Days
One-time1
  • Lifetime$14.99

Questions

Is PocketHear free?
PocketHear is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Spy Hearing free?
Spy Hearing is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do PocketHear or Spy Hearing have ads?
Neither PocketHear nor Spy Hearing shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PocketHear or Spy Hearing?
PocketHear ships an update every 2 weeks, and Spy Hearing every 3 weeks. Most recently, PocketHear was updated on October 25, 2026 and Spy Hearing on October 25, 2026.

Other comparisons