# dB Meter & Spectrum Analyzer vs SoundMeter X

The clearest difference is price: SoundMeter X at Free against dB Meter & Spectrum Analyzer's $29.99. SoundMeter X also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months). dB Meter & Spectrum Analyzer's advantage is review sentiment (66% vs 23%) and rating (4.7 vs 3.6). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

SoundMeter X is free to download; dB Meter & Spectrum Analyzer costs $29.99 up front. dB Meter & Spectrum Analyzer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and SoundMeter X sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

dB Meter & Spectrum Analyzer holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: dB Meter & Spectrum Analyzer has 866 ratings behind it against 45, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 66% of dB Meter & Spectrum Analyzer's written reviews are positive against 23% of SoundMeter X's.

dB Meter & Spectrum Analyzer ships an update every 4 months, SoundMeter X every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | dB Meter & Spectrum Analyzer | SoundMeter X |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $29.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.7 (866 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/db-meter-and-spectrum-analyzer/id733773616/reviews)** | [3.6 (45 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/soundmeter-x/id1348050232/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **866** | 45 |
| Positive reviews | **65.5% of reviews** | 22.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 88 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.3** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Vlad Polyanskiy](https://appshunter.io/developer/438646985) | [Faber Acoustical, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/284781780) |

## What reviewers say

### dB Meter & Spectrum Analyzer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/db-meter-and-spectrum-analyzer/id733773616)

Measure ambient noise levels with professional-quality accuracy. This app offers a spectrum analyzer, hearing test, and the ability to save and share measurements with location data. It's a powerful, cost-effective tool for personal sound monitoring.

**Highlights:** Professional-quality sound level measurement, Integrated spectrum analyzer, Noise dosimeter (NIOSH/OSHA), Photo & video with noise overlay, Hearing test, Save and export measurements (CSV/Audio), Health App integration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Spectrum Analyzer Pro | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent
- 👍 Simple, precise and excellent
- 👍 Great app!!!!
- 👍 Well around app for monitoring noise
- 👍 Nice proof

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crash with iOS 26
- 🐛 Paid for and it stopped working
- 🐛 App failed to open on iPad Pro 11
- 🐛 Will not run
- 🐛 Ok for DB but not for actually recording sound

**Reported bugs**

- Crash with iOS 26
- App failed to open on iPad Pro 11
- Will not run
- Video is recorded without sound
- Failing to restore purchase

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Advanced analytics dashboard
- Ability to export recorded audio clips
- Frequency display on RTA bar


### SoundMeter X

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/soundmeter-x/id1348050232)

Transform your device into a professional sound level meter, noise dosimeter, and spectrum analyzer. Log data, calibrate sensitivity, and analyze audio with advanced features. Offers a free trial for premium functionalities.

**Highlights:** Handheld data-logging sound level meter, Data-logging noise dosimeter, Real-time octave spectrum analyzer, Multi-channel data recorder, Stereo signal generator, Sensitivity calibration, Data logging in CSV, TXT, MAT, and PDF

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SoundMeter Pro, 1 Month | $4.99 | per month |
| Pro Tool Set, 1 Month | $24.99 | per month |
| SoundMeter Pro, 1 Year | $49.99 | per year |
| Pro Tool Set, 1 Year | $249.99 | per year |
| 14-day Free Trial, SoundMeter Pro | Free | one-time |
| SoundMeter Pro 2026 Upgrade | $29.99 | one-time |
| SoundMeter Pro 2026 | $99.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is dB Meter & Spectrum Analyzer free?

dB Meter & Spectrum Analyzer costs $29.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is SoundMeter X free?

SoundMeter X is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, dB Meter & Spectrum Analyzer or SoundMeter X?

dB Meter & Spectrum Analyzer is rated higher. dB Meter & Spectrum Analyzer averages 4.7 out of 5 from 866 ratings, while SoundMeter X averages 3.6 from 45 ratings.

### Do dB Meter & Spectrum Analyzer or SoundMeter X have ads?

Neither dB Meter & Spectrum Analyzer nor SoundMeter X shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, dB Meter & Spectrum Analyzer or SoundMeter X?

dB Meter & Spectrum Analyzer ships an update every 4 months, and SoundMeter X every 3 weeks. Most recently, dB Meter & Spectrum Analyzer was updated on November 5, 2026 and SoundMeter X on November 3, 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.*