Decibels: dB Sound Level Meter

Name: Decibels: dB Sound Level Meter
Rating: 4.6 (253 reviews)
Author: David Bannach

Analyze audio with style

Only for iPhone

Free · In‑App Purchases · Designed for iPhone. Not verified for macOS.

253 Ratings
Ages

4+
Years
Category

Utilities
Developer

David Bannach
Language

EN
+ 2 More
Size

18.7
MB

iPhone

Want to know what noise level is around you? in the restaurant? in the train? in the office? This app will show you with precision & style. Features: - Smooth analog display of dB(A) - Take photo with sound level display - Share, print, and store sound level photos Extra Features (with purchase): - Select frequency weightings A, C, and Z - Record decibels on beautiful strip charts - Annotate the strip charts - Share, print, and store the strip charts This app uses the internal microphone to estimate the sound pressure level in decibels (dB SPL). Examples: - quiet bedroom at night: 30 dB - average home: 50 dB - vacuum cleaner, 1m away: 70 dB - jet aircraft, 50 m away: 140 dB

Ratings & Reviews

4.6

out of 5

253 Ratings

They finally got it Calibrated.
08/27/2021

Ghenley
I’ve been using Decibels for years having found the chart recorder extremely useful, however it always read dB a little higher than it really was. The last update corrected that and it now has correct readings. They also added different weighting settings A,C andZ. The basic meter is great and I recommend getting the options as it makes the best meter using chart recorders.

Developer Response
Thank you for your nice review! -david
They finally got it Calibrated.
08/27/2021

Ghenley

I’ve been using Decibels for years having found the chart recorder extremely useful, however it always read dB a little higher than it really was. The last update corrected that and it now has correct readings. They also added different weighting settings A,C andZ. The basic meter is great and I recommend getting the options as it makes the best meter using chart recorders.
Developer Response 08/30/2021
Thank you for your nice review! -david
Good enough I guess
05/26/2021

PirateJesus
Every place you check, the approximate dB SPL of various sounds is a bit different. For example, other reviewers claim a quiet room is ~40dB, but various websites online say it’s 30 or even 20dB. My room at night measures 36dB. Similarly, conversation at 1m away is around 40-60dB, so I stood 1m away and spoke quietly, quieter than I would in a normal conversation in a quiet room (and I’m not a loud speaker). The app measured ~70dB. I guess I should just automatically reduce any measurement by ~5-10dB. Good enough if absolute accuracy isn’t a must, I guess. 4 stars, since I don’t have a good decibel meter to compare against.

Developer Response
Thank you for your review. I think part of the confusion are the different weighting schemes that may be used. This app measures raw SPL (no weighting) whereas most people seem to expect an A-weighting (db(A)). A-weighting makes the measurement less sensitive to low frequencies which results in a lower value in many cases. I'm planning to switch to dB(A) in the next version.
Good enough I guess
05/26/2021

PirateJesus

Every place you check, the approximate dB SPL of various sounds is a bit different. For example, other reviewers claim a quiet room is ~40dB, but various websites online say it’s 30 or even 20dB. My room at night measures 36dB. Similarly, conversation at 1m away is around 40-60dB, so I stood 1m away and spoke quietly, quieter than I would in a normal conversation in a quiet room (and I’m not a loud speaker). The app measured ~70dB. I guess I should just automatically reduce any measurement by ~5-10dB. Good enough if absolute accuracy isn’t a must, I guess. 4 stars, since I don’t have a good decibel meter to compare against.
Developer Response 05/28/2021
Thank you for your review. I think part of the confusion are the different weighting schemes that may be used. This app measures raw SPL (no weighting) whereas most people seem to expect an A-weighting (db(A)). A-weighting makes the measurement less sensitive to low frequencies which results in a lower value in many cases. I'm planning to switch to dB(A) in the next version.
It’s a fun little app
10/04/2025

Ican'tfindanunusednickname
I like the old-school chart recorder thingy and the ability to use different weighting for the sound. Great for audio nerds
It’s a fun little app
10/04/2025

Ican'tfindanunusednickname

I like the old-school chart recorder thingy and the ability to use different weighting for the sound. Great for audio nerds
Elegant and Simple
02/20/2019

gring40
I’ve used this app for years, and have found it quite useful, without distracting bells and whistles. I’ve also corresponded with the developer, and found that the weighting (which is not evident) is broadband.Some of the features of a lab meter would be nice to have, like switchable A- or C-weighting, or averaging vs instantaneous readings. But the app is quick and easy as it is, and ads do not intrude.
Elegant and Simple
02/20/2019

gring40

I’ve used this app for years, and have found it quite useful, without distracting bells and whistles. I’ve also corresponded with the developer, and found that the weighting (which is not evident) is broadband.Some of the features of a lab meter would be nice to have, like switchable A- or C-weighting, or averaging vs instantaneous readings. But the app is quick and easy as it is, and ads do not intrude.

Thank you for using Decibels. This version fixes a bug that in some cases prevented the microphone from being activated when the app was reopened.

Version 3.5.2 11/17/2023

In-App Purchases

Professional Controls

Select any frequency weighting A, C, or Z.

$1.99
Beautiful Strip Chart Recorder

Record sound pressure level onto paper strips

$2.99

Data Not Collected

The developer does not collect any data from this app.

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

Accessibility

Information

Seller: David Bannach
Size: 18.7 MB
Category: Utilities
Compatibility: Requires iOS 11.0 or later.

iPhone
Requires iOS 11.0 or later.

iPod touch
Requires iOS 11.0 or later.

Mac
Requires macOS 11.0 or later and a Mac with Apple M1 chip or later.

Apple Vision
Requires visionOS 1.0 or later.
Languages: English and 2 more

English, German, Swiss German
Age Rating: 4+

4+

Learn More
In-App Purchases: Yes

Beautiful Strip Chart Recorder $2.99

Professional Controls $1.99

Learn More

Developer Website

Privacy Policy

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Ratings & Reviews

They finally got it Calibrated.

Good enough I guess

It’s a fun little app

Elegant and Simple

What’s New

In-App Purchases

Professional Controls

Beautiful Strip Chart Recorder

App Privacy

Data Not Collected

Accessibility

Information

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My Turns: Snowboard & Ski

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