Decibel is a sound level meter app for iOS that measures sound pressure and spectrum variation using calibrated weighting standards.
Product velocity
Dormant
Daily rank 🇺🇸
—
Utilities
Sentiment
4.6
5k reviews
Nemesis
Fragmented field
The App DNA
What makes this app unique?
Users hire Decibel to evaluate environmental noise levels for professional or personal assessment, requiring reliable, calibrated data output.
For Users requiring basic to professional-grade sound level monitoring for personal or environmental noise assessment.
What does it look like?
Key features
Real-time sound pressure level monitoring using device microphone input.
Support for dBa, dBb, dBc, and dBz measurement standards, gated behind a $4.49/month subscription.
Local storage of sound measurements and spectrum data, gated behind a subscription.
How much does it cost?
Freemium model gates advanced measurement units, data history, and ad removal behind a subscription starting at $4.49/month.
Velocity
Dormant developmentopaqueShow more...
Decibel - sound level meter has been inactive for over six years, with no updates or feature additions since the latest release in May 2020. The development momentum is non-existent, as the app has not received any maintenance or performance patches in the last 2,280 days. Given the lack of activity, the app is classified as a zombie project.
Who built it?
App Rover
13+ apps tracked · Utilities
Beat Tiles 3D: Music Game
MyCal: AI Calorie Tracker
Drink Water ∙ Daily Reminder
Ringtones HD ∙ Ringtone Maker
Bass Booster Volume Power Amp
Decidr - Decisions Coach
Mentra Coach
Lumira: Your Choice Stories
Story Lines - Make Your Choice
Live Wallpaper Maker: 4K Theme
Contacts Backup Pro & Restore
Password Manager - Safe LockUser Sentiment
What do users think recently?
Fresh user feedback skews frustrated. Users appreciate high sensitivity and accurate decibel readings provide utility for professional sound level monitoring tasks.
How are ratings & reviews evolving?
What users say, by theme
- High sensitivity and accurate decibel readings provide utility for professional sound level monitoring tasks
- Subscription paywalls block core functionality and trigger repeated payment prompts during active usage sessions
46 of 46 recent reviews analyzed · high confidence · Frustrated overall
Read the full review analysisUnlock 2 more frustration themes and 2 user requests, each backed by review evidence.
Access the full report for freeCompetition
Competitive landscape for Decibel - sound level meter
How's the Utilities market?
Decibel maintains a 4.56-star rating across 4,680 reviews, but its lack of updates since 2020 creates a widening gap in competitive relevance.
Read the market outlookThe rivals identified
Unlock the deeper market read.
Access the full report for freeThe Analyst's Read
Key takeaways for Decibel - sound level meter
Where is it heading?
The utility category is consolidating around apps with frequent feature iteration and transparent pricing. Decibel's maintenance-mode status and aggressive paywalling leave it exposed to churn, so the team must prioritize a pricing model shift to remain competitive.
- The lack of updates since 2020 prevents the app from addressing user requests for data visualization, leading to increased churn.
The SWOT
- Calibrated dBa, dBb, dBc, and dBz support provides professional-grade measurement utility
- Adding one-time purchase options could capture users currently avoiding the recurring subscription
Next best moves
Pivot to a one-time purchase model because subscription fatigue is the top user complaint → increase conversion.
The counter-intuitive read
The app's lack of updates is not just a maintenance failure…
Read the full takeSince the last report: The app remains in a maintenance-mode state, but the analysis has shifted to characterize the developer's strategy as intentionally extractive rather than merely neglected.
Bottom line
Decibel offers high-fidelity sound measurement, but the subscription-only model and lack of updates since 2020 alienate users, so the team must pivot to a one-time purchase model to stabilize the user base.
Unlock 2 critical frictions, 1 market threat and the analyst’s take.
Access the full report for freeSources
- [1] App Store, source
Report last updated