Report updated May 7, 2026
NIOSH Sound Level Meter
For workers and employers seeking to monitor workplace noise exposure and prevent occupational hearing loss.
NIOSH Sound Level Meter is an established utilities app that is completely free. With a 4.7/5 rating from 16.2K reviews, it shows polarized user reception. Users particularly appreciate accurate sound measurement capabilities provide professional utility for field audio and safety monitoring, though post-update technical regressions cause measurement failures and inaccurate readings on current hardware remains a common concern.
What is NIOSH Sound Level Meter?
NIOSH Sound Level Meter is a free, laboratory-validated acoustic measurement tool for occupational safety monitoring on iOS.
Users hire this app for compliance-grade noise exposure data that avoids the subscription costs and accuracy uncertainties of commercial alternatives.
Current Momentum
v1.4 · 2w ago
Maintenance- Shipped stability improvements in latest release.
- Maintained zero-cost, ad-free public health model.
Active Nemesis
Decibel X:dB Sound Level Meter
By SkyPaw Co.
Other Rivals
7-Day Rank Pulse 🇺🇸
UtilitiesNo ranking data
Rating Pulse 🇺🇸
Recent User Mood
What makes this app unique?
What Does It Look Like?
Loading...
What Are The Key Features?
Calculates LAeq, TWA, Max, Peak, Noise Dose, and Projected Dose using A, C, and Z weighting networks
Tested to ± 2 dBA accuracy in a reverberant chamber at the NIOSH acoustics laboratory
How much does it cost?
- Completely free with no ads, no limited features, and no in-app purchases
The app operates as a non-profit public health tool provided by a government agency, prioritizing accessibility and data integrity over monetization.
Who Built It?
EA LAB
Providing professional-grade acoustic measurement tools for occupational health and industrial safety. Enabling precise sound analysis through mobile hardware.
Portfolio
4
Apps
What other apps does EA LAB make?
Explore the full EA LAB report
Portfolio breakdown, audience, momentum, and every app published by EA LAB.
What do users think recently?
High confidence · 49 reviews analyzed
How did the latest release land?
What is the recent mood?
Recent user voice shows a mixed sentiment. Users appreciate accurate sound measurement capabilities provide professional utility for field audio and safety monitoring, but report post-update technical regressions cause measurement failures and inaccurate readings on current hardware.
Limited review volume (49 reviews). Sentiment analysis will deepen as more data lands.
View the full user-sentiment analysis
Mood gauge, ratings & review-volume history, every praise / complaint / request, and sentiment over time.
What is the competitive landscape for NIOSH Sound Level Meter?
How's The Utilities Market?
How does it evolve in the Utilities market?
The app maintains a 4.67 rating across 16,196 total ratings, signaling high long-term trust despite recent stability regressions. Its non-profit, ad-free model creates a unique position against commercial rivals that gate professional metrics behind subscriptions.
Rank progression
5 active rankings tracked — 30-day window
The rivals identified
Nemeses(1)
This app is the dominant commercial alternative in the sound measurement niche, maintaining a massive user base and consistent update cadence.
Differentiators
- Offers a sophisticated spectrum analyzer and frequency weighting options that target professional audio engineers.
- Monetizes through a freemium model with advanced features locked behind subscriptions, contrasting with our completely free approach.
- Provides extensive calibration settings to adjust for specific device microphone hardware variations.
Head to head
We must emphasize our scientific validation and zero-cost model to defend against their feature-rich but monetized subscription strategy.
Contenders(1)
High release velocity indicates an aggressive attempt to capture market share through frequent feature iteration.
Differentiators
- Aggressive update schedule allows for rapid integration of user-requested features and bug fixes.
- Focuses on a simplified, high-contrast visual display that prioritizes readability in low-light industrial environments.
Same space(1)
Shares the 'Utilities' category and professional-tool positioning, though it serves a different technical domain.
Differentiators
- Provides deep-dive network diagnostics and connectivity testing tools for IT professionals and network administrators.
- Establishes a strong reputation for technical reliability in a completely different utility sub-sector.
New entrants(1)
Recent update activity suggests an attempt to pivot or maintain relevance in the utility space.
Differentiators
- Explores time-based signal visualization which could potentially overlap with acoustic wave analysis in future iterations.
- Leverages a high-volume user base to test new UI paradigms that could disrupt standard utility app layouts.
Compare NIOSH Sound Level Meter against every rival
All rivals in one side-by-side table — identity, store metrics, ratings & sentiment, and strategic intel — plus a head-to-head page for each.
The outtake for NIOSH Sound Level Meter
Strengths to defend, gaps to attack
Core Strengths
- Laboratory-validated accuracy (± 2 dBA) functions as a scientific barrier to entry for non-specialized apps.
Critical Frictions
- Technical regressions on current hardware cause measurement failures, increasing churn risk.
Growth Levers
- Tablet-optimized interface would capture professional audio technician workflows.
Market Threats
- Commercial rivals with 2-week update cadences are capturing market share through rapid feature iteration.
What are the next best moves?
Ship stability patch for current hardware because measurement failures are the top complaint → restore baseline utility.
Measurement failures are the #1 complaint theme in recent user sentiment data.
Trade-off: Push the dark mode request to Q3 — stability is a prerequisite for professional trust.
A counter-intuitive read
The app's lack of monetization is its greatest risk, as the inability to fund a rapid update cadence leaves it vulnerable to commercial rivals iterating every two weeks.
Feature Gaps vs Competitors
- Advanced spectrum analyzer (available in Decibel X but missing here)
- Long-duration data visualization (available in Decibel X but missing here)
Key Takeaways
The app maintains a unique position through scientific validation, but recent stability regressions threaten to alienate the professional user base, so the team must prioritize a stability patch to restore baseline measurement reliability.
Where Is It Heading?
Declining
The acoustic measurement category is shifting toward high-frequency feature iteration, leaving this app exposed due to its slower, research-focused update cycle. Stability regressions in the latest version further weaken its competitive position, so the team must restore core functionality to prevent further user attrition.
Technical regressions in the latest update cause measurement failures, which erodes the professional trust required for safety-critical applications.
Lack of background recording capability forces users to keep the screen active, limiting utility for long-term monitoring workflows.