Sonara, an iPhone app that turns the phone into a decibel meter, noise dosimeter and frequency analyzer, is listed as Free on the App Store, and the tip site New Mobile Life says its regular price is US $0.99. Neither the store page nor the tip gives an end date, so treat the offer as limited time and grab it while it shows Free.
What is free, and for whom?
The app comes from App Vista Studio and is listed in the Utilities category with a 4+ age rating. It is 16 MB, requires iOS 17.0 or later on iPhone, and the listing also names iPad, Mac with an Apple M1 chip or later, and Apple Vision. The developer says the meter itself is free, with no ads and no account.
The tip article describes the price as a limited time drop from US $0.99 to free. The store listing does not say how long the price will stay at zero, so we cannot tell you when it ends. Prices in other countries are not stated by either source.
What does the free version include?
According to the App Store description, the free meter covers a lot of ground:
- A live dB readout with a gauge, a waveform, and minimum, average, maximum and peak values
- A, B, C, Z and ITU-R 468 frequency weighting, plus Slow, Fast and Impulse response times
- Loud noise alerts with haptic and visual cues
- Measuring that continues when the screen locks, with a Live Activity and Dynamic Island view
- A calibration offset, so you can match the app to a reference sound level meter
- A noise dosimeter showing daily dose, TWA (time weighted average), LAeq and Lmax, with NIOSH 85 dBA and OSHA 90 dBA reference limits and a countdown to 100% of your dose
- A real time spectrum with 1/3 octave bands and the dominant frequency in Hz
- Automatic session history with notes and an optional location label, plus 3 free PDF reports
Each reading and report shows the weighting, response time and calibration offset, which makes the numbers easier to judge.
What is the catch?
Sonara also sells a Pro upgrade. The developer describes it as a single purchase with no subscription. Pro adds unlimited PDF reports branded with your company name, PNG, CSV and JSON export, spectrogram, histogram and waveform views, Safe Work Australia and custom exposure standards, and a camera mode that stamps the live reading on a photo. The listing does not state the Pro price in the text we reviewed.
The bigger caveat comes from the developer. Sonara is not a certified sound level meter or dosimeter, and phone microphones vary, so readings are indicative only. The developer says not to use it for hearing protection, medical or regulatory decisions, and to use a calibrated instrument and a qualified assessor for compliance work. NIOSH, OSHA and Safe Work Australia limits are shown for reference, and the app is not affiliated with or certified by them.
Is it private?
The listing says audio is analyzed on the device and is never recorded or uploaded. In its App Privacy section, the developer states that it does not collect any data from the app. Apple notes that this information is provided by the developer and has not been verified by Apple. The developer’s privacy policy says the app uses the microphone to measure sound levels.
How do you get it?
- Open the App Store on an iPhone or iPad running iOS 17.0 or later, or iPadOS 17.0 or later.
- Search for Sonara: Decibel & Noise Meter by App Vista Studio, or use the official listing linked below.
- Check that the button says Get and the price shows Free, then download it with your Apple Account.
- Allow microphone access when asked.
If the price has gone back to US $0.99 by the time you look, the offer has ended. Prices can change at any time.
Who is it for?
The developer suggests workplace noise checks, concerts, classrooms, home studios, neighbor noise, home theater setups and construction sites. For a curious person checking a noisy street or a loud gig, the free tier already looks generous. For anything where hearing or compliance is at stake, a certified meter remains the right tool.
Next step: open the official App Store listing for Sonara and confirm the Free price before you download. Reading the developer’s privacy policy there takes a minute and explains what the app does with the microphone.
