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Hearing Loss
October 24, 2023
6 Min

The Best Decibel Meter Apps for Protecting Your Hearing Health

Discover the top decibel meter apps that transform your smartphone into a professional sound level meter and safeguard your hearing. Click here for more!

Author:
Nicole Brener
The Best Decibel Meter Apps for Protecting Your Hearing Health
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Aviation marshall wearing hearing protection on the tarmac‍
Aviation marshall wearing hearing protection on the tarmac

Everyday scenarios like attending concerts, live sporting events, or working in noisy environments can expose our hearing to noise levels that, in the moment, seem harmless. However, over time, these seemingly harmless sounds can cause permanent hearing damage.

That's where decibel meter apps come in. They can effectively transform your smartphone device into a professional-grade sound level meter, tracking and identifying hazardous environmental noises, allowing you to proactively take measures to protect your hearing and enjoy life without the looming threat of hearing impairment.

What is a Decibel Meter App?

A decibel meter, also known as a sound level meter or SPL meter (sound pressure level), is a device that measures noise levels and displays the sound's intensity in decibels (dB).

Nowadays, this technology is readily accessible as a downloadable app from your smartphone, using the device's built-in microphone. This technology is a practical and user-friendly tool for raising awareness of sound levels in your environment and taking appropriate measures to safeguard your hearing health.

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How Decibel Meters Work

Decibel meters capture sound waves through a microphone and process them to calculate their intensity. Most decibel meter apps use the microphone on your smartphone and apply advanced algorithms to estimate the sound pressure level (SPL). While not as precise as professional-grade equipment, many apps are calibrated to deliver fairly accurate readings.

Benefits of Decibel Meter Apps

  • Prevent hearing damage by identifying harmful noise levels.
  • Useful for musicians, event planners, and workplaces with high noise levels.
  • Monitor and manage your sound environment effectively.

How Loud is Too Loud for Your Hearing Health?

Crowd at concert
Crowd at concert

The loudness level considered "too loud" for your hearing health can vary depending on several factors, including the duration of exposure and individual sensitivity to sound. 

Here's a breakdown of how loud is too loud for your hearing health:

Decibel Chart

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Noise-induced hearing damage is cumulative, meaning that the more time you expose your ears to noisy environments, the greater the risk to your hearing. To protect your hearing, consider using a decibel meter to detect loud settings and use hearing protection, such as earplugs or earmuffs.

Take a look at the best decibel meter apps.

The Best Decibel Meter Apps for Protecting Your Hearing Health

01.Decibel X

iOS rating: 4.6 stars, free, offers in-app purchases

Google Play rating: 3.6 stars, free, in-app purchases

With over 118K reviews, this decibel meter is a popular choice. The app turns your mobile device into a professional sound level meter, detects harmful environmental noises, and helps protect your hearing. 

Known as a highly reliable and accurate sound level meter, this extremely useful tool integrates directly with the Health app, allows you to record data, and is easy to use thanks to its intuitive interface and seamless UI design. Plus, the free version is highly recommended. 

02.Decibel Pro

iOS rating: 4.7 stars, free, offers in-app purchases

The free decibel meter app measures environmental noise levels using an actual Nor140 high-precision decibel meter and allows you to save your measurements and their locations and share them with others. You can also take a hearing test and export measured noise levels and audiograms with the Health app integration.

Its also used to calibrate home or concert venue equipment, controlling volume output with the best accuracy. Plus, other great features like creating photos and videos with overlaying noise levels.

03.NIOSH Sound Level Meter

iOS rating: 4.7 stars, free

Created and maintained by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), this award-winning app was developed by experienced acoustic engineers and hearing loss experts.

The app provides up-to-date information and guidelines for preventing hearing loss. It fosters awareness of the acoustic environment to make informed hearing health and protection choices. Furthermore, it collects noise exposure data, enhancing our understanding of occupational sound levels and their potential impacts.

The app has highly positive reviews and is convenient and easy to use.

04.Too Noisy Pro

iOS: 3.9 stars, $7.99

Google Play rating:  3.7 stars, $7.99

The Too Noisy app is an effective and playful solution to assist teachers in keeping control of general noise levels in a classroom using a visual stimulus.

Teachers can use the Too Noisy app to monitor the classroom's noise levels, adjusting noise sensitivity levels, with a simple interface designed so children will respond to it, graphically displaying noise levels in a fun and engaging way. Additionally, it can be used as a learning tool to help children understand the different sounds and noise levels in their environment by conducting volume experiments. 

05.dB Meter - Decibel Sound Level Meter

iOS: 4.6 out of 5 stars

Google Play: 4.3 out of 5 stars

The dB Meter app is a highly rated tool designed for measuring environmental noise with precision and ease. The app provides real-time decibel (dB) readings with high accuracy. It displays minimum, maximum, and average dB levels, allowing users to understand sound intensity over time.

Free with optional in-app purchases

Conclusion

With the constant exposure to sounds in our daily lives, staying informed and utilizing tools like decibel meter apps is not just a matter of convenience; it's a crucial step towards preventing potential hearing damage. 

Decibel meter apps are a powerful ally in preserving our hearing health. These innovative applications empower us to heighten our awareness and assume control over our auditory well-being.

These apps provide real-time feedback on our sound environment, helping us identify situations that might harm our hearing, make informed decisions about when to use hearing protection, reduce our exposure, or advocate for changes in our surroundings to minimize noise pollution.

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Nicole Brener

Copywriter based in Miami, FL. Leads copywriting workshops and mentors women entrepreneurs at the Idea Center of Miami Dade College.

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Nagish Acquires Sign.mt to Drive Research in AI and Sign Language. 
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The Best Decibel Meter Apps for Protecting Your Hearing Health

Key Findings

  • Workplace Impact: 62% of Deaf and 66% of Hard-of-Hearing individuals report that communication barriers hinder career mobility.
  • Healthcare Challenges: 62% of Deaf and 66% of Hard-of-Hearing individuals experience communication barriers in healthcare settings, contributing to delays in treatment.
  • Concerns About Emergency Communications: 20% of Deaf and 24.3% Hard-of-Hearing users also expressed serious concerns that communication barriers would prohibit them from contacting healthcare personnel in an emergency situation.
  • Independence Boost: Assistive technology nearly doubled rates of independence, with 60% of Deaf users and 63% of Hard-of-Hearing users reporting increased autonomy.
  • Emotional Strain: 55% of Deaf users and 83% of Hard-of-Hearing users reported emotional distress due to communication frustrations.
  • Social and Professional Opportunities: 46% of Deaf and 32.9% of Hard-of-Hearing users saw improved social and career prospects thanks to assistive technologies.

Empowering the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Through Technology: A New Era of Communication and Independence

At Nagish, we’ve seen firsthand just how much communication shapes daily life for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing communities. Our recent survey highlights the significant barriers they face in the workplace, healthcare settings, and in their social lives. But it also sheds light on a powerful solution: assistive technology. The results of this survey reinforce our commitment to empowering these communities and remind us why our mission matters: with access to the right tools, independence grows, opportunities expand, and well-being improves.

We collected data through a comprehensive survey involving over 300 individuals who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing and currently use hearing assistive technology. The survey included 179 Deaf and 140 Hard-of-Hearing participants, with data collected in an inclusive and accessible manner to ensure that everyone could participate and share their experiences without barriers.Communication Barriers in the Workplace: Limiting Career Mobility

Communication challenges in the workplace remain one of the most significant hurdles for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals, preventing them from fully realizing their career potential. Assistive technology offers a solution by removing these barriers and expanding access to a broader range of job opportunities and career growth.

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A majority of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing participants reported that communication barriers affected their career decisions, making it harder to pursue job opportunities or advance in their careers.

Deaf Participants

Hard-of-Hearing participants

65% of Deaf users rely on assistance from hearing individuals at least once a week to communicate effectively, which can limit their ability to fully engage in dynamic work environments.

Communication Barriers in Healthcare: A Matter of Public Safety
Communication challenges are not just a workplace issue — they extend into healthcare settings, where they can directly impact individuals’ health outcomes. Accessible communication tools are essential for ensuring that Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals can receive timely and accurate medical care, especially in emergency situations

Many Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing users face communication barriers in healthcare settings, which can lead to missed appointments, misunderstandings about medical treatments, and delayed care.

Deaf users:

62%

Hard of Hearing users:

66%

Some Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing users have concerns about reaching healthcare professionals in emergencies, highlighting serious public safety risks.

Deaf users

Hard-of-Hearing users

Empowering Independence Through Assistive Technology
One of the most encouraging findings from our survey is just how much independence is boosted with assistive technology. This improvement in independence is not just about doing things on their own; it’s about having the confidence and ability to engage fully in both professional and personal settings.

Assistive technology has significantly increased the independence of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing users in managing daily tasks, showing clear improvements after adoption.

Deaf users

Hard-of-Hearing users

Expanding Social and Professional Opportunities
Beyond independence, assistive technology creates connection.By removing communication barriers that keep people from joining in socially or professionallyassistive technology allows users to engage more deeply in social activities and pursue career opportunities that were previously out of reach.

Assistive technology has helped Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing users expand their social networks and professional opportunities, enabling new connections and career growth.

Emotional and Psychological Impact: The Hidden Toll of Communication Barriers
People often overlook the emotional and psychological toll of communication , but they can have a profound impact on the mental well-being of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals. Assistive technology can help alleviate this emotional strain, empowering users to communicate more effectively and reducing the anxiety associated with relying on others for basic communication.

A significant number of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing users experience frustration and anxiety when communicating with family and friends, leading to isolation and stress.

Deaf users

Hard-of-Hearing users

Why This Matters: A Call for Widespread Adoption of Assistive Technologies
The findings from our survey are clear: communication barriers continue to limit the lives of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals in many areas, from the workplace to healthcare to their social lives. What’s also clear to us is that the question isn’t whether assistive technology helps—it’s how quickly we can make this powerful solution universally available.. By making these tools more accessible, we can open up new opportunities for individuals to thrive in their careers, maintain better health, and lead more independent lives.
At Nagish, we are committed to advocating for the integration of assistive technologies in all aspects of life. Whether it’s in healthcare, the workplace, or social settings, these technologies have the potential to create a more inclusive society where Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals can live fully empowered lives. 
Our hope is that these findings inspire not just awareness, but action. We hope this survey creates awareness and action in promoting accessibility and inclusion for these communities. Together, we can create a world where everyone, regardless of their hearing abilities, has equal access to opportunities and services.