Comparison

IQbuds vs Refoss

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

IQbuds

Customize your intelligent wireless earbuds to enhance your hearing experience. Personalize sound profiles, control ambient noise, and focus on specific sounds for clearer conversations and immersive audio.

Highlights
  • Ear ID hearing assessment and personalization
  • Focus on directional sounds
  • World Blend ambient noise control
  • SINC for clearer conversations
  • IQstream TV audio control
  • Music and call streaming
Read full description

Unlock the power to hear with IQbuds from Nuheara. The IQbuds companion app unlocks the powerful customization features available in our award winning IQbuds, IQbuds BOOST and IQbuds2 MAX. IQbuds - INTELLIGENT WIRELESS EARBUDS WITH SINC WORLD CONTROL IQbuds are intelligent true wireless ear buds that enable you to stream music, answer phone calls and control how you hear the world around you. IQbuds BOOST – INTELLIGENT WIRELESS HEARING BUDS WITH EAR ID AUDIOMETRIC PERSONALIZATION IQbuds BOOST is a revolution for personalized assistive listening devices. Built with all the great features of our award-winning IQbuds; we’ve added the innovative Ear ID personalization system, a clinically backed audiometric hearing assessment that calibrates the IQbuds to your unique hearing profile. IQbuds2 MAX – THE WORLDS MOST ADVANCED HEARING BUD IQbuds2 MAX with Active Noise Cancellation and Ear ID Personalization are the worlds most advanced hearing buds. IQbuds2 MAX combines features comparable to high end noise cancellation headsets with customized sound controls personalized to your hearing profile so you can hear the world your way. IQstream TV - The Nuheara App supports IQstream TV. Use BOOST or MAX with IQstream TV to control your own TV audio feed; where you can blend TV volume and the people around you, all in high fidelity sound. EAR ID - Transform Your Hearing in 3 Easy Steps (IQbuds BOOST and MAX feature only) From the comfort of your home and in less than 10 minutes, Ear ID allows you to assess your own hearing and then automatically calibrates the earbuds to your own personal hearing profile. Assess - Download the Nuheara IQbuds App and complete the Ear ID, in app hearing test. Personalize - Ear ID will personalize your IQbuds automatically, using Audiological industry standard algorithms. Hear - Hear your world better instantly, and re-calibrate as often as you like without visiting a hearing clinic. FOCUS - Directional Hearing (IQbuds BOOST and MAX feature only) Focus uses audio beam forming technology to isolate and enhance sounds directly in front of you. WORLD BLEND and SINC - Blend the perfect amount of Ambient noise with the world control feature; While SINC helps you to hear conversations better by turning down noise in a noisy environment. NOTE: the app requires a compatible IQbuds, IQbuds BOOST or IQbuds2 MAX ear buds to work with it. This app is compatible with IQstream TV. See www.nuheara.com for more information on how to purchase.

About

Refoss

Control and manage your home automation devices remotely. Schedule device operations, monitor their status, and integrate with voice assistants for hands-free control. Enjoy peace of mind knowing your electronics are managed efficiently.

Highlights
  • Remote on/off control
  • Automated work plans
  • Voice assistant integration
  • Device status monitoring
  • Manage smart plugs
Read full description

Refoss mainly focuses on home automation gadgets. Currently, there are products such as smart plug on the market. Customers can plug the device on it and easily manage the following functions through the Refoss app: 1. Turn on/off electronic devices anytime, anywhere through the Refoss app. 2. Create an on/off work plan to let the equipment work automatically according to the plan. 3. Link your Refoss smart devices to voice assistant, you can easily control the device with your voice. 4. View the on/off status of connected devices from anywhere for peace of mind.

Screenshots

IQbuds4 screens
Refoss4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Refoss at 4.5 against IQbuds's 3.0. Refoss also leads on review sentiment (87% vs 50%) and ads (none vs shown). IQbuds's advantage is iOS requirement (10.0 vs 13.0). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Refoss holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 55 and 125 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of IQbuds's written reviews are positive against 87% of Refoss's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

IQbuds ships an update every 3 months, Refoss every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
IQbuds versus Refoss: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterIQbudsRefoss
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (55 ratings)4.5 (125 ratings) — better
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews87.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings55125 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPod, Apple Watch
Requires iOS10.0 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size197 MB224 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNuheara LimitedFLEXBEE HK LIMITED

Customer experience

IQbuds

All ratings55 ratings
Positive49.1%
Neutral3.6%
Negative47.3%
Written reviews52 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral3.8%
Negative46.2%

Refoss

All ratings116 ratings
Positive91.4%
Neutral0.9%
Negative7.8%
Written reviews222 reviews
Positive87.4%
Neutral1.8%
Negative10.8%

User reviews

IQbuds

From 55 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🎧 Great sound quality
  • 👂 Excellent for hearing loss
  • ✨ Innovative features
  • 👍 Easy initial setup
  • 🔋 Good battery life with case

Room to improve

  • 🐛 App is buggy and frustrating
  • ❌ Connectivity issues
  • ⚠️ Poor customer service
  • 📉 Battery drains quickly
  • 🎧 Earbuds fall out easily

Refoss

From 125 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Easy to set up
  • 🚀 Works well
  • 🚀 Reliable
  • 🚀 Precise measurements
  • 🚀 Responsive app

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent disconnections
  • 🐛 Incorrect status reporting
  • 🐛 Buggy app
  • 🐛 Unreliable door control
  • 🐛 Confusing setup process

Bugs and requests

IQbuds

Reported bugs

10 issues
  • Double tap and long tap not responding
  • App cancels Ear ID process if interrupted
  • Ear ID disappears after logging out
  • Profile selection not always switching
  • Firmware updates cause issues
Show 5 more
  • Earbuds cycle through modes randomly
  • Battery level fluctuates randomly
  • App gets stuck on setup screen
  • Bluetooth connection drops frequently
  • App shows earbuds as disconnected when they are connected

Requested features

10 requests
  • Add customizable EQ settings
  • Implement a factory reset function
  • Develop an Apple Watch version
  • Add information on replacement tips
  • Improve video tutorials with clearer audio or text
Show 5 more
  • Add a dark mode option
  • Allow adjustment of volume without the phone
  • Add more advanced music EQ options
  • Increase the number of custom presets
  • Add a way to delay earbuds turning on

Refoss

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App frequently loses login credentials
  • Incorrect door status reporting
  • Failure to connect and control devices
  • Outdated app version not allowing new features

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to set different electricity rates based on time of day and day of week
  • More detailed energy consumption data (hourly/minute-level)
  • Apple Watch app
  • CarPlay integration
  • Ability to pause/stop door operation mid-cycle

In-app purchases

None

IQbuds

No in-app purchases

None

Refoss

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is IQbuds free?
IQbuds is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Refoss free?
Refoss is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, IQbuds or Refoss?
Refoss is rated higher. IQbuds averages 3.0 out of 5 from 55 ratings, while Refoss averages 4.5 from 125 ratings.
Do IQbuds or Refoss have ads?
IQbuds shows ads; Refoss does not.
Which is updated more often, IQbuds or Refoss?
IQbuds ships an update every 3 months, and Refoss every 5 weeks. Most recently, IQbuds was updated on October 7, 2026 and Refoss on October 15, 2026.

Other comparisons