Comparison

Shure PLAY vs Fairbuds

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

Head to head
About

Shure PLAY

This app allows users to personalize their Shure AONIC wireless listening products. It offers advanced EQ customization, adjustable noise cancellation, and a built-in high-resolution music player for an enhanced audio experience.

Highlights
  • Customize Shure AONIC product settings
  • Parametric EQ for audio customization
  • Save EQ settings to device
  • Adjust Environment Mode
  • Active Noise Cancellation control
  • High-res music player
Read full description

Shure PLAY lets you personalize and update Shure AONIC products, as well as play high-res audio files. Listen with advanced parametric EQ in the app or save your EQ settings directly to your supported Shure devices for a customized experience wherever you get your music, podcasts, and more. Features: • Customize your Shure AONIC wireless listening products — choose button functionality, select prompts & tones, and more • Customizable EQ in the app or on your device — choose a preset or create your own • Modify Environment Mode to interact with your surroundings • Block out the noise with adjustable Active Noise Cancellation • Interactive User Guide — get to know your product • Hi-Res Music Player — import and play your music files * ANC, button customization, and hardware EQ are available on select products

About

Fairbuds

Customize your audio experience with advanced equalizer settings and ensure your device is always up-to-date. Tailor bass, vocals, and more to your preferences for music and podcasts.

Highlights
  • Customizable equalizer presets
  • Multi-band EQ for granular control
  • Firmware update notifications
  • Sound profile creation
  • Adjust bass and vocals
Features
Read full description

Unlock the full potential of your Fairbuds or Fairbuds XL with the newly revamped Fairbuds app. Take full control of your sound, and tailor it exactly to your liking. Choose from an array of new presets to adjust the equalizer. Go heavy on the bass when listening to electronic music, or switch to clearer vocals for your favorite podcasts. You can go even more granular with the custom EQ feature and tweak the sound from scratch. Use the Fairbuds apps to play around with a multi-band equalizer, and create the perfect sound profile for yourself. You can also use the Fairbuds app to make sure your device's firmware is always up-to-date. Get notifications when a new update is available, and make sure your Fairphone audio product is always performing at its peak.

Screenshots

Shure PLAY4 screens
Fairbuds4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Shure PLAY at 4.5 against Fairbuds's 2.8. Shure PLAY also leads on review sentiment (44% vs 13%) and ratings volume (1.2K vs 5). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

Shure PLAY holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Shure PLAY has 1.2K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 44% of Shure PLAY's written reviews are positive against 13% of Fairbuds's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Shure PLAY versus Fairbuds: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShure PLAYFairbuds
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (1.2K ratings) — better2.8 (5 ratings)
Positive reviews43.6% of reviews — better13.3% of reviews
Number of ratings1.2K — better5
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.0 — better18.2
Further details — not scored
Size71 MB93 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperShureFairphone B.V.

Customer experience

Shure PLAY

All ratings1,195 ratings
Positive87.6%
Neutral4.4%
Negative8.0%
Written reviews326 reviews
Positive43.6%
Neutral16.0%
Negative40.5%

Fairbuds

All ratings5 ratings
Positive40.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative60.0%
Written reviews15 reviews
Positive13.3%
Neutral6.7%
Negative80.0%

Bugs and requests

Shure PLAY

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Inability to update firmware
  • Inconsistent Bluetooth pairing
  • Music playback issues after iOS updates
  • Unreliable battery level reporting

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to use EQ with other music apps
  • Playlist import and management
  • Firmware update support for more Shure products
  • Improved multi-device connectivity
  • Customizable button controls

Fairbuds

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Shure PLAY

No in-app purchases

None

Fairbuds

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Shure PLAY free?
Shure PLAY is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Fairbuds free?
Fairbuds is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Shure PLAY or Fairbuds?
Shure PLAY is rated higher. Shure PLAY averages 4.5 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while Fairbuds averages 2.8 from 5 ratings.
Do Shure PLAY or Fairbuds have ads?
Neither Shure PLAY nor Fairbuds shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Shure PLAY or Fairbuds?
Shure PLAY ships an update every 2 months, and Fairbuds every 2 months. Most recently, Shure PLAY was updated on October 25, 2026 and Fairbuds on October 24, 2026.

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