Comparison

Bose vs Shokz

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

Head to head
About

Bose

Control all your Bose audio products from a single app. Personalize noise cancellation, customize EQ settings, and set up your devices for seamless listening. Access your favorite music services and playlists with one-touch ease.

Highlights
  • Unified control for Bose products
  • Controllable noise cancellation
  • Customizable EQ settings
  • One-touch music presets
  • Integrated music streaming
Currently charting
Read full description

The Bose app lets you easily control all your Bose products in one place. Bose app (formerly Bose Music app) compatible speakers, soundbars, amplifiers, headphones, earbuds, OpenAudio products, and portable PA systems are designed to work together seamlessly to enhance your listening experience. GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR HEADPHONES AND EARBUDS Personalize your environment with controllable noise cancellation on our QuietComfort products. With Modes on QuietComfort products, you decide how much of the world to let in. Choose Quiet Mode for full noise cancelling, or Aware Mode to hear your surroundings and your music at the same time. Select products offer Aware Mode with ActiveSense technology, which brings the sounds around you down to a more comfortable level. The result is hearing everything you need to, but at a much more pleasant and balanced volume. All the QuietComfort and OpenAudio features, like Immersive Audio from the Ultra line, are made readily available for you. Fully customize your experience by balancing the EQ settings, picking your on-product shortcuts, and more all within the app. EASY SETUP AND TOTAL CONTROL Easily set up your products and get right to listening. Play the same content throughout your home or listen to different content in different areas—it’s up to you. The Bose app lets you control all your Bose products from any room. ONE-TOUCH ACCESS One touch and your home is filled with the music you love most. The Bose app makes it easy to set your favorite playlists or stations as presets. Then you can access them effortlessly on your app, the buttons on your speaker, or soundbar remote. SPEED TO MUSIC It’s faster than ever to browse and play the music you love from Spotify®, Pandora®, Amazon Music, SiriusXM, iHeartRadio™, TuneIn and more, all within the Bose app. All your favorite music in one place. ActiveSense, Bose, the B logo, and QuietComfort are trademarks of Bose Corporation. Spotify is a registered trademark of Spotify AB. TuneIn is a registered trademark of TuneIn, Inc. Google is a trademark of Google LLC. Amazon, Amazon Music, Alexa and all related logos are trademarks of Amazon, Inc. or its affiliates. Wi-Fi® is a registered trademark of Wi-Fi Alliance®. Pandora, the Pandora logo and the Pandora trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of Pandora Media, Inc. used with permission. iHeartRadio is a registered trademark of iHeartMedia, Inc. SiriusXM and all related marks and logos are trademarks of Sirius XM Radio Inc. and its subsidiaries. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy https://worldwide.bose.com/privacypolicy California Privacy Notice of Collection https://www.bose.com/californiaprivacynoticeofcollection

About

Shokz

Enhance your audio experience with customizable sound modes and a powerful equalizer. Effortlessly manage multiple Bluetooth devices, update firmware, and control playback. Access detailed information about your headphones and the brand.

Highlights
  • Customizable sound modes
  • Equalizer settings
  • Multipoint Bluetooth pairing
  • Firmware upgrades
  • Playback controls
  • Headphone information access
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

You can find the following functions in the Shokz app: 1) Rich and powerful sound Enjoy built-in tuning for easy switching between sound modes, while the customizable equalizer allows you to tailor your music to your preferences. 2) Programmable buttons Assign touch buttons to the functions you use the most. 3) Effortless multipoint pairing The app allows you to simultaneously connect one pair of headphones to two Bluetooth devices. Additionally, you can easily switch and manage other Shokz headphones directly from the app. 4) Firmware upgrades Up-to-date firmware keeps your headphones in optimal condition, ensuring you get the best user experience. 5) Playback controls Adjust the volume, pause/play music, skip songs, and choose playback modes directly through the app. 6) Access information - Your headphones: Including headphone battery status, user manual, serial number, and additional details. - Shokz: Explore the brand story, service policy, and other relevant information. If you have any feedback, please visit the "About Us" section and select "Feedback" to share your comments with us. Note The Shokz app is compatible with OpenRun Pro, OpenFit, OpenFit Air, OpenSwim Pro, OpenRun Pro 2, OpenFit 2, OpenMeet, OpenDots ONE, OpenFit 2+, and OpenFit Pro. Please be aware that certain features may not be accessible on all products.

Screenshots

Bose4 screens
Shokz4 screens

Verdict

The call

Bose and Shokz both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 95% of Shokz's written reviews are positive against 47% of Bose's. Shokz also leads on update cadence (weekly vs monthly) and iOS requirement (15.5 vs 17.0). Bose's advantage is ratings volume (178K vs 25K) and chart position (#12 vs #44). On price, rating, 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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Bose against 4.8 for Shokz. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bose has 178K ratings behind it against 25K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 47% of Bose's written reviews are positive against 95% of Shokz's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bose ships an update monthly, Shokz weekly. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Bose versus Shokz: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBoseShokz
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (178K ratings)4.8 (25K ratings)
Positive reviews47.1% of reviews94.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings178K — better25K
Update frequencyMonthlyWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#12 — better#44
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.015.5 — better
Further details — not scored
Size1.0 GB278 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBose CorporationShenzhen Shokz Co., Ltd.

Customer experience

Bose

All ratings177,923 ratings
Positive97.0%
Neutral1.0%
Negative2.0%
Written reviews3,355 reviews
Positive47.1%
Neutral8.1%
Negative44.7%

Shokz

All ratings25,424 ratings
Positive96.3%
Neutral2.2%
Negative1.5%
Written reviews5,073 reviews
Positive94.7%
Neutral2.0%
Negative3.3%

User reviews

Bose

From 178K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Easy setup and programming
  • 🔊 Impressive sound quality
  • 👍 Useful app features
  • 💡 Customizable EQ and noise cancelling

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Connectivity issues and app crashes
  • 🔌 Unreliable Bluetooth connection
  • 🤖 Lack of accessibility and voice control options
  • 🤔 Confusing app layout and navigation

Shokz

From 25K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Comfortable and lightweight
  • 🚀 Excellent sound quality
  • 💡 Awareness of surroundings
  • 🔋 Long battery life
  • 👍 Seamless multi-device connectivity

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional Bluetooth connectivity issues
  • 🔋 Battery life could be better
  • 👎 Limited EQ customization options
  • 👎 Microphone quality could be improved
  • 👎 Volume range not optimal in some environments

Bugs and requests

Bose

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App frequently fails to recognize connected devices
  • Noise cancelling settings revert to default unexpectedly
  • Bluetooth pairing and reconnection issues
  • Forced firmware updates causing sound quality degradation

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add landscape mode support for iPad
  • Improve multi-device connectivity and switching
  • Provide more customization options for noise cancelling
  • Integrate with more music services like Apple Music

Shokz

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Headphones randomly disconnecting
  • App unable to detect/connect to headphones
  • Inconsistent volume levels

Requested features

4 requests
  • More advanced EQ settings
  • Automatic volume adjustment based on environment
  • Customizable button controls
  • Integration with fitness/health tracking apps

In-app purchases

None

Bose

No in-app purchases

None

Shokz

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Bose free?
Bose is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Shokz free?
Shokz is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Bose or Shokz?
Bose and Shokz are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 178K and 25K ratings respectively.
Do Bose or Shokz have ads?
Neither Bose nor Shokz shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Bose or Shokz?
Bose ships an update monthly, and Shokz weekly. Most recently, Bose was updated on September 25, 2026 and Shokz on September 25, 2026.
Which is more popular, Bose or Shokz?
Bose currently peaks at #12 in the App Store charts, and Shokz at #44. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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