Bose vs Shokz
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Unified control for Bose products
- Controllable noise cancellation
- Customizable EQ settings
- One-touch music presets
- Integrated music streaming
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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
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.
- Customizable sound modes
- Equalizer settings
- Multipoint Bluetooth pairing
- Firmware upgrades
- Playback controls
- Headphone information access
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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
Verdict
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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
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.
Bose ships an update monthly, Shokz weekly. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.
| Parameter | Bose | Shokz |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (178K ratings) | 4.8 (25K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 47.1% of reviews | 94.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 178K — better | 25K |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #12 — better | #44 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 15.5 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1.0 GB | 278 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Bose Corporation | Shenzhen Shokz Co., Ltd. |
Customer experience
Bose
Shokz
User reviews
Bose
From 178K App Store ratingsWhat 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 ratingsWhat 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
Bose
No in-app purchases
Shokz
No in-app purchases









