# HEOS vs Bose

The clearest difference is rating: Bose at 4.8 against HEOS's 4.4. Bose also leads on review sentiment (47% vs 24%) and chart position (#13 vs unranked). HEOS's advantage is monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Bose holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bose has 178K ratings behind it against 27K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 24% of HEOS's written reviews are positive against 47% of Bose's.

HEOS ships an update every 3 weeks, Bose monthly. Both last shipped on September 26, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | HEOS | Bose |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (27K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/heos/id843129434/reviews) | **[4.8 (178K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bose/id1364986984/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 27K | **178K** |
| Positive reviews | 24.4% of reviews | **47.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#13** |
| Size | 327 MB | 1.0 GB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [D&M Holdings](https://appshunter.io/developer/388608883) | [Bose Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/425230041) |

## What reviewers say

### HEOS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/heos/id843129434)

Control a wide range of connected audio devices from Denon, Marantz, and Definitive Technology. Stream music from online services or local storage, and enjoy true multi-room audio with easy setup and intuitive control.

**Highlights:** True multi-room audio, Quick and easy setup, Access online music services, Search across multiple music sources, Control playback remotely, Access locally stored music

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent sound quality
- 🔒 Robust wireless connectivity
- 👍 Convenient app control
- 💡 Integrates with various music services

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unstable app
- 👎 Poor user interface and navigation
- 🔌 Connectivity issues and frequent disconnects
- 💤 Slow app performance and loading times

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes and freezes frequently
- Speakers randomly disappear from the network
- Volume controls are inconsistent and unreliable
- Sync issues between grouped speakers

**Requested features**

- Add support for Apple Music
- Improve playlist management and queue functionality
- Provide better customization options for rooms and speakers
- Implement a more intuitive and user-friendly app design


### Bose

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bose/id1364986984)

**Currently charting:** #13 Top Free · Music (US App Store)

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HEOS free?

HEOS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Bose free?

Bose is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, HEOS or Bose?

Bose is rated higher. HEOS averages 4.4 out of 5 from 27K ratings, while Bose averages 4.8 from 178K ratings.

### Do HEOS or Bose have ads?

Neither HEOS nor Bose shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HEOS or Bose?

HEOS ships an update every 3 weeks, and Bose monthly. Most recently, HEOS was updated on September 26, 2026 and Bose on September 26, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*