Head to head

Apple AirPods 4 with ANC vs Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II

Both scored on the same six factors, priced on what you actually pay including delivery, and each claim linked to the source it came from. Prototype data — prices and retailer stock are a fixed demo snapshot from 28 July 2026, not a live feed.

Verdict

The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II wins on both score and price.

Across these 2 earbuds, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II has both the highest Worth Score (7.5) and the best score per euro at 179,00 €. That is unusual — normally you trade one for the other. Its weak point is no wireless charging on the base version.

Best overallBose QuietComfort Earbuds II — Highest Worth Score here at 7.5, 0.4 ahead of the Apple AirPods 4 with ANC. Best for flying.

CheapestApple AirPods 4 with ANC — 179,00 € — the entry point here. Open fit limits how much ANC can do

Side by side

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The value of a comparison is the differences.

Comparison of Apple AirPods 4 with ANC, Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II
What matters	Apple AirPods 4 with ANCAppleMedium confidence	Bose QuietComfort Earbuds IIBoseMedium confidence
Worth Score	7.1	7.5 (best in this comparison)
Price fairness	6.9	7.8 (best in this comparison)
Build quality	7.8	8.0 (best in this comparison)
Performance	7.6	9.1 (best in this comparison)
Repairability	2.2	2.4 (best in this comparison)
Support & warranty	9.0 (best in this comparison)	7.6
Battery (ANC on)	4 h	6 h
Noise cancelling	Good for an open fit	Class-leading, custom-calibrated
Water resistance	IP54	IPX4
Codecs	AAC, SBC	aptX Adaptive, AAC, SBC
Case charging	USB-C + wireless	USB-C
Best for	People who cannot stand in-ear tips · iPhone owners · Awareness of surroundings while cancelling noise	Flying · The strongest cancellation per euro now that it is discounted · Custom fit via the tuning routine
Avoid if	You want maximum isolation · You are on Android	You want multipoint out of the box · You want the newest model
Main drawback	Open fit limits how much ANC can do	No wireless charging on the base version

3 identical rows hidden. They are the same for every product here, so they cannot help you choose.

What each score is based on

5 published sources between them

Apple AirPods 4 with ANC

AirPods 4 Repair HelpiFixit · informs repairability
Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation reviewSoundGuys · informs performance, price fairness
Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation Truly Wireless ReviewRTINGS · informs performance, build quality

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II reviewSoundGuys · informs performance, price fairness
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II Truly Wireless ReviewRTINGS · informs performance, build quality

Confidence is computed from those lists, not asserted: Apple AirPods 4 with ANC is medium on 3, Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II is medium on 2. A factor with nothing behind it says so on the product page rather than borrowing a citation that does not speak to it.

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Prototype. Prototype data — prices and retailer stock are a fixed demo snapshot from 28 July 2026, not a live feed. Prices are the cheapest delivered price we recorded — 179,00 € and 179,00 € — not a live quote. How we score products.