Head to head

Moondrop Kato vs Nothing Ear

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 Nothing Ear wins on both score and price.

Across these 2 earbuds, the Nothing Ear has both the highest Worth Score (8.1) and the best score per euro at 149,00 €. That is unusual — normally you trade one for the other. Its weak point is ANC trails Sony and Bose.

Best overallNothing Ear — Highest Worth Score here at 8.1, 0.4 ahead of the Moondrop Kato. Best for getting flagship sound without flagship pricing.

Skip this oneMoondrop Kato — Lowest Worth Score here at 7.7, 0.4 lower against the Nothing Ear and no cheaper. Heavier in the ear than plastic rivals

Side by side

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The value of a comparison is the differences.

Comparison of Moondrop Kato, Nothing Ear
What matters	Moondrop KatoMoondropMedium confidence	Nothing EarNothingMedium confidence
Worth Score	7.7	8.1 (best in this comparison)
Best price	189,00 €	149,00 € (best in this comparison)
Price fairness	7.9	9.6 (best in this comparison)
Build quality	8.0	8.4 (best in this comparison)
Performance	8.7	8.8 (best in this comparison)
Longevity	8.2 (best in this comparison)	7.9
Repairability	7.4 (best in this comparison)	4.2
Support & warranty	3.6	7.6 (best in this comparison)
Battery (ANC on)	—	5.2 h
Noise cancelling	Passive isolation only	Adaptive, up to 45 dB
Water resistance	—	IP54 buds / IP55 case
Codecs	—	LDAC, AAC, SBC
Case charging	—	USB-C + wireless
Best for	Keeping one set for years · Swappable nozzles to tune the treble · Metal build at a sane price	Getting flagship sound without flagship pricing · Android owners who want LDAC · Commuters on a budget
Avoid if	You want the cheapest good option · You need a mic	You need best-in-class noise cancelling · You are deep in Apple's ecosystem
Main drawback	Heavier in the ear than plastic rivals	ANC trails Sony and Bose

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

What each score is based on

4 published sources between them

Moondrop Kato

Moondrop KatoIn-Ear Fidelity · informs performance
Moondrop Kato ReviewRTINGS · informs performance, build quality

Nothing Ear

Nothing Ear reviewSoundGuys · informs performance, price fairness
Nothing Ear ReviewRTINGS · 15 July 2024 · informs performance, build quality

Confidence is computed from those lists, not asserted: Moondrop Kato is medium on 2, Nothing Ear 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 — 189,00 € and 149,00 € — not a live quote. How we score products.