Head to head
Bose QuietComfort Headphones vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
They split the 4 rankable specs evenly, so cost decides it: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds costs $50 less.
Catalog as of September 1, 2026
Why, in numbers
Swap
Compare a different headphone
AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation$179Anker Soundcore Space One Pro$199AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C)$249Sony WF-1000XM5 Earbuds$299Sony WH-1000XM4$348Beats Studio Pro$349Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless$379Sony WH-1000XM5$399Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e$399Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones$429Sonos Ace$449Apple AirPods Max (USB-C)$549Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless$699Swap
Compare a different headphone
AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation$179Anker Soundcore Space One Pro$199AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C)$249Sony WF-1000XM5 Earbuds$299Sony WH-1000XM4$348Beats Studio Pro$349Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless$379Sony WH-1000XM5$399Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e$399Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones$429Sonos Ace$449Apple AirPods Max (USB-C)$549Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless$699Buying for
Your devices
Straight answer
Overall: 2 to 2
Tied overall. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is cheaper.
- The 4 rankable overall specs split 2 to 2.
- Saves $50 at list price.
Deal-breakers
tick what would make you walk away
- Clear:Bose QuietComfort Headphones · Yes (collapses and folds inward into co…Trips:Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds · No (charging case)
- Trips:Bose QuietComfort Headphones · AAC, SBCClear:Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds · Snapdragon Sound, aptX Adaptive, AAC, S…
- Clear:Bose QuietComfort Headphones · 24 hours on a single chargeTrips:Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds · 6 hours listening time on single charge
- Trips:Bose QuietComfort Headphones · No official IP ratingClear:Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds · IPX4 sweat and water resistant
At a glance
The handful of numbers that decide most purchases in this category.
Weight
QuietComfort Headphones
240 g (8.5 oz)
QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
15.4 g (0.54 oz) earbuds total (7.7 g each) / 60 g charging case
Active Noise Cancelling≠
QuietComfort Headphones
Yes (Quiet Mode with adjustable noise cancellation levels)
QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
Yes (World-class Active Noise Cancellation with CustomTune sound calibration)
Battery life
QuietComfort Headphones
24 hours on a single charge
QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
6 hours listening time on single charge (4 hours with Immersive Audio) / up to 24 hours total with case
Comfort, Clamp & Travel Fit Check
Ergonomic factors that affect daily comfort, glasses wearers, and luggage space.
Folding & Travel Packability
Folds flat & inward into small zippered case
Standard folding earcups
Clamp Force & Glasses Comfort
Signature light clamp (~3.9 N, zero crown pressure)
Standard headphone clamp
Weight & Crown Pressure
240g (lightest in premium ANC class)
Standard headphone weight
The 90-Day Owner Regret Check
Documented ergonomic quirks, hardware annoyances, and maintenance realities reported by real owners.
QuietComfort Headphones: What to watch for
- Maintenance
Requires ongoing care to maintain peak out-of-box performance.
QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds: What to watch for
- Maintenance
Requires ongoing care to maintain peak out-of-box performance.
Design
5 differences| Type | Over-ear, closed-back | In-ear true wireless earbuds with silicone stability bands |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 240 g (8.5 oz) | 15.4 g (0.54 oz) earbuds total (7.7 g each) / 60 g charging case (wins this row: lower) |
| Foldable | Yes (collapses and folds inward into compact case) (wins this row: has it) | No (charging case) |
| Carrying case | Hardshell zip travel case included | Pocket-sized hard shell charging case (USB-C) |
| IP rating | No official IP rating | IPX4 sweat and water resistant |
Audio
5 differences| Driver | Custom 40 mm dynamic transducers | High-performance proprietary dynamic transducers |
|---|---|---|
| Active Noise Cancelling | Yes (Quiet Mode with adjustable noise cancellation levels) | Yes (World-class Active Noise Cancellation with CustomTune sound calibration) |
| Transparency mode | Yes (Aware Mode with adjustable environment blend) | Yes (Aware Mode with ActiveSense technology) |
| Supported codecs | AAC, SBC | Snapdragon Sound, aptX Adaptive, AAC, SBC |
| Microphones | 4-mic beamforming voice pickup array | 4 microphones in each earbud (8 mics total for ANC and voice pickup) |
Connectivity & Battery
3 differences| Multipoint Bluetooth | Yes (Bluetooth 5.1 multipoint pairing) | Yes (Bluetooth 5.3 multipoint connectivity) |
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 24 hours on a single charge (wins this row: higher) | 6 hours listening time on single charge (4 hours with Immersive Audio) / up to 24 hours total with case |
| Charging time | 2.5 hours full charge (15 min quick charge gives 2.5 hours) | 2 hours full charge (20 min quick charge gives 2 hours); USB-C wired (wins this row: lower) |
Ownership
1 differences| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year manufacturer warranty |
|---|
Which one should you buy
Pick this one if
Bose QuietComfort Headphones
Ultra-comfortable folding ANC headphones with classic Bose noise cancellation and 24-hour battery life.
- Foldable design collapses neatly into an ultra-compact travel case
- Legendary lightweight 240g comfort ideal for long flights
- Tactile physical buttons and reliable multi-point Bluetooth switching
What you give up
- Lacks spatial audio head tracking found on QC Ultra
- No high-resolution LDAC or aptX codec support
Pick this one if
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
Premium true wireless earbuds with world-class noise cancellation, CustomTune personalized sound, and Bose Immersive Audio spatialized sound.
- Benchmark active noise cancellation that silences low and mid-frequency ambient noise
- CustomTune technology calibrates sound and ANC to your ear canal shape on every insertion
- Bose Immersive Audio provides spatialized audio regardless of source or platform
What you give up
- Wireless charging case cover is sold as an optional accessory (USB-C wired standard)
- Battery life drops to 4 hours with Immersive Audio turned on (6 hours standard)
Best for each use
Flights & commutes
For flights & commutes, buy the Bose QuietComfort Headphones.
Calls & work
Too close to call on calls & work from the spec sheets. Only battery life is rankable here.
Sound quality
Too close to call on sound quality from the spec sheets. Only weight is rankable here.
Done deciding?
Open the full standalone spec sheet for either device.
Manufacturer pages: Bose QuietComfort Headphones ↗ · Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds ↗
Common questions
Which is cheaper, the Bose QuietComfort Headphones or the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds?
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds costs $50 less at list price.
What is the biggest catch with the Bose QuietComfort Headphones or Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds?
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds has this deal-breaker: does not fold. Takes a bigger slot in a carry-on.
Which is better for flights & commutes, the Bose QuietComfort Headphones or the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds?
For flights & commutes, buy the Bose QuietComfort Headphones. Leads 2 of 3 rankable flights & commutes specs; Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds takes 1. Battery life: 24 hours on a single charge vs 6 hours listening time on single charge
What cannot be compared from spec sheets?
Of the 14 specs tracked here, 10 are descriptive and cannot be ranked on numbers alone. Spec sheets also cannot measure subjective factors like build quality, real-world performance, or comfort.