EarFun Air Pro 4 vs Air Pro 4+: Which Should You Buy?

Same family, different ambitions

EarFun launched the Air Pro 4 in August 2024 at an $89.99 list price, and it became one of the most recommended budget ANC earbuds of its generation. The Air Pro 4+ followed in 2025 at $99.99 list, keeping the same platform and adding a second driver plus a handful of spec bumps. At TonePier the two sit $12 apart: $74.99 for the standard model, $86.99 for the plus.

That narrow gap is exactly why the choice is confusing. Here is what the two actually share, what is genuinely different, and which differences you will notice in daily use — based on EarFun's published spec sheets rather than marketing copy.

What both models share

More than the names suggest. Both run Qualcomm's QCC3091 chip and carry Hi-Res Audio and Snapdragon Sound certifications. Both use EarFun's QuietSmart 3.0 adaptive noise cancelling with the same headline rating of up to 50 dB. Both support LDAC, aptX Adaptive, LC3 and SBC, connect to two devices at once, support Auracast broadcast audio (the Air Pro 4 gained it through a firmware update), handle calls through six microphones, drop latency below 50 ms in game mode, and use identical batteries: 54 mAh per earbud and 600 mAh in the case, with wireless charging on both cases.

One shared quirk worth knowing: AAC does not appear on EarFun's codec list for either model. iPhones do not support LDAC or aptX, so on iOS both pairs fall back to standard Bluetooth codecs — more on that below.

The five real differences

1. Drivers: single dynamic vs hybrid

The Air Pro 4 uses a single 10 mm dynamic driver with a composite diaphragm. The Air Pro 4+ pairs a 10 mm dynamic driver with a FeatherBA balanced armature — the small, fast driver type normally found in pricier in-ear monitors — to handle the upper frequencies. This is the main thing the extra money buys, and it is a big part of why Tom's Guide called the 4+ a genuine AirPods Pro competitor. Be realistic, though: a second driver changes the character of the treble more than it guarantees "better" sound, and if you mostly stream podcasts or casual playlists, the single-driver Air Pro 4 already sounds very good for the class.

2. Codecs and Bluetooth: aptX Lossless arrives

Both earbuds do LDAC at up to 990 kbps for hi-res streaming from most Android phones. The Air Pro 4+ adds aptX Lossless to its official codec list and moves from Bluetooth 5.4 to Bluetooth 6.0. The catch: aptX Lossless only works from a phone with recent Snapdragon Sound support, so check your handset before paying for it. If your phone is not on that list — or is an iPhone — the codec upgrade is worth exactly nothing to you.

3. ANC: same 50 dB rating on both

This surprises people. EarFun rates both models at up to 50 dB of adaptive noise reduction using the same QuietSmart 3.0 system; the 4+ page adds that its adaptive mode re-checks your surroundings every 0.3 seconds. Reviewers have generally found the cancelling effective for the price on both, while also noting — as Expert Reviews did of the 4+ — that the strongest rivals still block more noise. The honest takeaway: do not upgrade to the 4+ for ANC alone, and if noise cancelling is your top priority, compare over-ear options in our ANC headphones collection too.

4. Battery: one extra hour and faster top-ups

The Air Pro 4 is rated at 11 hours per charge with ANC off (7.5 hours with ANC on) and 52 hours total with the case. The 4+ stretches that to 12 hours (8 with ANC on) and 54 hours total. Fast charging improves more noticeably: 10 minutes in the case buys about 2 hours of playback on the Air Pro 4 versus about 3 hours on the 4+. Note that hi-res codecs cost battery on either model — EarFun's own sheet lists the Air Pro 4 at 8.5 hours with LDAC on and ANC off, dropping to 6 hours with both running.

5. Durability: IPX5 vs IP55

The Air Pro 4 carries an IPX5 water-resistance rating, fine for sweat and rain. The 4+ is rated IP55, which adds dust protection — relevant if your earbuds live in gym bags, job sites or beach days.

Spec comparison

Spec	EarFun Air Pro 4	EarFun Air Pro 4+
Price at TonePier	$74.99	$86.99
Chipset	Qualcomm QCC3091	Qualcomm QCC3091
Bluetooth	5.4	6.0
Drivers	10 mm dynamic	10 mm dynamic + FeatherBA balanced armature
Codecs	LDAC, aptX Adaptive, LC3, SBC	aptX Lossless, LDAC, aptX Adaptive, LC3, SBC
ANC	QuietSmart 3.0 adaptive, up to 50 dB	QuietSmart 3.0 adaptive, up to 50 dB
Battery, buds (ANC off / on)	11 h / 7.5 h	12 h / 8 h
Battery with case	52 h	54 h
Fast charge (10 min)	≈2 h playback	≈3 h playback
Wireless charging	Yes	Yes
Water/dust rating	IPX5	IP55
Microphones	6	6
Multipoint / Auracast	Yes / via firmware update	Yes / Yes

So which should you buy?

Choose the Air Pro 4 ($74.99) if you use an iPhone, listen mostly to streams and podcasts, or simply want the best value. You give up nothing on ANC rating, microphones, multipoint or wireless charging, and the battery difference is about an hour.

Choose the Air Pro 4+ ($86.99) if you own a Snapdragon Sound phone that can feed it aptX Lossless, you care about treble detail enough to want the balanced-armature tweeter, or you need the dust sealing of IP55. For $12 more it is a reasonable ask — just know which of those three you are actually buying.

Two trade-offs to weigh before checkout. First, neither model is the absolute strongest noise canceller on the market; they are standouts for the price, not giant-killers. Second, some owners on EarFun's community forum have reported the 4+'s in-ear detection misfiring, something reported far less on the standard model — anecdotal, but worth knowing if auto-pause matters to you.

Shipping on both models is free, most orders ship within 3 business days, and you have 45 days from delivery to start a return. If neither feels right, you can compare them against everything else in our wireless earbuds collection.