All products featured are independently chosen by us. However, SoundGuys may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links. See our ethics statement.
Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 vs Liberty 4 NC: Save your money
May 10, 2025
If you’re looking for wireless earbuds packed with features at a budget-friendly price, you’ve probably encountered the Soundcore Liberty 5 and Liberty 4 NC. Both sets of earbuds come from Anker’s value-driven Soundcore line and offer a similar promise: great performance without breaking the bank. But now that the Liberty 5 are here, is it time to upgrade? Let’s break it down.
This article was originally published on May 10, 2025, and this is the first version.
What’s it like to use the Liberty 5 compared to the Liberty 4 NC?
The Liberty 5 make a solid first impression with their updated matte finish and a lid that smoothly slides open one-handed. I appreciated the clean look and subtle LED indicator in place of the Liberty 4 NC’s case button. The Liberty 4 NC, on the other hand, uses a boxier flip-top case that’s bulkier but still pocketable. Both earbuds adopt a stem design.
Comfort-wise, the Liberty 5 win thanks to the inclusion of six different ear tip sizes and their featherlight build. Meanwhile, the Liberty 4 NC have four ear tip sizes and an okay fit, but they sit shallower in the ear canal. While not bad by any means, I had to readjust them more often. For gym use or running, the Liberty 5’s snug fit and IP55 rating inspire more confidence than the Liberty 4 NC’s IPX4 water resistance.
The Liberty 5 use pinch controls on the stem of the earbuds.
| Input | Left earbud | Right earbud |
|---|---|---|
| Input Single press | Left earbud Play/pause, answer call | Right earbud Play/pause, answer call |
| Input Double press | Left earbud Previous track | Right earbud Next track |
| Input Triple press | Left earbud None | Right earbud None |
| Input Long press | Left earbud Ambient sound, reject call | Right earbud Ambient sound, reject call |
The Liberty 4 NC use tap controls.
| Single press | Double press | Triple press | Long press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Left earbud | Single press Play / pause, Answer call | Double press Previous track | Triple press Decrease volume | Long press Cycle Noise canceling / Ambient modes |
Right earbud | Single press Play / pause, Answer call | Double press Next track | Triple press Increase volume | Long press Cycle Noise canceling / Ambient modes |
Do the Liberty 5 or Liberty 4 NC have more features?
The Liberty 5 pull ahead in terms of customization. The standout here is the Soundcore app’s Preference Test and HearID sound tuning tools, which tailor the sound based on your hearing profile. You still get the usual suite of 22 EQ presets, an eight-band EQ, firmware updates, and ambient sound controls—just like on the Liberty 4 NC.
However, the Liberty 4 NC aren’t far behind. These also support adaptive ANC, wind reduction, and multipoint connection. I really like the manual ANC levels and the Safe Volume monitor. Still, the Liberty 5 layer on newer features like adaptive sound leakage compensation and offer a more detailed in-app experience overall. If you want more tools to shape your sound and settings, the Liberty 5 deliver.
How do the Liberty 5 and Liberty 4 NC connect?
Connectivity is reliable on both models, but the Liberty 5 feature the latest Bluetooth 5.4 standard versus Bluetooth 5.3 on the Liberty 4 NC. Both support multipoint, LDAC, AAC, and SBC, which means Android and iPhone users get solid wireless performance.
Pairing is straightforward for either set. I had no trouble linking the Liberty 5 to multiple devices, and the same goes for the Liberty 4 NC. In terms of latency, each has a low-latency game mode.
Is battery life better on the Liberty 5 or Liberty 4 NC?
In testing, the Liberty 4 NC outperform the Liberty 5 on pure earbud battery life with ANC enabled—offering up to 9 hours and 53 minutes versus 7 hours and 8 minutes for the Liberty 5. That said, the Liberty 5 make up some ground with faster charging. A 10-minute charge delivers 5 hours of playback, while the Liberty 4 NC offer 4 hours in the same time. Both support Qi wireless charging and USB-C.
Do the Liberty 5 or Liberty 4 NC block noise better?
Loading chart ...
Noise canceling is strong on both, but the Liberty 4 NC hold a slight edge when it comes to overall ANC performance. Our testing shows that the Liberty 4 NC reduce the loudness of external noise by an average of 84%, compared to only 76% for the Liberty 5. In particular, the Liberty 4 NC are better at blocking out low-frequency noise, such as the rumble of an airplane engine. Both earbuds also have a transparency mode, for when you want to stay aware of your surroundings.
Do the Liberty 5 sound better than the Liberty 4 NC?
The Liberty 5 sound very similar to the Liberty 4 NC out of the box, but most people will prefer the default sound of the Liberty 4 NC. That said, both sets of earbuds provide extensive customization options for the sound quality, so you can tune them to your liking. They also both have a simulated spatial audio feature.
Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Scores (MDAQS)
The Liberty 4 NC score slightly higher overall on the MDAQS scale, with a top-tier 4.9 rating. That includes a 4.9 for Timbre, 4.8 for Immersiveness, and 3.9 for Distortion. The Liberty 5 trail just behind at 4.7 Overall, with a near-identical Timbre score (4.8) but lower marks for Distortion (3.5) and Immersiveness (4.6). These results suggest that most general listeners will enjoy the sound quality of both the Liberty 5 and Liberty 4 NC.
- Timbre (MOS-T) represents how faithfully the headphones reproduce the frequency spectrum and temporal resolution (timing information).
- Distortion (MOS-D) represents non-linearities and added noise: higher scores mean cleaner reproduction.
- Immersiveness (MOS-I) represents perceived source width and positioning: how well virtual sound sources are defined in three-dimensional space.
Objective Measurements
Loading chart ...
Looking at frequency response, both earbuds exaggerate the sub-bass and treble regions compared to the SoundGuys Preference Curve. With the 100Hz and 6.4kHz bands adjusted in the custom equalizer, both earbuds can be tuned to a sound that aligns more with my preferences. The Liberty 5 also have a strange dip at 200Hz that can make some fundamental notes in vocals and piano sound quieter than they should.
Do the Liberty 5 or Liberty 4 NC have a better microphone?
The Liberty 5 and Liberty 4 NC are both equipped with onboard microphones that work well in a variety of conditions. Take a listen to our simulated microphone demonstrations below and let us know which you think sounds best.
Liberty 5 microphone demo (Ideal conditions):
Liberty 4 NC microphone demo (Ideal conditions):
Liberty 5 microphone demo (Street conditions):
Liberty 4 NC microphone demo (Street conditions):
Which microphone sounds better to you?
Liberty 5 vs Liberty 4 NC: Price and availability
The Liberty 5 have a starting price of $129, whereas the Liberty 4 NC have a starting price of $99. Since the Liberty 4 NC are a few years older, you can likely find them on sale for less than their starting price. That said, you might have a harder time finding availability of the older Liberty 4 NC.
Should you get the Liberty 5 or Liberty 4 NC?
While the Liberty 5 bring some minor upgrades, the Liberty 4 NC are the better value buy. You get almost all the same features and performance of the Liberty 5, but for a fraction of the price, especially if you can find the Liberty 4 NC on sale.
Affordable
Bluetooth 5.4 with LDAC
Companion app
Of course, these aren’t your only earbud options from Anker Soundcore. You should also take a look at the Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro ($129.99 at Amazon). In our Liberty 4 Pro vs Liberty 5 comparison, we found the Liberty 4 Pro are a much better value. If you aren’t sold on Soundcore, make sure to take a look through our list of the best wireless earbuds for under $100.