The best wireless earbuds let you enjoy music on the go without the hassle of tangled cables. Top-tier models come with additional features like active noise cancelation (ANC) to block out background noise and sweat-resistant designs, making them ideal for workouts.
We tested several popular wireless earbuds to evaluate their sound quality, comfort, battery life, and overall value. Our top recommendation is the Sony WF-1000XM5, which offers premium audio and excellent ANC, though they are on the pricier side. For a more budget-friendly option, consider the JLab Go Air Pop earbuds. While they lack noise cancelation and some advanced features, they still provide solid entry-level performance at an incredibly low price.
Below, you’ll find our top seven picks for the best wireless earbuds, including options tailored for high-end sound quality, workouts, and seamless pairing with Apple or Samsung devices.
Sony WF-1000XM5
Pros
- Extensive advanced features
- Bluetooth Multipoint
- Sony DSEE Extreme and LDAC support
- Lightweight and comfortable design
Cons
- Slippery housings
- Volume control can be a bit inconvenient
Specifications
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3
- Battery Life: Up to 8 hours with ANC / 12 hours without
- Codecs: SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3
- Durability: IPX4 water resistance
Sony consistently produces some of the best wireless earbuds available, combining practical features with exceptional sound and noise-canceling performance. The latest flagship model, the WF-1000XM5 (also known as the “Mark 5”), encapsulates everything we love about Sony’s earbuds in a sleek, powerful design.
Unlike the previous WF-1000XM4, which had a bulkier design, the M5s are refreshingly small and lightweight, paired with a compact charging case. Despite their size, these earbuds boast impressive battery life and some of the best noise-canceling capabilities we’ve tested. They excel at eliminating low-frequency droning noises and remarkably suppress high-frequency sounds. Only a few models, like Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra, surpass them in this area.
The WF-1000XM5s come packed with features accessible through the Sony Headphones app on iOS or Android. This app lets you customize settings from Ambient Sound mode to advanced features like Multipoint pairing, speak-to-chat, Sony’s 360 Reality Audio spatial sound, and a multi-band EQ for personalizing your sound profile.
The sound quality of the WF-1000XM5s is outstanding, delivering clear, rich, and detailed audio across various instruments and vocals. The quality can be further enhanced using Sony’s DSEE Extreme audio upscaling engine, and Android users can take advantage of high-resolution Bluetooth via Sony’s LDAC technology. Bone conduction sensors also improve call quality, even in noisy environments.
Comfort-wise, the M5s can be worn for hours thanks to a selection of foam ear tips that ensure a stable fit. They also offer baseline water resistance, making them versatile for different activities. Sony has finally introduced volume controls, which involve tapping the left or right earbud multiple times to adjust the volume. While this method isn’t the most convenient, it gets the job done.
Our main gripe with the M5s is that their small, glossy housings can be slippery, making them tricky to remove from the case. Their price is also on the higher side, but we believe they’re worth the investment for anyone seeking top-tier wireless earbuds.
JLab Go Air Pop Bluetooth Earbuds
Pros
- Eye-catching design
- Accessible, entry-level sound quality
- Good battery life
Cons
- Very basic features
- Lacks noise-canceling and transparency mode
Specifications
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.1
- Battery Life: Up to 8 hours
- Codecs: SBC
- Durability: IPX4 water resistance
JLab’s Go Air Pop earbuds deliver impressive performance for their price point, costing less than a meal for two at your favorite pizza place, even when not on sale.
At just $25 per pair, expectations are understandably modest, but the Go Air Pop earbuds exceed those expectations in key areas. While they don’t boast a lot of features, they cover the basics well, including responsive touch controls, solid battery life of up to eight hours per charge, and a few EQ modes to fine-tune the sound.
The sound quality is straightforward but acceptable, without any harshness or overpowering bass that might detract from the listening experience. While these earbuds won’t deliver mind-blowing detail, they handle podcasts and music with clarity, ensuring you can enjoy all the main elements of your favorite tracks.
In terms of comfort, they’re decent for short to medium listening sessions, and their variety of colors adds a stylish touch. Given their price, there’s little more to ask from these earbuds. However, it’s important to note that they don’t offer features like auto-pause, an app, or advanced options like noise-canceling or transparency mode.
If you’re seeking more advanced features, consider our midrange pick, the Soundcore Liberty 4 earbuds, which offer extras like noise canceling at a higher price. But if you’re looking for an affordable entry-level option or a budget-friendly gift, the JLab Go Air Pop earbuds are a great choice. At such a low price, they’re worth trying out—what have you got to lose?
Technics EAH-AZ80 Earbuds
Pros
- Clear and detailed sound quality
- LDAC support for high-resolution audio
- Three-device multipoint pairing, multi-band EQ
Cons
- ANC falls slightly short of top competitors
- No spatial audio features
Specifications
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3
- Battery Life: Up to 7 hours with ANC/7.5 hours without
- Codecs: SBC, AAC, LDAC
- Durability: IPX4 water resistance
Technics has long been known for producing great-sounding earbuds, and with the EAH-AZ80, Panasonic’s renowned audio brand has truly hit its stride. These earbuds combine a stylish and comfortable design with a range of useful features and solid noise canceling, all while delivering exceptionally clear sound, making the AZ80s a serious contender in the market.
The AZ80s boast a luxurious aesthetic, featuring eye-catching details like a brushed metal finish on the case and sparkling endcaps on the earbuds that evoke the classic turntables and amplifiers that have made Technics a household name. While they aren’t the smallest earbuds in their category, they’re compact enough to fit comfortably in your pocket, and their ergonomic design ensures a snug fit for extended wear.
These earbuds are packed with top-tier features, including a “Find My” function for locating lost buds, adjustable noise canceling and ambient sound modes, customizable controls, and a wireless charging case for added convenience. One standout feature is their multipoint pairing capability, allowing you to connect up to three devices simultaneously — more than any other earbuds we’ve tested — making it easy to switch between work and play across PC, Android, and Apple devices.
The real highlight of the AZ80s is their sound quality, which ranks among the best available. They offer impressive detail, excellent frequency balance, and a full, spacious soundstage. Sony’s LDAC codec enhances the audio experience with supported devices, and the Technics Audio Connect app allows you to customize the sound with various presets and a multi-band EQ.
While the noise canceling on the AZ80s is very good, it doesn’t quite reach the level of the top contenders like Sony or Bose, particularly in higher frequencies. Additionally, these earbuds lack any 3D audio features. Despite these minor drawbacks, if you’re looking for a versatile pair of earbuds that deliver exceptional sound and style, the AZ80s are an outstanding choice.
Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC
Pros
- Impressive noise canceling for the price
- Flagship features at a budget cost
- Great battery life
Cons
- Touch controls can be finicky
- Sound may become sharp without EQ adjustments
- Slight delay in auto-pause
Specifications
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3
- Battery Life: 6-7 hours with ANC/10 hours without
- Codecs: SBC, AAC, LDAC
- Durability: IPX4
Soundcore’s Liberty 4 NC earbuds are the kind of product that makes you wonder: How did they manage this at such a low price? These earbuds deliver good sound quality, a plethora of features, and noise canceling that rivals many flagship models. They also boast a sleek design reminiscent of AirPods, with a premium look and feel. The best part? They do all of this for $100 or less.
Soundcore has been refining its strategy of offering high-end features at lower prices for years, and the Liberty 4 NC earbuds are the pinnacle of that effort. These buds pack in a range of flagship features, including personalized multipoint pairing, an optional volume limiter, an earbuds finder, and a noise-canceling mode that can be customized to your specific environment.
Of course, at this price point, there are some compromises. Certain features, like 3D spatial audio, can feel a bit tacked on. The touch controls can sometimes be less responsive than ideal, and while the audio is generally clear and detailed, it can become a bit brittle without some EQ tweaking. Additionally, although Soundcore claims up to 10 hours of battery life, we found that with ANC engaged, it’s closer to seven hours per charge.
Where these earbuds truly shine is in their noise-canceling performance, which is on par with or even better than anything else in their class—and even surpasses many more expensive models. While you can achieve better noise cancelation by spending more, you’ll likely need to pay double or even triple the price to do so.
Apple AirPods Pro Gen 2
Pros
- Best sound quality among Apple earbuds
- Packed with Apple-friendly features
- Outstanding noise canceling
- Adaptive audio that adjusts to your environment
Cons
- Limited functionality for Android users
- Nearly identical design to the original AirPods Pro
- Lacks custom EQ controls
Specifications
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3
- Battery Life: Up to six hours with ANC
- Codecs: SBC, AAC
- Durability: IP54 dust and water resistance
If it were up to us, everyone would have equal access to the AirPods Pro (Gen 2), regardless of their preferred hardware or operating system. These earbuds are so impressive that everyone deserves the chance to experience them. However, that’s wishful thinking since a significant part of their appeal lies in their seamless integration with Apple’s ecosystem.
For Apple enthusiasts, these are the top wireless earbuds you can buy. While the second-generation AirPods Pro may look nearly identical to their predecessor, the internal upgrades create a futuristic listening experience.
The sound has been enhanced for greater detail and more robust bass, and the noise canceling has been improved to rival the best on the market. Their transparency mode is incredibly natural, complemented by a new feature that limits audio to protect your ears from sudden loud noises. Apple has also introduced Adaptive Audio, a feature that intelligently blends transparency mode and noise canceling to adapt to your surroundings and personal volume preferences.
The AirPods Pro come with all the intuitive features that make them a perfect match for Apple devices, such as Hands-free Siri, Auto Switching between devices on your iCloud account, and Find My support for tracking your earbuds. They also offer 3D spatial audio with head tracking, particularly effective with Dolby Atmos videos and select tracks on Apple Music.
However, Apple has still not included features like custom EQ or manual noise canceling adjustments, and there’s no app for Android users, making these earbuds distinctly designed for the Apple ecosystem. If you’re an Apple user, the AirPods Pro offer an unmatched, intuitive experience. But if you’re looking for something similar that’s more compatible with Android, consider exploring our guide to the best AirPods alternatives.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro
Pros
- Clear and lively sound profile
- Effective noise canceling
- Comfortable and water-resistant design
Cons
- Some features exclusive to Samsung devices
- Lacks multi-band EQ
- Average battery life
Specifications
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3
- Battery Life: Up to 5 hours with ANC, 7-8 hours without
- Codecs: SBC, AAC, Samsung Seamless
- Durability: IPX7
If you’re a Samsung user, the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro might be your equivalent of the AirPods Pro. As an upgrade to the more affordable Galaxy Buds 2, these earbuds elevate everything we appreciated about Samsung’s mid-tier model, offering great sound, solid noise canceling, and a wealth of features.
Much like how the AirPods Pro are tailored for Apple devices, the Buds 2 Pro are optimized for Samsung users. Some of their most compelling features, like 24-bit audio, 360 spatial sound with head tracking, and Auto-Switching between Samsung devices, are Samsung-only. However, many features are accessible to any Android user through the Samsung Wearable app, where you can adjust EQ presets, use the earbuds finder, and customize controls for tasks like volume adjustment and Spotify integration.
The standout feature of the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro is their design. They’re incredibly comfortable to wear, and with an IPX7 rating, they’re water-resistant enough to handle being submerged. The matte finish is stylish, and the earbuds come in a variety of fun colors. However, the battery life could be better, offering only five hours per charge with ANC on.
Inside, the earbuds feature dual drivers that deliver a full, powerful, and detailed sound. The audio is lively without veering into harshness, and the noise canceling is impressive, though not quite on par with the very best. Call quality is also strong in various environments.
The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro may not be for everyone, but if you’re after a pair of earbuds with great sound and features designed specifically for Samsung devices, they’re an excellent choice.
Jabra Elite 4 Active
Pros
- Active Noise Cancellation with HearThrough technology
- Budget-friendly
- Durable design
- Strong battery life
Cons
- Limited to three color options
- Requires an app for pairing and customization
Specifications
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2
- Battery Life: Up to 7 hours
- Codecs: Qualcomm aptX, SBC
- Durability: IP57
If you’re looking for earbuds designed specifically for workouts, the Jabra Elite 4 Active should be on your radar. These earbuds offer impressive durability, a comfortable fit, long battery life, and effective noise cancellation, making them an excellent choice for fitness enthusiasts. The HearThrough mode is a standout feature, allowing ambient sounds to filter through when you need them.
In our hands-on testing, the Elite 4 Active stayed secure and comfortable during various activities, from treadmill runs to jump rope sessions. With an IP57 waterproof rating, they can handle sweat and moisture without issue.
While the noise cancellation isn’t quite on par with premium models like the Sony WF-1000XM5, it’s still effective enough to minimize distractions. The HearThrough feature is particularly useful for staying aware of your surroundings during gym sessions or outdoor runs.
One downside is the need to download an app to set up and customize the earbuds. However, the app offers a wide range of settings and provides detailed information about the features. Fortunately, the Elite 4 Active includes convenient on-earbud controls for playback, volume, and ANC, as well as built-in Alexa for hands-free voice commands.
The real selling point of these earbuds is their secure and comfortable fit, which makes them ideal for use during workouts. While pricier options offer superior audio and noise cancellation, and cheaper models may provide better value for basic use, the Jabra Elite 4 Active stands out as an excellent choice for workout-focused headphones.
How we test wireless earbuds
We take product testing seriously and strive for consistent, reproducible methods in all our evaluations. When determining the best wireless earbuds, we put several models through rigorous testing, focusing on sound quality across a wide range of music genres streamed from common platforms. Our testing includes a dedicated playlist to ensure consistency and video samples to assess features like spatial audio and head tracking with both stereo and Dolby Atmos content.
We also evaluate the ease of setup and use across various devices, paying special attention to features like Multipoint pairing. For testing ambient audio features, such as noise canceling, we use a sound-treated room and professional stereo monitors to simulate noises like airplane engines, background chatter, and other frequencies. Battery life is tested by playing music at medium volume with auto-pause sensors disengaged, and we monitor the earbuds at regular intervals until they power down.
Beyond lab testing, we also assess wireless earbuds in real-world conditions. We take them on walks, use them in noisy environments with noise canceling on and off, and engage in conversations to test transparency mode. As much as possible, we integrate these earbuds into our daily routines to thoroughly understand how they perform and feel in everyday use.