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The best earbuds you can buy: Expert tested
I rely on earbuds for everything. From clear Zoom calls in the office and silent nights reading my book with active noise cancellation turned on, to aware listening while running in the park and taking the subway to and from work. There are thousands of earbuds on the market and audio tech has never been better, but lots of earbuds overpromise and underdeliver on sound, noise cancellation, and battery life.
Read more: Best headphones of 2024
But since I test earbuds for a living, and have worn plenty of mediocre and amazing pairs of earbuds to discover which are worth your money and which you should avoid. I've done most of the heavy lifting by extensively researching the best buds, trying them out for myself as I take the subway to work, hop on conference calls, and, yes, even sweat in them on my morning runs.
What are the best earbuds right now?
ZDNET has gone hands-on with all of the top earbuds available (both wired and wireless) to help you find the best earbuds for your budget and needs. Our pick for best earbuds overall is Sony's WF 1000XM5 for its over-ear-headphone level noise-canceling capabilities and its comfortable, secure fit, but there are plenty of other top options that will suit your listening needs on this list, too.
The best earbuds of 2024
- Comfortable, secure fit
- Rich sound
- Impressive noise-canceling
- Steep price (but they're worth it)
These earbuds, according to ZDNET reviewer Jada Jones, cancel out noise like a pair of over-ear headphones. That's a big deal for a small but mighty pair of buds. This improved noise-canceling capability is partly due to the upgraded ear tips Sony included in its most recent iteration. They use polyurethane foam tips, which create a tighter seal in the ear compared to traditional silicon.
It doesn't hurt that these earbuds are also extremely comfortable; Jones reported that even after a day of deep work or a strenuous workout session with the earbuds in, she didn't feel the need ever to take them out and give her ears a break. Plus, with a battery life of up to 12 hours, you can last the whole workday with these in.
Review: Sony's WF 1000XM5 may be the best premium earbud on the market
With an IPX4 rating (a techy way of saying water-resistant), you can break out these earbuds at the height of the summer running season as you prep for that fall marathon and not worry about water-logging them with sweat or rain. While the earbuds' noise cancellation is not as silencing as the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds, they're still pretty impressive in the ANC arena.
Reviewers on Reddit say that while the WF-1000XM5 earbuds are a great upgrade from the XM3, upgrading from the XM4 to the XM5 is a harder sell.
Sony WF 1000XM5 tech specs: Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3 | Battery life: Up to 12 hours | Frequency range: 2.4 GHz - 2.48 GHz | Noise cancellation: Yes | Waterproof rating: IPX4 (resistant to water splashes)
- Incredible immersive audio
- Great noise cancellation
- Amazing sound
- Just fine battery life
- No multi-point Bluetooth connection
- Some users report connectivity issues
If you want a reliable pair of earbuds that will knock your socks off when it comes to noise cancellation, go for the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds. When I tested these earbuds out, I thought the noise cancellation was the best on any set of earbuds I had tried yet. "With the strong ANC, I was able to dig into my work by listening to my morning classical playlist and blocking out the noisy office chatter around me," I wrote in my spotlight.
More: Forget AirPods Pro: These Bose noise-canceling earbuds sound better and feel premium
On runs, these earbuds stick in my ears, which I can credit to the oval shape of the ear tip as well as the extra grip from the stability band, and music sounds great in them during high-intensity workouts. Another notable feature is Bose's Immersive Audio mode, which brings music to the forefront of your ears and allows music to move with you. It's a great feature, but it does significantly reduce battery life. Speaking of which, the battery life on these isn't the most competitive at only six hours, but I disregard that for how great my music sounds with them in.
While reviewers on Reddit said that the noise cancellation was the best they had tried, some users mentioned connectivity issues. Initially when I tested these out, I had trouble at times connecting to the earbuds, and sometimes my music would dip in and out. But after many months of using these, I don't have any connectivity issues.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds specs: Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3 | Battery life: 6 hours | Frequency range: NA | Noise cancellation: Yes | Waterproof rating: Water resistant
- Long battery life
- Bluetooth Multipoint
- Great sound
- Amazing ANC
- An odd squeaking noise comes every so often when you handle the earbuds
- No in-ear detection
- Touch controls aren't great
We get it: Who wants to spend over $100 on a pair of earbuds? If you're looking for a pair of earbuds that boast many luxury features but lack the luxury price tag, look no further than the JLab JBuds ANC 3. They cost less than $60, they have an extensive battery life that makes frequent charging unnecessary, and they have noise cancellation (ANC) that works well. Though it's not always easy to find budget earbuds with real ANC, these are a pair that deliver.
The JLab Jbuds ANC 3 offer three listening modes: ANC, ANC Off, and Be Aware. The ANC mode dims down and distances external sound as I listen to audio, and is competitive with some of the more premium earbuds I've tried, for a fraction of the price.
Given how lightweight the buds are, they also fit snugly and comfortably in my ears, and, most importantly, stay in them while I exercise. With a long battery life, multipoint Bluetooth for easy audio switching between devices, and great sound, these are an excellent choice for $60 earbuds. Reviewers on Amazon complimented the ANC and the low price for the high value of these earbuds. One reviewer mentioned how these earbuds are great for small ears, too.
More: You're overpaying for earbuds and this $60 pair proves it
JLab JBuds ANC 3 tech specs: Connectivity: Bluetooth Multipoint | Battery life: 9 hours in the earbuds and 33+ hours in the case | Noise cancellation: Yes | Waterproof? IP55
- Adaptive transparency mode
- Personalizable spatial audio settings
- Four different ear tip sizes
- Pairs easily to Apple devices
- Not the greatest for non-iPhone users
- Expensive
AirPods Pro (2nd generation) tech specs: Connectivity: Bluetooth | Battery life: 6 hours | Frequency range: NA | Noise cancellation: Yes | Waterproof rating: IPX4
Apple didn't change too much about the AirPods Pro (2nd generation) from last year to this year, with the exception of the new USB-C port. Apple replaced its signature Lightning port with a USB-C port for its newest lineup of iPhones, its AirPods Pro, and Apple Watches.
Thanks to Apple's new and improved H2 chip, these AirPods have better performance, more immersion via high-band connectivity, and a low-distortion audio driver with a custom amplifier. The technologies combine to ensure clearer audio across various sound frequencies, making them the best-sounding AirPods to date. And most Redditors agree that these are the best AirPods you can buy out of the lineup.
As far as noise cancellation goes, these AirPods have two times more noise cancellation than the previous version. An upgraded adaptive transparency mode also automatically lowers the volume of harmful noises above the 85dB threshold. Plus, you can personalize your spatial audio settings to create your ideal sound experience (using iOS 16).
I'd recommend the AirPods Pro to people who are already in the Apple ecosystem, because having that easy connectivity to your laptop, phone, or iPad is the biggest advantage to these earbuds. They aren't the best overall, but the Apple AirPods Pro are the best for Apple users.
Review: AirPods Pro 2 offer two big upgrades but connectivity remains a problem
AirPods Pro (2nd generation) tech specs: Connectivity: Bluetooth | Battery life: 6 hours | Frequency range: NA | Noise cancellation: Yes | Waterproof rating: IPX4
- Great battery life
- Impressive noise-canceling
- Convenient touchscreen case
- Heavy case
- Earbuds tend to insecurely fit during intense, sweaty exercise sessions
- Not the clearest call quality
The JBL Tour Pro 2's innovative touchscreen case is so user-friendly and ahead of its time that even Apple is (reportedly) taking notes. Pause or play, reduce or increase the volume, switch from noise-canceling to ambient aware to talk-through mode, accept or reject calls, or even locate that missing left earbud, all through the touchscreen case.
The first time I wore these earbuds during my morning commute to work, I was surprised while waiting at the subway platform when I looked up from my phone to find the subway had shown up -- I barely heard its arrival. Needless to say: the noise cancelling on the Tour Pro 2s is legit, and the buds deliver clean and crisp sound.
Review: Forget AirPods: These wireless earbuds offer clever features that Apple doesn't
While exercising with the Tour Pro 2s, I could lightly touch the right earbud to pause or play music and switch between noise canceling (ideal for deep concentration, but not-so-ideal for jogging outside) to ambient aware (great for environmental awareness) with ease. The buds stay in your ears while you're on the go but get a little slippery as you begin to sweat with them (which you can do without any worry of water damage since the earbuds have a water-resistant IPX5 rating). The call and microphone quality isn't as good as other high end earbuds, like Apple's, but the Tour Pro 2s are a little less expensive than other noise-canceling earbud options on this list, and they offer a slate of features that some of the more popular tech brands, like Apple, simply don't have yet.
One Reddit reviewer said that the noise cancellation is great -- "maybe better than I remember my [first generation] AirPods Pros ever being." Though many reviewers, myself included, say that the transparency mode could be improved.
JBL Tour Pro 2 tech specs: Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3 | Battery life: 8 hours with ANC on and
10 hours with ANC off | Frequency range: 20 Hz - 20 kHz | Noise cancellation: Yes | Waterproof rating: IPX5
- Cool transparent design and color
- Pinch controls
- Ear tips are sticky and hold a good grip in your ear
- Microphone quality is not great
- Noise cancellation is not competitive
As I wrote in my review, the Nothing Ear (a) earbuds "are like the AirPods Pro's funkier younger sister who went to art school, buys gifts for friends through the MOMA Store, and can explain the difference between white and orange wine to you." You're getting the coolest looking earbud on the market with the Nothing Ear (a) for only $100, making them just as much a fashion statement piece as they are a mobile accessory.
Review: These $99 transparent earbuds make AirPods look and sound boring
The inexpensive price offers premium features however, like bass enhancement, responsive and thoughtful pinch controls, earbud pings for when you need to find them (though the sound is not the loudest), and a high quality build. I comfortably ran ten miles with these in my ears and they did a splendid job of sticking in my sweaty ears, playing gorgeous, bass-heavy music that kept me pounding pavement.
You'll be hard pressed to find such an interesting design in the audio space. Just look at the other picks on this best list -- not a color in sight. That's why the Ear (a)s get my vote as the best designed earbuds.
Nothing Ear (a) tech specs: Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3 | Battery life: 9.5 hours with ANC off | Noise cancellation: Yes | Waterproof rating: IP54
- Affordable
- Lightweight design
- Never need to worry about battery
- No advanced features like voice assistant or ANC
- Sound quality is decent, but not as crisp as other options
Bluetooth earbuds might come with seamless connectivity, noise-canceling capabilities, and voice assistants, but nothing is more reliable than a pair of wired earbuds. Maybe you're a Luddite who doesn't want to keep track of the latest technology but nevertheless wants to hear the strum of your favorite song clearly, or maybe you're tired of recharging your earbuds case and want an unfussy audio option. For all that and more, these earbuds from Sennheiser are great.
A 3.9-inch cable includes a built-in microphone and remote so you can play or pause music and take a call without using your phone. While these earbuds don't have active noise cancellation, they have sound isolation thanks to their in-ear design. These also come with four ear adapter sizes (XS, S, M, and L) and a handy travel pouch. And, since they are wired, you never have to worry about charging them.
Sennheiser CX 300S In-ear Headphones tech specs: Battery life: N/A | Noise cancellation: No—but has sound isolation | Voice assistant: No | Waterproof rating: N/A
What are the best earbuds?
The best earbuds really depend on what you are looking for. You can trust brands like Sony, Bose, Apple, Sennheiser, and others to make great quality earbuds.
| Earbuds | Price | Battery life | ANC |
| Sony WF 1000XM5 | $280 | 12 hours | Yes |
| Bose QuietComfort Ultra | $250 | 6 hours | Yes |
| JLab JBuds ANC 3 | $60 | 42 hours | Yes |
| AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) | $250 | 6 hours | Yes |
| JBL Tour Pro 2 | $250 | 10 hours | Yes |
| Nothing Ear (a) | $99 | 9.5 hours | Yes |
| Sennheiser CX 300S | $45 | Always on | No, but sound isolation |
*Lowest price at the time of writing. Please note that prices may vary based on retailer and available promotions, sales, or discounts.
Which earbuds are right for you?
While all of these earbuds are excellent picks, it ultimately depends on what type of form factor is most comfortable for your ears, how important noise cancellation or battery life is to you, and how much you're willing to spend.
| Choose these earbuds... | If you want... |
| Sony WF 1000XM5 | One of the best noise-canceling earbuds on the market right now. The XM5 is a premium earbud that delivers a comfortable and secure fit and over-ear-headphone-level noise-canceling sound. |
| Bose QuietComfort Ultra | Earbuds with the best noise cancellation. Bose's latest buds offer immersive audio and amazing ANC. |
| JLab JBuds ANC 3 | A conveniently affordable earbud with impressive noise cancellation, long battery life, and decent sound for less than $60. |
| AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) | Noise-canceling earbuds with adaptive transparency mode. Apple nails it on both ends of the audio spectrum with the latest AirPods. |
| JBL Tour Pro 2 | An innovative earbud case with long-lasting battery life and great noise-cancellation capabilities. |
| Nothing Ear (a) | Great-sounding earbuds that pack an aesthetic punch. The semi-transparent finish and the bold color of the Ear (a) is an indicator of the company's attention to detail, both in design and sound. |
| Sennheiser CX 300S | Wired headphones that still support the 3.5mm audio jack. These earbuds bring lossless audio, guaranteed. |
Factors to consider when choosing earbuds:
We chose these earbuds by conducting extensive research as well as our own experiences using these devices to listen to music, podcasts, and movies. We compared ratings and reviews from customers (both good and bad), standout features, brands, and different price points to help you find the best earbuds for your budget and needs, but we also paid special attention to these select features as we were testing and considering which earbuds to include.
- Sound quality: Unsurprisingly, this is the most important feature of an earbud, whether they're Bluetooth-connected or wired. You want your earbuds to deliver high-quality sound so you can properly enjoy your favorite songs, podcasts, or calls without the audio sounding tinny or distorted. Each pick on this list has been tested by experts who approve of the earbuds' sound quality.
- Price: Since the earbud market is so robust, you can get sub-$50 earbuds with fantastic sound for the price or $300 earbuds with even better sound. There's no need to forsake quality for price with the options we've included on this list. While more expensive earbuds do deliver amplified features, like ANC and longer battery life, you can still get a quality pair of buds for an affordable price.
- Battery life: The picks on this list offer five to over 12 hours of battery life. The longer the battery life, the more you can use these buds in between charges. We also considered how many charges come in the earbuds' carrying case, a convenient feature of some of the higher-end earbuds.
- Noise cancellation: You definitely don't need noise-canceling earbuds, but they are an added bonus to an already expensive pair of buds.
How did we test these earbuds?
I test earbuds for a living. I'm running in busy city streets and parks with them in my ears, playing my favorite songs and podcasts with them in on the subway, working with them in the office, and evaluating them for their performance, connectivity, battery life, comfort, and more.
When I enjoy the sound of the earbuds, can wear them comfortably for the entire workday, or depend on them for my runs, I tell you, dear reader, all about them. I write spotlights and include the earbuds in lists like these. And when I don't like a pair of earbuds, they are not included in any of these lists. We only write about products we can actually recommend to people, because we know that spending $200 on a pair of earbuds or another tech product is no pretty penny.
Are earbuds bad for your hearing?
Over-the-ear headphones are a better option than earbuds for your health since you're not physically sticking anything in your ear. However, if you prefer the portability and convenience of earbuds, you can still use them -- just be smart about it.
If you're looking for tips for preventing hearing loss caused by headphones, some include keeping the volume lower (and opting for ANC headphones to cancel out exterior noise rather than turning up the volume), using quality headphones, and taking breaks while working with headphones in so you can give your eardrums a breather.
And you can always opt for open-backed headphones like the Shokz OpenRun Pro.
Are AirPods worth it?
It really depends -- if you're a die-hard Apple fan, the AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) are the brand's top-of-the-line earbuds that stack up against many competitors. You can expect ANC, customized spatial audio, and an active transparency mode. Plus, they are lightweight and reliable.
However, if you're open to looking at other brands, Bose and Sony make excellent earbuds, some of which are on this list. Especially if you plan to use your earbuds mainly for working out, there are other worthy earbud options than AirPods.
Also: The best cheap earbuds
Why don't my earbuds fit?
All our bodies -- and our ears -- are different. So some earbuds are not going to fit comfortably with your ear shape. Some earbud brands will offer three different sized ear tips that you can put on top of your ears for as secure a fit as possible. Try out the tips upon purchasing your earbuds to see which will work best for you.
What are the best earbuds for working out?
I'll choose earbuds over headphones any day for working out. On the budget-friendly side, I'd recommend the JLab JBuds ANC 3 for a secure, comfortable pair of earbuds that I love to run in. They're lightweight and come with ANC that cancels out the appropriate amount of noise during my outdoor runs. But if you're feeling fancy, you might want to go for the new Bose Open Ultra earbuds, that boast environmental awareness, a clip-on design, and amazing sound. These are much more expensive, at $300, but they are magical when it comes to getting the most out of my music on my city runs and being 100% aware of my surroundings.
I'd look for earbuds with some waterproof or resistance rating if you are sweating or exercising in inclement weather with them in. Plus, you'll want a pair of earbuds with decent ANC and a long battery life, 6 hours at the least, so you don't have to charge them all the time.
Other earbuds we tested:
Our focus was on delivering a variety of options for the best earbuds. If you want a few more choices, you can't go wrong with these expert-vetted earbuds.