A great pair of earbuds can completely change the way you listen to music. Not only can they make your music sound much better and more immersive, but they can also make listening to music more convenient. Earbud-style headphones are especially convenient, considering how small they are, but there are tons of options out there. We’ve used our expertise from more than a decade of testing wireless earbuds, and we put together this guide to help you find the best wireless earbuds.
There are a number of things to consider before buying a pair of wireless headphones. For starters, you’ll want to think about the type of wireless headphones you want. Some have a small wire that connects the two buds behind your head. Other so-called “true wireless” headphones don’t connect at all, and come with a small charging case that you’ll keep them in when you’re not using them.
Of course, it’s also important to consider extra features. Some wireless earbuds offer noise cancellation, while others, like Apple’s AirPods, have different connectivity features and other integrations with Apple products. And, of course, you’ll want to consider your budget.
Without further ado, here are the best wireless earbuds. Alternatively, check out our guides on the best true wireless headphones, and on the best headphones in general.
Best wireless earbuds overall: Sony WF-1000XM5
Pros: Excellent audio quality, smart features, comfortable fit, noise-canceling
Cons: Expensive
Looking for a great pair of wireless earbuds that offer tons of smart features and excellent audio quality? Look no further. The Sony WF-1000XM5 ANC earbuds look good, sound great, and offer a range of smart features that you can control straight through the accompanying app. They also offer better sound quality and improved noise cancelling tech compared to the previous-generation WF-1000XM4 model, despite being more compact.
Sony has made many of the best consumer headphones over the last few years, and these headphones are no exception to that rule. They offer an excellent build quality with a pocketable charging case, and they sound great, with deep bass response, well-tuned mids, and detailed high frequencies.
As mentioned the headphones also offer plenty of smart features that can be controlled in the Sony Headphones Connect app. Notably, you can control the noise cancelation, as well as a transparency mode, tweak the EQ, and even enable the speak-to-chat feature. The app is available on Android and iOS, and works pretty well.
There’s a cost to all these features. These are among the more expensive true wireless headphones out there. If you can afford them at $298, they’re worth the cash — but there are great cheaper options, too. Also, it should be noted that if you’re a tried and true Apple user, it’s worth looking at the AirPods Pro instead, thanks to their Apple-specific features.
Read our Sony WF-1000XM5 review
Best wireless earbuds for Apple fans: AirPods Pro
Pros: Works extremely well with Apple devices, good sound, great fit, noise-canceling
Cons: Expensive, weak bass, not great for non-Apple users
If you’re an Apple fan, then the best wireless earbuds for you are the AirPods Pro. Not only do these earbuds look and sound good, but they also offer all the smart features that you would want from Apple-built products.
Like what? Well, the headphones support Apple’s new Spatial Audio tech, which makes movies and some music more immersive. And, they support Automatic Switching, which means that they can automatically connect to your iPhone, Mac, iPad, and so on, depending on what you’re doing. It’s also easy to do things like enable or disable noise cancelation and change their controls, straight from the iOS Settings app.
Even if they didn’t offer Apple-specific features, these would be great headphones. One of the best things about them is how well they fit. The AirPods Pro come with three different ear tip sizes, and the shape of them ensures that they remain in your ears comfortable. The charging case is small enough to fit nicely in a pocket or bag too, which is handy. It’s worth noting that sound quality isn’t quite as good as other earbuds in this class, especially when it comes to bass response.
The AirPods Pro are great for Apple users, but non-Apple users should probably stick with the Sony WF-1000XM5 wireless earbuds. Also, keep in mind that these are Apple’s higher-end headphones — and as a result, they’re a little more expensive at $249 (currently on sale for $189.99). Still, if you can afford it, these earbuds are absolutely worth buying.
Best wireless earbuds with deep bass: Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2
Pros: Great sound quality with very deep bass, excellent clarity
Cons: Expensive, mediocre noise cancelling tech
Apple’s aforementioned AirPods Pro are excellent earbuds, and most Apple fans will love them. I, on the other hand, recently wrote about why I ditched AirPods Pro and switched to Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2 earbuds instead.
The reason, in a word, is bass.
Bass response on Apple’s AirPods Pro is very weak, and that’s putting it kindly. If bass isn’t a top priority for you, though, then the great integration with Apple devices like the iPhone outweighs that shortcoming. For me, however, sound quality is everything — especially when it comes to bass.
I’ve tested hundreds of pairs of wireless earbuds in my time here at BGR. In all that time, the Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2 offer the best overall bass performance I’ve found. The overall sound quality isn’t quite as good as Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds, and the noise cancelling tech isn’t on par with Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II. But when it comes to bass, nothing else can match the depth and clarity of Pi7 S2 earbuds.
The biggest downside is the price. With a retail price of $399, Bowers & Wilkins’s flagship wireless earbuds are more expensive than any models on offer from Sony, Bose, and Apple. But if you love deep bass, they’re worth every penny.
Read our Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2 review
Best mid-range wireless earbuds: Nothing Ear Stick
Pros: Inexpensive, great audio quality, good fit
Cons: Noise cancelation isn’t great, battery life could be better
Just because you don’t want to spend a ton of cash on a pair of true wireless headphones, that doesn’t mean that you can’t get something of high quality. The Nothing Ear Stick earbuds offer a nice design, the ability to charge wirelessly, and a great battery life — plus they come in at under $100.
The headphones offer a cool design, and they sound pretty good too. You’ll get a solid amount of bass response, with decently flat mids, and good clarity in the high end. And, the headphones work with an accompanying app that lets you tweak the EQ to your preferences.
The headphones also offer a nice fit and should stay in most people’s ears, but they’re not perfect. For example, the battery life on offer isn’t very impressive, with four hours of use with ANC, or six hours without it.
That said, these headphones are still an excellent choice for those who want a great pair of true wireless earbuds at a reasonable budget.
Read our Nothing Ear Stick review
Best cheap wireless earbuds: JLab JBuds Air
Pros: Inexpensive, good sound quality, water-resistant
Cons: A little bulky, battery life is mediocre
Looking for a pair of super-cheap earbuds that still offer solid quality? The JLab Audio JBuds Air are the way to go. These headphones may be cheap, but they still have a lot to offer — including solid sound quality and the ability to tweak some settings to your choosing.
Usually, headphones in this price range sacrifice sound quality, but these headphones still sound pretty good. They offer a somewhat bass-forward sound, but most will like that, and you can choose from three EQ settings to find the best sound profile for your preferences.
The JLab JBuds Air offer a solid design too. The headphones are a little bulky, but most will get used to that. They are, however, IP55 water-resistant, which means that you can use them in the rain without worrying about the headphones breaking. And, they’re available in a few different colors, so you can find something that fits your needs.
Apart from the slightly bulky design, the other main issue is the fact that the battery life isn’t great. You’ll get around four hours on a single charge. The charging case offers an additional 12 hours, or three full charges. That’s not bad — and most probably won’t use the headphones for more than four hours at a time anyway.
Best wireless earbuds for working out: Beats PowerBeats Pro
Pros: Good fit, solid audio quality, works well with Apple devices
Cons: A little pricey
If you’re looking for a pair of headphones to take running, then you need something that fits well and stays in your ears even during heavy movement. That’s where the Beats Powerbeats Pro headphones come in. These earbuds offer an over-the-ear hook design and a well-designed bud shape that ensures that they stay nicely in your ears, even when you’re out running and working out.
The headphones sound pretty good, too. They’re definitely bass-forward, but that’s probably what you want from a pair of headphones you use when you’re working out. Generally, the high frequencies also sound pretty good. Again, it’s not the most natural sound out there, but most will appreciate it.
The headphones are built by Apple, and as a result they integrate pretty well with your other Apple devices. Notably, you’ll get features like Automatic Switching, which means that they’ll seamlessly switch between your iPhone, Mac, Apple Watch, and iPad, depending on what you’re doing. That means that you don’t have to re-pair the headphones every time you use them.
So, what are the downsides to the headphones? Well, they’re a bit expensive. If you’re looking for a great pair of Apple-focused headphones, it’s probably worth going for the standard AirPods or AirPods Pro instead. But if you want something to use for sports, then these are the way to go.
Best-sounding wireless earbuds: Master & Dynamic MW08
Pros: Great design, excellent sound quality, noise-canceling
Cons: No EQ control, expensive
If your top priority is getting a pair of headphones that sound great, then the Master & Dynamic MW08 in-ear headphones are the way to go. These headphones offer an exciting frequency response with nice, deep bass and detail at the high end. And, they also have noise cancelation to help you hear your music even better. There are a few different noise cancelation modes to choose from.
The headphones also offer a solid design. The design is a little different from some other true wireless headphones. But, it still ensures that they fit nicely in your ears, without fear of them falling out under normal activity. The charging case offers a nice glossy finish, along with LED indicators to help you know how much battery is left.
Speaking of battery, you’ll get a hefty 10 hours of battery life on a charge with noise cancelation enabled. That’s pretty stellar. The charging case gets you a massive 30 hours of use, too. So, in total, you’ll get 42 hours of use before having to charge the headphones. That’s excellent.
There are some issues to consider here. Notably, the headphones are quite expensive. And, while they sound great, you can’t tweak that sound to your preferences with an EQ. Still, if you can afford to spend the cash and want the best-sounding true wireless headphones out there, then the Master & Dynamic MW08 headphones are well worth considering.
Read our Master & Dynamic MW08 review
\