Everyone loves their earbuds — whether they cost the earth or under $100, they're easily one of our most used devices. Finding the best for you can be a struggle, however, which is why I've put this guide together.
I've been testing headphones for years at this point, and with the help of the Tom's Guide reviews team, we've decades of experience between us. We spend hundreds, if not thousands of hours every year testing earbuds with our strict criteria to see how they match up, and then rank them according to use case so that you can find out which are best for you.
The best at the moment are the Sony WF-1000XM5. I love the way that they sound, with a detailed, layered soundscape on offer. I also love the way that they block out noise, for an easier, less chaotic listen when I'm on the train. If you don't want to stretch to those, however, you should also check out the much cheaper Sony WF-C700N. They still have loads of great features, but come in at a fraction of the cost.
I've put this guide together so that it's much easier for you to work out which are the best earbuds for you. There's a quick list up top so that you can find out all the key points about the buds. Then, linked in each entry, we've a longer mini-review towards the bottom of the page with more info and greater depth in buying device. Want all the information? We've linked the full reviews so that you can learn everything you need to know about the earbuds you're looking at.
Quick list
Price ★★★★☆
Sound ★★★★☆
Battery ★★★★★
Sony's noise-canceling earbuds are, for all intents and purposes, one of the best pairs of wireless buds you can buy. The ANC is top-tier, the sound quality excellent, and the battery life is brilliant.
Price ★★★★★
Sound ★★★☆☆
Battery ★★★★☆
The Sony WF-C700N are an excellent pair of buds, for an incredible, sub-$100 price. The ANC is surprisingly effective, the sound quality pleasing, and the battery life plenty for any commute.
Price ★★★★★
Sound ★★★☆☆
Battery ★★★★☆
If you want some solid noise-canceling earbuds at a great, budget price, then the OnePlus Buds 3 are the way to go. For frequently reduced, sub $90 prices, there really isn't anything better.
Price ★★★☆☆
Sound ★★★★★
Battery ★★★☆☆
Sennheiser's excellent Momentum True Wireless 4 might not top the table with the best ANC or the best fit, but they are easily some of the best-sounding buds you'll find on this side of a wired pair.
Price ★★★★☆
Sound ★★★★★
Battery ★★★★☆
Bose's QuietComfort Ultra earbuds are the best option if you're looking to block out as much sound as possible. Bose's noise canceling is the best around, and the Ultra Earbuds combine it with some stellar sound and a comfortable fit.
Price ★★★★☆
Sound ★★★★☆
Battery ★★★☆☆
The Beats Fit Pro aren't the best sounding nor the best noise canceling buds, but they more than make up for it thanks to their Impeccable fit for exercise fanatics. No matter how much your head might move around, these puppies aren't coming loose.
All the models ranked here have been extensively reviewed by experts with more than 30 years of experience testing all kinds of audio products. Read on to discover the best wireless earbuds.
About the author
I oversee the audio content that goes up on Tom’s Guide, and maintain the site's buying guides for headphones, wireless earbuds, Bluetooth speakers, soundbars, and more. I have spent more than 20 years testing audio equipment for my own enjoyment, and was previously the audio editor for iMore. There's nothing more I love than jamming out to my favorite tunes on audio equipment of different prices and sizes.
The best wireless earbuds to buy right now
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Our top pick
✅ Top notch sound quality. The WH-1000XM5 are some of the best sounding earbuds that money can buy.
✅ Excellent noise canceling. They block out loads of noise for a more comfortable commute.
✅ A comfortable fit. The WH-1000XM5 feel great in the ear, with loads of different fitting options in the box.
❌ They're expensive. The WH-1000XM5 cost almost $300.
❌ There might be a new pair soon. They're coming to end of their life cycle now, and there might be a new version on the horizon.
While the Sony WF-1000XM4 was a top-ranking model in this best wireless earbuds for several years and continues to be on sale via Sony's store and online retailers, the popular model has been outperformed by the new Sony WF-1000XM5 flagship. The latest model arrived in July 2023 and demonstrates how Sony's XM-series earbuds go from strength to strength with each new generation.
As the latest flagship, the WF-1000XM5 wireless earbuds are smaller and lighter, yet they're equipped with some of the strongest features and performance I've ever seen from a pair of 'buds. They have some of the most dynamic and engaging sound we've heard, and their noise-canceling performance easily matches that of the Apple AirPods Pro 2 and get close to the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (both listed below).
Battery life hasn't been stepped up over their XM4 predecessor. But at 8 hours with ANC enabled, these top-tier Sony wireless earbuds still outperform close rivals and have some of the highest battery life of any set of more recently launched earbuds. There's LDAC support for high-quality music streams over Bluetooth, adaptive listening mode that applies ANC or Transparency mode depending on your activity or the environment, Google and Alexa digital assistant support, and full EQ customization. Call quality is greatly improved, thanks to a new noise reduction engine with AI that's able to make voices clear even in noisy surroundings. Ultimately, these are Sony's best-ever buds and the best wireless earbuds overall right now.
Read the full Sony WF-1000XM5 review
| Test | How it stacks up |
|---|---|
| Audio quality | ★★★★★ |
| ANC | ★★★★☆ |
| Design | ★★★★★ |
| Battery life | ★★★★☆ |
| Price | ★★★★☆ |
Best value
✅ Great noise canceling. For the price, there's not much better at blocking noise.
✅ A solid price. They come in under $200 for the noise-canceling earbuds deal of the century.
✅ Good design. For something so cheap, the WF-C700N look a lot more expensive than they are.
❌ No support for certain codecs. There's very little support for hi-res codecs, apart from DSEE.
❌ Annoying touch controls. The touch controls on the sides of the buds are annoying to activate, and can make for some annoying experiences.
Sony's WF-C700N integrates robust ANC and come with decent battery life for a great value price. Sound quality is powerful with Sony’s impressive sound signature at the forefront, alongside proprietary technologies like 360 Reality Audio immersive spatial audio, and DSEE Extreme upscaling that uses AI to bring a sound quality boost to low-quality audio files.
For something so inexpensive, the feature list of the WF-C700N is nothing to be sniffed at. For something that costs less than $200, they match up with earbuds that are a whole lot more expensive. In fact, they undercut the AirPods 4 with ANC, making for a better deal than the Apple alternative.
The adaptive ANC technology built in to the WF-C700N is remarkable at the entry-level price. As with the flagship WF-1000XM5, it learns your behavior and tweaks noise neutralization to your environment. During our testing, low- and mid-frequency sounds went unnoticed around the house and out and about, reducing background sounds to silence. Call quality was also high and the mics silenced most background interference for clear-sounding phone conversations, making the WF-C700N a versatile option with few rivals at the price.
Read the full Sony WF-C700N review
| Test | How it stacks up |
|---|---|
| Audio quality | ★★★★☆ |
| ANC | ★★★★★ |
| Design | ★★★★★ |
| Battery life | ★★★★☆ |
| Price | ★★★★★ |
Best cheap earbuds
✅ Great materials. With their aluminum stems and waterproofing, the Buds 3 feel a whole lot more expensive than they are.
✅ Excellent call quality. They've amongst some of the best microphones and call noise canceling around.
✅ Solid adaptive ANC. They block out loads of noise in a range of different environments very well.
❌ Battery life isn't great. The battery life could be improved, and battery management isn't very good.
❌ Spatial Audio could be better. There are better options out there for 360 degree audio.
.OnePlus's budget entry into the wireless earbuds category managed to end up being one of the very best. They look great, for one, with their shiny aluminum stalks, and attractive color options — particularly their extremely fetching blue shade. The tech packed in is also more premium than budget, as we found out in our in-depth testing.
We loved the way that they sounded, with plenty of detail coming from the little buds. No, they don't quite match up to the sound quality of far more expensive options, but they get close enough that you'll think twice about spending more money where you perhaps don't really need to. There's some great bass, for example, for a rich and layered soundscape.
Battery life was a slight weakness, with the buds not quite reaching the proclaimed hours from OnePlus's website, but it was serviceable enough. Spatial Audio is a nice addition as well, although we have heard better performances. It was the ANC that really impressed though, blocking out loads of noise from our commutes and from the office. For the price, they're one of the best wireless earbud options you can pick up right now.
Read the full OnePlus Buds 3 review
| Test | How it stacks up |
|---|---|
| Audio quality | ★★★★☆ |
| ANC | ★★★★★ |
| Design | ★★★★★ |
| Battery life | ★★★★☆ |
| Price | ★★★★★ |
Best audio quality
✅ Brilliant battery life. The Sennheiser Momentum Wireless sport nearly 8 hours in the buds alone.
✅ Excellent sound quality. These are some of the best sounding earbuds we've ever tested.
✅ Solid ANC. The noise canceling is very good, blocking out plenty of noise.
❌ They're quite large. While it doesn't make them uncomfortable, they're quite a large pair of buds.
❌ They're expensive. At $300, they're some of the more expensive buds on the list.
The price tag may have increased by $50 for the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 compared to their predecessor, but you get an up tick in performance and the strongest Bluetooth and audio codec support of any pair of earbuds around at the moment. Sound quality is outstanding, and I loved Sennheiser's tweaked sound signature that delivered even more detail across the entire frequency range. They rival the top-ranking Sony — check out my Sony WF-1000XM5 vs Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 face-off — with a sound balance that gives vocals an extra sense of presence, but not in an overly forward way. Everything sounds perfectly balanced and just right.
Although not quite up to the standards to rival the Bose QC Ultra Earbuds in terms of their ANC performance, the Sennheiser's block out sounds effectively enough and have a useful transparency mode. Features like ear fit test and sound personalization mode are reliable tools to help your get the best fit and sound that's just right for you, and Sennheiser's mic array makes them a practical calling headset.
Ultimately, these are a strong contender for the best wireless earbuds overall, but despite the slightly increased battery life over the TW3 they still fall short on playback time compared to rivals at the price.
Read the full Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 review
| Test | How it stacks up |
|---|---|
| Audio quality | ★★★★★ |
| ANC | ★★★★☆ |
| Design | ★★★★☆ |
| Battery life | ★★★★☆ |
| Price | ★★★★☆ |
Best noise canceling
✅ The best noise canceling. There is nothing that comes close to the noise canceling the QuietComfort Ultra are capable of.
✅ A very comfortable fit. The QuietComfort Ultra earbuds are incredinly comfortable, with loads of fitting options.
✅ Useful companion app. The Bose app works well, and allows for loads of customization.
❌ No multipoint connection. You can only connect the earbuds to one device at a time.
❌ There's no wireless charging. Unlike many for the same price, there is no wireless charging in the case.
Bose's Noise-canceling headphones remain some of the best around, and the QuietComfort Ultra are the top of the earbuds tree. And what noise canceling it is — I've found it an extremely impressive ANC experience, that outperforms almost everything else out there when it comes to keeping you cocooned in your own world. It works well across the spectrum of different frequencies that you might find outside. I've found them perfect for traveling as a result.
They sound good as well, although some may find the immersive audio better than others. The core sound is warm, and welcoming, but energetic and engaging. I've come to love the way that they sound, given their richer sound than the usually high-end weighted in-ear format. Immersive audio, however, I found to be a mixed bag. I thins out the sound to an alarming degree in some cases, and when it does work, it's not all that impressive. Some really enjoy the effect, however, so your mileage may vary.
There's something here for everyone to enjoy, but there are a couple of weaknesses to keep in mind. The call quality could be improved, with wind noise being an issue for recipients. There's also the lack of a multipoint connection, which some might find annoying.
Read the full Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds review
| Test | How it stacks up |
|---|---|
| Audio quality | ★★★★☆ |
| ANC | ★★★★★ |
| Design | ★★★★★ |
| Battery life | ★★★★☆ |
| Price | ★★★★☆ |
Best for working out
✅ Secure fit. Thanks to their little wing, the Fit Pro stay securely in your ear not matter how much you move around.
✅ Solid sound. Thanks to some AirPods internals, they sound better than other fitness buds.
✅ Decent ANC. Perfect for blocking out the noise at the gym.
❌ Apple-exclusive features. Some things are only available to iPhone users and Apple devices.
❌ No multipoint connection. They can only be connected to one device at a time.
The Beats Fit Pro wireless earbuds rank #1 in our best sports headphones for iPhone users with active lifestyles. They're a culmination of Apple and Beats’ greatest triumphs, packaging AirPods Pro-like performance into an updated Studio Beats design.
When we tested the Beats Fit Pro, our reviewer was impressed by the amazing sound quality, which was backed by a proprietary transducer that keeps bass punchy, while also balancing frequencies to hear crisp mids and detailed highs. Spatial Audio for immersive 3D sound has also been added, making this the first Beats product to feature the technology. Popular features tied to Apple's H1 processor are available, including automatic switching between Apple devices and FindMy to help locate misplaced buds. We also appreciate the integrated wingtips, which keep the buds secure during runs and intense workouts.
Android users do get to bask in the sonic upgrades, though all other iOS-related features remain exclusive to iPhone and iPad users. The lack of features available on the Android app also means limits to what the Fit Pro can perform on Google’s mobile platform.
Read the full Beats Fit Pro review
| Test | How it stacks up |
|---|---|
| Audio quality | ★★★★☆ |
| ANC | ★★★★☆ |
| Design | ★★★★★ |
| Battery life | ★★★★☆ |
| Price | ★★★★☆ |
Best AirPods alternative
✅ Spatial audio. The head tracking on the spatial audio is very convincing
✅ Excellent battery. 36 hours of staying power out of the case is exemplary.
✅ Solid sound. There's some rich sound quality on offer from the buds, for a great listen.
❌ Call quality not great. They're not very good at sorting out wind noise during calls, and the mic sometimes peaks.
❌ No Hi-res support. They don't work with LDAC, so there's little in the way of hi-res audio support.
Jabra’s flagship Elite 10 are a more affordable option compared to rival wireless earbud flagships from the likes of Bose and Sony. In fact, when it comes to sound quality and ANC performance, these Jabra earbuds stood up well in our Sony WF-1000XM5 face-off. They sport upscale features in a luxe design that’s comfortable to wear for longer listening periods, and although not quite everything hits the flagship mark in terms of battery life and a lack of extensive special features compared to the top ranking models, the Elite 10 deserve a place in the best wireless earbuds.
Active noise canceling is double that of its predecessor, and the Elite 10 carries Jabra’s own spatial sound tech with Dolby head tracking to deliver strong sound with great bass and detailed highs straight out of the box. There’s a multi-band EQ control, and although there’s no aptX or LDAC support for faster data transfers over Bluetooth, they're competitively priced and their overall performance makes them a strong option at the price.
Read the full Jabra Elite 10 review
| Test | How it stacks up |
|---|---|
| Audio quality | ★★★★☆ |
| ANC | ★★★★★ |
| Design | ★★★★☆ |
| Battery life | ★★★★☆ |
| Price | ★★★★☆ |
✅ Great ANC. The noise canceling rivals that of similarly priced and even more expensive buds.
✅ Comfortable fit. The Galaxy Buds Pro 2 feel good in the ear.
✅ Good sound quality. The Galaxy Buds Pro 2 sound great, with loads of detail in their sound signature.
❌ They're getting old. They've since been replaced by the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro 3.
❌ Bixby isn't perfect. Bixby is well known for being unreliable with requests.
Samsung's Galaxy Buds 2 Pro set out to rival the AirPods Pro 2, at least for Galaxy owners. During our testing we found the sound alone makes the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro worth the investment, giving listeners a high quality audio experience and compelling 3D sound with precise head tracking. Samsung’s ANC holds its own against the category leaders and blocks out close to 90% of ambient noise. The updated design also provides improved comfort and noise isolation.
We found these buds operated well across all Bluetooth-enabled devices, but Galaxy smartphone owners get to enjoy cool features like Easy Pairing and compatibility with Samsung's Scalable Codec. It’s upsetting that Bixby (Samsung's voice assistant) doesn’t perform up to its potential, though the mediocre battery life with ANC on is a greater disappointment. Since our review, Galaxy smartphone and Buds 2 Pro owners now get 360-degree audio recording, too.
Take a look at our Samsung promo codes for the latest discounts from Samsung.
Read the full Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro review
| Test | How it stacks up |
|---|---|
| Audio quality | ★★★★☆ |
| ANC | ★★★★★ |
| Design | ★★★★☆ |
| Battery life | ★★★★☆ |
| Price | ★★★★☆ |
