Best wireless earbuds of 2026

Baraem Plus Studio beats: Compared to the original Beats Studio Buds still on the market, the newer Studio Buds Plus are significantly improved, with better sound, noise cancellation, and battery life. In addition, it now offers very good voice calling performance. Read my Beats Buds Plus review.

Bose Ultra Open HeadphonesThey were not the first Clip-on earbudsbut it was the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds that really launched this subgenre of true wireless earbuds. They’re somewhat overpriced, but other than that, there’s a lot to like about them, including a surprisingly comfortable and secure fit and very good sound quality for open buds. Initially, the headphones did not feature multipoint Bluetooth pairing, but the feature was added in July of 2024. Read our Bose Ultra Open Earbuds review.

Skullcandy 360 ANC method: In a surprise move, Skullcandy joined forces with Bose in 2025 to create a budget version of the $299 Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones. With “Sound by Bose,” the Method 360 ANC headphones not only sound better than most earbuds in this price category (they sound very similar to the $170 Bose QuietComfort headphones), but they also fit comfortably and securely thanks to Bose’s Fit Kit system, which features stability straps to lock the headphones into your ears. They’re on our best wireless earbuds list and remain good value, but Skullcandy has released these 540 ANC method In 2026 (has a 20% smaller case). Read our Skullcandy Method 360 ANC review.

Anker Soundcore Liberty 5: The Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 are all-around wireless earbuds that offer good sound quality and improved noise-canceling and voice-calling performance at a fairly reasonable price (about $90).

Anker Soundcore P41i: Anker’s previous Soundcore P40 headphones had a stand built into their charging case to prop up your phone for watching video. Not only does the new P41i include a built-in stand, but it also includes a 3,000mAh battery and a USB-C cable that turns the case into a power bank to charge your phone. (Owners of older iPhones can also get a version with a built-in Lightning cable that costs an additional $10.) Although the case is a little heavy and bulkier than many earphone cases, I like the two-in-one concept. Note that while it doesn’t offer high-speed charging, it does charge at 10W, which isn’t too bad.

Noble Fox Amadeus: Noble, a maker of in-ear monitors and “craft” headphones, is stepping into the most mainstream in-ear headphones market with its most affordable headphones yet, after launching the Fokus Mystiq ($359), Rex 5 ($449), and Prestige ($599) models in recent years. While the Fokus Amadeus ($320) headphones are large, they fit a little more snugly than the company’s previous headphones, and feature active noise cancellation. Although its noise-suppression capabilities are only good (the ANC is definitely a step behind what you get with the flagship Bose and Sony models), its sound quality is exceptionally good. Equipped with custom 8.3mm treble drivers, the sound is open and well-detailed, and the well-defined bass is deep and deep without sounding boomy. The instruments feel clearly and appropriately placed in the soundstage, and I appreciate that the natural mids, where the vocals live, are slightly forward and not overshadowed by the treble and bass. Noble’s top-of-the-line Prestige buds are more analytical, which may be what some audiophiles are looking for. But the Amadeus buds have a warmer sound profile and don’t reveal flaws overly on lower-register tracks. These are the buds that you can use for long periods of time without any listening fatigue, and they work well with a variety of music genres.

Sony LinkBuds are suitable: Truth be told, in some ways, I like Sony’s LinkBuds Fit better than their flagship WF-1000XM5 noise-canceling earbuds. Although they don’t sound quite as good or have the noise cancellation quite on par with those headphones, they are lightweight (4.9 grams) and fit comfortably and securely in my ears. Part of that is due to Sony’s new Air Fitting supports, but it has also redesigned its ear tips and includes a wider range of sizes, including XL tips that fit my ears well. Although they are a slight downgrade from the WF-1000XM5s in terms of performance, the sound quality, noise cancellation and call quality performance are all very good. They also have built-in voice controls.

Earphone Air Pro 4: Earfun is now shipping the Earfun Air Pro 4 Plus (see above), which have a dual-driver design and better sound for about $20 more. The Earfun Air Pro 4 are still very good value, but I like the Plus model better.

Shox Open Fit 2: Shokz released the upgraded OpenFit 2 Plus with a slightly upgraded design and other small improvements, so the original OpenFit 2 buds went on sale. This model fits my ears more comfortably than the original models and has superior sound quality with more bass and better clarity. They look excellent for The earphones are openat least in quieter environments.

Beyerdynamic Amiron 300: While Beyerdynamic’s original Free Byrd impressed with the sound quality, the new 2024 Amiron 300 earbuds address the previous design flaws with a compact, lightweight form factor that fits well in my ears. The sound quality is great – rich, detailed and fairly open with very nice tonal balance out of the box. There is amazing instrument separation that allows you to hear every element clearly on complex tracks. The bass response is particularly noteworthy – it’s clear and punchy without overwhelming the mix – while the midrange provides nice clarity and precision, which benefits sound reproduction. Voice calling performance is solid thanks to three microphones on each earbud, with callers reporting that they can hear me well even in noisy environments, with only minimal background noise.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earphones: Bose announced that it will ship its improved products QC Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) It’s “summer” of 2025 in the US, which means you’ll be able to find discounts on the original QC Ultra Earbuds, which boast excellent sound and previously best-in-class noise cancellation performance.

Anker Soundcore Liberty 4NC: Anker released the new Liberty 5 earbuds in 2025, but this 2023 model remains a good value at around $90. It offers good noise cancellation and a similar level of sound quality as the Liberty 5 (it’s very good but not great). However, the Liberty 5 has improved noise cancellation and voice calling performance.

Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2: Once included in this list, Jabra has discontinued production of the 2024 Elite 8 Active Gen 2 after announcing that it had decided to Phasing out the Jabra Elite product line. However, we liked its amazing durability (it survived several drops without a scratch) and the enhanced spatial sound powered by Dolby Audio. They make great sports earphones if you can get your hands on them. I have full Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 review If you are still interested in discontinued buds.

Sennheiser CX: If you can’t afford Sennheiser’s flagship Momentum True Wireless 3 earbuds, the CX are a good alternative. It has very good sound, as well as noise cancellation and voice call performance. The only problem is that they stick out of your ears a little and may not fit some small ears. This model, which often sells for under $100 on Amazon, doesn’t feature active noise cancellation but the cutting-edge CX Plus system does ( CX Plus They are also good value, especially when they go on sale.) Learn more about the budget template in My File Sennheiser CX wireless earbuds review.

Beats Studio Buds: The Beats Studio Buds look a lot like the groundlessly rumored AirPods that some people have been waiting for. Geared towards iOS and Android users, they’re missing some key features on Apple’s part (no H1 or W1 chip), but they are small, lightweight wireless earbuds that are comfortable to wear and deliver really good sound. Their noise cancellation isn’t as good as the AirPods Pro, but they have a Transparency mode and are adequate for taking calls. Learn more in my full articleBeats Studio headphones review Includes a more in-depth look at the features.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro: The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro offer improved noise cancellation along with very good audio and voice call performance, as well as support for high-resolution wireless audio streaming if you’re a Galaxy owner with the right setup. Their biggest upgrade may be their new design and smaller size, making them better suited to more ears. Aside from its somewhat high price, its only drawback is that some of its key features only work with Samsung Galaxy devices. Read my entire book Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro review Learn more about Android earbuds.

JBL Tour Pro 2: JBL’s Tour Pro 2 earbuds have received a lot of attention for bringing something new to true wireless earbuds: a full-color touchscreen built into the case that allows you to access the earbuds’ key features and control playback as well as adjust volume levels. It’s a bit of a gimmick but it’s also useful. Although the headphones may seem a little better for their price, overall the JBL Tour Pro 2s are very good earbuds that offer a good fit, solid feature set, and solid battery life, as well as solid noise cancellation and voice calling performance. I took a closer look at the entire earbuds JBL Tour Pro 2 review In 2023.

Sony Link Buds S: Unlike the “open” LinkBuds, the LinkBuds S are traditional wireless, noise-isolating earbuds with tips that nestle in your ears. It’s more compact and lighter than Sony’s previous flagship WF-1000XM4 and also features a Sony V1 processor (Sony has since released the more compact WF-1000XM5). Although the sound and noise cancellation isn’t quite up to the level of the XM4 or XM5, it’s still very good. These are Sony’s headphones for people who can’t afford Sony’s flagship earbuds but want 80% of the features and performance of these headphones for much less. Read more about them in my Sony LinkBuds S hands-on review.

Sony WF-1000XM4: Released in 2021, the Sony WF-1000XM4 won a CNET Editors’ Choice award. These are still excellent headphones, but Sony has now released the next generation WF-1000XM5. It may be a good option if you find it at a discount. If you’re interested in the model, I’ve got you covered in full Sony WF-1000XM4 review.

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3: The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 were among the best new true wireless earbuds of 2022. They’re still among the best true wireless earbuds, but Sennheiser has released the upgraded Momentum True Wireless 4. Also, the newer AirPods Pro 2 and Sony WF-1000XM5 are arguably superior, so don’t look to buy the Momentum True Wireless 3 until they’re heavily discounted. Learn more about Wonderful Buds throughout my page Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 review.

Beyerdynamic Free Bird: Beyerdynamic may be late to the game, but they’ve finally introduced their first true wireless earbuds, which feature active noise cancellation, up to 11 hours of battery life (with noise cancellation turned off) and great sound quality. Read our Beyerdynamic Free Byrd review.

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX: Bang & Olufsen’s $399 Beoplay EX are the company’s best true wireless earbuds. They feature a comfortable, secure fit (except perhaps for those with really smaller ears), high-end build quality, great sound, good noise cancellation, and improved voice calling performance via B&O’s headphone EQ, with three microphones in each earbud that help reduce background noise while picking up your voice. They’re out of most people’s price range, but they’re arguably the best earbuds with stems and offer slightly better sound than the AirPods Pro 2 with better clarity, deeper, stronger bass, and richer, more accurate sound. Learn more about the premium model in my full profile Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX review.

Sony Link Buds: The LinkBuds are, in a sense, Sony’s answer to Apple Standard AirPods. Although they don’t sound as good as the flagship Sony WF-1000XM4 or the LinkBuds S noise-isolating earbuds, they offer a conservative, innovative design and a more secure fit than the AirPods, as well as decent sound and very good voice calling performance. Like the third-generation AirPods, their open design lets you hear the outside world, which is what the Ring is all about. Check my Sony LinkBuds headphones reviewFor more.