Best true wireless earbuds are one of those concepts that seemed like a dream at first: insert a little headset into each ear and listen to music or make phone calls while remaining untethered from the rest of the world.
The early best true wireless earbuds were enormous, died after only a few hours, and had a slew of other flaws. Fortunately, things have changed. There is a slew of new models that sound fantastic and function flawlessly. These are our top best true wireless earbuds right now, in a variety of designs and prices, after evaluating hundreds over the past four years.
13 Best True Wireless Earbuds for Android & iPhone
Our recommendations for the best true wireless earbuds headphones, best noise-canceling headphones, best cheap headphones, and best workout earbuds will help you find more great options. An Explanation of How We Define Wireless Earbuds These are called true wireless earbuds, best true wireless earbuds, completely wireless earbuds, fully wireless earbuds, wire-free earbuds, and so on. Wireless earbuds come with two popcorn-sized buds, each with a battery inside, and a charging cradle that stores extra battery power and keeps them secure while you’re not using them.
Other types of best true wireless earbuds, such as fitness earbuds, feature a cable or neckband that joins the two buds together. Although it may feel liberating to be free of any connections, there are drawbacks, such as limited battery life (don’t buy anything with less than 5 hours), complicated controls, and dependency on a charging case. They’re also more likely to get lost than regular best true wireless earbuds, and replacing just one of them could be pricey.
1. Google Pixel Buds A-Series
The Pixel Buds A-Series are our favorite best true wireless earbuds for most people because of their comfortable fit, decent sound, nice appearance, and low price. These headphones link immediately with Android smartphones and have strong Google Assistant integration. For workouts, they have an AirPods-like five hours of listening time and an AirPods-beating IPX4 sweat-resistance rating for workouts. (They still connect rapidly with iPhones, but not as quickly as Apple’s buds.) On iPhones, you won’t be able to use Google Assistant.)
The egg-shaped casing extends the listening time by 19 hours. The ear fins keep them firmly in place in the ears, and the audio quality is superior to Apple’s entry-level buds, with more bass and a better seal thanks to the silicone ear tips.
2. 1More ColorBuds
In the last several years, we’ve tried a lot of best true wireless earbuds, but 1More, a lesser-known audio manufacturer, continues to develop some of our favorites. The ColorBuds, 1More’s second generation of wireless earbuds, are fantastic. They’re exceptionally comfy and sweat-resistant (IPX5), and they sound just as nice as buds that cost twice as much. You can wear them for hours and nearly forget they’re there thanks to their silicone ring tips, and the four built-in microphones improve call quality over the previous model.
The six hours of battery life per charge is a half-hour less than the previous model, but the earbuds are smaller and lighter. Between sessions, the case has about 16 hours of battery life left. At this time, they’re typically available for around $60, making them a great deal.
3. Sony WF-1000XM4
The Sony WH-1000XM4 is the best true wireless earbuds you’ll find if you don’t want to hear anything around you. The mix of foam ear tips and Sony’s digital signal processing turns down the world better than anything else. If you have smaller ears, you’ll want to go for the similar Bose model. You may modify the equalization and how much outside sound you wish to hear with the companion app. You can also have them recognize when you’re speaking and automatically halt the music, which is useful if you need to talk to someone but don’t want to take out your earbuds.
JLab Audio Go Air-Best Budget Buds
Not everyone can afford to spend hundreds of dollars on wireless earbuds. JLab allows you to pay as little as $30. (They also frequently go on sale.) The Go Air is no exception to the company’s reputation for producing big-name-rivaling earbuds at a fraction of the price. For $30, you get a comfortable fit and five hours of battery life—plus they’re sweatproof.
4. JLab Audio Go Air
In order to make the Elite 7 Active look elegant and comfortable, Jabra looked at a lot of people’s ears. Despite the fact that So and I have quite different ear sizes, we both found these earbuds to be really pleasant and stable on our outdoor trips. The music quality, noise-cancelling technology, and microphone are all superb, and the buds have a particular grip on the exterior to keep them in your ears. What’s the best part? A two-year guarantee and an 8-hour battery life (!) are included.
5. Jabra Elite 7 Active
Jabra frequently keeps previous models on the market for years, so you won’t have any trouble replacing ear tips, the casing, or even a bud as needed. The Beats Powerbeats Pro headphones are the most secure Beats headphones. Apple’s Powerbeats Pro is designed to be thicker than many of the earbuds on our list. They’re made to keep you safe even when you’re sweating a lot, and they have an IPX4 water-resistance certification. They sound significantly better than Apple’s basic AirPods or practically any pair of Beats you’ve ever heard, and they provide a whopping nine hours of battery life from a single charge (18 extra hours with the portly 3 x 3-inch square case they come in). When you pull one of the phones out of your ear, one of the most useful features is the option to instantly halt or divert calls back to your phone. However, many of its features will not operate on an Android phone, but the essential functions will. Even better, they are regularly on sale for approximately $180.
6. Beats Powerbeats Pro
The Beats Fit Pro has the same H1 chip found in Apple’s AirPods and AirPods Pro but in a far more comfortable and ergonomic design. Add in six hours of battery life with active noise cancellation turned on and some of the best sound we’ve heard for less than $200, and you’ve got yourself the best iPhone earbuds. They’re still compatible with Android devices, thanks to an app that lets you customise the buttons’ functions and perform a fit test. You may even choose from a variety of styles:
7. Beats Fit Pro
The Beats Fit Pro is available in four different colours, ranging from bright white to pinkish purple. Also works with iPhones. The Apple AirPods Pro are a pair of wireless headphones from Apple. Although they’re pricey and only last 4.5 hours, Apple’s AirPods Pro are still a good choice for anyone who uses Apple hardware, whether it’s a Mac, iPhone, or iPad.
8. Apple AirPods Pro
The AirPods have a new chip called the H1 that allows them to be paired almost instantly. Active noise cancellation removes unwanted noise, and silicone ear tips, a first for AirPods, make them more comfortable. You’ll also be able to move between Apple devices with ease, which is always a benefit. Simply say “Hey Siri” to activate Apple’s voice assistant, which will change your music, send texts, and add items to your shopping list. The earbuds have an IPX4 rating, so you won’t have to worry about them becoming wet when you’re working out. The supplied carrying cover is also wirelessly rechargeable through MagSafe. Excellent for Android smartphones.
9. Samsung Galaxy Buds2
By far, my favorite headphones for Android are Samsung’s Buds2 For around the same price as a regular pair of AirPods, you get noise cancellation, and a longer battery life (5 hours with noise cancellation, 7.5 hours without), and some the lightest, coziest buds available. There is a wireless charging case for the Buds2 as well as a two-driver array for better bass. They’re also available in pastel hues. If you have an iPhone, you won’t be able to use the EQ controls, look for lost headphones, perform Samsung’s fit test, or use the Bixby voice assistant. The companion app is only for Android. It’s also worth mentioning that these earbuds have been known to cause ear discomfort in some users. I didn’t have this problem, but if you do, be sure to return the buds right away.
10. Sony LinkBuds
Sony LinkBuds are the best for getting about town. Many of us have been getting out and about recently, but working out in public or riding your bike while using earbuds can be risky. That’s why I enjoy the Sony LinkBuds, which feature actual holes in the middle of each driver to let outside sound in. You’ll hear announcements at the grocery mixed in with your music, or an approaching automobile before crossing the street. They also come with a teeny-tiny charging case, making them ideal for stashing in a jacket pocket.
11. AfterShokz OpenRun Pro
AfterShokz OpenRun Pro Alternative Earbuds. Eric Ravenscraft raved about the Shokz OpenRun Pro, which wraps around your head and employs bone conduction technology to allow you to hear music and the outside world. The aforementioned Sony LinkBuds have a smaller footprint, but they feature a more secure construction and come with a 10-hour battery life for extra-long exercises.
12. Grado GT22
Grado GT220 for Headphone Enthusiasts Check out this no-frills pair from Grado Labs if you want a more audiophile-like wireless listening experience. Brooklyn is known for producing high-quality headphones and turntable cartridges, and it has recently expanded to include fully wireless earbuds. The GT220 is lightweight and comfy, and it provides a high-quality version of the company’s clear sound.
An IPX4 rating and six hours of battery life outside of the supplied charging case are decent stats, and unlike Grado’s larger, flashier headphones, they appear unassuming enough to carry anywhere.
13. Amazon Echo Buds (2021)
Amazon Echo Buds Second Generation They have all of the features of a quality set of wireless earbuds—wireless charging, noise cancellation, and superb app-based customization—but the true reason to buy them is the fantastic Alexa integration. While listening to music, the earbuds listen for voice commands, allowing you to set timers, check the weather, and add items to grocery lists from anywhere. It takes a little getting used to, but having a voice assistant with you all day is more useful than you may imagine.
Mentions of Merit Other Buds That We Enjoy
Every month, it seems like new earbuds with longer battery lives and more compact designs are released. As a result, we won’t be able to include everything we enjoy. If you’re still looking, here are some more suggestions.
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 for $200: Sennheiser’s outstanding high-end earbuds finally get noise cancellation. You’ll have to pay a premium for these, but they feature some of the best sound quality available. They also correct a fault in the original pair of Momentums that caused the battery to deplete after a week or so, even if you weren’t using them.
Master & Dynamic MW08 Sport: $349 The Sports are a terrific alternative with active noise cancellation and a beautiful style, but their exorbitant price puts them out of reach for the majority of users. The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 are among the best-looking and sounding earbuds on the market. For a broad and dynamic sound, you get two dedicated speakers with dedicated amps, as well as AptX adaptive compatibility for up to 24-bit streaming. What are the drawbacks? With noise-canceling enabled, they barely receive four hours of battery life, and the price tag is yikes.
For $120 JBL/Under Armour True Wireless Flash: This is the second version of JBL and Under Armour’s exercise earbuds. They are very strong because they have a pair of wide, soft ear fins and cross-hatched rubber parts on top. There are 10 hours of battery life, Bluetooth 5.0 for fast connections, and a great set of tactile buttons incorporated into the Under Armour emblems. And there are no obnoxious touch controls!
Why didn’t we include AirPods instead of earbuds?
As a general guideline, stay away from earbuds that don’t support Bluetooth 5.0 or have less than five hours of battery life. Wireless headphones’ batteries decrease with time, so the greater your battery life is now, the better it will be in two to three years. There are so many varieties now that it’s difficult to list all of the earbuds we don’t like. However, while Apple’s basic AirPods (first, second, or third generation) perform certain things well, we don’t think they’re all that great.
Final Words
They have a decent battery life, the best true wireless earbuds come in a small case, and work well for calls, but they don’t fit all ears properly, and you’re out of luck if they’re loose because they don’t have ear tips or wings. Do you want music that is crystal clear and excellent in quality? Get another set of headphones from this list or the AirPods Pro (see above), which are a little more expensive but very excellent best true wireless earbuds.