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Truly wireless earbuds are relativelynew in the headphones market. While several models were made by lesser-known brands for a couple of years, they didn't become immensely popular until Apple released the first AirPods in late 2016. Since then, almost every company has thrown its hat in the ring. What used to be a relatively expensive product that lacked features is now available at every price pointwith impressiveperformance. While truly wireless headphones can't quite match the battery life of larger Bluetooth headphones, most popular options come with a charging case to extend their overall battery life while away from a charger, and some can juice upwith convenient wireless charging pads.
We've tested over 180 pairs of truly wireless earbuds and in-ear headphones, and below are our recommendations for the best options. They tend to cost more than ordinary earbuds, so check out our picks for thebest cheap earbudsif you're looking for something more budget-friendly. You can also look at thebest in-ears and earbuds, thebest earbuds for iPhone, and thebest wireless Bluetooth earbudsfor more options.
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Best True Wireless Earbuds
Sony WF-1000XM5 Truly Wireless 81
Neutral Sound
7.1
Commute/Travel
8.5
Sports/Fitness
8.3
Office
7.7
Wireless Gaming
5.7
Wired Gaming
5.5
Phone Calls
6.8
Type In-ear
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless Truly Wireless
Transducer Dynamic
Noise Cancelling Yes
Mic Yes
See all our test results
The Sony WF-1000XM5 Truly Wireless are the best true wireless earbuds we've tested. These high-end buds are the next generation of the Sony WF-1000XM4 Truly Wireless and have improved overall performance. They use memory foam ear tips alongsidetheir active noise cancelling (ANC) system to reduce a significant amount of ambient sound. The ear tips do most of the heavy lifting for those high-pitched noises like chatty neighbors and dish clatter, as theANC mostly targets bass-range noise like bus rumbles or aclothes dryer.
With the ANC on, they last well over eight hours continuously, and their case holds a couple of extra charges if needed. Out of the box, their warm sound profile adds a touch of extra boom to mixes without overwhelming vocals and instruments, plus they support 3D audio with compatible sources. You can also finetune their sound using their app's graphic EQ and presets. These buds support LDAC, which is Sony's proprietary codec for streaming Hi-Res audio, and multi-device pairing. Unfortunately, not everyone will find their fit comfortable, especially if you have small ear canals.
See our review
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Best Upper Mid-Range True Wireless Earbuds
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) Truly Wireless 22
Neutral Sound
7.4
Commute/Travel
8.2
Sports/Fitness
8.3
Office
7.3
Wireless Gaming
5.8
Wired Gaming
5.6
Type In-ear
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless Truly Wireless
Transducer Dynamic
Noise Cancelling Yes
Mic Yes
See all our test results
The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) Truly Wireless are a great option if you're looking for premium buds at a slightly lower price point. While they don't have sound customization features like the Sony WF-1000XM5 Truly Wireless, they offer a few features for iOS that you might appreciate if you're an iPhone or MacBook user. Their H2 chip helps with easy pairing to Apple devices, and they support Spatial Audio, a surround sound feature meant to create a more immersive listening experience with compatible content.
Their adaptive EQ results in a warm sound profile, so your audio has a bit of extra boom and cozy-sounding vocals and instruments. They don't block out as much ambient noise as the Sony, but their ANC still offers excellent overall performance with a wide range of noise, including rumbling bus and plane engines. The earbuds last just under six hours of continuous use with ANC on and come with a case with four extra charges. They have a comfortable fit for most people, but you might find they wiggle out of your ears after a while and require repositioning.
See our review
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Best Mid-Range True Wireless Earbuds
Google Pixel Buds Pro Truly Wireless 12
Neutral Sound
7.4
Commute/Travel
8.0
Sports/Fitness
8.0
Office
7.2
Wireless Gaming
5.5
Wired Gaming
5.4
Phone Calls
6.0
Type In-ear
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless Truly Wireless
Transducer Dynamic
Noise Cancelling Yes
Mic Yes
See all our test results
Consider the Google Pixel Buds Pro Truly Wireless for something more reasonably priced. These earbuds have a less secure fit for most and aren't as well-built as the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) Truly Wireless, but they still offer a great all-around performance. Their ANC feature does an excellent job of reducing noise like rumbling enginesduring your commute. They also support multi-device pairing, meaning you can stay connected with your phone and computer simultaneously.
They come in more colors than the Apple, so you can choose bright options like 'Coral' and 'Lemongrass.'Their V-shaped sound profile adds rumble and punch to your audio and keeps instruments and vocals clear and bright. You can also customize the sound with an in-app graphic EQ and presets. They include somefeatures unique to the brand, like access to Google Translate for live translation. However, these buds have a somewhat bulky design compared to the previous picks and aren't as comfortable or stable for most, and some features,likespatial audio with head tracking, remainexclusive to those with newer Google Pixel phones.
If you're willing to spend a little more, the Jabra Elite 10 True Wireless offer a more comfortable fit and better stability, making them less likely to slip out of your ears during workouts. While their ANC feature blocks out less noise, their built-in mic handles noise better,so they workfor phone calls in noisy environments more effectively than the Google earbuds.
See our review
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Best Lower Mid-Range True Wireless Earbuds
Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless 17
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Neutral Sound
6.8
Commute/Travel
8.3
Sports/Fitness
8.0
Wireless Gaming
5.5
Wired Gaming
5.3
Phone Calls
6.4
Type In-ear
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless Truly Wireless
Transducer Dynamic
Noise Cancelling Yes
Mic Yes
See all our test results
If you're looking for affordable earbuds, the lower mid-rangeAnker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless are a great model forstarting your search. These earbuds don't have a virtual surround sound feature. Their warm sound profile lacks thump and rumble, making them less well-suited for bass-heavy music. However, it's well-balanced enough for various genres, and if you prefer a different sound, you can use the app's graphic EQ and presets for sound customization. They support LDAC, Sony's codec for Hi-Res audio via Bluetooth.
They also have an adaptive ANC system to adjust to the noise around you. It does a fantastic job of blocking out ambient sound and filters out low-pitchednoise like rumbling engines more effectively than the Google Pixel Buds Pro Truly Wireless. The earbuds last more than eight hours of continuous use with ANC on, and they havea case that holds an additional four charges.
The Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC True Wireless offer a similar performance butfeaturea stem design that protrudes from your ear, providing more stability. They have a bassier sound profile than the Space A40, which will suit fans of EDM and hip-hop, whiletheir mic has a better recording quality. However, the Space A40 provide greater attenuation against bass range noise, and it's easier to achieve a consistent sound delivery with them.
See our review
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Best Budget Wireless Earbuds
JBL Vibe Buds True Wireless 5
Neutral Sound
7.2
Commute/Travel
7.7
Sports/Fitness
8.1
Office
7.1
Wireless Gaming
5.8
Wired Gaming
5.6
Phone Calls
6.6
Type In-ear
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless Truly Wireless
Transducer Dynamic
Noise Cancelling No
Mic Yes
See all our test results
Check out the JBL Vibe BudsTrue Wireless for wireless earbuds at an affordable price. Unlike many budget-friendly options, they have a companion app, which gives you more control over their performance. The soundaddssomeextra thump in the bass and a bit of brightness tosibilants (S and T sounds) and harmonics in your audio.You can change the tuning to your taste by using the companion app's parametric EQ and presets. Besides the app's EQ, the feature is pretty spartan, so if you care about multi-device pairing or LDAC support, consider the Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless instead.
The buds are decentlysecure and lightweight, with adurable IP54 rating against dust and water.With a long battery life of more than eight hours, you can get through a workday's worth of continuous playback. The passive isolation can block a small amount of low-pitched rumbles and a good amount of chatter, but they don't have ANC, so look at our lower mid-range pickto filter low-pitched noise.Their mic sounds decent in a quiet environment but struggles to separate noise from speech. For a slightly better mic, the JBL Vibe Beam True Wireless handlenoise better. They have a lot of similarities, although these have a slightly shorter continuous battery life and one less charge stored in the case. However,theydohavea lid.
See our review
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Best Noise Cancelling Earbuds
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Truly Wireless 52
Neutral Sound
7.3
Commute/Travel
8.3
Sports/Fitness
8.4
Office
7.5
Wireless Gaming
5.7
Wired Gaming
5.5
Phone Calls
6.2
Type Earbuds
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless Truly Wireless
Transducer Dynamic
Noise Cancelling Yes
Mic Yes
See all our test results
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Truly Wireless are the best noise cancelling earbuds we've tested. Both the Bose and the Sony WF-1000XM5 Truly Wireless arepremium earbuds, but if you want something that suppresses a range of ambient noise, the Bose are the best pick.While the Sony reducemore noiseoverall, this is largely due to their memory foam ear tip design, which significantly contributes totheir passive isolating capabilities. On the other hand, the Bose use shallowersilicone ear tips, and theseput less pressure on your ear canals. Their ANC handilytacklesbus rumbles, street traffic, and high-pitched fans. The buds boasta respectable seven hours of continuous playback with ANC on, and you getthree extra charges from the case.
They have a relatively neutral sound profile that's less bass-heavy than the Sony but still provideplenty of thump and rumble.They feature the same CustomTune technology as the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II Truly Wireless, which adapts the sound profile and noise isolation performance to the shape of your ears. However, this newest generation includes features like Immersive Audio—a spatial audio technology that uses head-tracking to create a more immersive, 3D sound. That said, their integrated mic's noise-handling performance is poor, and they lack Bluetooth multi-device pairing, so you'll have to manually pair and unpair devices if you want to switch audio sources.
See our review
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Best Truly Wireless Earbuds For Running
Beats Powerbeats Pro Truly Wireless 5
Neutral Sound
7.6
Commute/Travel
6.9
Sports/Fitness
8.3
Office
6.7
Wireless Gaming
5.9
Wired Gaming
5.7
Phone Calls
6.3
Type In-ear
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless Truly Wireless
Transducer Dynamic
Noise Cancelling No
Mic Yes
See all our test results
Lace up your sneakers and grab the Beats Powerbeats Pro Truly Wireless for the best truly wireless earbuds for running we've tested. They come gym-ready with secure and malleable over-ear hooks, so you won't have to concern yourself with them falling out. Their IPX4 rating can handle some splashes of water, and their long battery life means you can go to the gym several times or wear them through a marathon without needing a recharge. If you're caught with a low battery, they also have a quick charge function, although they use a Lightning cable, which is inconvenient for some people.
If you have an iOS device, the buds use an H1 chip to optimize your connection, and after your workout, you can seamlessly switch to your Apple device or computer. They have the right amount of boom and thump, with clear lead instruments and a warmer top-end that veils sibilant sounds like S and T, which works great for genres like rock and dance music. If you need something with a tougher build, the Jaybird Vista 2 Truly Wireless not only have greater water resistance for both the buds and the case but also dust resistance, which works if you run in downpours or on dusty trails. Unfortunately, their battery is much shorter, and while, unlike the Beats, they have ANC, it's not especially impressive.
For more options to keep up with your runs, check out the best wireless earbuds for running and working out.
See our review
Recent Updates
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Feb 16, 2024: This article was updated to move the Beats Powerbeats Pro to the 'Best Truly Wireless Earbuds For Running' pick and to add the JBL Vibe Buds True Wireless as the 'Best Budget' pick. Minor text edits are made throughout.
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Dec 19, 2023: We've added the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Truly Wireless as our 'Best Noise Cancelling' pick and added the Jabra Elite 10 True Wireless, Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC, and Anker Soundcore P25i/P20i True Wireless as alternatives. The Devialet Gemini II True Wireless and the JLab Audio GO Air POP have been added as Notable Mentions.
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Oct 18, 2023: We've checked our picks for accuracy and product availability. However, there hasn't been a change in our recommendations.
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Aug 21, 2023: We've replaced the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II Truly Wireless with the Sony WF-1000XM5 Truly Wireless, as the Sony offer a slightly better, more customizable performance. We've also replaced the Anker Soundcore Life Dot 2 Truly Wireless with the JBL Vibe Beam True Wireless, as the Anker haven't been in stock for a while.
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Jun 23, 2023: Due to ongoing issues with the availability of the Anker Soundcore Life Dot 2 Truly Wireless, we've modified the text to warn users that they may be hard to find.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently thebest earbudsbuy for most people in each price range. We factor in the price (cheaper headphones win over pricier ones if the difference isn't worth it), feedback from our visitors, and availability (no headphones that are difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere).
If you would like to choose for yourself, here is the list of all our reviews for truly wireless headphones. Be careful not to get caught up in the details. There are no perfect headphones. Personal taste, preference, and listening habits will matter more in your selection.
