Finding the best earbuds to suit your needs and your budget can be difficult. There are many different types to choose from, including wired in-ear headphones, neckbud-style wireless headphones, and true wireless earbuds. How do you know which one you should choose?
If you hate wires and have a fairly healthy budget, we recommend cable-free true wireless earbuds, like the Sony WF-1000XM4 and the AirPods Pro – many of which come with extra features, including active noise-cancellation and the ability to adjust the EQ levels of your music.
That’s why we’ve brought together this handy guide. The best earbuds of 2021 all come in a range of different form factors – the style you should choose depends on your needs. If you hate wires and have a fairly healthy budget, we recommend cable-free true wireless earbuds, like the Sony WF-1000XM4 and the AirPods Pro – many of which now come with extra features, including noise-cancellation.
Perhaps you value security and audio fidelity above all else. In that case, check out the wired earbuds we’ve selected, which can plug directly into your phone or portable music player. Or, opt for something that has the best of both worlds with a pair of the best wireless earbuds. These styles are able to connect to your phone via Bluetooth but still retain a cord between the two earbuds themselves, which means there's no chance of one falling down the drain (well, very little chance, anyway).
Although there are different designs, prices and brands to choose from, from budget wireless earbuds to class-leading models, all of the top earphones in our list below are compact, sound fantastic, and are super-convenient to use compared to bulky noise-cancelling headphones.
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The best earbuds you can buy
If you like your earbuds to come with a cable, the 1More Triple Driver in-ear headphones are the best wiredearbuds you can buy in 2021. After spending a few weeks with both the 1MORE Triple Driver in-ear headphones and the 1MORE Quad Driver in-ear headphones we were blown away at just how much value each one gave in their prospective price ranges.
For AED 250 / SAR 250, it’s hard to think of a better sounding pair of earbuds than the 1MORE Triple Driver. That said, if you want just that little extra refinement and luxury materials, the 1MORE Quad Driver in-ear headphones are still a bargain at twice the price.
There’s very little we can fault the Triple Drivers for. Their rubber cable is annoying and its remote control feels cheap but these are just nitpicks.For their price, it’s impossible to do better than 1MORE's Triple Driver in-ear headphones.
Read the full review: 1More Triple Driver In-Ear Headphone review
Sony is largely responsible for the rude health of the active noise-cancelling true wireless earbuds market, and with the WF-1000XM4, the company has combined performance, ergonomics, and build quality more effectively than ever before.
Compared to their predecessors, the Sony WF-1000XM3, the new wireless earbuds offer enough quality-of-life features to make them worth upgrading to, even if they are more expensive.
While other true wireless earbuds surpass the Sony WF-1000XM4 in particular areas – noise cancellation, for example – no other model comes close to offering such excellent quality across the board. That’s why the Sony WF-1000XM4 are hands-down the best true wireless earbuds you can buy today.
Read more: Sony WF-1000XM4 review
NuraLoop boils down the essence of the company's first product, the Nuraphone, into a much more compact, rugged, and affordable package. The great news is, it doesn't lose much in the process.
The star of the show in the Nuraloop headphones – and all products from this brand – is its adaptive audio technology. This is able to automatically determine a listening profile for users and then feeds them customized, well-balanced, lush sound as a result.
On top of this, features like active noise-cancelling, social mode, an IPX3 rating, Immersion mode, a great battery life, and the ability to attach an analog cable for 3.5mm headphone jacks makes this pair of wireless earbuds truly shine.
Read more: NuraLoop headphones review
Yes, they look very much like Apple’s AirPods Pro and no Honor Earbuds 3 Pro review worth its Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity can ignore this fact. But rather than joining the ever-growing poor imitation pile, Honor has taken the shape of the pro-suffixed AirPods and added on-device volume control to the stems, a more customizable and enjoyable noise-cancellation experience, a new slick and easy app (as long as you don’t own an iPhone – it's only available for Android) and most importantly delivered a fuller, meatier bass, a more expansive soundstage and a better, more detailed sonic experience overall.
And it has managed to do it all at a more palatable price point than Apple’s Pro alternative. Despite the Earbuds 3 Pro's familiar headshell and toothbrush-head design, under the hood Honor has gone out on a limb by implementing the world’s first coaxial dual-driver design with 11mm dynamic driver and piezoelectric ceramic tweeter here. Basically, the two individual drive units are built concentrically so that they radiate sound from the same point. And it could have been a disaster. Only, it is quite the opposite. It's a resounding triumph – and Apple should be worried.
Read the full Honor Earbuds 3 Pro review
The NuraTrue are probably the most personalized wireless earbuds you can buy today – and some of the best-sounding, too.
They’re the first true wireless earbuds from Australian audio brand Nura, following in the footsteps of its NuraLoop earphones, which rank just one position higher in this list and are some of our favorite wired earbuds of all time.
They offer unbeaten levels of customization that allow the earbuds to be tuned to your ears exactly. The accompanying app even analyzes how well the buds fit into your ears. The end result is outstanding audio performance that reveals superb levels of detail in your music, and a wide soundstage that enables every instrument to sing.
Listening to Princes’ Gang Gang Dance, the pulsating synths and driving, distorted percussion sounds as if it’s coming at you from every angle. As the bass line drops, with Tinchy Stryder’s attacking rap vocal coming in, the sound feels incredibly immersive, with a wide soundstage and plenty of detail.
They also come with plenty of features that will appeal to anyone who wants a cheaper alternative to popular models, such as the AirPods Pro and the Sony WF-1000XM4, including decent noise cancellation, an IPX4 water-resistance rating, fast charging, and support for hi-res audio too.
Read the full NuraTrue review
Cambridge Audio might be best known for its high-end audio equipment, but over the past few years, the British company has branched out into the world of true wireless earbuds.
Its first offering is the Melomania 1, which are among the best wireless earbuds you can buy. However, the new Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 Plus are a worthy upgrade, putting many other earbuds in the shade in terms of audio performance, battery life, and ease-of-use.
While the design of the Melomania 1 Plus hasn’t deviated too far from its predecessors, there’s a clear step-up in terms of audio performance, with levels of detail and clarity that could rival some of the best over-ear headphones.
A helpful app, easy controls, and excellent connectivity just makes us love them even more. The only downside is that there’s no active noise cancellation. However, when these earbuds sound this good, we doubt you’ll miss it much.
Read more: Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 Plus review
When we first reviewed the original Lypertek PurePlay Z3 true wireless earbuds (then known as the Lypertek Tevi), we were blown away – and they were so good, we made them our headphone product of the year.
Fast-forward a couple of years, and we’re now looking at their successors, the Lypertek PurePlay Z3 2.0 true wireless earbuds. They’re very similar to the originals, with a few key improvements, and yet still come in at the same affordable price point as their predecessors.
You're getting everything we loved about the original PurePlay Z3 (detailed balanced sound, a whopping 80 hours total battery life from its petite USB-C charging case, and a comfortably fitting bud with physical buttons), as well as wireless charging, a powerful new LDX Audio mode, improved app functionality and a hear through ambient mode.
Read more: Lypertek PurePlay Z3 2.0 true wireless earbuds review
The Bowers & Wilkins PI3 are the first neckband headphones for the company, and they're a great start. Well-designed, comfy, and simple to use, their great sound makes them some of the best earbuds you can buy today.
Thanks to dual drivers, these buds sound fantastic, with crisp highs, lively mids, and plenty of powerful bass. Look past the fairly unremarkable battery life and limited features, and you'll be mostly very impressed by what these in-ear headphones offer.
Read the full review: Bowers & Wilkins PI3 Wireless Headphones review
The sound quality, battery life, and design of the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 are truly brilliant – and they're a really good alternative to the Sony WF-1000XM3, particularly if your idea of the best earbuds are a little more flashy.
We did find that those with smaller ears sometimes find them a little uncomfortable, however, and their high price just stops them from beating the Sony's to second place of this round up.
Otherwise? Sennheiser has pretty much knocked it out of the park with these in-ear headphones, offering great noise cancellation alongside smart looks and stunning sound.
Read more: Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 review
Apple's noise-cancelling true wireless earbuds, the AirPods Pro, deliver a much better fit and an improved design compared to the original AirPods.
However, at AED 999 / SAR 999, they’re pretty pricey too, and as such can’t be called the very best true wireless earbuds in terms of value for money – but they may be the best true wireless earbuds for Apple fans. That said, AirPods Pro deals are becoming more commonplace as the buds age.
These snug-fitting earbuds offer a great sound, and the additional microphones provide strong noise-cancelling (particularly when commuting), as well as a useful Transparency mode, which really does let the outside world in. They even support Dolby Atmos immersive sound, following an update last year.
Apparently, there's a new AirPods model set to join the original buds and the newer Pros. The AirPods Pro 2 are rumored to be a new, cheaper variant of the company's popular true wireless earbuds, and they could be released in the next few months.
Read more: Apple AirPods Pro review
How to choose the best earbuds for you
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The best earbuds for you need to feel ultra-comfortable to wear for extended periods of time, and must fit securely in your ear for decent noise isolation.
If you're looking for a pair of running headphones, your new earphones should have an IPX4 water-resistance rating or above; this means that they'll be able to withstand a little sweat as well as a spot of rain.
There are wired and wireless earbuds on this list, but you don't have to compromise on audio quality by going wire-free. Our current favorite true wireless earbuds, the Sony WF-1000XM3 combine class-leading sound with high quality noise cancellation tech.
If you do opt for wireless or true wireless earbuds, make sure the battery life is up to scratch, otherwise you could find yourself caught short without any music in the middle of your commute.
Most importantly, the best earbuds for you should sound good to your ears. If you're a dedicated audiophile, look for buds that support Hi-Res Audio codecs like LDAC and aptX HD Bluetooth for stellar connectivity.
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FAQs
The best earbud and in-ear headphones FAQ: quick questions answered
Which brand has the best earbuds?
That totally depends on what you're looking for – but we're careful with our lists. That means all of the earbud and in-ear headphones below come from brands we trust. Still, if you're not sure where to start looking, respected brands like Sony, Apple, Cambridge Audio, Jabra, and Nura are good places to start.
What are the best cheap earbuds?
Some of the buds in this list are below the $80 / $80 mark, which makes them ideal for those who need a new set of headphones but can't justify a splurge. We recommend the 1More Triple Drive In-Ear Headphones – but if they're still too pricey for your current budget, then check out our guides to the best cheap headphones you can buy and the best budget wireless earbuds.
