The best wireless earbuds 2024: top AirPods and alternatives, chosen by experts

Technics wireless earbuds on a colorful background with the TechRadar logo
(Image credit: Technics)

The best wireless earbuds promise comfort, a secure fit, great sound quality and reliable Bluetooth connectivity all packaged in a compact design. Our reviewers have tested hundreds of earbuds – from wired earbuds to the best true wireless earbuds models – so we know exactly what you can get for your money, and which are the best value.

When looking at the best wireless earbuds, we consider audio quality, battery life, comfort, and extra smart features, including active noise cancellation. Every pick in our list below is worth your time – many feature in our ultimate best headphones guide – and we think there's a pair to suit everyone here, no matter whether you're looking for the best earbuds for Android or iPhone.

The most popular style of headphones today by a long way is true wireless earbuds, and our list consists entirely of these products. AirPods are the best-selling model of them, but they're not so great if you don't have an iPhone, so you'll find the best AirPods alternatives based on our testing in this list.

There may be wireless earbuds you have in mind that aren't on this list – it doesn't mean we haven't tested them, or we hate them, it just means we think these are a better way to spend your money.

The quick list

Want to cut to the chase and find out which wireless earbuds are the best? Below, you’ll find a roundup of our choices. You can also jump to a more detailed review of every pick, along with our price comparison tool to help you find the best deals.

Curated by
Senior audio staff writer Becky Scarrott, in a field
Curated by
Becky Scarrott

I've reviewed over 150 audio products since becoming a tech journalist, ranging from super-budget earbuds to high-end Hi-Res Audio music players. Before joining TechRadar, I spent three years at What Hi-Fi? testing everything the world of audio had to offer; before that, I was a professional dancer. My love of music ties it all together.

Recent updates

November 1, 2024
We rewrote and redesigned this guide with more information about each product, to make it easier to see which buds will be the best fit for you.

The best wireless earbuds of 2024

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The best wireless earbuds overall

The best wireless earbuds for excellent sound and future-proofed features

Specifications

Weight: 7g
Frequency response: 40-20,000Hz
Drivers: 10mm
Battery life: (Up to) 7h (earbuds); (up to) 25h (charging case)

Reasons to buy

+
Poised, revealing sound
+
Triple-point connectivity
+
Outstanding reliability and comfort

Reasons to avoid

-
Noise cancelling and battery life are more average
-
Not the smallest or lightest buds

1-minute summary: I'll get straight to it: after more than a year of using them, they're still my go-to reference earbuds. Simply put, nothing has beaten them yet. The Technics EAH-AZ80's novel concha design looks a little big, but I promise it isn't – I have smaller ears and let me tell you, they fit like a dream. You also get seven different sizes of silicone tips in the packaging, versus three or four with most flagship earbuds (Sony, I'm looking at you), and there are four mics per earbud, rather than the three you get in most rival options. What good does this do? It means Technics' Just My Voice tech beats Bose's quality during calls, and the noise cancellation is good too. I said at the time that Technics could relax for a while after releasing the EAH-AZ80 and I stand by it – 18 months since their release and still no rival option supports triple-device multipoint connectivity. Bravo, Technics. I'll admit I didn't see it coming at the time (who did?) but life is full of surprises – and the fact that Bowers & Wilkins' Award-winning 2024 set of earbuds look suspiciously like the Technics trailblazer is just one more reason to consider them. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Read our full Technics EAH-AZ80 review

Recommended by
Becky Scarrott
Recommended by
Becky Scarrott

Reasons to buy

✅ You like a neutral, natural sound: These impressively coherent, organized and true-to-life earbuds will really suit those who want to hear extra detail, placement and texture in their tracks.

You want to switch between devices easily: The triple-point connectivity is the first time we've seen it, and makes it seamless to move between phone, tablet and laptop without re-pairing.

You often struggle to get earbuds that fit: Technics calls it 'Concha fit', we call it secure, easy to wear and comfortable even over long listening sessions.

Reasons to avoid

You want a super-long battery life: The longevity here isn't as impressive as some options – it's fine, it's just not above average.

You need the best noise cancellation: Again, they don't do this badly at all, but the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 at #4 on the list can do it just that bit better.

You want the newest buds on the block: A May 2023 release hardly makes them old, but if you're someone who wants the newest earbuds around, these aren't them.

The best mid-range wireless earbuds

The best wireless earbuds under $100 / £100

Specifications

Weight: 4.7g
Frequency response: Not listed
Drivers: 11mm
Battery life : 5.5 hours (buds) 24.5 hours (case)

Reasons to buy

+
Energetic and expansive sound
+
Good-quality active noise cancellation
+
Small case and cool design

Reasons to avoid

-
No wireless charging
-
Middling battery life

1-minute summary: I cannot believe the price of these earbuds for what you get. Not only do they look the absolute business, they sound it too. Nothing's 2024-issue earbuds are the cheaper siblings to the flagship Nothing Ear (which launched on the self-same day), but unless you want the hearing test and subsequent personalized sound profile reserved for the flagship set, I'd save your money and opt for these. You do get in-ear detection, excellent ANC, a low-lag toggle for gaming, detailed sound quality, issue-free multipoint to two devices, an ear tip fit test plus a Find My Earbuds feature, which issues a rattlesnake-style sound from whichever bud you're trying to locate. They're a joy to listen to, especially given their lowly sub-$100 / £100 asking fee – and let's not forget that those pinch-able stems now offer you a direct line to ChatGPT whenever you need it, as long as you have a Nothing phone with the latest Nothing OS installed. Hardly nothing worth shouting about, I think you'll agree…

Read our full Nothing Ear (a) review

Recommended by
Becky Scarrott
Recommended by
Becky Scarrott

Reasons to buy

✅ You want great ANC for less: These offer the best noise-nixing power we've heard for the price.

You go for serious sound quality: The Ear (a) are a seriously fun and zealous listen, aided by their support for LDAC higher-res wireless tech.

You like your tech bold-looking: I've never had so many people stop me and ask what my earbuds are (I had the yellow set).

Reasons to avoid

You want spatial audio support: The similarly priced Sony WF-C700N offer this from certain services, but you won't find it here.

You need top-tier stamina: 5.5 hours with noise cancellation on is distinctly average – again, the Sony buds mentioned above offer 7.5 hours.

You'd like Nothing's hearing test and personalized sound profile: for that, you'll need to shell out a little more, for the flagship Nothing Ear.

The best wireless earbuds on a budget

The best wireless earbuds for a budget price

Specifications

Weight: 31g
Frequency response: 20Hz - 20,000Hz
Drivers: 6mm
Battery life: 11 hours (buds) 11 hours (case)

Reasons to buy

+
Punchy, talented audio
+
Sony 360 Reality Audio support
+
Great in-bud battery life

Reasons to avoid

-
A few missing features
-
Confusing custom equalizer mode
-
Limited case battery life

1-minute summary: I'm a big fan of Sony's more affordable headphones and earbuds, because even if they end up missing a few features, you always know that the company will offer an excellent balance to the sound, so you'll get the most from your music despite the low price. The Sony WF-C510 continue that tradition, dropping a few mod-cons in exchange for sound that's really engaging and well-defined, and Sony's DSEE upscaling tech really improves tracks from places like Spotify. The very comfortable design is a big win in my book., too. It's a shame not to have active noise cancellation in particular, but if you can live without it, this is basically the best sound quality you'll find for the price.

Read our full Sony WF-C510 review

Recommended by
Matt Bolton
Recommended by
Matt Bolton

Reasons to buy

✅ You need cheap buds: They're our budget pick for a reason. If you want affordable buds, this is the best choice around right now balancing price and sound.

You value longevity: It's not the best battery life you'll find. But we measured essentially 11 hours of playback, which is great for the price.

You want sound over features: We love the audio quality for the price, but it's clear Sony has focused on this over offering ANC or wear detection.

Reasons to avoid

You want noise cancellation: There are budget buds with active noise cancellation (see the Earfun in this list), but these miss out.

You want to take them travelling: So the battery in the buds is great, but the case battery? Not so much. If you want to use them without charging for days, look elsewhere.

You want hefty bass: The sound is great, but is lighter on low-end – and custom EQ doesn't make it super-easy to adjust it.

The best wireless earbuds for ANC

The best wireless earbuds for sheer noise-cancelling power

Specifications

Weight: 6.24g
Frequency response: Not listed
Drivers: 9.4mm
Battery life: 6 hours (buds) 24 hours (case)

Reasons to buy

+
Smaller, more comfortable design
+
Best-in-class noise cancellation
+
Beautiful sound

Reasons to avoid

-
Call quality could be better
-
No support for higher-resolution wireless codecs
-
No wireless charging

1-minute summary: Even though they've been superseded by the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (and that was in September 2023), these slightly older 2022 buds are still in this list, while the newer set aren't. Why? It's a question of value, and I don't think enough has been updated in the newer set to warrant the price hike over these excellent earbuds. OK, so a July 2024 update means you now get multipoint in the Ultra set (but not these), and if you want Bose's fun spatial audio profiles to go with the still-aces ANC, you should pay the extra. For me, anyone looking to buy into Bose is looking for noise cancellation, and Bose basically wrote the book on that. Here, what you've got is the best ANC in the business, some lovely extra features, a fit that'll work for most and a nice, fuss-free case, for a bit less than the now-flagship set. And that's why I think the QCE 2 are still where the smart money goes.

Read our full Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 review

Recommended by
Becky Scarrott
Recommended by
Becky Scarrott

Reasons to buy

✅ Noise cancellation is vital for you: These offer simply the best noise-zapping power for the price (the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds do it just as well, but they cost more).

You like a finely balanced sound: Whatever Bose's CustomTune does inside your ear, it works really well. The sound is very well balanced.

You like stems, but not long stems: the Bose QCE 2 feature the kind of stout stems you know are there, but the tails don't create drag or catch in longer hair.

Reasons to avoid

You want the newest buds on the block: a September 2022 release hardly makes them old in most sectors, but time moves fast in the world of true wireless earbuds, and newer buds have more features, such as multi-point pairing.

You want a slim, light bud: Although they're a lot smaller than Bose's older models, these are bulky buds against the competition. AirPods Pro 2 (#6 on this list) or Sony LinkBuds S are much slimmer and lighter.

You want Bose's immersive audio wizardry: That's only in the newer and more expensive QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, I'm afraid (not even the newest 2024 Bose QuietComfort Earbuds include this).

The best wireless earbuds if you want noise-blocking on a budget

Specifications

Weight: 5.2g
Frequency response: Not listed
Drivers: 11mm wool composite dynamic drivers
Battery life: 9 hours (buds) 36 hours (case)

Reasons to buy

+
Great all-rounders
+
Excellent battery life
+
Decent noise cancellation

Reasons to avoid

-
No sensors to detect you’re wearing them
-
Sound is fun but not fantastic
-
Stem design not for everyone

The best wireless earbuds for cheap ANC

1-minute summary: I've watched the price of high-quality earbuds come crashing down in the last few years, and the Earfun Air Pro 3 are a great example of what amazing value you can get these days. Good audio, useful active noise cancellation, higher-res wireless audio, great battery life, multi-point pairing, and even future-proof Bluetooth LE Audio support… the Earfun Air Pro 3 don't think you need to give things up just because you're on a budget. When it comes to checkboxes, I'm always blown away by these buds – but naturally, if you spend a bit more (for the Nothing Ear (a), especially), you'll get a clear upgrade in sound quality and ANC power. But as an all-rounder for a low price, these are excellent. Incidentally, the Earfun Air Pro 4 are out now, and while we liked those, we found that they packed in so much they became a bit fussy to use. The older model, available at a lower price since it's been usurped, is the sweet spot.

Read our full Earfun Air Pro 3 review

Recommended by
Matt Bolton
Recommended by
Matt Bolton

Reasons to buy

✅ You want affordable all-rounder earbuds: A comfortable fit, reasonable ANC, decent sound quality and great battery life – all well under $100/£100.

You want a long battery life: There's a lot to like here, but the battery life is near the top of the list. High-end buds don't even get this much life usually.

You want something future-proof: Support for Bluetooth LE Audio and the LC3 is rare among all earbuds, let alone budget buds. It's here, and it's ready for when this feature is supported more widely.

Reasons to avoid

You expect total silence from the ANC: Being cheaper means they're not as noise-blocking as more expensive buds. It helps, but if you spend more, you get more.

You want audio fidelity: The sound quality is fine, but stepping up to the Nothing earbuds at #2 on the list is like night and day.

You prefer a svelte design: They're fairly chunky, with big extended sticks that long hair may catch on – and the case isn't compact either. A lot of other buds are more discreet.

The best wireless earbuds for Apple fans

The best wireless earbuds for iPhone owners

Specifications

Weight: 5.3g
Frequency response: Not listed
Drivers: Custom Apple design
Battery life : 6 hours (buds) 30 hours (case)

Reasons to buy

+
Top-tier active noise cancellation 
+
Great sound quality
+
Lots of very smart features for iPhone

Reasons to avoid

-
Average battery life
-
No lossless support
-
No good for Android

1-minute summary: I still use AirPods Pro 2 all the time, for exactly the reason they remain the most popular earbuds on the planet: they work so seamlessly with my Apple gear, they sound great, they're super-light and comfortable, and the active noise cancellation is right near the top of the class. The auto-switching between devices is so useful, and as a movie fan I really enjoy the Dolby Atmos spatial audio support. And I can't tell you how often I've made use of the nearly-unloseable case, with tech that means your iPhone can literally point you towards them (and the case can make noise). But I also don't want to understate how much I like their small and slim case, and non-bulky bud design. As with all AirPods, they're only really recommendable if you only want to connect them Apple gear, because they lack device-neutral multi-point switching or any kind of app control on Android. You can get better sound quality too, and Bose beats them for noise cancellation power. But as a complete package for Apple users, AirPods Pro 2 are incredibly hard to argue with – and because they regularly drop to under $170 / £180, they're actually excellent value too.

Read our full Apple AirPods Pro 2 review

Recommended by
Matt Bolton
Recommended by
Matt Bolton

Reasons to buy

✅ You want superb sound and noise cancellation: The audio quality is extremely strong, and the noise cancellation is nearly as good as you can right now.

You're in the Apple ecosystem: They've got lots of extra features for iPhone users, including Spatial Audio and Find My support – and they switch seamlessly between all your devices.

You want small and light earbuds: The case is smaller and slimmer than the competition, and the buds themselves are lighter than average.

Reasons to avoid

You want good battery life: These are distinctly average when it comes to the battery – most buds match or beat them, even with similar features.

You want to involve non-Apple devices: Android users miss out on the majority of features, and they won't auto-switch between an iPhone and, say, a Windows PC.

You want them in anything other than white: We really wish Apple would offer some colors, like it does for AirPods Max. But no.

The best wireless earbuds for Samsung fans

The best wireless earbuds for Samsung Galaxy phone owners

Specifications

Weight: 5.4g (buds) 46.5g (case)
Frequency response: 20-40,000Hz
Drivers: 10mm dynamic driver + planar tweeter
Battery life: 6 hours (buds) 30 hours (case)

Reasons to buy

+
Great sound, and serious Hi-Res skills
+
Strong noise cancellation
+
Classy, comfortable design and finish

Reasons to avoid

-
Battery life is only average
-
Some key features are Samsung-only
-
Delicate ear-tips

1-minute summary: I think it's fair to say that Samsung took some pages from the AirPods book with its latest Pro earbuds, switching them to 'golf club' design with stems, and keeping some of their best features exclusive to Samsung Galaxy devices. It means that for users of other Android devices, I'd generally point you to other options – but for Samsung owners, they're pretty damn great, and those exclusive options are juicy. The head-tracked spatial audio is really effective, and Samsung's devices support Dolby Atmos, so you're getting the best version of it. The 24-bit Hi-Res Audio support is kind of mind-blowing as a feature, and means you really eke the most out of music streaming services with lossless support. The AI features are not really essential yet, but I suspect they'll get developed and improved rapidly, so they're future-proof. Most importantly, these earbuds sound excellent and offer strong active noise cancellation, so make an excellent package for the Galaxy fans – especially because Samsung tends to get aggressive with discounts, so they'll probably be great value if you buy smartly.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review

Recommended by
Matt Bolton
Recommended by
Matt Bolton

Reasons to buy

✅ You have a Samsung Galaxy phone: The Buds 3 Pro offer a load of extra smarts when used with Samsung phones, including spatial audio and AI features.

You want Samsung's best audio quality: Samsung's 24-bit audio (again, if you have its own phones to use with the buds) is superb for elite music fans.

You want strong active noise cancellation: These are highly effective at cutting off the outside world, without being big and bulky.

Reasons to avoid

You want big features on another phone brand: General Android users won't get as much from these buds, and iPhone users don't even get an app to control them.

You want the absolute best value: They're excellent, but they're not cheap, and non-Samsung owners won't get as much out of them.

You don't like a stick design: Samsung changed from its previous buds-only design to a stick design that's especially futuristic. It won't be for everyone.

The best wireless earbuds for sound

The best wireless earbuds for superlative sound

Specifications

Weight: 7g per earbud
Frequency response: Not stated
Drivers: 12mm carbon cone
Battery life: Up to 6.5 hrs (buds), up to 20hr total

Reasons to buy

+
Levels of detail and dynamism rarely heard
+
Hugely improved comfort; better stamina
+
Effective noise cancellation

Reasons to avoid

-
No hearing or fit tests
-
No spatial audio
-
Battery life is still beatable

1-minute summary: Let's not be coy; the Pi8 are are completely different to the unreliable (and quite uncomfortable) Pi7 S2 that Bowers & Wilkins put its name to before them. The company approached the challenge of solving the older siblings' snafus with both humility and grace too, completely redesigning the driver housings – to look, it must be said, not unlike the also-excellent 2023 Technics EAH-AZ80 – and adding an upgraded DAC, DSP and amplifier. Yes, the Pi8 effectively bypass Qualcomm's digital-to-analog converter for even better audio quality compared to their direct rivals. B&W's commitment to sound doesn't surprise me though; what does is fact that they can nullify noise as well the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds or the AirPods Pro 2. That feeling of being wrapped in a comforter of silence happens, but without any sense of wind-tunnel nausea. Also, you finally get on-ear volume control, which something I've been begging companies to implement for years, particularly in this premium sector. There's no spatial audio with head-tracking and no ear-tip fit tests or hearing profiles. No, B&W wants music (unaltered and at its most detailed) to be the star of the show here and the company has met the brief and then some. I cannot fault the sound quality the Pi8 earbuds are able to deliver wirelessly, or when using the case as a transmitter for aptX Adaptive quality at up to 24-bit/96kHz. And that is not something I often write.

Read our full Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 review

Recommended by
Becky Scarrott
Recommended by
Becky Scarrott

Reasons to buy

✅ You prioritize sound quality above all else: These buds offer the most zealous, balanced, detailed audio I've heard in a true wireless earbuds design. And the ANC? It's top-tier too.

You want buds that really fit: B&W has reworked everything here. Put them in and just leave them – no twisting, wedging or jamming them in again.

You want a wired connection too: The case for the Pi8 can be connected to USB-C ports or 3.5mm ports, and beams the sound to the buds in high quality – perfect for in-flight entertainment.

Reasons to avoid

You want spatial audio: No dice here, I'm afraid, in any form.

You want personalized sound tests: No, you don't get that here either.

You need to access ANC profiles and volume at all times: You have to choose between on-ear volume control, scrolling between your ANC profiles, or accessing your voice assistant.

The best wireless earbuds for battery life

The best wireless earbuds that go on and on

Specifications

Weight: 5g per earbud
Frequency response: 20 Hz - 40 kHz
Drivers: 10mm dynamic
Battery life: Up to 12 hrs (buds), up to 48hr total

Reasons to buy

+
Very impressive audio
+
Screen is fun and can be useful
+
Excellent battery life

Reasons to avoid

-
Somewhat weak spatial audio
-
ANC isn't as strong as class leaders

1-minute summary: The fact that they're in this guide as my 'best for battery' recommendation is valid – there's a whacking great touchscreen on the box and try as I might, I couldn't get it to affect the 12-hour stamina within the earbuds, or the 48-hour total including the case, during my tests. I'll be honest though, I also really wanted to get these earbuds into this guide to highlight both their lock-screen wallpaper novelty (which might put people in mind of the Polaroid stickers people used to adorn their phones with a few years ago), and that their sound is deadly serious. The audio quality in the Live Beam 3 is delicious; that famous Harman curve of rich bass and elevated treble, now represented in the best way. Also of note is Personi-Fi, which creates an excellent personalized sound profile, and JBL's splendid call-handling perks. OK, the spatial audio profiles didn't wow me, and the ANC is fine rather than ground-breaking, but so much else did surprise me that they're more than worthy of a spot here. And did I mention, they're not even JBL's flagship earbuds, so prices are refreshingly low?

Read our full JBL Live Beam 3 review

Recommended by
Becky Scarrott
Recommended by
Becky Scarrott

Reasons to buy

✅ You want the best battery: If you want a reliable pair of buds you'll rarely need to charge, you've found them. 10 hours with ANC on from the buds, and 48 hours total is massive.

You like cool new tech ideas: Some people might think the screen on the case is a gimmick, others will love this addition and make great use of it – it works well.

You enjoy personalized sound profiles: Fire up JBL's Personi-Fi test and get to listening – you'll soon see what all the fuss is about.

Reasons to avoid

You're not always a fan of in-ears: They were comfy during testing, but some people might find they go too far into your ear canals.

Spatial audio is a priority: You do get some sense of immersion, but you won't get that directional, three-dimensional 'where are my earbuds' style presentation here.

You want only-the-best ANC: The noise-cancellation here is good and there are plenty of options for tweaking it – but you won't get that 'bubble of silence' feeling you get from Bose earbuds

Best wireless earbuds test results comparison

More wireless earbuds we've tested

AirPods 4: Apple's newest ice-white stemmed buds arrived in September 2024, in two flavors. You can see our full AirPods 4 review for our thoughts on the non-ANC model (and our initial verdict is also in on the pricier AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation) but the cheaper set don't feature here because, honestly, we think you can do better for your money. And the set with ANC? We'll get back to you very soon – it's a close one.

Google Pixel Buds Pro 2: Battery life in Google's August 2024-issue flagship buds is good, plus they're small and (hang it all) ridiculously cute-looking, but otherwise these Google buds were sadly disappointing across the board. We don't want to knock them any more here – we just want you to be aware of why they're not featured – but read our Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 review to find out why.

Sony WF-1000XM5: A massive pair of earbuds (metaphorically – they're really rather small in literal terms) that aren't on our list. Why? Well, they're good, but we don't think they're better than competing models at the same price – ie. Bose and Technics. As we said in our Sony WF-1000XM5 review, the ANC was sadly weaker than expected, and sonically they are beaten by the Technics EAH-AZ80 sitting pretty at the top of this guide.

Bowers & Wilkins Pi8: We nearly added these earbuds to this guide, to replace the Technics EAH-AZ80 (which would be huge, we know). They're that good, they're our 2024 Headphones of the Year Award winner. B&W's flagship 2024 buds sound splendid and ANC is incredibly effective. In time, they may replace the AZ80 – but they are pricey. As things currently stand, the sound-per-pound value still leans in Technics' favor – as does the triple-device multi-point connectivity. But do read our B&W Pi8 review to find out why we rate them so highly.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds: Another huge name absent from this guide. Why? Because the far better-value Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 are still very much in stock – and they are on our list. In our Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds review, we noted that the noise cancellation might be best-in-class, but it's not better than the cheaper version. That said, a July update to the Ultras means you now get multi-point connectivity (in addition to Bose's pre-existing, and very good, spatial audio modes), so we may change our minds – especially if prices start dropping…

CMF Buds Pro 2: We recently tested these budget buds that come in a range of funky color options that put the usual beige, white and black options to shame. And we liked parts of them very much in our CMF Buds Pro 2 review, but the overall package just doesn't match the likes of the Sony WF-C510 above, or other options.

How to choose the best wireless earbuds

With so many wireless earbuds to pick from, how do you know which are right for you? There are a few key considerations you need to bear in mind.

The first is price. How much can you afford? You can get a good pair of wireless earbuds for under £100/$100. But often you do get what you pay for in terms of connectivity, build and noise cancellation.

Next up is form. Do you intend to hit the gym, bike or pavement with your earbuds? Then you'll need a design that'll stay put. Or maybe small and minimal is what you're after, so opt for a pair of discrete true wireless buds.

The best sounding earbuds are exactly that – our pick of the wireless earbuds that sound fantastic. These are far from the best cheap earbuds out there, but if you're passionate about hearing music with clarity, richness and powerful bass, these are the ones you need to consider.

It's still important to pick earbuds that feel good in your ears, but the models in our guide above have been picked for sound quality first and foremost, with those that excel in extra features such as noise cancellation or workout-friendly designs noted separately.

What kind of speakers do wireless earbuds use?

All the wireless earbuds in our guide produce their sound using dynamic drivers, so that's one tech element you don't have to thing about. This is the most common kind of speaker technology in everything from big loudspeakers to over-ear headphones to earbuds. To explain how dynamic drivers work, and why they’re so dominant in wireless earbuds, we spoke to Andy Kerr, Director of Product Marketing and Communications at Bowers & Wilkins, which has over 60 years of experience creating these kinds of drivers in both headphones and loudspeakers.

“Dynamic drivers use a magnet, a voice coil (typically made from winds of copper wire wound around a circular form), and a diaphragm/drive unit (a thin cone of material that makes the sound). The narrow end of the diaphragm's cone is attached to the voice coil; the wide end of the diaphragm is held in place by a rubber surround, also called ‘suspension’. When electrical current is supplied to the voice coil, it becomes electromagnetic. This creates a push-pull interaction between the coil and the magnet, which it is coiled around, causing the coil to move up and down over the magnet rapidly. Since the coil is attached to the bottom of the drive unit, its movement pushes the drive unit up and down in response, creating sound pressure waves that your ears and brain translate into sound,” explains Kerr.

“A single dynamic driver can be made very compact, is light, and is highly efficient in terms of battery life, which is of course hugely relevant in the age of wireless earbuds. Dynamic drivers are also very popular in headphone designs essentially because they give companies like Bowers & Wilkins a way to use our knowledge and experience from designing and manufacturing them – for both loudspeakers and headphones – while customizing and continually improving the technology over time. For example, our approach to drive unit design combines stiffness in the material (for accuracy and fast response) plus good excursion (meaning how far the diaphragm is capable of moving, for deeper bass performance) that's equally important for both earbuds and loudspeakers."

Dynamic drivers are not the only earbuds driver technology available: planar magnetic is the most common other type, and we’re about to see the launch of more earbuds using a new solid-state driver. Some earbuds also combine a dynamic driver with a smaller solid-state driver to create a wider sound range, which is often known as dual-driver technology. It’s possible to have more than two drivers in earbuds, but it’s very uncommon in wireless earbuds.

What is noise cancellation in earbuds?

One of the hottest features in wireless earbuds right now is active noise cancellation (ANC) – this used to be the preserve of premium buds, but is now common even among many budget models.

All in-ear earbuds block some noise thanks to the seal formed between the ear tips and your ear canal. This stops a lot of noise coming in, and is known as 'passive' sound isolation.

But active noise cancellation goes a step further to remove outside noise from what you're hearing. The technology was introduced by Bose, and the company has been making ANC tech for over 30 years, so we asked John Rule, Senior Engineer at Bose Corporation, to explain noise cancellation.

"Today, noise cancellation in the majority of headphones and earbuds is achieved through a combination of both active and passive technologies. For active noise reduction, sophisticated electronics work with microphones both inside and outside the earcups to sense the sound around you and then measure, compare, and react – instant by instant – to produce an opposing cancellation signal," says Rule.

Imagine you're trying to walk in a straight line, and someone is pushing you from one side to stop you walking straight. That's outside noise, interfering with what speakers are trying to do. Now imagine someone pushes you from the other side in a way that exactly balances out the first push, so you're walking straight again – that's active noise cancellation, counteracting the interference by 'cancelling' it out.

Bose's John Rule emphasizes that it's not just the circuitry doing the work, though. He says, "Passive noise reduction also plays a role in headphone performance. When you place an earcup over your ear or an earbud in your ear, some noise is physically blocked. The cup or bud design, materials used, clamping force of the headband, shape of the ear tips, and many other factors contribute to a comfortable fit while providing a good seal against incoming noise. When active and passive elements are combined, the result is cancellation of the noise you don’t want to hear, such as a plane engine or annoying vacuum. This lets you hear what you want, whether that’s your music or silence."

Wireless vs true wireless: what's the difference?

Wireless earbuds have existed for a while now, basically since Bluetooth was invented. Though battery-powered and not physically connected to your phone, they have a cord connecting both buds – and sometimes a band around the neck too.

True wireless earbuds have no cord whatsoever. While wireless allows us to wear headphones a few feet away from our music players, True Wireless cuts the cord between the earbuds, giving us true freedom. If you're looking to go full wireless, we also have a round-up of the best true wireless headphones, but you'll find our top picks here, too.

Wireless headphones are traditional over-ear or on-ear headphones without the wire – the two earcups are connected by a headband. Check out the best wireless headphones for more.

Which brand of wireless earbuds is best?

In this guide we've included all of the best audio tech and earbuds brands on the market today. But the question of which brand is best depends on what you're looking for.

Sony is certainly one of the best wireless earbuds brands, and one of the best audio brands generally. It consistently brings out great-sounding products and has led the way with fantastic true wireless earbuds year-on-year. The Sony WF-1000XM5 didn't make it into this list for reasons given a little above, but we still gave them a very positive review! You really can't go wrong at any budget with Sony's range right now.

If you're looking for a pair of premium wireless earbuds and have a high budget for a new pair, then check out high-end brands like Bose – though Technics is a great audio name that's currently having a fantastic product run. Otherwise, if you're looking for a budget pair of earbuds, the Sony WF-C510 are currently our best budget choice. But Earfun and JLab also make some of our favourite cheaper wireless earbuds.

Which wireless earbuds are best?

Right now, we currently rate the Technics EAH-AZ80 as our favorite, balancing price, sound quality and features. They're not cheap, but they're worth every penny.

However, if you have more specific priorities you might want to consider other buds in our list. Like the Sony WF-C510 if you're on a budget. Or the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 if you want the best ANC buds you can buy.

What are the best value for money wireless earbuds?

All of the options in our best wireless earbuds guide are good value for money. However, if you're looking for a budget pair of buds we've got some of those too.

The Sony WF-C510 are our top budget pick because they're cheap, offer great audio and they're comfortable. Top value all round. If you're looking for super budget, the JLab Go Air Pop are incredibly cheap at under £20/$20. They sound great for the price and are light, small and comfy. If you want a pair of budget buds that also pack in ANC, take a look at the Earfun Air Pro 3, which are discounted at the time of writing to $79 / £79.

Which is better: Bose or Beats?

In the battle between Bose and Beats, it depends what you're looking for. In our opinion, Bose is the better option for sheer audio performance and noise cancelling tech. The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 can't be beaten in terms of ANC.

However, Beats earbuds offer a great fit and excellent sound. Particularly the Beats Fit Pro, which we highly recommend if you're looking for a pair of earbuds for working out. They're also a little more affordable than Bose options and have a more stylish design.

Which wireless earbuds are just as good as Apple AirPods?

The most recent AirPods Pro 2 are excellent if you want a comfy fit, quality audio and have an iPhone as there are some feature only iOS users can access. They're even a little cheaper than a lot of the competition, which is not something we get to say about Apple a ton… However, the Technics EAH-AZ80 have them beaten for cross-platform support and sound quality. In terms of ANC, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 are a little better than AirPods Pro 2.

When it comes to the cheaper AirPods models, we think there are lots of better option, especially for value. The Nothing Ear (a) are the big alternative we'd point you towards if you're looking at non-pro AirPods.

What are the best wireless earbuds for Android?

Our top three picks in this guide are all a perfect match for Android phones, and cover a broad range of budgets: we think the Technics EAH-AZ80 are the best overall, but at a premium price; the Nothing Ear (a) are an incredible option that's more affordable but still has premium features; and the Sony WF-C510 are the best cheap option.

However, if you have a Samsung phone in particular, you should strongly consider the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, which have special features that specifically work with Samsung phones, including great spatial audio and higher-quality audio support.

How we test the best wireless earbuds

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We're looking (listening?) for earbuds that sound good first and foremost – we want to hear clear, rich audio that does justice to every genre. We listen to both high-quality source music, as well as lower-quality streams, as well as movies and videos.

Voices should be natural, instruments should stand out from each other, and there should be a good sound balance overall between bass, mid-range and treble.

You can read our full article on how we test earbuds if you want to know more, but the starting point of our process is that our reviewers use a particular playlist of songs as their first port of call for listening to the sound quality of the earbuds. We'll listen to these songs with active noise cancellation turned both on and off, to see if there are any differences in the detail or balance. The playlist is available for anyone to copy on your streaming service of choice, with notes on elements to listen out for, if you'd like to try it.

This isn't the only music our reviewers will listen to, obviously – but by using these songs as the starting point, we can make specific and direct comparisons between earbuds, while will make it easier for you to follow the subtlety of their differences, we hope. Then our reviewers can use other tracks to explore the nuances of each pair of earbuds.

Of course, this is then balanced against lots of other factors, not the least of which is price. We know that a pair of cheap earbuds won't sound as good as premium ones – so we're judging them against competition at the same kind of price, not against something wildly different.

In terms of noise cancellation, we want to find buds that work well to drown out ambient noise day-to-day in a variety of environments. We test them in our pretty typical office environment, out walking in city traffic, and on public transport.

We also consider battery life, ensuring that most of the buds we pick will last long enough to not be annoying. And then we look at extra features, such as sound personalization and other app support – this can make a big difference to the overall value of two earbuds that are the same price.

We also test the microphones, and to help you choose the right earbuds, we record ourselves reading a particular passage, and embed them here, so you can simply play back the recordings and see what you think. These are recorded indoors and to a basic recording app, for consistency – we'll also test them out in the wind and with background noise, during cellular calls, as part of our overall judgment.

Latest updates to the best wireless earbuds

November 1, 2024
We rewrote and redesigned this guide with more information about each product, to make it easier to see which buds will be the best fit for you.

October 7, 2024
Replaced the JLab JBuds Mini with the Sony WF-C510 as our 'best budget' pick based on our review.

Becky Scarrott
Audio Editor

Becky became Audio Editor at TechRadar in 2024, but joined the team in 2022 as Senior Staff Writer, focusing on all things hi-fi. Before this, she spent three years at What Hi-Fi? testing and reviewing everything from wallet-friendly wireless earbuds to huge high-end sound systems. Prior to gaining her MA in Journalism in 2018, Becky freelanced as an arts critic alongside a 22-year career as a professional dancer and aerialist – any love of dance starts with a love of music. Becky has previously contributed to Stuff, FourFourTwo and The Stage. When not writing, she can still be found throwing shapes in a dance studio, these days with varying degrees of success.  

With contributions from