Earbuds go by many different names, including earphones, in-ear headphones, in-ear monitors or simply buds. They also come in all shapes and sizes and can be both wired or wireless, with some variations. Probably the most widely known (and worn) earbuds are the AirPods, which Apple launched in 2016.
Compared to over-ear and on-ear headphones, they offer a more compact, lightweight design that’s easier to set up and store. Earbuds are often cheaper too (usually), and have better stability. Being small does have its disadvantages - namely with sound quality, which can’t match wired headphones - but every music lover should own at least one pair all the same.
Latest about Earbuds & Airpods
Sennheiser launches AirPods-like open earbuds, and if they're as good as the rest of its Accentum headphones, they'll be a bargain
The Accentum Open are lightweight, open earbuds with an attractively low price and a slim case design
Earfun OpenJump review: decent open-ear buds that fail to stand out in a hugely competitive market
They're good, others do better
The best noise-cancelling earbuds 2025
Updated These best noise-cancelling earbuds block out the world without the bulk of over-ear headphones.
The best wireless earbuds 2025
Our reviewers spent over 600 hours testing these earbuds, so here’s my verdict on the best wireless earbuds for iPhone, Android or anything else.
One of the best budget earbuds brands just launched two super-cheap noise cancelling buds, and some open earbuds with Hi-Res Audio
Incredibly affordable ANC, Spatial Audio and open-ear audio too
Anker Soundcore AeroClip review: a great pair of open ear headphones that don’t leave audio quality behind
The Anker Soundcore AeroClip supply adept audio, a secure fit and neat call quality, all at a more than reasonable price.
Edifier LolliClip review: epic open ear headphones that can even give you a health checkup
The Edifier LolliClip are a great pair of open ear headphones with ANC and health monitoring and are only let down by a few small hiccups.
Denon's AirPods-like new earbuds range beats Apple with next-gen Bluetooth audio and a tempting low price
Open-ear and noise-cancelling wireless earbuds with large drivers and big battery life.
