The best earbuds 2024: wireless and wired buds for all budgets (2024)

The best earbuds are essential for easy-to-fling-in-a-pocket music on the go. Motivational soundtrack to get you through a 10k? Classical music on a long-haul flight? Motivational podcast for the commute? Earbuds are a top shout –and the best earbuds can immerse you in a cocoon of sound, blocking out the rest of the world.

These days, you don't need to sacrifice battery life, extra perks or sound performance to get that tiny form factor either. We’ve tested literally hundreds of pairs and we still rate the slightly older Sony WF-1000XM4 wireless earbuds as our overall top pick –although actually, the Sennheiser EAH-AZ80 equal them across the board (and even offer triple device multipoint connectivity). The newer Sony WF-1000XM5 buds have since been released, but for us, XM4 are still the best all-rounders if you want to go Sony. Stock has been a little low of late, but Sony has assured us they're still very much a current model in 2024 –so if you find a pair, know that you're still getting the best of Sony.

Want to prioritise active noise cancellation? Our best noise-cancelling earbuds guide is well worth a look. Don’t like the intrusive nature of earbuds? Read our best wired headphones or best wireless headphones guides instead. Of course, check out our budget wireless earbuds guide if you like the design and portability, you’re just looking for cheaper options.

The quick list

Want to cut straight to the best earbuds around? We like it –you're busy and your time is precious. You'll find a roundup of our top choices here. You can also jump to a more in-depth review for each product, along with our price comparison tool, so you can discover the best deals.

The best earbuds of 2024

Below you'll find full write-ups for each of the best earbuds in our list. We've tested each one extensively, so you can be sure that our recommendations can be trusted.

The best earbuds overall

The Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds are our top pick overall, despite a June 2021 release date –hey, they're just that good. They may lack aptX support, but they make up for it with a whole host of features, including active noise cancellation (with polyurethane ear tips to improve passive noise reduction), a ‘speak to chat’ feature that pauses your music when you make a noise, great call quality and excellent in-app features.

In our review, we note, “There’s vigor and enthusiasm to their presentation, but it’s tempered by unarguable control.”

The size of the XM4s has also been reduced over the previous XM3-suffixed model, with the charging case coming in at a full 40% smaller, or 41g. Positioning the buds may take a little while by today's standards (we found them fiddly initially), but once we got used to them, we found them secure and easy to wear – and the sound quality is emphatically worth it.

They’re not the cheapest buds around even now (despite their age, you'll struggle to find much of a discount), but because Sony got it right here by combining performance, ergonomics and build quality so effectively, we still think they’re excellent value. A quick note on availability: this has varied of late, but Sony has confirmed to us in January 2024 that the WF-1000XM4 are still very much in its current lineup of noise-cancelling earbuds, so don't worry that they're being phased out any time soon.

Now, a note on the newer Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds, which are smaller and very good sonically, but not in this list. Why? The ANC and connectivity suffered in the latest iteration. That's why we still rate the WF-1000XM4 as the best all-rounders.

Read our full Sony WF-1000XM4 review

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The best budget earbuds

The JLab Go Air Pop buds prove it’s possible to purchase a fantastic set of true wireless earbuds on a tight budget. They boast reliable Bluetooth connectivity and top battery life (eight hours from the earbuds and a whopping 32 hours from the buds and the case combined) plus on-device volume controls that work better than rivals more than double the price, and a triple tap to pick from three different EQ profiles.

Any meaningful sound comparison between these cheap in-ears and class-leading products at ten times the price really isn't fair, is it? But these JLab buds easily beat everything else in their price range for sound, features, build quality and reliability. Vocals are relatively well handled through the upper mids, the bass is sensibly refined, and the soundstage is surprisingly expansive.

Design-wise, they’re lightweight at just 3.7g per earbud and incredibly small with three different types of eartips, which means they should suit almost everyone and we certainly found them incredibly comfortable to wear during our testing.

Again, no they don’t beat flagship propositions from the likes of Sony, Apple, or Sennheiser. But they do punch well above their weight. The JLab Go Air Pop sound far better than you'd expect for their nominal ticket price tag and pack in some excellent features that make them fantastic value for money.

Read our full JLab Go Air Pop review

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The best premium earbuds

The Technics EAH-AZ80 buds sound fantastic and they’re packed with features. A standout is triple-point connectivity, which we found to be stable and useful, as well as Bluetooth 5.3 with LDAC compatibility. And, thanks to ‘Just My Voice’ technology, these buds are far less prone to wind-noise interference than rivals. Their only minor shortcomings are battery life at only 7 hours from the buds and 25 from the case, and the ANC (which could be a tad more impressive).

The sound they make is also accomplished – it's both swift and accurate, as well as balanced and detailed. In our review, we wrote: “The whole frequency range is really nicely balanced and coherent from top to bottom and very even-handed from the (deep, nicely textured) bass to the (clean, politely attacking) treble.” We also found the midrange to be both informative and eloquent, with high detail levels and a smooth, seamless, agile journey from ceiling to floor and back.

In terms of design, there’s a resoundingly premium feel here and each bud feels more comfortable, stable and light (7g per earbud) than some rivals. What’s more, the accompanying charging case is an equally svelte 50g. Build quality hasn’t been compromised in order to keep the weight down either – the EAH-AZ80 feels like a product that will outlast its rivals. There are seven different earbud sizes to choose from too, which means you’re likely to get that perfect fit.

The price of the Technics EAH-AZ80 is that of a premium product, for sure – but thankfully, so is the specification. Overall this is a pair of buds that delivers excellent sound quality, a fantastic fit and that industry-first triple device multipoint connectivity.

Read our full Technics EAH-AZ80 review

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The best earbuds for Apple

The Apple AirPods Pro 2 are excellent earbuds that we think are the best option for Apple lovers. One of the top features here is ANC, which is significantly improved over the original Pro buds, blocking out almost all external noises. Transparency mode is now also more useful because it’s adaptive. In terms of battery, you get six hours with ANC on and 30 hours with the case too, which is now IPX4 water resistant – withstanding light showers and sweating – and has a speaker, handy if you lose them as you can activate a 'Find My' request.

Audio performance is also upgraded over the original Pros, with new drivers and amplifiers. During our testing, we rated the sound on offer from the Pro 2 as excellent – there’s rich audio across genres and a wide and expansive soundstage.

Design changes are subtle between the Pro and Pro 2 models. You’ll find a typical Apple-esque look here, with slightly protruding stems, clean lines and a bright white finish. During our testing, we were happy to find there are now extra small ear tips, great news for those with smaller ears and should fit most people well.

Like the Sony buds at the top of this guide, the AirPods Pro 2 are excellent all-rounders, packing fantastic audio and style into a pair of buds you could happily wear all day. Yes, they’re on the pricey side, but they’re a great choice if you have an iPhone – if you have a Samsung phone, check out the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro below instead.

Read our full Apple AirPods Pro 2 review

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The best earbuds for ANC

The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 are our favorite noise-cancelling earbuds. Yes, even though the newer Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds have essentially superseded them –because while the update involves new proprietary immersive audio tech, the design in is virtually unchanged and we're fans of the better value you'll now get from these (just slightly) older QCE II buds.

The ANC is supremely effective here, thanks to what Bose calls CustomTune, which uses an audio signal – picked up by a mic inside each bud – to automatically calibrate ANC and sound frequency to suit your ear. Unfortunately there’s no wireless charging or multi-point connectivity (there isn't in the newer set either, which is an oversight from Bose), and battery life is acceptable rather than excellent, at 6 hours or up to 24 hours in total, using the case.

Luckily, Bose's ANC improvements aren’t at the expense of sound quality, and whatever the CustomTune tech is doing behind-the-scenes here made these buds an extremely enjoyable listen during our testing. In our review, we wrote: "We can’t stress this enough – the sound is very well balanced, with a heck of a lot of details and textures coming through.” If you’d still like to tweak the audio output, you can via the EQ in the Bose app.

Design-wise, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 are 30% smaller than previous generations with a more compact and lighter charging case. However, we did find the fit took some getting used to and is unlikely to suit everyone at first.

The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 are Bose earbuds, which means they're typically on the expensive side. But if you can afford them, these are arguably the best noise-cancelling true wireless earbuds you can get today.

Read our full Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 review

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The best earbuds for affordable ANC

The Sony WF-C700N are the ideal choice if you're looking to add ANC to the mix at an affordable price. The N addition here does indeed stand for Noise cancellation, and these buds mark Sony's new entry-level for ANC earbuds. Also, they're a huge hit! Their talents include Adaptive ANC and Sony's 360 Reality Audio support –guided by the same premium Sony Headphones Connect app that's used for Sony's flagship XM4 and XM5 earbuds. Multi-point connectivity and adaptive sound control are also onboard (you get to choose 'Walking', 'Waiting', 'Travelling' or 'Registered places' in the app, which is seldom seen at this level) plus you get Sony's standard DSEE audio 'upscaling' engine, so even low-res files will sound better.

Those with a Tidal account are in for a real treat thanks to that aforementioned 360 Reality Audio support, but even when we streamed lossy Spotify tracks or much better Apple Music streams during our testing, the WF-C700N put on a resoundingly agile, meaty, enthusiastic performance.

There's less protrusion than with Sony's more affordable buds (Sony WF-C500, all eyes on you), because they're 37% lighter and 38% smaller than the top-tier WF-1000XM4. It should come as no surprise that we found these to be some of the most easy to wear, comfortable earbuds we've ever had the pleasure of fitting in our ears –and they stay put for hours on end.

Can the Sony WF-C700N be bettered by rivals? Yes of course, but not for this money. You'll have to set your sights much farther up the food chain if you want to beat them. For features, design and most-importantly sound quality, these cannot be bettered for this price, which makes them excellent value in our books.

Read our full Sony WF-C700N review

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The best earbuds for Samsung

Samsung has a formidable reputation in the smartphone market, but its Galaxy Buds never quite hit a home run. That’s changed with the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. These earbuds are packed full of useful perks, including excellent ANC, voice detect, wearer detection and customizable on-ear controls – all of which work very well indeed – plus IPX7 water ingress protection. This would have been an almost perfect list of specs, marred only by the disappointing five-hour battery life.

The headline-grabbing feature, if you own a Samsung Galaxy device, is 360 audio with optional head-tracking, thus allowing you to use your phone as the focal point to direct more of that new end-to-end 24-bit high-res audio to whichever ear you prefer. The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro sport a two-way driver design, with a 10mm woofer and 5.4mm tweeter in each earbud. It's a formidable improvement on Samsung's previous earbud releases.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro are refreshingly smaller and lighter than most rivals – and a huge improvement over previous Galaxy buds (remember the jewels and kidney bean shaped buds? These are nothing like those and we're happy about it). The result is a stylish, minimalist, secure and ergonomic look and fit that almost feels as if you're not wearing earbuds at all – or at least that was our experience during testing.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro squeeze an incredible amount in here for only mid-range money. There are a few minor things lacking, (the ability to tweak ANC in increments on a slider in the app would be lovely), but forgive this and it's hard to quibble with the sound-per-pound value.

Read our full Galaxy Buds 2 Pro review

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The best wired earbuds

The 1MORE Triple Driver In-Ear Headphones are a simple pair of wired headphones. As you'd expect given their design, they aren't packed with features, but there's a handy three-button remote that works with both Android and iOS – and already that's something not every headphone can do.

During our testing we found that they deliver a solid and enjoyable audio performance, noting in our review: "Music is exquisitely detailed with a good sense of space. Instruments are layered and complex songs don’t sound muddled as each instrumental layer remains audible."

Design-wise, these are simple in-ear earphones that look relatively sleek and refined, albeit within a budget. They come with both foam and silicone ear tips, although we found only the foam ones gave a good enough seal for proper testing. Their rubber cable can be annoying, and the remote control feels a tad cheap, but this is perhaps a little unfair given the ticket price. Then again, if you're looking for luxury materials, the 1MORE Quad Driver in-ear headphones that are a step up from these are still a bargain at twice the price.

After spending a few weeks with both the 1MORE Triple Driver in-ear headphones , we were blown away at the value.Although you'll find more detailed and better-sounding in-ear headphones much farther up the food chain, you'll have to pay a hefty premium for a significant boost in performance.

If you want earbuds that sport a cable to keep them secure, the 1More Triple Driver in-ear headphones are among the best value wired earbuds you can buy today.

Read our full 1More Triple Driver In-Ear Headphone review

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The best earbuds for supreme sound

OK, if ever the term '8K Sound+' could apply to something you hear rather than see, that is what you'll get with these earbuds. We're not saying we approve of the term used by Final, but nevertheless you should know that the sound quality here is excellent.You're getting a zealous, expansive, and glorious soundstage that has us living happily in our heads, and forgetting the cost.

So why the less than perfect star rating? These excellent earbuds are marred only by a slightly disappointing battery life (which is five hours tops or 15 including the case, but closer to four when you deploy 8K Sound+) plus an app that supplies the basics rather than the premium, all-seeing all-dancing experience you might expect at this level.

The four noise cancellation modes and volume step optimizer (which gives you better precision when tweaking the volume level) work very well indeed and add value, plus there's a four-band EQ tab, but forget hearing tests, spatial audio support, wearer detection or the option to customize the on-ear controls – and in our tests, we sometimes found the app a little unreliable in that it failed to fire up or chose not to recognise the earbuds it was connected to.

Then again, we keep coming back to their sound. Honestly, the sound is among the best we've ever heard in a true wireless design, and at a price comparable to the best buds from Sony and Bose, despite sounding clearly better. The lack of features (and the large size) may not be for everyone, but if you value music above all else, you must consider them.

Read our full Final ZE8000 MK2 review

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The best earbuds for working out

When it comes to earbuds especially for working out, there's a shift in importance. Sound quality and other features are still a big factor, but none of it matters if the earbuds don't stay in your ears when you're mid-run, mid-row or mid-set.

Beats Fit Pro were released in 2021, and so are beginning to show their age compared to the wider earbuds competition – for a little more money you can step up to the more premium buds here, which will offer you better sound quality and noise cancellation – but we still really rate them for how they balance a secure fit with the sound and features.

The design has both an in-ear tip plus a fin that fits against the arches of your ear, connected to a reasonably small and light but, which means they hold in place absolutely securely. They're extremely hard to dislodge accidentally, and their on-device buttons are easy to push without loosening the fit.

They also have smart features for both Apple and Android – on both platforms, you get fast pairing and music playback. On Android, you also have the Beats app, which enables you to customize the controls, check the battery easily, and take a fit test to make sure you're getting the best from the ANC. On Apple, they offer spatial audio, auto-switching between devices, and audio sharing with other Beats or AirPods.

The IPX4 rating means they should resist sweat, though this won't make them the most resistant to accidental drops in water or wearing our in heavy rain – if you need something more hardcore, check out the Jabra Elite 7 Active.

Read our full Beats Fit Pro review

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The best earbuds for design

The Audio-Technica ATH-SQ1TW are a budget pair of buds that look very cool indeed. They offer exclusive 5.8mm drivers, an "IPX4-equivalent" splashproof design and user-friendly features. There’s dual connectivity onboard, so you can connect to your laptop and phone at the same time which is nice at this budget-friendly level.

Touch controls? Yes, they work well and you can use them to deploy low-latency mode or use the hear-through function. Battery gives you 6.5 hours of use with the headphones fully charged, plus an additional 13 hours of juice from the charging case, for a total of 19.5 hours. There’s no active noise cancellation or a companion app, but at this level (and thanks to the impressive levels of passive isolation provided by the buds), we don't miss these perks.

Sound-wise, we can’t compare these budget in-ears to class-leading products from big brands. But the audio is solid. We found that what the Audio-Technicas lacked in precision and timing across the frequencies (which was a very minor shortfall) they made up for in energy and good old fashioned fun. They’re not shy or reticent, in any way. If a recording is poorly mastered, you'll also be getting that with no holds barred – they'll shine a light on your chosen streaming services, bands and vocalists in ways you may not have heard before. Give them your music and they'll celebrate it to the best of their plucky little ability – and we have to say we're big fans.

These buds are cubist, cool and refreshingly different. Audio-Technica hasn’t copied any earbuds from competing brands here, and we love the Tokyo audio outfit for it. They’re also available in no fewer than six delicious-sounding colorways (Caramel, Popsicle, Cupcake, Blueberry, Liquorice and Popcorn). Not only is this a beautiful product, it fits comfortably, too.

As long as a lack of companion app and active noise cancellation aren't deal-breakers, these inexpensive earbuds should be on your list – ultimately, the sound is very, very good for the money.

Read our full Audio-Technica ATH-SQ1TW review

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How to choose the best earbuds

Two important things to consider when you’re choosing new earbuds is what you want to listen to and where you want to listen to it.

For example, if you like fairly quiet music and want to listen on the bus or train, you'll need effective noise cancellation.

If you're looking for a pair of the best running headphones, you should look for IPX4 water-resistance so they can withstand sweat and rain. Some of the top waterproof earbuds can even be used for swimming. The best bone-conducting headphones are popular for fitness fans too, because they don't block outside sounds.

If you're going to be wearing your earbuds for long periods, then comfort and weight are a top priority.

We’ve included both 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-1000XM4 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 may find yourself caught short without any music in the middle of your commute.

The best earbuds for you should sound good to your ears. Which means if you're a dedicated audiophile, look for buds that support Hi-Res Audio codecs, like LDAC and aptX HD Bluetooth for stellar connectivity.

We also recommend you consider your budget. If you want cheap earbuds you may have to sacrifice features, like ANC or a long battery life. It’s all about weighing up what’s more important to you.

Finally, the brand you choose will depend on what you're looking for – but we're careful with our lists. That means all of the earbuds and in-ear headphones above 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.

How we test the best earbuds

We've tested each of the top earbuds in this guide to make sure they tick some key boxes, which are reflected in our full review.

One of these is the features – whether they compare well to other earbuds in the same price for elements such as connection options, smart app controls, active noise cancellation and battery life. We test all these features in different ways. We try the active noise cancellation in different real-world environments, and we check battery life by running them down and tracking the timing.

Most importantly, we also want to be sure the sound is excellent, with clarity and a decent level of bass. We listen to music from a range of sources, from social apps and YouTube, to lower-quality streams from the likes of Spotify, to high-quality files from streamers such as Apple Music and Tidal. We'll listen to a range of genres, and we'll use a mix of new music and tracks we've known for years and in which we can hear all the subtle differences.

Next is comfort and wearability. You need to know you'll be able to pop the best in-ear buds in your ears for hours at a time, so they have to feel secure and comfortable. Some seem naturally designed for a snug fit, others come with different silicone tip options to help you get the fit just right. In terms of design, we also look for compact buds, those that don't stick out of your ear too much and (in the case of true wireless designs) earbuds that come with a small charging case for slipping into a backpack, handbag or even a pocket.

And when we've tested all this, we judge them on their value, which essentially means how all of the above balances against their price, and the price of other earbuds.

Latest updates to the best earbuds

8 February 2024
Added the Beats Fit Pro as our best workout buds, reflecting what's in our dedicated guide.

22 January 2024
Added Final ZE8000 MK2, and removed the now-discontinued Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 Plus. Updated all copy throughout