The best Wireless Earbuds are comfortable, sound great, and have long-lasting battery life. These tiny headphones from companies like Jabra, Samsung, Sennheiser, Sony and others are almost as important as the phones we have in our pockets, and the market has become crowded over the years with options. We've reviewed a sizeable number of models available, and rated the absolute leaders of the pack, helping you find the best fit and value for your ears and budget. Our buyer's guide will help you navigate this space and find the pair that suits your needs and tastes the best, no matter what you like listening to.

Top 6 wireless earbuds, at a glance

1. Jabra Elite 75t — A sleek, comfortable fit with complementing solid sound, long battery life, and a decent set of features anyone can appreciate.
2. Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus — A major improvement in battery life, comfortable fit, and app support make these an excellent choice.
3. Jabra Elite 85t — Jabra finally brings proper ANC to its vaunted earbuds, and maintains many of the great features it's been known for.
4. Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 — These earbuds will serenade your ears like no others can on this list, but you pay for the privilege.
5. Creative Outlier Air V2 — When you put these earbuds on, it's hard to find a pair that can sound better for less money.
6. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds — Bose takes the ANC crown by doing a stellar job of blocking out background noise to let you escape into the content playing through your ears.

What are the best wireless earbuds you can buy today?

Which wireless earbuds, like any pair of headphones, are right for you is subjective in a few key ways. They have to fit right, feel comfortable over longer periods, and produce sound that's pleasing to your ears. If audio fidelity is paramount for you, there are good options for that, just as there are options for being active or present great value without breaking the bank.

Topping our list for the best wireless earbuds are the Jabra Elite 75t because they strike the right notes where it counts. We're talking excellent sound quality, improved fit, battery life, and accessibility — and all at a pretty reasonable price. Slightly bigger and more expensive, but better-sounding and adding ANC, are the newer Jabra Elite 85t.

If sound really matters — and money is no object — the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 are so good they could rival many over-ear headphones with their clarity. It won't matter what genre you like most, and with improved battery life to boot, these are premium earbuds worth a look.

The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds are the best when noise cancelation is a priority, but they don't skimp out on sound quality, either. They are among the best available if audio clarity is on your must-have feature list. Google's Pixel Buds (2020) play nice with any Android phone or tablet, and you'll probably find them to be among the most comfortable to wear for long periods. The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ are solid value for what they bring to the table, but even the tightest budget can find something within reach in this list.

Here's our detailed list of the best wireless earbuds you can buy.

Jabra Elite 75t

Best Wireless Earbuds Overall

Bottom line: Jabra has been at this for the last few years, but the Elite 75t address some previous shortcomings, particularly related to size and battery life, and come out as the wireless earbuds to beat. They maintain an excellent audio soundstage, with an equalizer in Jabra's Sound+ app to customize the profile further to your liking, and active noise cancelation through a firmware update. They hit all the right marks, earning our recommendation as the best wireless earbuds you can buy right now.

Pros:

• Customizable sound
• Long battery life
• USB-C for charging
• Water and dust resistance
• Excellent comfort
• ANC through firmware

Cons

• Lacks wireless charging case
• Mono mode only in right earbud

The Jabra Elite 75t are the best wireless earbuds for most people primarily because they are so comfortable. Stick these in your ear, turn up the volume, and forget the world around you. Jabra is one of the most experienced hearing aid companies in the world, and it shows with these incredible and portable wireless earbuds.

But comfort means nothing if they sound bad, and Jabra's aced that test, too. They feature a bass-heavy but enjoyable sound signature that can be easily adjusted in the excellent Sound+ app available for Android and iPhone. The Elite 75t also have a wide soundstage, a smooth mid-range, and treble frequencies that won't hurt your ears, even during piercing high notes.

Jabra was the first to add active noise cancelation (ANC) to a pair of earbuds through a firmware update, giving the Elite 75t a feature they didn't otherwise have from the start. There's excellent passive noise cancelation here, which helps, but given this is ANC driven more by software than hardware, the effect won't be as pronounced as others on this list.

As for battery life, you get around seven hours per charge, which is outstanding for a pair of true wireless earbuds, and the included case nets two and a half additional charges for an overall total over around 28 hours. The case itself is charged via USB-C, and does so quickly. The lid opens and closes with a satisfying snap, too, and you may find yourself fidgeting with it from time to time.

The Elite 75t are also IP55 water and dust resistant, which means they'll have little issue with sweat, rain, snow, or other water-absorbing activities. If you do want a little extra protection, the Elite Active 75t are always an option, though you do pay more for the protection.

These earbuds are also incredible for making calls — in our tests, the receiver on the other end told us it was among the clearest phone calls they'd ever heard from a pair of headphones. There's also an included "transparency" mode available at the tap of a button — did we mention there are physical controls here? — that pumps in sound from the outside world through one of the three included microphones. That makes it easier to talk to people or hear the outside world without removing the earbuds.

The Elite 75t aren't perfect, though. You can only use the right earbud if you want to listen in mono mode, and the case lacks wireless charging. Jabra had noted it was looking to offer an optional wireless charging case for these earbuds, but that never materialized.

Otherwise, though, these are our favorite earbuds around.

Best Overall Wireless Earbud

Jabra Elite 75t

• $120 at Amazon $120 at Best Buy $130 at Walmart

The Jabra Elite 75t are by far the best wireless earbuds when it comes to sound quality, battery life, comfort, and portability.

Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus

Best Value Earbuds

Bottom line: Samsung knocked it out the park with its true wireless sequel. The Galaxy Buds+ feature fuller sound, a nicer design, much better call quality, and incredible battery life, all at a good price.

Pros:

• Long battery life
• Great sound
• USB-C and wireless charging
• Spotify features are great
• Customizable gestures

Cons:

• Glossy case gets messy
• Poor call quality compared to the competition

Samsung's Galaxy Buds+ take the best features from the original Galaxy Buds and improve them in almost every way. The real focus here was to take the popular ease-of-use and comfort of the originals and improve the fundamentals: sound quality, call quality and battery life, and Samsung has largely succeeded.

They start at a slightly higher price point than their predecessor, but the Galaxy Buds+ deliver with the extras. They boast an impressive 10 hours of battery life per charge, with another full charge in the case. The glossy case, available in four colors — black, red, white, and blue — charges quickly via USB-C or Qi, and the Tic-Tac shape makes it easy to slip into a pocket. Seriously, having a pair of earbuds last 10 hours on a charge is life-changing. Plus, each one can be used independently if you're a podcast addict like we are, so that doubles the uptime.

The earbuds' side gestures can be a bit sensitive, but they're very useful and can be easily configured inside Samsung's excellent Android or iOS app. Samsung decided to partner with Spotify to make it easy to begin playing a playlist without taking out your phone — and while that sounds gimmicky, I've benefited from that feature more times than I can count. And while the sound improvements aren't massive over the originals, the addition of a second speaker adds robustness to the low-end and clarity to the mid-range.

Samsung's also spent some time improving call quality with a second external microphone to cancel out additional noise. There's definitely still some room for improvement, but Samsung worked on call quality a lot and it shows — in our testing, people on the other end of the line told us we sounded clear and loud.

The Galaxy Buds+ are an incredible sequel to a good but imperfect original. They're also among the best value in wireless earbuds today, backed up by Samsung's excellent ease-of-use. If you're a Samsung user, these pair instantly with your phone, and if you're running another Android phone or even an iPhone, setup is just a couple of taps away.

Best Value

Samsung Galaxy Buds+

$100 at Amazon $110 at Best Buy $100 at B&H

The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ features excellent battery life and sound, convenience features, and a wireless charging case.

Jabra Elite 85t

Best Upgrade Pick

Bottom line: Jabra followed up its excellent Elite 75t with a pair that sounds just as good, if not better, and also features active noise cancelation.

Pros:

• Hybrid ANC
• Great sound quality
• Better call quality than Elite 75t
• Comfortable fit
• Responsive controls
• Wireless charging case

Cons:

• Bigger size than before
• Mono still limited to right earbud
• More proprietary ear tips
• Taller and heavier case

Big things were expected of Jabra as they released the Elite 85t in taking on the competition and delivering key features that had otherwise been missing. Despite releasing a firmware update that gave the Elite 75t ANC, it was largely a software-based functional attempt. It was an impressive feat on its technical merits, given no one else had tried it before, but it wasn't the same as having the feature built-in. That's what these earbuds were for.

Except Jabra didn't just throw in two extra microphones and create a hybrid ANC setup that would rival all others. It gave the Elite 85t larger drivers for better sound, brought wireless charging to the case, and quietly removed Alexa from its feature set to focus more on the assistants people use most on their phones. All of those concessions to appease fans meant the company had to make the earbuds and case bigger, and that's partly why they're not in first place on this list.

There are a couple of other considerations, too. Despite being the newest kid on the block, the Elite 85t are actually less water-resistant than the Elite 75t are. And with ANC now onboard, battery life is more in flux than in previous models. And lastly, the ear tips on these are proprietary because of their oval shape.

While that might all seem like Jabra dropped the ball here, the reality is they did almost everything right. The larger drivers do a better job of cranking out big sound with less need to raise the volume. The sound profile is going to be familiar to previous Jabra owners but with better clarity this time around. Plus, you get to use the built-in equalizer in the Sound+ app to tweak it however your ears like it.

Adding the mics for ANC also means there's a nice boost in call quality. HearThrough mode, which lets ambient sound seep in, is as good as it's ever been. The Bluetooth connection is solid and once you get a good seal, the passive isolation alone is fantastic. It's just unfortunate you can still only use the right earbud independently in mono.

If you're looking to upgrade from an older Jabra pair or even earbuds from another brand, the Elite 85t will sound great, whether you're blocking the outside world or not.

Best Upgrade Pick

Jabra Elite 85t

$200 at Amazon $200 at Best Buy

The Elite 85t are Jabra's way of adding features they needed to add, and they get the performance just right.

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2

Best Sound Quality

Bottom line: Putting on a pair of Sennheiser headphones comes with a bigger set of expectations, and these should be no exception. The Momentum True Wireless 2 are the best sounding in this category for the simple fact they offer the best soundstage, belying their diminutive size. They also have a much better battery life than their predecessors and include superb noise cancelation.

Pros:

• Great comfort
• Great audio quality
• Excellent ANC performance
• Improved battery life
• Companion iOS and Android app

Cons

• Onboard controls need work
• No official sweat resistance
• Expensive

Sennheiser got the sound part right with the first Momentum True Wireless, only to struggle in delivering adequate battery life. The Momentum TW2 does a much better job staying on for longer periods and coupled with the excellent sound they pump out, it's hard to argue with them being the best for audio quality. Battery life is now up to seven hours per charge, with a total of 28 hours coming from the nifty charging case. It features USB-C for wired charging but lacks wireless charging, which is disappointing at this price.

Another big addition was including ANC support. While not necessarily the best in the business in that particular aspect, they are no slouches in keeping background noise to a minimum. The Momentum TW2 manages to punch above their relative weight in reducing ambient noise to a level that comes really close to the best ANC performance out there.

As for the sound, the bass-forward profile should acclimate well to any pair of ears. It has an elegant feel to it, matching the physical design. The bass is pronounced without feeling overbearing, even if it slightly overtakes the mids, while the high notes are clear, crisp, and warm throughout. If the default profile doesn't work for you, Sennheiser's Smart Control app lets you use the onboard equalizer to customize how you want them to sound.

The earbuds themselves are larger than others on this list, so not every pair of ears will feel like a natural fit. Thankfully, that's not a big problem when considering how good they sound for their size, especially compared to on-ear or over-ear headphones.

Best Sound Quality

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2

$270 at Amazon $270 at Best Buy $270 at Walmart

Sennheiser's penchant for excellent sound isn't hamstrung by smaller size, and the Momentum True Wireless 2 are audible proof.

Creative Outlier Air V2

Great Sound Quality For Less

Bottom line: A pair of budget wireless earbuds that actually sound good? Creative's Outlier Air V2 earbuds will be a pleasant surprise when you try them. You lose out on some other features, and the case is on the fatter side, but you may accept that once you start listening.

Pros:

• Great audio quality
• Awesome bud battery life
• Comfortable fit
• Improved onboard control
• Affordable price

Cons:

• Touch controls aren't all great
• No ANC or transparency modes
• Bulky case

Creative is often underrated as an audio brand, but the original Outlier Air proved that it could do more with less. When we reviewed the Outlier Air V2, we found that Creative continued to avoid packing in bells and whistles, preferring to maintain a clearer focus on clearer sound quality. These budget earbuds impress with better overall fidelity, though they keep with a bass-friendly soundstage that makes almost everything sound good.

Creative had originally changed the ear tips and shaved some size with the Outlier Gold, and that's where the Outlier V2 gets its design inspiration. It results in a better fit — and better seal to preserve the best of the audio. You also get the same great codec support that includes aptX and AAC. While these earbuds aren't officially aptX LL (Low Latency), they should be decent when watching video on a phone or tablet with less lag. Perhaps not as sharp for gaming, though.

Also, while Creative did includes its excellent Super X-Fi technology in these earbuds, it only works with actual music and video files — not with anything you stream. Touch controls have replaced physical buttons, too. They're mostly okay, but not always great. You get no ANC or Transparency modes, either.

All that aside, battery life is one of the best you will find on any pair of earbuds. The Outlier Air V2 get better with up to 12 hours at default volume, and add almost another two full charges from the case. If you like the sound and they fit right, that kind of juice can come in really handy for longer listening periods.

Great Sound Quality for Less

Creative Outlier Air V2

• $70 at Amazon

Creative makes key improvements to the Outlier Air V2, and that's why they are fantastic for those who want to save money.

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds

Best Noise-Canceling Earbuds

Bottom line: They're easily the bulkiest earbuds on this list, but Bose has pushed Sony from the crown for the best noise-canceling performance with the QuietComfort Earbuds. These are technical marvels in that they sport active noise cancelation that belies their size, as bulky as they may be. You get great sound for your troubles, but no way to tweak it to the way you'd want it.

Pros

• Superb sound quality
• Outstanding ANC performance
• Solid ambient mode
• Comfortable fit
• Wireless charging case

Cons

• Larger in size by comparison
• Case is much bigger
• App needs an EQ
• Pricey

Slowly but surely, ANC is finding its way into more true wireless earbuds out there, including at different price points, but the pair to beat are now the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds. For a long while, Sony's WF-1000XM3 were the pair to beat, and Bose finally has something good enough to do just that. That's why they're an easy choice for this list, even if they won't win accolades for beauty. Still, they're effective at doing what they're supposed to.

Bose chose to keep the sound profile neutral, avoiding any significant bumps toward the bass. That helps the mid-range breathe and come through with greater detail, while the highs maintain a warm signature throughout. The bass is less thick than you might expect, but it's not necessarily missing. The only issue is there's no way to customize it because Bose's app doesn't have an EQ to tune the sound — a thoughtless omission in this price range.

Battery life is pretty good, though does vary when ANC is on. You're more like to get just above five hours when it is, and an additional 18 hours with the charging case. For a pair of true wireless ANC earbuds, the QC Earbuds are a cut above the WF-1000XM3, making them elite in this particular category. As with most ANC headphones, the QC Earbuds have an ambient sound mode that reverses the ANC microphones to allow the outside world in, removing the need to take off your earbuds if you'd like to hear what's going on around you.

There's a lot to like about these earbuds, and though they are the best noise-canceling pair available, they aren't without some drawbacks. The fit may not be for everyone, and the case isn't going to be as easy to pocket as others are. There's also the price, which is expensive by any true wireless standard, so you have to really want the best ANC available.

Best Noise-Canceling

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds

$279 at Amazon $279 at Best Buy $279 at Walmart

The WF-1000XM3 feature superb ANC performance that underpins excellent sound quality and good battery life.

Google Pixel Buds (2020)

Best For Android Users

Bottom line: Google's reimagined Pixel Buds are not only a worthy successor, they are good enough to warrant completely forgetting about their predecessors. With an emphasis on comfort and control, they are the easiest pair to use with any Android phone, and hands-free Google Assistant is far more useful when you don't have to touch anything.

Pros:

• Wireless charging case & USB-C wired charging
• Integration with Android and Google Assistant
• Good sound
• Fantastic media controls

Cons:

• Lacks active noise cancelation
• Battery life could be longer
• Comfort might not be great for everyone
• Bass could be better

It's hardly surprising the 2020 Pixel Buds work so well on Android, much like how the AirPods are great when paired with an iPhone. Open the case the first time and with one tap, they're paired to most modern Android phones. Unless you're using a Pixel device, where the settings are within the phone's system settings, you can download the companion app during setup on other Android handsets to access some of the extras available. You can customize the touch gestures and a "find my buds" feature in case you misplace one or both.

Google subsequently added newer features through firmware updates that included turning off the touch controls entirely — even by voice — and a Bass Boost toggle to add some extra focus on the low-end (they do need it). There's still no proper equalizer to customize the sound further, though — not that you would want to always keep the touch controls off, either. They are among the best and most consistent of any pair of earbuds we've tested to date.

The translation features, which are already quite good, got their own boost by adding Transcribe mode in helping Spanish, French, Italian, and German speakers to translate into English. The move, in turn, also improves how English speakers get translations from those languages, too. Sharing Detection lets you share one of your earbuds with someone, where each of you can control volume individually. You might need to share a bud if it's an important phone call or you're both listening to the same podcast, for instance.

One of the biggest reasons to consider the Pixel Buds over anything else is how they integrate with Google Assistant. You can activate it via a touch gesture, or verbally by using the trigger word, hands-free. The charging case is smaller than most others, though you will need to keep it handy because the Pixels Buds aren't battery stalwarts. At least you get quick charging through USB-C and wireless charging convenience.

Best for Android Users

Google Pixel Buds (2020)

$160 at Best Buy $159 at Walmart $159 at B&H

The Pixel Buds feature great integration with Android and Google Assistant, plus cool features that make them feel unique.

Sony WF-SP800N

Best For Workouts

Bottom line: Sony shaves off some girth from its other earbuds and gives the WF-SP800N a rugged enough body to handle workouts and general activity. The IP55 rating probably could be higher to make that case, but as is, they are water and sweat-resistant, capable of taking some punishment to keep on playing the next day. They also sound great and include ANC and excellent battery life to round out a stellar package.

Pros

• Bass-heavy sound
• ANC support
• Comfortable fit
• App-based EQ options
• Decent IP55 protection
• Long battery life

Cons

• Finicky touch controls
• No wireless charging
• No aptX or LDAC codecs

Sony had already struck gold with the WF-1000XM3 as one of the best noise-canceling wireless earbuds, but the WF-SP800N are the pair aimed at those looking to stay active. The IP55 rating is actually modest by water and sweat resistance standards, but it is good enough for most workout and running situations. You just have to be diligent in wiping them down and cleaning them after you're done.

You get much of the ANC support Sony offers in its other earbuds, including Adaptive Sound Control to dynamically switch the noise-canceling effect. The mode isn't without its faults, but the key is that you can adjust the ANC to apply to staying, running, walking, or transport. Out of the box, you may find them lacking a bit on the low end, but the equalizer in the Headphones Connect app can remedy that to give the bass an audible thump. You may end up making most of your changes through the app, considering how finicky the touch controls can be.

They sound great to begin with, so quality isn't the issue here at all. It's just finding the sound that works best for your tastes. The best part is that the sound signature is bold, especially for a pair at this price. The mids and highs stand out, and there's plenty of leeway to bring the bass in. While that may cater more to music genres that prefer better bass, you can tinker with these enough to play whatever you want. It's just unfortunate Sony skimped out on the codecs by not including aptX or its very own LDAC.

As for battery life, you will get up to nine hours per charge with ANC on. Turn it off, and you may hit 13 hours. That's outstanding for any pair of wireless earbuds but is mitigated somewhat by the case, which can only hold one extra charge. No wireless charging, so you'll have to stick to USB-C to fill it up every time.

Best For Workouts

Sony WF-SP800N

$148 at Amazon $148 at Best Buy $148 at Walmart

The Sony WF-SP800N were made to balance the need for something rugged that also sounds great.

AirPods Pro

Best For Apple Users

Bottom line: Apple made the AirPods Pro, of course, for Apple users and the feeling of exclusivity is obvious from the moment you first crack open the case. The Pro introduced ANC and a host of iOS-friendly features that make it perfect for anyone with an iPhone. It's a breeze to switch between Apple devices, except the pinch-based controls are what have us hooked.

Pros:

• Excellent noise cancelation
• Transparency mode works very well
• Super comfortable design
• Playback gestures are great
• Compact, high-quality charging case

Cons:

• So-so battery life
• No customizability on Android
• Lightning for charging
• Expensive

Despite being somewhat limited on Android (no auto-play/pause, Google Assistant, or customization), the AirPods Pro join the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 and Sony WF-1000XM3 at the top of the heap for ANC true wireless earbuds. The AirPods Pro benefit from stellar ANC performance, and while they won't beat out the others at the top, they do come close to almost everything else on the market.

Sound quality is solid with the AirPods Pro, with more bass and mid-range than the regular AirPods 2 can squeak out. By focusing on the mids, it creates the illusion that sound is moving closer to you, and that's because instruments and vocals are often in that part of the spectrum. The highs do suffer a bit because of that, creating an uneven profile that may be more pronounced with certain genres.

They're smartly designed to aid in a comfortable fit, and we can attest to how good they are in that regard. Unlike other earbuds that have a plastic "stem" silicone ear tips attach to, the AirPods Pro attach have them attach directly to the bud's speaker. That makes the tip more malleable to mold itself into the shape of your ear.

Battery life is hardly anything to get excited about, unfortunately. They can theoretically hit 4.5 hours of playback with ANC on — five hours with ANC off — but that also depends on volume level. The saving grace lies with the charging case that can offer around 20 hours of additional listening time. Apple users won't mind that it charges over the company's proprietary Lightning connector, whereas Android users certainly might. You could get around that, to some degree, by making use of the wireless charging support.

Best For Apple Users

AirPods Pro

$199 at Amazon $235 at Best Buy

Apple takes care of its users with the AirPods Pro by getting the fundamentals right on comfort, playback, and ease of use.

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

Most Comfortable Earbuds

Bottom line They may look like beans, but there's no maligning what Samsung pulled off here. The Galaxy Buds Live are earbuds without a driver or tip protruding into your ear canal, and the result is not only a comfortable fit but also an impressive sound profile. They work perfectly fine with non-Samsung devices and are helped further by good app support to customize them your way.

Pros

• One-size-fits-all design
• Compact and well-built case
• 12mm drivers kick out great audio
• Long-lasting battery life
• Extremely useful companion app
• Supports Qi wireless charging

Cons

• Touch controls can be finicky
• ANC isn't the best out there
• Certain features exclusive to Samsung phones

If you look at the Galaxy Buds Live and immediately feel skeptical about them conceptually, you can be forgiven for doing so. The design is unusual by any measure, but Samsung did it in an attempt to conform to as many ears as possible. That focus meant cutting off the driver from sticking into the ear and letting it rest over the ear canal instead. The lack of fatigue makes wearing them for longer periods easier to manage.

That one-size-fits-all approach could finally be the fit that smaller ears are looking for. While still subjective, given every pair of ears is different, it's evident fairly quickly after wearing these that there was some merit to Samsung's line of thinking. However, it was an odd choice to debut ANC support. Earbuds typically have some passive noise isolation to block out at least some of the ambient noise around you, and adding ANC helps take care of the rest. That's not really the case here because the more open design doesn't really passively isolate noise the same way.

To offset any loss in power or volume, the Buds Live has 12mm drivers aimed toward the ear canal. Since getting a good seal is entirely contingent on where they rest along the ear, the Buds Live are surprisingly resonant and sound great. The onboard touch controls are okay, though in need of some refinement to make them more reliable on the fly. The Galaxy Wearable app offers some custom presets for equalizer settings, along with learning the controls or using Ambient mode to bring in outside noise when necessary.

Like any pair of earbuds with ANC, battery life will depend on how much you use it. The Buds Live can go up to eight hours when it's off — six if always on. The charging case is small and elegant, but also a fingerprint magnet. At least it uses USB-C and supports wireless charging. The color options are familiar, save for the Mystic Bronze, which matches that of the Galaxy Note20 devices.

Most Comfortable

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

• $139 at Amazon $140 at Best Buy $139 at B&H

Comfort is the name of the game, and they don't get much more comfortable than these excellent earbuds and their unique fit.