10 Best Wireless Earbuds You Can Buy In 2026

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While audiophiles prefer the uncompressed high-quality sound of wired headphones, the convenience of wireless earbuds makes them far more appealing to the average consumer. They might be a little bit finicky, but people love how this sort of product's elegant design makes it easy to wear and stow away when not needed. Not having to deal with the annoyance of tangled wires is also a bonus. As such, it should be no wonder that the market is flooded with a ton of wireless earbuds, to the point where it can be a challenge to select the best one of the lot for you.

Do you want to adhere to a strict budget? Is sound quality non-negotiable for you? What about the compatibility of the earbuds you buy with your phone, laptop, or any other device? Everyone's preferred options will vary, but we can make this decision process easier by recommending wireless earbuds from some of the best brands that have pleased numerous review outlets.

Aside from their overly confusing nomenclature, Sony's flagship wireless earbuds have largely succeeded in delivering a good experience with each iteration. The latest product to join this group, the Sony WF-1000XM6, is no exception, with Sony itself stating that these wireless earbuds bring big quality upgrades. Multiple professional reviewers have praised the audio output of these earbuds. Sound is well-balanced, dynamic, and very clear. All these publications were also impressed by the earbuds' ANC — well, everyone except TechRadar, which felt that the noise cancellation wasn't entirely effective in their testing. $328 is certainly a hefty premium to pay for the XM6s, but chances are that this investment will be a worthwhile one for anyone who wants a sonically coherent and efficient pair of earbuds.

The matte case itself is well designed, as are the buds themselves. Sony has stated that these earbuds are 11% slimmer than the XM5s. Whether they're a perfect fit for your ears or not will depend on the eartip you choose for them (and the shape of your own ear canal). If you want the ANC's effectiveness to be at its peak, then this is very important. Unfortunately, plenty of reviewers highlighted that these eartips can be suboptimal, and it doesn't help that Sony's app doesn't offer any hearing tests to figure out whether you've placed the best tips for your ear shape. Finally, the IPX4 rating remains consistent with previous models, which isn't great for anyone who expected Sony to improve the overall sturdiness of these earbuds.

Anyone deep in the Apple ecosystem should consider the Apple AirPods Pro 3. For $249 — on a minor sale at the time of writing for $234 — you'll acquire a pair of earbuds that reviewers highlight for their sound quality. The bass response is better, the sound has more clarity, audio transparency is great, and the noise cancellation of these earbuds is also worth noting. This is despite the fact that the AirPods Pro 3 uses the same H2 chip present in the Pro 2. One aspect of the earbuds that has been upgraded is the microphones — something numerous reviewers noticed both when testing how these earbuds eliminated background noise and also how their voices came through on calls.

Unlike the comparatively lackluster protection of the Sony WF-1000XM6, the AirPods Pro 3 boasts an IP57 rating to protect it from water and dust, making it a far more fitting gadget to take near a pool or on the beach. The AirPods Pro 3 also come with a bunch of other features, including a heart rate monitor. You do have to initiate an activity in the Apple Fitness app to see this metric, which is an inconvenience. Live Translations are very useful on the road, and Spatial Audio has been improved to work more cohesively with Dolby Atmos audio. You will need an iPhone to make the most of these features, which significantly dwindles the appeal of the AirPods Pro 3 for Android users.

For $299.95, the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 5 offers balanced, detailed sound output that has won over many reviewers, with its clarity and warm tones being particular high points. The inclusion of Dolby Atmos spatial audio is also a bonus. If there's one part of the overall package that's received more of a mixed reception, it's noise cancellation. The ANC is decent enough for a pair of wireless earbuds, but it lags behind its rivals. What Hi-Fi? also noticed that high frequencies can get a bit screechy, too.

Sennheiser adopted a unique approach for this device's battery. Its overall capacity is good enough, boasting 12 hours of playtime — six if you keep ANC active. The case provides a charge of up to 40 hours, so don't worry about these earbuds conking off during your travels as long as you plug them in beforehand. However, the true strength of this battery lies in the fact that you can unscrew the base of the device and replace it whenever you feel like it's on its last legs. Anyone who isn't too keen on the idea of throwing their earbuds away when the battery dies for good will probably want pay attention — the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 5 is a pair of earbuds that could last you for a very, very long time.

If the Apple AirPods Pro 3 is perfect for people with a ton of Apple devices, the Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro achieves a similar level of convenience for people who own a Galaxy phone. Reviewers praise the clarity and detail of the earbuds' sound. PCMag found its noise cancellation subpar, though that's a common enough concern across the wireless earbud category. While it usually retails for $249.99, it's on sale for $225.99 at the time of writing.

Again, we have to highlight the importance of pairing the Galaxy Buds4 Pro with a Samsung device. For starters, SSC UHQ is a proprietary codec — unlocking 24-bit/96,000Hz audio playback — and therefore only works on compatible Samsung devices. The earbuds don't support Bluetooth multipoint connections, either – fast-switching is only supported between multiple Samsung products, which is rather restrictive. Just like the AirPods Pro 3, these earbuds also sport an IP57 water- and dust-protection rating, but that doesn't stretch to the case. And if you're seeking out a comfortable fit, then the limited eartip choices provided in the package can be a pain to deal with.

Beats' presence in the industry might have become somewhat muted following Apple's takeover, but it's still putting new earbuds out regularly. The $249.99 Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 shows the fruits of this merger, offering the same H2 chip as the AirPods Pro 3. The improvements unlocked by the same are reflected in its great sound quality that reviewers appreciated, which emphasizes bass and can sound even more immersive if you use spatial audio in tandem with the Dolby Atmos format.

The earbuds' ergonomics is another aspect praised by reviewers. The over-the-ear hook design makes for a snug fit even during jogging or other vigorous movement. Speaking of which, the Powerbeats Pro 2 also comes with an in-ear heart monitor, and its integration with Apple's fitness apps is near-seamless, though Android users must first download an app that supports heart rate monitor tracking and then double-tap and hold on each earbud to manually track their workout session. Fitness enthusiasts, take notice.

Not only is the case of the Powerbeats Pro 2 noticeably smaller than the previous generation, but it's also the first time Beats has integrated wireless charging in their earbuds. Battery life is also apparently excellent, with each earbud lasting for 10 hours. With the charging case, you can enjoy a playback of up to 45 hours. This reduces by 20% if you turn on ANC — which, once again, marks the first time such a feature has been added to a pair of Beats earbuds.

Given how the Nothing CMF Buds 2 Plus received an Editor's Choice accolade in our review in 2025, it should be fairly obvious that we were quite impressed by what these earbuds brought to the table. It's not hard to find professional reviewers who have highlighted the great sound quality and effective noise cancellation of these headphones, which is especially notable given the affordable $59 price. '

This the cheapest pair of earbuds on this list, though that does come with its fair share of caveats. The case doesn't support wireless charging. This wouldn't be such a big deal if Nothing bothered to add a charging cable to the box. We also noticed that activating both Ultra Bass and Spatial Audio modes at the same time made for a very unpleasant overlap.

Something genuinely impressive about the CMF Buds 2 Plus is their support for LDAC codecs, which is usually reserved for more expensive earbuds. An IP55 certification is also worth nothing, especially since there are far more expensive earbuds on the market without adequate water or dust resistance. However, the Buds 2 Plus lacks something present in the previous model: the Smart Dial. This was a unique and customizable knob that could be configured via the Nothing X app, letting you assign one of several functions to everything from volume control to media playback, and Nothing replaced it with a decorative one.

Another pair of cheap wireless earbuds that punch above their weight, the EarFun Air Pro 4+ is already reasonably priced at $79.90. As of right now, it's also on sale at the discounted price of $62.99. Reviewers liked its detailed sound output, bass-heavy presentation, and found its ANC quite impressive for a budget-friendly device, though some didn't love how finicky its touch controls were, and CNET wasn't a huge fan of its middling voice-calling performance. 

The Air Pro 4+ supports a bunch of modern audio codecs, including aptX Lossless, aptX adaptive, LC3, AAC, LDAC, and LHDC. But of course, as one would expect from a device that tries to be affordable, there are some areas where these earbuds are lacking. The plastic used for the buds isn't particularly high-quality, and the lack of a metal hinge on the case doesn't inspire a ton of confidence in its sturdiness. 

More impressive, however, is the robust EarFun app. It lets you customize the earbuds' noise cancellation, enable low-latency gaming mode, tinker with the equalizer, use Bluetooth Multipoint, limit the volume, and locate a missing earbud by making it emit a loud sound. Most reviewers appreciated how feature-rich this app is, although PCMag was less complimentary because of some issues with ineffective features and LE Audio.

$498.77 is an inordinate amount to pay for a pair of wireless earbuds, but people who can afford the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 might well be pleased by its sound output, if reviews are anything to go by. Detail and dynamism are aspects of its audio that get considerable praise, though noise cancellation also impressed reviewers. 

For such an expensive device, it's reasonable to expect near-perfect performance, but the Pi8 does falter in some areas. SoundGuys wasn't a huge fan of these earbuds' emphasis on bass, and What Hi-Fi? had issues with call quality. Perhaps the biggest problem is that the Pi8 lacks any form of spatial audio or head tracking technology, which is present in most premium wireless earbuds these days.

Any pair of earbuds needs to fit snugly in your ear for the best noise-cancelling possible, so it's odd that the Pi8 doesn't have any tests to help you figure this out efficiently. It does pack in a transmission feature that lets you connect any device to the case with a USB-C or 3.5mm connection and play audio, which is transmitted to the earbuds via aptX Adaptive and can reach quality levels of up to 24-bit/96,000Hz. The look of both the earbuds and their charging case highlights their premium build, using high-quality plastics and a matte finish. However, SoundGuys also noticed that the case was a fingerprint magnet and prone to scratches, so handling it with care will be necessary to keeping the product looking snazzy over the long haul.

Unlike most other earbuds on this list, reviews regarding the sound quality of the Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro are a bit of a mixed bag. Multiple outlets highlight how bass-heavy these headphones are out of the box, so it's important to open the Soundcore app and adjust the EQ settings first and foremost to rectify this issue. The earbuds are also a bit on the larger end, although this shouldn't be a major problem. One feature of the Liberty 5 Pro more universally praised is its noise cancellation, though SoundGuys mentioned that ANC has an audible effect on overall sound output.

If you take calls regularly, you'll be glad to know that most outlets have highlighted how competent the Liberty 5 Pro is in this department. All of these perks are to be expected from a pair of earbuds that costs $169.99, but there's one thing that separates the Liberty 5 Pro from the competition — a narrow TFT touchscreen on the front of the charging case that lets you adjust the equalizer, toggle ANC, and manage devices. Yes, this touchscreen is small, but the mere fact that it exists helps the Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro stand out as one of the best noise-cancelling earbuds that won't break the bank.

If you want an affordable pair of earbuds that'll slot into your Pixel ecosystem effortlessly, check out the Google Pixel Buds 2a. $129 is very reasonable, although Google did cut some corners to achieve such a budget-friendly price. No wireless charging is the biggest exclusion, although the lack of a volume control gesture and support for just two codecs — SBC and AAC — are less than stellar too. However, if you're willing to deal with these negatives, the acceptable sound quality and effective ANC — two aspects praised in numerous professional reviews — should be more than enough to convince you to give the Buds 2a a shot.

Just like the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 5, the Buds 2a also feature a case with replaceable batteries. Its seamless functionality with Pixel devices lets you instantly connect to the earbuds just by opening the case near a Google phone. From the notification bar, you can easily customize most aspects of the earbuds, such as how press-and-hold works on each earbud, a toggle for Spatial Audio — yet another Pixel phone exclusive — and any equalizer settings. Perhaps the most impressive feature only reserved for Pixel devices is hands-free Gemini Live, which makes the most of the Google Tensor A1 chip in the Buds 2a to let you have full-blown conversations with Gemini.

All wireless earbuds mentioned here have high review scores — a minimum of 4 out of 5, 8 out of 10, or 80 out of 100 — across three or more publications. Aside from SlashGear, these outlets include TechRadar, CNET, Wired, Trusted Reviews, SoundGuys, The Guardian, Stuff, PCMag, Expert Reviews, What Hi-Fi?, Gizmodo, T3, Android Central, and Engadget!