The Best Earbuds for 2021

Our team of audio experts has put in countless hours listening to and comparing the pros and cons of different earbuds. From old-school but still awesome wired earbuds to wireless earbuds that are hardly noticeable, there’s a lot to choose from.

In our opinion, the best wired earbuds you can buy are the 1More Triple Drivers, which offer a sweet mix of style and performance at a reasonable price, while Jabra’s Elite 85t offer the best overall feature set in a pair of true wireless earbuds.

But there are tons of great models out there, some of which really excel in specific areas. So if the 1More and Jabra models aren’t quite what you’re looking for, we’ve got several awesome alternatives.

The best earbuds at a glance

The best wired earbuds: 1More Triple Driver

Why you should buy them: They’re a sweet mix of style, performance, and shocking affordability.

Who they’re for: The discerning listener who craves quality but hasn’t yet landed that corner office.

Why we picked the 1More Triple Driver:

We could have gone many ways for this pick, but 1More’s unassuming Triple Driver just wouldn’t stop popping up into the picture. The 1More in-ear headphones aren’t at the top of the class in performance, but what they do have going for them is unrivaled quality and value at their (very reasonable) price point. The company has created plenty of iterations since, including the recent Dual Driver ANC Pro Wireless, the Quad Driver, and even an over-ear version, creatively called the Triple Driver Over-Ears. But when it comes to value for the money, we always come back to the original wired earbuds.

China-based upstart 1More blew our minds when we discovered how little the company wanted for the Triple Driver headphones, the first pair we’d ever heard from the brand. For this kind of build quality and performance, we’d expect to pay at least double. And while these aren’t wireless earbuds, if you don’t mind some strings attached, they more than make up for their wired constraints with sweet sound for the dough.

So what specifically do the Triple Driver offer your ears? A gorgeous aesthetic, solid construction, and — you guessed it — three drivers within each earbud for excellent sound. That includes one dynamic driver for warm and full bass and a balanced armature driver for both the midrange and treble to create clear and articulate sound. It’s an intriguing design than one might think is a gimmick, but we can assure you that when it comes to the results, it’s anything but.

Along with the earbuds, you get a carry case, an airplane travel adapter, a cable clip, and a huge assortment of silicone and foam eartips to help you find the perfect fit.

The 1More Triple Driver’s sound signature provides sparkling clarity, smooth and powerful bass, and balanced sound that outdoes everything we’ve heard at a similar price point. These headphones provide exceptional sound for anything you listen to, from electronica to acoustic folk. Oh, and if you’re rocking a new iPhone and you hate the adapter, there’s a Lightning version, too.

If the 1More Triple Driver appeal to you, but you want to spend less, check out the Strauss & Wagner EM205. They sound almost as good but cost half the price. They’re also tiny and very lightweight — perfect for tossing in a backpack.

Read our in-depth 1More Triple Driver review

The best true wireless earbuds: Jabra Elite 85t

Why you should buy them: They offer an amazing mix of sound quality, battery life, customization, and noise cancellation.

Who they’re for: Those who want it all, without spending an absolute fortune.

Why we picked the Jabra Elite 85t:

The Jabra Elite 85t sound amazing, but that’s not why we picked them as the best true wireless earbuds. What really sets these earbuds apart is their enormous list of features — a combination of capabilities you simply won’t find on any other model at any price.

Though not quite as compact as the Elite 75t, the 85t are still very small and very comfortable thanks to their ergonomic shape and choice of silicone eartips. That comfort is helped considerably by the 85t’s vented design, which lets a small amount of air pass between your inner ear and the outside world — this reduces the feeling of sucking or cotton balls that people can sometimes experience with ear canal-sealing earbuds.

They’ve got top-notch active noise cancellation as well as a transparency mode that instantly lets outside sounds in. Better yet, you can switch between these modes with the press of a button, and there’s no delay at all. You can customize both ANC and transparency within the Jabra app to suit your needs, with several environment presets on hand in case you’re in a rush.

Speaking of customization, the app gives you a huge amount of choice over how commands like play/pause and volume adjustments are executed — very few true wireless earbuds let you do this.

Battery life, at seven hours with ANC off and five hours with it on, is more than enough, especially when you consider their fast-charge time of 15 minutes for an extra hour of playback and a charging case that extends non-ANC time to 24 hours. Speaking of the case, it’s very compact and offers both USB-C and wireless charging.

Want more? Jabra provides a fit test, a hearing test, and the ability to find the 85t should they become misplaced. You can also create your own personal sound signature with the adjustable equalizer if you don’t like the way they sound from the factory. Want to work out with them? They’re rated IPX4, which will keep them safe even during a very sweaty gym session.

Want to use just one earbud? No problem. And the cherry on top is that the 85t is one of the very few true wireless earbuds that support Bluetooth multipoint, which lets you connect them to two devices simultaneously, making switching between, say, a phone and a laptop fast and easy.

If you want one of the best overall sets of true wireless earbuds, look no further than the Jabra’s Elite 85t.

For slightly better sound quality in a bulkier design, our previous pick — the Sony WF-1000XM3 — are still a fantastic choice.

Read our in-depth Jabra Elite 85t review

The best earbuds for running: Sony WF-SP800N

Why you should buy them: With astonishing battery life, sound quality, and noise cancellation, they’re great workout companions.

Who they’re for: People who want total wireless autonomy for demanding workouts.

Why we picked the Sony WF-SP800N:

Sony has a reputation for making stellar audio products, and the WF-SP800N take all of Sony’s know-how and squeeze it into a compact set of workout-friendly earbuds. Their IP55 water- and dust-resistant rating means they can take pretty much whatever you can throw at them, and their battery life is enormous: Nine hours if you leave their active noise cancellation on and 13 hours if you turn it off.

Though bulkier than some other workout buds like the Elite Active 75t, the SP800N won’t budge once they’re sitting in your ear thanks to their silicone wingtips that provide a secure three-point anchor in your concha.

Sound quality, as you would expect, is excellent, and the Sony Headphones app lets you tweak the equalization to your heart’s content, including turning on and off the ExtraBass feature. If you’re curious about Sony’s 360 Reality Audio format, which can give you the feeling of being at a live performance, the WF-SP800N are compatible with the streaming services that offer it, like Deezer and Amazon Music HD.

The adjustable ANC is also a high point, though this feature tends to work best in non-windy environments. You can engage a transparency mode any time you need it or simply use the quick-attention mode, which automatically switches to transparency and lowers your music volume temporarily while you press the left earbud.

Call quality is very good, whether indoors or outside. Our only real complaint about the WF-SP800N is their charging case. It’s definitely on the bulky side and doesn’t offer wireless charging.

We think the Sony WF-SP800N are an amazing set of workout buds, but both the Jabra Elite Active 75t and Powerbeats Pro are excellent alternatives. They can’t match Sony’s ANC, but the Jabra are smaller and more comfortable, and the Powerbeats have bigger, bolder bass.

Read our in-depth Sony WF-SP800N review

Best earbuds for bass: JVC HA-XC90T

Why you should buy them: Their enormous bass is matched with the longest battery life we’ve ever seen.

Who they’re for: Those who want big bass, clear sound, and a battery that will outlast anything else out there.

Why we picked the JVC HA-XC90T:

While some true wireless earbuds attempt to offer something for everyone, JVC’s HA-XC90T (also known as JVC XX) are unapologetic about their mission to provide the biggest bass you’ve ever heard.

The black earbuds with the red rings deliver what can only be described as subwoofer-grade bass response, and that’s before you engage their bass boost mode, which makes them downright thunderous.

Amazingly, this powerful low end doesn’t prevent the mids and highs from taking their place on the soundstage, though make no mistake: If you’re not a fan of deep notes, the JVC XX are not the buds for you.

Along with that incredible boosted bass is a boosted battery. The JVC XX can go a whopping 15 hours on a single charge, making these earbuds the stamina kings of the true wireless world. The charging case holds another two full charges, which means you can use the JVC XX for almost 48 hours before needing to plug the case into a power cord.

Speaking of the charging case, it’s a big, solid affair made of aluminum. The slide-out tray feels sturdy and locks into place with a satisfying click. There’s no wireless charging option, but given how infrequently you’ll need to grab a USB-C cable, that’s not such a bad thing.

Other caveats include: No app for customizing the equalizer or button controls, no active noise cancellation, and no auto-pause when you remove an earbud.

Those are a lot of missing features on a set of earbuds at this price, but they have IP55 protection from dust and water and a “touch and talk” feature, which gives you a temporary transparency mode when you need it.

When you consider that, plus the JVC XX‘s two big benefits (bass and battery), these earbuds still manage to justify their asking price for those who value what they offer.

Read our hands-on impressions of the JVC HA-XC90T

Best earbuds for swimming: Sony Walkman NW-WS413

Why you should buy them: You want a water-safe device so you can listen to your favorite tracks while hitting the lap lanes.

Who they’re for: Swimmers and athletes who prefer to leave their phones at home.

Why we picked the Sony WS413 Walkman W-Series:

It doesn’t matter how waterproof you make them, true wireless earbud won’t be able to play your tunes when you dip below the surface. It’s simple physics: Bluetooth can’t travel through the water like it can through the air. And should an earbud become dislodged while you’re swimming, your odds of retrieving it are slim to none.

That’s why the Sony W-Series Walkman Sports MP3 player wins this category, even though they don’t possess any wireless capabilities at all. Not only can they be completely submerged and still continue to play music, but they can operate in salt or freshwater at depths of up to 2 meters — so go ahead and jump in the deep end.

They’ll even stay on after that cannonball, kept in place by both around-the-ear hooks and a tiny band that snugly stretches around the back of your head. The headphones also feature unique earbuds that are designed to keep water from entering the driver casing — which would otherwise ruin the headphones for good.

The Sony WS413 Walkman WS Series is an all-in-one device that doesn’t need to be connected to a phone or other playback ; instead, it has 4GB of storage to hold your music, and you can load up songs and playlists on your PC via the included USB cable.

Sure, 4GB might not sound like much space, but that adds up to about 1,000 to 2,000 tracks, depending on their file size. All playback is controlled with tiny buttons on the sides of each earbud. Speaking of charge, the W-Series Walkman will last up to 12 hours per charge, and Sony claims you’ll be able to charge them in no time via their quick-charge feature.

The WS413 is perfect for swimmers who want total immersion in both the water and their tunes, but sometimes we need to be more aware of our surroundings. Whether it’s being able to hear a swim coach’s instructions, a lifeguard’s warnings, or just other swimmers, earbuds that block out the outside world aren’t always the best tool for the job.

In these circumstances, the $150 Aftershokz Xtrainerz are the way to go. They offer the same 4GB capacity as the Sonys, but they use bone conduction to transmit sound to your ears, which leaves your ear canals open. That means you can hear everything going on around you and your music, plus you can insert your favorite swimming earplugs if you want — and they won’t interfere with the audio.

The best earbuds for iPhone: Apple AirPods Pro

Why you should buy them: As long as they’re synced to an iPhone, the AirPods Pro have features few other devices can match.

Who they’re for: Apple die-hards who want a fully wireless option.

Why we picked the Apple AirPods Pro:

The truth is, there are better-sounding earbuds out there that can work with iPhones, but even so, we still think the AirPods Pro are the best iOS-specific choice thanks to how Apple they are.

For better or for worse, AirPods Pro have all the hallmarks of an Apple product: They’re sleek, feature-rich, and extremely easy to use. The design includes simple controls and no-fuss compatibility with other Apple products. That last point is probably the most important reason why the AirPods Pro are our pick for the best wireless headphones to use with iPhones. Unlike other Bluetooth devices, AirPods Pro are designed to automatically sync with your device.

Perhaps most importantly for Apple users (apart from the iconic style), these earbuds couldn’t be easier to pair and set up. Just open the case, hold the new AirPods next to your iPhone, and you’re ready to listen. Once the AirPods Pro are paired, they’ll also show up automatically on any of your iCloud-connected Apple devices, including a companion iPad or MacBook. Switching can be done with a single click, but if you’re on the latest versions of iOS and macOS, that switching can even happen automatically.

The main difference between the AirPods Pro and the AirPods 2 with Wireless Charging Case, which used to hold this spot, is the addition of noise-canceling. They also offer a more discreet, fitted design that makes use of silicone tips to: A) keep the Pods firmly fixed to your ears during intense exercise, B) make them more pleasant to wear for extended periods, and C) create the seal that’s required for noise-canceling to function as intended.

They’re also IPX4 sweat-resistant and offer much better sound quality. Earlier in 2020, Apple added spatial audio to the AirPods Pro, making them an intriguing companion for watching movies on Apple’s devices.

For all these reasons, the Apple AirPods Pro are a solid choice for Apple’s products, especially the iPhone.  But we’d be remiss if we didn’t point out that every other pair of fully wireless earbuds work great with iPhones too. And you can find a pair that sound just as good as the AirPods Pro for a bit less money. It’s a big world out there, so before you just jump into the most obvious Apple pairing, we suggest shopping around a bit.

Read our in-depth AirPods Pro review

The best earbuds for Android: Google Pixel Buds 2

Why you should buy them: Google made some major changes to its second-generation Google Pixel Buds, adding worthwhile features and impressive sound quality.

Who they’re for: Those searching for earbuds that are essentially custom-made for Android mobile devices.

Why we picked the Google Pixel Buds 2:

Move over, Samsung. The recently released Google Pixel Buds 2 have taken the top spot in a category that had been previously owned by two iterations of Galaxy Buds. Don’t get us wrong — the Samsung buds are still a solid value for Android smartphone owners. But the new Pixel Buds are in a league of their own.

With Google’s Fast Pair on Android feature, the Pixel Buds immediately start the pairing process with your phone the second you pull them out of their case. Once set up, you can use Google Assistant hands-free, since the Pixel Buds are the first hotword-enabled earbuds for Google’s own artificial intelligence. With other Android-centric features like Google Translate, which can be used through the app or simply by asking Google Assistant, the Pixel Buds are a winner based on skill set alone.

They don’t have the battery life that the Samsung Galaxy Buds+ boast and there’s no noise-cancellation, but the Google Pixel Buds 2 were redesigned from the originals to fit more flush to your ear, and were given a significant boost in audio quality. That, paired with the features they offer and an affordable price, make the Pixel Buds the best bet for Android users.

Read our in-depth Google Pixel Buds 2 review

Research and buying tips

Can earbuds damage your ears?

Yes, because of their isolation and because the drivers are closer to your eardrums, it is not recommended to listen at higher volumes for extended periods of time.

Are earbuds waterproof?

Many are water-resistant, few can be fully submerged. We recommend checking for an IP rating if you want to make sure you are treating them properly.

Can earbuds sound as good as over-ear headphones?

Yes, at the high end, in-ear monitors can sound as good as virtually any headphones on the market. That said, you’ll have to pay a hefty premium to get top-tier sound.

How should earbuds fit?

Comfortably and securely. You may want to find a pair with earfins or earclips if you are planning on working out.

Should I use earbuds when driving?

No. It is dangerous and illegal in many regions.

Glossary

• Driver: The unit that produces sound in a headphone, made up of magnets, voice coils, and other materials. Typically, the larger the driver, the more power a headphone has, and bigger drivers inside in-ear headphones generally indicate that a better range of frequencies can be reproduced.
• Dynamic driver: A single driver capable of covering the entire frequency range. The diaphragm is connected directly to a voice coil in the headphone, with the voice coil moving between magnets to produce sound.
• Balance armature driver: In a balanced armature driver, the headphone’s diaphragm is connected to the armature, with micro-vibrations producing the sound. Most balanced armature drivers are best within a specific frequency range, which is why many headphones contain multiple balanced drivers, with certain frequencies divided between drivers for full-spectrum sound.
• Soundstage: The perceived size and depth of the sound coming through the headphones.
• Passive noise isolation: Noise that is blocked out by the headphone based on its physical shape and size in your ear.
• Frequency response: The spectrum of frequencies that a headphone can reliably reproduce.

How we test

We test headphones and earbuds the way normal people live.

We run every pair of earbuds through a rigorous process over several days. That includes playing them in all sorts of scenarios — be it on a bus, in the listening room, or at the office — and playing back from a wide array of s. We know most people use their headphones with a smartphone, often with lower quality MP3 resolution tracks, so we test that, too.

We also move up to high-resolution audio files, as well as a wide variety of s, including plugging in directly to a PC or Mac, using USB DACs (digital-to-analog converters), and employing high-quality dedicated portable players and amplifiers. Finally, we compare the earbuds to some of our go-to models, both in their class and price point, as well as a level or two above, to find out if they can punch above their weight.

Editors’ Recommendations