The Best Wireless Earbuds of 2021

Our former pick for the Best Active Noise Canceling earbuds, Sony’s WF-1000XM3 are among the best wireless earbuds you can buy, full stop. Like their over-ear siblings the WH-1000XM3 and the newer WH-1000XM4, these fully wireless earbuds are loaded with tech, offer impressive sound, and have the ability to whisk away the outside world with some of the most powerful noise cancellation around.

While their lack of water resistance make them a tough sell for gym rats, anyone who wants great sound and serious noise cancellation to complement the sheer convenience of fully wireless earbuds should consider these. Along with whisper-quiet noise canceling, the WH-1000XM3 offer solid battery life at 6 hours per charge with noise cancellation engaged, and 8 hours without it, with an extra three charges in the charging case for up to 24 hours total.

In addition, Sony's powerful Headphones Connect app lets you customize a carousel of settings to make things just right for your listening habits. Perhaps best of all to value hunters, as they've hung around on the market, you can often find them on sale at a great price.

With their impressive collection of features and stellar performance, the WF-1000XM3 are a fantastic option, packed with value. If you’re looking for the same mix of gorgeous sound, great features, and class-leading active noise cancellation (ANC) offered by Sony's stellar over-ear models—but in a tiny, wireless form factor—these are the earbuds for you.

Panasonic's RZ-S500W won our favor with a brilliant combination of great sound and top-notch noise canceling at a price that easily undercuts major competitors. Honestly, we utilize noise canceling more than any other true wireless feature as we're often wearing them for tasks like vacuuming or lawn mowing, which is why we're so taken with these relatively affordable buds.

Whereas many wireless earbuds offer noise canceling as something of an afterthought, the RZ-S500W serve up powerful cancellation across frequencies for a comforting realm of sanctity from barking dogs, yelling kids, and much more.

As noted, sound is also impressive, with a clear and mostly even sound signature that offers quality listening across musical genres, podcasts, and more. Panasonic’s app adds to the fun, letting you adjust everything from EQ to noise cancellation and transparency mode (AKA ambient sound mode, hearthrough mode, etc.) so you can choose exactly how much environmental sound you let in or keep out. With around 6 hours of playback per charge, the RZ-S500W sit directly in the middle of their biggest competitors in the ANC earbuds space, but at a lower price.

That said, they do have a few drawbacks. For one thing, their charging case only holds two charges, meaning you’ll have to top it off more frequently than most rivals. On top of that, while we found the RZ-S500W quite comfortable, fit can be tricky due to their somewhat bulky design. Even when they're properly sealed, they tend to jostle during rigorous activities, making them a much better fit for your office (home or otherwise) than your daily jog.

On the other hand, unlike Sony’s WF-1000XM3, the RZ-S500W offer IPX4 water resistance, allowing you to easily combat the elements. Add in their other generous features and the Panasonic RZ-S500W earbuds sit among our favorite earbuds to come out in 2020. We'll add that they're often on sale for far below their already low price point which, if you can snag it, makes them among the best value propositions in the space.

Samsung’s Galaxy Buds Pro represent Samsung's obvious attempt to create a pair of earbuds just as special and impressive for Samsung phones as Apple’s AirPods Pro are for iPhones. And the gambit worked pretty dang well. Samsung has loaded up a feature-packed pair of earbuds bespoke for the Samsung faithful that offer plenty for those outside the Samsung family, too.

The big headliner for these earbuds is solid active noise cancellation, a first for Samsung’s true wireless buds if you don’t count the Galaxy Buds Live (and with ANC that light you probably shouldn’t). But that’s just the beginning. They also offer adjustable ambient audio, which is boostable for super hearing, alongside a truckload of other popular features we expect in flagship earbuds, from the ability to use one bud at a time to a wireless charging case and a Find My Earbuds function.

One particularly interesting feature is Voice detect, designed to pause ANC and engage ambient mode when you speak so you can keep in touch with those around you hands-free, though we found it can be overzealous at times.

Most of the Galaxy Buds Pro’s top features will work for any phone once you download Samsung’s well-equipped Wear app. But Samsung didn’t stop there, offering a litany of extra features for the Samsung faithful, including auto-pairing, Bixby wakeup, and even a new 3D audio feature that’s saved for those with the Galaxy S21 and up. In other words, it pays to be heavily invested in Samsung’s ecosystem.

Samsung does well to straddle both sides of that line, though, adding design traits everyone can enjoy such as class-leading water resistance (IPX7) and impressive, well-balanced sound that’s as good at bumping beats as it is carving out ultra-clear detail or serving up phone calls.

There are some downsides, including a lack of volume control by default (you’ve got to swap out another function), a fit that can wear on the ears over time, and battery life that’s just so-so for 2021 (less than 5 hours per charge with ANC). In addition, so far we’ve found the case doesn’t charge the earbuds as quickly as advertised, meaning you’ll have to wait longer once you lose juice.

That said, Samsung has created a winner here thanks to a well-rounded feature list, impressive audio performance, and a great price that make its Galaxy Buds Pro instant contenders—especially if you’re toting around a new Samsung phone.

If judged by sound alone, Sennheiser’s second-gen Momentum, the Momentum 2 True Wireless would be our top pick. They offer the best sound in the category, and though their amazing performance comes with a hefty price tag, they can often be found on sale for a more reasonable price point.

First, the good stuff: The Momentum True Wireless 2 serve up a rich, dynamic listening experience regardless of genre, thanks in part to their mid-level (but relatively effective) active noise cancellation.

In fact, they sound so good that you might find yourself discovering sonic details in songs you thought you knew like the back of your hand. Listening to music with the Momentum 2 is an altogether inviting experience, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a better-sounding pair of wireless earbuds of any kind in 2020. They also offer desirable features like transparency mode for environmental awareness alongside their basic active noise cancellation.

Compared to the original Sennheiser Momentum, the Momentum 2 offer a vastly improved selection of touch controls on the outside of each earbud. And as a bonus, Sennheiser’s Smart Control app has also improved, making the customization experience painless and surprisingly granular, allowing you to change up the controls in any configuration. With Bluetooth 5.0, they also offer a better wireless connection overall. They also offer respectable IPX4 water resistance.

There are a few drawbacks should you decide to shell out the dough for a pair. For one thing, while the Momentum 2 True Wireless offer better battery life than their predecessor, they top out at around seven hours (or a little over five with noise cancellation enabled), which is better than Apple's AirPods Pro, but less than we'd like for their price point.

In addition, the Momentum 2 aren’t quite as durable as some of the more affordable true wireless earbuds we’ve tested, and while they're relatively easy to use, the interface isn't as dead-simple as some of our top picks. Finally, their transparency mode is a bit less natural sounding than what you'll get in the Elite 85t and AirPods Pro.

Still, if you value high-quality sound first and foremost, and you've got the means, Sennheiser's Momentum 2 are a fantastic pick. They’re better than their predecessor and stand toe-to-toe with our top picks in a wide range of categories. Additionally, if you want that fantastic Momentum 2 sound on a tighter budget, Sennheiser has essentially ported it into the CX 400BT earbuds, which sell for a lower price than the flagship pair by cutting active noise cancellation as well as any form of water resistance. Either way, you'll be getting unmatched sound, and that's worth serious consideration.

Klipsch’s second generation of true wireless earbuds are just as stylish as the company’s first pair, the original T5, but with some impressive upgrades. What hasn’t changed here is the sound, which is among the best in the category. The T5 II offer clear, detailed sound that’s as dynamic as it is engaging, alongside crystal clear phone calls.

The latest buds offer plenty of handy features such as comprehensive controls (including onboard volume control), a light and comfy fit, top-notch dust and water resistance (IP67), and a Zippo-like metallic case that's as robust as they come but still fits perfectly in your pocket.

There are a few downsides, of course (otherwise they’d be our top pick, right?). Those include a lack of some sought after features like active noise cancellation and a Qi-certified charging case. In addition, the onboard controls can be finicky.

That said, these earbuds won our hearts with a simple and stylish design that's easy to take along, and some of the best sound in the genre. If sound is your top concern, and you don’t want to spring for the much pricier Sennheiser Momentum 2, you’ll want to give the T5 II a long look.

The winning follow-up to Samsung's original Galaxy Buds, the 2020 Samsung Galaxy Buds+ check off a lot of the right boxes where true wireless headphones are concerned, starting with their light and comfy design and incredibly long playback time, making for excellent usability—which is really what true wireless earbuds are all about.

While they don't sound as good or have all the features of our top picks, the Galaxy Buds+ still sound plenty good, and their price has dropped significantly from their already low MSRP, making them among the most enticing buds on our list.

Key Galaxy Buds+ features include transparency mode (which Samsung calls Ambient Sound), basic water resistance, Qi wireless charging for the case, a well-appointed app, onboard volume controls, and a whopping 11 hours of max playback per charge (and up to 22 hours total with the case). That's four more hours than the max playback time of Jabra's Elite 85t, and more than double the AirPods Pro, though you'll have to give up any form of noise cancellation in the bargain.

In addition, we really enjoy the Galaxy Buds+'s simple and comfortable form factor, which adds rubberized grips alongside three sizes of ear tips for a secure fit. The buds and compact charging case are also available in multiple colors to suit your style or even match your phone. While they're only IPX2 rated for water resistance, it's enough to use them for modest workouts and in drizzling rain.

This is the hill we're prepared to die on: these will be a better choice for most folks than the classic AirPods, especially if you use them alongside the minimalist and intuitive Samsung Wearables app. The only major drawback is that they don't work with older phones, so check those requirements before you pull the trigger. If you don't need noise canceling, but just want something affordable and versatile, the Galaxy Buds+ are your pick.

The Club Pro+ TWS mark JBL's most serious foray into the true wireless space. While these aren't exactly revolutionary, JBL does deserve kudos for how many of the right boxes the Club Pro+ TWS check off. At the end of the day, however, while they're a jack of all trades, they also fall a bit short of mastery.

You'll find an agreeable list of features here, including robust sound quality, decent noise canceling, standard battery life at around 6 hours per charge, and ample customizability thanks to JBL's dedicated My Headphones app. We also found ourselves impressed with the hyper-compact design of the charging case—it's small enough to fit right in the palm of your hand. And while multiple ear tip options, an IPX4 rating, and USB-C quick charging don't exactly make for exciting extras, it's good to see JBL taking the proper cues from its forebears in the true wireless space.

For what you're paying, the Club Pro+ TWS are, simply put, a solid product. But that's also their weakness: they aren't the best-sounding buds on the list, nor do they cancel noise as effectively as competitors like Bose and Sony. Yet they stand head and shoulders above many options in this price range, and are flexible enough in terms of potential use cases that the average listener won't have any complaints.

In many ways, this lack of exaggerated ability is what gives the Club Pro+ their attractively mid-range price point, making them potentially a great fit for listeners who want to save money without sacrificing features.

Sony's WF-SP800N are formidable workout earbuds, offering an embarrassment of features for their price point, along with impressive sound, a strong and stable connection, and a sporty, water-resistant design—something the flagship WF-1000XM3 buds don’t have.

Packing everything from light noise cancellation and transparency mode to automatic audio adjustment and Bluetooth 5.0, the SP800N are impressively well-appointed for their cost—especially since you can often find them on sale. They're also highly tuneble thanks to Sony's Headphones Connect app, including a five-band EQ with a separate bass control so you can easily pull back (or ramp up) their booming "Extra Bass" feature.

As for negatives, the SP800N’s noise cancelation is nothing to write home about, the buds are fairly bulky, and the charging case stores only one extra charge, though their 9 hours of playback per charge makes this more palatable. In addition, we found a tear in one of the silicone ear fins after just a few days, but based on over 1,000 user reviews, we’re inclined to write this off as a fluke. Because their fins are fairly involved, it can also be a pain to put them in and take them out, but that’s also what makes them so stable for high-impact activities.

Their incredible playback time of 9 hours on a single charge with noise cancellation—and a whopping 13 hours without it—helps make up for their charging case's shortcomings. Add in their wealth of other features and the SP800N are steeped with value, making them a great choice if you're looking for action-ready sports buds.

The 4th-gen Beats Powerbeats are basically the same headphones as the Powerbeats Pro—they simply aren't "true wireless," featuring a small cable that runs between the two buds and behind your neck.

However, what you're sacrificing by way of true wireless freedom, you're making up for in cost. People love the Powerbeats Pro, but they're often just too darn expensive (at full price anyway) for many budgets. The Powerbeats are a great stand-in, priced well below the Powerbeats Pro's suggested retail price, and their price tag is only falling. Not only that, but you'll also get longer battery per charge (though there's no charging case for a top-off).

Outside of the wire situation, Beats fans will be very glad to know that the connected Powerbeats sound just as good as the "Pro" model, and offer similar levels of flexibility and style (i.e., they come in a bunch of colors). Like other Beats headphones, their sound profile is still bass-forward, but it’s thankfully restrained here for excellent clarity. As you’d expect for fitness headphones, the Powerbeats are also sweat- and water-resistant so you won’t have to worry about going for the gusto.

They also offer shockingly good connection quality that outdoes their siblings, as well as any other true wireless earbuds we've ever tried. Seriously, they've got such good range you may actually forget where you put your phone.

While the Powerbeats Pro scored a bit higher in overall testing, the value quotient makes the Powerbeats the better buy for most looking for purpose-built workout buds. These are an excellent choice if you've been after the workout-ready, sound-forward style of the original Powerbeats Pro but don't want to shell out that much cash. Heck, if you don't mind the addition of one little wire, there's really no reason not to buy these instead.

Priced similarly to Apple's AirPods Pro, the Beats Powerbeats Pro are impressive true wireless earphones in their own right. Though they've lost some luster in recent years with heated competition, they offer impressive playback time per charge, great sound, and a durable, sporty design. They're relatively stylish (as you might expect from Beats), available in ivory, black, navy, or moss colors, and feature adjustable ear hooks to help keep them in your ears during just about any workout.

Like the Powerbeats, they offer great water resistance and vastly improved sound quality over previous Beats earbuds, making them a good choice for general use, though their ear-hook design can get uncomfortable over time. Like virtually all true wireless earphones, they come with a pocketable charging case (thanks to their ear hooks, it’s a lot larger than most), but their impressive 9 hours of battery life per charge allows you to leave the case behind.

The Powerbeats Pro are less minimalist than Apple's AirPods, and come at a premium price point—especially for headphones that don’t include active noise cancellation or even any form of transparency mode, which makes them less-than-ideal for jogging in busy areas. Because of their Apple-first design, they're also not as good an option if you own an Android phone.

Their price point has also dropped a fair bit over time, though, and if you’re looking for fitness first, the top Beats earbuds are a fine choice, especially if you find them on a good sale.

Google’s first Pixel Buds were kind of a mess. They were tethered by an odd cable, packed in a terrible case, and had a fit as awkward as their sound. With a full overhaul for 2020, the new Pixel Buds are leaps and bounds above their predecessor, and that starts with their new minimalist design. Nimble, and bearing a built-in rubberized wing to keep them in place and flush with your ears, the 2020 Pixel Buds are both comfy and stylish.

The egg-shaped charging case is equally stylish, with a pocket-ready form factor, wireless charging, and a unique look that takes cues from Apple’s AirPods and AirPods Pro, yet stands on its own. The Pixel Buds also offer clear sound—though the midrange and bass could definitely use some more oomph—and features like Find My Earbuds via the app, and even voice wake up for Google Assistant.

There are reasons the Pixel Buds aren’t higher on this list, however. While the feature set isn’t exactly austere, the Buds leave out desirable features like Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode, instead going with Adaptive Sound, Google’s answer to noise control. Designed to turn the earbuds up when you’re in a busy area, Adaptive Sound didn't impress in testing, offering modest adjustment that was only noticeable when blasting extremely loud noises nearby.

The earbuds have also dealt with a lot of bugs, including spotty call quality, occasional swapping of the stereo image and, reported connectivity troubles. This latter issue may be due to the Pixel Buds’ small size (and therefore small antennas) but it’s not something we expect in earbuds at this price point. Not for nothing, while their 5 hours of battery playback (plus 20 in the case) is fine, it’s also exactly what Apple offered in its original AirPods four years ago, and nearly all newer buds at this price offer more playback time.

That said, if you love the Pixel Buds’ design (which we do) and don’t mind throwing the dice on some occasional bugs and connectivity issues, they’re a stylish and comfortable way to go, and still offer better sound and features than Apple’s standard Airpods.