What does it take to be included in What Hi-Fi?’s list of the best wireless earbuds? Our review team assesses multiple factors when deciding which products to feature, including (among others) comfort, ease of use, call quality and battery life. Ultimately, though, sound quality and value for money are top of our list.
Our experts have been testing audio and video products for close to 50 years and we have been testing wireless earbuds ever since the product category first emerged nearly a decade ago. We have reviewed multiple models from the biggest brands in the business, spanning a huge range of prices, which means our knowledge in this field is unrivalled.
Using our huge database of wireless earbuds reviews and combining it with the opinions of our experts we have been able to drill down to bring you this list of the very best pairs currently on the market. These are the cream of the crop and each one is a class-leader in its own unique way.
7 Best Wireless Earbuds
The best wireless earbuds overall
The WF-1000XM5 are the current benchmark for wireless earbuds thanks to their fantastic blend of performance and features. As an all-round proposition, they're tough to beat.
The best cheap wireless earbuds
If you're looking for some of the cheapest five-star true wireless earbuds we've tested, then make a beeline for the Earfun Air. They deliver a great sonic performance for very little money.
The best mid-price wireless earbuds
These five-star Sonys tick multiple boxes, with good ANC, excellent sound quality, and impressive comfort levels in an attractively-priced package. A fine effort from the Japanese tech giant.
The best wireless earbuds for battery life
With ten hours of juice available per charge, the WF-C500 should be able to withstand the longest of journeys. There's no noise-cancelling on board, but the brilliant sound quality and budget price make these earbuds hard to ignore.
The best noise-cancelling wireless earbuds
These excellent noise-cancelling earbuds are Bose's finest to date. They cut out external chatter with ease which leaves you free to enjoy their comfy fit and excellent sound quality. Expensive, but worth it.
The best AirPods
The AirPods Pro 2 are Apple's finest wireless earbuds to date. They work seamlessly with your iPhone while sound quality and noise-cancelling have gone up a notch from the previous version. Apple fan? These buds are a no-brainer.
Load the next product… ↓
The best wireless earbuds for running
JBL’s Live Pro 2 TWS are serious all-rounders if you're into exercising, with a solid design, comfortable fit and engaging audio performance.
The best wireless earbuds overall
If you're looking for the best wireless earbuds currently on sale, look no further than the brilliant WF-1000XM5.
During testing, we found the XM5 to be comfortable and nice to use, while their noise-cancelling and call quality are up there with the competition. Looking for the clearest and most detailed sonic performance from a pair of wireless earbuds on the market right now? The WF-1000XM5 produce it.
They're not quite as rich or full in the bass as the Bose QuietComfort Ultra, but in our review we said "what Sony has managed to achieve as far as clarity and detail go is really rather special". We think they're a great choice for fans of any musical genre.
Add to that an eight-hour battery life (plus 16hrs from the case), Multipoint Bluetooth (so you can connect to two devices simultaneously), excellent noise cancellation (they seem to remove an extra layer of midrange noise compared to their predecessors, the XM4) and IPX4-rated sweat resistance, and this is a solid offering across the board.
There's no shortage of competition at this price, including the Bose QuietComfort Ultra, AirPods Pro 2 and Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4.
But for most people, most of the time, the Sonys are great all-rounders. Will there be a WF-1000XM6 replacing them any time soon? Most rumours point to a 2025 launch so don't expect anything to happen in the short-term.
Also, don't forget to keep an eye out for price drops on the XM5 around big sales events like Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday, when you tend to see a little bit shaved off the retail price.
The big news this month is that the Sonys have a new rival to contend with, in the shape of the new Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. We're currently in the middle of testing them, so stay tuned to this page in the coming weeks to see how they stack up and whether we deem them worthy of inclusion in this list.
Read our full Sony WF-1000XM5 review
Best cheap wireless earbuds
These true wireless earbuds aren't from what you'd consider one of the larger, heavy-hitting brands, but they are ridiculously affordable and sound great for the money too!
The Earfun Air are also packed with features. Noise-cancelling is out of the picture at this price, but there's excellent noise isolation and these well-fitting earphones are comfy to wear too. They're also waterproof to IPX7 standards (submersible in one metre of water for up to 30 mins), support virtual assistants and include Qi wireless charging.
Calls sound clear, and the battery life is seven hours from the buds and a further 28 hours from the charging case. Amazingly, we think it all feels fairly premium too. The Bluetooth 5.0 connection is solid and stable and for the money, and during testing we found the wireless earbuds offer a "grippy, energetic" sound.
If you’re after something fun-sounding that won't break the bank, the Earfun Air wireless earbuds could be just the ticket and are often found with money off. They've also been around a fair while now but we've tested the newer EarFun Air 2 and don't think they are as convincing at the money. If you want a wider selection of affordable earbuds, check out our full round-up of the best cheap wireless earbuds.
Read our full Earfun Air review
Best mid-price wireless earbuds
Sony's excellent true wireless earbuds slot neatly between the budget WF-C500 (no ANC, below) and premium WF-1000XM5 (above).
And we think they're brilliant options that more than justify their price tag. The buds are impressively small, and their lightweight design helps make them even more comfortable than Sony's XM4. Battery life is competitive at seven and a half hours.
They lack aptX HD and LDAC but do feature noise-cancelling tech, which the WF-C500 lack. Adaptive Sound Control automatically switches listening modes depending on your location, and Sony's DSEE (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine) upscales low-res digital audio files to higher quality. A software update has seen Bluetooth Multipoint also added so you can be connected to two devices simultaneously.
We think the Sonys’ sound quality is superbly balanced too, with deep, detailed bass, expressive mids and engaging highs. During testing, we said, "There’s a fantastic sense of power and drive on display that grabs your attention." They're a very musical listen for the money and a clear step up from the cheaper WF-C500.
Downsides? The lack of support for aptX HD and LDAC is disappointing, and the charging case only provides one extra charge which seems a little mean. But the superb sound and great feature set make these easy to recommend as some of the best Sony headphones available.
Read our full Sony WF-C700N review
Best wireless earbuds for battery life
Think of Sony's WF-C500 as a no-frills version of the WF-1000XM5 found further up this page. They deliver a lot of what makes those true wireless earbuds a success without cutting too many corners.
They're good for running and sports, thanks to their IPX4 rating, while you also get ‘fast pair’ connectivity with Android devices and ‘swift pair’ with Windows 10 PCs.
We think the sound is nicely balanced, there's loads of midrange detail on show and it's presented in a cohesive and, more importantly, hugely enjoyable package. We said the Sonys deliver "a well-defined and easy-to-follow presentation" in our original review and we still stand by that now.
Battery life is 10 hours from the buds themselves, which is a real highlight and should be plenty for most, and the case provides another 10 hours. If you're looking for the best Bluetooth earbuds with great battery life and don't want to spend a fortune, the Sony WF-C500 should be on your shortlist.
Read our full Sony WF-C500 review
Best noise-cancelling wireless earbuds
We all know Bose knows how to make a great pair of wireless headphones and the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds have to be considered its finest true wireless earbuds to date.
The Ultra provide a comfortable fit and lots of features. Bluetooth 5.3 is a big bonus, while they are also Bose's first in-ears to offer its very own spatial audio tech, Immersive Audio.
The Bose app allows you to alter the amount of noise-cancelling on offer via several customisable presets and, speaking of noise-cancelling, the new Bose are still at the top of their game. They can automatically adjust the amount of ANC on offer so your music isn’t drowned out by particularly loud noises and the effect is deeply impressive. As for sound, it's balanced, punchy and wonderfully musical – in our review, we said "there is a good sense of openness and spaciousness to the whole presentation". Call quality is good for the money too.
It's a shame there's no support for high-quality wireless audio codecs such as LDAC or aptX HD, nor is there wireless charging (which is present on the Sony WF-1000XM5). But we don't think this is the end of the world when you consider that these classy buds ooze such sophistication. This month's big news is that Bose has finally added multipoint Bluetooth with its latest update, which means you can now have two sources connected simultaneously.
The Ultra actually replace the company's previous What Hi-Fi? Award winner – the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II, so shop around and you might be able to find a big chunk of cash slashed off the older pair. It's an option worth considering.
Read our full Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds review
Best AirPods
Apple's in-ear AirPods have always been decent wireless earbuds, but unremarkable. They've picked up quite a number of four-star reviews over the years. But with the AirPods Pro 2, Apple has made a pair of wireless buds that delivers the goods.
How? Noise-cancelling is better, battery life is longer, and you get new features and, more importantly, much improved sound quality. They also cost the same as the original AirPods Pro, which helps.
Fit is very good, and the tweaked design feels a lot less intrusive than some in-ears. Apple has finally added on-bud volume controls, which takes the user experience up a level too.
The noise-cancelling works a treat, while Adaptive Transparency muffles loud noises when letting in ambient sounds. And the sound quality? With weight, detail and a good dose of dynamic subtlety, they are accomplished performers which can go toe-to-toe with the best.
As we said in our review, "Next to the Sony and Bose rivals, Apple is now on par where it once was still playing catch up." And, with rumours suggesting we won't see an AirPods Pro 3 model until 2025, it would appear these excellent Apple buds will be around for a little while yet.
Read our full Apple AirPods Pro 2 review
Best wireless earbuds for running
If you're going to be using a pair of wireless earbuds for running, they need to tick several boxes. They need to fit securely and be comfortable for long periods. You want good noise-cancelling to cancel the grunts and groans of a noisy gym but also a versatile transparency mode that lets through just enough noise when you're outside.
And this is why the JBL Live Pro 2 TWS are included on this list. They do all the above but also deliver five-star sound quality at a hugely competitive price that won't bust your budget.
Build quality is solid enough and they look nice and streamlined. They cram in features you don't normally see at the money too, including wireless charging, IPX5 water-resistance, and Bluetooth Multipoint (which lets you have two devices connected at once). Each charge gets you a very respectable eight hours of playtime, and 30 in total thanks to the charging case.
While it's true that more premium options from the likes of Bose, Sony and Sennheiser are a step up from the JBL, you'll struggle to find a pair of wireless earbuds at this more affordable price point that fit the bill better.
Read the full JBL Live Pro 2 TWS review
Also consider
This month, the big news is the arrival of the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, which we are testing as we type. Samsung's track record in the wireless earbuds market hasn't been great of late and the Korean giant will be hoping its latest premium pair (a rival for the Sony WF-1000XM5) will be able to make an impact. Stay tuned to whathifi.com for our full verdict.
We've also tested the JBL Live Beam 3 which we described as having a "friendly sound", "effective ANC" and a huge range of features. However, they just miss out on this list as better alternatives exist. Speaking of which...
If you're looking for alternatives to the best wireless earbuds mentioned above, here is a list of models that came close to being included but didn't quite make the final cut. They could be five-star (or sometimes four-star) performers that we think still deserve your consideration. They might even be a better option for certain people under certain circumstances.
Cambridge Audio Melomania M100: if your budget can't stretch to some of the premium models on this page but you want a step up from a budget pair like the Sony WF-C500, then the Melomania M100 could be worth a closer look. They boast 10-hour battery life, a clear, detailed and open sound, plus effective active noise cancelling. That battery life gets boosted to 16 hours with ANC off and you even get a mix of silicone and foam tips to help you get the best seal possible. Four stars.
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4: Sennheiser's premium true wireless earbuds just miss out on a spot at the top of this list, mainly due to the flagship competition from Sony and Bose. They're the company's best premium model to date, however, the Bose QC Ultra Earbuds just edge them in the noise-cancelling department, while the Sony XM5 do similar in the sound quality stakes. But the Sennheisers do sound rich and engaging, are comfortable to use over long periods and offer plenty of customisation options. Five stars.
Sony LinkBuds: if you don't want your wireless earbuds burrowing into your ears, these clever Sonys offer something slightly different. They use a ring driver which slides into the bottom part of your ear and fires music into your ear's opening. The result is a very open and natural sound with good levels of detail. They're also comfy to use over long periods. We don't think they have the universal appeal of some of the models at the top of this page but they are an interesting alternative. Four stars.
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II: Yes, the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds found higher up this list are our pick of Bose's current line-up, but there's still life (and plenty of value) in this older model. They offer noise-cancelling in the same ballpark while the level of comfort (which is excellent) is virtually identical. We think the QC Ultra sound noticeably better (they sound clearer and punchier), but If you can find a good discount on this older pair, we don't think it should be ignored. Five stars.
Google Pixel Buds A-Series: The AirPods Pro 2 are most likely to appeal solely to iPhone users, but what about Google Pixel owners? Well, this is where the Pixel Buds A-Series come in. They produce an impressive sound for an extremely reasonable price. We wouldn't say they're the best wireless earbuds for Android, but they're a viable alternative to some of the big hitters on the list above. They're also comfortable, easy to use and easy to pair with Android devices. Five stars.
Things to consider
One thing you will need to bear in mind is that everyone's ears are different, which means that whether or not a pair of earbuds are comfortable tends to come down to personal preference. We can give a bit of guidance on comfort once we've tested them, but there's no substitute for sliding them into your own ears. If you've got ears on the shallow side, for example, we'd go for a physically smaller or flatter earbud that won't stick out much.
After comfort, you'll want to think about when and where you're going to use them. Do they need to be water-resistant, sport-friendly earbuds or do they just need to pair to your smartphone and survive your daily commute?
Read more
Tied to this, of course, are other factors such as battery life. The best wireless earphones all have enough battery life for the average listening session but some do last longer than others. Most pairs will have a combined earbud and case battery life of 18 hours or more, though, so you shouldn't be caught out during long-haul flights, though some people might care for a longer earbud battery life for continuous listening without having to pop them into the case to charge.
It's also worth noting the number of hours you get can vary depending on what other features you have enabled and, to a certain degree the volume you listen at and the quality of the files you listen to. Don't forget that wireless earbuds come with charging cases to keep them topped up between outings.
Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) can increase battery drain, but we think it can come in very handy if you want a more private listening experience, and some of the top pairs we've reviewed boast excellent noise-cancelling (just bear in mind that it won't be as good as the ANC you get from a good pair of over-ear headphones). Similarly, some sound processing modes can take a little bit extra out of your battery, but these can usually be turned off.
The flip side of ANC is what a lot of brands refer to as a 'transparency mode'. This does completely the opposite and allows outside noise in, so you can hear your surroundings. We find this mode allows you to hear announcements better if you're on a train or plane, for example. Different earbuds allow for different levels of transparency so you can fine-tune for different listening situations.
We think other features you might want to consider include touch controls, which can come in handy if you want to skip tunes or change volume without having to take your phone out of your pocket. Many modern pairs also offer voice control via personal assistants like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri.
If you're feeling a little overwhelmed by the amount of choice out there, don't be. You'll find the best true wireless earbuds to have passed through the What Hi-Fi? test rooms (as detailed below). And if you want a bargain, don't forget to check out our pick of the best wireless earbuds deals too.
Our testing process
How we test wireless earbuds
Before we start our listening tests, we first experiment with any tips provided to make sure we've got a perfect seal. This ensures that sound quality (particularly bass) isn't affected and we can also evaluate the level of comfort on offer too.
We'll also start with a full charge and see how accurate battery life claims are and just how it's drained during day-to-day use.
Although we have dedicated testing facilities in London, Reading and Bath, the bulk of our true wireless earbuds testing happens outside those facilities, whether that's on the street, on public transport or in our busy office.
It's only when nailing down the finer details of audio quality that we head for quieter environments where we compare the wireless earbuds we're testing to price comparable models and current class-leaders at the money. This gives us a chance to come to solid conclusions and peg each pair on sound quality.
Obviously, testing ANC wireless earbuds requires quite the opposite – here we venture outside to put noise-cancelling algorithms through their paces and also test any transparency mode to see how well it works in different environments.
We'll also test the call quality of the earbuds, to make sure the wearer can be heard in both calm and windy conditions (weather permitting, of course).
As with all headphones, we run wireless earbuds in for several hours before evaluating sound quality. We'll also download and fire up any Android/iOS apps that are available that can affect the user experience. How easy is it to use, what features does it offer, how useful are they and how well are they executed?
All our review verdicts are agreed upon by the team rather than an individual reviewer to eliminate any personal preference and to make sure we're being as thorough as possible. Neither PR companies nor our sales team have any input into our reviews at any stage of the process. We are proud of having delivered honest, unbiased reviews for decades.
F.A.Q
Do you need wi-fi to use wireless earbuds?
In a word, no. Wireless earbuds use Bluetooth technology to receive audio wirelessly. We can’t think of a single pair of wireless earbuds we’ve tested over the years that work over wi-fi (and that’s a lot!). The only benefit of using wi-fi would be to use the extra bandwidth to beam higher-quality, less compressed music files, but many wireless earbuds manufacturers seem happy to use codecs such as aptX HD and LDAC to increase the quality when using compatible sources, i.e. smartphones and tablets.
Do wireless earbuds work with any phone?
As long as your phone has Bluetooth, then in theory you should be able to use any pair of wireless earbuds with it. Bear in mind, though, that some wireless earbud manufacturers also make smartphones and it’s not unusual for them to include extra features that only work if your phone and earbuds are from the same brand. For example, you’ll get a more seamless user experience from the AirPods Pro 2 if you partner them with an iPhone than you would, say a Samsung Galaxy smartphone.
What are the best wireless earbuds that won't fall out?
Some wireless earbuds, like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, have wing tips to help keep them secure, and during testing we have found this works extremely well. But, everyone's ears are different, so a pair of wireless earbuds that fit great for one person might not fit great for another. This is why getting the right fit is so important, so make sure you experiment with the different sizes and styles of eartip you get in the box. You might also find some wireless earbuds are just too big for your ears. Some slightly heavier, bigger and bulkier designs might not sit well or be supported well in smaller ears and ear openings.
Which wireless earbuds have the best sound quality?
It really depends on your budget and how much you have to spend. Our entry-level pick of earbuds would be the Sony WF-C500 which are a brilliant pair of budget buds, or the next-model-up WF-C700 if active noise cancellation is a must and your budget can stretch a little further.
At the premium end of the Bluetooth earbuds market, you're spoilt for choice – though the standout, class-leading models are currently the Sony WF-1000XM5, Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and Apple AirPods Pro 2.
Are premium wireless earbuds worth it?
In our opinion, the best pairs are most definitely worth it. You get a clear step up as far as sound quality goes with more detail uncovered, even greater dynamics and an overall more polished performance. Many budget models don't have the same spread of features as more expensive designs and might be missing key things like active noise-cancelling.
What are the best wireless earbuds for Zoom meetings?
Whether you're taking voice or video calls you want a pair of true wireless earbuds with a good microphone set-up. Some premium pairs even have special technology that helps to emphasise voices so your voice should come through even clearer. Pairs we would recommend include the Sony WF-C700N at the affordable end of the spectrum and the Sony WF-1000XM5, Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and Apple AirPods Pro 2 at the more premium end.
What is the difference between cheap and expensive wireless earbuds?
The main differences tend to centre around build quality, features and performance. That's not to say you can't get cheap Bluetooth buds that don't sound great for the money or have a solid feature set, just like the Sony WF-C700N. In our testing experience, the best cheap earbuds can certainly outperform some more expensive pairs.
However, the very best expensive pairs tend to offer better build quality, higher quality components, a more sophisticated sound and even more accomplished features. Noise cancelling and call quality can be more advanced, for example, but the biggest differences are in sound quality. You can hear more detail, and experience greater dynamics, and the very best pricey pairs, such as the Sony WF-1000XM5 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, offer a greater level of sonic refinement.
Recent updates
- 1st July: Checked the availability and pricing of entries, removed JBL Reflect Flow Pro, replaced by JBL Live Pro 2 TWS
- 29th May: We tested two new models since our last update, the Sennheiser Momentum Sport which we rated at three stars and the Final ZE8000 MK2 which we rated four stars. Neither pair made our list.
- 22nd April: added mention of recent EarFun Air 2 review, Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 and Google Pixel Buds A-Series added as a pair to consider
- 21st March: revised 'How to choose' section, added Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 as an also consider, added new F.A.Q. entry
- 29th February: added product galleries, added also consider section, added recent updates section, added top tip
- 18th January: added more F.A.Qs, updated how to choose and how we test sections
