Shopping for a pair of true wireless earbuds in 2023 can be a daunting task. You need to pick between dozens of brands and models and figure out what features you actually care about. Do you travel a lot and crave true noise cancellation to drown out that loud engine, or do you really just care that they can survive an hour a day at the gym?
To help you find the perfect pair for your needs, we spent months putting earbuds from the likes of Apple, Sony, Samsung, Amazon, and Beats to the test. Ahead, see what we consider to be the best true wireless earbuds on the market.
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Best Overall Earbuds: Sony WF-1000XM5
$278 (was $300) at Amazon or Sony
With some seriously impressive noise cancellation, long-lasting battery life, and rich playback all packed into a comfortable set of buds, you can’t do much better than Sony’s WF-1000XM5.
Sony’s improved on nearly every aspect of the WF-1000XM4, the previous generation and our former pick for best noise-cancelling earbuds. Playback for any genre of music is still incredibly impressive, with a keen ability to showcase all elements of the track on a wide soundstage. Even more, you can customize the listening experience to your preference via the “Equalizer” in the companion app for Android and iOS. If you want emphasis on bass, the feeling of a live concert, or even the focus on vocals, you can set it to your liking.
Noise cancellation is still incredibly impressive here, with the WF-1000XM5s offering you some real peace and quiet against loud, booming sounds like traffic, an HVAC system, and higher-frequency elements like the whine of a washing machine. You can also switch to an adaptive mode when you need to stay more aware and allow environmental sounds in.
For cancelling out noise, you’ll want a good seal that ensures your earbuds stay in place. Sony’s WF-1000XM5 aren’t winning the award for being the smallest earbuds, but they are smaller and lighter than previous iterations. You’ll also find several sizes of memory foam ear tips in the box to help you get the right fit.
Like we’ve come to expect from Sony, battery life is quite long here. With noise-cancelling engaged, you’ll get over 8 hours of use, and 12 hours with it off. That’s more than the AirPods Pro and other competing earbuds, plus with recharges in the case, it stretches to 36 hours of listening. Either route, you have more than enough runtime to block out noisy neighbors or a loud engine on a cross-country flight.
With excellent feature parity across Android or iOS, terrific noise cancellation, long battery life, and excellent playback for any genre, Sony’s WF-1000XM5 are nearly perfect earbuds. You’ll just need to spend $298, but these can’t be beat if you’re after a robust feature set and incredible noise cancellation.
Best Earbuds for Apple Users: AirPods Pro 2nd Gen With USB-C
$245 (was $249) at Amazon
If you have an iPhone or are in the Apple ecosystem, the AirPods Pro 2nd Gen is your best option. The experience starts with a quick connection to all your other Apple devices and levels up with Spatial Audio, solid battery life, and three listening modes.
As of September 2023, the AirPods Pro 2nd Gen feature “Adaptive Audio,” a mix of active noise cancellation and transparency all in one. It’s perfect for traveling, as it will block out larger, louder sounds but let in important ones like a conversation or announcement. Thanks to the onboard processor and microphones, it monitors the environment in real-time to figure out what to let in and exclude. You can also choose active noise cancellation or transparency modes on the fly.
Playback for any genre, be it Bruce Springsteen or Olivia Rodrigo, features a wide soundstage and particularly deep bass for a pair of earbuds. You’ll get the best experience with Apple Music, though, as Spatial Audio with head-tracking is fully supported. It really puts you in the middle of any given track.
This is just the tip of the iceberg with AirPods features—you also get hands-free access to Siri, conversation awareness, quick switching between Apple devices, and an ear tip fit test. Battery life is enough to get through a long flight or a work day with over 6 hours of playback with a listening mode engaged and up to 30 hours when you consider recharges in the case.
You can’t do better if you have an iPhone and want true wireless earbuds than AirPods Pro; you simply won’t be disappointed by the experience.
Best Earbuds for Android Users: Sony LinkBuds S
$148 (was $198) at Amazon or Sony in Black, White, Violet, or “Earth Blue”
Although they’re not technically made by Google, Sony’s LinkBuds S have a ton of special features that make them ideal for Android users.
The LinkBuds S make a great first impression with the ability to fast-pair with more modern devices running Android 6.0 or later. Simply flip open the case and hold it near your phone to start the process, and it will even prompt you to download the Sony Headphones Connect app.
The left and right LinkBuds S are ultra-light at just 4 grams, which is less than the Beats Fit Pro or AirPods 3rd Gen. You can even conduct a fit test in the companion app and pick between four sizes of ear tips to ensure a proper seal.
Music sounds great with the LinkBuds S and is on par, if not surpassing, other earbuds at this price point. Sony designed a custom 5-millimeter driver to produce sound, and the Integrated Processor V1 handles real-timing mixing. You can also customize it to your liking via an Equalizer, which you can play with or pick from presets in the Headphones Connect app.
While active noise cancellation isn’t as strong as the WF-1000XM5s, it still does a good job of blocking out major sounds to let you focus. It can also intelligently switch between adaptive and noise cancelling based on your activity.
If you have an Android phone and want great-sounding earbuds with smart listening modes and an ultra-comfortable design, the Sony LinkBuds S fits the bill. They’re also affordable at just $199 in colorways like Black, White, or Earth Blue.
And if you’re an Olivia Rodrigo fan, get the violet LinkBuds S, which unlocks two custom listening modes for Rodrigo’s “Guts” and “Sour,” plus they’re priced the same at $198.
Best Earbuds for Working Out: Beats Fit Pro
$180 (was $200) at Amazon
Whether you’re a pro indoor cycler on a Peloton, love to run outdoors, or just work out daily at the gym, there is nothing more annoying than an earbud falling out. Luckily, some special design elements can actually keep earbuds in, and the Beats Fit Pro, among all the others we tested, truly never fell out.
Thanks to a built-in wing tip and multiple ear tips included in the box, the Beats Fit Pro effectively locks in place for an ultra-secure fit. Whether you’re running, cycling, jogging, doing a HIIT workout, or even dancing, you’ll be hard-pressed to have these take a tumble. Regardless of how much you might sweat during a workout or run in the rain, you’ll be fine with the Beats Fit Pro since they are water- and sweat-resistant too.
We especially like the physical buttons for controlling playback on the left and right earbuds. You can also use these to shuffle through noise cancellation and transparency modes, which are on par with the first-generation AirPods Pro. They don't pack as impressive a punch as the 2nd Gen Pros, but considering the bass-heavier Beats audio mix, these still produce an energetic soundscape for workouts.
For folks with Apple Music, Spatial Audio with head tracking is also supported on the Beats Fit Pro. You can expect six hours of playback with a listening mode, and with recharges in the slightly oversized case, you can get up to 24 hours of playback. You can also pick from a slew of colors like Tidal Blue, Volt Yellow, Coral Pink and more.
In terms of earbuds that can handle a sweat, the Beats Fit Pro is our favorite for the fitness enthusiast. Plus, you’ll find an even set of features across Android and iOS.
Other earbuds to consider:
Apple AirPods 2nd Gen, $99 (was $129) at Amazon
Apple
If you’re simply after the conveniences of fast-pairing and quick-switching that have put AirPods on the map, the second-generation AirPods are a more affordable option. While sticking with the classic AirPods silhouette (just with longer stems), the AirPods 2nd Gen still have the standard suite of features, including robust sound, hands-free Siri controls, and up to 24 hours of playback. You won’t find Apple’s latest audio hardware, enhanced on-earbud controls, or support for Spatial Audio here, though.
Apple AirPods 3rd Gen, $164 (was $169) at Amazon
Third-generation AirPods are essentially a mixture of the basic AirPods and the Pros. The plastic design of AirPods third-generation is a bit more contoured for a better fit in more ears, and you’ll find upwards of six hours of playback. While these support Spatial Audio with Head Tracking, there are no listening modes.
Amazon Echo Buds 2023, $35 (was $50) at Amazon
Amazon’s latest and more affordable Echo Buds provide surprisingly good sound in a comfortable build that ditches the ear tip. Like AirPods third-generation, these don’t fully seal off the ear for a design that is always in a transparent mode. You also get easy access to Alexa.
Beats Studio Buds, $150 at Amazon
The Beats Studio Buds have a compact, corkscrew-like design, which makes them particularly comfortable for long-term wear. They also offer good sound with plenty of bass, decent noise cancellation, and surprisingly excellent microphones. They’re not best in class, but more so in the middle of the road. The most impressive thing about them is actually how quickly they pair with iOS and Android devices. When you flip open the case, you see a splash screen, and then just simply hit connect. Easy as that.
Google Pixel Buds A, $85 (was $99) at Amazon
Much like second-generation AirPods, Google’s Pixel Buds A are an entry-level pair that work seamlessly with any Pixel smartphone and most Android phones. These under-$100 earbuds offer deep integration with the Google Assistant and can last for five hours of playback on a full charge.
Google Pixel Buds Pro, $120 (was $200) at Amazon
With two new shades and boasting conversation awareness features, Google is aiming to make the Pixel Buds Pro even more indispensable. They’re still an ideal choice for folks with a Pixel smartphone, as they’re Google’s best earbuds with an impressive feature set. You’ll find that these quickly pair with any Pixel phone and offer a long listening time with a noise cancellation that shines by completely blocking out loud environmental sounds like the bustle of traffic.
Samsung Galaxy Buds FE, $100 at Samsung
The latest addition to Samsung’s laundry list of Galaxy Buds is the FE or Fan-Edition. It’s also the most affordable at just $100. These only come in two shades—Graphite or White—but offer super-long battery life at 9 hours with a listening mode, which even bests the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. You’ll find solid active noise cancellation and transparency modes and an updated design with a wing-tip for better fit too.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2, $120 (was $150) at Samsung
At $50 more than the Buds FE, Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 2 offer a more feature-filled experience with fun color options. You still get IPX2 resistance against water and sweat, plus two listening modes: active noise cancellation and ambient (aka transparency). The charging case here supports wired and wireless charging as well.
Sony LinkBuds, $138 (was $180) at Amazon or Sony
Sony’s LinkBuds are similarly priced to our other picks, but some of the most unique. LinkBuds have a physical hole and a circular doughnut hole driver that lets outside noise (environmental or sound of any type) directly in—therefore, they’re always in a transparency mode. They are quite comfortable and particularly nice for outdoor walks. Due to the sound transparency, they are more ideal for working at home than, say, wearing on a loud flight.
How we tested
When it comes to testing earbuds, we look for the same features you’d consider when purchasing a new pair. We start with the unboxing experience, and from there dive into testing every imaginable facet.
That includes multiple playlists of tracks from various genres on major services like Amazon Music, Spotify, and Apple Music. Here, we listen for details like soundstage, the overall mix, the representation of the track, and, of course, bass. We also routinely add new tracks to our testing playlists that could help bring out certain audio aspects.
Along with music playback, we test the various listening modes in real-world and testing environments. That includes wearing the earbuds on trains, planes, and while surrounded by speakers, simulating the experience when travel isn’t possible.
For microphone quality, we wear the earbuds in different scenarios while talking on the phone, making video calls and recording voice memos.
To test fit and battery life, we wear each earbud multiple times in a variety of scenarios from walking around, working at a desk, traveling, and working out. We also test battery life by connecting with listening modes on and off with volume t set to 60% for a baseline.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is fast or quick pairing?
One of the biggest appeals of opting for AirPods if you have an iPhone or Pixel Buds with a Pixel is that they offer fast pairing. It is a custom chip and connection process that triggers an easy connection splash screen on a nearby device. It eliminates the need to flip open the case, enter a pairing mode, or look for Bluetooth on your device. Apple ups the experience by syncing your connected device with other Apple-made devices too.
What is the difference between passive and active noise cancellation?
When it comes to earbuds, not all noise cancellation is created equal. Passive is just the ear tip on the earbud sealing off your ear, which blocks out some environmental sound. Active noise cancellation is when technology, like microphones and a processor, listens to the noise around you and blocks it.
Prices are accurate and items in stock at time of publishing.
