There are a lot of audio options out there, but let’s make this simple: You should buy a set of true wireless earbuds. The best wireless earbuds offer comfort, convenience, excellent audio quality and good battery life—everything you need in audio gear, with nary a wire to tangle you up along the way. And while the best earbuds from a few years ago entailed a slew of compromises, the best true wireless earbuds in 2022 should please even an audiophile.
They bring an air of untethered joy to the music listening experience, whether you're doing it purely for pleasure or to keep you focused during a workout. Moreover, whatever extra features you need—water resistance, active noise cancelling or replaceable tips for a custom fit—there’s a model here that delivers exactly what you need.
It seems like every audio and mobile gadget company under the sun now offers its own version of wireless earbuds. That means you have plenty to choose from, whether you want the best earbuds under $50 or are ready to slap a few hundred dollars down to get the best of the best. To make your selection a little easier, here are the best true wireless earbuds you can buy today from brands that include Sony, Bose, Apple, Sennheiser and others.
- Best Wireless Earbuds Overall: Sony WF-1000XM4
- Best Lightweight Wireless Earbuds: Bose Sport
- Best Wireless Earbuds for Working Out: Beats Powerbeats Pro
- Best Noise Cancelling Earbuds: Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2
- Best Wireless Earbuds for Running: Jabra Elite Active 75T
- Best Wireless Earbuds for iPhone Users: Apple AirPods Pro
- Best Budget Wireless Earbuds: JLabs JBuds Air
- Most Stylish Wireless Earbuds: Master & Dynamic MW08 Sport
- Best Affordable Wireless Earbuds: Cambridge Audio Melomania 1
- Best All-Round Wireless Earbuds: Jabra Elite 85t
- Best Wireless Earbuds Under $50: Skullcandy Dime
- Best Wireless Earbuds for Android: Samsung Galaxy Buds 2
Best Wireless Earbuds Overall
It’s Hard To Beat This Battery Life and Noise Cancellation
- Noise Cancelling: Yes
- Water-Resistant: Yes
- Battery Life: 8 hours
A few of the earbuds in this list are close contenders for the best overall, but Sony’s WF-1000XM4 earbuds offer the best overall combination of sound, fit and features. This is a set of earbuds you will not regret purchasing, despite the nearly $300 price tag.
They offer superb noise cancellation—probably better than Apple or Bose, in fact—and sound very good with surprisingly effective bass. They also offer a formidable 8 hours on a charge (12 hours with noise cancellation disabled), or 24 hours in total when you top them off in the charging case. They’re rated IPX4, which means they’re completely sweat resistant, great for running and other workouts. You can also give voice commands thanks to Alexa support.
Best Lightweight Wireless Earbuds
Small And Light Earbuds That Are Close To Invisible In Your Ears
- Noise-Cancelling: No
- Water-Resistant: Yes
- Battery Life: 5 hours
Not everyone needs noise cancellation, and getting earbuds without that premium feature can save you some money. That’s the idea behind the Bose Sport earbuds, which are noticeably smaller and lighter than many similar models. That makes them good contenders for your sound system of choice when exercising or working around the house, and they come with an array of ear tips for getting a great fit.
On the other hand, the touch controls are a little unintuitive and don’t include an on-ear volume control, so you need to do that from your phone. But you do get Alexa voice control and as much as 10 hours of battery life when you top off from the charging case.
Best Wireless Earbuds for Working Out
A Better Option For Audiophiles From The Makers Of AirPods
- Noise Cancelling: No
- Water-Resistant: Yes
- Battery Life: 9 hours
Because the Powerbeats Pro ultimately come from the same place as AirPods—Apple—they invite a little comparison. It turns out that when you listen to the two side by side, Powerbeats sound a little better, and if you’re one of those people who don’t like the way AirPods fit, chances are good you’ll find Powerbeats grip your ear more securely thanks to the ear hooks.
Like the AirPods, Powerbeats Pro have no noise cancellation, but they are water resistant, making them a better choice for workouts. They offer a solid nine hours of battery life, plus another 24 hours with the charging case.
Best Noise Cancelling Earbuds
They Look Like Works Of Art And Sound Like It Too
- Noise-Cancelling: Yes
- Water-Resistant: Yes
- Battery Life: 7 hours
Judging by sound quality alone, it’s hard to beat the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 earbuds. Not only is the audio quality at near audiophile levels, but these earbuds may have the best noise cancellation, bar none.
The downside is that you pay a premium for all that, if you get them at full price. There are others (like the Sony 1000XM3) that come close to the same quality but at a lower price point. But if price is no object, these earbuds offer a great fit, intuitive touch controls, 7 hours of battery life (28 with the charging case) and a convenient transparency mode that lets the outside world in without turning off noise cancellation. And if you can get them on sale, snap them up.
Best Wireless Earbuds for Running
A Very Rugged Design Means You Can Run Anywhere With These
- Noise-Cancelling: No
- Water-Resistant: Yes
- Battery Life: 7.5 hours
The Jabra Elite 75T offer great value for true wireless earbuds, especially at a discounted price. With IP57 dust and water resistance, these earbuds are better protected against the environment than most and you can wear them in almost any environment without worry (plus, they come with a better-than-average two-year warranty to match). The earbuds themselves have 7.5 hours of charge time, while the carry case brings that up to 28 hours of total listening time.
You can adjust the EQ for a more customized sound, and the built-in microphone is excellent, making this a great set of earbuds for phone calls while on the move. You get all of that at a decent price, so you don’t have to spend a ton for solid features and sound quality. There’s really only one major feature missing—there’s no active noise cancellation here, which means they are not effective in noisy environments like an airplane cabin or open-floorplan office space.
Best Wireless Earbuds for iPhone Users
An Excellent Choice If You Want To Stay In The Apple Ecosystem
- Noise-Cancelling: Yes
- Water-Resistant: Yes
- Battery Life: 4 hours
Apple’s AirPods Pro are among the most popular in this roundup, thanks in equal part to a great design and even better marketing. For most people, they slip easily into the ear and fit more snugly than the original AirPods. Of course, the signature feature is that Apple includes excellent noise cancellation along with 3D spatial audio support. They're also water-resistant, giving you peace of mind to use them while exercising or in the rain without fear.
The AirPods Pro are particularly good for iPhone owners thanks to the easy pairing and tight integration with the Apple ecosystem. But they are a little pricey and you can get earbuds with similar capabilities for less, a fine route if the Apple brand isn’t critically important to you.
Best Budget Wireless Earbuds
For About $50, They Punch Well Above Their Weight
- Noise-Cancelling: No
- Water-Resistant: Yes
- Battery Life: 3 hours
It’s rare to find a good quality set of true wireless earbuds for around $50, which is why the JBuds Air from JLabs are such a rare find. They’re good, but not exemplary—for example, you only get about three hours of battery life (but up to 14 hours total if you replenish the battery in the portable charging dock).
On the other hand you can work out in these earbuds. Not only do three silicone tips give you a choice of fit, but they’re rated IP55 which can protect you from dust, sweat and even rain.
Sound quality is good—surprisingly good for $50, with a deep bass response—but not great, though JLabs lets you customize the sound with three preset equalizer settings that you can adjust from the controls on the earbuds (no need to scurry off to the mobile app).
Most Stylish Wireless Earbuds
Classic Master & Dynamic Styling Looks Like No Other Earbuds
- Noise-Cancelling: Yes
- Water-Resistant: Yes
- Battery Life: 12 hours
Few earbuds look like the Master & Dynamic MW08 Sport. It’s hard to ignore these earbuds, with their dramatic geometric design (available in a handful of colors from muted black and silver to a striking green or blue) and equally elegant black Kevlar charging case. They look about as expensive as they are, with a premium aesthetic few other wireless earbuds can match.
The good news is that few earbuds sound as good, either, and they stay securely put in almost any ear. The MW08 Sport delivers a solid dozen hours of battery life and can be recharged in the case for a total of 40 hours. And unlike the older MW07, this model offers excellent active noise cancellation.
Best Value Wireless Earbuds
Cambridge Audio Packs These Earbuds With Power
- Noise-Cancelling: No
- Water-Resistant: Yes
- Battery Life: 9 hours
A household name for over 50 years, Cambridge Audio's new Melomania Earbuds are some of the best affordable true wireless earbuds you can buy. Despite being priced under $100, you get excellent battery life, great quality sound and a comfortable fit, and it comes with a carry case that gives you four full recharges. It only takes 30 minutes to fully recharge the earbuds.
Bluetooth 5.0 gives the Melomania 1 excellent connectivity, allowing you to stay connected to your device at up to 90 feet. The earbuds themselves are extremely lightweight and fit snuggly into your ear. That gives them some passive noise-cancelling, even if there is no active noise cancelling with these true wireless earbuds.
You do get impressive IPX5 water resistance, meaning you don't need to worry about direct spray. That's meant more for workouts and maybe light rain; you might not want to use these in the shower, but you could probably get away with it. Just be sure to dry them out after.
Best All-Round Wireless Earbuds
Good Battery Life And Convenient Wireless Charging
- Noise Cancelling: Yes
- Water-Resistant: Yes
- Battery Life: 5.5 hours
The Jabra Elite 85t are a pair of true wireless earbuds that do just about everything really well. They're not outright winners in any particular category, but if you want solid sound, good battery life, a comfortable fit and some basic water resistance, they're a great choice at a below-premium price.
For earbuds that don't stand out too much, they do enjoy some standout features. Fast charging means you can get them working again in no time, and you can take advantage of Qi charging for wireless power. Unlike the 75T earbuds, they also enjoy adjustable noise cancelling which is impressively effective, helping you to focus in on what you're listening to. IPX4 water resistance means that sweat won't be too much trouble for these earbuds, nor will a bit of light rain. If you like Jabra style but want extra battery life, consider the Jabra Elite Active 75t.
Best Wireless Earbuds Under $50
You Can’t Get Better Earbuds At This Price Point, Period
- Noise-Cancelling: No
- Water-Resistant: Yes
- Battery Life: 4 hours
True wireless earbuds don't have to be expensive. If you are looking for the best budget value overall, we still prefer the JBuds Air (elsewhere in this article), which can fluctuate above and below $50 depending on sales. But if you definitely want to get the best wireless earbuds that cost less than $50, it’s hard to beat the Skullcandy Dime, which costs half that. The Dime sound good—especially considering the price—with an on-board equalizer that boosts the bass for a better thump in a lot of musical genres.
Obviously you won’t get active noise cancellation at this price, but Skullcandy manages to seal the ear canal pretty nicely, so you get some passive noise reduction. It also has an IPX4 water resistance design so you can wear them during workouts or in the rain. Battery life is a mixed bag. You get a respectable four hours at a time, but the charging case only holds an additional eight hours, far short of most other earbuds.
Best Wireless Earbuds for Android
Samsung’s Latest Earbuds Are A Natural Match For Your Galaxy Phone
- Noise Canceling: Yes
- Water-Resistant: Yes
- Battery Life: 5 hours
The older Samsung Galaxy Buds+ offered an insane battery life—11 hours between charges—but thanks to the fact that the Buds 2 have active noise cancellation, the newer model offers a far more modest five hours. Not bad, but not quite as impressive. That said, they conveniently charge wirelessly on any Qi-enabled wireless charging pad. And because they’re Samsung PowerShare compatible, you can top them off just by placing them on top of a Samsung Galaxy S10 or higher.
There’s a lot more to these earbuds as well; they are small and comfortable in your ear, sound great and work with both Android and iPhones. They have a somewhat limited water resistance (IPX2), though, so while they can stand up to sweat during a run or light workout, you might want to avoid wearing them in the rain.
