8 Best Wireless Earbuds of 2024

When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

With so many wireless earbuds on the market, it can be tricky to know which is the best for you. Especially when you consider all the different features and specifications from model to model.

That said, wireless earbuds are a fantastic investment. They give you a convenient and smooth listening experience without the hassle of wires. I honestly don't think I couldn't live without mine!

In this guide, I'll show you the best wireless earbuds on the market today, as well as give you a bunch of helpful tips to make it easier for you to find the best model for your needs. I'll explain all the important specs and features that you should consider when choosing your next pair.

Overall, I think the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II are one of the best models out there, although they are relatively pricey and might be too expensive for a lot of people.

If you want something more affordable, the Melomania Touch Earbuds have excellent audio quality and functionality at a lower price.

Both of these pairs give you the excellent convenience of wireless earbuds, paired with clean and immersive audio quality and decent battery life.

That said, there are loads of other earbuds which might be better suited to you. Let’s get into it!

Best Wireless Earbuds

Here are the best Wireless Earbuds on the market today. I've sorted them, starting with the most affordable sets and ending with the expensive ones—rather than being from best to worst!

1. Most Affordable – Behringer T-Buds Wireless Bluetooth Earphones

SPECS

• Battery Life: 4 hours listening, 12 hours charging case
• Frequency Range: 20Hz–20kHz
• Companion App: No
• Noise Cancelation: ANC Switch
• Adjustable Tips: Yes
• Waterproof: IPX4

If you're looking for some affordable but decent and truly wireless earbuds, the Behringer T-Buds are a good choice.

These are some of the best quality earbuds in the budget category and perform much better than unknown brands, which you see a lot of on Amazon.

The T-Buds have a bunch of useful features and all the general specs you need for a good experience. They have onboard controls and even have a switchable active noise canceling mode, which can cancel out extra background noise if you want to switch the mode on.

While they don't feature wireless charging, the headphones last around 4 hours per charge (which is a little short), although the case lasts for 12, which is pretty good.

2. Decent Entry Level – Tannoy Life Buds

SPECS

• Battery Life: 4 hours listening, 12 hours charging case
• Frequency Range: 20Hz–20kHz
• Companion App: No
• Noise Cancelation: No
• Adjustable Tips: Yes
• Waterproof: IPX4

Tannoy is a long-standing brand name in the audio gear industry, and it is nice to see them making affordable wireless earbuds using their experience.

These Tannoy Life Buds are a pair of basic but effective earbuds. They have unexpectedly good audio quality, given the price, and use some Tannoy technology to mimic the sound of their loudspeakers.

They do lack some of the extra features, which are nice to have, but overall these are a good pick if you want something low-cost.

3. Best for Sports – JBL Lifestyle Endurance Peak 3 Sport

SPECS

• Battery Life: 10 hours listening, 40 hours charging case
• Frequency Range: 20Hz-20kHz
• Companion App: JBL headphones app
• Noise Cancelation: Passive Noise Isolation
• Adjustable Tips: Yes
• Waterproof: IP68

If you're looking for some affordable 'sport' earbuds, these are probably the best choice. Thanks to the hook design, you can work out at full energy without worrying about these falling out.

These noise-canceling earbuds have decent functionality, too, including some clear microphones, built-in controls, and even the ability to go 1.5m underwater—and they're dustproof.

They can be customized with the JBL headphone app, letting you adjust the EQ balance and change the noise cancelation settings. You can also activate the Ambient Aware mode—which is ideal if you are running around outside as this automatically adjusts to background noise to keep you safe in your surroundings.

The battery life is also super impressive!

4. Decent Mid-Range Earbuds – JBL Lifestyle Tune 230NC

SPECS

• Battery Life: 8-10 hours listening, 30 hours charging case
• Frequency Range: 20Hz-20kHz
• Companion App: JBL headphones app
• Noise Cancelation: Active Noise Cancelling
• Adjustable Tips: Yes
• Waterproof: IPX4

The JBL 230NCs are another pair of decent, affordable headphones from JBL. These have slightly different features from the above model, including active noise cancelation, although slightly worse waterproofing.

They come with a few different listening modes, including noise cancelation, Ambient Aware, and TalkThru. All of these and more settings can be adjusted through the companion app.

They come with adjustable silicone ear tips so you can fit them comfortably in your ear no matter what your size is.

These are a better choice instead of the JBL Lifestyle model for people who aren't so fussed about sports-style headphones but still want something affordable with decent quality.

5. Best All-Round Affordable Earbuds – Cambridge Audio Melomania Touch Earbuds

SPECS

• Battery Life: 9 hours playback, 41 hours charging case
• Frequency Range: 20Hz to 20kHz
• Companion App: Melomania App
• Noise Cancelation: Scalable Transparency Mode
• Adjustable Tips: Yes
• Waterproof: IPX4

The Melomania series has been one of my favorite ranges of headphones in recent years, thanks to the affordable price but excellent audio quality.

Cambridge Audio is usually known for producing extremely high-quality and expensive speakers and amplifiers, but these headphones give you a taste of their premium engineering at a reduced price.

Besides the excellent audio quality, these also boast a long battery life for both the headphones and the charging case, meaning you only need to charge them once a week or so.

The Melomania companion app lets you adjust the EQ balance, as well as set the level of noise cancellation and update the firmware.

These are one of my favorite pairs of wireless earbuds, and I think they outperform a range of more expensive models.

6. Accessible High-End – Sony WF-1000XM4

SPECS

• Battery Life: 8 hours listening, 16 hours charging case
• Frequency Range: 20-40kHz
• Companion App: Sony Headphones Connect App
• Noise Cancelation: Yes
• Adjustable Tips: Yes, although limited
• Waterproof: IPX4

The Sony WF 1000XM4 are an excellent pair of high-end wireless earbuds. They come with all the typical features of premium earbuds, including long battery life and good noise cancellation.

One notable difference between these headphones is the frequency range, which extends up to 40kHz. This is much higher than most models and gives the headphones an incredible amount of detail and clarity at the top end. This makes them a real treat for people who enjoy deep listening.

They also have a super clear set of internal microphones, making them ideal for use for work calls too, where your voice needs to be heard loud and clear.

They can be further customized through the Sony headphones app, which lets you fine-tune their performance to your tastes.

Overall, if you are looking for a top-quality pair of wireless earbuds, these are a great choice, although they might be on the pricier end for some people.

7. Best for iOs Users – Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation)

SPECS

• Battery Life: 6 hours listening, 24 hours charging case
• Frequency Range: 10Hz - 20kHz
• Noise Cancelation: Yes
• Adjustable Tips: Yes
• Waterproof: Water Resistant

Historically, Airpods have always been relatively standard wireless earbuds without much going for them—and are usually overpriced. However, with the AirPods Pro 2nd Generation, Apple is offering a bit more in terms of quality and functionality.

One of the main improvements is the adjustable ear tips, which make them a lot more comfortable than earlier models. The noise cancellation and the battery life are also better than earlier versions.

Compared to other earbuds, some users might find the treble a bit boosted, which might not be to everyone's tastes, although it does provide some extra clarity when used for phone calls.

They also feature a bunch of useful smart features, like Siri integration and the ability for your phone to point towards them in case you can't find them in your house.

The main downside is that a lot of the smart features will only work when used with an iOs device, which means they probably aren't the best choice if you plan on using another platform. However, if you are an iOs user, then these are pretty good if you have the money.

8. Highest Quality and Price – Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II - Black

SPECS

• Battery Life: 6 hours listening, 18 hours charging case
• Companion App: Bose App
• Noise Cancelation: Yes
• Adjustable Tips: Yes
• Waterproof: Water-resistant

Bose is another high-end brand offering excellent sound quality and functionality. The QuietComfort headphones are some of the most comfortable on this list,

These true wireless earbuds have brilliant noise cancellation and feel exceptionally refined across the board. The sound quality is very crisp, and you can hear a lot of detail in the highs and lows.

It's worth noting that the frequency spectrum is significantly colored in these headphones, with a large boost to both the low and high frequencies. This means that they have a high-impact sound, although some purists might find they don't have a truly natural sound.

The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 is another strong contender in the same price range.

Best Wireless Earbuds Buyer's Guide

There are a bunch of different factors you should think about before buying wireless earbuds. It can be hard to pick the right pair with so many wireless headphones on the market these days—particularly given all the different stats and specs available.

We put this section together to run you through all the important considerations to make when choosing a new pair of earbuds, helping you to feel less overwhelmed and giving you clarity over which model would be the best wireless earbuds for your needs.

Audio Quality

One of the first and most important things to think about is the sound quality of earbuds. Typically, better sound comes at the expense of a higher price tag—although you can find some excellent-sounding wireless earbuds in the lower price brackets too.

The two main features that determine sound quality are the frequency range and the dynamic range of the headphones. These specifications can be hard to find on some models, although you can usually see the details inside the user manual.

The frequency range determines how broad the speakers can cover in the audio spectrum, from bass to treble. The human hearing range is 20hz-20Khz, so the best-sounding earbuds will cover as close to that range as possible.

That said, you'll often find that some earbuds have boosts in the audio spectrum. For example, often you see 'bass boosted' advertised on a pair of headphones.

This might be to some people's tastes, although if you want the most accurate and realistic sound quality, you should go for something with a natural frequency response. This would have a good balance between the bass and treble, with clear mids.

Sometimes earbuds come with a companion app that gives you the option to change their frequency performance, thus sound quality—but more on that later!

Comfort and Fit

Comfort is a hugely important factor when buying earbuds—as you may want to wear them for hours on end. You want to find earbuds that are as comfortable as possible, but what exactly does that entail?

Well, your best bet is to go for some earbuds that have changeable ear tips. This means you can set the thickness of the earbud to match the size of your ear canal. Everybody's ears are slightly different—so going for changeable sizes is the safest choice.

Although not all earbuds come with changeable tips, for example, the apple airpods are a fixed size. I personally find AirPods a bit uncomfortable due to the hard material they use—but ultimately, it's a matter of personal preference.

The term fit refers to how well the earbuds fit your ears. You can find a few different styles, which each have better use cases. For example, some earbuds are designed to be used for sporting activities and have hooks to keep them in your ears with more stability.

Although generally, smaller earbuds are better for portability. If you plan on using your earbuds for sport, then go for that type of fit; otherwise, just choose whatever you are most comfortable wearing.

Battery Life and Charging

Being a wireless device, the battery life of earbuds is very important—particularly if you plan on using them for long amounts of time. Most earbuds have a different length of battery life - usually defined by how well the battery is made and how much weight and space is taken up by the battery.

The charging case also has a separate battery which is used to charge the earbuds on the move. You should also make sure that the charging case has enough length to last for any trips you go on.

The way the device charges, and the plug type, is also something to think about. Typically, the headphones are stored in a charging case, which charges them up. The headphones themselves usually aren't plugged into anything.

You might want to look up what kind of charging cable the headphones use—I recommend getting some with the same connection as your mobile phone so you can slim down on the amount of cables you have in your room/have to take traveling.

Also, some cases feature quick charging, which is a great bonus, and can charge headphones in a short amount of time.

Connectivity

This is more of a minor detail, as most modern headphones use the same systems, although it's still worth checking what kind of Bluetooth connection the headphones use. Headphones with a Bluetooth 5.0 connection offer the strongest and most reliable connection.

Noise Cancellation

Noise cancellation is another feature that many users of headphones say they can't live without. Some headphones come with a basic amount of noise cancellation built into their basic design. Although you can also find headphones that come with the feature of Active Noise Cancellation (ANC).

This is a cool feature where the user can activate an additional level of noise canceling, which uses the microphone to listen to the external soundscape and then cancel out frequencies based on a cancellation algorithm.

ANC is a great feature if you want to use your headphones in noisy locations, although it is typically only found in more expensive models. It also drains the battery life more.

Keep in mind that it can be unsafe to use ANC when you're walking around outside, as you may not hear traffic or other dangers in your environment.

Water and Sweat Resistance

Another factor for the more active headphone buyers among us is water and sweat resistance. Although this is also important if you think you might be using your headphones outside in bad weather conditions.

Most headphones have a basic level of water, thus sweat resistance. Although you can find earbuds with varying levels of waterproofing.

Aim for headphones with at least IPX4 and above—as this ensures they can survive a basic level of moisture; if you need headphones that can handle total submergence, then go for a higher IPX rating.

Controls

Some headphones come with controls that make hands-free operation even easier. Not everyone will care about these, although I find them to be super useful on my pair of headphones.

These typically give you the ability to play what you are listening to and change the volume. In some cases, you can also activate your device's smart assistant by holding down the button.

You can also find different styles of controls. For example, some headphones like the Beats Studio Buds use touch-sensitive panels—which can be overly sensitive and lack tactile feedback—whereas others use buttons, which have a better feeling, although can be accidentally activated if you lean your head onto a surface.

Built-in Microphone and Microphone Quality

Another consideration is whether you want earbuds with a built-in microphone. When it comes to certain styles of wireless earbuds, most of them come with a built-in mic, although in other styles, they can be quite rare or even non-existent.

The choice here ultimately depends on your needs and how you plan o using the earbuds. If you're planning on using the headphones with your phone and using it for calls—then a built-in mic is essential.

Although other people may not find them necessary, they do let you use your phone's smart assistant—like Siri or OK Google, which is a nice feature for some people.

The quality of the microphone might be important if you are using it in serious situations like work calls—although better mics usually come at a higher cost.

Additional App?

Many modern headphones feature a companion app that you can install on your phone. This can be a handy addition that gives you a bunch of controls and improvements to your headphones.

Typically, they feature customization options like an adjustable EQ—which lets you change the tone of your headphones, noise cancellation activation, and the ability to update the firmware of your headphones.

Some also let you use a spatial audio mode, which can create an increased sense of immersion—it's a lot of fun when watching TV shows!

Your Budget

The final consideration is your budget and the price range you are looking in. Usually, more expensive headphones offer increased quality and functionality, although not everyone can afford them; you can also find some that are overpriced and are out-competed by more affordable alternatives.

Another consideration in this department is whether you often lose small items. Wireless headphones are very small and can easily be lost—so if you are prone to losing things, it might be worth going for a price that isn't something you can lose.

A good tip—if you can't find your headphones but they are still connected to your phone, you should play something through them at max volume and see if you can hear where they are coming for. (if they are in your house!)

Remember that individual preferences can vary, so it's essential to try the earbuds if possible or read multiple reviews before making a final decision. The perfect pair of wireless earbuds will depend on your needs, whether you prioritize sound quality, comfort, fitness features, or all of the above.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Which earbuds are best to stay in your ear?

Sport-type earbuds are the best type for staying in your ear. These have hooks that wrap around the top of your ear, holding them in place.

These are a much better choice of earbuds for people who want to listen on the move—particularly if doing any vigorous sports like running. Otherwise, you run the risk of the earbuds falling out.

What are the best AirPods for 2024?

The AirPods Pro 2nd Generation is the best AirPods in 2024 (currently), although I would recommend you check out some other non-Apple branded products.

AirPods are pretty expensive for their quality and features, and you can find arguably better battery life, audio quality, and all-around functionality in more affordable products. Check out the review above!

Do wireless earbuds last longer?

Wireless earbuds can last longer than wired headphones and are often considered a better long-term investment. Although, it depends on what kind of person you are.

In wired headphones, the wired connection is the weak point, and this often breaks pretty quickly—I can't tell you how many wired pairs of headphones I've broken in my life!

This is something you don't need to worry about in Bluetooth earbuds; the only concern is that they are easier to lose! I've only ever lost one pair of wireless earbuds, so they last longer than wired ones for me!

Conclusion

You now have a good understanding of the important things to consider when choosing your headphones, so you should easily be able to find a good match for you.

Overall, I think the Melomania Touch Earbuds are some of the best in terms of balancing budget and quality. They have a great sound and are pretty affordable. If you want something a bit snazzier, then I recommend going for the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II. 

Experience audio invisibility! Find the best invisible earbuds and enjoy music without the wires.

Experience untethered workouts! Find the best Bluetooth earbuds with ear hooks and enjoy freedom of movement without sacrificing sound quality.