Get AirPods Pro 3 if you use an iPhone and want Apple's strongest in-ear noise cancelling, a workout heart-rate sensor and up to 8 hours per charge.1 / 6
Earbuds
AirPods, Galaxy Buds, Pixel Buds, Sony, Bose, Beats and Nothing. Each guide covers noise cancelling, battery with the case, fit, and the features that only work with a matching phone. Over-ear models are under Headphones.
Get AirPods Pro 3 if you use an iPhone and want Apple's strongest in-ear noise cancelling, a workout heart-rate sensor and up to 8 hours per charge.
Get AirPods Pro 2 if it costs less than AirPods Pro 3: it has Hearing Aid too, and lasts up to 30 hours with its case, against Pro 3's 24 hours.2 / 6
Get AirPods 5 if you want open-ear AirPods with noise cancelling for $129; on AirPods 4, only the $179 model had it.3 / 6
Get Pixel Buds Pro 2 if you have a Pixel or another Android phone and want strong noise cancelling in a small, secure-fitting earbud.4 / 6
Get Galaxy Buds4 Pro if you use a Galaxy phone and want sealed, noise-cancelling earbuds with a planar tweeter; it's Samsung's $249 flagship.5 / 6
Get the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) for Bose's flagship noise cancelling and a wireless charging case in the box, at the same $299 as the 2023 pair.6 / 6
Photos from Amazon listings and Wikimedia Commons.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See Affiliate disclosure. This guide summarizes the makers’ published specs below — we haven’t tested them ourselves. See Methodology.
Start here
2026
AirPods 5
Get AirPods 5 if you want open-ear AirPods with noise cancelling for $129; on AirPods 4, only the $179 model had it.
Bose Ultra Open Earbuds (2nd Gen)
Get Bose Ultra Open Earbuds (2nd Gen) to keep hearing the world while you listen: the cuff clips outside your ear and there's no noise cancelling.
Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro
Get Galaxy Buds4 Pro if you use a Galaxy phone and want sealed, noise-cancelling earbuds with a planar tweeter; it's Samsung's $249 flagship.
Sony WF-1000XM6
Get the WF-1000XM6 for Sony's newest noise cancelling and LDAC on Android; WF-1000XM5 owners already have the codecs, multipoint and battery life.
2025
AirPods Pro 3
Get AirPods Pro 3 if you use an iPhone and want Apple's strongest in-ear noise cancelling, a workout heart-rate sensor and up to 8 hours per charge.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen)
Get the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) for Bose's flagship noise cancelling and a wireless charging case in the box, at the same $299 as the 2023 pair.
Google Pixel Buds 2a
Get Pixel Buds 2a for Google's noise cancelling at $129; for $229, Pixel Buds Pro 2 adds wireless charging, Silent Seal 2.0 and longer battery.
Powerbeats Fit
Get Powerbeats Fit if you want noise-cancelling workout earbuds held in by flexible wingtips, and you use an iPhone or an Android phone.
2024
AirPods 4
Pick AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation over the $129 AirPods 4, and only at a discount: AirPods 5 now has noise cancelling on both models.
Google Pixel Buds Pro 2
Get Pixel Buds Pro 2 if you have a Pixel or another Android phone and want strong noise cancelling in a small, secure-fitting earbud.
Samsung Galaxy Buds3
Get Galaxy Buds3 if you want Samsung's open-type earbuds with ANC for $179.99 and don't need Buds3 Pro's sealed fit, Ambient Sound or planar tweeter.
Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro
Pick Galaxy Buds3 Pro, $249.99 at launch, for adaptive noise control, a planar tweeter and a wireless-charging case on a Galaxy phone.
2023
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
Buy the 2023 QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds only at a real discount: the 2nd Gen puts a wireless charging case in the box and adds eight-microphone calls.
Samsung Galaxy Buds FE
Get Galaxy Buds FE for noise cancelling and a wingtip fit at a $99.99 launch price, ideally paired with a Galaxy phone.
Sony WF-1000XM5
Buy the WF-1000XM5 at a discount: XM6 keeps its LDAC and LC3 codecs, multipoint and music playtime, and mostly upgrades the noise cancelling.
2022
AirPods Pro 2
Get AirPods Pro 2 if it costs less than AirPods Pro 3: it has Hearing Aid too, and lasts up to 30 hours with its case, against Pro 3's 24 hours.
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II
Get Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II only well under their $299 launch price; the 2022 flagship was replaced by the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds in 2023.
Google Pixel Buds Pro
Buy the first Pixel Buds Pro only well below its $199 launch price: it still has Silent Seal noise cancelling, multipoint and a wireless-charging case.
Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro
Get Galaxy Buds2 Pro for a Galaxy phone if you want 24-bit hi-fi sound, 360 Audio and IPX7 buds in a stemless design; they launched at $229.99 in 2022.
2021
AirPods (3rd generation)
Get AirPods (3rd generation) cheap if you want open-ear AirPods with Spatial Audio and an IPX4 rating, and can live without noise cancelling.
Google Pixel Buds A-Series
Get Pixel Buds A-Series only if you find a pair well under its $99 launch price and don't need noise cancelling.
Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro
Buy the 2021 Galaxy Buds Pro only at a clear discount: it has IPX7 buds, two-way speakers and a Qi case, but newer Pros have replaced it.
Samsung Galaxy Buds2
Get Galaxy Buds2 if you find a pair cheap for a Galaxy phone: they're small, light noise-cancelling earbuds with two-way speakers, but only splash-resistant.
Sony WF-1000XM4
Pick up the WF-1000XM4 only if it's well below XM5's price: XM5 kept LDAC and the same music playtime and added LC3, Bluetooth 5.3 and longer calls.
2019
AirPods (2nd generation)
Buy AirPods (2nd generation) only at a bargain: these 2019 open-ear buds have H1 and hands-free Hey Siri, but no noise cancelling and no water rating.
AirPods Pro (1st generation)
Get AirPods Pro (1st generation) only as a used bargain: it seals and cancels noise, but it's the 2019 H1 model and never got Hearing Aid.
Sony WF-1000XM3
Skip the WF-1000XM3 unless it's cheap and you'll keep it dry: it has no water rating and no LDAC, and XM4 added both.
Other models
Beats Solo Buds
Get Beats Solo Buds if you want small, inexpensive earbuds for iPhone or Android: $79.99 buys up to 18 hours of playback per charge.
Beats Studio Buds +
Get Beats Studio Buds + for $169.99 noise cancelling with native extras on both phones: Find My on iPhone, Fast Pair and Find My Device on Android.
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds (2024)
Get Bose QuietComfort Earbuds (2024) for Bose noise cancelling at $179, well under the $299 Ultra, and for a battery that lasts longer per charge.
Bose Ultra Open Earbuds
Buy the first Bose Ultra Open Earbuds on sale: at $199 they're an open-ear pair with 7 hours per charge, against 9 hours on the $299 2nd Gen.
CMF Buds 2
Get CMF Buds 2 for noise cancelling and long battery on a budget: $49 on sale buys up to 13.5 hours per charge, or 55 with the case.
CMF Buds Pro 2
Get CMF Buds Pro 2 at its $49 sale price for two drivers in each bud, adaptive noise cancelling, LDAC and up to 43 hours of playback with the case.
Nothing Ear
Get Nothing Ear for $109 if you want LDAC and LHDC 5.0 on an Android phone, plus noise cancelling and wireless charging.
Nothing Ear (a)
Get Nothing Ear (a) if you want LDAC and noise cancelling for less than Nothing Ear, and can live without LHDC 5.0 and wireless charging.
Nothing Ear (open)
Get Nothing Ear (open) if you want to hear what's around you while you listen: each bud hangs on a hook outside the ear canal.
Powerbeats Pro 2
Get Powerbeats Pro 2 if earbuds slip out when you train: ear hooks keep them in place, and $249.99 also buys noise cancelling and heart-rate sensors.
Sony LinkBuds Fit
Get Sony LinkBuds Fit for noise cancelling and LDAC in a sealed 4.9-gram earbud that stays connected to two devices at once.
Sony LinkBuds Open
Get Sony LinkBuds Open if you want to keep hearing the world around you: nothing seals your ear canal, and each bud runs up to 8 hours.
Sony LinkBuds S
Choose LinkBuds S over LinkBuds Fit for longer battery and a lower Sony Store price; Fit's gains are the V2 chip and a bigger 8.4 mm driver.
Sony WF-C510
Get the WF-C510 if you want small, simple Sony earbuds without noise cancelling; the C710N adds it, plus IPX4 and a 30-hour case.
Sony WF-C700N
Buy the WF-C700N only at a clearance price: it's Sony's older compact noise-cancelling pair, and Sony Store Japan no longer carries it.
Sony WF-C710N
Get the WF-C710N if you want Sony noise cancelling on a budget: Dual Noise Sensor, 8.5 hours per charge and about 30 with the case.
Comparisons
AirPods (2nd generation) vs AirPods Pro (1st generation)
Both are 2019 H1 earbuds, but only the original AirPods Pro seals your ear, with three tip sizes, noise cancellation, Transparency and IPX4 buds; AirPods (2nd generation) stay open.
AirPods (3rd generation) vs AirPods Pro 2
AirPods (3rd generation) is the 2021 open-ear pair with no tips and no noise cancellation; AirPods Pro 2 seals with four tip sizes and adds noise cancellation, Hearing Aid features and IP54.
AirPods 4 vs AirPods 5
AirPods 5 puts noise cancellation on its $129 model, rates both models IP57 and adds a $149 version with volume swipe and a wireless case; the open fit and H2 chip are AirPods 4's.
AirPods 4 vs AirPods Pro 2
Both run on H2, but only AirPods Pro 2 has ear tips, Hearing Aid and up to 6 hours with noise cancellation, and only the $179 AirPods 4 cancels noise at all.
AirPods 4 vs AirPods Pro 3
AirPods 4 is the open 2024 pair at $129, or $179 with noise cancelling; AirPods Pro 3 is the sealed $249 pair with five tip sizes, IP57, Hearing Aid and up to 8 hours with noise cancelling.
AirPods 5 vs AirPods Pro 3
AirPods 5 bring noise cancellation to Apple's open, tip-free fit from $129; AirPods Pro 3 add a sealed fit, Hearing Aid, a workout heart-rate sensor and longer battery life for $249.
AirPods 5 vs Pixel Buds Pro 2
AirPods 5 are Apple's open-fit earbuds for iPhone, with noise cancellation from $129; Pixel Buds Pro 2 are Google's sealed earbuds for Android, listed at $229, with longer battery life.
AirPods Pro 3 vs AirPods Pro 2
AirPods Pro 3 adds a heart-rate sensor, foam tips, IP57 and 8 hours per charge; AirPods Pro 2 already has Hearing Aid, and its case holds 30 hours to Pro 3's 24.
AirPods Pro 2 vs Pixel Buds Pro 2
AirPods Pro 2 are Apple's sealed earbuds for iPhone, with the Hearing Aid feature; Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 are the sealed pair for Android, with Tensor A1 and longer battery life.
AirPods Pro 2 vs WF-1000XM5
AirPods Pro 2 give iPhone owners Apple's Hearing Aid feature and an IP54 case; Sony WF-1000XM5 bring LDAC, LC3, two-device multipoint and longer listening per charge.
AirPods Pro 3 vs Pixel Buds Pro 2
Close on hardware, apart on software: AirPods Pro 3 needs an iPhone for Hearing Aid and heart rate, Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 needs Android for Gemini, and Google's case holds 30 hours to Apple's 24.
AirPods Pro 3 vs Powerbeats Pro 2
Both run Apple's H2 and read heart rate in workouts, but Powerbeats Pro 2 hooks over your ear and lasts 10 hours per charge, while AirPods Pro 3 sits on a short stem with Hearing Aid and an IP57 case.
AirPods Pro 3 vs WF-1000XM6
Both are rated for 8 hours with noise cancelling on; AirPods Pro 3 adds Hearing Aid, heart rate and IP57 for $249, and Sony WF-1000XM6 adds LDAC, LC3, multipoint and 12 hours with it off for $329.99.
AirPods Pro 2 vs AirPods Pro (1st generation)
Both launched at $249, but AirPods Pro 2 add the H2 chip, Apple's hearing features, a case rated IP54 and up to 6 hours of listening, against 4.5 hours on the 2019 original.
AirPods Pro 3 vs AirPods Pro (1st generation)
Six years after the 2019 original, AirPods Pro 3 keeps the shape but adds H2, USB-C, an IP57 case, Hearing Aid and 8 hours per charge against 4.5.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) vs WF-1000XM6
Sony WF-1000XM6 lasts longer per charge and adds LDAC for $329.99; Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) cost $299 and bring aptX Adaptive and Immersive Audio.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen)
The 2nd Gen keeps the 2023 pair's $299 price and 6-hour battery, and adds a case that charges wirelessly, eight call microphones and multipoint from launch.
Pixel Buds Pro vs Pixel Buds Pro 2
Pixel Buds Pro 2 adds Tensor A1, Silent Seal 2.0, IP54 buds, lighter earbuds and a bigger case battery to the 2022 Pixel Buds Pro's noise cancelling and wireless charging, at $229 against $199.
Galaxy Buds3 vs Galaxy Buds3 Pro
Galaxy Buds3 is Samsung's $179.99 open-type pair with one 11 mm driver; Buds3 Pro is the $249.99 canal-type pair that seals with eartips and adds a planar tweeter, Ambient Sound and Blade Lights.
WF-1000XM5 vs WF-1000XM6
Sony WF-1000XM6 adds the QN3e processor and Sony's claim of 25 percent further noise reduction for $329.99; WF-1000XM5 has the same music battery and codecs, longer talk time and a lighter case.