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Top 10

Best Wireless Earbuds 2026

Ten pairs ranked on published lab tests and buyer reviews, judged on sound, noise canceling, battery, calls and comfort.

Gear Receipts Desk· 35 sources· Updated Oct 29, 2026

Short answer

The Sony WF-1000XM6 is the most complete pair you can buy: in SoundGuys' lab it cut 88% of outside noise, scored 4.8/5 for sound and lasted 9 h 41 min with ANC on. On a tight budget, the CMF Buds 2 Plus lasted even longer at 10 h 22 min, and iPhone owners should look first at the Apple AirPods Pro 3.

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The ranking

Sony WF-1000XM6
#1 Best overall

Sony WF-1000XM6

The most complete pair here: SoundGuys measured an 88% noise cut, a 4.8/5 sound score and 9 h 41 min with ANC on.

4.8/5 SoundGuys (MDAQS sound)

88%outside noise cut, SoundGuys lab
9 h 41 minmeasured battery, ANC on
3 minof charging = 45 min of playback
Honest flaw

These are big earbuds, and fit is the most common complaint, especially for small ears.

Skip it if you have small ears or an iPhone; the AirPods Pro 3 make more sense there.
Check today's price (paid link)
CMF Buds 2 Plus
#2 Best value

CMF Buds 2 Plus

In SoundGuys' lab it outlasted the Sony flagship with ANC on and matched its 4.8/5 sound score.

4.8/5 SoundGuys (MDAQS sound)

10 h 22 minmeasured battery, ANC on
83%outside noise cut, same as Powerbeats
10 minof charging = 8+ hours of playback
Honest flaw

Owners say callers hear you less clearly in noisy places.

Skip it if you take a lot of calls outdoors or on the street.
Check today's price
CMF by Nothing.com
(paid link)
Apple AirPods Pro 3
#3 Best for iPhone

Apple AirPods Pro 3

No other earbuds tie in as deeply with the iPhone, and SoundGuys measured the best ANC it has ever recorded.

4.8/5 · Best Buy

90%outside noise cut, a SoundGuys record
8 h 42 minmeasured battery, ANC on
IP57dust and water rating
Honest flaw

Some owners feel ear discomfort after 15-30 minutes with the new tip shape.

Skip it if you use Android: SoundGuys says you get basic Bluetooth and little else.
Check today's price
Apple.com
(paid link)
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen)
#4 Best for flying

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen)

The pair to pack for flights on iPhone or Android: Engadget says it blocks human voices better than most rivals.

9.2/10 RTINGS (noise isolation)4.43/5 · 639 reviews · Target

9.2/10RTINGS noise isolation score
9ear tip and stability band combinations
Wirelesscharging case
Honest flaw

Battery is short: Bose rates up to 6 h, and SoundGuys measured 5 h 34 min.

Skip it if you listen nonstop all day.
Check today's price
Bose.com
(paid link)
EarFun Air Pro 4+
#5 Best codecs on Android

EarFun Air Pro 4+

LDAC and aptX Lossless, a 10-band EQ and multipoint, with a default sound SoundGuys says tracks its preference curve.

4.8/5 · 154 reviews · EarFun store

LDACplus aptX Lossless hi-res codecs
10-bandEQ, plus multipoint and Bluetooth 6.0
54 hclaimed total with the case
Honest flaw

Its ANC cuts low rumble but lets high-pitched noise through.

Skip it if you use an iPhone, which can't use LDAC or aptX Lossless.
Check today's price
EarFun.com
(paid link)
Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro
#6 Best sound for Android

Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro

Its 4.8/5 sound score in SoundGuys' lab matches the Sony WF-1000XM6, with LDAC and multipoint on board.

4.8/5 SoundGuys (MDAQS sound)4.6/5 · 50 reviews · Best Buy

4.8/5lab sound score, same as Sony XM6
6 micssensor re-tunes ANC every 0.3 s
22 presetson an 8-band EQ
Honest flaw

Battery is the weak spot: SoundGuys measured 5 h 42 min with ANC on.

Skip it if you keep ANC on through long flights.
Check today's price (paid link)
Powerbeats Pro 2
#7 Best for workouts

Powerbeats Pro 2

Ear hooks keep them locked in during workouts, and the heart rate sensor also works on Android through the Beats app.

4.4/5 · 1,931 reviews · Best Buy

83%outside noise cut, SoundGuys lab
8 hrated per charge, ANC on
Heart ratesensor, works on Android via Beats app
Honest flaw

Some owners say their ears start to hurt after 20-25 minutes.

Skip it if you have sensitive ears and listen for hours.
Check today's price
Beats.com
(paid link)
Nothing Ear (3a)
#8 Style plus features

Nothing Ear (3a)

An 8-band EQ, LDAC, Bluetooth 6.0 and multipoint, plus Audio Snapshot, which saves up to a minute of what you hear.

80.9%perceived noise cut, SoundGuys lab
1 minAudio Snapshot, a screenshot for sound
2 hof calls recorded on the buds
Honest flaw

The fit isn't the most secure, and ANC can drop out without a snug seal.

Skip it if you run with your earbuds.
Check today's price
Nothing.com
(paid link)
Sony WF-C710N
#9 Best for commuters

Sony WF-C710N

Sony noise canceling without the flagship price; Engadget found it blocks human voices better than average.

3.8/5 · 188 reviews · Target

8.5 hSony's rated battery, ANC on
40 htotal with the case, ANC off
Voicesblocked better than average
Honest flaw

Adaptive mode keeps flipping to transparency on its own, and the touch controls trigger by accident.

Skip it if you run: some buyers say the buds slip out after 20 minutes on a treadmill.
Check today's price (paid link)
Anker Soundcore P31i
#10 Best on a tight budget

Anker Soundcore P31i

A no-risk first pair of noise canceling earbuds, with 8 h per charge with ANC on and 6 mics.

52 dBof ANC, Anker's claim
8 hper charge, ANC on
6 micsvs 2 on the Sony WF-C710N
Honest flaw

Some buyers report units that died within a month, and the plastics feel cheap.

Skip it if you need a pair that lasts for years.
Check today's price
Anker.com
(paid link)

Compare all 10

Spec#1 Sony WF-1000XM6#2 CMF Buds 2 Plus#3 AirPods Pro 3#4 Bose QC Ultra Earbuds#5 EarFun Air Pro 4+#6 Liberty 4 Pro#7 Powerbeats Pro 2#8 Nothing Ear (3a)#9 Sony WF-C710N#10 Soundcore P31i
Noise cut (SoundGuys lab)88%83%90% ★—80%——80.9%——
Battery measured, ANC on (SoundGuys)9 h 41 min10 h 22 min ★8 h 42 min5 h 34 min6 h 17 min5 h 42 min————
Battery per charge, ANC on (claimed)——8 h6 h———6 h8.5 h ★8 h
Total battery with case (claimed)24 h60 h ★24 h—54 h——42 h40 h (ANC off)50 h
LDACYesYesNoNoYesYes—YesNoYes
MultipointYes——YesYesYes—YesYes—
Water resistanceIPX4—IP57IPX4———IP54IPX4IP55
#1 Sony WF-1000XM6
Noise cut (SoundGuys lab)88%
Battery measured, ANC on (SoundGuys)9 h 41 min
Battery per charge, ANC on (claimed)—
Total battery with case (claimed)24 h
LDACYes
MultipointYes
Water resistanceIPX4
#2 CMF Buds 2 Plus
Noise cut (SoundGuys lab)83%
Battery measured, ANC on (SoundGuys)10 h 22 min ★
Battery per charge, ANC on (claimed)—
Total battery with case (claimed)60 h ★
LDACYes
Multipoint—
Water resistance—
#3 AirPods Pro 3
Noise cut (SoundGuys lab)90% ★
Battery measured, ANC on (SoundGuys)8 h 42 min
Battery per charge, ANC on (claimed)8 h
Total battery with case (claimed)24 h
LDACNo
Multipoint—
Water resistanceIP57
#4 Bose QC Ultra Earbuds
Noise cut (SoundGuys lab)—
Battery measured, ANC on (SoundGuys)5 h 34 min
Battery per charge, ANC on (claimed)6 h
Total battery with case (claimed)—
LDACNo
MultipointYes
Water resistanceIPX4
#5 EarFun Air Pro 4+
Noise cut (SoundGuys lab)80%
Battery measured, ANC on (SoundGuys)6 h 17 min
Battery per charge, ANC on (claimed)—
Total battery with case (claimed)54 h
LDACYes
MultipointYes
Water resistance—
#6 Liberty 4 Pro
Noise cut (SoundGuys lab)—
Battery measured, ANC on (SoundGuys)5 h 42 min
Battery per charge, ANC on (claimed)—
Total battery with case (claimed)—
LDACYes
MultipointYes
Water resistance—
#7 Powerbeats Pro 2
Noise cut (SoundGuys lab)—
Battery measured, ANC on (SoundGuys)—
Battery per charge, ANC on (claimed)—
Total battery with case (claimed)—
LDAC—
Multipoint—
Water resistance—
#8 Nothing Ear (3a)
Noise cut (SoundGuys lab)80.9%
Battery measured, ANC on (SoundGuys)—
Battery per charge, ANC on (claimed)6 h
Total battery with case (claimed)42 h
LDACYes
MultipointYes
Water resistanceIP54
#9 Sony WF-C710N
Noise cut (SoundGuys lab)—
Battery measured, ANC on (SoundGuys)—
Battery per charge, ANC on (claimed)8.5 h ★
Total battery with case (claimed)40 h (ANC off)
LDACNo
MultipointYes
Water resistanceIPX4
#10 Soundcore P31i
Noise cut (SoundGuys lab)—
Battery measured, ANC on (SoundGuys)—
Battery per charge, ANC on (claimed)8 h
Total battery with case (claimed)50 h
LDACYes
Multipoint—
Water resistanceIP55

★ Best value in the row. — means the sources we read don't list it. Sources:

How to choose

Match your phone

Gear Patrol notes the iPhone only supports SBC and AAC, so LDAC and aptX Lossless go unused. SoundGuys says AirPods on Android get basic Bluetooth and little else.

Compare lab to lab

EarFun rates the Air Pro 4+ at 12 h per charge with ANC off, while SoundGuys measured 6 h 17 min with ANC on. Compare measured numbers with measured numbers.

Check the noise cut

SoundGuys measured 90% on the AirPods Pro 3 and 88% on the Sony WF-1000XM6. For voices, Engadget says the Bose blocks them better than most rivals.

Think about fit

Fit is the top complaint on the Sony WF-1000XM6, especially for small ears, per SoundGuys. Ear hooks keep the Powerbeats Pro 2 locked in during workouts.

Calls in noise

CMF Buds 2 Plus owners say callers hear them less clearly in noisy places. Bose buyers say callers hear them naturally, not like a robot.

The trap

Hi-res codecs work on every phone

They don't. Gear Patrol notes the iPhone only supports SBC and AAC, not LDAC or aptX Lossless. On an iPhone, the hi-res codecs on the EarFun Air Pro 4+, Nothing Ear (3a) and Liberty 4 Pro do nothing.

Questions buyers ask

What are the best wireless earbuds in 2026?
The Sony WF-1000XM6. SoundGuys names it the best overall, with 88% average noise reduction, a 4.8/5 sound score and 9 h 41 min of battery with ANC on, and RTINGS also names it the best pair it has tested.
Which wireless earbuds have the best battery life?
In SoundGuys' tests with ANC on, the CMF Buds 2 Plus lasted 10 h 22 min, ahead of the Sony WF-1000XM6 at 9 h 41 min and the AirPods Pro 3 at 8 h 42 min. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) came in at 5 h 34 min.
Which earbuds have the best noise canceling?
SoundGuys measured a 90% average noise reduction on the AirPods Pro 3, the best it has ever recorded, ahead of the Sony WF-1000XM6 at 88%. RTINGS scores the noise isolation of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) 9.2/10, and Engadget says they block human voices better than most rivals.
Do LDAC earbuds work better on an iPhone?
No. Gear Patrol notes the iPhone only supports SBC and AAC, not LDAC or aptX Lossless. So the hi-res codecs on the EarFun Air Pro 4+, Nothing Ear (3a), Liberty 4 Pro and CMF Buds 2 Plus only pay off on Android.
What are the best earbuds for iPhone?
The Apple AirPods Pro 3. SoundGuys says no other earbuds integrate as deeply with the iPhone, and Apple adds heart rate sensing, Live Translation and an IP57 rating. On Android, SoundGuys says you get basic Bluetooth and little else.
Did you test these yourselves?
No. Gear Receipts does not test products. We read the published lab tests and buyer reviews, mostly from the SoundGuys lab, plus RTINGS, Engadget, BGR and brand pages, and every number on this page links to its source.
The verdict
Sony WF-1000XM6 is the one to buy
Our #1 pickSony WF-1000XM6
Sources35 read
UpdatedOct 29, 2026

If you can only buy one pair, the Sony WF-1000XM6 is the most complete, with an 88% noise cut, a 4.8/5 sound score and 9 h 41 min with ANC on in SoundGuys' tests. If you have small ears or an iPhone, go with the Apple AirPods Pro 3 instead.

Gear Receipts DeskOct 29, 2026
THE RECEIPTSgearreceipts.com · sources for this page
Source · what it provesRead
01SoundGuys ↗Lab noise cuts, battery and sound scoresOct 29
02SoundGuys ↗P31i ANC claim and owner quoteOct 29
03SoundGuys ↗P31i and Ear (3a) battery, ANC onOct 29
04SoundGuys ↗Mic counts, IP ratings and codecsOct 29
05SoundGuys ↗Ear (3a) 80.9% noise cut, bass tuningOct 29
06SoundGuys ↗CMF Buds 2 Plus fast chargingOct 29
07SoundGuys ↗CMF owner comments and quoteOct 29
08SoundGuys ↗Liberty 4 Pro owner quoteOct 29
09SoundGuys ↗Bose QC Ultra Earbuds have no LDACOct 29
10SoundGuys ↗Bose measured battery and list priceOct 29
11ShopSavvy ↗P31i durability complaintsOct 29
12ShopSavvy ↗Powerbeats Pro 2 ear-pain complaintsOct 29
13EarFun (official) ↗EarFun buyer rating and claimed case batteryOct 29
14GSMArena ↗EarFun ANC lets high-pitched noise throughOct 29
15Target ↗WF-C710N buyer rating and complaintsOct 29
16Engadget ↗WF-C710N battery, voice blocking, multipointOct 29
17Engadget ↗WF-C710N 40 h total with caseOct 29
18Engadget ↗Bose blocks human voices better than mostOct 29
19Best Buy ↗Liberty 4 Pro buyer ratingsOct 29
20The Gadgeteer ↗Liberty 4 Pro mics and pressure sensorOct 29
21Best Buy ↗Powerbeats Pro 2 buyer ratingOct 29
22Beats (official) ↗Powerbeats battery, heart rate, IPX4Oct 29
23Apple (official) ↗AirPods Pro 3 battery, IP57, health featuresOct 29
24Best Buy ↗AirPods Pro 3 buyer ratingsOct 29
25MacRumors ↗AirPods Pro 3 tip discomfortOct 29
26Target ↗Bose buyer rating and recommend rateOct 29
27Bose (official) ↗Bose rated battery, fit kit, multipointOct 29
28RTINGS ↗Bose noise isolation scored 9.2Oct 29
29RTINGS ↗Sony WF-1000XM6 named best pair testedOct 29
30BGR ↗Ear (3a) Audio Snapshot, IP54, multipointOct 29
31Nothing (official) ↗Ear (3a) claimed 42 h batteryOct 29
32Nothing (official) ↗AirPods Pro 3 have no LDACOct 29
33Expert Reviews ↗Ear (3a) fit and ANC sealOct 29
34The Gadgeteer ↗P31i IP55 and 50 h with caseOct 29
35Gear Patrol ↗iPhone supports only SBC and AACOct 29
TOTAL35 sources · checked Oct 29, 2026

Every number on this page links to one of these. How we pick