Top 6 compared
The best wireless earbuds
Music and calls with nothing but two small buds in your ears, at the gym, on the bus or out running.
33 checked · 6 made the cut
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The top 6 at a glance
Wireless earbuds sit in your ears with no cable between them, and live in a small case that charges them between uses. In-ear buds seal the ear with soft tips, which blocks a good deal of noise on its own; open designs rest in the outer ear and let more of the world in. Active noise cancelling goes further, cutting outside noise before it reaches your ears.
A phone maker’s own earbuds, like Apple’s and Samsung’s, pair instantly with its phones and are at their best there; the others suit any phone. Noise cancelling uses more battery, so expect fewer hours per charge with it switched on than the headline figure, and the case tops them up on the go.
What matters
- Ear tips in several sizes, for a seal that stays put.
- IPX4 or higher, for the gym or a run.
- Noise cancelling, for a loud train or an open-plan office.
#1soundcore by Anker P31i Noise Cancelling Earbuds
£49.99 RRP
- Up to 52dB noise reduction
- 10 hours a charge, 50 total
- 3 hours’ play from 10 minutes
Adaptive noise cancelling cuts noise by up to 52dB on these earbuds from soundcore, Anker’s audio brand. Ear tips in four sizes seal the ear and the buds suit any phone, while the AirPods 4 below sit open in the ear and keep their extras for iPhone.
What owners say: Phenomenal sound, noise cancelling that copes with engine hum, a secure fit at the gym and long battery life, though the Bluetooth connection gets mixed reports.
A closer look: With noise cancelling on, expect up to 8 hours per charge and 40 in total with the case, and a 10-minute top-up before leaving the house buys up to 3 hours. Six microphones help calls cut through wind and traffic, and a two-way translation feature covering 100 languages could earn its keep on a trip abroad.
Best for: Noise cancelling for any phone
- Noise cancelling
- Yes
- Battery per charge
- 10 hrs (8 with noise cancelling)
- Total with case
- 50 hrs (40 with noise cancelling)
- Power and charging
- Built-in batteries, case charges by USB-C
- Water resistance
- Sweat and rain (IP55)
- Ear tip sizes
- 4 sizes, XS to L
- Maker lists it for
- iPhone and Android
#2Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation
£100–£150
- Active noise cancelling
- Wireless charging case
- Find My tracks lost buds
- Extras need an iPhone
Apple’s open-fit earbuds rest in the ear with no tips to fit, and this version adds noise cancelling, with Adaptive Audio blending it with Transparency mode as the surroundings change. They pair with an iPhone in one tap; the Pro 3 below seal the ear with tips instead.
What owners say: Owners call the sound incredible and the noise cancelling effective, and many find them comfortable, though fit, battery life, reliability and value get mixed reviews, with some pairs developing problems after about 18 months.
A closer look: Start talking to someone and Conversation Awareness turns the music down by itself, handy at a café counter or when a colleague leans over. The case charges by USB-C, on a Qi pad or on an Apple Watch charger, and the Find My app can track down a stray bud or the case, which has its own speaker. Apple has since brought out the AirPods 5, but these are still sold new.
Best for: No ear tips
- Noise cancelling
- Yes
- Battery per charge
- 5 hrs (4 with noise cancelling)
- Total with case
- 30 hrs (20 with noise cancelling)
- Power and charging
- Built-in batteries, case charges by USB-C or wirelessly
- Water resistance
- Sweat and splashes (IP54)
- Ear tip sizes
- None, open fit
- Maker lists it for
- iPhone, and Android for listening and calls
#3Apple AirPods Pro 3
£219 RRP
- 8-hour battery with noise cancelling
- Hearing test and hearing aid
- IP57 sweat and water rating
- Extras need an iPhone
Apple’s top earbuds switch between Apple devices on their own and, with an iPhone, unlock extras like heart-rate tracking for workouts and Live Translation. Apple says the noise cancelling removes up to twice as much noise as the AirPods Pro 2.
What owners say: Owners praise the sound, the noise cancelling and a secure fit that stays comfortable, and they rate the battery life. Views on value are split, and some report faults, the Hearing Aid feature included.
A closer look: The hearing test runs at home with the earbuds in, so do it somewhere quiet; afterwards the Hearing Aid feature with Conversation Boost can help with conversations in a noisy room. Audio Sharing lets two sets of AirPods play the same song or show from one iPhone or iPad, handy on a long journey together.
Best for: Heart-rate tracking
- Noise cancelling
- Yes
- Battery per charge
- 8 hrs with noise cancelling
- Total with case
- 24 hrs with noise cancelling
- Power and charging
- Built-in batteries, case charges by USB-C or wirelessly
- Water resistance
- Sweat and water (IP57)
- Ear tip sizes
- 5 sizes, XXS to L
- Maker lists it for
- iPhone, and Android for listening and calls
#4JBES Pro Wireless Earbuds
Under £10
- 60 hours with the case
- Case shows exact charge left
- IPX5 sweat and rain rating
- No active noise cancelling
Big battery numbers from a small case: a digital display shows exactly how much charge is left, and the case holds around 60 hours of listening at moderate volume. Bluetooth 5.4 pairs quickly with iPhone or Android, and low latency keeps video and games in sync.
What owners say: Owners rate the sound and the long battery, find the fit comfortable, and say they pair easily with both iPhone and Android.
A closer look: Either bud works on its own in mono mode, so one can go to a friend on a train, or one can stay out while you listen for station announcements. After a sweaty run, wipe the ear tips and let the buds dry before they go back in the case, which keeps the charging contacts clean.
Best for: Longest total battery
- Noise cancelling
- No
- Battery per charge
- 6–7 hrs
- Total with case
- 60 hrs
- Power and charging
- Built-in batteries, case charges by USB-C
- Water resistance
- Sweat and rain (IPX5)
- Ear tip sizes
- –
- Maker lists it for
- iPhone and Android
#5Drsaec J55 Wireless Earbuds
£20–£30
- 3g per earbud
- 8 hours a charge, 56 total
- Case shows both charge levels
- No active noise cancelling
Tiny 3g buds in a small magnetic case, with a dual display showing the charge in the case and in the buds. Eight hours a charge and 56 with the case cover a long run of commutes, and four call microphones help your voice cut through background noise.
What owners say: Clear sound, long battery life and an easy setup, iPhones included. The complaints are about the fit, with some finding they fall out, and a few pairs breaking within weeks.
A closer look: Once paired, they connect to the last phone used as soon as they come out of the case, so there’s no hunting through a settings menu each morning. While the case charges, its display counts up to 100, and with the buds inside it shows their charge too, so a glance tells you what’s left.
Best for: Light in the ear
- Noise cancelling
- No
- Battery per charge
- 8 hrs
- Total with case
- 56 hrs
- Power and charging
- Built-in batteries, case charges by USB-C
- Water resistance
- Water-resistant (no standard IP rating stated)
- Ear tip sizes
- –
- Maker lists it for
- Any Bluetooth device
#6Samsung Galaxy Buds FE
£99.00 RRP
- Active noise cancelling
- Wing tips hold them in
- Only IPX2, light sweat
Samsung’s own entry-level earbuds: they pair instantly with Galaxy phones and add noise cancelling. The case charges by USB-C, and a clearly marked touch area on each bud handles music and calls.
What owners say: Excellent sound, a snug fit that stays put and effortless pairing with Samsung phones, though the charging case gets mixed reports.
A closer look: Spend a few minutes on day one trying the different ear tip and wing tip sizes, as a good seal helps the noise cancelling and stops them working loose. Listening time runs up to 30 hours, and the UK version comes with a two-year manufacturer warranty, so keep the receipt somewhere safe.
Best for: Galaxy phones
- Noise cancelling
- Yes
- Battery per charge
- 8.5 hrs (6 with noise cancelling)
- Total with case
- 30 hrs (21 with noise cancelling)
- Power and charging
- Built-in batteries, case charges by USB-C or wirelessly
- Water resistance
- Light sweat (IPX2)
- Ear tip sizes
- 3 sizes, plus wing tips in 2 sizes
- Maker lists it for
- Galaxy phones on Android 8.0 or later
Side by side
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 6.
| Feature | #1soundcore P31i | #2AirPods 4 (ANC) | #3AirPods Pro 3 | #4JBES Pro | #5Drsaec J55 | #6Galaxy Buds FE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best premium | Best budget | ||||
| Picked Rating | 9.0 | 8.9 | 8.8 | 8.8 | 8.6 | 8.6 |
| Price | £49.99 RRP | £100–£150 | £219 RRP | Under £10 | £20–£30 | £99.00 RRP |
| Noise cancelling | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Battery per charge | 10 hrs (8 with noise cancelling) | 5 hrs (4 with noise cancelling) | 8 hrs with noise cancelling | 6–7 hrs | 8 hrs | 8.5 hrs (6 with noise cancelling) |
| Total with case | 50 hrs (40 with noise cancelling) | 30 hrs (20 with noise cancelling) | 24 hrs with noise cancelling | 60 hrs | 56 hrs | 30 hrs (21 with noise cancelling) |
| Power and charging | Built-in batteries, case charges by USB-C | Built-in batteries, case charges by USB-C or wirelessly | Built-in batteries, case charges by USB-C or wirelessly | Built-in batteries, case charges by USB-C | Built-in batteries, case charges by USB-C | Built-in batteries, case charges by USB-C or wirelessly |
| Water resistance | Sweat and rain (IP55) | Sweat and splashes (IP54) | Sweat and water (IP57) | Sweat and rain (IPX5) | Water-resistant (no standard IP rating stated) | Light sweat (IPX2) |
| Ear tip sizes | 4 sizes, XS to L | None, open fit | 5 sizes, XXS to L | – | – | 3 sizes, plus wing tips in 2 sizes |
| Maker lists it for | iPhone and Android | iPhone, and Android for listening and calls | iPhone, and Android for listening and calls | iPhone and Android | Any Bluetooth device | Galaxy phones on Android 8.0 or later |
| Best for | Noise cancelling for any phone | No ear tips | Heart-rate tracking | Longest total battery | Light in the ear | Galaxy phones |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
How we checked these
How 33 became 6
We found 33 wireless earbud listings. Four were the same earbuds listed again or in another colour, and 10 were rated too low and/or had too few ratings to compete. That left 19, which we narrowed down step by step:
- Ratings, reviews and salesFor the 19, we then checked the ratings and reviews further, and how many people buy each one. Owners talked most about how reliable they are, then fit and battery life. After these checks, we dropped six more.13 left
- Features weighed upThe 13 left were compared on noise cancelling, battery life, total battery life with the case, water resistance, ear tips and which phones they work best with. Once everything was weighed up together, we dropped seven more. The #1 has every feature you’d expect from a pair of wireless earbuds.6 made the cut
- Value for moneyEvery pair of earbuds here is worth what it costs. A dearer one is only here if it gives you more.
- Safe to buyEvery brand on this list was checked for safety recalls. None of these six pairs has one.
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