The Best Noise-Canceling Earbuds of 2026Tested

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It’s not just you; studies have shown that the world is quite literally getting louder. Butthankfullynoise-canceling headphones are getting better every year — and more portable. The best noise-canceling earbuds can compete with some over-ear optionsand they’re a convenient way to take your tunes on the go or simply quiet the noisy outside world.

Whether you’re working in a cafériding the trainor on a long-haul flight seated in 75Bnoise-canceling earbuds are a pocket-friendly option for everyday use.

How Does Noise-Canceling Work?

Bose is credited as the first company to make noise-canceling headphones commercially availableandunsurprisinglythey still make some of the best options. The first active noise-canceling (ANC) headphones were designed for use in aviationbut the tech has come a long way.

According to Bose“Miniature microphones in the earcups or earbuds listen to the outside noise frequencies and emit the exact opposite signal to effectively ‘cancel out’ both sets of sounds when the soundwaves collide.”

Of courseas the technology has become more widespread and with more brands offering at least some ANC optionsthere’s greater variation in quality and performance. That’s why we set out to find the best noise-canceling earbuds.

How We Picked the Best Noise-Canceling Earbuds

We tested all of the options below in a variety of environmentsseeing how they handled everything from noisy jet engines to the hum of the office HVAC to the bustle of city streets.

Of coursethe ability to silence the outside world isn’t the only criterion for being the best noise-canceling earbuds (for thatyou can simply pick up a pair of earplugs). Insteadwe also evaluated factors like audio performancecall qualitycomfortand battery life to find the best noise-canceling earbuds. Read on for our picks.

Bose’s latest QuietComfort Ultra earbuds may not have been a radical revamp of the first generationbut they’re just enough of an improvement for Bose to retain its title as the king of noise-canceling. The earbuds have the same excellent performance found on the first generationbut add features like wireless charging to the case and the ability to turn off touch controls in the app.  

As for noise cancelingthese are simply the most powerful ANC earbuds currently on the market. “Quiet” mode dims outside distractions across a range of frequenciesfrom low electrical humming to coffee shop chatterbut the best feature of these earbuds is how widely customizable they are. You can set multiple ANC modes across 10 levels of noise-cancelingand there are bonus features like immersive audio and a new cinema mode. 

While they hold up the “quiet” end of QuietComfortthey also stack up when it comes to comfort. The stabilizer band makes these some of the most secure in-ear earbuds I’ve testedbesides earbuds with ear hooksand I’m able to wear them for extended periods without my ears tiring. That saidthey run on the big sideso they may not be the ideal earbuds for small ears. 

Full Review: Bose’s Second-Generation QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Are an If-It-Ain’t-Broke Upgrade

Sony’s latest WF-1000XM6 earbuds were a significant — and welcome — redesign of the tech giant’s flagship earbuds. They feature a more ergonomic fit that sits more snugly in the earwhile maintaining the same excellent sound quality and noise-canceling that the 1000XM series is known for. 

The biggest quirk with these earbuds is the foam eartipswhich can take some adjusting to find a secure fit. But with a proper fitthey deliver top-tier active noise-canceling. Cruciallythey’re among the best-sounding wireless earbuds on the marketwith detail that doesn’t overly emphasize bassmidsor treble. You can also tweak the audio performance using Sony’s Sound Connect app. The ANC can be adjusted in the app by adjusting the transparency leveland there’s a dizzying array of customization options and tweaks that can be made to make the earbuds your own. 

The case is larger than it needs to bethe ear tips may not work for everyoneand the price is steep. But otherwisethe earbuds deliver meaningful improvements to what was already one of the best noise-canceling earbuds you can buy.

Full Review: Sony’s Latest Flagship Earbuds Are a Pricey But Worthwhile Upgrade

AirPods were already among the best earbuds on the marketand Apple made a major improvement with the addition of a heart rate sensor for the third generation. And while smart rings or watches are greatthey can interfere with certain athletic activities. In our testingwe found the AirPods’ heart rate sensor to be accurate when compared with a smartwatch.

Beyond heart rate trackingthe latest AirPods Pro feature a slightly redesigned shape that fits more securely in the earwith a shorterless pronounced stem. The controls are easy to usewith a volume slider under the stem and a pinch sensor that’s dependable while on the go or working out. As for noise-cancelingthese earbuds are among the best on the marketrivaling leaders like Sony and Bose. They can capably handle a variety of distractionsand the transparency mode keeps you aware while walking or working out outdoors.

There are some limitationsincluding limited functionality for Android phones and a lack of customizable EQ. But for iPhone usersthe AirPods Pro 3 remain among the best noise-canceling earbuds you can buy.

Full Review: Apple’s AirPods Pro 3 Prove That Good Things Take Time

If you don’t want to shell out $300 for Bose’s flagship QC Ultra earbudsthe QuietComfort earbuds are a capable alternative. They have a pod-shaped design and a larger clamshell caseand they’re available in a range of poppy colors.

At $179they’re competitively pricedand while the ANC isn’t as robust as the QC Ultra Earbudsit’s far from underwhelming. I found that it effectively reduced the noise of a busy streetallowing me to enjoy music without having to crank up the volume. The stabilizer band also makes them suited for workouts if you don’t want to bring your most expensive earbuds to the gym.

The case is bulkyand it’s slightly annoying to have to download a separate app for these earbudsas they don’t work with Bose’s main app. Howeverthey deliver solid audio performance and the industry-leading ANC that Bose is known forall in a more affordable package.

Full Review: Bose QuietComfort Earbuds Review: Premium Performance at a Not-So-Premium Price

Nothing’s Ear (a) earbuds are among my favorite earbuds for everyday use. The compact design is pocket-friendlyand the stylish transparent design is eye-catchingmaking these earbuds a joy to use. In terms of shapethe earbuds draw clear inspiration from AirPodsfeaturing a thin stem and pinch controls.

They’re lightweight and comfortable in the earand the feature-rich app includes customizable EQ and controls. There are four ANC levels: lowmidhighand adaptiveas well as three modes: ANC ontransparency modeand off. By defaultpinching and holding switches between ANC on and transparency modewith a quirky exhale sound indicating transparency mode. Setting the ANC strengthhoweverrequires going in the app.

At $99they’re also an impressive value and one of the best earbuds under $100. The battery life is just averageparticularly with ANC enabledand the Nothing Ear (a) does not support wireless charging. Despite some minor drawbacksthe audio qualityrich featuresand ANC of these earbuds make them tough to beat at this price point.

Sennheiser is known for stellar audio performanceand the Momentum 4 True Wireless earbuds deliver on that promise. They also have a luxe feelwith a stylish fabric-covered case and metal accents on the earbuds. The in-ear design is also very comfortablewith a natural and secure fit.

While audio-focused brands often excel in sound performance but fall short on software or technologySennheiser managed to cover all the bases. The sound quality is up to the standard you’d expect from such a storied brandwith impressive clarity and detail. But the ANC performance was a surpriseand while it doesn’t offer the monastic silence of Bosethe Momentum 4 True Wireless earbuds can capably handle a variety of distractions.

The earbuds also feature a transparency mode for situational awareness and adaptive ANC to adjust to your surroundings. As for audio qualitythe earbuds boast lossless audio with codecs like aptX and aptX Adaptive.

The combination of audio performanceand comfort makes the Momentum 4 True Wireless one of my favorite noise-canceling earbudsdespite the bulky case and the availability of stronger ANC.

Earfun’s Air Pro 4 earbuds have an admittedly unremarkable lookborrowing from the stemmed design found on AirPods. But despite their affordable pricethey don’t cut corners where it counts. The Air Pro 4 offers surprisingly impressive audio qualitywith support for Qualcomm’s aptX LosslessSnapdragon Soundand LDAC codecs. 

These earbuds feature dependable ANC to reduce background noisewhich is customizable in EarFun’s straightforward app. There’s also a transparency modeplus wind reduction and adaptive ANC to suit a range of different environments. 

The earbuds have an impressive battery life as wellwith a stated battery life of up to 11 hours with the earbudsplus 41 hours with the charging case. Additionallythey support wireless charging and fast chargingplus features like Google Fast Pair and in-ear detection to pause when you take an earbud out. 

Ultimatelythese are some of the best value earbuds on the marketwith an impressive number of features for under $100. 

Samsung’s latest Galaxy Buds were a meaningful upgrade over the previous generationwith a better fitimproved noise cancelingand a more appealing design. Admittedlythey’re not the best option if you don’t have a Samsung phonebut if you dothey’re an excellent companion that rivals the top-tier AirPods Pro 3. 

Where they really shine is sound quality; the improved dual-driver design delivers robust and engaging basswithout muddying the mids or highs. You can also adjust the EQ in the settingsor play with features like spatial audio. All controls are adjusted in the settings rather than in a standalone appsimilar to how Apple handles AirPods.

The ANC is more than capable of handling daily distractions without you having to crank the volumealthough AirPods still have them beat for pure noise reduction. The ANC is adjustableor you can turn on adaptive ANCresponding automatically to your environment.  

Ultimatelyif you’re looking for superb-soundingcomfortable earbuds and you have a Samsung phonethe $250 Galaxy Buds are a worthwhile buy.

Full Review: Samsung Bets on Sound Quality With Latest Noise-Canceling Earbuds

If you’re looking for a pair of workout earbuds with ANCAnker’s Soundcore X20 earbuds are a great option thanks to features like adjustable noise-canceling and comfortable ear hooks for use at the gym. The earbuds have a physical buttonrather than touch controlswhich helps prevent accidental presses during workouts.

These have remained a top pick for the best earbuds with ear hooks because of the comfortableflexible fit of the ear hooks. The IP68 rating also makes them durable enough to withstand the toughest workouts.

The straightforward Soundcore app allows you to adjust the ANC levelsand the earbuds also have a wind reduction feature for outdoor running or especially breezy days. The Soundcore app also features customizable EQand the earbuds deliver up to 7 hours of listening time on a single charge or and 28 in the case with ANC onand more with ANC off.

If there’s room for improvementit’s the audio quality. The X20 earbuds are solidbut they don’t have the same clarity as earbuds from brands like Apple and Sennheiser. That saidfor just $80you get feature-rich earbuds that are great for workouts and everyday use.