Wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation, or ANC, have come a long way since they first appeared. The first pair to make a considerable splash were the Sony WF-SP700N, which landed in late 2018, but since then the landscape for noise-canceling wireless earbuds has changed entirely. In fact, it has exploded.
It's 2023 now, and there are a lot of wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation. All the heavy hitters — including Apple, Sony and Bose — are in the mix, but lots of other audio (and non-audio) companies have gotten in on the action, too. The cool thing is that the active noise-cancellation abilities of today's wireless earbuds have gotten a lot better. In fact, some even rival the noise-canceling abilities of over-ear headphones.
Of course, not all wireless earbuds are created equal. You can get noise-canceling wireless earbuds for as much as $400 (or more) or as little as around $50, but don't expect them to sound or work the same.
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Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Read More -
Sony WF-1000XM5 Read More
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Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) Read More
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Master & Dynamic MW09 Read More
How We Tested
We test a lot of different wireless earbuds — because there are a lot of them out there. When testing noise-canceling wireless earbuds, we seek out a lot of different scenarios, such as noisy environments (like coffee shops and commuting trains) and quiet ones (when sound quality is more important than active noise-cancellation), as well as in other situations, like exercising and taking calls.
One thing to remember: As with any wireless earbuds, the most important thing is fit. Even if we love a certain pair of wireless earbuds, it's important for you to know what kinds of earbuds fit you best, because everybody's ears are a little different.
To learn more about our testing methodology and how we evaluate products, head here.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
- Battery life: up to 6 hours (per earbud)
- Water-resistance: IPX4
- Wireless charging: No (optional for an extra $50)
Just a year after releasing its QuietComfort Earbuds II, Bose did something a bit unconventional — it released new flagship noise-canceling earbuds, the QuietComfort Ultra, and discontinued last year's models in the process (although you can buy them from third-party sellers). That said, the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds aren't all that different from their predecessors. They look almost identical, boast pretty much the exact same features and controls, and deliver the same best-in-class active noise-cancellation. The difference is that the new Ultras sound even better thanks to their support for aptX Adaptive and, more significantly, spatial audio.
Sony WF-1000XM5
- Battery life: up to 8 hours (per earbud)
- Water-resistance: IPX4
- Wireless charging: Yes
Released in mid-2023, the Sony WF-1000XM5 are the company's newest flagship wireless earbuds — and they're quite the upgrade over 2021's Sony WF-1000XM4. The XM5s have most of the same features and abilities as their predecessors, but Sony has basically made them better in every way. They have better noise cancellation, better sound quality and better call clarity. The kicker is that the earbuds are about 25 percent smaller, meaning they're more likely to comfortably fit in your ears. The only real downside is that they cost a little more too — $300.
All in all, the Sony WF-1000XM5 are neck-and-neck with the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II for best noise-canceling wireless earbuds. The XM5's noise-cancellation might not be quite on par with the Bose QC Earbuds II, but the Sony earbuds edge them in sound quality and fit.
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation)
- Battery life: up to 6 hours (per earbud)
- Water-resistance: IPX4
- Wireless charging: Yes
The second-generation AirPods Pro look and fit almost identically to their 2019 predecessor, but Apple made them better in just about every way. Thanks to a new H2 chip and a new driver, they sound significantly better and have much-improved noise-cancellation and transparency modes.
The charging case has a built-in speaker and works just like an AirTag, so you can have it play a noise and track it down using the Find My app; you can even wirelessly charge it with an Apple Watch puck. And maybe most notably, they are the first AirPods with volume controls right on the earbuds.
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II
- Battery life: up to 6 hours (per earbud)
- Water-resistance: IPX4
- Wireless charging: No
Released in September 2022, Bose's second-generation QuietComfort Earbuds have now been made antiquated by the newer QuietComfort Ultra (see above). That said, these are still excellent noise-canceling earbuds that you can buy from numerous third-party sells. Compared to the original QC Earbuds, the "IIs" have a new earbud design that's 30 percent smaller. More importantly, they have drastically improved noise cancellation and noticeably better sound quality, too. They boast an improved mic array for better call quality, too.
Master & Dynamic MW09
- Battery life: up to 16 hours (per earbud)
- Water-resistance: IPX4
- Wireless charging: Yes
Released in late 2023, Master & Dynamic's MW09s are the company's third-generation wireless earbuds with active noise-cancellation. Compared to their predecessors, 2021's MW08, the MW09 have a slightly refreshed design — but the same fit — plus improved sound and noise-cancellation, as well as pretty exceptional battery life. They lack the ANC capabilities of flagship earbuds by Bose, Sony and Apple, but they make up for it by being some of the most stylish earbuds you can buy. They're made of sapphire glass and aluminum, and some models come with a snazzy Kevlar charging case (for $50 more). They are also available in a bunch of fancy colors, including gold.
Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2
- Battery life: up to 5 hours (per earbud)
- Water-resistance: IP54
- Wireless charging: Yes
Released in early 2023, the Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2s are the successor to 2021's PI7s — and the new models are basically identical. They have the same design, deliver the same elite sound, have good-not-great noise-cancellation and have a very neat charging case that doubles as a Bluetooth receiver; you can connect the case via an included USB-C to a 3.5mm adapter and use the Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2 with non-Bluetooth devices, like an in-flight entertainment system.
The three differences with the "S2" models are that they have improved battery life (each earbud has an extra hour of juice), double the Bluetooth range and are available in some new finishes. Like before, the Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2s are some of the best-sounding and most expensive wireless earbuds you can buy.
Sennheiser Momentum TW3
- Battery life: up to 7 hours (per earbud)
- Water-resistance: IPX4
- Wireless charging: Yes
Released in summer 2022, these are the third-generation models of Sennheiser's flagship wireless earbuds. They deliver improved sound quality and more powerful noise-cancellation than the TW2; plus, they are also cheaper by $50 (although definitely still not cheap). Each earbud has a revamped and smaller design, making them more comfortable to wear for longer periods, and the charging case finally supports wireless charging.
Sony WF-1000XM4
- Battery life: up to 8 hours (per earbud)
- Water-resistance: IPX4
- Wireless charging: Yes
The Sony WF-1000XM4s have now been antiquated with the introduction of the Sony WF-1000XM5s, which are a little bit better in just about every way. However, the 2021-released WF-1000XM4s are still elite wireless earbuds that deliver rich sound, excellent active noise-cancellation and other great features. If you can get a good deal on them — they're now often on sale —they're definitely still worth it.
Beats Studio Buds +
- Battery life: up to 8 hours (per earbud)
- Water-resistance: IPX4
- Wireless charging: No
Released in May 2023, the Studio Buds + are essentially new-and-improved versions of Beats's 2021-released Studio Buds. Just like their predecessors, the Studio Buds + are positioned as a more affordable alternative to the AirPods Pro (Apple owns Beats, after all).
They don't have an Apple-designed chip, but they still have many of the AirPods Pro's best features, such as fast iPhone pairing and support for spatial audio and Dolby Atmos. The omission of Apple's special H1 chip allows the Studio Buds to work really well with Android smartphones, too. Compared to the Studio Buds, the Studio Buds + pack improved sound, better active noise-cancellation and transparency modes, better mics for call quality and longer battery life. The kicker is that they also come in a cool transparent finish.
Beats Fit Pro
- Battery life: up to 6 hours (per earbud)
- Water-resistance: IPX4
- Wireless charging: No
Released in late 2021, the Beats Fit Pro are essentially workout-focused versions of Apple's first generation AirPods Pro. They are powered by the same H1 chip and function very similarly. They have active noise-cancellation and transparency modes — although don't expect these abilities to be as effective as the AirPods Pros — and they support spatial audio with dynamic head tracking. The main difference is the design. Each of the Fit Pro earbuds have a flexible earwing tip to help them better stay in your ears. They are also available in a bunch of fun colors (while AirPods still just come in white).
Jaybird Vista 2
The Jaybird Vista 2 is our pick for the best wireless earbuds for running. They fit snugly and, with an IP68 rating, they are some of the most rugged wireless earbuds you can buy. Unlike the original Vista, Jaybird gave the Vista 2 noise-cancellation and transparency modes, making them great for runners and bikers who want to block out all the noise — or hear all of it.
Nothing Ear (2)
- Battery life: up to 6 hours (per earbud)
- Water-resistance: IP54
- Wireless charging: Yes
Released in early 2023, the Nothing Ear (2) is the brand's newest "premium" noise-canceling pair of wireless earbuds. They look nearly identical to the 2021-released Ear (1) — each earbud has a semi-transparent design and is shaped more or less like Apple's AirPods Pro — but Nothing has improved basically everything with the Ear (2).
They have better sound, stronger noise-cancellation, longer battery life, improved durability and welcome new features like multipoint Bluetooth connectivity and on-stem press controls. The downside is that they cost $149, which is $50 more than the Ear (1) cost when it was first released.
Sony LinkBuds S
- Battery life: up to six hours (per earbud)
- Water-resistance: IPX4
- Wireless charging: No
The Sony LinkBuds S is the company's mid-range and more affordable pair of wireless earbuds to its flagship WF-1000XM5. They deliver many of the same features — including support for LDAC, Sony's codec for streaming high-resolution audio tracks (up to 32-bit/96kHz) — in a smaller and more comfortable design. However, they aren't quite as elite in terms of sound quality or noise cancellation. They also lack a case that supports wireless charging.
Poly Voyager Free 60+ UC
- Battery life: up to 8 hours (per earbud)
- Water-resistance: IP54
- Wireless charging: Yes
The Poly Voyager Free 60+ UCs are premium noise-canceling wireless earbuds designed for both work and play. They have some unique features that make them great for work, such as a USB Bluetooth transmitter integrated in the charging case that you can plug into your computer to establish a more reliable wireless connection. The case also doubles as a Bluetooth dongle so you can use the wireless earbuds with an in-flight entertainment system.
The most unique thing about them, however, is that the charging case has a built-in display that allows you to control playback, adjust volume and switch between its various listening modes.
What to Look for in Noise-Canceling Wireless Earbuds
Fit
The most important thing when it comes to wireless earbuds is fit. Period. Because if the earbuds don't fit in your ears, it's not going to matter how they sound or how good their other features are — you're not going to like them. These days, wireless earbuds come in a wide range of styles, from stem-like AirPods to the more conventional "bulb," so we recommend knowing which fits your ears best before hitting that purchase button.
Sound quality
No wireless earbuds can play to true lossless-quality audio because Bluetooth technology can't support it — the bandwidth for high-resolution tracks is too big. That said, there are some wireless earbuds that can play higher-resolution tracks thanks to support for various formats, like Sony's LDAC or Apple Music's spatial audio, but these wireless earbuds tend to be more expensive and yet still can't play at the same level of quality that a good pair of wired earphones or headphones can.
Premium features
The more "premium" wireless earbuds are also likely to come with more advanced features, such as transparency modes, adjustable EQ, a wireless charging case and smart features (like support for various voice assistants).
Price
You can buy a pair of wireless earbuds with active noise-cancellation for less than $100 or for over $300, but the important thing to know is that not all active noise-cancellation is the same. The higher-end wireless earbuds are going to have more built-in microphones and more sophisticated technology to do a significantly better job at blocking out ambient sounds.
More Headphone/Earbud Guides
- Best Wireless Earbuds
- Best Earbuds for Running and Working Out
- Best Wireless Earbuds Under $100
- Best Earbuds Under $50
- Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones
