The best wireless earbuds for most people do not cost $300. We picked five pairs, from about $60 to about $330, so you can match the price to how you actually listen: on the bus, at the gym, on work calls or on a long flight. We have not tested these pairs ourselves. Our picks come from each maker’s official specs, patterns in owner reviews, and prices checked on Nov. 6, 2026. TechCity may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page. It never decides what we recommend.
The short version
Most people can get good noise cancelling for under $100. Spend more only for a specific reason, like an iPhone or premium noise cancelling.
- Best under $60: Soundcore P31i, with up to 8 hours of noise cancelling per charge and an IP55 rating.
- Best under $100: Nothing Ear (3a) at $99, with up to 42 hours of total listening with the case.
- Best for iPhone: AirPods Pro 3 at $249, with up to 8 hours of noise cancelling and an IP57 rating.
- If they last three years, the P31i costs about $20 a year and the Sony WF-1000XM6 about $110 a year.
- The downside of the priciest pick: the Sony pair is rated IPX4, so it is not the one for heavy sweat.
The best wireless earbuds at a glance
| Pick | Best for | Price checked Nov. 6 | Noise cancelling per charge | Cost per year over 3 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soundcore P31i | Under $60 | $59.99 list, $32.99 on sale | Up to 8 hours | About $20 |
| Nothing Ear (3a) | Under $100 | $99 | Not listed by Nothing | About $33 |
| Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro | Around $170 | $169.99 | Up to 6.5 hours | About $57 |
| Apple AirPods Pro 3 | iPhone owners | $249 | Up to 8 hours | About $83 |
| Sony WF-1000XM6 | Premium, any phone | $329.99 list, $299.99 on sale | Up to 8 hours | About $100 to $110 |
In plain terms: you can get noise cancelling for under $100. Spending more mostly buys features tied to your phone, like automatic switching between Apple devices, or a premium build. The cost per year column is our own math, based on the listed price and the assumption that a pair lasts three years. Earbud batteries wear down, so a pair that lasts longer costs less per year.
Best wireless earbuds under $60: Soundcore P31i
Soundcore, Anker’s audio brand, lists the P31i at $59.99, and on Nov. 6 both Soundcore and Best Buy had it on sale for $32.99. The Best Buy listing below is the light blue color. It has adaptive noise cancelling, up to 10 hours of play with noise cancelling off and 8 hours with it on, and up to 50 hours in total with the case. A 10 minute charge gives about 3.5 hours. It is rated IP55 for dust and water, and it supports LDAC, a Bluetooth format for higher quality sound on many Android phones.
The downside: at Best Buy, this pair is sold by Anker’s own marketplace store, not from Best Buy’s stock, so check the seller’s shipping and return terms before you buy.
Skip if: you want features that only work with one phone brand, like automatic switching between Apple devices.
Soundcore P31i · paid link
Best under $100: Nothing Ear (3a)
Nothing sells the Ear (3a) for $99. According to Nothing, you get active noise cancelling, a 12 mm driver in each earbud, Hi-Res Audio support and up to 42 hours of total listening with the case. It comes in white, black, yellow and pink.
The downside: owners and reviewers often say the sound out of the box needs a few changes in the app’s EQ, the setting that adjusts bass and treble.
Skip if: you never want to open an app to adjust how your earbuds sound.
Nothing Ear (3a) · paid link
Best around $170: Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro
Soundcore lists the Liberty 5 Pro at $169.99. It runs up to 12 hours with noise cancelling off and 6.5 hours with it on, up to 50 hours in total with the case, and it is rated IP55. Its case has a small screen for changing settings without your phone.
The downside: that screen makes the case bulkier than most, and owners often say the default sound leans heavy on bass.
Skip if: you want a case that disappears in a small pocket.
Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro · paid link
Best wireless earbuds for iPhone: Apple AirPods Pro 3
Apple sells AirPods Pro 3 for $249. According to Apple’s spec page, they give up to 8 hours of listening with noise cancelling on, or up to 6.5 hours with heart rate sensing on. Both the earbuds and the case are rated IP57 for dust, sweat and water. On an iPhone, they pair in seconds and switch between your Apple devices on their own.
The downside: some owners say the new shape slips during workouts or rubs, so fit is worth testing early while you can still return them.
Skip if: you use an Android phone, since many of the best features only work with Apple devices.
Apple AirPods Pro 3 · paid link
Best premium pick for any phone: Sony WF-1000XM6
The Sony WF-1000XM6 is our premium pick if you do not want to be tied to one phone brand. Sony rates it at up to 8 hours with noise cancelling on and up to 24 hours in total with the case, which supports wireless charging. It works with iPhone and Android, with LDAC on Android phones that support it. Sony lists it at $329.99, and on Nov. 6 both Sony and Best Buy had it on sale for $299.99, so check the current price before you buy.
The downside: it is rated IPX4, which is splash resistance, not the sweat and dust rating of AirPods Pro 3. Owners also say the case is bulky and the touch controls take practice.
Skip if: you mostly wear earbuds for hard workouts.
Sony WF-1000XM6 · paid link
How we picked
This is a research-based guide. We have not tested these five pairs ourselves. We started with current models from Apple, Sony, Samsung, Google, Nothing and Soundcore, read each maker’s spec page, looked for patterns in recent owner reviews, and checked prices and Best Buy listings on Nov. 6, 2026. We left out models that are being replaced or that cost more without a clear reason to.
What matters when you buy wireless earbuds
- Fit comes first. Earbuds that fall out or hurt sound bad no matter what they cost. Buy where returns are easy.
- Look at the hours with noise cancelling on, not the biggest number on the box. The case total includes recharges.
- Check the water rating. IPX4 means splashes. IP54 and IP55 add dust and more water protection. IP57 is the strongest here.
- Match your phone. AirPods work best with iPhone. LDAC only helps on Android phones that support it.
Should you wait for Black Friday?
Black Friday is Nov. 27. Earbuds often get discounts around then, but a lower sticker price is not always a real deal. Use our guide on how to tell if a Black Friday deal is really a deal before you buy. Want over-ear headphones instead? See our best noise cancelling headphones. Shopping for a gift on a budget? Here are tech gifts under $50.
