The 10 best wireless earbuds of 2026

The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC by Anker are the earbuds that make you question whether you need to spend £200. Their adaptive noise cancelling is genuinely effective, cutting out a large part of bus and train noise, and it adjusts to your surroundings. With more than 38,000 ratings on Amazon.co.uk they are one of the most popular earbuds in the UK.

Battery life is exceptional. You get up to 8 hours from the buds with noise cancelling on and around 50 hours in total with the case, which means charging once a week for many people. The Soundcore app includes a hearing test that tailors the sound to your ears, plus an equaliser to tame the bass, which is heavy out of the box. Support for LDAC gives better quality on compatible Android phones. Call quality is decent though not as clear as Apple or Sony. The case feels a bit cheap. UK buyers say they are the best value earbuds they have bought.

Bose has long been the name in noise cancelling, and the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) keep it at the top. CustomTune technology measures the shape of your ear each time you put them in and tunes both the sound and the noise cancelling to match. On planes, trains and in open-plan offices they block out more noise than any other earbuds in this list.

The second generation adds wireless charging to the case, improved call microphones and better connection stability. Sound is rich and full, and Immersive Audio creates a spatial effect that makes music feel like it is coming from around you, though it uses more battery. Battery life is 6 hours with noise cancelling, or around 4 with Immersive Audio, which is shorter than Sony. The stability bands help them stay put, but the buds are larger than rivals. At around £249 they cost the same as the Sony. UK buyers who travel a lot say the noise cancelling makes them worth every penny.

If you own an iPhone, the AirPods Pro 3 are the easiest choice. They pair instantly, switch automatically between your iPhone, iPad and Mac, and work with Find My if you lose one. Apple has substantially improved the noise cancelling over the AirPods Pro 2, and it now competes with Sony and Bose.

New foam-infused ear tips in five sizes give a better seal, and battery life is up to 8 hours with noise cancelling on. The AirPods Pro 3 add a heart rate sensor, so they can track workouts in the Fitness app without a watch, and Live Translation works with a recent iPhone. The IP57 rating means they cope with sweat, rain and even a brief dunk. Sound is clear and balanced, though there is no LDAC-style high-resolution codec. On Android you lose most of the smart features, so Android users should choose Sony or Soundcore. UK iPhone users rate them very highly and praise the comfort and the transparency mode.

The Galaxy Buds3 Pro are Samsung's answer to the AirPods Pro, and they work best with a Galaxy phone. Paired with one, they support Samsung's Seamless Codec for 24-bit hi-fi audio, switch automatically between your Galaxy devices and offer Galaxy AI features such as Live Translate and Interpreter mode.

The stem design with a light bar looks distinctive, and you can pinch or swipe the stems to control playback and volume. Adaptive noise cancelling is effective and responds to sirens and voices, lowering itself so you can hear what is going on. Sound is detailed with a two-way driver system. Battery life is 6 hours with noise cancelling and 26 hours with the case, and the IP57 rating protects against sweat and rain. On other Android phones and iPhones they still work, but you lose many of the extras. At around £169 they have dropped well below launch price. UK Galaxy owners praise the sound quality and the fit.

The Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 are about 27 percent smaller than the first generation, and comfort is their biggest strength. A small twist-to-adjust stabiliser holds them in place, so they stay in during runs and long work days without pressure. Google's Tensor A1 chip powers Silent Seal 2.0 noise cancelling, which is now close to Sony and Apple.

Battery life is up to 8 hours with noise cancelling and 30 hours with the case, one of the better figures here. With a Pixel phone you get extras such as Conversation Detection, which pauses music when you start talking, and hands-free Gemini so you can ask questions without touching your phone. They work with any Android phone and iPhone, but some features are limited. Sound is warm and clear. The touch controls are sensitive and can trigger when adjusting the buds. At around £179 they are good value. UK buyers say they are the most comfortable earbuds they have worn.

The AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation are for people who find in-ear tips uncomfortable. They sit loosely in the ear like the classic AirPods, without silicone tips, yet still offer noise cancelling. It cannot match a sealed design like the AirPods Pro 3, but it noticeably reduces the drone of traffic and engines.

The redesigned shape fits more ears than previous AirPods, and the small case charges via USB-C or wirelessly and includes a speaker for Find My. Battery life is 5 hours with noise cancelling and 20 hours in total, which is on the short side. Features such as Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness and head gestures for answering calls work with a recent iPhone. Sound is clear and balanced with a little less bass than in-ear models. At around £149, and often cheaper in sales, they are a good alternative to the Pro 3 for comfort-first iPhone users. UK buyers like how light they feel.

The Sony WF-C710N bring much of what makes Sony's flagships great to a mid-range price. Dual noise sensors on each bud power noise cancelling that is effective on buses and trains, and Sony's tuning gives a balanced, enjoyable sound that you can adjust in the Sound Connect app.

Battery life is up to 8.5 hours with noise cancelling on and around 30 hours with the case, and a quick five-minute charge gives an hour of playback. Multipoint lets you connect to a phone and laptop at once, which is handy when working from home. The buds are small and light, and the IPX4 rating means they handle sweat and light rain. There is no wireless charging, and the design is simpler than the WF-1000XM6. Call quality is good indoors but picks up wind outside. At around £79 they are a strong choice, and UK buyers say they offer the Sony sound they wanted without the flagship price.

The Nothing Ear (a) stand out with their transparent design, available in white, black and a bright yellow that looks unlike any other earbuds. Underneath the look are solid specs for the price, including smart noise cancelling that adjusts its strength to your surroundings and support for LDAC on Android.

Sound is lively and clear, with an adjustable equaliser in the Nothing X app. Noise cancelling is effective against low rumbles like buses and air conditioning, though less so against voices. Battery life is 5.5 hours with noise cancelling, rising to 9.5 hours without it, and the case brings the total to around 24.5 hours with ANC. There is no wireless charging. They work with iPhones but integrate best with Android, particularly Nothing phones, where ChatGPT can be called with a pinch. At around £69 they offer a lot of style for the money. UK buyers love the design and say the sound is better than expected at this price.

The JLab Go Air Pop are proof that wireless earbuds do not have to be expensive. At around £19 they cost less than a replacement single AirPod, yet deliver up to 8 hours of playback from the buds and 32 hours in total with the case. Each bud weighs just 4 g, so they are very comfortable.

They have no noise cancelling, and the sound is basic compared with the other earbuds here, with less detail and a slightly boomy bass. You can choose between three EQ settings by tapping the buds, which helps. The IPX4 rating protects against sweat, and the charging case has a built-in USB cable, so you do not need to carry a separate lead. Each bud can be used on its own, which is handy for calls. With more than 26,000 ratings on Amazon.co.uk, they are very popular as gym earbuds, for children and as a backup pair. UK buyers say they are amazing for the money.