Bose Ultra Open Headphones: They were not the first clip-on headphonesbut Bose’s Ultra Open Earbuds really launched this subgenre of truly wireless earbuds. They’re a little overpriced, but otherwise they have a lot to like, including a surprisingly comfortable and secure fit and very good sound quality for open-back headphones. Initially, the earbuds did not have multi-point Bluetooth pairing, but the feature was added in July 2024. Read my Bose Ultra Open Headphones review.
JBL Endurance Peak 3: As JBL launches a new Endurance Peak model in spring 2026, its 3rd generation ear-hook style sport headphones should be available at a decent price. Available in black or white, the Endurance Peak 3 earphones offer better battery life (up to 10 hours with four additional charges in their case), improved voice call performance and an IP68 rating that makes them completely waterproof and dustproof. They also feature an Ambient Aware transparency mode and a Talk Thru mode that can automatically lower the volume level of your music and open the earbuds to the outside world. This means you can have a conversation with someone without removing the headphones from your ears.
Anker Soundcore AeroClip: The AeroClip Soundcore are Anker’s current flagship clip-on headphones. Not only do I like their design – they have a premium look and feel – but they are comfortable to wear and provide very good sound for clip-on headphones. Equipped with 12mm drivers, they deliver plentiful bass with good volume and decent clarity. The earbuds sound fuller and more open than many cheaper clip-on earbuds and are among the best-sounding open earbuds I’ve tried (Android users should note that they support Sony’s high-quality LDAC audio codec).
Skullcandy 360 ANC Method: In a surprise move, Skullcandy teamed up with Bose in 2025 to create a budget version of Bose’s $299 QuietComfort Ultra headphones. With “Sound by Bose,” the Method 360 ANC headphones not only sound better than most headphones in this price range (they sound very similar to Bose’s $170 QuietComfort headphones), but they also fit comfortably and securely thanks to Bose’s Fit Kit system that includes stability bands to lock the headphones in your ears. They made our list of the best wireless headphones and remain good value for money, but Skullcandy released the Method 540 ANC in 2026 (it has a 20% smaller case). Read the Skullcandy Method 360 ANC review.
Shokz OpenFit Air: Shokz, the company formerly known as AfterShokz, has long been the leader in bone conduction headphones. However, this model, like Shokz’s OpenFit truly wireless earbuds, does not use bone conduction technology. They have an open design that streams sound into your ears using custom drivers, which Shokz calls “air conduction” technology. While Shokz’s flagship OpenFit 2 headphones sound slightly better, have better battery life (up to 11 hours instead of 6 at moderate volume levels), and a physical control button, the Open Fit Air costs about $60 less and is a bit lighter and quite comfortable to wear. That said, it seems like they are being phased out by Shokz.
Edify LolliClip: Bose’s Ultra Open Earbuds may be the best-performing and most comfortable clip-on headphones, but they cost $300. In contrast, Edifier’s new LolliClip earbuds cost $130 and sound pretty close to what you get with the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds — and they’re almost as comfortable to wear while still fitting securely in my ears. They also have some features that Bose headphones don’t have, including active noise cancellation (it’s not very effective but you feel it attenuating some low-frequency noise), a heart rate monitor, a blood oxygen sensor, and spatial audio with head tracking. There is also a low latency mode for gaming and supports LDAC for Android users.
Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2: Jabra billed these headphones, which have unfortunately been discontinued, as the “world’s toughest headphones,” and based on our testing (they survived several drops without a scratch), that could very well be true. While there are two new color options, the Gen 2 model doesn’t look any different from the original but it does include an LE Audio smart box, allowing wireless streaming from any device with a USB-C or 3.5mm port (I tested it with in-flight entertainment and it worked well, with no audio lag). The Elite 8 Active Gen 2 also features enhanced spatial audio powered by Dolby Audio “for a better music experience”, improved Natural HearThrough for better outdoor awareness, and improved noise cancellation performance.
Soundcore by Anker Sport X10: The Soundcore Sport As long as you get a tight seal, they sound great, with powerful, punchy bass and good detail. They also have active noise cancellation, which is effective but not as good as Sony or Bose’s noise cancellation. They’re also fully waterproof with an IP rating of IPX7, meaning they can be fully submerged in up to 3 feet of water for 30 minutes. Battery life is rated at eight hours with three additional charges in the charging case.
Shokz open movement: Shokz’s entry-level OpenMove bone conduction headphones cost $80, although we’ve sometimes seen them drop below $70. It replaces the older Titanium model and has some small design improvements. I found it comfortable to wear and while the sound isn’t great, it sounds relatively good for a bone conduction headphone – again, control your sound quality expectations or you’ll be disappointed. This is great for listening to podcasts, audiobooks, and news shows while you run.
Sennheiser Sport True Wireless: The Sport True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds (around $130) are essentially Sennheiser’s CX True Wireless Earbuds with sport earbuds – for a more secure fit – and better durability. They have an IP54 rating which makes them splash and dust resistant. The CX True Wireless, rated IPX4, does not offer dust resistance.
Skullcandy Push Active : With their over-the-ear design, they’re essentially a more affordable version of the Beats Powerbeats Pro and they actually fit my ears slightly better than the Powerbeats Pro – I’m not usually a fan of over-the-ear style headphones, but these are one of the better models. They also cost a lot less than the Beats.
Cleer Audio Arc 2 Sport: Cleer’s original Arc headphones were solid sports headphones with decent sound for open-style headphones that sit on your ears and pump sound into them. The 2023 model (around $170) improves sound quality and offers additional enhancements and enhanced features, including a new “enhanced” charging case with UV sterilization and multi-point Bluetooth connectivity (Bluetooth 5.3), all for a significantly improved product.
Beats Powerbeats Pro: While the Powerbeats Pro remain popular workout headphones, they’ve been around for several years, so it’s best to buy them at a discount.
JBL Live Pro 2: Over the years, JBL headphones have released some decent truly wireless Bluetooth headphones, but nothing that really excited me. This finally changed with the arrival of the new product from the Samsung brand. Live Pro 2 And Live for free 2 buds. Both sets of earbuds – the Live Pro 2 have stems while the Live Free 2 has a pill-shaped design – offer a comfortable fit as well as strong noise cancellation, very good sound quality and voice call performance, plus a robust set of features, including multi-point Bluetooth pairing, an IP rating of IPX5 (splash-resistant), and wireless charging.
Sony LinkBuds: The LinkBuds are, in a sense, Sony’s answer to Apple’s Standard AirPods. While they don’t sound as good as Sony’s flagship WF-1000XM4 or the LinkBuds S noise-isolating Bluetooth earbuds, they offer an innovative, discreet design and a more secure fit than the AirPods, as well as decent sound and very good voice call performance. Like the third-generation AirPods, their open design lets you hear the outside world – that’s what the Ring is for. Read our Sony LinkBuds review.
