Updated Dec. 31, 2023 9:00 p.m. PT
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David Carnoy Executive Editor / Reviews
Executive Editor David Carnoy has been a leading member of CNET's Reviews team since 2000. He covers the gamut of gadgets and is a notable reviewer of mobile accessories and portable audio products, including headphones and speakers. He's also an e-reader and e-publishing expert as well as the author of the novels Knife Music, The Big Exit and Lucidity. All the titles are available as Kindle, iBooks, Nook e-books and audiobooks.
Expertise Mobile accessories and portable audio, including headphones, earbuds and speakers Credentials
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![Best Open Wireless Earbuds for 2024 (4) Best Open Wireless Earbuds for 2024 (4)](https://i0.wp.com/www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/7d4487b799f07e52709568de994d7ef52c3ef791/hub/2023/07/05/c01ae8ce-3cf6-46ed-a563-bf808e3b15e6/echo-buds-2023-close-up-1.jpg?auto=webp&fit=crop&height=144&width=144)
Best new budget open earbuds
Amazon Echo Buds 2023
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![Best Open Wireless Earbuds for 2024 (5) Best Open Wireless Earbuds for 2024 (5)](https://i0.wp.com/www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/41d020527a7132c932d767da23fc7a2e48e7bff7/hub/2022/11/14/cbefb0b8-20b7-4e5d-bcd7-2d3d7e61208b/soundpeats-air3-deluxe-hs-blue-background.png?auto=webp&fit=crop&height=144&width=144)
Best cheap open earbuds
Soundpeats Air3 Deluxe HS
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Best comfortable open earbuds with ear hooks
Shokz OpenFit
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Good for kids and those with small ears
1More ComfoBuds 2
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Apple's most affordable AirPods
AirPods (2nd Gen)
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Best-sounding open-style earbuds with ear hooks
Cleer Audio Arc 2 Sport
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Best value open-ear neckband-style headphones
Soundpeats RunFree Lite
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Many popular earbuds are designed with noise-isolating silicone ear tips that seal off the canal of the ear. This design is required to get the best active noise cancellation experience. However, not everybody likes the feel of having ear tips jammed in their ears and some may prefer a bud with an open or semi-open design that can offer a more comfortable fit. Apple'sthird-gen AirPodsare the most popular open earbuds option out there at the moment, but we've rounded up our top picks of all the best open earbuds on the market right now below.
Open earbuds also have a safety benefit. Because they don't seal off your ear canal, they let ambient sound in so you can hear what's going on around you. That can be an important feature for some people, including runners and bikers who want to hear cars approaching. However, the downside to their openness is that if you're in a noisy environment, the ambient sound will make it harder to hear what you're listening to. Also, open earbuds have a harder time producing strong bass, which affects sound quality.
Here's a look at the top open-style buds. I'll update this list as I test more worthy candidates.
Read more:Best True Wireless Earbuds for 2024
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Pros
- Well-designed inexpensive earbuds
- Good sound for open earbuds
- Strong feature set, including hands-free Alexa
Cons
- May not fit everyone's ears comfortably
- Not a ton of bass
- No ANC (they're open earbuds)
Battery life Rated up to 5 hours
Noise Canceling No
Multipoint Yes
Water-Resistant Yes (IPX2-- splash-proof)
Full Review Read full review
Amazon's 2023 Echo Buds impressed me in a few ways that I wasn't expecting. For starters, they sound good for inexpensive open earbuds, delivering decent clarity and ample bass. But they also have a robust feature set, including multipoint Bluetooth pairing, hands-free Alexa and ear-detection sensors that pause your audio when you take one or both buds out of your ears.
Their sound falls short of that ofApple's AirPods 3, which deliver fuller bass and overall fuller, smoother sound (they're better at handling more complicated music tracks with a lot of instruments playing at the same time). But the AirPods 3 cost around $150 and offer only about 15% to 20% better audio. In short, if you're looking for open earbuds -- or "semi-open" as these types of earbuds are sometimes called -- the Echo Buds are good value at their $50 list price and even easier to recommend when they go on sale.
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What makes these Soundpeats Air3 Deluxe HS buds special is that they sound surprisingly good for open earbuds -- they're pretty close to what you get from Apple's AirPods 3 for sound. On top of that, they support Sony's LDAC audio codec for devices that offer it. Not too many cheap open earbuds have good sound but these Soundpeats have good bass response and clarity. They're also good for making calls and have a low-latency gaming mode. Battery life is rated at 5 hours at moderate volume levels, and these are IPX4 splash-proof.
And be sure to activate the instant 15% off coupon to save a few bucks at checkout.
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Water-resistant:Yes(IPX4 rating -- splash-proof)
Take one look at the new design of the third-gen AirPods, and the first thing you'll probably think is: "Those look like theAirPods Prowithout ear tips." You wouldn't be wrong. While they're more fraternal than identical twins, the AirPods 3rd Generation are shaped like the AirPods Pro, with the same shorter stems and same pinch controls as those of the Pro. Aside from the design change, which should fit most ears better than the AirPods 2nd Generation (though not very small ears), the biggest change is to the sound quality: It's much improved. Also, battery life is better, and the AirPods 3 are officially water-resistant and support Apple's spatial audio virtual surround feature (for Apple users only).
Like AirPods Pro, the AirPods are top-notch for making voice calls. Callers said they could hear me clearly even with a lot background noise in the streets of New York City. The only issue is that since they are open earbuds, they let sound in, so you may not be able to hear callers as well as they can hear you in noisier environments.
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Shokz, the company formerly known as AfterShokz, has long been the leader in bone-conduction headphones. Models like the OpenRun Pro, which deliver sound to your ear through your cheekbones, are popular with runners and bikers who like to leave their ears open for safety reasons. However, Shokz's new OpenFit model, the company's first true-wireless earbuds, don't use bone-conduction technology. They have an open design that fire sound into your ears using custom speaker drivers, which Shokz dubs "air conduction" technology.
I was impressed by how lightweight (8.3 grams) and comfortable they are -- they have one of the best ear-hook designs I've tried (Shokz calls it a Dolphin Arc ear hook). It's soft and offers just the right amount of flexibility to conform to the shape of your ear, with "dual-layered liquid silicone that provides a pliable fit," according to Shokz. The earbuds also sound quite good for open earbuds, though not quite as good as Cleer's Arc 2 Open Ear Sport earbuds ($190) that also have an ear-hook design.
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The LinkBuds are, in a sense, Sony's answer to Apple'sstandard AirPods. While they don't sound as good as Sony's flagshipWF-1000XM4noise-isolating earbuds, they offer a discreet, innovative design and a more secure fit than the AirPods, as well as good sound and very good voice-calling performance.
Like the third-gen AirPods, their open design allows you to hear the outside world -- that's what the ring is all about. That makes them a good choice for folks who want to hear what's going around them for safety reasons or just don't like having ear tips jammed in their ears. They also have a few distinguishing extra features, including Speak to Chat and Wide Area Tap. Instead of tapping on a bud, you can tap on your face, just in front of your ear, to control playback.
They're IPX4 splash-proof and thanks to their fins -- Sony calls them Arc Supporters -- they lock in your ears securely and work well for running and other sporting activities.
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1More has a slightly different take on the standard AirPods for those who have trouble keeping them in their ears. The ComfoBuds 2 have mini ear tips on them that help secure them in your ear. This second-gen version offers improved sound from the originals with better bass (it's still not great sound, but it's good for the money). As their name implies, they're lightweight, comfortable to wear and work well for making calls.
It's worth noting that their charging case is remarkably narrow and compact. It looks like a tiny hot-dog bun. They're IPX5 splashproof and also available in black.
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Pros
- The second-generation AirPods add a couple of small but key improvements to the original, including always-on voice recognition and a wireless charging case option. They're a top-notch headset for making calls, indoors and out. Apple's new H1 chip also allows for faster connections with all of your Apple devices, rock solid wireless connectivity, and an hour more talk time.
Cons
- No design changes to help them fit more ears securely; their sound hasn't improved, and their open design allows for a lot of ambient noise to leak in.
Battery Life Rated up to 5 hours
Noise Canceling No
Multipoint No
Headphone Type Wireless earbuds
Water-Resistant Yes (IPX4 -- splash-proof)
Full Review Read full review
The new AirPods (third gen) are a nice upgrade over the second-gen AirPods. That said, the AirPods 2, which came out in 2019, are now selling for around $100 and sometimes a little less. While they don't sound as good as the AirPods 3 and have a longer stem, they fit some people's ears better. Those with smaller ears may prefer these older AirPods due to their slightly smaller design.
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Pros
- Unique, eye-catching design
- Comfortable ergonomic fit
- Compact charging case with wireless charging
- Open sound with good bass and detail
- Good noise reduction when making calls
- IPX2 water-resistant
Cons
- Noise canceling is comparatively mild
- Open design lets some ambient sound in
- Little bit of distortion at high volume
Battery Life Rated up to 8 hours
Noise Canceling Yes (ANC)
Multipoint No
Headphone Type Wireless earbuds
Water-Resistant Yes (IPX2 -- sweat-resistant and protection against light splashes)
Full Review Read full review
Say what you will about the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live's bean-shaped design, but it's certainly innovative. Like the standard AirPods, they have an open design, so you don't jam an ear tip into your ear. They're comfortable to wear and fit my ears more securely than the AirPods. These wireless buds are discreet and basically sit flush with your ear, which reduces wind-noise while biking. I regularly use them for running and biking, and they're great for sporting activities if they fit your ears well. But one warning: Some people won't get a secure fit, so buy them from a retailer that has a good return policy.
They deliver good sound and work well as a headset for making calls, with good background noise reduction so callers can hear you clearly even when you're in noisier environments. While they feature active noise canceling, it's mild compared to the noise canceling in earbuds that have a noise-isolating design. In other words, buy them for their design and sound, not their noise-canceling features.
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Cleer's original Arc earbuds were solid sport earbuds that featured decent sound for open-style buds that sit on top of your ears and fire sound into them. This new-for-2023 model steps up the sound quality and offers additional refinements and feature upgrades, including a new "enhanced" charging case with UV sterilization and multipoint Bluetooth connectivity (Bluetooth 5.3), all of which makes for a significantly improved product.
Cleer says the Arc 2 Sport buds feature "greater flexibility for improved comfort," and I did find them more comfortable to wear than the original Arcs. That said, not everyone loves this style of open earbuds, which lets sound in so you can hear ambient sound around you for safety purposes.
With a new six-axis motion sensor, you can actually control the buds with head gestures -- you answer calls by nodding and skip tracks forward by turning your head to the right and skip a track back by turning your head left. Thankfully, those motion controls can be turned off if you don't want to use them.
These are among the first buds to support Qualcomm's aptX Lossless format, if you're one of the few to have an Android device that supports that audio codec (plenty of Android phones support aptX Adaptive). Since these aren't high-end noise-isolating earbuds, you probably won't be able to tell the difference in sound quality -- I couldn't -- but all that aside, these do sound very good for open-style earbuds. They lack a bit of oomph to their bass but they're punchy enough, offer good clarity and didn't distort at higher volumes. They also played sufficiently loud.
They have an IPX5 water- and sweat-resistance rating, which means they can withstand a sustained spray of water, and battery life is very good at up to eight hours on a single charge, plus there's a little more than three additional charges in the slim but still somewhat bulky charging case. It's big compared to an AirPods charging case, but svelte compared to other cases that house this style of earbuds.
These offer respectable performance for voice calls, but callers did say they heard a certain amount of white noise when I spoke to them from the noisy streets of New York -- that whooshing sound is the by-product of the earbuds' noise-reduction efforts.
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Like some of the other open-ear neckband style options on this list, the Soundpeats RunFree Lite buds sit just outside your ears and fire sound into them from small speakers with 16mm drivers. The sound quality isn't the greatest -- it lacks some clarity -- but it's better than I expected given the price of these headphones (there's a reasonable amount of bass), and they're just fine for casual listening.
They're nice and lightweight and fit my head securely and comfortably, but I could see how they might not fit folks with larger heads so well. Equipped with Bluetooth 5.3, they're IPX4 splash-proof and are rated for up to 17 hours of battery life at moderate volume levels (expect to get less than that because you will likely play these at high volume levels, especially outdoors where you'll encounter more ambient noise). They also work decently for making voice calls but don't expect business-class performance.
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More earbud and headphone recommendations
- Best Headphones for 2024
- Best Headphones for Samsung Phones
- Best Wireless Earbuds for 2024
- Best AirPods Accessories for 2024
- Best Cheap True Wireless Earbuds
- Best Over-Ear Headphones for 2024
- Best True Wireless Headphones
- Best Noise-Canceling Headphones for 2024
- Best Workout Headphones for 2024
- Protect Your AirPods: 5 Cases Under $15
- 5 True Wireless Earbuds Under $40 Worth Buying
- Best AirPods Max Accessories for 2024