Best Workout Earbuds of 2025

It’s easy to recommend the AirPods Pro for exercise. They come with silicone ear tips in four sizes, including a tiny XS. Fitwise, our testers found that they stay stable in ears of all sizes. They have superb noise cancellation with an especially effective transparency mode that pipes in outside sound to allow you to hear what’s going on around you. It’s great if you’re out for a run on a crowded trail or a road with traffic.

The current model also has a unique suite of features, available via a free software update, that can turn the noise-canceling earbuds into over-the-counter hearing aids.

The first step is a clinical-level hearing test that takes about 5 minutes to assess your hearing. If you have hearing loss, the app tweaks the volume at various frequencies to make it easier to hear content like music and podcasts, as well as conversation.

Finally, there’s an app that is claimed to provide hearing protection when you’re in a noisy environment like a concert hall or store. We had a colleague with hearing loss evaluate the AirPods (and compare them with her expensive custom hearing aids), and she was impressed with their performance overall. If you don’t like the hearing aid functionality, it’s easy enough to turn off.

The Beats Fit Pro are high-performing wireless noise-canceling earbuds with soft silicone ear tips in three sizes, plus wingtips that fit into the pinna (the exterior of your ear) for additional security. This is a nice alternative to the potentially clumsy wraparound clip-in models like the Beats Powerbeats Pro.

I found the fit to be rock-solid, but you may have to take the earbuds for a trial run to make sure they hug your ears, too. While the Fit Pros held firm for all who reviewed them in our labs, the testers say that those with smaller ears might feel like the buds could come loose.

As for control, the Fit Pros have actual buttons rather than the touch-sensitive stems on AirPods. I prefer the positive click of a button, especially when using a function like track forward, which can require multiple clicks. On the other hand, hitting a button on the side of the earbud did tend to push it deeper into my ear canal. The Fit Pros also sound really good and feature effective active noise cancellation, making them an alternative to the similarly priced AirPods Pro.

If you just don’t like the feel of earbuds, consider the Bose Ultra Opens. They’re essentially tiny speakers that sit near your ear canal like a cuff-style earring. They allow you to listen to music or podcasts without isolating you from the things happening around you.

Our testers found that the Ultra Opens sound really good. They fit most people securely, although larger-eared testers may have a slightly harder time getting an optimal fit. With this design, proper positioning is important for optimal sound. There’s no active or passive noise cancellation, so they’re not ideal on a train, a plane, or a noisy office when you want to block out the world a little.

But that caveat aside, this model offers a unique ability to switch seamlessly between your content and the real world.

The Sennheiser CX150 BT doesn’t need a cable to link to your phone but does have one that tethers the earbuds together. That can come in handy when, for example, you’re out cycling or skiing. If an earpiece jars loose while you’re on the move, it won’t get lost. You can simply grab the cable and reinsert the bud in your ear.

Our testers report that the CX150 BT’s selection of earpieces makes it easy to achieve a good fit and that the earbuds stay in place pretty well. The audio quality is very good, better than you’ll find on some more expensive models. And while there aren’t a ton of extra features, the Sennheiser boasts a 10-hour battery life, more than enough to get you through a very long ride.

If you’re having trouble finding true wireless earbuds that fit securely, consider the Shure Aonic 215 Gen 2. They feature substantial hooks that secure the earpieces to the outside of your ears. The bulky part of the earbuds sits behind your ear, which some users love and others, well, don’t.

The model comes with six pairs of tips—silicone and foam in three sizes—which should make it easy to get a good fit. Our testers report that it can take a bit of effort to get the Shures fitted securely, but once that’s done, they stay in place, even during the most vigorous exercise. The testers say that some users might find that using the controls can cause the bulky part of the earbuds to poke into the bone behind the ears.

And while the model doesn’t have active noise cancellation, the ear tips seal well enough to offer a substantial degree of passive isolation, which makes the ambient sound-monitoring feature most welcome. Sonically, the Shures are solid performers, with a bassy sound signature that can be adjusted through flexible tone controls.

Are you the kind of person who misplaces things? If so, you might consider the Skullcandy Dime 2, an absolute steal at under $30. The sound quality isn’t outstanding, but it’s above average—and very impressive, given the price.

Our testers found that their fit might not be quite as secure as what you’ll experience with the very best earbuds, but the price is low enough that it’s no problem to replace these earbuds if you lose one. The Dime has an advertised 3.5-hour battery life and a carrying/charging case good for an additional 8.5 hours of power.

The only difference between the Dime 2 and the original Dime is that the newer model has Bluetooth 5.2, which might make for slightly smoother connections. The new model also has a “find me” feature that can help locate missing earbuds when used with the Tile app.

If you’re exercising in a quiet environment, why not enhance your experience with the very best sound you can get? That’s where the Sony WF-1000XM5 comes in. These true wireless noise-canceling earbuds sound simply fantastic and are one of the very few models that achieve our top rating for sound quality.

The XM5s replace the highly rated XM4s, and our testers report there are some improvements. The newer earbuds are sleeker and lighter, and may provide a better fit for many users, although those with smaller ears may still find them a bit bulky. Sony’s foamlike ear tips feel a bit like drugstore earplugs, but in our tests they stay in place, even though they lack silicone wings or other fit aids like some of the models in this roundup.

Our lab testing reveals that the WF-1000XM5s sound just a little better than the XM4s with a tiny bit less distortion. They also offer top-notch noise cancellation with an effective ambient mode that allows you to hear what’s going on around you, making them a solid choice for walkers and runners.

If you like the idea of true wireless earbuds but you’re not a big fan of earplug-type tips sitting in your ear canal, this uniquely designed Sony model is worth a look.

The LinkBuds have a doughnutlike hole in the middle of the earbud that lets you feel connected to sound from the outside world in a way that’s not quite possible with even the best transparency mode. That makes them great for outdoor exercise or any activity where you want to maintain a connection to your surroundings, and it positions them as a less expensive alternative to the Bose Open Ultra.

There’s a trade-off, however: The lack of isolation makes the LinkBuds less than great for noisy environments.

The LinkBuds stay in place, thanks to the flexible silicone ear-bowl supports. Five options are included, so you can fine-tune the fit. Our testers warn that the position that’s the most secure doesn’t always deliver the best sound quality. (They report that the sound remains very satisfying, though.) With this in mind, consider purchasing the model from a retailer that offers a flexible return policy.

One other unique feature: You can control the LinkBuds by tapping on your head near your ears rather than touching the buds themselves. The similarly priced and similarly named Sony LinkBuds S have a more conventional design, with a silicone tip and active noise cancellation with an electronic ambient mode.