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Noise-canceling earbuds have become an everyday essential for a lot of people, whether you’re trying to survive a noisy commute, concentrate in a shared workspace or just carve out a little quiet time. Advances in active noise cancellation and audio processing mean today’s best earbuds do a much better job of cutting through background noise, without forcing you to move up to bulky over-ear headphones.
The latest models also balance sound quality with convenience, offering stable Bluetooth connections, comfortable fits and battery life that can last through a full day with help from their charging cases. From premium options with the strongest ANC to more affordable picks that still get the basics right, there’s no shortage of solid choices depending on what you value most.
Best noise-cancelling earbuds for 2026
Billy Steele for Engadget
ANC type: Hybrid Adaptive | Customizable ANC: Yes | Max battery life with ANC: 6 hours | Transparency mode: Yes
Read our full Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd gen) review
Bose’s Immersive Audio feature may be the headline grabber on its QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, but these also come with the company’s stellar noise-canceling abilities. This model is especially adept at battling airplane noise during a flight, a task I typically rely on over-ear headphones for. The second-gen QC Ultra Earbuds are effective with human voices too, blocking that distraction better than much of the competition. But with any kind of constant roar, and many irregular sounds, these earbuds will serve you well. Plus, Bose’s CustomTune tool analyzes the shape of your ears and personalizes both sound and ANC.
While the QC Ultra Earbuds offer the best pure noise-blocking performance on this list, the extra audio features mean they have less battery life than the rest of our picks. It lasts six hours with ANC on and Immersive Audio off, but turn on the latter and that number dips to four hours. And although Bose’s take on spatial audio yields mixed results at times, the stock tuning is an improvement over the company’s last flagship model. Thanks to small tuning tweaks, the overall sound profile is more balanced on the second-gen version as well.
Sony
ANC type: Hybrid Adaptive | Customizable ANC: Yes | Max battery life with ANC: 8 hours | Transparency mode: Yes
Read our full Sony WF-1000XM5 review
While Sony has introduced the WF-1000XM6, I would argue the previous model is a more well-rounded choice. The M6 doesn’t offer the ANC performance that the M5 does and the ear tips don’t provide a fit that I’m completely happy with. If you plan to use your earbuds for calls, the M6 isn’t the best option there either.
The Sony WF-1000XM5 hits on just about everything we want from a premium set of Bluetooth earbuds. Their small, rounded design should feel comfortable and secure in most ears. They’re nearly unmatched at muting outside noise, thanks to a powerful ANC feature and memory foam eartips that do a remarkable job of isolating sound passively. They sound great out of the box, especially if you like a warmer profile with elevated bass, but you can easily customize the EQ curve through Sony’s app, and they do well to draw out treble-range detail either way. They’re also loaded with extra features, including multipoint connectivity, Google Fast Pair, LDAC and spatial audio support, the ability to swap between ANC and ambient sound (or “transparency”) modes automatically and more. The wireless charging case is conveniently tiny, while the eight- to 12-hour battery life gives little to complain about.
Still, the XM5s still aren’t a total slam dunk. The built-in mics aren’t the clearest for phone calls. The IPX4 water-resistance rating could be higher. Some people might find the memory foam eartips a little too full-feeling. They also have a list price of $330, which is far from affordable. But no other wireless earbuds we’ve tested have managed to tick so many boxes.
Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget
ANC type: Hybrid Adaptive | Customizable ANC: Yes | Max battery life with ANC: 8 hours | Transparency mode: Yes
For years, Anker’s Soundcore line has consistently offered some of the best true wireless models at a more affordable price than a lot of the competition. The company typically doesn’t cut too many corners to achieve this, either. The best current Soundcore model in terms of pure ANC performance is the Space A40. During my tests, these earbuds were particularly adept at fighting low-to-mid-range noise during flights and other transit scenarios. There’s an adaptive ANC system at work here to automatically adjust based on your environmental sound, but you can also set it to strong, moderate or weak levels of intensity.
While Anker rates the Space A40 at 10 hours on a charge, I got closer to eight during my tests with ANC on. Sound quality is also above average for this price, with a warm tone and noticeable bump to the bass. A solid but less-than-stellar transparency mode lends a hand and the companion app will let you assign up to six different gestures for various playback and call controls.
Photo by Billy Steele / Engadget
ANC type: Hybrid Adaptive | Customizable ANC: Yes | Max battery life with ANC: 12 hours | Transparency mode: Yes
Read our full Master & Dynamic MW09 review
We’re well aware there are ANC earbuds that last much longer than 12 hours. But out of all of the models we’ve tested in the last two years, the MW09 offers the longest play time while still offering solid active noise cancellation. The ANC performance here isn’t as robust as the QC Ultra Earbuds’ or the WF-1000XM5’s, but Master & Dynamic offers three presets to help you adjust the noise blocking to your situation and to make your battery consumption more efficient.
The MW09 does, however, give both Bose and Sony a run for their money in the audio department. M&D’s trademark sound profile is on display, matching balanced, natural tuning with great clarity and detail. For example, you can hear every bit of texture in Chris Stapleton’s bluesy rock riffs, as well as things like the subtle decay in the snare drum rattle on Higher that are easily lost on other earbuds. ANC modes and volume will impact battery life, but even at their worst, the MW09 still consistently lasted 10 hours during my tests. That’s longer than both Bose and Sony manage with their flagship ANC buds.
Billy Steele for Engadget
ANC type: Hybrid Adaptive | Customizable ANC: Yes | Max battery life with ANC: 8 hours | Transparency mode: Yes
Read our full Apple AirPods Pro 3 review
The AirPods Pro 3 may not have the best pure noise-blocking ability, but the manner with which Apple has applied its ANC system to other features is impressive. The ANC here lowers the volume of both the speaker and ambient noise for Live Translation and now allows you to conduct the Hearing Test in slightly louder environments. And then there’s the new foam-filled ear tips, which offer passive noise isolation that helps make the ANC system more precise.
Bose
ANC type: Hybrid Adaptive | Customizable ANC: Yes | Max battery life with ANC: 8.5 hours | Transparency mode: Yes
Read our full Bose QuietComfort Earbuds (2024) review
Before now, you had to pay around $300 if you wanted Bose-quality ANC on a set of earbuds. With the new QuietComfort Earbuds, the company packs in a lot of its best features for less money. You’ll get effective ANC, good sound quality, and features like voice controls.
The earbuds are smaller than typical Bose fare, which means they’re more comfortable and fit better. You’ll also enjoy well over eight hours of battery life with ANC on and an IPX4 rating that will be good enough for workouts. And if the product page is to be trusted, you can also look forward to Bose’s unique spatial audio (Immersive Audio) coming soon.
How to choose the best noise-canceling earbuds for you
Design
Most true wireless earbuds these days have a “traditional” design that’s a round bud that fits in your ear canals. However, there are some variations on the formula in terms of shape, size and additional fitting elements. Some companies include fins or fit wings to help hold their in-ear earbuds in place while others opt for an over-the-ear hook on more sporty models. You’ll want to pay attention to these things to make sure they align with how you plan to use them. Also consider overall size and weight since those two factors can impact the fit. A less-than-ideal seal due to a weird fit will affect the performance of active noise-canceling earbuds.
Type of noise cancellation
Next, you’ll want to look at the type of ANC a set of earbuds offer. You’ll see terms like “hybrid active noise cancellation” or “hybrid adaptive active noise cancellation,” and there are key differences between the two. A hybrid ANC setup uses microphones on the inside and the outside of the device to detect ambient noise. By analyzing input from both mics, a hybrid system can combat more sounds than “regular” ANC, but it’s at a constant level that doesn’t change.
Adaptive ANC takes the hybrid configuration a step further by continuously adjusting the noise cancellation for changes in your environment and any leakage around the padding of the ear cups or ear tips. Adaptive ANC is also better at combating wind noise, which can really kill your vibe while using earbuds outdoors. For this top pick list of the best noise-canceling earbuds, I’m only considering products with hybrid ANC or adaptive ANC setups because those are the most effective at blocking noise in noisy environments.
Customization
You’ll also want to check to see if the ANC system on a prospective set of earbuds offers presets or adjustable levels of noise reduction. These can help you dial in the amount of ANC you need for various environments, but it can also help save battery life. Master & Dynamic, for example, has ANC presets that either provide maximum noise-blocking or prioritize energy efficiency. Other companies may include a slider in their companion apps that let you adjust the ANC level.
How we test noise-canceling earbuds
The primary way we test earbuds is to wear them as much as possible. I prefer to do this over a one-to-two-week period, but sometimes deadlines don’t allow it. During this time, I listen to a mix of music and podcasts, while also using the earbuds to take both voice and video calls.
Since battery life for ANC earbuds is typically 6-10 hours, I drain the battery with looping music and the volume set at a comfortable level (usually around 75 percent). When necessary, I’ll power the headphones off during a review without putting them back in the case. This simulates real-world use and keeps me from having to wear them for an entire day.
To test ANC performance specifically, I use the earbuds in a variety of environments, from noisy coffee shops to quiet home offices. When my schedule allows, I also use them during air travel, since plane noise is a massive distraction to both work and relaxation. Even if I’m not slated to hop on a flight, I simulate a constant roar with white noise machines, bathroom fans, vacuums and more. I also make note of how well earbuds block human voices, which are a key stumbling block for a lot of ANC setups.
I also do a thorough review of companion apps, testing each feature as I work through the software. Any holdovers from previous models are double-checked for improvements or regression. If the earbuds I’m testing are an updated version of a previous model, I’ll spend time getting reacquainted with the older set, and revisit the closest competition as well.
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