The best noise-canceling earbuds of 2025: Expert tested and reviewed

When did everything become so dang noisy? The best noise-canceling earbuds don't just improve your music-listening experience, they also offer up complete silence when you need zero distractions. Active noise cancellation (ANC) is a highly coveted feature in the current earbud market. With the help of tiny microphones on the earbuds' exterior, ANC earbuds actively listen to cancel out incoming sound waves, preserving quiet, and amplifying in-ear sound. No matter how strong a pair's noise-canceling powers are, it's important that they don't have connectivity problems or major sound leakage issues.

What are the best noise-canceling earbuds right now? 

My pick for the best noise-canceling earbuds overall goes to the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds for their unmatched noise cancellation, amazing sound, and sealed earbud fit. I get lots of the best earbuds to try out, but these QuietComfort Ultra earbuds are the only ones I wear on flights, thanks to their top-tier noise cancellation that blocks out the harsh sounds of the engine. 

If Bose isn't your cup of tea (or if you want an earbud that's a little cheaper than its asking price), I've included a mid-range pick in Sony's LinkBuds Fit if you want stellar sound for an even price and the AirPods Pro 2 for people wanting to stay within Apple's ecosystem. Keep reading for more of my favorite noise-canceling picks.

Also: The top headphones overall in 2025

The best noise-canceling earbuds of 2025

My upstairs neighbor is a DJ who has been mixing and editing the same song for months—something I know because his speakers are so loud that I can hear his every edit from the floor below. I put in the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds when I'm trying to focus on reading my book and not on the noise from that talented mixmaster, the honks, and beeps of car horns outside my window, nor the roommate conversations happening in the kitchen. I don't put on any music -- the noise cancellation on these earbuds is so good that every sound dissolves once these are in my ears so I can read and think in peace. I also strictly rely on these earbuds when I fly, because I haven't found another earbud that dims the harsh engine noises of air travel the way these do. 

As far as music goes, the QuietComfort Ultra delivers impressive, wide-ranging sound. On runs, these earbuds stick in my ears, which I can credit to the oval shape of the ear tip and the extra grip from the stability band. 

Another notable feature is Bose's Immersive Audio mode, which brings music to the forefront of your ears and allows music to move with you. It's a great feature, but it does significantly reduce battery life. Speaking of which, the battery life on these isn't the most competitive at only six hours, but the case provides extra juice for on-the-go charging when you need it. 

One issue that is common on Reddit threads and in reviews is Bose's connectivity problems, as the earbuds have a tendency to lose connection. I've found that adequately charging the buds prevents these connection losses, while other people recommend deleting the app, which can be buggy. 

Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds specs: Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3 | Battery life: Six hours | Frequency range: N/A | Noise cancellation: Yes | Waterproof rating: Water resistant

• The best noise cancellation I've tried
• Amazing sound
• Earbuds stay in your ear

• Uncomfortable to wear for long periods
• Large case
• Bose earbuds can sometimes lose connection

With the Sony LinkBuds Fit, you're getting a pair of earbuds that are comfortable to wear all day without pressure buildup, a wingtip that stabilizes the earbuds while you move, and software features on the app that make the product usable and unique from competitors. Plus, they're half of the price of their luxury siblings, the WF-1000XM5 earbuds, that cost $300.

I've enjoyed going on runs with these in my ears because the LinkBuds Fit provide enough noise cancellation to keep me dialed into my music and distraction-free but allow enough sound in to keep me substantially aware of my surroundings -- something I can't say for stronger ANC earbuds like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra. The sound is balanced -- as is the case for most Sony products -- the battery life is long, and the earbuds have a tactile feel that keeps them in your ears. They're also far lighter than bulkier ANC earbuds like the QuietComfort Ultra. 

The LinkBuds Fit app has incredibly thoughtful and clever features. There's a background music mode that you can use that reproduces your music in your earbuds as if you're listening in different settings, like a cafe, a living room, or a bedroom. The cafe mode distances the music in your earbuds, which is great for deep work, while the living room mode creates a more spatial listening experience. 

The earbuds also have features that allow you to speak and command them without pressing a button or activating Siri. All you have to say is: "Hey, headphones, pause music," and it stops your song from playing. You can also get more from the touch controls by enabling the sensitivity on the Wide Area Tap setting to high. This makes for a more responsive touch control experience by pressing around your ear -- you don't even have to press the earbud itself -- to pause or play music. I press the area near my tragus to get the most responsive control reactions. 

Sony LinkBuds Fit tech specs: Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3 | Battery life: Up to 5.5 hours of battery life in buds, and 15.5 hours in case | Frequency response: 20 Hz - 20,000 Hz | Noise cancellation: Yes | Waterproof rating: IPX4 (resistant to water splashes)

• Comfortable, secure fit
• Rich sound
• Impressive noise-canceling
• LinkBuds software features are unique

• Noise-canceling removes some but not all ambient sound

With the Sony LinkBuds Fit, you're getting a pair of earbuds that are comfortable to wear all day without pressure buildup, a wingtip that stabilizes the earbuds while you move, and software features on the app that make the product usable and unique from competitors. Plus, they're half of the price of their luxury siblings, the WF-1000XM5 earbuds, that cost $300.

I've enjoyed going on runs with these in my ears because the LinkBuds Fit provide enough noise cancellation to keep me dialed into my music and distraction-free but allow enough sound in to keep me substantially aware of my surroundings -- something I can't say for stronger ANC earbuds like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra. The sound is balanced -- as is the case for most Sony products -- the battery life is long, and the earbuds have a tactile feel that keeps them in your ears. They're also far lighter than bulkier ANC earbuds like the QuietComfort Ultra. 

The LinkBuds Fit app has incredibly thoughtful and clever features. There's a background music mode that you can use that reproduces your music in your earbuds as if you're listening in different settings, like a cafe, a living room, or a bedroom. The cafe mode distances the music in your earbuds, which is great for deep work, while the living room mode creates a more spatial listening experience. 

The earbuds also have features that allow you to speak and command them without pressing a button or activating Siri. All you have to say is: "Hey, headphones, pause music," and it stops your song from playing. You can also get more from the touch controls by enabling the sensitivity on the Wide Area Tap setting to high. This makes for a more responsive touch control experience by pressing around your ear -- you don't even have to press the earbud itself -- to pause or play music. I press the area near my tragus to get the most responsive control reactions. 

Sony LinkBuds Fit tech specs: Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3 | Battery life: Up to 5.5 hours of battery life in buds, and 15.5 hours in case | Frequency response: 20 Hz - 20,000 Hz | Noise cancellation: Yes | Waterproof rating: IPX4 (resistant to water splashes)

You can always count on two things with a JBL earbud: great noise cancellation and a marathon battery life. Take the JBL Tour Pro 3, for example. With ANC off, the earbuds, which deliver crisp and clear sound can power you through your 40-hour work week -- and then some. 

These earbuds noise-canceling setting eliminates all the ambient distractions around the office and dimmed down the harsher noises on my subway rides. It also comes with handy features like the Talk Thru setting, a boon for deskside workers who want to keep the music flowing while answering questions from colleagues.

The earbuds come with a "Smart-Charging Case" that has a screen on the front for audio control, but it also works as a dongle that connects to your in-flight entertainment as you travel and hooks up to your computer for even clearer conference calls. The microphones on these earbuds make them great for office calls, and the long-haul battery life guarantees that your earbuds won't die mid-call. 

Also: I didn't expect these earbuds to give my Bose QuietComfort Ultra a run for its money 

The JBL Tour Pro 3 isn't without a few flaws, the major one being in the build of the earbud. I have tested out its earlier Tour Pro 2, which had a substantial, nearly heavy build to it. Inflation comes for everything in the end, including earbuds. "The Tour Pro 2 earbuds have a substantial weight, which helps anchor them in your ears and makes them feel like a $300 pair of buds. Holding both earbuds in my hand, the weight of the Tour Pro 3 buds is far lighter -- and more plasticky -- than the Tour Pro 2. This lighter build also makes them prone to falling out of my ears," I wrote in my spotlight. 

JBL Your Pro 3 features: Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3 | Battery life: 44 hours with ANC off | Waterproof rating: Waterproof | Earbud weight: 83g 

• Strong noise cancellation
• Smart-Charging Case is helpful for connecting to calls, in-flight entertainment, or controlling earbuds without a phone
• Marathon battery life

• Earbuds are lighter and plasticky
• Sometimes my phone wouldn't automatically connect to the earbuds

You can always count on two things with a JBL earbud: great noise cancellation and a marathon battery life. Take the JBL Tour Pro 3, for example. With ANC off, the earbuds, which deliver crisp and clear sound can power you through your 40-hour work week -- and then some. 

These earbuds noise-canceling setting eliminates all the ambient distractions around the office and dimmed down the harsher noises on my subway rides. It also comes with handy features like the Talk Thru setting, a boon for deskside workers who want to keep the music flowing while answering questions from colleagues.

The earbuds come with a "Smart-Charging Case" that has a screen on the front for audio control, but it also works as a dongle that connects to your in-flight entertainment as you travel and hooks up to your computer for even clearer conference calls. The microphones on these earbuds make them great for office calls, and the long-haul battery life guarantees that your earbuds won't die mid-call. 

Also: I didn't expect these earbuds to give my Bose QuietComfort Ultra a run for its money 

The JBL Tour Pro 3 isn't without a few flaws, the major one being in the build of the earbud. I have tested out its earlier Tour Pro 2, which had a substantial, nearly heavy build to it. Inflation comes for everything in the end, including earbuds. "The Tour Pro 2 earbuds have a substantial weight, which helps anchor them in your ears and makes them feel like a $300 pair of buds. Holding both earbuds in my hand, the weight of the Tour Pro 3 buds is far lighter -- and more plasticky -- than the Tour Pro 2. This lighter build also makes them prone to falling out of my ears," I wrote in my spotlight. 

JBL Your Pro 3 features: Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3 | Battery life: 44 hours with ANC off | Waterproof rating: Waterproof | Earbud weight: 83g 

• Adaptive transparency mode
• Personalized spatial audio settings
• Four sizes
• Long battery life

• Not ideal for non-iPhone users
• Expensive

Bose does noise-canceling exceptionally well, but if the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds are too expensive for your price range, the Bose QuietComfort earbuds are $120 cheaper with many of the same offerings. You're getting nearly the same fit -- which ZDNET's Kyle Kucharski, who reviewed the buds, describes as comfortable, light, and minimal. The QuietComfort comes with 8.5 hours of battery life in the earbud and 30 hours in the case. 

Expect booming, bass-forward sound with these mid-range earbuds. They also have some extra features, like a headphones command feature you can use without Siri or Hey Google. The feature works by saying, "Hey, headphones," then following up with a command.  

"I wore these earbuds over the course of a week commuting to and from the office in New York, and they hold their own on the subway, on the street, and in a loud office. With the ANC on, it will still pick up sounds on the higher end of the spectrum, particularly voices, but these earbuds do a fantastic job at eradicating ambient noise and chatter," Kucharski writes in his review. 

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds tech specs: Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3 | Battery life: 8.5 hours of battery life and additional 31 hours with charging case | Noise cancellation: Yes | Waterproof rating: IPX4 (water resistant)

• Rich audio quality
• Solid ANC
• Highly sensitive touch controls
• "Pretty good" battery life

• Need to "click" these into place to get a secure fit or else they'll easily fall out
• Voice commands are slow
• Call quality occasionally drops out

Bose does noise-canceling exceptionally well, but if the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds are too expensive for your price range, the Bose QuietComfort earbuds are $120 cheaper with many of the same offerings. You're getting nearly the same fit -- which ZDNET's Kyle Kucharski, who reviewed the buds, describes as comfortable, light, and minimal. The QuietComfort comes with 8.5 hours of battery life in the earbud and 30 hours in the case. 

Expect booming, bass-forward sound with these mid-range earbuds. They also have some extra features, like a headphones command feature you can use without Siri or Hey Google. The feature works by saying, "Hey, headphones," then following up with a command.  

"I wore these earbuds over the course of a week commuting to and from the office in New York, and they hold their own on the subway, on the street, and in a loud office. With the ANC on, it will still pick up sounds on the higher end of the spectrum, particularly voices, but these earbuds do a fantastic job at eradicating ambient noise and chatter," Kucharski writes in his review. 

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds tech specs: Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3 | Battery life: 8.5 hours of battery life and additional 31 hours with charging case | Noise cancellation: Yes | Waterproof rating: IPX4 (water resistant)

JLab's JBuds ANC 3 proves that you don't have to spend loads of money on a pair of earbuds to get competitive active noise cancellation. Working in my apartment can become a hassle with distracting sounds such as multiple roommates and a DJ neighbor. When I wear these budget earbuds, the loud music from upstairs melts away, similar to what happens when I wear the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds, but a fraction of the price. 

The JLab Jbuds ANC 3 offer three listening modes: ANC, ANC Off, and Be Aware. The ANC mode dims down and distances external sound as I listen to audio and is competitive with some of the more premium earbuds I've tried, for a lower cost. The battery life also lasted weeks before I had to recharge, so if you're someone who can't devote to daily or even weekly charging, try these out. 

These lightweight buds fit snugly and comfortably in my ears and stay secure while I exercise. With a long battery life, multipoint Bluetooth for easy audio switching between devices, and great sound, these are an excellent choice for $60 earbuds. 

Verified reviewers on Amazon say that the noise cancellation and sound on these earbuds is legit, but the earbuds lack in special features, like easy touch controls on the earbuds. 

JLab JBuds ANC 3 tech specs: Connectivity: Bluetooth Multipoint | Battery life: Nine hours in the earbuds and 33+ hours in the case | Noise cancellation: Yes | Waterproof? IP55

• Long battery life
• Bluetooth Multipoint
• Great sound
• Amazing ANC

• No in-ear detection
• Touch controls aren't great

JLab's JBuds ANC 3 proves that you don't have to spend loads of money on a pair of earbuds to get competitive active noise cancellation. Working in my apartment can become a hassle with distracting sounds such as multiple roommates and a DJ neighbor. When I wear these budget earbuds, the loud music from upstairs melts away, similar to what happens when I wear the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds, but a fraction of the price. 

The JLab Jbuds ANC 3 offer three listening modes: ANC, ANC Off, and Be Aware. The ANC mode dims down and distances external sound as I listen to audio and is competitive with some of the more premium earbuds I've tried, for a lower cost. The battery life also lasted weeks before I had to recharge, so if you're someone who can't devote to daily or even weekly charging, try these out. 

These lightweight buds fit snugly and comfortably in my ears and stay secure while I exercise. With a long battery life, multipoint Bluetooth for easy audio switching between devices, and great sound, these are an excellent choice for $60 earbuds. 

Verified reviewers on Amazon say that the noise cancellation and sound on these earbuds is legit, but the earbuds lack in special features, like easy touch controls on the earbuds. 

JLab JBuds ANC 3 tech specs: Connectivity: Bluetooth Multipoint | Battery life: Nine hours in the earbuds and 33+ hours in the case | Noise cancellation: Yes | Waterproof? IP55

For how many premium features Sennheiser packs into these earbuds, you'd think they cost way more than $200. ZDNET's Jack Wallen took the Accentum True Wireless earbuds for a spin and was thoroughly impressed by how exceptional the sound was right out of the box, with no in-app EQ adjustments. Plus, you can wear these earbuds all day without any issues of comfort. 

"The Accentum buds have a natural and relaxed fit, and they feel as comfortable when you take them out as they did when you first put them in," Wallen wrote. 

Wallen also lauded the impressive noise cancellation the earbuds sported. "The ANC on these earbuds is fantastic. As soon as the music started playing, all sounds were drowned out and it was just me and the tunes. This ANC beats every pair of earbuds I've tested to date," he added. 

I'd recommend these $200 earbuds to people who care about competitive sound quality and are looking for a good pair of noise-canceling earbuds, but don't want to spend premium earbud-level money on them -- that is, over $300. 

Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless Earbuds tech specs: Connectivity: Bluetooth Multipoint | Battery life: Eight hours with ANC off | Noise cancellation: Yes | Waterproof? IP54

• Lush, premium sound for only $200
• Great ANC
• All-day comfort

• Only 8-hour battery life with ANC off

For how many premium features Sennheiser packs into these earbuds, you'd think they cost way more than $200. ZDNET's Jack Wallen took the Accentum True Wireless earbuds for a spin and was thoroughly impressed by how exceptional the sound was right out of the box, with no in-app EQ adjustments. Plus, you can wear these earbuds all day without any issues of comfort. 

"The Accentum buds have a natural and relaxed fit, and they feel as comfortable when you take them out as they did when you first put them in," Wallen wrote. 

Wallen also lauded the impressive noise cancellation the earbuds sported. "The ANC on these earbuds is fantastic. As soon as the music started playing, all sounds were drowned out and it was just me and the tunes. This ANC beats every pair of earbuds I've tested to date," he added. 

I'd recommend these $200 earbuds to people who care about competitive sound quality and are looking for a good pair of noise-canceling earbuds, but don't want to spend premium earbud-level money on them -- that is, over $300. 

Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless Earbuds tech specs: Connectivity: Bluetooth Multipoint | Battery life: Eight hours with ANC off | Noise cancellation: Yes | Waterproof? IP54