Table of Contents Table of Contents Table of Contents Shokz OpenDots One: Best for most people Bose Ultra Open: Best upgrade pick Anker Soundcore AeroFit 2: Best ear hook design How We Tested What are open earbuds? What are the drawbacks of open earbuds? What about bone conduction headphones? What's next in our testing pipeline Noise-cancelling earbuds are a popular choice for many people, but if you're someone who wants to hear the world around them or finds an in-ear design uncomfortable, there's a better option out there: open earbuds.Though open earbuds share the common feature of sitting on the exterior of the ear, they come in many shapes and sizes, from clip models to ear hook models. Some are more geared toward working out, while others are better for everyday use. Below, we've compiled some of the best open earbud models available in 2025. This guide is a work in progress, so we'll possibly be shifting (or expanding) our recommendations as we continue to test pairs. The best headphones and speaker deals to shop this week Soundcore by Anker P20i True Wireless Earbuds — $19.98 (List Price $39.99) Sony WH-CH520 Wireless Headphones — $38.00 (List Price $59.99) JBL Flip 6 Portable Bluetooth Speaker — $99.95 (List Price $129.95) Bose SoundLink Flex Portable Speaker — $149.00 Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones — $228.00 (List Price $348.00) JBL Bar 300 5.0ch Compact Soundbar — $249.95 (List Price $399.95) Our Pick Shokz OpenDots One Best for most people $199.95 Amazon The Good & The Bad Sound quality comparable to Bose earbuds Impressively long battery life Clip-design is lightweight and unobtrusive Multipoint pairing works well Silicone grip helps keep them in place during exercise Touch controls are intuitively placed and work well Can feel uncomfortable after several consecutive hours of wear Not a ton of extra features Our review Check out our full review of the Shokz OpenDots One. Who it's for If you plan on using your open earbuds primarily for working out but want the option of a solid pair of earbuds too, the Shokz OpenDots One provide the best bang for your buck. Why we picked this Brands tend to market open earbuds to folks who like to exercise, and for good reason: That's where their use case makes the most sense. Priced at $199.95, we find that the Shokz OpenDots One hit the sweet spot between providing some of the best sound you can find on open earbuds, while giving the major fitness features you want, all without breaking the bank.The clip-on ear design is secure but not too snug, only causing some discomfort after multiple hours of wear (in other words, probably less time than you'll spend working out). The cuff design is helped by a silicone grip on one side of the earbud, which also acts as a touch panel, in addition to the battery barrel.As great as their design is, Mashable contributor Alex Bracetti found these earbuds really shone in their audio quality, even comparing them to Bose's open earbuds: "Shokz isn’t known for its sound quality, but the OpenDots One leave quite the impression. The 11.8mm drivers deliver crisp and lively sound to keep runners fueled on long runs." Considering these earbuds are $100 less than the Bose, getting comparable sound is no small feat. And if you're not in love with how they sound out of the box, the equalizer settings on the Shokz app allow you to fine-tune your experience. Where these earbuds definitively beat the Bose Ultra Opens is in their battery life, boasting 10 hours per charge to Bose's seven (and four with immersive audio). Their case also holds significantly more charge: 40 hours, to Bose's 19.5.However, that is where their feature list pretty much ends. It's not necessarily a negative, especially if you prefer buds that do the basics, but do them well. Details Battery life: 10 hours per charge (40 with case) IP rating: IP54 GET IT Bose Ultra Open Best upgrade pick $249.00 Amazon The Good & The Bad Excellent sound quality Option to use immersive audio Comfortable clip design that doesn't pinch, even after hours of wear Small charging case Plenty of color options available Tactile on-ear controls located on battery barrel Multipoint connection can be touch and go Battery life could be better, especially compared to other options Microphone quality could be better Lowest water and dust-resistance rating of any option on our list Expensive Our review Read our full review of the Bose Ultra Open earbuds. Who it's for If you want to use open earbuds but don't want to sacrifice having the best sound quality possible, the Bose Ultra Opens easily compare to in-ear options. You'll just have the shell out. Why we picked this It's hard not to be at least a little floored the first time you try the Bose Ultra Open earbuds — they simply sound way better than any pair of open earbuds has a right to. Sure, they can be a little more distant depending on the angle (easily adjustable) and have less of a booming bass than some in-ear designs (a plus for some people), but despite their quirks, they more than deliver on the sound front. Mashable contributor RJ Andersen writes in her review, "The sound was well-balanced, and even with my ear completely uncovered, I didn’t notice any issues with the audio sounding distant or muddy. Instead, the Ultra Open Earbuds sounded clear, natural, and pretty lush." While they sound great out of the box, Bose gives you the option between stereo and Immersive Audio (aka Bose's spatial audio setting) once you connect it to the companion app. Of course, you'll also have access to four equalizer presets and one custom equalizer setting. For $300, we expected to be impressed, and based on the sound alone, we were.But Bose didn't stop there. Although the Ultra Opens share the same cuff-like design as our top pick earbuds, we didn't find any uncomfortable pinching or squeezing, even after hours of wear. They stood out as the most comfortable pair of open earbuds we tested. The design thoughtfulness extended to the on-ear controls, which feature a button at the top of the battery barrel that sits on the outside of your ear. The result was a control that was just as easy as a touch control to use, but way less likely to be triggered by accident.For all their good, the Ultra Open earbuds aren't quite perfect. Their battery life is on the lower end, their mic quality wasn't great on calls, and their IP rating makes them the least outdoor workout-friendly. (As IPX4 earbuds, they have an unknown amount of dust resistance and splash resistance, meaning they can handle sweat fine, but might not fare as well if you're out in heavier rain). Still, while they're not the most rugged pair, they are the most premium sounding — if you mainly work out indoors, and don't find yourself on extra-long runs all that often, these drawbacks are workable. Details Battery life: 7 hours per charge, 4 hours with immersive audio (19.5 hours with case) IP rating: IPX4 GET IT $249.00 Amazon Anker Soundcore AeroFit 2 Best ear hook design $99.98 Amazon The Good & The Bad Solid sound quality for the price Tons of equalizer options Adjustable ear hook helps you find the right fit Has the best battery life and water and dust-resistance rating of all the earbuds we tested Case has wireless charging Customizable touch controls (and option to turn them off entirely) Impressive language translation feature with companion app Back and forth conversation with translation feature is a little awkward to use Sound quality isn't as good as more expensive options Didn't feel quite as secure as clip-on earbuds Who it's for If you want open earbuds that are excellent for workouts, still great for daily use, and don't cost a ton, you want the Anker Soundcore AeroFit 2 earbuds. Why we picked this Once you start to get to the budget-friendlier end of open earbuds, you realize that it's not a given that they sound decent. Peaking becomes more common, you lose even more of the detail of a song, and audio leaking is more rampant. We didn't have those problems with the Anker Soundcore AeroFit 2 earbuds.The newer release from the brand improved upon the older model by making the ear hook adjustable. While most ear hook earbuds come with some degree of flexibility, the AeroFits offer four locked-in angles, making them the most comfortable (and snug) open-ear hook buds we've tried so far. Despite sitting in the large case that comes with the ear hook territory, Soundcore's version here is at least lower profile.As for their performance as workout earbuds, the AeroFit 2s have the best IP rating of any of our picks, being both dust protected and able to survive jets of water. They have 10 hours of battery life per charge, so even distance runners would be hard pressed to run them down in one use. The touch controls also hit the right mark for sensitivity, making them great to easily pause and play music (if you prefer, you can also turn them, and their sound queue, off entirely). These earbuds surprised us most with their AI language translation feature that you can use through the companion app. Either in real-time or with a push-to-talk function, the earbuds were able to accurately translate French and Mandarin to English. Soundcore advertises that they can translate into over 100 languages. While we weren't able to get the real-time translation to work to facilitate a back-and-forth conversation, the push-to-talk allows you to speak in English, and the translation in the opposite language comes out through your device's speakers. The other person's dialogue comes through as text on the app and in audio through your earbuds, with only a slight delay. While the use cases for this feature might be more limited, we found it a clever way to leverage the open ear design that lets you engage with another person while still wearing earbuds. Details Battery life: 10 hours per charge (42 with case) IP rating: IP55 GET IT $99.98 Amazon Related Stories Topics Bose How we tested We spent three weeks trying out open earbuds priced for $120 to $300. Here's what we looked at:Comfort and fit: A major part of open earbuds appeal is that they're less obtrusive than traditional earbuds and headphones, so we made sure that all of our picks were comfortable to wear for at least a couple hours. We also made sure to exercise in the earbuds, including running and yoga, to test how well they stayed put.Sound quality: As open earbuds project the sound into your ear, we knew these earbuds wouldn't sound the same as in-ear earbuds or over-ear headphones. With that said, we also expected the sound to have some dynamic qualities, come through clearly, and avoid any obvious peaking.Durability: Open earbuds are a popular pick for folks who like to exercise, so we made sure each pair that we tested (and included on our final list) was at least sweat resistant. We played around with the maneuverability of the ear hooks and cuffs to make sure an accidental instance of putting them on a little too rough wouldn't mean the end of the earbuds.Battery life: Thanks to the lack of ANC, open earbuds generally get better battery life per charge. Still, we made sure to include pairs with decent case battery life, and that offer quick charge options because nothing is worse than getting ready for a run and realizing your earbuds are dead. What are open earbuds? Open earbuds allow you to get as close as you possibly can to the feeling of not wearing earbuds at all. Unlike in-ear earbuds which sit in your ear canal (as the name states), open earbuds sit just outside your ears. Some models hold the speaker component in place with an ear hook while others opt for an ear cuff.People generally opt for open earbuds for three main reasons:They provide a private listening experience while leaving you almost completely aware of the world around you. It's like the best transparency mode you've ever used.For some people, not having an earbud physically in their ear is generally more comfortable.The hooks and cuffs (along with the general awareness of your surroundings) make them a great option for keeping them in place, and keeping you alert, while you're working out.What are the drawbacks of open earbuds?As you may have gathered from the section above, open earbuds don't generally come with active noise cancellation. That's mostly thanks to how much sound they let in (by design) and the difficulty of cancelling out sound without having the device covering your actual ear canal.Also thanks to the whole open ear-canal situation, these aren't going to be the earbuds for audiophiles. That's not to say open earbuds sound bad — if you've never tried them, we promise they sound much better than you're imagining — but you will lose out on some of the nuance of a song without having the earbud actually in your ear.That said, many pairs still have equalizers on their companion apps to help you make them sound their best. Our upgrade pick, the Bose Ultra Open earbuds, even have a spatial audio feature that worked surprisingly well. Most open earbuds will also boast some form of special technology that keeps them from leaking too much sound. While these pairs do pretty well in keeping the sound just to you, most pairs (including our picks) while be prone to some leakage, especially at higher volumes.Finally, some open earbuds — mainly those with ear hooks — tend to have slightly bulkier cases. If you like to travel light, it's something to be aware of.Bone conduction earbuds work exactly like the name implies they do — they use your skull to conduct sound waves, instead of projecting the sound into your ear, like most of the picks are on list. Typically, a band runs from either side of the users head to help hold the headphones in place.Shokz, the brand behind our top pick, is a popular maker of these kinds of headphones. While we do consider them open earbuds, we have yet to test any bone conduction earbuds — look out in the future for that update. On that note: What's next in our testing pipelineThe open earbuds market is rapidly expanding, so we'll be testing more as we can get our hands on them. Up next, we'll be trying out budget pairs of open earbuds under $100, as well as more pairs from Shokz. In addition to the earbuds that made our final guide in May 2025, we tested out the Nothing Ear (Open) earbuds ($149), the Sony Linkbuds Open ($199.99), the Anker Soundcore AeroClip earbuds ($169.99), and the Shokz OpenFit Air ($119.95). While none of the above were bad earbuds by any means, we found our picks to outshine them in their comfort and sound quality, especially when considering their respective prices. MORE:

When you select “hear the highlights,” a playback bar will appear at the bottom of the screen. | Image: Amazon Amazon is testing new AI-generated audio summaries that will let you listen to two AI “hosts” chat about a product’s features. Along with product details, the AI audio clips also draw information from user reviews and information from the web. The feature is currently available for select products on Amazon’s mobile app, including the Ninja Blender, OSEA Undaria Algae Body Oil, SHOKZ OpenRun Pro, and the SafeRest Waterproof Mattress Protector. You can try it out by hitting the “Hear the highlights” button beneath the product. The audio summaries open with a “friendly reminder” that you’re listening to an AI-generated clip, followed by an introduction to an “expert” AI host who’s supposed to give you a rundown of a product’s features. It’s similar to Google’s AI-generated audio overviews, which have two AI hosts discuss your research, documents, or slides in a podcast-like format. In the clip for the SHOKZ OpenRun Pro, the AI host introduces us to “Max,” who says the key difference about these headphones is that they “conduct sound through your cheekbones instead of going into your ears.” The AI host then follows up with questions about the headphones, like who would benefit from the design and whether the sound quality is up to par. “While the microphone gets praise for noise cancellation, some users find they’re not loud enough for an immersive music experience,” the AI “expert” Max says. “But customers do mention they’re better than earpods in certain situations.” Amazon’s AI-generated audio summaries are currently only available to some customers in the US, but the company plans on bringing them to more products and customers in the “coming months.”

I freakin’ love bone conduction headphones, which keep my ears open so I stay alert to traffic while I’m walking, or bears while I’m kayaking, or far more frequently, fellow shoppers when I’m stomping around the grocery store. Today Shokz’ newest, most advanced design, the OpenRun Pro 2, is $60 off at Best Buy. That brings the final price down to $119.99. This blue-and-gray colorway is actually a Best Buy exclusive, but lacks any kind of branding (aside from, well, Shokz), so I don’t feel weird wearing it. I’ve been using the OpenRun Pro 2 for the better part of a year. I love the clearer mids and deeper bass than my previous, cheaper pair, and unlike some other bone conduction headphones, these recharge via USB-C so you don’t need to pack a separate cable. They’ll pair with multiple Bluetooth devices at once, just like all modern headphones. They also last a lot longer than some previous designs at 12 hours, and combined with a sleek, lightweight body and some water resistance, they’re great for workouts. I’ve dunked mine in Lake Wallenpaupack and the Delaware River (not exactly intentionally, ahem), and they’ve survived to tell me more audiobook tales. Best Buy is selling this exclusive color both on its own site and via its eBay account. I’d hop on it quickly, these headphones are popular, and this discounted blue-and-gray set might not last long. View Deal

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.Amazon's Memorial Day sale is in full swing, and you can find more than just the usual appliances and tools on sale. There are discounts on many tech products for audiophiles as well, from Beats headphones, to the Sonos Arc Soundbar, and the beloved Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones, which have dropped in price after the release of the WH-1000XM6. If you're looking for bargains on budget headphones and earbuds, I've rounded up the best ones that you can find under $100, whether you're looking for earbuds, bone conduction headsets, or open-ear, in-ear, or over-the-ear headphones. Here are the best deals I found. Bluetooth 5.3 Open-Ear, Mic, MP3 Mode Built-in 32GB, 10Hrs Playtime, IP68 Waterproof. FEICO Bone Conduction Headphones $49.99 at Amazon $83.92 Save $33.93 Get Deal Get Deal $49.99 at Amazon $83.92 Save $33.93 40H Play Bluetooth 5.4 Headphones with Smart Digital Display Design Fit Sports Running, Workout TOZO OpenEarRing Open Ear Headphones $29.99 at Amazon $59.99 Save $30.00 Get Deal Get Deal $29.99 at Amazon $59.99 Save $30.00 45H Playtime, Wireless Charging Case, IPX8 Waterproof Stereo Headphones in Ear Built in Mic Headset TOZO T10 Earbuds $18.98 at Amazon $38.99 Save $20.01 Get Deal Get Deal $18.98 at Amazon $38.99 Save $20.01 48hrs Play Back Sport Earphones with LED Display Over-Ear Buds with Earhooks Built-in Mic Headset fo bmanl Wireless Earbuds $25.48 at Amazon $49.99 Save $24.51 Get Deal Get Deal $25.48 at Amazon $49.99 Save $24.51 253H Battery, ENC Mic, Bluetooth 5.4, USB-C Charging Case, IPX5 Waterproof, Noise Isolating TREBLAB X4 Earbuds $39.99 at Amazon $59.97 Save $19.98 Get Deal Get Deal $39.99 at Amazon $59.97 Save $19.98 Adjustable Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds, Reduce Noise by Up to 98%, 50H Playtime, Hi-Res Soundcore by Anker Space A40 $44.98 at Amazon $79.99 Save $35.01 Get Deal Get Deal $44.98 at Amazon $79.99 Save $35.01 JBL Pure Bass Sound, Up to 30 hours of battery life, IP67 Waterproof and Dustproof, Ambient Aware & JBL Endurance Race TWS $49.95 at Amazon $79.95 Save $30.00 Get Deal Get Deal $49.95 at Amazon $79.95 Save $30.00 145H Battery, Waterproof & Sweatproof Bluetooth Earbuds, Mics for Calls TREBLAB X3 Pro $59.97 at Amazon $99.97 Save $40.00 Get Deal Get Deal $59.97 at Amazon $99.97 Save $40.00 60H Playtime, Hi-Res Audio Custom EQ via App Deep Bass Comfort Fit Ear Cups TOZO HT2 Headphones $33.99 at Amazon $59.99 Save $26.00 Get Deal Get Deal $33.99 at Amazon $59.99 Save $26.00 Signature-HD Sound, Deep Bass, 35H Battery, Comfortable, Foldable Over Ear. TREBLAB Z2 Headphones $89.92 at Amazon $129.97 Save $40.05 Get Deal Get Deal $89.92 at Amazon $129.97 Save $40.05 SEE 7 MORE Try bone conduction and open ear headphones at up to 50% offNot everyone can afford Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 headphones. If you're curious to see how bone conduction headphones feel before committing to a premium model, try the Feico Bone Conduction Headphones, which are $49.99 right now, down from $83.92. A fun feature: You can save MP3 songs directly to the headphones so you can listen to music underwater (Bluetooth signals can't penetrate water).Open-ear headphones are great for hearing your surroundings while your out and about. The Tozo OpenEarRing are now just $29.99 (originally $59.99), offering a lightweight option with 40 hours of battery.A range of earbuds at up to 51% off, including a pair with unheard of battery lifeIf you're looking to spend the least possible on a decent set of earbuds, consider the Tozo T10s, which are $18.98 (originally $38.99). Impressively at this price point, they include an IPX8 waterproof rating, stereo sound, and EQ presets in their companion app.Earhook earbuds are good if you prioritize a secure fit. The Bmanl Wireless Earbuds are $25.49 (originally $49.99) are comfortable to wear and can go 8 hours on a single charge (and up to 48 hours with the charging case).Speaking of battery life, if that's important to you, you will love the Trelab X4 earbuds, currently going for $39.99 (originally $59.97). I've never heard of any earbuds getting even close to 253 hours of juice, but somehow these IPX5 waterproof earbuds with noise isolation for calls pull that off, going for 11 hours between charges, plus another 242 hours from the charging case. Dang! I can vouch for the Soundcore by Anker Space A40, which I've used for a year—they have the best ANC I've experienced among all of the budget earbuds I've tested. You can get them for $44.98 (originally $79.99).JBL is a well-known brand for earbuds. Its sporty earbuds, the JBL Endurance Race TWS, are $49.95 (originally $79.95) and offer an IP67 waterproof rating, 30 hours of battery life, and an ambient aware feature so you can better hear your surroundings.The Trelab X3 Pro offer a good balance of great battery life (totaling 145 hours, including the charging case), a sporty design with earhooks and a waterproof rating, and good microphones for calls. You can get them for $59.97 (originally $99.97).These over-ear headphones are up to 43% offIt's not every day you can get over-ear headphones with ANC, 60 hours of battery, high-resolution audio, and a companion app with EQ presets for $33.99 (originally $59.99). You can get exactly that with the Tozo HT2 Headphones.If you want headphones from a more established brand, get the Trelab Z2 for $89.95 (originally $129.97). They're ANC, have 35 hours of battery, are foldable and come with a case, and include a bass-boosting mode.