Best workout earbuds & headphones 2024

Not everyone exercises the same way. Whether it's a workout at the gym, going out for a run, or cycling a long route, the right headphones can help keep you going. At the gym, headphones can block out other distractions while you work out. On a run or bike ride, you'll want something durable to handle the kind of sweat that comes with being active.

Content can move people, which is why music, podcasts, and audiobooks play a role for so many who want to stay active. We test a lot of wireless headphones to help us narrow down the models and materials best for a good workout.

At a glance

Best overall

The first-generation Elite 8 Active wireless earbuds from Jabra were some of our favorite earbuds for working out, and the second the second generation only improves things. The Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 have workout credentials as well with IP68 water and dust resistance, so there’s nothing to worry about if you sweat a lot or you get caught in the rain. Available in black, navy, coral, and olive colors. they have a rubberized matte finish true to their rugged construction.

These buds support ANC to help eliminate annoying background noise while you’re focusing on your workout. As we noted in our Elite 8n Active Gen 2 review, they also have an impressive HearThrough mode to bring in ambient sounds. The case even comes with a 3.5mm auxiliary cable, which can be handy for on a treadmill, plane, or just plugging into the TV or directly into analog audio signals with the case transmitting the audio.

Battery life is good with up to eight hours of charge with noise canceling on, and 14 hours Wirth it off. If you include the case, you can get up to 32 hours of charge with ANC on and 56 hours with it off. It must be said that these earbuds are somewhat expensive, despite not including support for hi-res audio codecs. Even so, the sound quality is still quite good and with a rugged build, these can be the perfect earbuds for a workout.

Runner up

For durability and audio customization, we feel the Jaybird Vista 2 stand out as one of the best you can find, and we said so in our review. An IP66 rating gives these a high water and sweat resistance level, making them well suited to any run or workout. Jaybird considers them to be waterproof, crushproof, drop-proof, and sweatproof, so it's reasonable to expect these earbuds to sustain a certain level of punishment. The charging case alone has an IP54 rating.

Don't swim with them, though, since they're not made for constant submersion. Want to run in the rain? No problem, but best to keep them clean after every exposure.

Jaybird added ANC and improved passive isolation to enhance audio playback further. Assuming the fit is ideal for your ears, the resulting performance should be agreeable. By default, the Vista 2 lean toward a heavier sound, with enough bass to satisfy anyone looking for a little rumble in their tunes.

Aside from learning about its controls and features, the Jaybird app also has an equalizer with a very active community of fellow users who create and contribute their own EQ presets. You can sample and apply these to the Vista 2 earbuds at any time, effectively changing how they sound on a whim.

So, if you like deeper bass to get pumped up in the gym, but prefer a more dynamic or neutral sound signature any other time, you can just select the preset to give you that. You're free to create your own as well, making these earbuds among the most customizable available.

Battery life isn't exceptional, but good enough for working out or going out on a run. You can expect up to six hours with ANC on (eight hours when off), and the earbuds get closer to those numbers because the default volume is pretty loud to begin with. The case gives you an extra two full charges. You can also quick charge them via USB-C or lay them down on a wireless charging pad.

Best value

Sometimes, you don't have to spend a lot to get a lot, and that's essentially what you get with the Treblab X3 Pro. Their ear hook design is great for stability, especially when you're being active and don't want the earbuds to fall out at the wrong time. With stability, you often get better comfort, and the two do go together well here.

The IPX7 rating is great for both water and sweat resistance, and the rubberized veneer makes them easier to manage and clean. Wipe them down after a workout, and you should have these playing for some time to come. If you're just looking for earbuds that stay firmly in place while you work out or go for a run, these will do just fine.

You do get Beats-style audio quality, so if you're into heavier bass, you'll feel at home moving to tunes coming through. There are no actual special audio treatments beyond that, including the lack of an app to customize anything, so what you hear is going to be what you get. The bass is nice, thick, and well suited to listening while active. There is no ANC or ambient mode, so you can't block out or let in the outside world when you see fit.

Battery life can last up to 9 hours per charge depending on volume level. The case, which is going to be larger than most, has another four charges inside, for up to 45 hours total. If you're only using these for workouts, you can go for weeks before needing to fully recharge. No fast charging here, but it takes just two hours to fill them up again.

Best battery life

Anker found some moderate success with the previous Soundcore Sport X10, so a sequel in the Sport X20 bodes well for maintaining what went well the first time. Ear hooks aren't for everyone, but it's hard to argue with their ability to maintain a good seal since the weight and pressure are largely allocated to the hooks rather than the buds. Anker makes them flexible enough to feel like they wrap around your ear comfortably. More importantly, they're also stable as you move.

Five sets of silicone ear tips in the box, including extra-small and extra-large sizes, accommodate those with smaller or larger ears. That increases the chances you'll find a pair that gives you the tightest seal to keep the best sound from leaking out.

The IP68 rating gives them excellent dust and water resistance. You shouldn't have any issues with runs or workouts, provided you keep them clean after you sweat all over them. Take care of them and they're likely to last even longer. Physical buttons make controls easier to manage, especially when using them during whatever exercise you engage in.

Music will sound great for what these earbuds cost, and you can always adjust the sound signature through the Soundcore app. You have plenty of presets to choose from or tune your own sound with the EQ. ANC is solid when you want to drown out the background, while transparency is fine at filtering in those sounds to know your surroundings.

Without ANC, Anker claims the earbuds can play for up to 12 hours per charge, or 10 hours with it on. Those numbers are based on default volume. Raise it and battery life falls. The case, which isn't the highest quality, doesn't have wireless charging but does have another three full charges for the earbuds.

Best value over-ear

Over-ear headphones may not be everyone's cup of tea for a workout, but if they're your preference, then you may like the Soundcore Space One for their value and performance. There's no specific durability rating, but you can get away with using them while working out or being active.

What helps these achieve that is the larger earcups that do a nice job of staying in place. While not ideal for runs (maybe on a treadmill), they should stay put in the gym.

Onboard ANC is solid for headphones in this price range, thanks in part to passive isolation courtesy of the ear cups, so staying focused by drowning out background noise is just a button away.

It doesn't hurt that they sound good, too. The soundstage is vibrant, and if you find it needing something more, use the excellent Soundcore app. Its equalizer lets you tweak the sound however you want, plus over 20 presets to use on top of that. Even the ANC has three settings within the app, giving you a good level of control over what these headphones can do. With LDAC codec support, you can also enjoy lossless playback on any devices or content that can play it.

You also won't be charging them all that often. These headphones last up to 55 hours per charge with ANC off or up to 40 hours when it's on. So in the odd time you might find them dead and need a quick boost to listen to music for a workout, plug them in via USB-C for five minutes to get up to four hours of playback.

Best on-ear headphones

On-ear headphones aren't for everyone but they can still sound great without giving you total isolation from the environment around you. The JBL Tune 670NC are one of the best you'll find in this unique category, mainly because they deliver slightly improved audio, despite the on-ear design making it tougher to keep some of the bass from leaking out.

There is ANC here, so you can block out background noise when you want to stay focused on what you're doing. While not all that exceptional, it does the job. Unlike previous versions, the Tune 670NC gain access to all the features and settings available in the JBL Headphones app, including the EQ to tweak the sound how you want and accessing noise-canceling and transparency modes, among other things.

JBL does its best to make the headphones comfortable to wear, though on-ear designs aren't likely to feel as nice as over-ears for longer periods. That makes the Tune 670NC nice for workouts where you may be done after an hour or so. After you're done, you can wear them on your commute home or even wear them at work.

You won't be charging them all that often. They can go for up to 44 hours per charge with ANC on (70 hours when off), and if you need a quick boost from a low battery, plug them in for five minutes and get up to three hours of playback.

Best sporty style

If you're an Apple user looking for something sporty, don't start with the AirPods; start with the Powerbeats Pro. It's not just because Apple owns all things Beats but because these earbuds are much better designed for activity.

The ear hook design gives them an edge in practicality for running so you don't have to worry about them falling off. Also, despite a more modest IPX4 rating, the more rubberized finish offers greater sweat and water resistance than the more exposed AirPods.

The secure fit also helps deliver better sound than the AirPods. With multiple ear tip sizes and the hooks' stability, it should be easy to find a fit that creates a tighter seal to improve the audio further. Once you do, you'll find these have a nice sound signature with richer and cleaner output. There's bass if you're looking for that, which is even better when you find the proper seal.

If you carry a Lightning charging cable around for your iPhone, you can use the same one to charge up the case for these earbuds. It's not a small case, making it less portable than others, but at least there's a sizeable battery inside. You can expect up to nine hours per charge, with 24 hours coming from the case. So with a quick five-minute charge, you can squeeze out about 90 minutes of playback.

And since these are Apple-made, you get the H1 chip inside for super-fast pairing, plus always-on Siri for hands-free access. Of course, Android users can still use the onboard playback and volume buttons to control those things with relative ease.

Best on a budget

For the price, it's hard not to like what the Back Bay Audio Tempo 30 can do for you, especially when they come in so many colors. Toggle on the Bass Mode for an extra thump while going hard during a run or workout. After you're done, give the Game Mode a shot, keeping things in sync whenever you're down to play games or watch shows and movies on your phone or tablet.

With six different ear tips in the box, odds are good you will find a pair that fit your ears. Unfortunately, you won't be able to block out background noise with the help of some ANC, or even talk to someone using the ambient mode, but the right fit should at least get you good passive noise isolation.

The Tempo 30 have IPX7 water resistance, making them more than good enough for rigorous workouts and sweaty runs. Don't swim with them, but feel free to wear them if you're lounging in a bath or tub afterward.

Expect up to eight hours per charge, assuming you're not blasting the volume, which will definitely drop that number. The case gives you another three charges, and your only option to charge them is via USB-C.

Best open-ear

Shokz made the OpenRun Pro 2 for an active crowd, and these are among the best you can wrap around your ears to free them entirely.

Bone conduction headphones work by vibrations through your jaw and cheekbones to capture audio so that you can hear it that way, only without anything coming into contact with your ear canal. Shokz continues to be a significant player in this particular category, and these are among the best you'll find.

It made these with decent IP55 water and dust resistance to fulfill the need to stay active, whether running, cycling, or anything else you want to do. The open design means you will hear your surroundings, so for runners who want to know their environment, it's hard not to wear these headphones.

They spread out across the entire pad to help the skull absorb some of the audio output, and Shokz overhauled some of the audio playback for a richer and punchier sound. You can also download the Shokz app to utilize the onboard EQ. Bass is often the toughest part of the audio spectrum to reproduce with bone conduction headphones, so be mindful that you're not going to match what in-ear and over-ear headphones can do.

Battery life is good at up to 12 hours per charge. Shokz retains the same button layout that worked so well in the previous model, making it easy to play/pause or control volume during playback or phone calls.

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How to choose

Time to put the work in

You have a lot to choose from when it comes to wearing headphones or earbuds for leisurely reasons, but rugged and durable ones aren't as abundant. The best headphones or best wireless earbuds don't always fit that bill because the focus is usually on function and fashion.

Good workout cans or buds need to be comfortable and stable, not to mention they also need to repel as much sweat or water as they can. This list has something for every need — and for every budget.

The Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 earbuds stand out as the best combination of durability and performance. They'll fit comfortably and offer excellent sound quality you can tailor however you like through the Sound+ app.

That's not to say the other options here aren't worthy. You can still find great performance and comfort when wearing the Jaybird Vista 2 so your choices are varied and effective here.

Do you need noise cancelation?

Many of these earbuds are equipped with ANC (active noise cancelation) which can eliminate background noise to help you focus more on your workout and less on the truck backing up outside the gym. Active noise canceling uses microphones on the earbuds themselves to detect and drown out noises coming from outside your headphones.

If you're riding your bike on an active road, however, ANC on your headphones can block out sounds that could warn you of a problem, such as a car weaving into the bike lane. Luckily ANC can be easily toggled on or off on headphones that support it, so you don't even need to take your headphones out of your ears if you change workouts.

Some headphones also support a passthrough mode to help you clearly hear what's happening around you. This can be helpful if you're trying to talk to someone, or simply want to hear the sounds of the world around you.

How we test

Testing headphones and wireless earbuds requires gauging how viable they can be in active scenarios. Some manufacturers try to address that by making their headphones or earbuds more durable to begin with. We look out for that at Android Central, and it's those models that get more scrutiny to make the cut for a list like this.

Simply being rugged isn't enough, though. We look for the best outcomes in how good they sound, how effective noise cancelation and transparency modes are, and whether battery life holds up to their claims. There are plenty of other factors and considerations that go into testing headphones and earbuds, but being able to withstand some punishment is sometimes a challenge.

We can't be certain how durable headphones or earbuds might be in the long run. Water and sweat resistance ratings give us an indication but some stewardship is necessary to extend their life if you routinely work out wearing them. We do our best to test for that, always noting whether or not red flags come up along the way.