Best Open Earbuds in 2024
1. BEST OPEN-EAR EARBUDS FOR BATTERY LIFE
Soundcore Aerofit Pro
PROS
- Long battery life
- Comfortable to wear
- Good sound
- Button controls
- Great app
CONS
- Slightly larger than some others
- Not always easy to reach button on the buds
We love the huge battery life on the Soundcore Aerofit Pro. If you’re after a pair of open earbuds that you’re going to wear all day long, this is the pair we’d pick. And, if 14 hours in one go isn’t enough for you, they do go up to 46 hours of life once you factor in the charge available in the case. It’s also possible to restore more than five hours of battery after a 10-minute quick charge.
How do they sound and fit? Well, we find these soft and comfortable to wear, including while wearing glasses. The sound quality is full-bodied and rich, with a lot of detail and a satisfying thump to the bass. They offer support for high-resolution audio codecs when used with Android devices, and the multipoint support makes them a great option for use while working, offering seamless switching between your phone and work computer ready for when a call comes through.
2. BEST BUDGET OPEN-EAR EARBUDS
1More Fit SE
PROS
- Low price
- Secure fit
- Decent sound
CONS
- Rivals are more comfortable
- Not the best sound quality
A solid pick for most listeners, there’s a lot to like about the 1More Fit SE — starting with the price. As the open-ear earbuds market grows, we’re seeing more affordable options like this one launch. These do feel a little bit cheaper than the competition, with a harder plastic exterior and less sturdy charging case, but overall they work well and deliver on battery.
The fit is generally comfortable too, although the ear hooks pinch slightly more than others we’ve tried, especially with glasses on. The charging case is also on the larger side, but it’s still slim enough to fit in your pocket.
When it comes to sound quality, they’re capable and offer an equaliser within the 1More app to tweak the signature to your liking. For casual listening or wearing while you’re working out or on the go, they’re not going to disappoint.
3. BEST OPEN-EAR EARBUDS FOR COMFORT
Shokz OpenFit
PROS
- Soft, light and comfortable
- Good battery life
- Solid sound quality
CONS
- Not the longest battery life
- Tricky touch controls
- Quite pricey
Shokz is a brand that’s well-known within the open-ear and bone conduction niche, making multiple pairs of reliable designs for enhanced awareness, including the OpenRun and OpenRun Pro. The OpenFit is a fully wire-free design without a headband, and it’s an ideal pick if comfort is at the top of your priority list. We love the soft and smooth silicone construction, and the slim portion of the ear hooks makes them easy to wear while we’ve got our glasses on.
These are good for overall awareness and all-day battery life. We find them secure to wear and we’re confident they’ll remain in place during vigorous activity like high-intensity workouts and running. They’re also a high-quality pick when you’re comparing what’s possible with open-ear sound, as they’re good at directing the audio towards your inner ear without it leaking out too much into the outside world.
4. BEST OPEN-EAR EARBUDS FOR SOUND QUALITY
Cleer Arc II
PROS
- Excellent sound quality
- Comfortable fit
- Long battery life
CONS
- Massive charging case
- Imprecise touch controls
There’s one clear top pick if the depth, detail and immersion of your playlists are your top priorities, and it’s the Cleer Arc II. These open buds are a brilliant option for listening to music all day long and staying aware of everything going on around you.
They may be a sports-focused design, but we find the Arc II to be an all-around performer that’s especially good for its battery life, powerful audio reproduction from its 16.2mm neodymium drivers, and comfortable fit.
They do initially appear to be a larger fit than some of the other earbuds on this list but we can confirm that they’re comfortable to wear even when we’ve got our glasses on, and the ear hook on these is soft enough for it to not feel awkward after several hours of use.
The speaker driver sits in an ideal position, just outside of the ear, and is part of what helps these offer such a well-rounded sound. We find that they get quite loud and can be great for some slight isolation from the outside world while still leaving you aware of what’s happening. They’re also good for being able to hear your podcast or spoken word content while also being aware of what’s happening on the road when you’re going across a pedestrian crossing.
5. BEST PREMIUM OPEN-EAR EARBUDS
Bose Ultra Open Earbuds
PROS
- Comfortable, even when wearing glasses
- Great sound
- Physical button controls
- Pocketable case
CONS
- Too expensive
- Clip design won’t be for everyone
- Quite small and easy to lose
These Bose buds are the only option on our list with an innovative “ear clip” style. But they’re also, by some stretch, the most expensive wireless open-ear headphones we’ve tried, at a whopping £300. If you’re looking for a premium pair though, we think it’s worth the splurge.
To fit them, you extend the flexible clip and put the cylindrical end behind the ear. You can then tinker with the fit and put them in the most comfortable position for you. And they are remarkably comfortable — we barely felt them — and because there’s no over-ear hook they’re also the best to wear with glasses.
What about the sound quality? It’s fantastic and rich, offering loads of detail, precision and a satisfying boomy bass to go with the crisp highs. We listen to our music on these for hours on end while working from home, and they’re also a reliable option for calls, as long as you’re not taking them in a loud environment, where the microphones don’t perform quite as well.
