I do wish these headphones were a little cheaper. I’m currently testing the recently released, more affordable Shokz OpenRun Air 2, and hopeful they can be a budget-friendly alternative.
Honorable Mentions
Nothing Ear (Open) for $99: Former WIRED editor Adrienne So loves these earbuds and uses them for almost all her outdoor activities. They are very slim (19-mm wide) and lightweight. They fit slightly inside your ear and, like most Nothing headphones, have a distinct transparent design. The case doesn’t clamp shut very firmly, so be careful, but at this price, that’s forgivable.
JLab Epic Open Sport for $100: JLab’s Epic Open Sport stands out for its controls: the JLab emblem is a touch sensor, and each earbud also has physical buttons on top, making it a breeze to control. What holds the Epic Open Sport back is audio quality—the sound isn’t very detailed, and it’s generally boring to listen to.
Other Open Earbuds I’ve Tested
EarFun Clip for $70: For around $70, these are a solid pick for anyone on a budget. Waniata found the overall package punching above its price point, with a snappy, compact case, comfortable fit, push-button controls, and reliable multiple Bluetooth connections. The problem is our budget pick, the Soundpeats PearlClip Pro, is often on sale for less and offers a similar overall experience. Don’t dismiss these earbuds if you find them heavily discounted.
Shokz OpenFit Pro for $250: The Shokz OpenFit Pro has a great premise: open earbuds with noise canceling. Hear the world around you as you would without headphones, and turn on noise-canceling when you don’t, just like regular earbuds. And while they do cancel some noise, it’s not much. The bigger issue is price: for $250, you could get open earbuds and great noise-canceling earbuds that do a better job for each task.
Suunto Wing 2 for $179: These open-ear headphones are designed for endurance athletes—they have a long 12-hour battery life but also come with a wireless power bank you can take on the go. Dock the headphones in the power bank for up to 36 hours of battery life total. There’s nothing inherently wrong with these headphones, but I don’t see a world where I would recommend them over the Shokz Openrun Pro 2, which retail for the same amount and offer more comfort, a sleeker design, better sound, and a more robust app.
Suunto Spark for $179: The Suunto Spark has a similar story to the Suunto Wing 2: with athletes in mind, it has features that sync with Suunto fitness watches, but it is outclassed in the areas that matter (comfort, sound quality, battery) by the similarly priced Shokz Openfit 2.
What Are Open Earbuds and How Do They Sound?
At a glance, open earbuds seem a lot like typical wireless earbuds. The big difference is that, instead of going inside your ear canal, they rest somewhere on the outside of your ear, leaving it open so you can easily hear the world around you. I use them all the time for outdoor exercise like running or biking, where I want my music but also need to hear other runners, bikers, and cars to stay safe.
Because they leave your ears open and the sound comes from farther away (outside your ear rather than inside), audio performance isn’t as clear, intimate, or bassy as regular earbuds. They also typically don’t have noise-canceling features, so they are not a great fit for the office or air travel.
When or Where Would I Use Open Earbuds?
Open earbuds are perfect for outdoor activities, or when you want to talk to other people without taking off your headphones. When I run or go for a bike ride, I only use open earbuds so I can hear my surroundings and stay safe. I also like using them around the house when I am cooking or doing laundry.
What About Semi-Open Earbuds?
Semi-open earbuds, like Apple’s AirPods, sit inside the ear but don’t have eartips that create a sound seal. They can offer better audio quality than other open earbuds because the speakers and microphones are closer to your ear and mouth. Semi-open earbuds are comfortable, but they’re usually pretty loose—they can fall out easily and may be a poor option for fitness activities.
How Do I Test Open Earbuds?
I test open earbuds like I test any pair of headphones: in the real world, in my daily life. I wear each pair for at least a few weeks to test comfort, battery life, ease of use, and onboard controls. I listen to podcasts, watch TV shows, jam out to my favorite playlists, and call friends.
With open earbuds in particular, I also wear them on jogs, bike rides, and errand runs to get a better feel for how stable they are on my ears. I do not expect them to cancel any noise, so I don’t make a point of testing them on airplanes or loud commutes—they aren’t really made for that. My main audio source is Spotify Lossless, but, when possible, I test other formats and codecs as well.