The Most Comfortable Earbuds You Can Wear All Day, Every Day

For all the enjoyment music brings, nothing makes listening more unbearable than sore ears from bad earbuds. We make a big stink about our feet hurting from bad shoes or not being able to breathe in jeans that are too tight — why are ears any different? The most comfortable earbuds are out there, but how does one find them?

Often when shopping for a pair of cheap wireless earbuds, comfort and fit can get overlooked. The way wireless earbuds sit in your ears is such a specific feeling that anything less than ideal can result in an annoying fit (at best) or downright pain (at worst). But there is a method to finding that balance.

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Ears What an Expert Had to Say

We spoke with tech YouTuber, Juan Carlos Bagnell, who has spent years covering audio-related gadgets like true wireless earbuds on his website and YouTube channel. We asked him what to consider when looking for comfortable earbuds.

“Ears are funky. It seems simple to plop a driver in front of your ear canal, but fit and comfort often require a little experimentation,” Bagnell explained.

Of course, it’s unrealistic to concretely determine that one specific pair has a more comfortable fit than another. That’s because, just like earbuds, our ears come in all different shapes.

“Some buds have thicker and longer arms that go inside the ear canal; some are more shallow and thinner,” Bagnell said. “That tip can be circular or oval. Earbuds can also have wings or loops that press against the outer ear to secure them.”

More often than not, finding the right fit doesn’t happen right away. But instead, it requires trying on a few before you find the right pair.

“It takes a little trial and error, but finding the right fit earbud for you is a great feeling,” Bagnell noted. Given that he previously worked as a voice casting director, he certainly knows the feeling after using many pairs of headphones and earbuds over the years.

Luckily, most earbud brands pay close attention to fit and feel, so it’s just a matter of doing the research and finding out which is best for your needs. To take some of the guesswork out of the equation, SPY writers tested a few dozen of the most comfortable earbuds from brands such as Sony, Apple, Ultimate Ears, and Jabra. We compared how comfortable these earbuds were relative to each other, as well as how securely they stayed in place while working out. Finally, we considered how long you could comfortably leave these in place before fatigue set it.

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JLab designed their Epic Sport Air earbuds for working out, but the over-ear loops provide a secure and comfortable fit whether you’re running in preparation for a marathon or just running to catch the train. When you combine that cozy feel with other great features like ANC, extended playback, and even a super low latency movie mode, the JBuds Air Sport has a lot to offer at a fantastic price. Even though they aren’t the best-sounding earbuds on the market, we do think they’re the most comfortable, especially for athletes.

It didn’t matter what exercises we performed — burpees, lunges, push-ups, sprints — these earbuds stayed put. In our testing we found that these were equally comfortable to the custom fit of the UE Fits Earbuds, and considerably better than the Powerbeats Pro, which has a similar hook design.

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Whether it’s the AirPods’ relaxing open-ear design or the AirPods Pro’s snug fit, Apple’s collection of long-stem danglers are undeniably the most comfortable earbuds for any iOS device or MacBook owner. The sound ports are uniquely shaped to sit in the auricle and not press up against the ear, making either model easy to get accustomed to. While the second-and third-generation AirPods are also very comfortable, the AirPods Pro 2 are even more so.

The AirPods Pro 2 comes with installed tips that make all the difference for fit, plus an Ear Tip Fit Test that accurately determines the best tips for use (you can also purchase third-party tips and wings for regular AirPods). But what really makes the AirPods Pro 2 such a standout is their interconnectivity with Apple’s unbeatable ecosystem, delivering seamless usability through adaptive sound, instantaneous connectivity, and other cool features like “Hey Siri” voice activation.

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How do you make sure your earbuds are genuinely comfortable? Get earbuds that are truly customized for you. The UE Fits employs patented Lightform technology that molds the tips to the contour of your ears for a tailored fit. How are the results? Surprisingly accurate.

Our reviewer said the buds fit to form around his ear canal and ensured day-long comfort without any slippage. The warming sensation that occurred during the molding process was harmless. Furthermore, the tight seal created by the newly shaped tips passively blocked out noise at the same level as some mid-range noise-canceling earbuds. For the UE Fits to achieve this without the use of algorithms is impressive. Let us not forget Ultimate Ears’ reputation for boomy sound either (have you heard their bass-blasting portable Bluetooth speakers?), which remains punchy and warm and can be customized via the companion app.

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We reviewed the Sony WF-1000XM4, and part of what makes it so unique are the memory foam-like ear tips that not only feel like pillows resting on the canal, but also form to the shape of your ear the longer you wear them. The revamped design also has a lot to do with the buds’ high comfort levels; ditching the WF-1000XM3’s elongated form for a more traditional oval shape was the more practical choice. Another part of comfort is the listening experience, and the WF-1000XM4 doesn’t disappoint with immersive, hi-res sound and active noise cancellation (ANC) that rivals most over-ear headphones.

SPY reviewer and contributor, William Goodman, praised Sony for its class-leading noise cancellation technology in his review. “Sony’s XM4 earbuds are an absolute game-changer in the noise-canceling earbud space,” explained Goodman.

In terms of comfort, these earbuds are on par with Apple AirPods Pro 2. The XM4s rest pleasantly on the ears and barely apply pressure to the concha, allowing you to wear them for long stretches throughout the day. Sony’s pre-installed foam tips are also clutch for establishing a tight grip around the ear. The Optimal Earbud Tips test is as reliable as Apple’s version and determines the best fit for your ear shape.

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Raycon’s Fitness Earbuds come in handy if you have an active lifestyle that involves running, strength training, and outdoor activities. Thanks to its IPX7 water resistant construction, silicone gel tips, and contoured design, they stay comfortable to power you through your exercises.

Best of all, Raycon packed in an Awareness Mode that lets you stay in tune with your surroundings while listening to music, as well as a sound signature that doesn’t skimp out.

Right now, you can save an additional 20% off using code MARCH20, which brings it down to $96.

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It’s hard to ignore that the Tozo NC9 earbuds, which cost $200 less than AirPod Pros 2, also have twice as much battery life. And SPY reviewer Jonathan Knoder also liked the fit saying the buds fit right into the curvature of his ears.

While listening to the “Hold On” by The Internet, compared to other comfortable ear buds on this list, these do have a brighter sound profile, but don’t sound tinny. Yet, there is still plenty of bass production for listeners of rap and electronic music. Considering the extended battery life, and features like ANC, these earbuds are a good pick.

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Here are two great reasons to add these earbuds to your arsenal: they are super lightweight and comfortable, and for only $50, you get good bass production. Many “more affordable” earbuds sound thin and tinny, but that’s the not the case with the TrebLab WX8. Although you miss out on some of the extras like ANC and wireless charging, you get a decent pair of earbuds and an overall great price.

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Sony’s latest wireless earbuds are undeniably intriguing but provide exceptional comfort. The donut shape looks odd at first glance, but the design is intended to provide you with a better sense of your surroundings. In other words, the LinkBuds let in ambient noise to increase your environmental awareness without compromising audio quality. Since there is no sound port, the flat speaker unit on the front projects spacious, well-rounded sounds to your ears. Additionally, we appreciated how one section of the earbuds sat on the outside of the ear and the tiny silicone Arcs (that’s what Sony calls their wings) provided decent grip control to prevent slippage.

At a mere 0.14 ounces, these are easily the lightest earbuds we’ve ever tested, which made them great for all-day use. There were moments when we completely forgot they were on our ears.

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SPY reviewer Jonathan Knoder loved how comfortable these earbuds were, but was less keen on the lack of extras. You’ll go without active noise cancellation or wireless charging, but the handy app does allow you to adjust the EQs to your liking. Speaking of EQs, the overall sound profile is brighter than other earbuds, while songs like “Money Trees” by Kendrick Lamar lacked bottom-end.

We like them as a back-up pair or when you find your daily drivers are out of battery and you need to get on the move, especially considering how dang comfortable these earbuds are.

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JLab partnered with ORLY color to get the skin-toned based color palette that make-up the JLab Go Airtones line. It’s one thing that these earbuds are tiny, but with the specialized color palette, they’re designed to virtually disappear.

SPY reviewer William Goodman prefers to listen to music over podcasts with these headphones mentioning pods sound a bit hollow. And although they don’t feature ANC, the tight seal creates good passive noise cancellation.

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AirPods are cool, especially the AirPods Pro with its awesome 3D-sounding capabilities (Spatial Audio is no joke). However, you would be doing yourself a disservice by ignoring Apple’s other major wireless offering: the Beats Studio Fit. This sportier alternative stuffs nearly all the AirPods Pro’s special features and longer battery life into a micro design that can only be described as the Studio Buds with wing tips. What you get are superb-sounding earbuds that play nicely with any Apple or Android device and remain put on your ears when engaged in lateral-heavy workouts.

Comfort has also been improved here compared to the Powerbeats Pro with the cavity and wing tips being more gentle on the skin while reducing soreness around the concha. Despite the popular Powerbeats Pro providing a more secure fit (that ear hook design is everything), the Fit Pro’s ergonomic design is more non-invasive in the ears. The tiny oval shape molds nicely to the concha and doesn’t apply unwanted pressure.

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SPY Editor John Velasco was surprised by how comfortable these earbuds were, but the design borders on too small, as he mentioned it was a little more challenging getting them out of his ears. Although the earbuds offer a custom SoundID, we wish there were EQ presets to choose from to adjust the sound.

In terms of battery life, it also leaves something to be desired compared to the likes of Google Pixel Buds or Tozo. That being said, if you hold a comfortable listening experience above all else, it’s hard to beat these comfortable earbuds. 

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It’s great when tech actually creates conveniences, like with the Google Pixel Buds Pro, you can control every aspect of your music playback while also having access to Google Assistant at your beckoning call.

As for the fit, SPY’s Tech Editor, John Velasco, said that they’re best for music listening when it comes to comfort, but can be challenging for workouts. But in terms of sound quality, we think these are a winner. If you’re team Google, these earbuds are strongly worth considering.

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There’s a lot to like about these comfortable earbuds. They feature extras like ANC and quick charging, we also loved the lengthy 39 hours of battery life between the buds and the case. And like the AirPods Pro 2, you also get Google’s version of Spatial Audio — layered surround sound with head tracking. If you’re an Android phone user, you should consider getting your hands on these earbuds.

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If you want something that resembles AirPods that’s less expensive but comfort is a priority, then check out the Urbanista Stockholm Plus. It is half the price of Apple’s wireless earbuds, comes in more colors (Black, Rose Gold, Titanium, White), and replicates the classic open-ear design. We found no discomfort with these wireless earbuds when worn for long stretches. There’s no pressure buildup either since the buds aren’t placed in the canal. As a plus, the bright soundstage produces detailed mids and highs so they sound pretty great.

To gauge further, we’d compare the comfort of the Stockholm Plus to the AirPods 3. The sound port sits right on the concha and remains stable, though running with the buds will increase the risk of them falling out. They feel light on the ears and won’t weigh you down during walks either.

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If this was a ranking of the best noise-canceling earbuds, the Jabra Elite 85t, their new generation of earbuds, would be at the top of the list. But if comfort is your overall priority, then they do leave a few things to be desired. Even so, these are phenomenal earbuds that do provide some comfort.

Of all the wireless earbuds makers, Jabra has been the most committed to developing a universal fit. They’ve stated they’ve gone as far as scanning 62,000 ears and ran those results through an “advanced algorithmic simulator,” which is how they were able to cram such powerful hardware into the tiny flagship Elite 85t. The semi-open design with pressure relief vents helps minimize pressure build-up inside the ear, while the proprietary silicone EarGels keep the buds locked in place. Combine these features with long-lasting battery life, superior noise cancellation, and crystal-clear microphones for taking calls, and the Elite 85t is well worth your consideration.

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In addition to the three drivers that power these great-sounding earbuds from 1MORE, they’re designed with a comfortable ergonomic fit to slide naturally into your ears. With nine total sets of customized tips, there’s sure to be a fit that will work well for any ear shape to provide the best comfort around. The in-line remote makes it easy to navigate through your audio with the touch of a button. 1More’s soundstage should not be overlooked either since it gives music and movies a dynamic and lively presence.

Wired earbuds tend to offer the best comfort, so it is no surprise that the Triple Driver Earbuds do just the same. One would think the metal construction presses hard against the concha, but it doesn’t, thanks to the angled sound port. There were days when we felt fine wearing the model for long stretches of 4-6 hours.

The eight additional sets of tips (not already on the earbuds), three being memory foam tips, is a remarkable amount to offer in the box. The foam tips are the way to go for elite comfort and fit, forming to the shape of ear canals, producing a tight seal, and feeling like pillows pressed up against the skin.

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Consider These Alternatives to the Most Comfortable Earbuds

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It took Sony four tries, but they finally created the masterpiece they sought to make when venturing into the noise-canceling audio space. The WF-1000XM5 (Mark Series 5) packages exceptional ANC and sound in a fancy design without compromising fit or comfort. Premium materials like aluminum and sturdy plastic don’t weigh down the headphones and the plush padding rests soothingly on both the head and ears. Sony even made the earpad cutouts wider to allow for more ventilation. 

So if you prefer headphones to earbuds, this is the one pair we’d most highly recommend for comfort.

Do you already own a pair of earbuds featured in this guide? That doesn’t mean you can’t make your existing earbuds even more comfortable. Check out the accessories below to improve the fit of your earbuds and ensure ultimate comfort.

These memory foam tips are becoming more popular with every big true-wireless release. Comply solves the three primary problems with earbuds – comfort, fit, and sound quality – all of which are advanced when plugging these tips into the nozzle of your favorite buds. Viscoelastic memory foam conforms to the shape of your canal and is 30 times softer than silicone tips. So, you can see why the company sells a pair for every top-performing model out there.

Not everyone may like the one size fits all design of the AirPods, which is why users can complement them with silicone tips for that just-right fit. Luckvan’s silicone ear tips go over the AirPods to ensure that they snuggly fit without having that feeling of being irritating over time.

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How We Tested the Most Comfortable Earbuds

For this guide, we recruited three of our most experienced product reviewers to handle the testing. Together, they tested every single pair of earbuds and headphones that appear in this guide, which went through a rigorous testing process to earn their spot among the most comfortable earbuds.

Each of the earbuds selected was tested for a minimum of two weeks, and the top options were tested for up to several months before we rendered a final verdict. Since this guide is mostly focused on comfort, overall comfort, fit and fatigue were by far the most important factors in our final ranking. For this review, we considered the following metrics:

We gave each of these earbuds a score for each of these criteria, with comfort outweighing all other categories.