The best headphones of 2026

Our audio experts have been testing headphones for more than a decade, putting just about every style imaginable through hours of hands-on listening. We've used all that experience to pick the best headphones you can buy in 2026. No matter the price or design, our recommendations have two things in common: they sound great, and they're comfortable enough to wear for hours.

If you're looking for wireless over-ear headphones, the Sony WH-1000XM5 are our top choice. They're the most well-rounded Bluetooth headphones we've reviewed, with rich, detailed sound and excellent active noise cancellation (ANC). Prefer earbuds? Sony leads there, too, with the WF-1000XM5. These high-end in-ear headphones pack similarly impressive audio and ANC into a smaller, more portable design.

You'll also see top picks from Bose, Apple, Sennheiser, and Soundcore throughout this guide. Whether you want premium audiophile sound or a reliable budget pair for under $80, our list of the best headphones has something for every listener and situation.

Our top picks for the best headphones

Best overall: Sony WH-1000XM5 - See at Amazon

Best on a budget: Soundcore Life Q30 - See at Amazon

Best noise-canceling: Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) - See at Amazon

Best earbuds: Sony WF-1000XM5 - See at Amazon

Best wired model: Sennheiser/Drop HD 6XX - See at Drop

Best AirPods: AirPods Pro 3 - See at Amazon

Best overall

The Sony WH-1000XM5 are the best over-ear headphones we've tested, offering a standout blend of excellent sound quality, useful features, and effective noise cancellation. Some rivals may outperform them in specific areas, but nothing else delivers this strong an overall package for the price. Simply put, they're the most versatile and well-rounded Bluetooth headphones you can buy.

First and foremost, the XM5 headphones sound great. Their spacious, balanced tuning brings out fine details across all genres. Bass can feel a bit heavy out of the box, but Sony's Headphones Connect app includes a multi-band EQ that lets you adjust the sound to your taste.

Comfort is another strong point. The XM5's understated design, padded earcups, and lightweight build make them easy to wear for long stretches. Playback and volume controls are built into the earcups, and Sony's swipe-and-tap interface proved reliably responsive in our testing. One downside: unlike the previous XM4 model, the XM5 don't fold for compact storage.

Noise cancellation is excellent as well. Bose's QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) hold a lead in raw ANC performance, but the XM5 still do a terrific job muting everyday distractions. On flights and commutes, they significantly reduce engine rumble without adding white noise, letting you stay focused on your music or podcasts.

Call quality is strong, too, and Sony packs in plenty of useful features, including Bluetooth multipoint for easy device switching. The companion app is one of the better ones out there, making it simple to customize settings and fine-tune your listening experience.

Sony has since released a newer model, the WH-1000XM6, which features stronger ANC and reintroduces a folding design. But with prices often about $100 higher, the XM6 don't quite match the XM5's overall value.

Read our Sony WH-1000XM5 review and Sony WH-1000XM6 review.

Visit our guide to all the best Sony headphones.

Best on a budget

The Soundcore Life Q30 are proof that budget headphones can deliver excellent performance without sacrificing key features. For under $100, this over-ear pair wowed us with their pleasing audio performance and solid noise-canceling capabilities.

The Life Q30 produce a clean high-end with warm mids and stable low frequencies. The sound quality isn't audiophile caliber, but the Q30 are remarkably well-equipped for their price. Noise-canceling performance is also surprisingly strong, besting several pricier models we've tested. Sony and Bose still provide a noticeable step-up in this department, but the Q30 held their own in our tests across noisy environments, including a cross-country flight.

Battery life is fantastic: 40 hours with noise-canceling on and an incredible 60 hours with ANC deactivated. Soundcore also features an app with handy functions, including adjustable EQ and various ambient audio modes.

While comfortable, the headphones' build isn't as high-quality as that of more expensive options. The plastic used for the headband and earcups feels somewhat cheap and scratches easily. We also encountered a few misfires with the right earcup's tap command, which toggles between ANC and transparency modes.

However, these shortcomings are easy to forgive given the value these headphones deliver at this price range. At a suggested list price of only $80, these are the best headphones for budget shoppers.

Visit our guide to all the best budget headphones.

Best noise-canceling

The QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) are Bose's newest flagship headphones, and they still deliver the most impressive noise cancellation we've tested. If blocking out distractions is your top priority, these are the best headphones to get.

Released in October 2025, the second-gen model doesn't dramatically improve performance over the original, but it does add a handful of thoughtful upgrades. Unless you spot the first-gen version at a steep discount, the newer QuietComfort Ultra are the better buy.

As expected from Bose, ANC performance is outstanding. The QC Ultra 2nd Gen excel at quieting low-frequency rumbles — like engines, fans, and construction — but what really stands out is how well they dampen higher-frequency sounds, such as voices and keyboard clicks. Sony's WH-1000XM6 come close in several scenarios, but in our real-world tests, the QC Ultra kept a slight overall edge.

The transparency mode is another highlight. It sounds natural and now uses refined ActiveSense tech that better handles sudden loud noises without making the audio feel artificial. It's ideal when you want to be aware of your surroundings without taking your headphones off.

Audio quality is excellent overall. Some listeners may want to adjust the bass using the Bose Music app's three-band EQ, but once tuned, the mix is clear, detailed, and well-balanced. The headphones also support Bose's spatial audio with head tracking for an immersive, speaker-like soundstage. A new Cinema mode adds dialogue emphasis for movies and TV, and in our testing, it worked wonderfully, enhancing speech without overwhelming the rest of the mix.

Design-wise, the second-gen QC Ultra lean into premium materials, including soft protein-leather earcups and an aluminum headband. Bose has added stylish metal accents for a slightly more upscale look, and the headphones fold for easy travel. Battery life now hits 30 hours with ANC on, up from 24 hours in the previous model.

Bose also improved wear detection: the headphones can power down and disconnect automatically when you set them flat, then wake and reconnect the moment you put them back on. It's a small change that makes daily use feel noticeably smoother.

If you prefer something more compact, Bose sells an earbud version of the QuietComfort Ultra. The over-ear model performs better overall, but the QC Ultra earbuds remain the best in-ear noise-canceling option we've tested.

Check out our Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) review.

Visit our guide to all the best Bose headphones and best noise-canceling headphones.

Best earbuds

Sony's WF-1000XM5 have everything we look for in top wireless earbuds. They're compact, offer excellent sound quality, deliver solid battery life, and feature powerful noise cancellation.

Earbuds are ideal for on-the-go use, and the WF-1000XM5 are light and easy to carry with their handy wireless charging case. The buds themselves are notably sleeker than their predecessors, the WF-1000XM4 earbuds, which were larger and rounder. Battery life is also great for earbuds of this type, with up to six hours of playback with ANC on.

Speaking of ANC, the WF-1000XM5 deliver good noise-canceling performance. The earbuds effectively suppressed low-frequency drones and trickier high frequencies in our tests. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds can do a better job in this area, but the XM5 earbuds are no slouch, and we prefer their audio performance.

Sound quality is exceptional, with crisp and deep audio that maintains detail across frequencies. High-resolution Bluetooth playback is also supported, but you'll need an Android device compatible with Sony's LDAC audio technology to enable it.

The earbuds support other useful features, including speak-to-chat, multipoint pairing, and multi-band EQ adjustments that you can use to make personal sound profiles. This is accomplished in the Sony Headphones app, and we like how comprehensive it is.

Fit is subjective, especially with in-ear buds, but we found the WF-1000XM5 to be comfortable and secure during our tests. The only downside to their build is that their glossy material can make them slippery when removing them from their case. But that's an admittedly nitpicky complaint. Where it counts most, the WF-1000XM5 excelled in every benchmark we evaluated.

Buyers should note that Sony recently launched a successor to the XM5, called the WF-1000XM6. The new model features a revised design with a slightly smaller shape and noticeably stronger ANC. However, they cost about $100 more than the XM5 typically sell for. The WF-1000XM6 are better earbuds, but given the current price difference, the older XM5 remain the best value. You can learn more in our Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds review.

Visit our guide to the best wireless earbuds.

Best wired model

The Sennheiser HD 6XX wired headphones are designed for listeners who want to enjoy audiophile-caliber sound at home. They lack conveniences like wireless connectivity and noise cancellation, but in exchange, they deliver better sound quality than any other pick in this guide.

The HD 6XX are a refreshed version of Sennheiser's more expensive HD 650 headphones. This model has a slightly tweaked design and a 3.5mm jack instead of a 6.3mm connection, but otherwise, their performance is comparable. Yet despite delivering nearly identical audio quality, the HD 6XX are sold at a fantastic discount through Drop. Simply put, these are the best-sounding headphones you can buy for the money.

The HD 6XX deliver a more neutral audio profile than typical mass-market headphones. They favor accuracy over souped-up bass and treble. Our reviewer was blown away by their rich midrange performance, excellent timbre, clear texture, and spacious imaging. They're so good that they're likely to reveal little nuances in songs you may have never heard before.

Part of what gives the HD 6XX such natural depth is their open-back design. This means that sound can enter and exit their vented ear cups. This contrasts with a traditional closed-back design, which prevents sound from escaping. Although this design offers significant benefits to audio quality, it also means that the HD 6XX can't block out ambient noise as effectively. Likewise, they let audio spill out into the room so others can hear what you're listening to. As such, these headphones are geared toward home use and not intended for on-the-go listening.

The headband and earpads are soft and cushy, and the headphones are light and well-built. That said, our reviewer didn't like the clamping force's tightness. This is a small drawback, but one that could have been easily avoided.

Wireless headphones are undeniably convenient, but buyers who want wired cans that deliver exceptional audio performance should have the HD 6XX at the top of their list. They're basically unmatched in this price range.

Check out our Sennheiser HD 6XX review.

Best AirPods

The AirPods Pro 3 are Apple's latest high-end earbuds, and they're the best headphones for pairing with Apple devices, like the iPhone or Mac. Compared to the second-generation model they replace, the AirPods Pro 3 deliver improved noise-canceling performance, longer playtime, refined audio quality, enhanced water resistance, and a new built-in heart rate-tracking feature.

Like the second-gen model, the AirPods Pro 3 are powered by Apple's H2 chip, but the company has implemented a new multi-port acoustic architecture to improve airflow. This results in improved sound quality with a wider soundstage and deeper bass.

The AirPods Pro 3's noise-canceling feature has also been upgraded with ultra-low-noise microphones and foam-injected silicone ear tips, which are more effective at preventing sound leakage. In our testing, the ANC quality was indeed excellent and was only beaten by Bose's QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2.

The AirPods Pro 3 are also excellent fitness earbuds thanks to built-in heart-rate sensors that can provide helpful health data on your iPhone. They're IP57 water resistant as well, which means they can withstand temporary submersion.

AirPods are known for their Apple-centric features, and the Pro 3 are packed with conveniences like Siri voice control, Find My support, and seamless switching between Apple devices synced to your Apple account. When paired with an iPhone, you also gain aural health features, including a hearing aid mode, a hearing protection mode that reduces volume in loud environments, and a five-minute hearing check. A new live-translation feature is also supported when connected to an iPhone with Apple Intelligence.

Sadly, these functions are not compatible with Android devices, so the AirPods Pro 3 are really only suited for Apple users. If you're looking for Android-friendly recommendations similar to the AirPods Pro, visit our guide to the best AirPods alternatives.

Read our full Apple AirPods Pro 3 review.

Check out our guides to the best AirPods.

How we test headphones

To find the best headphones, our reviewers got hands-on with popular models from every major brand. We don't just skim spec sheets — we spend real time listening, comparing features, and putting each pair through consistent, repeatable tests. Our approach is shaped by years of experience reviewing audio gear, which helps us zero in on what really matters for performance and overall value.

When it comes to sound quality, we listen to a wide range of music across different genres, as well as stream videos and podcasts. We also vary the source quality to see how each pair handles everything from standard, lower-bitrate streaming to lossless audio, spatial formats like Dolby Atmos, and wired playback when it's available.

To test active noise cancellation, we play sounds that mimic the drone of an airplane engine and the chatter of a crowded room. But we don't stop there — we also take headphones out into the real world, wearing them on commutes, walks, flights, workouts, and other everyday outings to see how they actually perform outside the lab.

Above all, we aim to use headphones the way most people would. That day-to-day perspective helps us understand how they'll hold up over time — not just how they sound in a quick test. For more details on our review process, check out our breakdown of how we test tech products.

What to look for in top headphones

When shopping for the best headphones, consider these core factors to help narrow down the right pair.

Price range: The best headphones can cost anywhere from $25 to over $500. Budget models work fine for casual listening, but they're usually built with cheaper materials, have less dynamic sound, and skip premium features like active noise cancellation (ANC). Higher-end options use better components and more advanced drivers to deliver superior audio and added features.

Design: Most headphones are either earbuds or over-ear models. Earbuds sit in or just outside your ears and come in wired or Bluetooth versions; they're lightweight and ideal for portability or workouts. Over-ear headphones use larger earcups and a headband. They're less compact but typically offer the best overall sound quality.

Connectivity: You can choose between wired and wireless headphones. Wired models— usually with a 3.5mm plug — deliver uncompressed audio and remain a favorite among audiophiles. Wireless headphones pair via Bluetooth, offering convenience and solid sound with today's tech, but the signal is still compressed and you'll need to recharge them. Many Bluetooth models also include a cable for optional wired listening.

Noise cancellation: Most midrange and premium wireless headphones support ANC, which uses built-in mics and processing to reduce outside noise. You can find decent ANC headphones for around $80, but the most effective models generally start around $300. It's rare to find ANC support on wired-only headphones, so you'll need to get wireless ones if you want noise canceling.

Headphones FAQs

What's the difference between over-ear headphones and earbuds?

Most top headphones in 2026 are either over-ear or earbud-style models. Each has its advantages, so the right choice depends on how you plan to use them.

Over-ear headphones use a headband and padded earcups that sit around your ears, creating a comfortable seal. Because they can house larger drivers, the best over-ear models typically deliver the highest audio quality.

Earbuds, on the other hand, are compact left and right buds that either rest just outside the ear or sit directly inside the ear canal. In-ear designs create a tighter seal, improving sound quality and noise isolation compared to open-fit buds.

Even though earbuds generally can't match the full, detailed sound of premium over-ear headphones, their portability is a significant draw. They're easy to carry and great for workouts, commuting, or any on-the-go listening.

For recommendations on earbuds geared explicitly toward active users, check out our guides to the best running headphones and the best headphones for working out.

What is noise canceling?

Active noise cancellation, often abbreviated as ANC, is an audio technology incorporated into many headphones. This tech uses built-in microphones and processing to analyze the sounds around you, then block them by reversing their frequencies.

The best headphones with high-end noise-canceling can do an impressive job of reducing ambient distractions. However, even top models can't block out all noises, with high-frequency sounds being particularly tricky.

Many noise-canceling headphones also support a complementary feature, often called "transparency mode." This mode uses the same microphones to let outside sounds in, so you can stay aware of your surroundings when needed.

What is spatial audio?

Spatial audio, as it applies to headphones, is a feature that creates a 3D surround-sound effect.

Some songs available through services like Amazon Music and Apple Music are natively mixed in spatial audio formats, such as Dolby Atmos, and can be played back on any pair of headphones.

Some headphones also feature their own spatial audio modes, which can simulate 3D audio with any music source. Many of these modes use head-tracking, which repositions sounds to match your head movements, mimicing what it would be like to listen to music in a room with physical speakers.

What are the top headphone brands?

Several brands produce excellent headphones, but certain companies excel at designing models tailored to specific budgets.

For instance, brands like Soundcore and JLab excel at offering entry-level models that provide impressive value for your money. Meanwhile, brands such as Sony, Apple, Beats, and Bose provide a wide selection of mid- to high-end wireless headphones featuring top-notch specifications.

Audiophiles, however, may want to focus on companies like Sennheiser, Master & Dynamic, Technics, Bang & Olufsen, HiFiMan, Focal, and Beyerdynamic. This is especially true if you're looking for a premium pair of wired headphones for critical listening.

What is Bluetooth?

Bluetooth is a wireless technology that transmits audio from a compatible source device, such as a phone, to a pair of headphones or speakers without the need for physical cables. Most consumer Bluetooth devices support a maximum wireless connection of 33 feet.

Bluetooth audio signals are technically compressed, which means some sound detail is lost compared to a wired connection that supports lossless audio. However, current Bluetooth implementations and codecs do a great job of minimizing this loss in quality. So, while a wired connection technically offers better performance, in many cases, the differences are subtle.

For other Bluetooth product recommendations, check out our guide to the best Bluetooth speakers.

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