It can often be hard for people with small ears to find a pair of comfortably fitting earbuds. Many in-ears have fairly large builds that can cause pressure and push on different parts of the ear, causing fatigue and pain over time. Luckily, some ultra-slim in-ears sit more comfortably in the ear or ear canal.
We've tested over 340 earbuds and in-ear headphones, and below are our recommendations for the best options for people with small ears. If you're looking for our top picks for other earbuds and in-ears, check out our recommendations for the overall best in-ear headphones, the best true wireless earbuds, and the best wireless earbuds.
The Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 are the best earbuds for small ears we've tested. While each bud's body isn't small, the tips are slim enough to fit inside smaller ear canals. They don't push deeply into your ears, either, so they avoid the plunger-like feeling that some in-ears create. The three different tip sizes mean most listeners should be able to find a good fit without too much trouble, and Jabra's 'ShakeGrip' silicone coating means the buds will stay in your ears during a workout. They're IP68-rated, too, so a little water or sweat won't damage them.
In terms of their overall performance, the Jabra are some of the best earbuds we've tested. Their outstanding noise isolation attenuates everything from airplane engine rumble to high-pitched fan whine. Their mic doesn't make you sound especially natural, but it does a great job distinguishing your voice from any noise around you. With ANC on, the Jabra last almost eight hours continuously, which is enough for a day at the office or a week of commutes. If you want more security than relying on the Jabra's ergonomic shape alone, the Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 are also on the smaller side and include built-in fins meant to be 'twisted' into your ears. However, many features are limited to Android and Pixel devices with the Google buds.
The Sony LinkBuds S Truly Wireless are the best earbuds in the upper mid-range category that we've tested. They don't sit deeply in your ear, and they come with four sets of differently sized ear tips to help you find the best fit. Their lightweight build doesn't put as much pressure on your ears as this manufacturer's other in-ear offerings. They feel a little cheaper than the Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2, and they're not as stable in the ear. However, their noise isolation performance, while not quite at the same level as the Jabra's, is still great and can block out the low rumble of buses, ambient voices, and the high-pitched hum of fans.
These buds have a few extra features that help them stand out. They support multi-device pairing, meaning you can stay connected to your phone and computer at the same time. Their battery only lasts for around seven hours on a single charge, but their carrying case has over two extra charges to keep you supplied on the go. Their warm sound profile can be fine-tuned to your liking using their companion app's graphic EQ and presets. If you'd prefer a flatter default sound, the Nothing Ear (a) are worth considering. They'll fit most small ears, but they offer one less ear-tip size than the Sony, so those of you in search of the perfect fit might prefer our pick.
If you're looking for a mid-range price tag, the best Bluetooth earbuds for small ears we've tested are the Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless. These buds come with five sets of ear tips to help you get the best fit possible, and their lightweight design doesn't sit too deeply in your ear. Their ANC system performs very similarly to the Sony LinkBuds S Truly Wireless, so you can expect a high level of noise isolation whether you're commuting to work or powering through your shift at the office. However, they have a less stable fit than the Sony and are more likely to fall out during high-intensity movements like sprints or heavy workouts.
Out of the box, these buds have a warm sound profile, and you can also fine-tune their sound using their companion app's EQ and presets to better match your preferences. They last over eight hours with their ANC on, so they'll make it through a typical workday, and their carrying case holds an extra four full charges. Unfortunately, their mic's recording quality is poor, and speech sounds far away and sibilant, which isn't great if you make a lot of calls.
If you're looking for earbuds that are easier on your wallet, the Beats Flex Wireless are the best wireless earbuds for small ears we've tested for a budget price. These neck cable headphones have a small bud design and a shallow in-ear fit. They also come with five sets of ear tips, so you have plenty of options. Even though they're not as customizable as the Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless, they come in a few eye-catching colors.
They're stable enough for workouts despite lacking stability fins or ear hooks to help them stay in place. Their bass-heavy sound profile brings extra thump, boom, and punch. It makes them well-suited for bass-rich genres like EDM and hip-hop, but instruments sound dull while sibilants like cymbals are veiled. Although they have a companion app, it offers extremely limited controls and lacks sound customization features like an EQ. Fortunately, they have a reasonably long continuous battery life of roughly 11 hours. They also have a W1 chip for seamless pairing with your Apple devices.
The TOZO T6 Truly Wireless are worth checking out if you're on a budget, as it's not only their low price that differentiates them from the Beats Flex Wireless. The TOZO come with six ear-tip sizes that should fit the vast majority of listeners, and their thin profile means they can sit snugly in small ears. These headphones also have touch-sensitive buttons, so you don't have to push them deep into your ears to register commands. They're also well-built, with an IPX8 rating which means they'll withstand a run in the rain. Granted, we found the Beats a little more comfortable than the TOZO, but not by much.
Like the Beats, the TOZO deliver an excited sound, which you might enjoy if you work out to hip-hop or EDM. They also last about half as long off a single charge as the Beats. However, for their low price, you get good passive noise isolation, a reasonable mic, and a great set of wireless buds for working out.
If the feeling of an earbud inside your ear canal makes you uncomfortable, consider the Nothing Ear (stick). The main body of each earbud is covered in silicone and sits comfortably in your concha, which is the recessed part of your outer ear just before the ear canal. While this one-size-fits-all design is convenient and easy to use, it means their fit depends more on your unique ear shape. They're likely to stay in place during moderate exercises, like jogging, but their unique fit in your ear will impact how likely they are to move around during a more intense workout.
Their sound profile is neutral, and they deliver warm, punchy bass to complement genres like hip-hop and EDM, though how much bass you get will depend greatly on their specific fit in your ear. Thankfully, their companion app has a graphic EQ and presets, which allow you to fine-tune their mix to your liking. Unfortunately, earbuds of this design have a very hard time isolating you from any background noise. If that doesn't bother you, they last nearly seven hours on a single charge, and their case holds an extra three full charges.
If these headphones don't fit right, try the Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. They're more expensive and don't have sound adjustment features like an in-app EQ, but their H2 chip offers seamless pairing with Apple devices, and you can charge their case wirelessly.
The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) are the best iPhone-compatible earbuds for small ears we've tested. These high-end earbuds are the next generation of the Apple AirPods Pro. They come with four sets of ear tips instead of three, and the newest one is an extra small pair. However, some users have still experienced trouble wriggling them out of their ears and have swapped out the default silicone tips with foam tips, which can mold to your unique ear shape, improving comfort, fit, and stability.
These in-ears have an adaptive EQ, so their sound automatically adjusts to the unique shape of your ears. Their warm sound profile is well-suited for genres like pop and jazz, although they lack any built-in sound customization features to manually adjust them to your liking. They also have an ANC system that does an excellent job of blocking out ambient noise, which is nice for commuting or working in a noisy office. They last just shy of six hours with their ANC on, and their carrying case has four additional charges.
The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds bypass the fit concerns for people with small ears through a clip-on design that sits along the earlobe instead of in-ear. If you're accustomed to earbuds falling out of your ears or causing discomfort because of their bulk, these may solve the problem with their flexible silicone hinges that stretch or contract to hold the 'cuffs' still regardless of your ears' size. Despite the unconventional design, they're comfortable to wear and come packed with a battery life of 9.5 hours on a single charge. The mic also sounds decent for making calls, and you can customize the controls in the app.
Unlike the Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2, which come with very effective ANC, the Bose keep your ears open so you'll hear everything in your environment. The heightened environmental awareness is great for outdoor exercise and collaborative workspaces, but it's not ideal for making your commute more pleasant because the 'cuffs' won't block out noise. Their sound profile also isn't full-sounding and has weak bass, which is a subsequent trade-off of the open-ear design, though it sounds clear for podcasts and dialogue-heavy media. So, if you're looking for a surefire fit while retaining situational awareness, these are a good, albeit niche, option.
The Anker Soundcore C30i take a different approach to fit, like the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds. They scrape your ear tips and clip onto your earlobes, negating the pesky issue of picking buds that fit your small ears. That said, this design comes with some concessions, such as very weak bass. The Anker clip-on design lacks the silicone hinge found on the Bose, which helps with comfort and fit. Still, the Anker is a reasonable choice on a budget.
See our reviewThe Anker SoundCore Liberty 4 NC Truly Wireless are a viable alternative to the Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless and have a more stable in-ear fit. However, they don't cancel quite as much noise as the A40. Their stemmed design may be preferred, and they use oblong ear tips, which some folks find fit better.
See our reviewThe Samsung Galaxy Buds FE are wallet-friendly buds. While they don't come with as many ear tip options as the Beats Flex Wireless, they have a less deep and intrusive fit since their design allows the ear tips to rest on your outer ear canal. Their continuous battery life is lower, though.
See our reviewThe Sennheiser IE 200 are wired in-ear monitors, meaning you won't find any of the same features as wireless headphones like the Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless. They have a comfortable fit, especially with the included foam tips, that puts minimal pressure on your ear canals. They also have different in-ear configurations that can subtly shift the sound profile, which could be an advantage for those with small ears.
See our reviewThe Sony WF-C500 Truly Wireless are simple earbuds without any noise cancelling, unlike the Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless. However, they're rather small and not very thick, so they're worth a look, and the app support makes them an attractive option.
See our reviewThis article has been updated to add the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds as an open-fit pick, include the Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 as an alternative to the top pick, and add the following earbuds to the Notable Mentions: the Anker Soundcore C30i, Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC Truly Wireless, and Sony WF-C500 Truly Wireless. The Sony WI-C310 Wireless have been removed because they're out of stock. Text adjustments were made to ensure accuracy.
We've added a new upper mid-range tier to this article. Our previous top pick, the Sony LinkBuds S Truly Wireless, are now our upper mid-range pick, while the Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 True Wireless are our new top pick. We added the Nothing Ear (a) Truly Wireless as an alternative to the Sony for listeners who value a balanced default sound, and the Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation Truly Wireless as an alternative to the Nothing Ear (stick) Truly Wireless for listeners who are embedded in the Apple ecosystem. Finally, the Skullcandy Jib Wireless are out of stock with most vendors, so our new cheap pick is the TOZO T6 Truly Wireless.
Aug 14, 2024 : We removed the Beats Studio Buds True Wireless from our Notable Mentions because other Notable Mentions make better alternatives to the Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless. We also removed the Sony WI-C310 Wireless as a Notable Mention because they are already an alternative pick to the Beats Flex Wireless.
May 17, 2024 : We've checked our picks to ensure they're up-to-date but have made no changes. However, we've added the Sennheiser IE 200 as a Notable Mention due to the included foam tips and their low-pressure ear canal fit.
Mar 19, 2024 : We've made minor updates to the text and checked that the products are in stock, but there haven't been any changes to our recommendations.
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best earbuds to buy for most people with small ears. We factor in the price (cheaper headphones win over pricier ones if the difference isn't worth it), feedback from our visitors, and availability (no headphones that are difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere).
If you would like to choose for yourself, here is the list of all our reviews for earbuds and in-ears, sorted by their comfort score. Be careful not to get caught up in the details. There are no perfect headphones. Personal taste, preference, and listening habits will matter more in your selection.
What do you think of our picks? Let us know below.
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Update: Minor in-text adjustments to improve clarity of information.