Not long ago, neckband headphones were the way to go if you wanted wireless earbuds with active noise cancelling (ANC) or even just a good battery life. However, companies have been getting better and better at cramming these powerful features into ultra-compact, true wireless earbuds.
While neckband headphones might seem outdated, they're still very popular. Many people prefer the option to put them around their neck and forget about them. You can enjoy having your music at arm's reach all day without worrying about dropping your earbuds or forgetting where you put them. Even though truly wireless technology is catching up, neckband headphones generally have better microphone and battery performance. However, many manufacturers don't make neckband headphones anymore, and a lot of popular options have been discontinued, so you may need to look around or be prepared to find these products second-hand.
We've tested more than 870 headphones, and below, you'll find our recommendations for the best wireless neckband headphones. If you're looking for our top picks for other earbuds or in-ear headphones, check out our picks for the best wireless earbuds, the best wireless earbuds for running and working out, and the best bone conduction and open-ear headphones.
Our How We Test Headphones article takes you behind the scenes in our lab. You'll learn how we choose and purchase products and dive into the details of our review philosophy, from testing and scoring to writing and editing.
You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
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Best Neckband Headphones
The best neckband headphones we've tested are the Sony WI-1000XM2 Wireless. They're the next generation of the Sony WI-1000X Wireless, offering more intuitive controls and a more flexible neckband. They can be tricky to find new, so it's worth looking around if you'd like a pair. They feel well-built and come with a hard case to help protect them when you're out and about. Thanks to their active noise cancelling (ANC) system, they can block out a solid amount of ambient noise at the office or during a commute. Their impressive battery life lasts about 8.5 hours of continuous use, and they support multi-device pairing, so you can stay connected to your phone and PC and avoid re-pairing when you switch devices. Unlike truly wireless earbuds, you can plug them in and use them wired when the battery dies.
Fans of bass-heavy genres like metal may find their sound lacking in thump and rumble, but they have a very accurate mid-range response that makes them well-suited for vocal-centric content like podcasts or pop music. You can customize their sound profile with the companion app's EQ and presets. Unfortunately, their in-ear fit can be fatiguing over time. The buds can also fall out of your ear with moderate head movement, so they aren't ideal for workouts. On the plus side, they come with several differently sized pairs of ear tips to help you get the best fit.
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Best Budget Neckband Headphones
Consider the Beats Flex Wireless if you want to stick to a tighter budget, or are just looking for neckband headphones that are more widely available online. They're technically neck cable headphones that connect the earbuds with a thin, flexible cable instead of a more rigid neckband. Still, you may find this design more comfortable and easier to carry. Thanks to their W1 chip, they're also one of the best neckband earbuds for Apple users since you can seamlessly pair them with devices in your Apple ecosystem. Unlike the top pick, they feature an in-line mic and controls but lack app compatibility.
Their bass-heavy sound profile delivers a touch of extra thump, rumble, and boom to mixes, making them nice for genres like trap and R&B. They're also well-built and available in a few different colors, so you can find a look that matches your style. A roughly 11-hour battery life is more than suitable for longer days on the go, too. However, they lack ANC and struggle to block out bass-range frequencies, like engine noise, during a commute. Due to their in-ear fit, they do a much better job of cutting down office chatter.
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Best Cheap Neckband Headphones
The Sony WI-C310 Wireless are the cheapest neckband headphones we'd recommend. While their price can fluctuate, they're often less than the Beats Flex Wireless, but you might need to go the used route to locate a pair. Like the Beats, these neck cable headphones have a lightweight, flexible wire connecting the earbuds, with in-line controls for calls and music. They're less comfortable and well-built than our previous pick, but you can always choose between the different ear tip sizes to find a better fit. Since they lack ANC, they can only passively block out background noises, like chatter between nearby coworkers. Still, their roughly 17 hours of continuous battery life will easily last through your workday and commute.
They sound more balanced than the Beats', with a clearer and brighter reproduction of voices and instruments. Their low bass lacks some thump and rumble, but overemphasis in the high-bass range adds punch and body to your audio. If you don't want to go the used route the Skullcandy Jib Wireless tend to be more readily available than the Sony. They aren't 'better,' but you can frequently find them for bargain prices. If you prefer a bass-heavy tuning, they deliver more low-end with decent stability, a mic, and a multi-function control. However, they're hampered by a short battery life and a flimsier build than the Sony.
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Best Bone Conduction Neckband Headphones
If the appeal of neckband headphones like the Sony WI-1000XM2 Wireless is that they're less likely to get lost when moving about, the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 Bone Conduction reach a similar end via different means: a rigid frame that wraps around your neck. Granted, they're very different, since the Shokz are designed to prioritize situational awareness over noise isolation and bass response. Bone conduction headphones send vibrations through your cheekbones to your inner ear instead of directing sound into your ear canal, which lets you hear your audio while keeping your ears open to ambient sound. That makes them a great fit for runs and outdoor workouts, especially since their lightweight silicone frame stays comfortable over long sessions, and their IP55 rating helps protect against dust and light rain exposure.
Like other open-ear headphones, they don't deliver much low bass, so they're not the best choice if you want the fuller sound of the Sony. Still, their mid-forward sound works well for podcasts and other vocal-focused content, and Shokz' hybrid bone and air conduction design helps reduce the stronger vibrations sometimes associated with bone conduction headphones. They also offer about nine hours of continuous battery life, multi-device pairing, a built-in mic, and a companion app with a five-band EQ, though the EQ can't fully make up for their limited bass and treble extension.
Notable Mentions
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Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear/HD1 In-Ear Wireless:
The Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear/HD1 In-Ear Wireless are neckband headphones with a longer battery life than the Sony WI-1000XM2 Wireless. Their app has a parametric EQ, which you may value if you like sound customization. However, they don't perform as well overall and are difficult to find because the manufacturer has discontinued them.
See our review -
Sony WI-C600N Wireless:
The Sony WI-C600N Wireless are high-end neckband headphones and offer many of the same features as the Sony WI-1000XM2 Wireless. However, their six-hour continuous battery life isn't the longest, and the manufacturer has discontinued them, so you'll likely have to buy it second-hand.
See our review -
Suunto Wing:
Like the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 Bone Conduction, the Suunto Wing are bone conduction headphones that can rest around your neck. The Suunto's IP67 rating makes them a good choice if you like to run outside a lot or are near water. But their sound isn't as good as the Shokz, which has dynamic drivers in addition to bone conduction drivers.
See our review
Recent Updates
Mar 30, 2026:
We added a new 'Best Bone Conduction' pick: the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 Bone Conduction. We also removed the Sony WI-C100 from our Notable Mentions and added a link to our best bone conduction and open-ear headphones article.
Dec 01, 2025:
We haven't tested any neckband headphones in a little while, but you can still find our recommendations online at different retailers or on the used market. We added the bone conduction Suunto Wing to our Notable Mentions and removed the Evolve 65E UC, which we haven't tested.
May 23, 2025:
We've swapped the first-gen Shokz OpenRun Pro Bone Conduction with the newer, second-generation iteration in our Notable Mentions.
Mar 04, 2025:
This article has been checked for accuracy. While many of the picks are no longer in stock, we're going to keep updating it as and when new products come into the lab.
Dec 05, 2024:
We've edited this text for clarity but haven't changed our picks.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best neckband Bluetooth headphones and the best wireless neckband earphones to buy for most people in each price range. 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'd like to choose for yourself, here's a list of our reviews of wireless in-ear and earbud headphones. 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.