If you use your headphones daily for commuting, while at the office, or just want some peace and quiet, you may want something that effectively blocks background noise. In the past, you needed large over-ears to get good active noise cancelling (ANC), but now even small and portable in-ears or earbuds have impressive noise isolation performance. You can also achieve great passive isolation with some in-ear headphones that don't feature ANC, as they physically block your ear canals. If you're not sure how passive isolation and active cancellation differ, you can read more in our dedicated ANC article. The best entries feature noise-isolation performance with solid bass, mid, and treble frequency reduction, so noise from rumbly engines to people speaking to high-pitched whirring gets attenuated.
We've tested over 375 earbuds and in-ears; below are our recommendations for the best in-ear noise cancelling headphones to buy. Check out our recommendations for the best wireless earbuds, the best noise cancelling headphones, or the best noise cancelling headphones under $200 if you're on a budget.
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 Noise Cancelling Earbuds
Noise Isolation - Full RangeNoise Isolation - Common ScenariosBatterySee all our test resultsNoise IsolationThe best noise cancelling earbuds are the Sony WF-1000XM6. They continue the legacy of the Sony WF-1000XM5, providing access to top-of-the-line noise cancelling. At this level of performance, improvements tend to be incremental, but these headphones noticeably outperform the previous generation in reducing low-frequency airplane rumble, with minor improvements for voices and higher-pitched noise. However, these technically aren't the best earbuds we've tested in terms of performance, with the Apple AirPods Pro 3 quieting voices and mid-range noise more effectively. However, the Sony are our top pick because they're not isolated to the Apple ecosystem, and have features usable on both Android and iOS devices, like a graphic equalizer to change their default tuning to your taste.
That said, these earbuds have a chunky teardrop-shaped design, which may put some people off; if you have small ears, they'll be awkward to wear and achieve a stable fit. For those this isn't an issue for, their warm tuning supplements a generous helping of bass with a balanced mid and treble range, resulting in a sound that'll be amenable to most. And the app features a graphic EQ and presets if you prefer to tweak your sound manually. While their eight hours of battery life isn't the longest among our picks, it's still enough to get you through an average workday without dipping into the two extra charges in the case.
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Best Mid-Range Noise Cancelling Earbuds
Noise Isolation - Full RangeNoise Isolation - Common ScenariosBatterySee all our test resultsNoise IsolationBelow our top pick are the Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro, the best in-ear noise cancelling headphones that we've tested in the mid-range. Despite the drastic price drop relative to our top pick, these buds provide a complete package of comfort, stability, and, of course, exceptional noise isolation performance that goes head-to-head with the Sony WF-1000XM6 (and outright beats some competing flagships). That said, their battery life sits at a shorter 6.9 hours of continuous playback. However, they can connect to up to three devices simultaneously via Bluetooth multipoint, so you can juggle multiple personal and/or work devices if that's your intended use.
The buds are also more universally comfortable than the Sony due to their shallower ear tips (five sizes), optional stabilizers, and sleeker body. They also have a more robust water- and dust-resistance certification, which makes them a great noise cancelling option for the gym. By default, their bass is strongly emphasized, but you can adjust the tuning using the app's 8-band EQ. If you're focused on comfort and value, you may prefer these buds over our top pick.
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Best Budget Noise Cancelling Earbuds
Noise Isolation - Full RangeNoise Isolation - Common ScenariosBatterySee all our test resultsNoise IsolationThe best earbuds we've tested with ANC in the budget category are the Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless. You might be surprised to see another pick from Anker here, but the brand consistently offers noise cancelling headphones and earbuds that well outperform their listed prices, so they typically dominate the mid to budget range. Keeping with the trend, these headphones' adaptive ANC matches many top-performing earbuds and reduces bass-range noise like plane engine rumbles, making them a solid choice for travel. They also do an excellent job of eliminating mid- to high-pitched sounds, like background chatter or a humming computer fan. These versatile buds feature multi-device pairing and LDAC codec support for streaming Hi-Res content. That said, they don't support a low-latency codec like LC3 or aptX Adaptive.
Unfortunately, if you need to make calls, their integrated mic does a poor job of capturing speech clearly, so your voice sounds distant and sharp, which isn't very pleasant for the caller on the other end of the line. Even so, they're well-built and have a warm default sound profile that you can customize via their companion app's graphic EQ and presets. They also last over eight hours continuously, which will get you through long days on the go, and their carrying case holds an extra four charges.
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Best Cheap Noise Cancelling Earbuds
Noise Isolation - Full RangeNoise Isolation - Common ScenariosBatterySee all our test resultsNoise IsolationIf you're looking to shrink your spend further without sacrificing ANC, the Anker Soundcore P31i are the best cheap noise cancelling earbuds we've tested. The lower spend means sacrificing some noise-attenuation effectiveness, especially compared to a standout like the Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless, but their ANC still delivers decent noise isolation. That said, they're more versatile than the Space A40, offering superior comfort and stability for exercise, a more robust water-resistance rating, and a more natural-sounding microphone system for office work.
By default, these headphones have a bassy, warm tuning that fills out basslines and kick drums in catchy pop and rock tunes, though you can always adjust how they sound with the app's graphic EQ or presets, or take an in-app hearing test that generates an EQ profile for you. The buds have a slightly shorter 7.3-hour battery life compared to the Space A40's 8.1 hours, but there are four extra charges in the carrying case.
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Best Noise Cancelling Earbuds For iPhone
Noise Isolation - Full RangeNoise Isolation - Common ScenariosBatterySee all our test resultsNoise IsolationIf you're looking for premium buds with excellent compatibility with Apple devices, try the Apple AirPods Pro 3. These buds are priced similarly to the Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro, but their ANC system goes toe-to-toe with our top pick's, even outperforming when it comes to blocking out mid-range chatter. The primary reason they don't take the top spot on our list is that many of their features are only available to Apple users, such as built-in heart rate sensors and virtual surround sound designed to create a more immersive audio experience.
These headphones have a versatile sound profile, with an especially flat mid-range that is well-suited for all kinds of audio and musical content. However, their native three-band EQ is only available to iOS users, unlike our other picks, which have apps that also work with Android. With ANC on, their battery lasts about nine hours continuously, and their carrying case provides an extra two charges. They have a comfortable fit, but some people may dislike the suction effect produced by in-ear headphones. If that's you, consider the Apple AirPods 5 (either the standard or wireless charging case model). They have an open design without ear tips, but still manage to block out plenty of engine rumble and chatty commuters, though they aren't as effective at attenuating high-pitched noise and have a shorter battery life.
Notable Mentions
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Technics EAH-AZ100:
The Technics EAH-AZ100 have slightly worse ANC performance than the Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro. They're also more expensive, but they offer a longer 12.2-hour battery life and the same three-device Bluetooth multipoint for juggling calls between connected devices.
See our review -
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen):
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) are impressively comfortable earbuds with exceptional noise cancelling capabilities, but their value is undercut by the existence of the cheaper Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro, which offer not only better noise isolation performance, but also better ergonomics, battery life, and microphone performance.
See our review
Recent Updates
Oct 09, 2026:
We've edited the text to improve clarity on product trade-offs and added a mention of the Apple AirPods 5 to our 'Best For iPhone' category.
Aug 10, 2026:
We've overhauled the article following the addition of the Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro as our mid-range pick, as they outperform more expensive options while being one of the most comfortable earbuds we've tested. We've also added the Anker Soundcore P31i as a versatile, affordable option.
Jun 11, 2026:
We've integrated the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 into the Technics EAH-AZ100 pick, as the two now fall into a similar price category. We've also checked that our picks are still valid and remain in stock at various retailers.
Apr 30, 2026:
We've checked the article and ensured our picks are still valid. We've also introduced the Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro and Anker Soundcore P31i in the article.
Mar 17, 2026:
We've made some major changes to the picks in this article. The new Sony WF-1000XM6 are the new top pick, with their top-of-the-line noise isolation performance. The Technics EAH-AZ100 have been bumped to the upper mid-range pick. Meanwhile, the Nothing Ear (3) have been added as a lower mid-range pick, and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) are our new comfort pick.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best in-ear noise cancelling headphones for most people to buy. 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 the list of all our reviews for noise cancelling earbuds and in-ears. Be careful not to get caught up in the details. There are no perfect headphones. Personal taste, preference, and listening habits will play a greater role in your selection.