The 5 Best Noise Cancelling Earbuds of 2025

The Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 are the best noise cancelling earbuds we've tested. Their superb ANC attenuates noise across the whole frequency spectrum, from the low rumbles of a train engine to the high-pitched whirring of a nearby fan. If you wear them walking down a busy street, even sharp sounds like car horns will be greatly reduced in level. With ANC on, they last about eight hours continuously, and their carrying case holds an extra three charges. You can also use their carrying case as a Bluetooth LE transmitter, which might come in handy for hooking up to the in-flight audio on plane trips.

These buds have a stable, sports-oriented design. Their coating helps them to stay in your ears even on sweaty runs, and their IP68 rating means they'll survive being dropped into puddles or a long hike on a dusty road. Their out-of-the-box sound is well-balanced, with a little extra boom and punch. Their treble range is a little uneven, with some peaks and dips rendering sibilants harsh or dull depending on their pitch. However, their great companion app includes a graphic EQ and presets so you can tailor their sound to your preferences.

Although not quite as good at blocking out noise as the newer Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2, the Jabra Elite still provide excellent ANC performance at a slightly lower price point. The Elite 10 do an impressive job isolating you from real-world environmental noise, like chatty coworkers in an office. You'll hear a little more engine rumble and fan whine than you will with the newer Elite 8 Gen 2 pair, but they're still a great choice, and very low-pitched noise will often be masked by the audio you're listening to anyway.

The Elite 10 have a generally neutral sound profile that represents everything from basslines to vocals naturally and with detail. Like the Elite 8 Active Gen 2, there's some extra punch in the low-end, and the treble is also a little uncontrolled. A big peak in the mid-treble means the Elite 10 can be a little harsh, especially with high-pitched sounds like sibilants. Fortunately, you can customize them to suit your preferences using their companion app. With their ANC on, they last 7.5 hours on a single charge, and their carrying case supplies a further three charges. They also support Dolby Spatial Sound, which makes your audio feel wider and deeper, and Dolby Atmos, a surround sound format. You'll need special Dolby Atmos files in order to use the Jabra's Atmos support, though.

The Sony LinkBuds S Truly Wireless are the best earbuds with ANC in the mid-range we've tested. Their build quality is a step down from the Jabra Elite 10, but they have a similar noise isolation performance, easily cutting down sounds like plane engine rumbles and chatty coworkers. They also go on sale for quite a bit less than the Jabra, so they're worth waiting for if you're looking for a deal. Their battery lasts for over seven hours with the ANC on, and you can top them up on the go, thanks to their case that stores 2.3 extra charges.

They support multi-device pairing, so you can stay connected to your phone and computer at the same time, while their small, lightweight design ensures a comfortable fit for long periods. If you have smaller ears, these are a good choice. Their overall frequency response is a bit more subdued than the Jabra, with less clarity in the treble region that can leave sibilants and cymbals sounding dull. That said, instruments and vocals are still present and detailed if a touch recessed, and some may appreciate this smoother sound. That said, you can fine-tune their sound using their companion app's graphic EQ and presets.

The best earbuds we've tested with ANC in the budget category are the Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless. Despite their more affordable price tag, they offer an even better overall noise isolation performance than the Sony LinkBuds S Truly Wireless. Their adaptive ANC easily reduces bass-range noise like plane engine rumbles, making them a solid choice for travel. They also do an excellent job cutting out mid- to high-pitched sounds, like background chit-chat or a humming computer fan. These versatile buds come with features like multi-device pairing and LDAC codec support so that you can stream Hi-Res content.

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. 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.

If you're looking for premium buds with excellent compatibility with Apple devices, try the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation). These buds are around the same price as the Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2. Their ANC system is comparable to the Jabra, and actually does a better job of blocking out real-world sounds like office chatter and pedestrian noise. Since they're an Apple product, they offer some iOS-specific features worth checking out if you own a MacBook or an iPhone. Spatial Audio is a virtual surround sound feature meant to create a more immersive audio experience, and their H2 chip allows for seamless pairing with other Apple devices.

Thanks to their adaptive EQ, the Apple AirPods Pro have a warm sound profile well-suited for genres like folk and jazz. However, their sound customization features are only available to iOS users, unlike our top pick which works with Android as well. With ANC on, their battery lasts about six hours of continuous use, and their carrying case supplies an extra four charges. They have a comfortable fit, but the buds can wiggle out over time, so you may have to readjust them occasionally. If you prefer a different fit, the Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation Truly Wireless are an option with both an open design and ANC capabilities. Like the AirPods Pro, they have similar compatibility in the Apple ecosystem; however, they don't reduce noise quite as well in higher frequencies.