Sometimes, we all need a bit of peace. If you use your headphones daily for commuting or while at the office, 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 cancelling features. You can also passively achieve great isolation with some in-ear headphones that don't feature ANC, as they physically block your ear canals. If you're not sure what differentiated passive isolation and ANC are, check out our article to discover what exactly ANC is.
We've tested over 350 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 wireless Bluetooth earbuds, or the best noise cancelling 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 Noise Cancelling Earbuds
Noise Isolation - Full RangeNoise Isolation - Common ScenariosBatterySee all our test resultsNoise IsolationThe best noise cancelling earbuds we've tested are the Sony WF-1000XM6. These lightweight buds are the next iteration of the Sony WF-1000XM5, bringing improvements in the noise cancelling and microphone departments. The tweaks made to the ANC system, combined with the passive isolation from their memory foam tips, mean these buds now rank among the very best we've tested. They're able to attenuate everything from rumbling plane engines to high-pitched electrical noise, with the ability to dial in your chosen amount of ambient awareness. The improved mic renders your voice with plenty of detail and can separate it effectively from all but the noisiest backgrounds.
This model also sees an ergonomic redesign, with a slightly chunkier teardrop-shaped design compared to the last generation. However, this new shape won't suit everyone: those with smaller ears might find it awkward to achieve a solid, stable fit, resulting in the buds popping out and requiring re-adjustment. 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. There's a graphic EQ and presets in the app if you prefer a different sound, though. 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 Upper Mid-Range Noise Cancelling Earbuds
Noise Isolation - Full RangeNoise Isolation - Common ScenariosBatterySee all our test resultsNoise IsolationJust below the premium tier are the Technics EAH-AZ100. They're the follow-up to the Technics EAH-AZ80 and, while their ANC isn't quite on par with the Sony WF-1000XM6, it still 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 while walking down a busy street, even sharp sounds like car horns will be greatly reduced in level. With ANC on, they last a whopping 12.2 hours, and their carrying case holds an extra 1.5 charges. This gives the Technics the longest battery life on a single charge we've tested for truly wireless earbuds with ANC enabled and continuous playback. They also have wide connectivity options, supporting up to three-device Bluetooth multi-point, and LDAC and LC3 codecs for high-fidelity listening.
These buds have a stable and comfortable design, although they have a deeper in-ear fit, which can be a bit uncomfortable for some people. They likely won't fall out of your ears due to this snug fit, and their IPX4 rating means they'll survive if you take them out for a jog in the rain. Their out-of-the-box sound resembles other popular targets like the SenseLab Aizu more than our in-house curve, with extended bass emphasis and a treble cut that lends the earbuds a warmer sound. That said, you can always tweak the earbuds with their graphic EQ.
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Best Mid-Range Noise Cancelling Earbuds
Noise Isolation - Full RangeNoise Isolation - Common ScenariosBatterySee all our test resultsNoise IsolationThe Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 are the best earbuds with ANC in the mid-range we've tested. While they typically sell for more than their current price, we felt it was worth highlighting them during the holiday season. They have similar noise isolation performance to our previous pick, so they easily cut down sounds like plane engine rumbles and chatty coworkers. Their build quality also outstrips that of the Sony WF-1000XM6 Truly Wireless, making them an excellent option at a slightly lower price.
Their lightweight design ensures a comfortable fit for extended periods, but they have a chunky design relative to other picks on this list. The Sennheiser have a darker frequency response than that of the previous pick, with a further underemphasized treble 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. If you want to tweak their sound, you can fine-tune their signature using their companion app's graphic EQ and presets. If you have trouble finding an attractive deal on the Sennheiser, you might find the Technics EAH-AZ80 more compelling. While the ANC on the Japanese brand's earbuds isn't quite as effective, they offer multi-device pairing with up to three devices (compared to the Sennheiser's two), and they're cheaper.
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Best Lower Mid-Range Noise Cancelling Earbuds
Noise Isolation - Full RangeNoise Isolation - Common ScenariosBatterySee all our test resultsNoise IsolationIf you're looking to stand out from the crowd while still taking advantage of a powerful ANC system, the Nothing Ear (3) could be for you. These distinctive, transparent earbuds are the latest in Nothing's wireless in-ear line, introducing an extremely bass-heavy tuning and tweaked ANC system. While their noise isolation performance is among the weakest of our picks, and they're outperformed by the cheaper Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless, they have other strengths, like the MEMS 'Super Mic' in the charging case. Their integrated mic is solid and does a great job of separating your voice from its background.
While the ANC performance isn't top-tier, it still helps attenuate external noises. Bass-range noises, like passing buses, are greatly diminished in volume, as well as treble-range sounds, like fridge hum. They're less consistent at filtering out mid-range noise, like background conversations. They're somewhat let down by their battery life, which lasts just over five hours with ANC enabled. There are no power-saving features that can help you extend their battery life, either, though there are three extra charges contained in their case.
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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. Despite their lower price tag, they offer slightly better overall noise isolation than the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 4. 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 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 the Sennheiser headphones' aptX Adaptive.
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.
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Best Noise Cancelling Earbuds For Comfort
Noise Isolation - Full RangeNoise Isolation - Common ScenariosBatterySee all our test resultsNoise IsolationMany people dislike the in-ear fit required for exceptional noise isolation, but the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) offer one of the most comfortable in-ear fits on the market. They retail for a similar price to our top pick, the Sony WF-1000XM6, but their streamlined design and shallow in-ear fit make them more likely to fit comfortably, regardless of the shape of your ears. They're well-built, IPX4-rated, and their stabilizer fins provide enough stability for jogs and moderate-intensity exercise. As with other Bose earbuds, they have a bass-heavy sound profile that's well-suited to genres like hip-hop and dance hall.
While their noise isolation performance isn't quite on the same level as the Sony, they still do a fantastic job of blocking out external noises across the entire frequency range, rendering you oblivious to engine revs and background conversations alike. Their built-in mic isn't the best, but will do the job for phone calls, ensuring your voice is understandable to whoever's on the other end. They're hampered somewhat by their battery life, though, which is on the shorter side at 6.5 hours. While this might not get you through a full workday with a single charge, there are three extra charges contained in the carrying case should you need to top up.
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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 Technics EAH-AZ100, but their ANC system outperforms the Technics, doing a better job of blocking out real-world sounds, like office chatter and pedestrian noise. They're not our top pick because many of their features are only available to Apple users. These include Spatial Audio, a virtual surround sound feature designed to create a more immersive audio experience, and an H2 chip that enables seamless pairing with other Apple devices.
Thanks, in part, to their Adaptive EQ, the Pro 3 have a fairly versatile sound profile, with an especially flat mid-range that is well-suited for all kinds of audio and musical content. However, their sound customization features are only available to iOS users, unlike the Sony and Technics offerings, which also work with Android. With ANC on, their battery lasts about nine hours of continuous use, and their carrying case supplies an extra two charges. They have a comfortable fit, but some people dislike the suction effect produced by in-ear headphones. If that's you, consider the Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. These have a looser, earbud-style fit but maintain ANC capabilities. Like the AirPods Pro 3, they have similar compatibility with the Apple ecosystem; however, because they don't form a snug seal in your ear, they can't block noise as well as the Pro 3 can.
Notable Mentions
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Devialet Gemini II True Wireless:
The Devialet Gemini II True Wireless are high-end buds. They can block out a little more real-world background noise than the Technics EAH-AZ100, especially on the streets and in the office, although they perform slightly worse on planes. Their battery also lasts only five hours continuously, compared to the Technics' 12.2 hours, and they're significantly more expensive than our top pick.
See our review -
Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro:
The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro's ANC performs just a touch better in everyday scenarios than the Technics EAH-AZ100. However, the Samsung headphones' app is only available to Android users, and their microphone performs significantly worse at separating your voice from surrounding noise.
See our review -
Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC Truly Wireless:
The Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC Truly Wireless offer nearly the same level of noise isolation as the Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless, but have an ear stem design in contrast to the A40's round body. Their sound is much more bass-heavy, which muddies the vocals and instruments.
See our review
Recent Updates
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.
Dec 12, 2025:
While the Technics EAH-AZ100 and Sony WF-1000XM5 Truly Wireless are neck-and-neck in price, we've elected to leave them as our top and upper mid-range picks and wait until prices have stabilized after the holidays. We've also updated our mid-range pick to the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 4.
Oct 14, 2025:
The Apple AirPods Pro 3 replace the Apple AirPods Pro 2 as our iPhone pick, while the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) replace the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Truly Wireless in our Notable Mentions. We also removed the Technics EAH-AZ80 from our Notable Mentions as they're mentioned elsewhere in the article.
Jun 02, 2025:
We've overhauled some picks in the article to reflect limited stock availability, notably replacing our top and upper mid-range picks with the Technics EAH-AZ100 and Sony WF-1000XM5 Truly Wireless, respectively.
Mar 21, 2025:
We've checked this article to ensure all our picks are in stock and pricing remains consistent, but we've made no changes.
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 would like to choose for yourself, here is 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.