Whether you're a seasoned runner or just getting started on your first couch-to-5k program, a good pair of headphones can make all the difference in your running journey. Most runners will prefer earbud-style headphones to avoid the sweaty earpads and lack of stability you get with over-ear headphones (though you can still check out our best over-ear headphones for working out to see some of the best over-ear headphones for running).
There are a few different styles to choose from when it comes to running earbuds: there are sealed in-ear buds with ANC that let you focus on your tunes, as well as open-ear and bone conduction headsets that leave your ears unsealed for situational awareness. Rock-solid stability is a top priority, but there's a range of designs to help you achieve it, so you can choose among wraparound ear hooks, clip-on cuffs, and neckbands. You'll want a comfortable fit, protection against water and sweat, and a lightweight design, too. If you're training for longer distances, it's best to opt for buds with a longer battery life, to avoid your pump-up jams fading as you hit the home stretch. Finally, the best running headphones will even include running-centric features, like heart rate monitors, that'll sync with your fitness app of choice so you can stay on top of your running data.
We've tested over 920 pairs of headphones, and below are our recommendations for the best running earbuds. While this article features a few unsealed designs, our best bone conduction and open-ear headphones list has a few more options. Plus, check out our best running shoes if you're lacking that extra spring in your step.
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 Headphones For Running
Sports And FitnessContinuous Battery Life:hrsStability:Comfort:See all our test resultsBuild Quality:The best headphones for running that we've tested are the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2. These in-ears strike the perfect balance between stability, comfort, and noise isolation, along with an onboard heart rate monitor, so they're our top pick for everything from all-out efforts to easy runs at Zone 2 pace. They come equipped with ear hooks that latch onto your ears to prevent displacement during fast interval sprints, and the combination of metal and rubber in their construction provides a sturdy yet lightweight fit. Their Apple H2 chip also enables easy pairing with your iPhone or Apple Watch, though they play nice with Android devices too.
The active noise cancellation (ANC) system does a fantastic job of tamping down on unwanted distractions, like the clacking of treadmills, so you can focus on your motivational playlist. That said, if you prefer to stay aware of your surroundings, you can use their transparency mode, which filters some external noise into your audio. Their seven hours of continuous battery life should take you through all but the longest marathon events, too, though it's on the shorter side compared to our other picks. They have a very balanced sound compared to the competition, with plenty of bass to help you feel the kicks in your favorite workout anthems. Still, this very rounded feature set means you'll pay a premium price for them.
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Best Mid-Range Headphones For Running
Sports And FitnessContinuous Battery Life:hrsStability:Comfort:See all our test resultsBuild Quality:If you're looking for great stability on a smaller budget, look no further than the JBL Endurance Peak 4. These in-ears have an ear hook design similar to the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2, though they lack some premium features, such as a heart rate monitor. With a comfortable fit and resilient build quality, they're perfect for your Sunday long run. Despite their in-ear fit, they have a design that doesn't put too much pressure on your ear canal, meaning they can be worn for long periods without much discomfort. They're rated for solid protection against dust and water, meaning they can weather the elements. Their impressive battery life also means they last almost 10 hours on a single charge, with an extra 3 charges in their case.
While these buds cover the basics well, you do lose out on some of the Beats' premium features. While there's an ANC system, it doesn't work anywhere near as well as the Beats, leaving you at the mercy of honking cars and revving engines. They do have a transparency mode, though, which is great for staying aware of your surroundings. There's no heart rate monitor or easy iOS pairing either, but their sound has even more bass-range thump than the Beats, bringing some intensity to your running playlist.
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Best Budget Headphones For Running
Sports And FitnessContinuous Battery Life:hrsStability:Comfort:See all our test resultsBuild Quality:The EarFun OpenJump are a great choice for budget-conscious runners looking for stability, comfort, and situational awareness, though their design struggles to reproduce audio consistently between wears. While they sport a similar ear hook design to the JBL Endurance Peak 4, they use an open-ear driver design to reproduce audio. Unlike in-ear designs, this leaves your ear canal open so you can hear your surroundings better. So, while these headphones are still very comfortable and stay fixed on your ear as you jog, run, or sprint, you can't tune out the distractions in your environment. This design also struggles to reproduce bass frequencies, so club anthems will lack boom and punch. As a result, they're best suited to audio content like podcasts and audiobooks, as these buds reproduce voices well.
Despite being mostly plastic, they have solid build quality, and the buds are rated for protection against rain and sweat, so you don't need to baby them. The battery also lasts over 10 hours on a single charge, with almost 3 extra charges in the case, so you don't need to constantly recharge them between workouts. Many people will find their control scheme to be a little clunky compared to the JBL, though, as the touch-sensitive control surface often has trouble registering multi-tap commands.
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Best Cheap Headphones For Running
Sports And FitnessContinuous Battery Life:hrsStability:Comfort:See all our test resultsBuild Quality:If you're looking for running earbuds on the smallest of budgets, the JLab Audio GO Sport+ have got you covered, though you'll lose out on build quality. As with the EarFun OpenJump, their design uses ear hooks to anchor the buds in place, with excellent stability even on bumpy trail runs. However, unlike the EarFun, they use an in-ear design that goes quite deep into your ear canal and isolates you from your surroundings. This also helps them produce a powerful bass response that can keep you motivated during high-intensity efforts, as the deep fit makes for consistent bass delivery. As you'd expect at this price point, the main trade-off is build quality. The buds use a plastic-heavy build, and while they're rated against light water flow, there's a major weak point with the case: the USB-C charging cable is embedded in the case itself, so damaging the cable means you can't charge the case at all. This could mean replacing them early.
While the attenuation they provide can help you achieve zen on long runs, there's no transparency mode like with our more expensive picks, so you can't choose to filter in external noise when you're running busier routes. If you don't mind sacrificing the ear hooks' stability for improved build quality, the Anker Soundcore P31i are also a good option at this price point. They aren't specifically designed for running and sports, so they're more likely to fall out during sprints, but they do come with a decent ANC system if you want to stay focused on your tunes.
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Best Clip-On Headphones For Running
Sports And FitnessContinuous Battery Life:hrsStability:Comfort:See all our test resultsBuild Quality:While our picks so far have all featured ear hook designs, many of the best running earbuds will feature clip-on designs that attach to the outside of your ear. The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds use this design to great effect, providing the most stable fit of any of our picks, while leaving your ear canals open for some situational awareness. Just be aware that they can be uncomfortable if you have piercings in the area or you're sensitive to pressure on your cartilage. Still, they're lightweight, small, and, though the clip-on fit can take some time to get used to at first, most people will find their soft silicone housings very comfortable after a few wears. You get 9.5 hours of continuous battery life with them, too, plus almost three extra charges in the case.
As with the EarFun OpenJump, the open-ear design has its drawbacks. While leaving your ear canal unsealed can be great if you're weaving through pedestrian traffic during your morning jog, you won't be able to block out your gym's playlist during treadmill sessions if the music isn't your jam, so it's worth checking out our best earbuds for working out if you're worried about this. The design also struggles to produce much bass, especially compared to in-ears like the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2. However, what you lose in bass, you gain in exceptional stability. They also come with a spatial audio feature that can make your songs sound more spacious and immersive during long runs, which is rare for open-ears. If you're looking for a lower-priced alternative, the CMF Clip Pro offer a similarly comfortable fit in an open-ear package. Their six hours of battery life falls short of the Bose's 9.5 hours, though.
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Best Bone Conduction Headphones For Running
Sports And FitnessContinuous Battery Life:hrsStability:Comfort:See all our test resultsBuild Quality:The Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 Bone Conduction stand apart from the other earbuds on this list. They use bone conduction technology to reproduce audio. In short, this type of headphone relies on sending vibrations through your skull and jaw, rather than through air. While this might sound unpleasant at first, many runners swear by bone conduction headphones for their blend of stability, comfort, and situational awareness. These headphones use a combination of bone conduction drivers and dynamic drivers, reducing some of the intense vibrations you get with pure bone conduction headsets while still delivering all the benefits.
Like the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, they leave your ear totally unsealed so you hear when someone's about to overtake you on a run. While they aren't quite as stable as the Bose, they still offer amazing stability via ear hooks and a headset band, as well as resistance to rain and sweat, and a comfortable fit, courtesy of their soft (yet sturdy) silicone construction. Their nine-hour battery life will get you through a few long-distance workouts without needing a recharge, too, and they even come with a carrying case for easy transport. That said, they struggle to reproduce bass and treble-range content, so they're best suited to mid-heavy content like podcasts. Many people find bone conduction vibrations a little jarring, so it's worth trying them out before buying to see if you're a fan.
Notable Mentions
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Shokz OpenRun Air 2 Bone Conduction:
The Shokz OpenRun Air 2 Bone Conduction are a cheaper version of the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 Bone Conduction. They use the same bone conduction drivers as the more premium model, but lack dynamic drivers, which can cause more uncomfortable vibrations. They offer similar comfort and stability, though, and can last 18 hours off a single charge.
See our review -
Apple AirPods Pro 3:
While the Apple AirPods Pro 3 aren't specifically designed for running, they come with a heart rate monitor, solid comfort and stability, and easy iOS pairing. Though their noise isolation performance is even better than the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2, the Beats' ear hook design guarantees stability even if the in-ear fit comes loose. The Beats also have an Android app.
See our review -
Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro:
The Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro are wireless in-ears with amazing stability. They use stabilizer fins instead of ear hooks, which makes them a great choice for a more casual-looking pair you can also wear in the office. While they're more comfortable than the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 and have better ANC, they lack the Beats' heart rate monitor and aren't as well-built.
See our review
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best Bluetooth headphones for running (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 the list of all of our headphone reviews, ranked by their suitability for sports and fitness. Be careful not to get caught up in the details. There are no perfect headphones. Personal taste, preference, and where you use the headphones will matter more in your selection.