The 7 best open earbuds stay put, sound great, and keep us aware of the world

Open-ear earbuds sit on the exterior of the ear, but they also come in many shapes and sizes, from clip models to ear hook models.

Some are specifically designed for working out , while others are better for everyday use.

The Bose Ultra Open earbuds are an especially popular pick, thanks to their sound quality and color options, but at $299, they're hardly the most affordable option.

Plus, since the Bose Ultra Open came out in 2024, big audio brands like Sony have released open earbuds of their own, while Shokz has introduced noise reductio n into the category for the first time.

To help you find the best open earbud models available in 2026, we tested the latest options from Soundcore, Sony, Shokz, Bose, and more.

SEE ALSO: The 11 best wireless earbuds we've ever tested What are open earbuds? Open earbuds let you get as close as possible to the feeling of not wearing earbuds at all.

Unlike in-ear earbuds, which sit in your ear canal, open earbuds sit just outside your ears (as the name would suggest).

Some models hold the speaker component in place with an ear hook, while others opt for an ear cuff.

SEE ALSO: We tested the top fitness trackers of 2025: See our favorite wearables and smart rings People generally opt for open earbuds for three main reasons: They provide a private listening experience while leaving you almost completely aware of your surroundings.

It's like the best transparency mode you've ever used.

For some people, not having an earbud physically in their ear is generally more comfortable.

The hooks and cuffs (along with general awareness of your surroundings) make them a great option for keeping you in place and alert while you're working out, working, or simply existing in the world.

What are the drawbacks of open earbuds? As you may have gathered from the section above, open earbuds don't come with active noise cancellation.

That's mostly thanks to how much sound they let in (by design) and the difficulty of cancelling out sound without having the device covering your actual ear canal.