The 4 Best Headphones for Running of 2023

We’ve added the Shokz OpenRun as a recommendation for runners who don’t like wearing earbuds.

There’s a little ritual I do before every run. After the required prelude of lacing sneakers and applying Body Glide, I put in my earbuds, close my eyes, take a deep breath, and press play. In that moment, I shrug off the worries and responsibilities of the day. For the time being, it’s just me, the music, and the movement.

The act of propelling your body forward through space can have significant benefits for your physical and mental health, but the hardest part is taking that first step. If a good playlist is the motivation you need to get going, earbuds are an essential piece of running equipment.

Some runners like to block out noise completely. Others prefer to hear their surroundings. We have recommendations for both.

We looked for wireless running headphones that comfortably and securely fit all of our panelists, despite diverse ear shapes.

These headphones should be easy to use. And they should have the buttons you need, so you can put your phone away during a run.

To endure sweat, headphones need a rating of IPX4 or higher. The more punishing the environment, the higher the rating.

Our conversations with runners—from casual beginners to marathoners—have revealed that different runners value different headphone features. So instead of giving you a single top pick for all runners, we’re recommending a variety of earbuds to suit assorted needs.

We have a noise-isolating pair for treadmill runners, a couple of open designs that let you hear your surroundings when running outdoors, and an inexpensive set for occasional runners or folks on a budget.

Our recommendations in this guide come from the research and testing we’ve conducted for our general guide to the best workout headphones. Whereas that guide looks more broadly at sweat-resistant headphones and earbuds for a variety of workout activities, this guide focuses on some of the unique concerns that runners have.

The completely wireless Jabra Elite Active 65t earbuds are our top pick, thanks to good performance, sweat resistance, and a secure, comfortable fit.

This pair reduces gym and street noise, sounds great, and has easy-to-use controls. But the sealed design isn’t ideal when you need to hear your surroundings for safety.

Runners who want to block out external noise, whether it’s the sound of a treadmill or the general din of big-city life.

The JBL Reflect Aero TWS true wireless earbuds have an exceptionally high level of protection against water and sweat (with an IP68 rating), and these small, light earbuds should stay securely in place when you run, thanks to the stabilizing wings.

The sealed design and active noise cancellation will reduce the sounds of traffic, the gym, or noisy workout equipment. And if you need to have a quick conversation or listen for an external sound, a natural-sounding hear-through mode is a tap away. Or when you want more situational awareness, you can choose to wear only one earbud at a time.

The battery life of eight hours is good for true wireless earbuds, and the pocket-sized case offers up an additional 16 hours of juice. The large, touch-based controls are easy to learn and use—and they’re less prone to misfires than other touch-based controls we’ve tried.

Google and Alexa users will appreciate the hands-free, voice-activated-assistant compatibility. The six-microphone array helps to reduce wind noise and ensures that your voice is clear for phone calls and video chats. This pair can also connect wirelessly to two devices at once.

Out of the box, the Reflect Aero TWS earbuds sound good, with some added oomph in the bass and added energy in the frequency range where consonants sit. Many people will enjoy the sound as is, but we liked it better after doing a little EQ tinkering in the app. If anything goes wrong, JBL covers this pair with a one-year warranty.

You can read more about the Reflect Aero TWS in our guide to workout headphones.

The stabilizing wings may bother people with sensitive ears or small ear canals. Though the winged design is ideal for running because of its grip, it can be fatiguing to wear for hours on end.

While the touch-based controls are easy to use, you can assign only two sets of controls: playback controls, ANC/hear-through controls, or volume controls (not all three at the same time). Alexa and Google fans may not mind this, since their preferred digital assistant is always listening for its wake word—so no tap is necessary.

Apple users can access Siri, but it involves a tap-and-hold on the touch control. (If you want hands-free “Hey Siri” control, consider the Beats Fit Pro instead.) We also wish the case supported wireless charging.

Those who run outdoors will appreciate that these earbuds fit securely and allow the wearer to hear the surrounding world. However, the sound lacks low-end presence, so music lovers may be disappointed when the bass line fails to kick in.

Outdoor runners who want to hear their surroundings and generally prefer listening to podcasts or audiobooks when they run.

The Cleer Goal earbuds are designed to let the wearer hear noises in the surrounding world; this is key for runners who are concerned about outdoor safety. The ear tips are funnel-shaped and rest inside your ear, but they don’t close off your ear canal completely—so you’re better able to hear and locate the sounds of cars, animals, and people.

This design is also beneficial if you are annoyed by the footstep-amplifying occlusion effect that traditional sealed eartips create; with this pair, you’ll feel less like Godzilla stomping through your jog (though, admittedly, pretending to destroy a city while getting in your cardio is kinda fun).

The stabilizing wings keep the earbuds in place rather well, which we love for smaller or harder-to-fit ears.

Although the Cleer Goal earbuds don’t produce deep bass notes, they do offer crisp detail in the human vocal range. So they’re great for listening to podcasts and audiobooks or hearing the verbal cues of navigation software.

The large, easy-to-access touch-based controls (located on the side of the earbuds) handle volume, track skip, calls, and voice-assistant activation. With an Ingress Protection rating of IPX4, the Cleer Goal set can endure sweat or a light rain, and Cleer backs it with a one-year warranty.

Unfortunately, most touch-based controls are finicky, and those on the Goal earbuds are no exception. You’ll need to practice the pace of the tap-and-hold sequences before you can perform them consistently.

The sound isn’t bass-heavy enough for an unsealed design, so bass notes are significantly lower in volume compared with the rest of the mix; this aspect of the sound quality is a bummer and will likely leave music fans disappointed.

Additionally, the battery life of six hours per charge is middling, and though the charging case offers 14 additional hours of battery life, the case is too large to fit in a shorts pocket. However, most running belts should accommodate it.

If you don’t like the feeling of earbuds, these bone-conduction headphones transmit music directly to your inner ear and keep your ear canal open. Voices are clear, but you won’t hear a lot of bass.

You save $30 (23%)

You save $30 (23%)

You save $30 (23%)

Outdoor runners who dislike the feeling of earbuds and/or want to hear their surroundings.

The Shokz OpenRun (and its counterpart for smaller heads, the OpenRun Mini) is the best-performing pair of bone-conduction headphones for the price.

Unlike earbuds or headphones that use the air to transmit sound waves to your ears, bone-conduction headphones use vibrations that pass through your skull. So instead of sitting on or in your ears, this pair has pads that hug the sides of your head. Nothing blocks your ear canals, so your ears are left free to hear your surroundings.

Fans of bone-conduction headphones will love this set’s clear vocal range, easy-access controls, solid build quality, light weight, and IP67 waterproof design, as well as Shokz’s two-year warranty. People with smaller noggins may prefer the Mini model to get a more secure fit—which is essential for sound to transmit effectively.

The set’s eight-hour battery life should get you through the better part of a day. And the quick-charge function provides about an hour and a half of battery life, after 10 minutes of being plugged in.

The microphone quality is clear but not noise-reducing, so to take calls, you’ll want to stop moving, to reduce windy interruptions.

Bone conduction will not appeal to everyone. If you are accustomed to a thumping bass line to power your run, this style is not for you.

The OpenRun pair has more low-end prowess than other bone-conduction pairs we’ve tried. But to truly hear any deep notes, you’ll need to turn the volume up to an intensity that causes the little pads on your temples to buzz and tickle your face. Voices and higher-pitched sounds are very clear, so fans of podcasts or acoustic guitar will be pleased with the sound, but hip-hop aficionados might be less thrilled.

Additionally, the use of a proprietary charging cable means you’ll need to be sure to keep the cable with you when traveling.

If you’re in doubt, Shokz has a 45-day return policy when you purchase through its site. So if you’ve never worn this style of headphones before, you may want to take advantage of that.

This pair is affordable without sacrificing what’s most important—but it doesn’t let you hear your surroundings.

New or occasional runners or anyone who doesn’t want to spend a lot on wireless earbuds.

If you don’t want to spend a ton of cash on running earbuds—either because you’re new to the hobby or you jog only once in a while—the JLab Go Air Sport durable and affordable earbuds are a great option. This true wireless pair is sweat-resistant, with an IP55 Ingress Protection rating.

The hook-over-the-ear design keeps the earbuds in place, even for tricky-to-fit ears or folks with a super-bouncy stride. Eight hours of listening time per charge is ample for most long runs, and the case holds an additional three full charges. You get a full suite of touch-based controls that are reasonably simple to use while you’re in motion—with a little practice.

While the sound quality can’t match that of our more expensive picks, it is still enjoyable—and pretty stellar for $30.

This sealed pair doesn’t let in any outside sounds and has no awareness or hear-through mode, so it isn’t a good match for runners who want to hear their surroundings to be safe. As with any isolating earbuds, the sealed tips of the Go Air Sport earbuds will amplify footfalls and breathing sounds.

Like the JBL Reflect Aero TWS set, this pair lets you use either earbud independently, if you prefer to keep one ear open. The large case likely won’t fit in a pocket, but it should fit in a running belt.

The microphone quality is somewhat muffled—people should be able to understand you, but they may ask you to speak up on occasion if you’re naturally soft-spoken. This pair is the budget pick in our main guide to the best workout headphones, so just pop over to that guide to get more details.

In addition to having tested more than 1,750 pairs of headphones for Wirecutter, I’ve contributed articles to Fast Company, Forbes, the Los Angeles Times, and Time, and I’ve done segments on Good Morning America, the BBC World Service, and NBC Nightly News. In fact, I’ve likely tested more headphones than anybody in the United States.

I’m also an avid runner in my free time, so I run with our picks on a regular basis.

For this guide, we tested the earbuds with the help of both runners and experienced audio reviewers who have a variety of ear and head shapes.

We interviewed dozens of runners—from casual joggers to hardcore marathon runners. And the important lesson we learned is that there is no single headphone or earbud design that will please every runner.

However, there are some important considerations that apply to all good running headphones:

We put all of our running headphones through the same gauntlet of fit, sound, water resistance, Bluetooth connectivity, and training tests that we use for all workout headphones. You can read more about our lengthy testing process in our guide to the best workout headphones.

No matter how much testing we do, we can’t possibly account for every variety of ear shape and size (though we definitely try our best). You may have to try a few pairs of running headphones before you commit to one, so look for retailers that allow you to return or exchange. And save the packaging until you’ve had a chance to test out your new earbuds. Shake your head around, jump a few times, and give your running headphones the same sort of trial run that you’d give a new pair of sneakers.

Ill-fitting headphones are like a pebble in your shoe: tolerable for a while but distractingly painful over time. Size up your headphones with the same care you’d apply to any other piece of sporting equipment—miles down the road, you’ll be glad you did.

We’ve tested more than 250 pairs of workout headphones over the years. Below are some popular earbuds we’ve tested specifically for running that did not earn a spot on our list. If you don’t see a certain model you’re interested in, check out our comprehensive list of workout headphones we’ve tested.

Attitud EarSport: This pair places drivers above the ear, aimed down, to avoid blocking the ear canals. The Ear Sport pair offers more bass response than bone-conduction headphones, but the overall sound quality is coarse. The build quality felt flimsy for the original $140 price tag, and one tester said that the headband didn’t really stay in place until he was sweaty.

Apple AirPods (2nd gen): These earbuds aren’t rated as being sweat-resistant—and because Apple’s warranty doesn’t apply to water or sweat damage, if the AirPods short out, you’re out of luck.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd gen): Although the IPX4 rating of the AirPods Pro means they’re protected from some mild sweat damage, these earbuds aren’t our first choice for runners. The controls are fiddly and can be tricky to activate while you’re on the move, and people who do have a bouncy stride may find that the earbuds can slip out of place.

Beats Fit Pro: This is our runner-up workout earbud pick. The wings on this true wireless pair will keep the earbuds in place for occasional jogs, and the sealed design and active noise cancellation can block out gym noise. But the Pro pair is less water- and sweat-resistant than the JBL Reflect Aero TWS, and it lacks full controls. And the “Hey Siri” function doesn’t work consistently well when there is a lot of breeze (like when you’re running). Folks who sweat a lot or run in the rain will want to get a more durable pair.

Cleer Arc: The Arc pair is essentially a pair of small speakers that rest on top of your ear to allow unencumbered situational awareness. We appreciate the clear mids and highs, but the Arc set’s bass response is lacking. The hinged earbud design squeezes the upper ear, which can become uncomfortable after 20 minutes or so. And the microphones sound distant and muffled over phone calls.

Cleer Roam Sport: The stabilizing wings are pliable and comfortable, but the shape of the earbuds made it difficult for medium and large ears to get a seal. Even when used with third-party tips that fit our ears properly, the Roam Sport’s noise cancellation wasn’t exceptional. If the earbuds happen to fit you, the hear-through mode is surprisingly natural, and the sound quality is decent.

Google Pixel Buds Pro: The main reason to get the Pixel Buds Pro is a desire to stay in the Google device ecosystem. Though the earbuds are IPX4-water-resistant and the case is IPX2-rated, the design may not be secure enough, especially for ears on either end of the size spectrum. If you aren’t doing high-impact workouts or don’t have issues with earbuds staying put in general, the Buds Pro earbuds are good, if somewhat pricey.

Jabra Elite 7 Active and Elite 7 Pro: The Elite earbuds have a comfortable but standard earbud design without wings or hooks—so runners may find that these don’t feel as secure. The sound quality is great with a little EQ adjustment, and the noise cancellation is okay but less than we’d hoped for from earbuds at this price.

Jabra Elite 4 Active: We love the fit, high water/dust resistance, and controls. But the device connectivity is fussy, the microphone sounds muffled on calls, and the active noise cancellation is middling. If call quality and noise cancellation aren’t a priority for you, these are a solid buy.

Jaybird Vista 2: We like the fit, size, single-bud capabilities, and impressive moisture and dust rating of IP68 (the case is IP54-rated). When they work properly, the Vista 2 earbuds are wonderful. However, we had two separate sets fail during our testing process. Although the third pair worked great, other people continue to experience issues at a frequency that makes us reluctant to recommend these.

JBL Endurance Peak 3: If you prefer earbuds that hook over the ear, this pair offers great performance and a few nice bonus features. However, the charging case is quite large (similar in size to a bar of soap), and the touch controls require you to choose between volume, hear-through mode activation, and track controls—you can’t have all three. You can read more on how they compare in our workout headphones guide.

JBL Reflect Mini NC: We like the diminutive earbud and case size, IPX7 sweat resistance, decent noise isolation, hear-through awareness mode, and EQ adjustability. However, the tap controls are limited and occasionally temperamental—even thick hair may interfere with the accuracy. And though this pair isolates well, the active noise reduction is minimal at best.

Mu6 Ring: This pair is designed to be an alternative to bone-conduction technology for folks who don’t like headphones or earbuds that cover their ears. It’s a good idea, but it’s poorly executed. The fit is uncomfortably tight even on small heads, so the design won’t work on people with low ponytails, thick and curly hair, or larger hat sizes. Additionally, in our tests the sound lacked any bass response, with only overtones present.

Philips Go TAA7607: If you like bone-conduction headphones and want a little extra visibility when training at dusk, this pair is pricey but good for what it is. Its performance is similar to that of the less-expensive Shokz OpenRun, but there’s a red LED strip across the cable in the back that can glow solid or flash so you’re easier to spot.

Shokz OpenRun Pro: This pair is nearly identical to the OpenRun but adds quick-charge capabilities and two more hours of battery life. However, it’s less dust- and water-resistant, so unless you need an upgraded battery, we’d stick with our pick.

Skullcandy Grind Fuel: This set has a bunch of nifty features, such as a voice-assistant system that doesn’t require an internet connection to function (though you need to leave the Skullcandy app open). It also offers voice-activated Spotify and the ability to use the earbud button as a remote to take a picture with your phone’s camera. Unfortunately, the voice-activation system can be fussy in windy conditions. And even though the fit is comfortable, these earbuds are not as stable in the ear as our top picks are.

Skullcandy Push Active: This pair features the same voice-assistant system as the Grind Fuel, but we were less enthusiastic about the fit. The buds are large, and the hook doesn’t arch over the ear as it does on most earbuds—instead it seems to sit like a backward C. Our test panelists with smaller ears found the fit odd but passible. However, anyone who has larger ears or ears that stick out may find that these headphones simply don’t fit.

Skullcandy Sesh Evo: These earbuds offer a fun, bass-forward sound; a comfortable fit; water resistance (with an IP55 rating); easy-to-use controls; Tile integration; and USB-C charging. But the five-hour battery life is middle-of-the-road for true wireless earbuds. Fortunately, you do get 19 hours from the included charging case, which is small enough to fit in a pocket.

This article was edited by Adrienne Maxwell and Grant Clauser.

Lauren Dragan

Lauren Dragan is a senior staff writer and has tested over 1,000 headphones for Wirecutter. She has a BA from Ithaca College in music performance and audio production. She’s been featured in Good Morning America, NBC Nightly News, The New York Times, and more. Additionally, she’s a voice actor whose work includes projects for Disney and Mattel.

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