The best wireless earbuds are those that tick all of the major boxes: sound quality, reliability and a comfortable, compact design. We've gone ears-on with hundreds of pairs of earbuds, so can confidently bring you the definitive guide to the very best pairs available to buy.
Not only do we focus on the three points mentioned above, but we look to other included features such as active noise cancellation (and how effective it is if it's included) and battery life. After all, it's no good owning a terrific sounding pair of buds, only for them to die after just a few hours.
For a time, this guide included pairs of wireless earbuds that had a cable connecting the two earpieces. However, given the stratospheric rise in popularity for true wireless earbuds – Apple's AirPods have certainly had an effect on this – this guide to the best wireless earbuds in Australia does now only feature these true wireless models. The AirPods are a great option for iPhone owners, but if you're firmly in camp Android, or you have a different Bluetooth audio source, then you'll no doubt be interested to find out the alternatives we recommend.
The quick list
Want to cut to the chase and find out which wireless earbuds are the best? Below, you’ll find a roundup of our choices. You can also jump to a more detailed review of every pick, along with our price comparison tool to help you find the best deals.
Best wireless earbuds for most people
Thanks to their all-round combination of sound quality, ANC performance, fit and price, Sony's latest set of premium earbuds is the one we think most people will love.
The best mid-priced wireless earbuds
Nothing's Ear (a) wireless earbuds are a true testament to the notion that you don't need to spend big to get great sound. Throw in a heap of extra, extremely useful features, and you have a set of 'buds that are quite remarkable.
Best super-cheap wireless earbuds
If you just need a pair of wireless earbuds that work well and sound good, the JLab Go Air Pop fit the bill perfectly. They're also incredibly affordable, making them a highly desired buy.
Best wireless earbuds for noise blocking
Until the price of the Bose Ultra earbuds drops further, the company's QCE II is still our top pick. Yes, they can be beaten by their new sibling, but this pair is much more accessible.
Best for cheaper noise cancellation
Don't let their mimicking nature fool you, these modestly priced buds are packed full of features that will surprise you, including solid ANC. They are excellent value for the price.
Best wireless earbuds for Apple fans
There's a reason they're so ubiquitous. They work seamlessly with Apple products, integrate with the company's Find My, support Dolby Atmos spatial audio, and more. Oh, and they sound superb, with great ANC.
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Best wireless earbuds for Samsung fans
Want a pair of buds with out of this world sound and unique features for Samsung phones? Look no further. These boast 24-bit high-res audio and are a dream for Galaxy owners.
The best wireless earbuds for battery life
With 10 hours from the buds with ANC on, and 48 hours from the case, these earbuds go on and on and on. The cool screen on the case is a highlight too, as is the sound.
Best wireless earbuds for sports
Packing most of the features from the AirPods inside a more sport-friendly design, these solidly-fitting buds tick all the boxes if you're looking for the ideal workout or sports companion.
The best wireless earbuds in Australia in 2024
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The best wireless earbuds for most people
Sony’s WF-1000XM5 earbuds have finally removed their predecessor from their top-spot perch. To be honest, that's primarily because the WF-1000XM4 (which are fantastic) are so much harder to find now in Australia, if you can find them at all.
The XM5s are a terrific substitute, let it be known, and while they may not be an outright class-leader in any particular area, we feel their all-round performance will suit the majority of ears.
Chief to their appeal is the inclusion of four pairs of polyurethane foam tips in the box, meaning finding a secure fit shouldn't be an issue – this is particularly noteworthy because the XM5 earbuds are physically 25% smaller than the model they replace. They also benefit from Sony's own 24-bit audio processing an DSEE Extreme 'upscaling' engine. If you have an audio source that supports it, and/or a streaming service that supports 360 Reality Audio, the Sony XM5 is a pair of buds that will shine sonically.
Speaking of sound (and harking back to the earlier mention of being a great all-rounder) the Sony WF-1000XM5 deliver impressive levels of bass, but without sacrificing detail in the higher frequencies. As for noise-cancellation, the Sonys do a good, rather than great, job. There are better pairs out there, but they don't necessarily match the audio talents of the XM5s. External sounds will be drowned out, but not with 100% authority.
Other members of the TechRadar team also think the Technics EAH-AZ80 sound better than this Sony pair, but they're harder to come by in Australia. If you can find a pair for a price you're happy to pay (we often find them for around AU$200 more than the Sonys) then absolutely snap them up.
Read our full Sony WF-1000XM5 review
The best mid-range wireless earbuds
Nothing's latest affordable earbuds are genuinely very good indeed. A natural competitor to the much-favoured Sony WF-C700N – which we previously recommended as our favourite buds for this sort of money – Nothing's offering comes out on top. In our full review, we said "the Nothing earbuds look more premium and feel more foxy. Their noise cancellation is a touch more robust and the sound is every bit as energetic, detailed and zealous, and (dare we say it?) a tad more expansive to boot."
The sound quality is the star here (though it doesn't have all the limelight to itself). Our review called the sound "meaty and arresting", focused less on a delicate hi-fi listen and more on "fun and energy", and we're very happy with that. It should come as no surprise to learn that if you can (and do) spend more – such as on the Sony XM5 at #1 – then you are going to get a further improvement in sound. But for the Nothing Ear (a)'s asking price, we couldn't find much to fault.
On top of that, we were seriously impressed with the active noise cancellation, which clamped basically all standard droning noise, with only louder and more chaotic sounds breaking through. And with features such as wear detection (so they auto-pause when you take the out), LDAC hi-res audio support, multi-point pairing, and the Nothing app for tweaking the EQ and other features, they're about as well-specced as anything you can get for this price. The 5.5-hour battery life with ANC on is nothing special, but we're happy to forgive it – and it's the same with the lack of spatial audio support. We don't mind at all, not when you're getting such good value in the essentials, as well as other nice features.
Read our full Nothing Ear (a) review
The best budget wireless earbuds
The JLab Go Air Pop only cost around AU$49.95, which is incredibly cheap and would have been unheard of just a few years ago. Fast-forward to now, and JLab is bringing out durable listening gear at rock-bottom prices. The big question is: can earbuds this budget-conscious actually do a good job?
Well, we were pleasantly surprised to find the JLab Go Air Pop did a pretty good in our testing – and are emphatically unbeatable for the money.
Stream Hootie & the Blowfish's Let Her Cry and the different guitars present themselves to each ear in a relatively expansive, open soundstage. But listen to Prince's Kiss and while you'll get all of the bass funk in the intro, the artist's inimitable vocal can come off a little harsh. Sonically, it is difficult to rave about the sound quality, chiefly because of this treble, which does distort even in relatively easy passages, but that's not really the point here.
We also weren't impressed with the design of the charging case. It has a tadpole-like cable that snaps out from the base. That said, it does charge the earbuds and means you’ll never have to search in the semi-darkness for your USB charger – or get caught short because you forgot to pack one.
So although you won't get exceptional sound with the JLab Go Air Pop, or noise cancelling or other high-end features, during our testing we were surprised to find reliable Bluetooth connectivity, killer battery life, comfortable and light earpieces and solid music on the go. It would be churlish to expect more.
If your budget maxes out quickly for non-essentials (let's face it, true wireless earbuds are a luxury), then you'll find a reliable product here. For another cheap option, but with active noise cancellation, take a look at the Earfun Air Pro 3 further down in our list.
Read our full JLab Go Air Pop review
The best wireless earbuds for ANC
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 are our top recommendation if you're looking for the best wireless earbuds for noise-cancelling. They're a great upgrade of the original Bose QuietComfort buds, and noise cancellation has been improved considerably, which is really saying something considering the originals were our top pick for some time.
The best news is that improvements to noise cancelling aren't at the expense of sound quality. In our review, we wrote: "We can’t stress this enough – the sound is very well balanced, with a heck of a lot of details and textures coming through. And if you still find you need to tweak it, you can via the EQ in the app."
With that said, there are a few specs missing from these buds that are a little disappointing when considering the price. You only get 6 hours of battery life with these buds, with there only being an additional 3 in the case. There’s also no support for high-def wireless codecs and no wireless charging.
Though, if you’re after the best noise-cancelling earbuds currently available, look no further as you currently won’t get any earbuds that beat the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 in that area.
Read our full Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 review
The best wireless earbuds for cheap ANC
If you're looking for a solid pair of wireless earbuds on a budget with noise cancelling baked in, then we highly recommend the Earfun Air Pro 3.
These earbuds are only AU$134.95 officially, which makes them excellent value considering they're such all-rounders – but actually, you'll pay more like AU$89.99 if that, thanks to regular price cuts. You get active noise cancellation, good sound, a comfy fit, a very generous 45 hours of battery life, and support for the new Bluetooth wireless standard, Bluetooth LE Audio. Right now that doesn't mean much, as few other devices support it – e.g. major smartphones – but that makes the Air Pro 3 a future-proof choice for when phones do catch up. We can't think of any earbuds that are currently as cheap as this and yet offer such a range of features.
As well as features, the design also has no business looking so elegant and minimal at this price. Although it is worth mentioning they have a long stem design. We found them comfortable to wear with a good seal – vital for ANC – but did knock them out a few times due to the stem, including a problem with them tangling in long hair (which we haven't found with most stem designs).
Read the full Earfun Air Pro 3 review
The best wireless earbuds for Apple fans
Much like their predecessors, the AirPods Pro 2 don’t disappoint. One particular standout feature is the noise cancellation. These buds do not skimp out here, with the ability to block out noisy chatter in a cafe, wind and train sounds. The noise cancellation is impressive, despite not offering a gradient like some other buds do.
Overall, between the increase in battery life and the impressive audio performance thanks to the new H2 chip, the AirPods Pro 2 combine all the good things that were offered by the previous AirPods Pro with quality upgrades for a better user experience. And the best part… they cost the same as the older model, including the newly-launched variant with USB-C charging in place of Lightning.
As always with Apple products, these buds are best suited to iPhone users thanks to unique features such as Dolby Atmos spatial audio, Find My support and auto-switching between devices. And the price is even relatively low compared to premium options such as the Sony WF-1000XM5 or the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II (further down this list).
Read our full Apple AirPods Pro 2 review
The best wireless earbuds for Samsung fans
Samsung jumps into this list with the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. Offering solid active noise cancellation, a classy and comfortable design and big improvements on audio when compared to previous Galaxy Buds, this is a spot that has been earned.
The headline-grabber, if you own a Samsung Galaxy device (and thus, access to the Samsung Wearable companion app and home-screen widget) is 360 audio with optional head-tracking, thus allowing you to use your phone as the focal point to direct more of that new end-to-end 24-bit high-res audio to whichever ear you prefer.
These buds are in a smaller package than before and have an IPX7 waterproof rating – though the case itself is not waterproof. Despite the small build, the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro sit securely in the ears, with two ear tip options available in the box.
With active noise cancellation on, you’ll only get around five hours of battery life, but the ANC is very good, even beating out Sony’s WF-1000XM4 buds in this category. They’re not at the level of Bose QuietComfort Earbuds just yet, but it’s definitely better than Samsung’s previous attempts.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro review
The best wireless earbuds for battery life
If you know you go long periods without being able to charge your wireless earbuds, or you simply don't want to worry as much about how much juice you've got left, then we recommend the JBL Live Beam 3. The fact the charging case has a screen that also needs powering may seem counter intuitive to this claim, but you get an already impressive 12 hours from the buds themselves (that drops to 10 hours with ANC on) and an extra three charges from the case.
That's a seriously stellar 48 hours in total. No other buds on this list come close to offering that amount of playback time, let alone beating it. Other notable features include auto-off, a fit test and multi-point connectivity.
But the JBL Live Beam 3 don't just earn a spot on this list for their battery life alone. They also sound great, and are a notable improvement over the previous iteration of these buds – the JBL Tour Pro 2. In our review, we wrote: "There's an expansive soundstage, there's dynamic ability, there's cohesion across the frequencies."
Sony's LDAC is supported too, meaning they can deliver the best-possible listening experience, as long as you listen with a compatible device and a quality streaming service.
We liked the ANC in our review, but it's not the best we've experienced. We were also a little disappointed by the promise of spatial audio profiles, as they didn't deliver the expected level of immersive sound compared to what you get from the likes of AirPods Pro 2.
During our testing, we experienced a snug and secure fit from the Live Beam 3, but we did note that they go very far into your ears, which is unlikely to be comfortable for everyone. They have a sleeker and more refined case than the previous version, with a build quality we commented felt "resoundingly expensive" while we were reviewing it.
Of course, the case stands out for another major reason: it has a screen on it. To manage expectations, the screen doesn't have much functionality. But there are some cool features, including playback control, adding a photo to the lock screen and using it as a flashlight. It's not as advanced as a smartwatch, but it's a nice addition and, surprisingly, apparently doesn't really drain your battery.
Read our full JBL Live Beam 3 review
The best wireless earbuds for sports
With the Beats Fit Pro, you get a load of the features that make the AirPods Pro so great for iPhone owners, but made workout-friendly with wing tips that keep them in place, and a custom-designed driver for a bassier sound to get the blood pumping.
These Beats earbuds boast a new sound profile with elevated highs and lows as well as good overall clarity. When we put them through their paces with Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow's INDUSTRY BABY, we found them to deliver the driving bass line followed by a vocal track that moves depending on which way you’re facing, because they support Apple Music's Dolby Atmos head-tracked spatial audio. We're not sure you'll want the concert experience every time you go for a fun, but the extra immersion is welcome, and means they're great for watching TV and movies whether you're at the gym or just watching some other time.
They don’t support wireless charging like the AirPods Pro 2, and the battery isn't spectacular at six hours per charge with 18 hours in the charging case with the ANC on. The ANC isn't best-in-class either – but they have more stability in the ear than anything else here, and that's the crucial thing.
And one last thing to note, if you've caught onto the fact they're closely related to the AirPods Pro 2, it means they work best best with iOS devices. Android users should still have a look, but won't be able to take advantage of the full feature set.
Read our full Beats Fit Pro review
Best wireless earbuds FAQ
How to choose the best wireless earbuds
There are a few factors to consider when picking a pair of wireless earbuds. You want to find a pair that are both comfortable and suitable to your needs. Before settling on your new wireless earbuds, consider the audio quality, connectivity, design and other included features as well as your own budget.
If you want a pair of buds that are packed with the most premium features, you’re looking at spending a lot more than it'd cost you to get your hands on a pair that might still have decent audio without all the frills. Still, if you need features such as ANC, spending a little more on a pair of buds can make all the difference.
The general user won’t need the most expansive soundstage, but if you want the best audio experience you’ll also need to consider how each pair performs when compared to competitors.
You should also look at how you plan to use your new earbuds. If you’re after a pair to use while you’re working out or jogging, you’ll want to consider getting a pair that has been designed specifically for people who are more active and that also comes with a water resistance rating. On the other hand, if you want a pair to block out the world while you’re trying to focus on work or study, you’ll want to look out for a pair with active noise cancellation.
You can also consider brands while shopping around for earbuds. While Sony has held solid ground with some of the best wireless earbuds on offer, there are a bunch of other brands out there that are closing the distance such as Bose, Apple, NuraTrue, Beats and many more.
Ultimately, with the amount of wireless earbuds on the market, you won’t have any issues finding the pair that’s just right for you.
Wireless vs true wireless: what's the difference?
Wireless earbuds have been around for a while now, pretty much since the invention of Bluetooth. These earbuds do away with cords that connect the buds to your phone, and are powered by an internal rechargeable battery. The name can be a little misleading, as some wireless earbuds have cord that connect the left and right units together, but options that completely do away with wires are known as true wireless earbuds.
True wireless earbuds have no cords at all, meaning you can listen to music with the ultimate freedom to move about. While there are a few true wireless earbuds on this list, you can seek out our more comprehensive round-up of the best true wireless earbuds if you want to find even more options in this category.
Wireless options aren’t just limited to in-ear options. Wireless headphones, both on-ear and over-ear, are also available. In this case, you get two ear-cups connected by a headband. If you want to know more, you can check out our best wireless headphones guide as well.
Which brand of wireless earbuds is best?
There’s really no clear answer to this question. All the brands on this list have pros and cons, and it really depends on what you’re looking for.
Sony has been a top brand in the audio game for a long time, and have consistently had some of the best wireless earbuds on the market. If you want the best listening experience and audio quality, the Sony WF-1000XM4 will definitely not disappoint, hence why they sit at the top of not only this guide but also at the top of our best true wireless earbuds guide as well.
If you want a luxurious listening experience, you could look at a high-end brand such as Bowers & Wilkins. Or, if you’re looking for a pair of buds that fit within your smartphone's ecosystem, Apple and Samsung both have options that fall onto this list that are optimised to each company’s respective devices.
How we test wireless earbuds
We've tested every pair of earbuds listed in this guide, among many others that are currently available. We take time while reviewing products, making sure to evaluate how these devices sound across movies, different music genres, games and more. Sound quality is a priority for TechRadar, especially when listening to music on the go.
Comfort and how secure they feel is also taken into consideration over extended periods of use, and tested in the situations best suited to the product (including gaming and running).
Any other features, including battery life and noise cancellation, are also tested. If a pair of earbuds claim to have it, we'll try it out and let you know what we think.
If you want to find out more, we have a complete set of guidelines on how we test, review and rate on TechRadar.
The best wireless earbuds for ANC
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 are our top recommendation if you're looking for the best wireless earbuds for noise-cancelling. They're a great upgrade of the original Bose QuietComfort buds, and noise cancellation has been improved considerably, which is really saying something considering the originals were our top pick for some time.
The best news is that improvements to noise cancelling aren't at the expense of sound quality. In our review, we wrote: "We can’t stress this enough – the sound is very well balanced, with a heck of a lot of details and textures coming through. And if you still find you need to tweak it, you can via the EQ in the app."
With that said, there are a few specs missing from these buds that are a little disappointing when considering the price. You only get 6 hours of battery life with these buds, with there only being an additional 3 in the case. There’s also no support for high-def wireless codecs and no wireless charging.
Though, if you’re after the best noise-cancelling earbuds currently available, look no further as you currently won’t get any earbuds that beat the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 in that area.
Read our full Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 review
