It's been a huge week for me here at TechRadar. I managed to convince my boss that it was a good idea for me to sit at my desk for five whole days and play all 200+ games available as part of the Apple Arcade service on my phone.

If it sounds like a ridiculous idea, that's because it really is. Honestly, in my rush to get paid to play some games on my phone, I don't think I actually considered just how long the task would take. That became painfully apparent when I actually started on Monday, and the fact that I was about to spend hours and hours flicking through apps set in.

Still, I managed it — even if the quest ended up sapping up all of my free time. I spent entire evenings lying on the sofa planting crops in Stardew Valley+, whole meals with one finger guiding an escaping explorer in Temple Run Legends, and my hour commute with both eyes glued to Suika Game+ . If I had just one hand free at any given time this week, I was using it to play an Apple Arcade game. Thankfully, I didn't have to drive anywhere.

Now, to be clear, I didn't spend an equal amount of time in all of them. It's easy to sink a few hours into the pixel survival action of Vampire Survivors+, for example, but literal torture to do the same in Play-Doh World (which is basically just a sensory experience for toddlers).

Still, I can now say with confidence which ones are truly worth getting into and, while the following eight picks are by no means an exhaustive list of everything worth playing on the service (just look at the honorable mentions for even more greats), they are the games I've had the most fun with so far and will coming back to time and time again in the weeks and months to come.

Top eight

8. Squiggle drop

Squiggle Drop is one of the biggest surprises I've had while exploring Apple Arcade. It's an easy-to-understand puzzler that has you drawing shapes to complete different objectives and, with basic graphics and a spartan interface, looks like a pretty simple game.

That simplicity is one of its biggest strengths, however. The controls are eminently approachable; just drag your fingers around the screen to draw, and all of the levels have multiple solutions that reward creativity and mean that you never feel like you're truly at a loose end.

There's loads of variety to boot. One mission could have you drawing a container to save a birthday cake from the rain, while another might require a more complex creation to catch an underwater fish.

With more than 250 puzzles (some of which are pretty darn difficult), rotating daily challenges, a raft of achievements to obtain, and even an in-game town that you build as you progress, it's the perfect game to pick up and play when you get a few spare moments in an otherwise busy day.

7. Lego Star Wars: Castaways

Lego Star Wars: Castaways is yet more proof that you should never judge a book by its cover (or, I guess, an app by its icon art). What I thought was going to be a generic kids' game turned out to be a really approachable and quite charming MMO.

You create a custom Star Wars hero and drop into a shared hub world that you can explore while surrounded by other real players, before dropping into iconic locations from the movies (explained in-game as a training simulation) to battle waves of Stormtroopers, Tusken Raiders, Battle Droids, and fearsome bosses like Darth Vader either solo or with up to three friends.

There are four character classes to unlock, focusing on ranged laser blaster combat, powerful force skills, team support, and stealth, and they all have meaty upgrade trees in addition to a range of distinct weapons to try. Character customization is also strong, and you can unlock loads of different hats and outfits using currency you obtain by completing quests and missions.

I had a lovely time with it as an adult, but there are some smart safety features that make this a great pick for children as well. Your character name, for example, is chosen from a random selection of suitably Star Wars-sounding words (I foolishly flicked past 'Jar-Jar Skywalker' when it popped up as an option) and numbers. There's also no direct text or voice chat function, though you can communicate through a small selection of emotes.

6. Angry Birds Reloaded

Angry Birds is a game that needs no introduction. This legendary early App Store sensation spawned countless sequels, spinoffs, theme park rides, a TV show, and even two popular animated films with a third set to release later this year.

Reloaded is basically the definitive Angry Birds game, bringing together the levels from the classic Angry Birds and its sequels Angry Birds Seasons, Angry Birds Space, and Angry Birds Stella (the latter two aren't even available on the App Store in their original forms anymore, making this the only way to officially play them) in addition to loads of new ones.

It offers the classic bird-slinging action that made the series so popular, now spruced up with shiny new graphics that look lovely even blown up on a big screen. All of the new content means that it's a joy to dip into even if, like me, you completed all of these games back in the day.

For newcomers, it's the absolute best that the series has ever been, with the best-looking graphics, all the greatest levels, and absolutely no ad interruptions. Get it downloaded, and find out why it was such a hit.

Top five

5. Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition

If after a busy day you just want to kick back and escape to a fantasy world, then Disney Dreamlight Valley is for you. This life simulator thrusts you into a magical town filled with iconic Disney characters that has fallen into disarray. A mysterious malevolent force is taking over in the form of dark roots that sap away memories, and it's up to you to get rid of them all and restore everything to its former glory.

From relaxing farming to designing your own cute cottage and customizing your outfits, everything here seems designed to bring nothing but the most chill vibes. There's a good sense of progression as new areas are steadily unlocked while you play, bringing the worlds of new Disney franchises into the mix.

On that note, it's hard to overstate the joy of interacting with some of the company's best characters. I've never been a massive fan of Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, or Goofy, but even I can't stop myself from smiling when I unlock childhood favorites like Ratatouille's Remy, Wall-E's Eve, or Peter Pan's Tinker Bell.

Although you can pick up Dreamlight Valley on other platforms, the Arcade Edition comes packed with all of the latest free updates and access to the biggest paid expansions at no extra cost. It looks great and controls well on a phone, too.

4. Sid Meier' Civilization 7 Arcade Edition

The Arcade Edition of Sid Meier's Civilization 7 is the real deal, bringing all the strategic brilliance of the latest Civilization game to mobile with few real compromises aside from some missing DLC.

If you're unfamiliar with the franchise, it tasks you with building and governing a historical society from the ground up in a randomly generated world. You build cities, conquer territory, develop new technology, and interact with other competing societies. Whether you form trade alliances and live peacefully alongside your neighbours or wage war is entirely up to you.

Unlike past games, Civilization 7 added the ability for your empire to evolve, giving you the choice to swap between different cultures for unique bonuses, special buildings, or exclusive units.

The level of depth here is simply unparalleled in the mobile space, and as games can take tens of hours at a time, it's great to be able to take it all on the go.

Top three

3. ‎Taiko no Tatsujin Pop Tap Beat

Taiko no Tatsujin is a name you'll recognize if you've even been to an arcade in Japan. It's a simple but addictive rhythm game all about hitting a big drum in time with the beat, a gameplay perfectly suited for a touchscreen.

Tap either side of the on-screen drum in time with the blue icons or either side of the middle for the red ones, with bigger notes needing both sides at once. It starts off simple, but as the difficulty ramps up, beats that you have to hold are introduced, alongside ones that have you hammering the screen as quickly as possible with your fingertips.

The song selection is brilliant if, like me, you love Japanese music with a good mix of J-pop hits, Vocaloid classics, and music from popular anime. If that's not your speed, there are plenty of original songs, a whole load of classical music, a few tracks from Western blockbusters like Indiana Jones, plus viral sensations such as Baby Shark.

Nothing quite compares to the joy of mastering a song and, with so many to choose from and a wide range of difficulty levels to beat, Taiko no Tatsujin Pop Tap Beat is almost impossible to put down.

2. Sonic Dream Team

What if I told you the best new 3D Sonic the Hedgehog game of the last decade was an Apple Arcade exclusive? It sounds hard to believe, but Sonic Dream Team is so good that I would recommend it even if you're not a Sonic the Hedgehog fan.

This 3D platformer has the iconic blue hedgehog navigating a series of dense worlds with impeccable dream-like visuals, hopping between floating platforms, boosting your way down high-speed rails, and dispatching enemies with homing attacks. The action certainly isn't as fast as some of the 2D Sonic the Hedgehog games, but the precise controls mean that it feels excellent nonetheless.

It's not the longest experience on Apple Arcade, lasting just a couple of hours, but it is highly replayable with six swappable characters (including a rare Cream the Rabbit appearance), each with their own distinct pacing and unique roster of abilities to experiment with, a ranking system to chase high scores, tricky challenge stages, and unlockable powers.

There are also loads of collectibles to seek out, so true completionists have plenty to chip away at even after the credits have rolled.

1. What the Golf?

If I were forced to pin down one overall favorite among everything that I played this week, then What the Golf? is the obvious choice.

It's an unapologetically ridiculous physics-based game that is only really about golf in the loosest sense. Levels are incredibly creative, and no two are the same, having you putt everything from hot dogs and cars to live horses and entire houses into the hole.

It's consistently surprising and endlessly amusing, with mechanics and even the game's perspective shifting on a level-by-level basis. It's all underpinned by an expressive, minimalist art direction, a sleek interface, upbeat music, and a barrage of punny humor. The brilliant use of haptics also deserves some credit, giving everything you punt a distinct feeling of weight to it.

In addition to a lengthy main campaign, there is a generous selection of daily courses, bonus episodes, special events, online leaderboards, and more. Indie game fans will recognize loads of crossovers and references, too. It's nothing short of a joyous time.

Even more picks

Honorable mentions

I wanted to keep my recommendations concise and varied, with a good mix of genres, art styles, control methods, and so on represented. That doesn't mean that I don't have loads more recommendations, though, so here are some more strong picks that didn't quite make the full list for one reason or another.

• Fantasian is a sprawling RPG adventure with a beautiful miniature art direction.
• Monument Valley+ and Monument Valley 2+ are two stunning indie puzzle games that play with perspective in interesting ways.
• NFL Retro Bowl '26 offers a surprisingly meaty football simulator delivered through charming pixel-art graphics.
• Stardew Valley+ combines relaxing farming with social simulation as you build relationships with a cast of memorable characters in a cozy town.
• Suika Game+ has you merging different fruits in an easy-to-understand puzzler that's taken the internet by storm.
• Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop is an exclusive entry in the long-running Puyo Puyo series that's filled with its trademark Tetris-like puzzle battles.
• MySims and MySims Kingdom are both expansive, feature-complete ports of classic The Sims spinoff games.
• Vampire Survivors+ brings the viral wave survival game to mobile — be warned that hours can vanish in the blink of an eye.

A strong password is sometimes the only thing standing between your accounts and a hacker, so it's well worth investing time into creating unique passwords.

Trying to remember all of these passwords can be tricky (or downright impossible if you've got a lot of accounts) – but that's exactly why password managers are so useful. Password managers store your login credentials securely, ensuring that only you can access them, and can even help you generate complex passwords with a click of a button.

Better yet, some password managers alert you if they detect weak or reused passwords, and can even search for personal details that might've been leaked to the dark web during a data breach.

There are a lot of password managers available, however, and they're not all as trustworthy as they claim to be. It's why the TechRadar team has spent time testing and reviewing more than 30 of today's top password managers, whittling down our shortlist to 10 picks we'd recommend.

We evaluated these password managers based on security, ease of use, value for money, and additional features. NordPass is the best password manager for most people, offering an affordable app packed with tools. RoboForm and Keeper are also great alternatives.

For households looking for family-oriented password security, check out the best password managers for families, or if you need strong security for your SMB, we've rounded up the best business password managers.

Best Password Manager Quick List

The best password managers of 2026 in full:

Best password manager overall

The vendors of one of the best VPN services around, NordVPN, also have a password manager.

NordPass Top Features:

🔵 Unlimited password storage

🔵 Data breach scanning

🔵 Free 30-day premium trial

🔵 Email masking

🔵 Secure credential sharing

🔵 Login monitoring

NordPass Usage:

NordPass is best suited for individuals, families, and businesses of all sizes. The interface is modern, smooth, and well-suited for both beginners and professionals.

NordPass offers some of the best security features out of all the password managers we have tested. It is the only password manager to use XChaCha20 encryption, which offers better performance over AES-256-bit encryption used by Dashlane and RoboForm.

NordPass also allows you to hide your real email behind an alias, which can help to cut down on unnecessary spam and marketing emails, as well as keep your real email safe from prying eyes. Additionally, you can store attachments securely in a NordPass vault.

NordPass has also added the ability to store and manage passkeys, further improving its functionality in an age where passwords may soon be a thing of the past.

While not as cheap as Bitwarden, NordPass is one of the most affordable options with all features included at a single price point.

NordPass Plans & Pricing:

Unlike some competitors, such as Keeper and 1Password, NordPass offers a free tier that provides storage for an unlimited number of passwords. The one downside is that only one active session can be used at a time.

The standard individual plan, which NordPass calls 'Premium', offers the same features as the free tier, with password strength detection, credential leak monitoring, and trusted password sharing included at $1.58/£1.21 per month, charged annually at a cost of $25.35/£19.35.

There is an additional discount if you sign up for the two-year plan, which works out at $1.24/£0.95 per month, or $34.83/£26.73 for two years.

The family plan allows six users to access all of the features offered on the free and premium plan, with the one-year commitment costing $3.41/£2.58 per month ($44.28/£44.48 for one year), and the two-year commitment at $2.68/£2.01 per month ($66.96/£50.16 for two years). There are also NordPass promo codes to bring down the cost.

If you are looking for a business password manager that includes family access, 1Password would be better suited to your needs.

Read our full NordPass review.

• ^ Back to the top

Best password manager for mobile

RoboForm's pricing fills the gap between NordPass and Dashlane, but offers a superior 2FA app and mobile functionality.

RoboForm Top Features:

🔵 Two-factor authenticator

🔵 TOTP authenticator

🔵 Breach & compromise monitoring

🔵 Cloud backup

🔵 Emergency access

🔵 Local-only mode

RoboForm Usage:

RoboForm has some of the best multi-platform support I have seen from any password manager, working across Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, and Chrome OS. But when it comes to mobile devices, RoboForm really shines.

The app allows you to automatically sync your data between the mobile apps and your browser, and includes highly granular control over account settings and privacy, which is particularly handy for those on the go.

RoboForm's 2FA offers support across email, SMS, authenticator app, passkey, trusted device, hardware security key, making it far superior to Dashlane's 2FA app - plus, RoboForm's advanced authenticator is available even at the free tier. As a bonus, RoboForm's free account will even notify you about your passwords it has detected in data breaches.

One issue with the RoboForm free tier is that you aren't able to access your password manager via the web or any other devices - something that NordPass's free tier allows you to do, even if it is only one active session at a time. So if you're looking for a free web-based account, NordPass is probably the better option.

As for paid features, RoboForm Premium gives you data breach monitoring for 5 email accounts, a local-only mode that means all your data is stored purely on your device and not on RoboForm's servers (very handy for the privacy-conscious). You can also securely share files and folders from the RoboForm app.

RoboForm doesn't offer a VPN, which might be a sticking point for those looking for the ultimate password security package. However, you are already getting some decent features at a very attractive price point, which I'll discuss below.

RoboForm Plans & Pricing:

As I mentioned, RoboForm offers a feature-rich free tier. But how much does a Premium account cost? RoboForm is slightly more expensive than NordPass, with the password manager currently available for $1.66/£1.33 per month for the first year ($19.92/£15.96).

At this price point, RoboForm is sandwiched between Dashlane and NordPass. You could opt for the cheaper pricing from NordPass and lose out on RoboForm's advanced 2FA and excellent mobile functionality, or opt for Dashlane's more expensive plan to grab a VPN. RoboForm, therefore, fills a niche between some of the best password managers.

Alternatively, if you want accounts for the whole household, the RoboForm Family plan is $2.98 for the first year ($35.76), which again places it firmly between NordPass and Dashlane's family pricing.

Overall, RoboForm is definitely worth considering if you're constantly on the go and want advanced account settings control and need an advanced 2FA app.

Read our full Roboform review.

• ^ Back to the top

Best password manager for syncing and sharing

Keeper offers some of the best syncing and storage options from any password manager, and some great business features too.

Keeper Top Features:

🔵 Unlimited syncing and sharing

🔵 Great security compliance

🔵 Emergency access

🔵 Identity and payment secure storage

🔵 Autofill

🔵 24/7 support

Keeper Usage:

Keeper has some excellent features that make it a highly intuitive and easy-to-use password manager. Firstly, login can be done quickly and securely thanks to Keeper's support for biometric authentication, meaning a simple facial scan or fingerprint can grant you access to your account.

Unlimited is a word that you'll see frequently on the list of Keepers features. You get unlimited password storage across an unlimited number of devices, with unlimited syncing for passwords as well as your identity and payment information (which is super easy to autofill).

Unfortunately, Keeper's list of included features is fairly short compared to other solutions in this guide. For example, if you want breach monitoring or a secure cloud backup, you're going to have to spend extra on top of Keeper's already fairly expensive pricing.

Keeper's features are far better on the business side of things, with some highly customizable plans with excellent optional extras, great security compliance (GDPR, HIPAA, SOC2), and an admin dashboard that makes access management and security checks a breeze - but if you want to read more about that, you might want to check out the best business password managers.

Keeper Plans & Pricing:

Keeper doesn't offer a free plan, which is a shame considering many of Keeper's premium features can be accessed as part of the free plans from Bitwarden, NordPass, and Roboform.

Compared to the other password managers I've discussed, Keeper costs almost as much as Dashlane but without as many features. For example, Keeper is $3.33/£2.86 per month for the first year ($39.99/£34.27), but doesn't include a VPN, breach monitoring, or phishing alerts, making it a relatively expensive choice when you consider what you're missing. Even NordPass and RoboForm include breach monitoring for half the cost.

The Keeper Family plan improves things slightly with the inclusion of 10GB cloud storage, 5 private vaults, and some control over sharing. But at $7.08/£6.80 per month for the first year ($84.99/£81.56), there are definitely more budget-friendly options with a greater range of features to choose from.

Keeper is definitely a better choice for business users than as a personal solution.

Read our full Keeper Security review.

• ^ Back to the top

Best free password manager

Bitwarden offers a feature-rich and near-unbeatable free tier, and its Premium plans are some of the cheapest around.

Bitwarden Top Features:

🔵 Exceptional free plan

🔵 Self-hosting options

🔵 Breach monitoring

🔵 Unlimited devices

🔵 Passkey support

🔵 Open-source

Bitwarden Usage:

Bitwarden really switches things up when it comes to password management. The free tier beats the offerings of NordPass and even rivals the paid plan, offering storage across an unlimited number of devices, breach monitoring, passkey support, email aliases, and even the option to self-host on your own network.

Additionally, the free tier includes a password and username generator, payment and identity storage, free sharing with one other user, and the ability to securely export your data from the app.

When it comes to the paid plans, things just keep getting better. Premium improves two-step login from the Hardware Security Key, Email, and Authenticator App included in the free tier by adding Yubico OTP to the mix. You also get a TOTP integrated authenticator, priority support, encrypted sharing for text and files, and an up to 1GB encrypted file attachment.

It would be nice to see even more added to the Premium line up, such as a VPN, but the pricing more than makes up for this.

Bitwarden Plans & Pricing:

Bitwarden's free plan is more than capable of offering everything you could need for password management, but if you do decide to upgrade, Bitwarden's Premium plan is one of the most cost-effective around.

The Premium plan is $10 per year. Yes, $10. Less than $1 per month. Alternatively, you can opt for the Family plan, which includes 6 Bitwarden Premium accounts for less than the cost of a single Dashlane Premium account. The Family plan is $3.33 per month, or $40 for the year, and includes everything in the Premium tier, plus a family vault for securely storing and sharing important files and data.

Bitwarden is the top pick if you're looking for a free password manager, offering a feature set that beats some of the paid plans on this list.

Read our full Bitwarden review.

• ^ Back to the top

Best password manager for security

Dashlane's password manager is one of the best on the market and has some top features for the security-conscious.

Dashlane Top Features:

🔵 AI autofill

🔵 Passkey support and storage

🔵 Passwordless login

🔵 Digital wallet

🔵 VPN included

🔵 Secure notes storage

Dashlane Usage:

Dashlane's user reviews pitch it as one of the best password managers for user experience, with a very simple and intuitive interface across the apps and browser extensions, and other features aimed at making using the app as simple as possible.

Our testing certainly supports this, with the sign-up process being very simple, and the extension automatically offering to import passwords from web browsers and other password managers.

The security settings also set Dashlane apart from the competition, and while it uses the industry standard AES-256 encryption (unlike NordPass), it also provides users with in-app two-factor authentication and secure storage for payment information and notes. Dashlane also supports passkeys, which are fast becoming a more secure alternative to passwords.

Dashlane also includes a VPN in its premium plan. Other password managers, such as NordPass, require you to sign up for the more expensive NordVPN Plus plan to include both a VPN and password manager. This Nord plan is $6 per month for one year, compared to Dashlane's $5 for both a password manager and VPN, showing a significantly better value for money in this regard.

Its important to note that Dashlane's 2FA is only supported in the app, with no biometric or SMS support available, which is a shame, and something I would like to see expanded in the future.

Dashlane Plans & Pricing:

Overall, Dashlane is one of the more expensive options on the list, and recently ditched its free tier. NordPass's free plan is a better option, as it provides unlimited password storage, multi-factor authentication including biometrics, and 24/7 live chat support.

The Dashlane Premium plan sits at $4.99 per month and gives you unlimited storage for passwords and passkeys across an unlimited number of devices. You also receive phishing alerts, dark web monitoring, and a VPN. For those looking to couple a password manager and VPN on one plan, Dashlane Premium offers superior value for money, but may be a bit expensive for those just wanting a password manager.

The Family plan is $7.49 per month and includes 10 accounts with all of the features in the Premium tier, but only the admin will have access to the VPN. Dashlane offers more accounts in its family plan than any other password manager, making it an excellent choice for large families.

Read our full Dashlane review.

"Security tools fail when they're too complicated. Password managers succeed by making robust protection effortless." - John Bennett, CEO of Dashlane

• ^ Back to the top

Best password manager for families

1Password offers excellent family-friendly features at an affordable price point, making it the best password manager for families.

1Password Top Features:

🔵 Credential strength checks

🔵 Autosave + autofill

🔵 Unlimited vaults (family plan)

🔵 Admin dashboard (family plan)

🔵 Third-party support

🔵 Free 14-day trial

1Password Usage:

1Password can be accessed from across a very wide range of devices, platforms, and browsers. Support is offered for macOS, iOS, watchOS, Windows, Android, and Linux, as well as the Chrome, Safari, Edge, Firefox, and Brave web browsers.

During installation, a guided setup will walk you through the steps to install 1Password on your chosen platform, making it very user-friendly for both new and experienced users.

Almost everything you share or store through 1Password is protected by AES 256-bit encryption, with the option to add additional Two-Key Derivation for additional account security, and the option to use the secure remote password (SRP) protocol to encrypt your data while in transit.

One unique feature 1Password offers compared to other providers is the ability to hide selected 1Password vaults while travelling or crossing borders, making it a particularly attractive option for journalists or others who regularly travel.

Now, you may be wondering why you would opt for 1Password over Bitwarden's far cheaper family plan. This comes down to how much you care about security and privacy - Bitwarden's security tools are good, but 1Password provides far more control over the level of security and privacy you would like on your account.

What makes 1Password particularly suited for families is how easy it is to use and the guidance offered by 1Password along the way. While lacking a 24/7 live chat, 1Password does offer support through other channels, such as email and a support forum.

The Family dashboard is also extremely helpful when managing accounts, with easy account recovery options. You can even share 1Password data securely with anyone, including those without a 1Password account. The pricing isn't anything to turn your nose up at, either, as I'll discuss below.

1Password Plans & Pricing:

The 1Password Premium plan is $35.88 for a year, working out at $2.99 a month - placing it in the middle of the road when compared to the likes of NordPass, Dashlane, and RoboForm. But the price is certainly worth it for the security features if you are that way inclined.

As for 1Password Families, you'll get 5 Premium accounts and an admin dashboard for $59.88 per year, or $4.99 per month, or $1.39 per user per month, making it a very reasonably priced plan for families who will make full use of the five accounts.

Read our full 1Password review.

• ^ Back to the top

Best password manager for privacy

Proton Pass has emerged as an excellent password manager over the past two years and seems determined to rival the top providers with better features and competitive pricing.

Proton Pass Top Features:

🔵 Swiss privacy laws

🔵 Integrated 2FA

🔵 Dark web monitoring

🔵 Passkey support

🔵 Proton Sentinel

🔵 Custom email aliases

Proton Pass Usage:

Proton Pass is the newest password manager to grace this guide, produced by the privacy-gurus at Proton. You may have heard of some of Proton's other products, such as Proton VPN and Proton Mail. Just like their other offerings, Proton Pass is all about privacy.

Firstly, as a Swiss-headquartered company, everything that passes through Proton's servers is protected by some of the strongest privacy legislation in the world. Secondly, Proton Pass uses 256-bit AES-GCM encryption for its vaults, meaning that only you can create new vault keys, and not even Proton can see them.

Proton offers a free tier that rivals even Bitwarden's solution, with automatic syncing across devices and browsers, 1GB encrypted storage, passkey support, unlimited logins, and 10 email aliases, plus access to all of the free features included in Proton's portfolio of other products.

As for Pass Plus, you get everything included at the free tier with an upgraded 10GB of storage, unlimited credit card storage, 50 vaults for organized storage, integrated 2FA, unlimited email aliases with custom domains, dark web monitoring, and access to Proton Sentinel (more on that below). Pass Family includes everything you see above across 6 user accounts with a shared 50GB encrypted storage.

Now, the thing that makes Proton Pass the best password manager for privacy is the Proton Sentinel program. Sentinel was developed for people who frequently handle highly sensitive data or comms, such as journalists, activists, and executives. Sentinel enables additional security protection and adds strict challenges for suspicious login attempts, along with enhanced visibility into login attempts and account changes. Senintel is included in both the Plus and Family plans.

Proton Pass Plans & Pricing:

Proton Pass is another reasonably priced password manager that offers an excellent range of functionality and privacy features. Obviously, the free tier is a very strong contender if you're looking for a free password manager, offering a range of features including 10 email aliases, password monitoring, and unlimited logins, notes, and devices.

On to Proton Plus, which has a monthly cost of $1.99, or $23.88 per year, matching the premium pricing of Nordpass, and offering excellent competition to Dashlane and Keeper. Privacy comes at a premium, and if privacy is what you want, Proton Pass is what you should get.

The Family plan is currently $4.99 per month, or $59.88 for the year, making it cheaper than Dashlane's single-user plan and again matching 1Password's Family pricing. It's still unable to compete with the pricing offered by NordPass and Roboform, but that doesn't detract from the quality that Proton has managed to build into its password manager in the last two years.

Read our full Proton Pass review.

• ^ Back to the top

Best password manager for small business

Passwarden offers an excellent family plan with great security features, making it a good budget alternative for SMBs looking for credential protection that doesn't break the bank.

Passwarden Top Features:

🔵 Duress mode

🔵 Security dashboard

🔵 AES-256 and ЕС р-384 encryption

🔵 2FA

🔵 Offline mode

🔵 Secure sharing

Passwarden Usage:

First and foremost, let's talk about a feature I don't think I've seen any other password manager include. For situations where someone may force you to open the app to steal your credentials, Passwarden offers a 'Duress' mode, which is activated by entering a dedicated password that will hide any passwords or data that you choose to be hidden when Duress mode is activated.

Passwarden also includes a dedicated security dashboard that displays all the metrics and data you could possibly want relating to your account. It will show weak, reused, and compromised passwords, and offer guidance on how to change them to be more secure. It also offers guidance on how to avoid falling prey to scams and fraud, and will notify you if it detects any of your personal info floating around on the dark web.

Additionally, Passwarden includes vault sharing that allows you to securely pass on important data, such as the Wi-Fi password or company credit card information, to other users without exposing that data to prying eyes, thanks to 256-bit AES-GCM encryption.

You can also choose to protect your Passwarden account with 2FA that supports PINs, passwords, hardware tokens, or authentication codes, and even biometrics.

For the personal plan, you will have a single account that supports usage across an unlimited number of devices that includes everything mentioned above, and more. The family plan includes 7 premium accounts, making it perfect for large families or small business teams.

Passwarden Plans & Pricing:

Passwarden is somewhat unique in its pricing structure. You can either do a monthly subscription that is billed annually, or pay a one-time fee to gain access to a Passwarden lifetime license.

For the personal plan, the monthly cost is $1.66, or $19.92 per year, making it a fairly affordable choice compared to other, more expensive alternatives such as Dashlane, Proton Pass, and even NordPass. Alternatively, you can pay the lifetime fee of $199.99 and never have to spend another penny.

For the family plan, the monthly cost is just $3.33 ($0.47 per account), or $39.96 per year, making it a close rival to some of the single account plans on this list, such as those offered by Dashlane and 1Password. The lifetime fee is $249.99, so if you are planning on using Passwarden for more than 6 years is probably worth the investment.

Read our full Passwarden review.

• ^ Back to the top

Best for Apple users

mSecure offers great integrations and apps for Apple lovers, but its free tier is slightly lacking.

mSecure Top Features:

🔵 Password history

🔵 Apple Watch app

🔵 iCloud syncing

🔵 Biometric authentication

🔵 Securiy center

🔵 Vault organization

mSecure Usage:

Right out of the gate, if you're looking for a free plan, then mSecure is not the choice for you. However, if you're an Apple lover looking for integrations across all your devices with some great features, then this could be the password manager for you.

The free plan includes unlimited password storage - and that's it.

mSecure is best used on Apple devices, as it has a dedicated Apple Watch app and can be set up to sync via iCloud. This is a double-edged sword, however, as mSecure doesn't offer the same levels of functionality across other platforms. In testing, we found mSecure's support for Windows and Android to be fairly laclustre.

mSecure confusingly offers two paid tiers, an Essentials plan and a Premium plan, with the only differences between the two being the inclusion of 2FA, secure file attachments, and some organizational and sharing options, with the difference in cost being less than $3 per year.

mSecure does offer biometric authentication and a secure center that will helpfully point out weak or reused passwords, and will provide analysis on how best to secure your accounts.

If you're an organizational nut, mSecure makes a good case. With the Premium plan, you can apply custom tags, templates, images, filers, and usernames to your vault data to help you sort and find what you're looking for faster.

mSecure Plans & Pricing:

Outside of the very basic free plan, mSecure has four paid tiers. The first two, Essentials and Premium, are basically the same apart from the differences pointed out above. Essentials is $1.66 per month when charged annually ($19.92), while the premium plan is $1.87 per month on the annual charge ($22.44).

The Family plan is $3.74 per month when charged annually ($44.88), and includes 5 Premium accounts with a basic admin dashboard. The Teams plan is $19.90 per month on the annual charge ($238.8), and includes 10 premium accounts with the option to add more for additional cost.

Read our full mSecure review.

• ^ Back to the top

Best passwordless password manager

LogMeOnce

LogMeOnce Top Features:

🔵 Great 2FA and MFA support

🔵 Beneficiary support

🔵 Password tracking

🔵 Emergency access options

🔵 Login audit and activity tracker

🔵 Unlimited devices

LogMeOnce Usage:

There are two main talking points for LogMeOnce: the passwordless login, and the second being the range of 2FA methods.

LogMeOnce, as the name suggests, prides itself on not needing a master password and offering numerous other secure login methods that are often quicker and easier than using a password.

On the 2FA side of things, LogMeOnce supports more authentication methods than any other password manager, providing authentication via Selfie-2FA, SMS Message, Voice Call, Email Message, Google Authenticator / TOTP, USB Flash Drive, X.509 Certificate, and YubiKey Security Keys.

The free account is fairly well featured, offering unlimited password storage, unlimited autofill, and unlimited syncing across devices. You also get three secure notes, three stored credit cards, and can send and receive secure passwords a total of five times. The free tier also includes a password generator with a security score calculator, as well as security audits and 2FA through email and Google Authenticator.

As with mSecure, LogMeOnce also offers two tiers for its individual plan, Professional and Unlimited. Professional includes everything at the free tier, but bumps up the secure notes and secure sharing to 50 of each, and adds unlimited credit card storing. You can also set a beneficiary for your apps and accounts, so that if you lose access, you can have someone you trust maintain access to your accounts. The Professional plan also adds a few extra 2FA methods, as well as MFA and some other nice-to-haves.

The Unlimited Plan includes all of this, but with unlimited secure notes and password sharing, access to all the 2FA methods, along with other security-oriented features such as remote logout, emergency access, and comprehensive security reporting. You also get access to priority email and live chat support.

LogMeOnce Plans & Pricing:

The Professional plan is priced at $2.50 per month, making it a middle-of-the-road option compared to other password managers in this guide. Ultimate will set you back $3.25 per month, and the family plan is $4.99 with 6 Premium accounts and a family dashboard included.

If you want to include dark web monitoring, which I would say is a fairly essential part of any password manager, you'll have to spend an extra $1.67 per month for the individual plans, or an extra $3.34 for the family plan, making it a comparatively expensive service.

Read our full LogMeOnce review.

• ^ Back to the top

We've also featured the best password recovery software.

Tested by

The best password manager FAQs

Comparison table

How to choose the top password managers

Choosing the best password manager comes down to your personal needs and whether others will be using it in addition to yourself, such as your family or the rest of your business.

The top two on our list, NordPass and Dashlane, are arguably the best all-around password managers available, more than capable of servicing anyone from single users to large organizations. But if you don’t want to pay a penny for a password manager, then there’s only one choice in our view: Bitwarden.

Here are some key considerations when choosing a password manager:

1. Security: This is one of the most important aspects of any password manager. We have done our best to check that every manager featured in this guide adheres to best practices in terms of securing your vault and personal data.

They will use industry-standard encryption methods to ensure that no one knows what your passwords are. Some will also offer biometric login in addition to or instead of a master password, and many will also offer two-factor authentication (2FA) to help prevent hackers from accessing your account if they somehow manage to steal your master password.

Many are also starting to support passkeys as a way of logging in, too, which are thought to be both easier and more secure than using a master password.

2. Synchronization: Although many other vendors will offer free versions of their managers, be aware that oftentimes, some fairly basic features will be omitted, such as cross-platform synchronization and unlimited storage and devices. Bitwarden does include these, though.

3. Compatibility: We’ve also indicated what platforms and browsers each manager is compatible with, which is another very important consideration when choosing a password manager. In fact, it is one of the main advantages of using a third-party password manager in the first place, since managers integrated with Apple, Google, and Microsoft products will usually only work within their respective ecosystems.

The managers in this list, though, will work across at least some of them, since they will be compatible with Windows and Mac (and even Linux in some cases), as well as Android and iPhone.

For those who value the utmost privacy when online, you should look for a password manager that has a browser extension for specialist privacy browsers, like Brave. Again, we’ve done our best to inform you which browsers and platforms each manager works with.

4. Price: When it comes to price, bear in mind that while many will show monthly costs, they will often bill you annually, so keep in mind that you will have to part with a larger sum rather than spreading the cost throughout the year.

Most managers on the market today will charge anywhere from $10 to $60 a year for individual plans, with family plans being somewhat more expensive. Business plans, on the other hand, can be more costly, and some even offer tailor-made enterprise plans that will require consultation before getting a quote.

How we tested the best password managers

We tested close to 30 of the most prominent password managers around and picked out the very best to feature in this guide. During our testing, we made sure to try them out on every platform possible to make sure they offered a consistent experience across all manner of devices and browsers.

We spent a considerable amount of time with each password manager to ensure that there were no nasty surprises that wouldn't necessarily crop up during a brief run through. We also tried to use them in every kind of situation we could think of, again in an effort to reveal any shortcomings that may have otherwise gone unnoticed.

The last thing you want to do is to change your password manager after discovering major flaws or aspects that you personally can’t live with, so we do our best to be as thorough as possible and consider all the different types of users that will deploy password managers for their specific wants and needs.

However, it is worth noting that good password managers usually offer easy ways to export your vault from one manager to another, so if you don’t personally like a manager after spending a lot of time with it, don’t feel you’re stuck; most vendors offer easy-to-follow guides on switching to their manager from others - they want to win your custom, after all.

Read more on how we test, rate, and review products on TechRadar.

Get in touch

• Want to find out about commercial or marketing opportunities? Click here
• Out of date info, errors, complaints or broken links? Give us a nudge
• Got a suggestion for a product or service provider? Message us directly

• You've reached the end of the page. Jump back up to the top ^

Tablets make the perfect first device for a kid. They're much better suited to static, supervised use than a smartphone, can shrug off damage that would leave a laptop in pieces, and can be used as easily for watching YouTube or playing Minecraft as they are for schoolwork or other more practical activities. So all you have to do is pick which one makes sense for you.

You could of course just pick up one of the best iPads. Apple's had the whole tablet thing sorted for years at this point, even on the standard model we recommend in this guide. But you should also check out the offerings below from Amazon and OnePlus - for their value and versatility respectively.

It's hard to know what your kid will need from a tablet as they get older, but these options will go the distance if you need them to. Check our main best tablets and best Android tablets guides if you need more recommendations, but here are the best kids tablets you can buy right now.

Best tablet for kids

It's hard to think of a tablet without immediately picturing an iPad. And fortunately, when shopping for a kid-friendly slate, the 11th-gen iPad is indeed the best option for most people.

Even though it is Apple's cheapest, most basic tablet model, the standard iPad has more than enough power, storage and battery performance to last your kid for years, even if they start to need a device for schoolwork as well as entertainment. Just grab one of Apple's own keyboard cases and Apple Pencil styluses (or one of the many third-party options) and bam, you basically have a laptop.

There are no Apple Intelligence AI features present due to this slate's older chipset, but that probably won't bother your child that much. It's also the most expensive option on this list, which may feel a risky option depending on how your child likes to treat their tech. But rest assured that for older, more careful kids, the iPad 11 would be a smart investment.

Read the full iPad 11 review

• ^ Back to the top

Best budget tablet for kids

Although it's a couple of years old, the Fire HD 10 is still Amazon's latest and best option for an affordable tablet that will give you or a younger user all the basics.

As well as the price being appealing, the rugged plastic design hopefully means even the standard non-Kids edition will survive even the roughest treatment. Amazon's built-in kids apps provide a perfect child-ready entertainment suite, and if you want to use it yourself, you may find the strong integration with Alexa and your smart home gadgets rather handy too.

The main limitation is the Fire OS operating system; you get all the basic streaming apps you could want, but the gaming experience leaves a lot to be desired due to limited compatible titles and an old low-powered chipset. Plus there's a bunch of bloatware apps that you cannot remove if you decide you don't want them, not to mention the adverts you are subjected to unless you pay to remove them. If you can live with this though, you are unlikely to find a better value tablet for your family to use.

Read the full Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023) review

• ^ Back to the top

Best Android tablet for kids

The closest you can get to an iPad running Android is the OnePlus Pad Go 2. But OnePlus' tablet has more going for it than just its resemblance to an Apple product.

You won't be wanting for screen space with the Pad Go 2's big 12.1-inch, 2.8k resolution display. Streaming video and games look and run brilliantly, as does the Android-based OxygenOS operating system. OnePlus' Open Canvas system being a great productivity tool as well, letting you open multiple apps across its spacious display - ideal if this needs to be a tablet for studying too.

Our only complaints are the rather plain design, which may also be a little too big for small hands to use comfortably, and the charging speed remaining a slow 33W. But keep the OnePlus Pad Go 2 topped up regularly, and you'll likely have no trouble from the tablet's primary user.

Read the full OnePlus Pad Go 2 review

• ^ Back to the top

How we test tablets

Our reviewers test the best tablets at home and in the office, and work with Future Labs to test them in our performance laboratory; specifically for tablets with US availability.

We use tablets in our daily lives every day, and will replace our work laptop computers with a tablet for regular use and testing. We travel with tablets and use them extensively for work and personal travel. We use tablets for fun, for games, for creating art, for getting work done, and for doing nothing at all.

The best Nintendo Switch 2 controllers have grown rather plentiful now that Nintendo’s current-generation console has been with us for about a year now. That also means the space can be quite daunting if you’re looking for a top-tier controller that’s a bit sturdier than the included Joy-Con 2.

Now, the brand’s official option, the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller, is brilliant and likely will be your first port of call when it comes to buying a dedicated controller for the handheld hybrid. However, as it’s on the pricier side (and has been the subject of price hikes in the US), it’s taking up our ‘best premium’ spot in this list. It’s still very much worthy of consideration, though, especially with its luxurious feel and class-leading battery life.

My personal choice for the best overall Nintendo Switch 2 controller is the 8BitDo Pro 3. Not only is it cheaper than Nintendo’s official offering, it’s packed with features, has excellent build quality, and solid battery life. So, whether you’re after an all-rounder like the Pro 3, something cheaper, or ideal for Nintendo Switch Online’s retro game libraries, read on to learn more about my top picks.

The best Nintendo Switch 2 controllers in 2026

Best overall Nintendo Switch 2 controller

Great build quality, superb features, and generous battery life, all at a very reasonable price? For my money, the 8BitDo Pro 3 is the best overall Nintendo Switch 2 controller available right now.

Don't be fooled by its retro, SNES-inspired looks; there are so many cool features packed into the Pro 3 it's enough to make your head spin. Drift-resisting TMR sticks, digital trigger locks, two sets of extra remappable buttons (two on the rear, and a pair of claw grip bumpers up top), and hot-swappable magnetic face buttons are just the icing on the cake.

Usually, a feature set as stacked as this would demand a triple-digit sum. And yet the 8BitDo Pro 3 is offering it all for less than $60 / £50. It's also home to one of the best d-pads I've ever used, with a rugged texture and tactile feel that makes it feel so nice under your thumb. Battery life is pretty great, too, offering around 20 hours on a single charge, and an included charging dock for when you need to top up.

If you have the budget necessary, and you can only buy one controller on this list, make it the 8BitDo Pro 3. It may be missing the absolutely stellar battery life and build quality of our best premium pick below, but it ultimately wins the war on the features front.

• Read more: 8BitDo Pro 3 review

Best budget Nintendo Switch 2 controller

The GameSir Nova Lite is a bit of an older controller, predating the Nintendo Switch 2 by around a year or so. However, the impression it left on me as a budget controller hasn't waned in the time since I reviewed it. This is a genuinely cheap controller that I'd recommend to just about anyone, even if your own budget is more generous.

I've lost count of the number of GameSir controllers I've reviewed over the years, including the excellent GameSir G7 Pro and GameSir Tarantula Pro. The Nova Lite remains one of my favorites, as it offers drift-resisting Hall effect sticks and surprisingly solid build quality for the price.

It also just sits so comfortably in the hands; GameSir clearly cares a lot about ergonomics, even on its cheaper kit like the Nova Lite. It also supports 2.4GHz wireless connectivity alongside Bluetooth, which isn't something you see often among cheap controllers.

There are compromises, though. There's no gyro aiming here, and battery life is a pretty middling 10 or so hours. But if you haven't the budget for other controllers featured in this guide, I can confidently say you won't feel short-changed by the GameSir Nova Lite.

• Read more: GameSir Nova Lite review

Best premium Nintendo Switch 2 controller

In my original review, I named the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller "the best" for the platform. So what's changed? Well, for one, this was at launch, and before serious competitors like the 8BitDo Pro 3 emerged. It's also really pricey at retail, coming in at $89.99 / £74.99 / AU$119.95. That US price is especially noteworthy, as the pad was subjected to a price hike in the region not long after launch (it was $84.99 before that).

That's a fair bit of dooming up front, I admit. The good news is that I still wholeheartedly recommend the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller. Build quality is second-to-none, bearing a smooth matte finish that feels great in hand. The thumbsticks share that overt feeling of smoothness, too, and despite not bearing any anti-drift tech like Hall effect or TMR, I've yet to experience any issues with them.

A new addition here is the pair of remappable buttons on the rear of the pad. You can assign these on a per-game basis by opening up the Switch 2's quick menu while in-game, making it a breeze to load in secondary inputs if you need or want them.

Finally, you're getting all the Nintendo niceties and conveniences here. That includes easy access to firmware updates, native wireless connectivity, gyro aiming, and an NFC reader for amiibo scanning. Battery life is also best-in-class, with around 40 hours or so per charge.

• Read more: Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller review

Best Nintendo Switch 2 controller for GameCube games

The Nintendo Switch Online subscription service plays host to a variety of retro game console libraries, all streamable to your Switch 2 with no downloads. There's a market for retro-inspired controllers, then, and Nintendo's own Switch 2 GameCube Controller is perhaps chief among them.

Yet I've gone for the excellent BattlerGC Pro over Nintendo's official option. Why? The main point of contention is that the official GameCube controller requires a Nintendo Switch Online subscription in order to buy. And yes, you'll probably already be subscribed if you're shopping for a retro game-facing controller. But if not, that's an extra irksome hurdle you might not want to pay for.

Plus, I find the BattlerGC Pro to be just a bit more comfortable to use, and is more versatile than the warts-and-all GameCube controller in that it has working clickable thumbsticks, and an extra bumper button. As a result, the BattlerGC Pro is a much better all-rounder, mixing a retro design with more contemporary features. So you're getting a 'best of both worlds' experience here.

The official GameCube model does have the BattlerGC Pro beat on battery life, though. It offers around 25-30 hours of battery life, with the BattlerGC Pro putting in a paltry 10 hours at best. Both are solid options for retro gaming sessions, but the latter still just about wins out for me on versatility alone. That said, you can read more about the Nintendo Switch 2 GameCube Controller below in our 'also consider' section.

• Read more: BattlerGC Pro review

Best Nintendo Switch 2 controller for N64 games

Yes, there is an official Nintendo 64 controller available for Switch 2. But in a similar case to the BattlerGC Pro above, I've found more to love about a third-party option when it comes to the best Switch 2 controller for playing N64 games via Nintendo Switch Online.

The 8BitDo 64 Bluetooth Controller, while primarily made for the Analogue 3D console, also works on Nintendo Switch 2, and it's a brilliant fit for the handheld hybrid. There's no 'press-to-wake' feature here (as is the case with all third-party Switch 2 controllers), but it is recognized by the console as a Nintendo 64 pad.

It has many of the same quirks, too. The drift-resistant Hall effect stick is satisfyingly contoured and chunky. Meanwhile, the d-pad and C-buttons accurately emulate the look and feel of those found on the official model. The layout is slightly different, given the 8BitDo controller opts for a traditional design rather than the N64 pad's trident-esque silhouette. But really, as charming as that is, I much prefer 8BitDo's approach.

There are some slight annoyances to make note of. The trigger and shoulder button input layout is skewed, meaning you'll have to manually change inputs via the console's settings if you want a less awkward gaming experience. The lovely N64 livery (pictured above) also costs slightly extra. Though thankfully, this isn't an expensive controller even with that retro tax.

• Read more: 8BitDo 64 Bluetooth Controller review

Best Nintendo Switch 2 controllers - FAQs

More Nintendo Switch 2 controllers we've tested

Your phone is already in your hand. You're scrolling through reels, refreshing feeds, doing absolutely nothing productive with it. What if those same minutes turned into actual cash?

That's the promise of survey and poll apps. And some of them deliver on it, while most don't.

I've been using OnePulse for a while now. Three questions, under 60 seconds, up to $0.40 per pulse. It's fast and fun, but the $20 monthly cashout cap and the fact that pulses close within seconds made me wonder, “Are there better options out there?”

So I tested seven of the most popular survey and poll apps to find out. I looked at three things that actually matter. How much you earn per minute of your time, how easily you can get your money out, and how often you get disqualified before finishing a survey (because nothing kills motivation faster than spending 10 minutes on a survey only to get booted at the end). Here's what I found.

If you're on the other side and want to create surveys for your own projects or business, we’ve covered the best survey tools in a separate guide.

Best apps to earn money from surveys and polls: TL;DR

The best survey and poll app of 2026 in full:

Best pay per minute

Prolific connects you with actual researchers from universities like Harvard and King's College, as well as AI developers who need human feedback. The result? Studies that pay between $8 and $15 per hour, consistently.

What makes it different is the type of work. See, you're not just clicking through surveys with "Which cereal brand do you prefer" type of questions. Some tasks involve editing AI-generated text, judging chatbot responses, or annotating data. If you’re lucky enough, the AI training roles can pay up to $25 per hour, which is genuinely hard to find in this space.

The best part? There are almost zero disqualifications. Prolific matches you to studies before they hit your dashboard, so if a study shows up, you're already qualified. Compare that to Survey Junkie's low qualification rate, and you'll see why this matters. But then you won't find hundreds of studies waiting for you. A handful appear each day, and the good ones fill up in minutes. I learned that the hard way and ended up turning on browser notifications just to stand a chance at grabbing a decent Prolific study before it was gone.

Prolific is also strictly web-based, with no dedicated app. The lack of it does feel a bit limiting if you’re used to doing everything on your phone. And while the payouts are pretty straightforward, everything goes through PayPal.

Minimum cashout is around $6 (£5), and withdrawals are processed on Tuesdays and Fridays. After your first four payouts, you get to access the instant transfers feature, too.

• ^ Back to the top

Best experience

If you want surveys and nothing else, Survey Junkie is the simplest option out there. It is available in the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK, with over 20 million members and backing from DISQO.

The interface is clean, and the transparency gives you a clear view of what you’re doing. Every survey shows a "points-per-minute" metric upfront, so you can quickly decide if it’s worth it. Most surveys pay around 3 to 5 cents per minute, though I’ve seen some hit 19 cents for shorter ones.

You can also try the "Surf to Earn" feature if you're comfortable sharing browsing data for passive points. But that's a personal privacy call.

While using Survey Junkie, there’s one small detail most people miss. There are these colored diamonds next to each survey telling you how likely you are to qualify. If you see green or aqua diamonds, you’re in luck. These surveys are more general and easier to get into, so you’re far less likely to get screened out halfway through. On the other hand, red and amber diamonds usually mean the survey is looking for a very specific type of participant. Unless you fit that exact profile, there’s a good chance you’ll get disqualified after answering a few questions.

On the downside, even if you play it smart, you’ll only qualify for roughly one in five surveys you attempt. Getting screened out is part of the experience. But to its credit, Survey Junkie does soften the blow a little. If you get screened out, you’ll usually receive a small consolation prize of around 3 points. It is modest, but better than leaving empty-handed.

For payouts, you can cash out via PayPal, often instantly, as well as through bank transfer or gift cards for Amazon, Target, Walmart, and others.

• ^ Back to the top

Best for multi-tasking

Out of all the tools on this list, Swagbucks feels more like a rewards ecosystem than a simple survey platform. It lets you earn through surveys, shopping cashback, streaming, gaming offers, web search rewards, and even a browser extension that runs passively. For those who prefer stacking multiple small income streams, Swagbucks offers a versatile and flexible approach.

The system is straightforward; you earn points called SB, where 100 SB equals $1. These points can be redeemed for PayPal cash, gift cards, or prepaid cards. Gift cards start at around $3 (300 SB), while PayPal withdrawals typically require a higher threshold. In my experience, gift cards usually arrive within 24 to 48 hours, while PayPal takes about 3 to 5 business days.

While surveys are still the bread and butter, the disqualification rate can be frustrating. One tester was screened out of 75% of attempts, which lines up with what I’ve seen. When you do qualify, payouts typically range from $0.50 to $2 per survey. Across all earning methods, a one-hour test brought in about $4.83, which feels decent for this category.

I know how Swagbucks’ gaming section sounds exciting on paper, with some offers exceeding $600, but there’s a catch. These are typically “offer wall” deals where you’re rewarded for hitting certain milestones in a game, like reaching a level or completing in-app tasks. In reality, that often means weeks of grinding or putting money up front, so I wouldn’t really call it free money.

If you shop online regularly, you’re probably leaving money on the table without the SwagButton browser extension. It works quietly in the background, picking up cashback where it can. Add in the occasional discounted gift cards, where a $5 Amazon card might cost only 450 SB, and you start to see the extra value.

• ^ Back to the top

Best OnePulse alternative

If you like OnePulse’s quick-poll format but want more ways to earn, Toluna feels like a natural step up. It’s available across 60+ countries, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and much of Europe and Asia, so it has a broader global reach than most platforms in this space.

Beyond standard surveys, Toluna includes short, opinion-based polls that feel more like social media prompts than formal questionnaires. I like how it leans towards building and nurturing a community. You can interact with other users, vote on trending topics, join discussions, and even create your own polls or content to see how others respond.

The points system takes some getting used to. Around 3,000 points equals $1. Most surveys pay between 2,000 and 6,000 points, which works out to roughly $0.67 to $2 per survey. A tester measured the average hourly rate at about $3.43, which is mid-range for this category.

The daily Toluna Wheel offers you one free spin per day and gives you anywhere from 40 to 200 points. It's a small, fun feature, but it adds up when you're consistent.

But keep in mind that if you don’t use your points within 12 months of earning them, they can expire. Even with regular use, older points can quietly drop off, so it’s usually better to cash out once in a while instead of waiting to redeem everything in one go. The minimum payout typically ranges from $5 to $10, and processing times vary by reward. In most cases, redemptions take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.

On the plus side, PayPal, gift cards, and even charity donations are all supported. And if you prefer not to rely on the web version, Toluna also offers mobile apps for both iOS and Android.

• ^ Back to the top

Best beginner friendly

Branded Surveys is one of the more beginner-friendly platforms on this list. The dashboard is clean, point values are easy to understand, and the minimum cashout has been lowered to $5 from $10. You also get a 100-point ($1) welcome bonus just for signing up, so you can start earning right away.

When it comes to payouts, you have a few solid options, including PayPal, direct bank transfer (US only), and gift cards for Amazon, Walmart, Starbucks, and more. Silver and Gold tier members also get access to instant payout processing.

While trying out Branded Surveys, most surveys took between 5 and 20 minutes at most, which feels reasonable. The system itself is simple. Each point is worth $0.01, and the surveys typically pay between $0.50 and $5. There’s also a daily poll that takes less than a minute, but gives you 5 points. It’s not much, but it’s one of those small things that add up if you stay consistent.

I was curious about their Branded Elite loyalty program, so I decided to test it out, too. Complete at least 12 surveys per week, and you unlock tiered bonuses on your total earnings. Bronze gets you a 5% boost, Silver pushes it higher, and Gold members can earn up to 19% extra on top of everything they’ve made that week. Unlike leaderboard systems that only reward top earners, this one benefits anyone who shows up and uses Branded Surveys regularly.

That said, it’s limited to the US, UK, and Canada, so if you’re outside those three, this is one you can skip.

• ^ Back to the top

Best for product reviews

I almost didn't include Pinecone Research. Two years ago, it would have topped this list. Today, it's a cautionary tale about what happens when a great platform changes too much.

Pinecone Research is owned by Nielsen, one of the biggest names in market research. It used to be invite-only, paid a guaranteed flat $3 per survey, rarely disqualified anyone, and offered PayPal payouts. That combination made it legendary in survey communities.

Here's what's changed: Pinecone Research is now open to everyone. The consistent $3 rate has dropped to $0.50 to $1 for many surveys. PayPal has been removed as a payout option. The minimum cashout was raised from $3 to $10.

And worst of all, users now report getting spammed with survey invites they don't qualify for, sometimes spending 40 minutes answering questions before getting screened out.

So why include it at all? Two reasons. First, you'll still see it recommended on every other survey list because most writers haven't updated their research. You deserve to know the current reality. Second, it still offers occasional product testing (you sometimes get actual products shipped to your door), and a $5 sign-up bonus for completing the welcome survey. If you treat it as a supplement, not a primary app, it can still add a few dollars.

Payout is now through gift cards, prepaid Visa cards, or bank transfer. But also know that the points expire after 12 months of inactivity.

• ^ Back to the top

Most straightforward

Google Opinion Rewards is the lowest-effort survey app you'll ever use. Each survey is 1 to 3 questions, takes under 30 seconds, and pays between $0.10 and $1. You'll get about one survey per week, sometimes more if you keep location tracking on.

That's the whole pitch. There's no complex point system, profile surveys to grind through, or a disqualification gauntlet. Google sends you a notification, you tap through a few multiple-choice questions, and credits appear in your account. The surveys are mostly about places you've visited, purchases you've made, or quick opinion polls.

On Android, you earn Google Play credits (useful for apps, games, movies, subscriptions). On iOS, you get actual PayPal cash once you hit the $2 threshold. A lot of people don't realize the PayPal option exists on iPhone, which is worth knowing.

The obvious downside is that you're not going to earn much. A few dollars per month at best. And Google Play credits are locked to the Google ecosystem, so if you're an iPhone user, getting PayPal is actually the better deal.

Like Pinecone Research, the credit that you earn through Google Opinion Rewards are bound to expire one year from the date you've earned it. So it's better to use them when you can, maybe on a Black Friday sale on the Play Store, or when you want to renew your YouTube Premium subscription.

Pro tip: turn on location services. Surveys tied to places you’ve actually visited, like a store or restaurant, can pay around $0.50 compared to about $0.14 for generic ones. Same 20 seconds, nearly triple the payout.

• ^ Back to the top

Further reading

The biggest mistakes are simple. People rely on just one app, let points expire, rush through surveys, skip profile setup, and believe unrealistic earnings claims. Fix these, and you’ll qualify for more surveys, avoid losing points, and make better use of your time.

Relying on just one app: Survey supply dries up fast on any single platform. Prolific might give you three studies today and nothing tomorrow. Survey Junkie might run out of matching surveys by lunchtime. It’s best to try a stack of 3 to 4 apps. It’ll be enough that you always have something available when you check your phone.

Ignoring points expiry: This one catches people off guard. Toluna expires your points 12 months after you earn them, even if you're still active. Google Opinion Rewards credits expire after one year. Pinecone kills your balance after 12 months of inactivity. Survey Junkie is more forgiving (points stay alive if you complete one survey every 12 months), but the lesson is the same: cash out at the minimum threshold. Don't let balances sit.

Rushing through surveys: It sounds counterintuitive, but going too fast costs you money. Platforms use attention checks (simple math problems, "select the non-living object," trick questions) to catch people who aren't reading. Fail these, and you get flagged. Get flagged enough, and you lose access to surveys or get your account suspended. Take an extra 30 seconds per survey.

Skipping profile setup: Incomplete profiles mean the platform can't match you to the right surveys. The result? More disqualifications, fewer invites, and lower earnings across the board. Survey Junkie's colored diamond system literally depends on your profile data to show you easier-to-qualify surveys. Complete every single profile questionnaire on day one. It's boring, but it pays off immediately.

Falling for unrealistic earnings claims: Any app promising $50 or more per hour is lying. The realistic range across all survey apps is $2 to $15 per hour, with Prolific at the top and most others landing between $2 and $5. Setting the right expectation up front saves you from frustration later.

Best best survey and poll apps FAQs

The best robot vacuums should make cleaning floors less of a chore than manually vacuuming and mopping them. And while nearly every single model available today do exactly that, their efficiency varies depending on software features.

For example, you're going to need reliable mapping and navigation to ensure as much of the floor space at home is cleaned as possible. Obstacle avoidance is another feature that's important for efficient cleaning. Then there's the hands-free experience that premium models offer, self-emptying the onboard bins into replaceable dust bags while also washing and drying the mop.

So it goes without saying that there are way too many options on the market right now, and picking the best one can be overwhelming. It might be tempting to save money and opt for an inexpensive one but, in robot vacuums, you truly get what you pay for. Cheaper models won't have sufficient suction for carpets, for example, and mopping would be in name only. If you're willing to spend a little extra, you can get the best robot vacuums, and they're often discounted too.

I've reviewed several robovacs in the last nine years from different brands, so I've used my experience and knowledge to pick the top models for specific use cases. Based on hours of testing and comparisons, I think the Ecovacs Deebot X8 Pro Omni is an excellent overall choice. I've used it myself in my own home and while I was annoyed with its voice prompts (there were just too many), I couldn't fault its cleaning prowess. Importantly, it's regularly discounted these days, making it a good-value option for a premium robovac.

There are other models, of course, each with their own pros and cons, and the premium ones listed below will serve multiple scenarios, including being excellent on dirty carpets and mopping with sufficient downward force to release caked-in spills.

One thing to note is that you may need to supplement your robovac with a manual model if you have stairs or need deep cleaning – take a look at my guide of the best cordless stick vacuums in Australia for the top options.

Quick summary – my top 3 picks

While the three robot vacuums listed above are my top picks across different price points, there are plenty of other models to consider. If you are a pet owner, I'd recommend a Roborock — it's an expensive proposition, so be sure to look out for it during major sales.

If you don't want to spend as much, but you have pets you need to clean up after, there's a Dreame that's just as expensive but usually gets a bigger discount that would suit well.

If none of my top 5 picks catch your fancy, I've listed 3 more alternatives further down the page to offer a few more choices – rest assured they've all been tested my either me or one of my colleagues.

The best robot vacuum for most people

These days there's not a lot that differentiates robot vacuums – they all do the same things, including vacuuming, mopping and self-cleaning. The Ecovacs Deebot X8 Pro Omni stands out for one reason only: value for money.

That said, I wouldn't recommend this at full price, but it's so often discounted these days that it's really hard for me to pass up as a top recommendation. I've tested it myself and I can vouch for its excellent performance, both when cleaning floors and cleaning itself. So if you're after an all-in-one robovac and you see this going for under AU$1,400, I'd say pick it up.

Read more: my in-depth Ecovacs Deebot X8 Pro Omni review

Another excellent robot vacuum

Whether vacuuming or mopping floors, or even cleaning itself, the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra is absolutely fantastic and comes in as a runner up (rather than my #1 pick) only because of its price – even when discounted it's expensive. But if money is no object and you want a reliable floor cleaner, this truly is excellent.

I use the Aqua10 Ultra at home and find I don't reach for my cordless vacuum unless I need to a handheld cleaner. It's even more feature-packed than the Deebot listed above, which does go some way in justifying its higher price tag, and it's performance is extremely reliable.

Read more: my full Dreame Aqua10 Ultra review

Best budget robot vacuum

When it first launched in 2024, the Narwal Freo X Plus cost AU$899, but the RRP has since dropped to AU$699. However, there's often a discount available, which drops this machine below the AU$500 mark, which is why it's my pick for the best budget option.

At this price, there are some compromises, of course. The biggest is that you don't get a self-cleaning station — instead, you get a very compact charging station, which makes it a great option for small spaces. There are a few other caveats that you need to keep in mind, but if you want a simple, easy to use and setup robovac, this one is it.

Read more: our full Narwal Freo X Plus review

Best robot vacuum for carpets

If you have the cash to splash, and you've got carpets in some rooms, there's nothing better than the Roborock Saros 20 right now. It's arguably the most powerful robot vacuum on the market at present and adds features that can be handy.

Being best in class comes at a price and, being newly released as of April 2026, it's likely not going get discounted for a while. If you can wait for a drop in price, this could be the only robovac you need.

Read more: our in-depth Roborock Saros 20 review

The best robot vacuum for pets

The Dreame X50 Ultra has already been replaced by a successor model, but that means you can get this 2025 release for a lot less right now as retailers are clearing out stock. At time of writing, the price ranges from AU$1,795 to AU$1,999, which is a grand and more off!

At this price, it's fabulous value as it's a feature-packed model with high suction of up to 20,000Pa and cleans very well indeed. It's biggest advantage over older robovacs is that it was one of the first to be able to clear high thresholds of up to 6cm thanks to little legs.

Please note that the model reviewed on TechRadar is the X50 Ultra Complete, which is no different to the standard X50 Ultra available in Australia — the only difference is the accessories bundle that comes with the Complete option and was never available locally even at launch.

• Jump back up to the top ^

Read more: our full Dreame X50 Ultra review

Alternatives to consider

If none of the robot vacuums above take your fancy, here are some other models worth considering. These robovacs all scored highly on test, but just didn't quite make our main guide.

• Jump back up to the top ^

Frequently asked questions

• Jump back up to the top ^

How to choose the best robot vacuum for you

New robot vacuums are being released at an alarming rate, and it can be difficult to tell one from another. Below is my quick guide to how to choose the right model for you – if you want more information, you'll find it in our in-depth robot vacuum buying advice article.

Suction power

Up to the start of 2025, the highest suction level you'd see on a robot vacuum would be around 10,000Pa (which will be ample for most people's need). However, today's top-specced bots can generate upwards of 18,000Pa. In the mid-range price bracket today, expect 6,000-9,000Pa of suction. Lower than 6,000Pa is what I'd expect in a budget-friendly model.

Respected robovac brand Eufy says on its blog that 2,000-6,000Pa is "adequate for routine maintenance cleaning". That figure is a little outdated, and you can expect more suction for your money nowadays. If you're dealing with things like pet hair and/or carpets, I'd definitely be looking at a bot that has 6,000Pa plus.

Remember that in general robot vacuums are designed for regular, light cleaning rather than deep cleans.

Vac or mop-vac?

Many of today's best robot vacuums are also able to mop floors. This can be useful if you have a mix of hard floors and carpet, but be aware that robovac mopping tends not to clean as well as good old manual mopping. Dual, rotating circular disc mop pads tend to deliver a more effective clean than semicircular mop pads, in my experience, and the new breed of roller mop is a step up again.

Dock type

The cheapest robovacs will only have a dock for charging. Pricier models incorporate self-emptying of the onboard dustbin, and draining/refilling of the onboard water tanks. The very fanciest models offer automatic mop pad cleaning, and detergent dispensing for the mopping fluid. Onboard dustbins tend to be small, so if you're dealing with lots of dust or hair then I'd recommend prioritizing a self-empty dock. However, be aware that the more functions you add, the bigger the dock will be – the ones with water tanks can be pretty massive.

Cleaning features

Beyond suction power, there are lots of design aspects that will affect how well your robovac cleans, including edge cleaning features, pet-friendly features, and features geared towards tackling hair.

Historically, robovacs aren't great at cleaning up to the edges of rooms, but today's best robot vacuums add spinning side brushes designed to flick debris into the robot's suction path. Combo models might also have mops that can kick out from the side of the vacuum to get closer to the sides of rooms.

Pet owners might want to look for a model that is able to recognize their pet and either avoid it (if it's spooked by the addition of a sentient appliance to the household) or seek it out to check up on it while you're out of the house. If your pet isn't reliably house trained, beware: even bots with advanced object recognition can struggle with objects under, say, 2 inches in height. I'd never trust any robovac to avoid pet poop, even those with promises that specifically focus on pet mess.

If you have long hair, or live with someone who does, you might want to consider a robot vacuum with features geared towards ensuring it doesn't end up tangled all around the brushrolls. Some brands will address this by tapering their brushrolls or breaking them in the middle, with the aim of quickly directing hair towards the bin inlet. Dreame even has an alternative brushroll attachment that has little blades to chop up hair so it can be more easily managed.

How we test robot vacuum cleaners

A new robot vacuum can be a significant investment, so to ensure you end up with the right one for you, each model here has been tested either by myself or one of my regular, experienced freelance reviewers.

We test out models from a wide range of brands, including the likes of iRobot Roomba, Dreame, Shark and Roborock, as well as Eufy, Ecovacs, Narwal and Proscenic. We cover options for different budgets, rather than only testing the latest-and-greatest models (which, after all, will be overkill for many shoppers).

Our reviews are underpinned by specific, standardized tests. Here's a rundown of our review process.

Suction tests
We test fine dirt pickup by sprinkling a mix of flour and cookie crumbs on the floor, and large debris pickup using oats. We look at whether there's any remnants left after a single pass from the robot vacuum, and if it catches them on a second run. We repeat these tests for both hard floor and carpet.

Mopping tests
If the robot vacuum has a mop function, we see how it copes with fresh liquid spillages as well as dried-on, sticky messes. To test this, we smear a tiny bit of ketchup on the floor and leave it to dry, and also spill a bit of soy sauce, then task the robot with a spot clean. We'll also look at how the robot tackles the issue of switching between vacuuming and mopping – will it reliably detect floor type, and pick up its mop pad when moving from hard floor onto carpet, for example?

Mapping tests
When we first get the robot set up, we'll see how long it takes to create a map of the home, and how accurate that map is. For subsequent runs, we'll keep an eye on how the robot navigates the space; if takes a logical route through the house, if it repeats already-clean areas, and so on.

Navigation tests
To assess object avoidance, we lay out a charge cable, a sock that's a similar color to the floor, and some fake pet poop, to see if it can reliably spot and avoid them. On the navigation front, we'll also test the robot vacuum's edge cleaning abilities – does it get right up to the edges of rooms, or leave a margin that needs manual cleaning.

General use tests
As well as these standardised tests, my reviewers integrate these robovacs into their daily cleaning setup, to get a feel for how effective and user-friendly they are in general. This includes assessing noise levels (when cleaning and also when self-emptying), how long they last on a single charge, and how regularly they have to return to the dock to self-empty or charge.

We'll dig into the app and gauge how well-designed, usable and intuitive it is, and how much control it offers. We'll also test any specific performance claims made by the manufacturer, as well as checking out any special features like built-in voice assistants and camera surveillance.

After at least two weeks of testing, we consolidate our findings and use them to judge who (if anyone) we'd recommend the robot vacuum to. We also compare the features and build quality to the price, to assess if the robot vacuum is good value for money.

Read more on how we test vacuum cleaners.

• Jump back up to the top ^

UK-based freelancers, sole traders, and landlords are required from April 2026 to adhere to new tax submission requirements. Making Tax Digital (MTD) requires self-employed UK residents to submit quarterly records, with record-keeping maintained using HMRC-approved software.

Conceived as a means to improve accuracy and efficiency, MTD does not apply to freelancers operating a limited company, but does apply to any freelancer, sole trader, or landlord with a turnover exceeding £50,000. This reduces to £30,000 in 2027.

Making quarterly submissions is expected to reduce errors and track tax liabilities throughout the year, ahead of the final annual declaration, which is required by January 31 each year.

To deal with these new tax requirements, MTD-compatible software is required. His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has issued certification for suitable tools. Many existing accountancy applications are compatible with MTD, along with a collection of free tools, many of which are published by recognizable names within the financial software market.

7 free MTD tools for sole-traders, landlords, and freelancers

Sage Sole Trader Free

Sage is probably the biggest name in UK accounting software over the past 4 decades, created in 1981 in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, by David Goldman, Graham Wylie, and Paul Muller. Initially released as a disk-based financial application, Sage has more recently switched to a cloud-based provision.

Various versions of Sage are available, and it now covers everything from accounting and payroll to HR. This pedigree makes it an ideal choice for anyone looking for an MTD solution, and Sage Sole Trader Free is designed to fit the bill.

With the tool, you can prepare your MTD submission in advance, connect a bank account, and there is also a free mobile app. Sole Trader Free will give you 5 sales invoices per month and 25 AI-supported, automatically categorized transactions, all of which should keep everything streamlined and ready for MTD. But if you need more invoices, more AI-assisted transaction categorization, more bank accounts, or support, there is the Sole Trader paid tier.

This is relatively affordable compared with other premium accounting tools, costing just £7/month (plus VAT), but there is the option to get the first 3 months for free, which might suit your pocket in the lead up to the first MTD submission on August 7 2026.

Where Sage Sole Trader Free might disappoint is in its lack of reports. Beyond the SA103 Short report, nothing is available, again leaving you with the only choice but to upgrade from Sole Trader Free to Sole Trader.

GoFile

Founded in 2017 and now used by over 50,000 businesses (according to 2024 figures), GoFile started life as “1 Click Accounts”, gaining a name change in 2021 following its support for MTD for VAT, with the rollout of MTD for Income.

Another factor to note is that apart from Sage Sole Trader Free, GoFile offers far more in terms of depth and complexity than any of the alternatives listed here. As such, you may find the wealth of options – reports, advanced sales and purchasing tools – to offer more than you need. Tax Self Assessment, GoFile has a friendly user interface with clear objectives.

All of this is accessible via a Google account or a standard email and offers perhaps the simplest setup of all tools in this list. However, while it is suitable for sole traders, freelancers, landlords, and even limited companies, GoFile’s free tier extends as far as submission day. Once you hit the MTD filing, you’re looking at a £49.99 annual bill (or £4.99/month).

Free MTD software doesn’t necessarily mean free submission, and GoFile is the same. The software provides everything you need to set up your business, update income and expenditure, and calculate taxes. But that’s where “free” ends, although there is a 30-day free trial of the software’s higher tier.

But perhaps the best aspect of GoFile is its sandbox mode. This is available from the moment you sign in, and lets you play around with figures and fake filings, with no connection to HMRC. It’s a useful feature that lets you get a better grip on concepts like capital gains and reliefs and losses, so it's worth spending time with.

TaxHeaven

With an aim of “making tax heavenly for UK sole traders and landlords,” TaxHeaven offers a pair of options. Angel, the free option, is fully MTD compliant, and along with a few AI enhancements (which are extended with the premium Archangel plan for £49/year), gives you automated bookkeeping and submissions for a single business. Additional businesses require manual entry.

TaxHeaven was built by Raunaq Bose and founded in 2025 with the primary aim of simplifying Making Tax Digital for sole traders, landlords, and freelancers. In early 2026, TaxHeaven partnered with the Yapily banking platform to bring automation to syncing transactions with bank accounts.

Getting started with TaxHeaven requires either a Google login or your own email address, which takes you straight into a clear and modern user interface. Banking data can be imported, income and expenses input and saved, and the app is at pains to highlight that nothing is shared with HMRC until you hit the submit button. I found the import tool required a bit of messing around with the source data before needing to match fields, however, so be prepared.

Furthermore, data can be easily exported as PDF reports or CSV data, should you require its use in another accounting tool. Once authorized with HMRC (via a registration feature within the TaxHeaven cloud app), you can submit quarterly MTD returns. However, actual submission tools were not available at the time of writing – instead, the app states that “quarterly submission tools will be ready ahead of the 5 August deadline.” As such, the app encourages the recording of income and expenses, rather than the distraction of submitting.

ANNA Self Assessment

Requiring a simple Google authorization registration and login, ANNA Self Assessment is a handy, clearly laid out accounting tool that runs in the cloud.

Standing for “Absolutely No Nonsense Admin,” ANNA was founded in 2017 and offers several financial tools.

It is important to be clear on how free this software is, however. You’ll get basic accounting tools (bank connection, profit/loss, etc.) and, as a sole trader or landlord, will receive access to free MTD submissions. However, ANNA’s chatbot explains that this is related to the +Taxes add-on, which is a paid service for limited companies; additionally, there is no clear MTD functionality within ANNA Self Assessment at the time of writing.

Instead, this seems to be something that will be added to the free tier at some point between now and the first submission date (August 7, 2026). You can still input your incomings and outgoings, and connect to your bank account, but with this slow roll-out in mind, you might prefer to opt for one of the alternatives.

But for a free tool, ANNA Self Assessment has a lot to offer. It gives you invoicing and photographic receipt upload tools, integration with other software like Xero, and supports SWIFT and CHAPS transfers and payments.

The very useful Terrapin tax chatbot is another excellent feature of the free plan, and can clarify everything tax-related. If you need to upgrade for more functionality as your business expands, the basic Business plan is £22.90/month, although note that expansion might also require you to pay for the +Taxes add-on.

Clear Books Free

A UK-based accounting software publisher, Clear Books has been running since 2008, and aims to publish “clear & simple ​cloud accounting and payroll software” for UK-based small businesses. Recently, it has added “AI automated accounting” as its website tagline (or slogan), and according to its LinkedIn page, serves around 15,000 businesses across the UK. This comprises “accountants, bookkeepers, and small businesses.”

Signing up to Clear Books is straightforward, requiring only your email address. There is no facility to use Google, Apple, or Facebook to register, which at least means you can keep control over your own data. The AI element of Clear Books appears to be assisted, rather than autonomous, so it may suggest account codes, for example, but the user can override everything if necessary.

Clear Books Free has limited features, but includes everything you need to get your MTD submission completed and sent online each quarter. It has an export tool, too, and custom account codes, if required. On the downside, however, the interface is pretty drab, with the feel of a 2000s Microsoft app. But as it is a free-to-use cloud accounting tool, you may feel able to overlook that.

Entering income is straightforward, but limited by manual input of everything; with the Clear Books Free package, there is no automation of bank feeds or invoicing. As well as taking care to accurately enter data, it’s important to remember to click Save. The relatively basic interface of Clear Books doesn’t position the Save button in an intuitive way.

Beyond this, Clear Books Free is a useful way to get started with some no-nonsense software and polish your MTD submissions ahead of sending to HMRC at the end of each quarter.

If you need additional features from Clear Books, it also offers a “sole trader” subscription for just £5 a month. This includes support for unlimited bank feeds, as well as PDF and photographed receipt uploads, along with customizable sales invoices and telephone support.

!Coconut Free

Founded in 2016 and launching its first app in 2018, !Coconut is a British company that entered the financial software market by targeting sole traders before progressing to limited companies. Its software – mobile and cloud apps – have proven popular, and the company was acquired by GoSimpleTax in 2023 to offer a more complete option for sole traders, landlords, and the self-employed facing MTD rules.

!Coconut Free gives you tools to manage your MTD submission, enabling bank connection so transactions can be recorded, bulk receipt upload, invoice generation, and reports. Overall, everything is straightforward, and the interface guides you through setup with a handy checklist. This covers linking your bank account, adding contacts for invoices, and concludes with checking items in your bank account to ensure they’re correctly attributed to the correct category code. You’re also encouraged to use the mobile app. This features some easy “glanceable” screens, where important information is usefully highlighted – things like the current month’s profit/loss, and the current tax situation.

However, while we’re impressed with !Coconut Free, it isn’t quite ready for MTD at this time. The MTD ITSA screen within the web app states, “MTD ITSA is coming in April 2026 for the 2026/27 tax year. This will apply for those who earn (income, not profit) over £50,000 of self-employed or property per year.” However, there is not yet any functionality for this feature. Instead, reference is made to the 2025/26 beta program, which implies testing has been ongoing but hasn’t yet moved to providing the MTD portal for users.

But as we’re still close to the end of the 2025/26 tax year, this is probably something that will be implemented soon – certainly in readiness for the August 7 deadline.

Note that !Coconut Free isn’t entirely free. With a Zempler business bank account, you get the software free for 2 years, but for everyone else, a 14-day trial is available ahead of a £129.99 annual payment (or £21.99/month).

FreeAgent

FreeAgent has been supporting MTD for VAT since its implementation in 2022, and is now rolling out support for MTD for Income Tax Self Assessment ahead of the first submission date on August 7 2026.

Launched in 2007, FreeAgent was acquired by the Royal Bank of Scotland Group (now known as the NatWest Group) in 2018. This has had an impact on its availability.

Like !Coconut, FreeAgent offers the software for free only to business bank account holders. The choice is wider, however. If you have a NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, Ulster Bank, or Mettle business account, you can enjoy FreeAgent and its MTD submissions for free. Otherwise, as a sole trader, you’re looking at £190/year or £19/month, although these prices are often discounted and come with a 30-day trial.

Setup and day-to-day use of FreeAgent is frictionless, with the opportunity to create invoices, sync business bank accounts (third-party banks are supported), and record expenses. Financial data is clearly presented in the main screen, and there is a section for taxes. This is where the connection with HMRC is established, ready for the quarterly MTD submissions and annual declarations under the new tax rules.

This is straightforward accounting software, and if you have the appropriate prerequisite bank account, it’s a great free option for Making Tax Digital.

Alternative MTD tools with free options

As the accounting software industry races towards August 7, an increasing number of free MTD submission apps are either being released or optimizing their existing features to attract new businesses.

If you’re caught in the MTD bracket, then the solutions listed above should work out well for you. However, we’ve also looked at some other tools:

• My Tax Digital is a self-described “a tax portal that allows businesses, sole traders, landlords, tax agents and accountants to meet HMRC's Making Tax Digital (MTD) requirements,” and is designed to enable easy MTD submission.
• Acxite: Features everything you need to get your submission ready, but you only get full functionality with Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge browsers.
• Monzo: Much like its domestic bank accounts, Monzo Business offers useful additional tools to help you better control your finances. One such tool is Sage-powered HMRC-recognised MTD software, available free if you have a Monzo Business account.
• QuickFile: Straightforward invoicing, although it offers far more in terms of depth and complexity than any of the alternatives listed here.

Free MTD software FAQs

It would absolutely be a fair assumption that the more you spend on a pair of headphones, the better quality you're going to get. While that is largely true, this guide to the best cheap headphones in Australia proves that the times they are a changin', because you can pick up a talented set of over-ear or in-ear headphones that sound and look great, without breaking the bank.

The pairs of cheap headphones that I've selected for this guide have all undergone TechRadar's rigorous testing process to ensure they deliver where it matters — sound quality, performance and value for money. After all, while these pairs of cheap headphones might not cost a huge amount of money, it's entirely understandably you want them to go above and beyond.

To make things even easier, I've divided mu picks between over-ear and in-ear models (there's also an on-ear model if you prefer that style) and then into clear price brackets. None of the products featured here cost more than AU$170, and you might be surprised to find that all but the most affordable Sony on-ears include active noise cancellation. What's more, I've based my picks on RRPs, but you'll likely find that most of the pairs on this list are never far from a discount — in fact, at the time of writing, the Earfun pair at #2 on this list have a 42% discount at Amazon.

If you do want the best possible audio performance currently available, then check out our guides to the best headphones in Australia and best wireless earbuds in Australia. But if you want big sound on a small budget, you’re in the right place. These are the best cheap headphones you can buy in Australia today.

The best cheap headphones available today

Best over ears under 150

The best cheap headphones you can buy right now in Australia are the 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51. These budget-friendly over-ears deliver on virtually all fronts, serving up excellent sound for the price, having plenty of battery life and employing effective noise cancelling — all for under AU$150.

Despite the low price, you get a surprising number of features. There’s ANC and transparency mode, support for high-quality streaming via LDAC (something that even some pairs of more expensive headphones don't support) and an insane 100 hours of battery life (or a still-impressive 65 hours with ANC switched on). During testing, the ANC surprised us with how good it was. Admittedly, we weren't expecting anything groundbreaking, but it really muted the usual distractions such as keyboard clatter and street noise, letting us fully focus on the music.

As for how they sound, it's more good news, as we found they could hold up well against the competition we compared them to. The delivery is clear with a bass-forward sound signature that’ll likely appeal most to fans of electronic, hip-hop and pop. What surprised us even more was how composed they remain at higher volumes — the sound they serve up is impressively dynamic and packed with energy and clarity that can often be missing from more affordable headphones. If you want to tweak the sound profile, the companion app gives you a few EQ options to play with, which do work well — just be aware that the app can be a little clunky to use.

We're also big fans of how the Sonoflow Pro HQ51 look, employing a sleek matte and stylish curved design that suggest the complete opposite of "cheap". They’re lightweight and comfy to wear too, with generous padding on the earcups and headband. Perhaps expectedly given the price, the build does feel a bit plasticky in places, but we can't dock too many points here given their low cost.

All in all, the 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 manage to squeeze in everything you’d want from budget headphones, and even just a pair of headphones full stop. They're a complete package — good looks, great battery life and strong sound. If you want the best cheap headphones available today in Australia, these are the ones to beat. If you're on an even stricter budget, check out the new few entries that offer great performance at even lower prices.

Read our full 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 review

• ^ Back to the top

Best over ears under 120

The Earfun Wave Pro are our top pick for under AU$120 — especially as they can often be picked up for even less, even below AU$100. They pack in an impressive list of features, with the standout undoubtedly being battery life, with a huge 80 hours of playtime on offer — or 55 hours with ANC on.

Design-wise there's plenty to appreciate — they're lightweight, comfortable with soft cup padding and they fold neatly away for travel. They also come with a sturdy case. What we find particularly impressive is that, despite their low price, they don't feel cheap.

Sound quality is where they really shine. During testing, we found the audio surprisingly rich for the price point, with punchy bass, crisp treble and a solid, expansive soundstage. Inside, you'll find 40mm drivers, a High-Res Audio certification (both for wireless and wired listening) and LDAC support for improved Bluetooth streaming.

ANC performance is decent, although you shouldn't buy these expecting absolute top-tier. They will still drown out noises around you, just don't be surprised if a few manage to find their way into your ears. There are five different ANC modes, which is a little confusing at first. You also get multipoint connectivity here, another feature usually found in pricier models.

Overall, they offer outstanding value for money, combining long battery life, great sound, and a robust design. You'd be hard pressed to find better at this price.

Read our full Earfun Wave Pro review

• ^ Back to the top

Best sub-80 on-ears

The Sony WH-CH520 are super cheap, on-ear wireless headphones from Sony, coming in at less than AU$80 these days. These headphones are on-ear rather than in-ear or over-ear, which means their ability to cancel out external noise is limited. Some users will also likely find them a little uncomfortable after longer listening periods, as they can make the ears feel hot.

And factoring in their low price, there's no Hi-Res Audio support (but you wouldn't expect to at this price). They more than make up for it with their ability to deliver quality, well-balanced sound (as well as a few useful tricks), making them fantastic value and our favourite pair of cheap on-ears.

Sony is of course no stranger to producing great pairs of headphones, and it knows a thing or two about good audio. In the WH-CH520, the bass adds depth but sounds controlled and fun with electronic or dance music. Mids let vocals stretch their legs, which gives denser instrumental mixes a chance to shine — although you'll obviously lose more detail here than you would with higher-end models. Trebles tend to elevate out of the mid-range well enough, giving them space to breathe.

The Sony CH520 replace the Sony CH510 in Sony's line-up and they're a worthy upgrade, adding in some notable improvements, like more cushioning, which is essential for a good pair of on-ear headphones where the earpads sit directly on your ears. The only thing these headphones are missing at this great value price is a 3.5mm jack — they're wireless only.

Still, with good app support, multi-point pairing and an impressive 50 hours of battery we really can't complain and they're our top pick if you want headphones rather than earbuds that won't break the bank.

Read our full Sony WH-CH520 review

• ^ Back to the top

Best earbuds under 170

If you want a pair of buds that are still considered budget but bring you excellent noise cancelling, sound and style, the Nothing Ear (a) are the clear choice.

Noise cancellation is the real star of the show here, and is easily among the best we've come across at this price. On that note, we've listed them as being 'under AU$170' based on their RRP, but we often find them going for a lot less these days.

There are multiple ANC profiles, and the High setting is especially impressive. It knocked out the sound of a hairdryer and even muted an extractor fan we didn’t realize was on. This level of silence comes at the cost of some battery life – down from 9.5 hours to 5.5 with ANC on – but frankly, it’s worth it.

Nothing has worked wonders where sound quality is concerned too, as the Ear (a) buds serve up plenty of energy. They’re dynamic, punchy and fun, with a bold, lively character that makes pop, hip-hop and dance tracks shine. They lean into excitement over audiophile precision, but that’s not a drawback — they're simply a fun little set of earbuds. For those who like to tweak settings, the Nothing X app offers EQ adjustment and a fit test.

Design is another big win, and an area where Nothing tends to shine. These don’t look like budget buds. In fact, they’re more stylish and distinctive than many premium models in our opinion. The semi-transparent aesthetic and bold colours make them stand out, and they feel solid in the hand despite the price. Comfort is also excellent, especially once you’ve found the right tips (three sizes come in the box). They’re lightweight and easy to wear for hours, and the redesigned case is smaller and more pocketable than before.

There are a few trade-offs, you won’t get wireless charging or spatial audio, and some premium features from Nothing’s flagship models are missing. But you do get Bluetooth 5.3, LDAC support for high-res audio (if your phone supports it), multipoint connectivity, low-lag gaming mode, in-ear detection and a “Find My Earbuds” feature.

Ultimately, if you’re after slick design, excellent sound and noise cancellation that punches way above its price tag, the Nothing Ear (a) are hard to beat. They’re affordable, practical and packed with features that usually cost a lot more.

Read our full Nothing Ear (a) review

• ^ Back to the top

Best earbuds under 100

It's another in this guide for Sony, with the WF-C510 earbuds being a truly talented set, and an immediate go-to for anyone looking for superb audio and overall performance on a limited budget.

Getting audio out of the way first, these dinky Sony buds continue the company's penchant for clear, detailed sound. It's a wonderfully balanced presentation, bass isn't overblown and highs aren't too harsh, it's just right. They benefit from Sony's DSEE upscaling technology, which helps to make lower quality audio streams sound as good as possible.

The biggest omission here is the lack of proper ANC. The in-ear fit does mean that passive noise isolation is good, and so you'll find that much of the world around you does get drowned out, just know you'll get better performance from other pairs of headphones. There is an Ambient Sound Control mode, but this is more akin to a transparency mode, allowing more external sounds to filter into your ears.

Design-wise, the WF-C510 earbuds are compact, which means their charging case is too. This makes it super simple to throw them into a bag or slip into a pocket. The buds themselves are lightweight at 4.6g each, so they're comfortable to wear over longer periods. We also found they remained snug and secure in place. And finally for design, they're available in a range of colours, which is great if you don't want to be confined to the usual suspects of black or white.

Battery life could be a dealbreaker here though, it must be said. While the buds' 8 hours with sound control on and 11 hours with it off is exemplary for headphones in this price bracket, the charging case only provides one full charge — many other pairs offer at least two full charges, sometimes more. That means if you're going to be away from a charging point for some time, these won't be the cheap headphones for you.

Read our full Sony WF-C510 review

• ^ Back to the top

Best earbuds under 70

The JLab Go Pods ANC are the cheapest pair of earbuds in this list. But don't be fooled. They may not be perfect, but for under AU$70 RRP — and regularly available for even less — you're getting solid ANC, a lightweight build and a surprisingly capable sound.

JLab is no stranger to producing excellent pairs of headphones at low prices, and we've rated previous models highly, like the teeny tiny and incredibly cheap JLab Go Air Pop and JLab Go Pop ANC. But the Go Pods ANC are our top pick for those on a really tight budget.

They're a very lightweight pair of buds with a small stem design that looks far more premium than their price would suggest. You can slip them into an equally light charging case, which comes with a handy charging cable to keep them powered up from your phone.

Given their name, it should come as no surprise to learn they have ANC — which the Sony earbuds above miss out on — and it really is very good considering the price. Don't expect them to compete with higher-end options, of course, but you'll be pleased to learn they do a remarkable job of blocking out background noises. The same goes for the audio. It punches well above its weight with an enjoyable, bassy listen that can reach high volumes.

There are some caveats, which should be expected. The battery life isn't amazing at only 5 hours with ANC on and you'll likely find you need to switch out the tips as the included ones don't perform. However, all things considered, they're still well worth it.

What we're saying is, the JLab Go Pods ANC are basically the cheapest ANC buds that are actually worth buying. They're not best-in-class, especially in terms of audio, ANC and overall build. But with this feature set and sound, they're not just good for the price, they're genuinely good. Which means if you're looking for the best and cheapest buds you can get today, you've found them.

Read our full JLab Go Pods ANC review

• ^ Back to the top

Other cheap headphones to consider

Apple AirPods 4: The AirPods 4 sound great and offer top-notch spatial audio. They're relatively affordable for Apple, but there’s plenty of strong competition at this level. Only go for them if you specifically want the classic AirPods fit – they rest just outside your ear canals, with no in-ear tips, yet still feel secure and comfortable. If budget isn’t a concern, you might also want to consider the ANC version. Read our full Apple AirPods 4 review for more.

Huawei FreeArc: If it's an open pair of earbuds you're after, head straight to our Huawei FreeArc review. There’s plenty of competition in this space, but these are the best-sounding open-ear headphones we’ve tested so far – and while it's hard to call them cheap, they’re the best affordable in this style.

Skullcandy Set USB-C: A comfortable and affordable pair of USB-C buds which offer decent sound quality considering their sub-AU$30 price and a sleek design. If you're looking for a cheap, wired, in-ear option, you can't go wrong here. Take a look at our full Skullcandy Set USB-C review to find out more.

Sony MDR-EX15AP: If you're looking for a super cheap second pair of wired earbuds, you've found them. There's not much to say here, they get the job done, covering the basics. But that's about it. Read our full Sony MDR-EX15AP review for more.

Sony WF-C710N: Sony's latest mid-range earbuds are very good in basically every way, but we prefer the Nothing Ear (a). Still, if you know you like Sony's sound profile, the C710N remain a great alternative, with excellent noise cancellation and impressive sound for the price. Check out our full Sony WF-C710N review for the details.

Sony WH-C720N: These Sony over-ears offer solid sound and smart features at a great price. They don’t quite borrow the magic from Sony’s flagship range, but that’s okay. Because what you get is a comfortable fit, enjoyable audio and surprisingly decent noise cancellation for the money. A strong pick for everyday listening without the premium price tag. Read our full Sony WH-C720N review to find out more.

How to choose the best cheap headphones for you

Choosing the best cheap headphones comes down to a few key factors: the design that suits you best, the features you prioritize, the device you'll use as your music source, and just how cheap your budget will allow you to go.

Design: You'll find cheap headphones that are in-ear, over-ear, on-ear and wired. The one you choose will mostly come down to your personal preference. If you can't decide, consider what you'll be using them for. For example, if you want the best ANC for travel, you might get a better experience with over-ears. If you want flexible buds for walking and popping in and out easily, true wireless options might work better.

Features: When choosing budget headphones, it’s important to remember that affordability often comes with trade-offs. If a specific feature – like ANC – is a priority, it’s worth focusing on that and accepting that other aspects may not be as strong. You can find features like ANC, on-ear volume controls, dedicated apps, and wearer detection at lower prices, but you won’t get them all in one package.

Source: What phone do you use? While most headphones are compatible with a wide range of devices, you may unlock extra features and enjoy a more seamless experience if your phone and headphones are part of the same ecosystem. If you’re considering wired earbuds, check whether your phone has the right connection—or be prepared to buy an adapter.

Budget: Finally, how small is your budget? Yes, this is a guide to the best cheap headphones, but our definition of 'cheap' varies, from the super-cheap JLab Go Pods ANC at around AU$50 through to the Nothing Ear (a) at AU$170. This should give everyone with a smaller budget several options.

Final thoughts: But we haven't just included headphones because they're cheap. We highly recommend all of the devices in our guide above. Even if they don't all offer sonic sound performance, they all represent excellent value for money.

Overall, there's no going wrong with any of the headphones in this guide. They're all affordable, great value and offer some top features and decent sound. But it is worth taking the time to consider what's important to you – just because headphones are cheap doesn't always mean they're worth it.

How we test the best cheap headphones

It’s no surprise that cheap earbuds won’t match high-end ones, so we judge budget options against similarly priced competition. Our testing ensures they offer clear, detailed sound without the dreaded tinny quality that's common in lower-end models.

We assess both wired and wireless options, listening across various genres for several days. Where it applies to the headphones we’re testing, we also evaluate features like ANC, battery life, usability, and companion apps, considering how well they perform at this price point.

Comfort, design, and ergonomics matter too. We note how they feel during extended wear to help you find the right fit. Finally, we compare performance to price, ensuring every pick offers solid value.

Take a look at our more rigorous explanation about how we test products here at TechRadar and, more specifically, how we test earbuds.

• ^ Back to the top

Samsung's Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus handsets brought some fresh upgrades over their predecessors, with the former sporting a slightly larger 6.3-inch screen (vs the S25's 6.2 inches), and its storage options now start at 256GB, up from 128GB. The battery also gets a boost to 4,300mAh, up from 4,000mAh.

The larger-screened Galaxy S26 Plus, meanwhile, retains the 6.7-inch display and 4,900mAh battery from its predecessor, and gets Samsung's new Exynos 2600 chipset, with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip reserved for the top-tier S26 Ultra. While the battery capacity is the same, the S26 Plus has 20W wireless charging, compared to the S25 Plus’ slower 15W.

If you’re looking to buy outright, the range is available at retailers like Amazon, JB Hi-Fi and The Good Guys. Buying direct from Samsung will also let you pay in instalments of up to 24 months. When paired with one of our best SIM-only plans, buying outright will be the best bang-for-buck option.

These are flagship phones, so the base models of the Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus won’t fit in our best cheap phones list. It also doesn’t help that both handsets are more expensive than the S25 lineup, with the base model S26 starting from AU$1,549 (up from the S25’s AU$1,399) and the S26 Plus from AU$1,849 (vs the S25 Plus’s starting price of AU$1,699). This would make paying in monthly instalments an attractive option for some.

With so many options available to score a brand-new upgrade, finding the best plan for these new handsets may not be the most straightforward process, so we’ve done the hard work for you. Take a look at our picks for the best phone plans for the Samsung Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus below:

The best Samsung Galaxy S26 plan

The best Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus plan

Compare Samsung Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus plans

Outright Samsung Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus deals

Want to opt for a SIM-only plan and not be tied to a telco? There are plenty of options for buying the Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus outright:

• Samsung: pay in instalments of up to 24 months through Samsung financing; also save up to AU$865 when you trade in your old device
• JB Hi-Fi: trade in your old tech for a JB Hi-Fi gift card to be used on a Galaxy S26 series handset
• The Good Guys: Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus available in 256GB and 512GB
• Amazon: Same day delivery with the world’s biggest retailer

Samsung Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus: Key Information

• Slightly larger 6.3-inch screen for the base Galaxy S26
• Larger 4,300mAh battery for the S26
• Faster wireless charging for the Galaxy S26 Plus

Samsung’s new range of S-series phones have had some modest hardware upgrades over its predecessors, but they now all start with storage options from 256GB instead of 128GB with the S25 lineup last year.

The base Galaxy S26’s main upgrades were its screen size (6.3 inches versus the S25’s 6.2 inches) and its battery capacity (4,300mAh from 4,000mAh from the S25), while the Plus gets 20W wireless charging, up from 15W for its predecessor.

Both phones retain their IP68 dust and water-resistance rating from their predecessors, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection, and camera arrays (50MP main, 10MP telephoto, 12MP ultrawide and 12MP front-facing).

On the software side of things, AI is at centre stage yet again with Galaxy AI features like the proactive Now Nudge notifications, predicting the next task you might need to do, as well as Bixby getting a boost through a partnership with Perplexity to answer non-phone related prompts. The phones also come with AI-powered call screening, document scanning and new AI photo editing tools.

Unfortunately, both the headline-grabbing Privacy Display and the gimbal-like horizontal lock video mode are only exclusive to the Galaxy S26 Ultra, so if you’re specifically looking for those features, you can check out the best Galaxy S26 Ultra plans.

Samsung Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus specs

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra boasts some new hardware features, the built-in Privacy Screen that dims when viewed at an angle, a horizontal lock feature that keeps video shooting steady (even if you turn the phone the other way around), and 60W wired charging (up from the S25 Ultra’s 45W).

Samsung has also touted plenty of new AI features, including a photo-editing tool using natural language prompts, a tool to remove video background noise, call screening and more. In short, it’s a formidable handset that has plenty to get excited about.

As expected, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is by no means a cheap phone, with prices starting at AU$2,199 for the base 256GB model. It’s also available in 512GB and 1TB storage options, which naturally increases the phone's cost. The first two also have 12GB of RAM, while the 1TB gets a boost to 16GB.

The handset also gets the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, while also coming in a slightly thinner chassis at 7.9mm, compared to the predecessor’s 8.2mm, and lighter at 214g, versus the S25 Ultra’s 218g.

Our phone expert has called the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra the best Android phone ever, and it is an automatic shoo-in for our best phones list.

If the new hardware innovations and software additions have enticed you to upgrade to Samsung’s latest top-tier phone, then I’ve found the best telco plans in Australia below:

Best overall Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra plan

Best premium Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra plan

Outright Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra deals

Want to opt for a SIM-only plan and not be tied to a telco? There are plenty of options for buying the Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus outright:

• Samsung: pay in instalments of up to 24 months through Samsung financing; also save up to AU$865 when you trade in your old device
• JB Hi-Fi: trade in your old tech for a JB Hi-Fi gift card to be used on a Galaxy S26 Ultra
• The Good Guys: Galaxy S26 Ultra available in 256GB, 512GB and 1TB
• Amazon: Same day delivery with the world’s biggest retailer

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: Key Information

• Slimmer and lighter than the S25 Ultra
• New Privacy Display screen that dims when viewed at an angle
• Horizontal lock allows video stabilisation, even if you turn the phone around
• 60W wired fast charging

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra brought a new hardware innovation with the Privacy Screen, which dims the screen when viewed from the side to prevent onlookers from seeing the contents.

Also added is a horizontal lock feature for shooting videos, which acts like a digital gimbal of sorts to keep the footage you’re shooting level even if you turn your phone up to 360 degrees.

Samsung also managed to make the Galaxy S26 Ultra slimmer at 7.9mm, compared to the S25 Ultra’s 8.2mm, while also shaving off 4g from its overall weight. The brand managed to achieve this feat despite replacing the titanium chassis with the heavier aluminium.

Like with all the S-series Ultra phones, the S26 Ultra gets the latest top-tier Snapdragon processor, this time the Snapdragon Elite 8 Gen 5 for Galaxy. Samsung claims it provides CPU, GPU, and NPU performance over the S25 Ultra.

Wired charging is also faster at 60W, where the phone’s battery can go from flat to 75% in 30 minutes when used with a 65W charger. Wireless charging is at 25W, built on the Qi2 (v2.2) standard, but the phone has no magnets similar to Apple’s MagSafe and Pixel’s PixelSnap.

Samsung has also brought in a slew of AI features, like call screening, Circle to Search, natural language photo editing tools, new integrations with Google Gemini and Bixby is now powered by Perplexity.

The camera array is mostly unchanged from the S25 Ultra, but the 200MP main shooter and 10MP 5x optical zoom lens have wider apertures (f1.4 and f2.9, respectively) to capture more light and produce better low-light photos.

You can read our full Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra review for more in-depth information.

The other new Galaxy S-series handsets, the base Galaxy S26 and the larger-screened S26 Plus, also received some upgrades. The S26 now sports a 6.3-inch screen (compared to the S25’s 6.2 inches) and a larger 4,300mAh battery (up from 4,000). The Plus meanwhile gets faster wireless charging rated at 20W, up from its predecessor’s 15W. You can check out the best Samsung Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus telco plans.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra specs compared

The budget-friendly sibling of the very popular and critically acclaimed iPhone 17 lineup launched in early March 2026, retaining the iPhone 16e's AU$999 starting price and offering meaningful upgrades.

Apple has followed the lead of the base iPhone 17 by bumping the 17e’s storage to 256GB from the 16e’s starting option of 128GB, and upgrading to the A19 processor. The iPhone 17e now also supports MagSafe, making it compatible with magnetic accessories such as cases, mounts, stands, wallets and chargers. Wireless charging speed has also improved to 15W, compared to the iPhone 16e’s 7.5W.

The iPhone 17e, however, retains the notch at the top of the display and the camera array from the 16e, giving you just a single 48MP rear shooter and 12MP front-facing lens. There's no ProMotion display here, giving the 17e the same 60Hz refresh rate as its predecessor.

With the 17e retaining the same price as the iPhone 16e, buying the 17e outright (and paired with one of our best SIM-only plans) provides the best value long-term. However, some customers may find buying through a telco to pay monthly instalments a more attractive option.

Vodafone and Optus are offering Apple’s new budget handset, and I’ve listed the best plans for different users below:

Best overall iPhone 17e plan

Best premium iPhone 17e plan

Compare iPhone 17e telco plans

Want to know how the plans above stack up against the others? Here’s what you’ll be paying each month for the iPhone 17e with 256GB of storage on a 24-month contract:

Outright iPhone 17e deals

Apart from the telco plans above, retailers like Amazon, JB Hi-Fi and The Good Guys are also selling the iPhone 17e. As mentioned earlier, however, pairing the phone with one of our best SIM-only plans can save you more money in the long run.

You can find all the retailer offers available below:

iPhone 17e: Key Information

• Same AU$999 starting price as the iPhone 16e
• Starts at 256GB storage
• MagSafe
• Ceramic Shield 2 front glass

Apple’s iPhone 17e continues the trend of its predecessor of taking the base iPhone 17’s 3-nanometer A19 processor and using more cost-effective components to make a lower-priced handset.

Importantly, the iPhone 17e retains the AU$999 price of its predecessor, but it arrives with 256GB of storage as a minimum (up from the 16e's 128GB) and comes with a new Ceramic Shield 2 front glass cover (compared to the previous-gen Ceramic Shield in the 16e) and MagSafe support.

The C1 cellular modem is also upgraded to the new C1X, which Apple claims is twice as fast. The newer Ceramic Shield front is claimed to bring 3x better scratch resistance than the previous generation, as well as reduced glare.

Apple has also added a new colour the company calls “Soft Pink” while holding on to the white and black shades from the iPhone 16e.

While there’s a lot that’s new, many features from the 16e have returned to the 17e, like the notch, the camera array (a single 48MP rear shooter and 12MP front-facing lens), 8GB of RAM, 4,005 mAh battery, and the 60Hz Super Retina XDR display.

Admittedly the upgrades aren’t the most groundbreaking, but are all welcome additions for a phone that did not get a price hike during a period of RAM and storage shortages, thus representing excellent per-dollar value compared to the previous generation.

iPhone 17e: specs comparison

Our expert audio team has tested hundreds of earbuds to bring you this guide to the very best noise-cancelling earbuds you can buy right now, including premium and budget picks, as well as the best ANC performer from our best open earbuds guide. We’ve reviewed and compared every pair of noise-cancelling buds here in real-world scenarios, so you know that their noise-blocking tech works effectively whether you’re listening at home, in an office, outdoors or on your commute.

We’ve based all of our recommendations here on rigorous testing followed by a head-to-head comparison. We carefully assessed each pair here to see how they stack up against the competition for sound, comfort and features. So if they’re in this guide, you can bet they’ve earned their spot.

Whether you’re after a budget-friendly bargain or a premium pair of the best wireless earbuds that could go toe-to-toe with the best noise-cancelling headphones, you’ll find what you’re looking for here. Do expect some overlap with our guide to the best earbuds, but this list is all about the silencing power of ANC first and everything else second.

The best noise-cancelling earbuds you can buy today

The best noise-cancelling earbuds overall

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen are easily the best overall noise-cancelling earbuds available, thanks to their stellar ANC and immersive sound. They replace the original QC Ultras in this guide and deliver an even more impressive noise-cancelling experience, which you can tweak to suit your environment. Incredibly versatile, they make an ideal travel companion, blocking out distractions whether you’re on a noisy flight or a bustling commute.

Sound performance has been upgraded in this latest version too. In our testing, we described them as “the most sonically exuberant listen” we’ve ever experienced in an earbud form factor. Expect loud, crisp, and truly expansive audio that delivers across the full frequency range, all enhanced by near-impenetrable ANC. It’s great to have the option to adjust this via a slider (Bose calls these Modes), which is incredibly handy.

The buds also feature Immersive Audio technology, bringing head-tracked spatial sound across devices, supported by aptX Adaptive. This was present in the first version, but this time you also get wireless charging and multipoint connectivity straight out of the box. Battery life remains at 6 hours per charge (24 with the case), which is fine, but unchanged from the previous model and a little behind some major rivals.

Design-wise, the 2nd Gen looks similar to its predecessor, so existing QC Ultra owners may be underwhelmed. That said, we found them very comfortable during testing, especially for smaller ears, and there’s a fit test included. This update also adds a new ‘Deep Plum’ color alongside the usual black and white options.

Bose has long been the benchmark for ANC, but this latest generation is the most effective we’ve ever tested. It’s no surprise they top our guide here and they’re easily the best choice if noise cancellation is your number one priority.

Read our full Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen review

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen: scorecard

• ^ Back to the top

The best budget noise-cancelling earbuds

The Nothing Ear (a) pack in some seriously impressive ANC all for a great value price. For a while they were our top mid-range pick, but you can find them for such a cheap price now that they're easily our top choice if you're on a budget but want to effectively nix ambient sounds.

We know that Nothing buds all look quite similar. Which, admittedly isn't a problem because that look is cool, stylish and bound to get attention. But don't be fooled by the Nothing Ear (a), they've had some major improvements. The most notable is noise cancellation. You can choose from High, Mid, Low, and Adaptive profiles. In our review, we wrote: "High is very good: the hairdryer we used for testing was largely nixed." You'll find even better ANC out there, but you'll have to pay high-end prices to notice a serious step up. In terms of other features, you'll also find clear calls, some basic EQ settings and profiles, reliable on-ear controls. Bluetooth v5.3 and LDAC support for hi-res audio.

In our review, we commented that, when paired with a Sony smartphone, LDAC files are "delivered with expanse and pinpoint accuracy when it comes to the placement of each sonic article." Even regular lossy files, the kind you'd find on Spotify, perform well here, delivering a sound we described as "fun and zealous". Again, you'll find better sound out there, but you'd have to pay over twice as much.

Looks-wise, Nothing buds have always been distinctive thanks to a transparent stem design. With the Nothing Ear (a) you get a smaller form factor that's even easier to carry in a pocket. During testing, we found these buds incredibly comfortable to wear and they come with a choice of small, medium and large silicone tips. The only thing we will say is that if you have very, very small ears the design might be a bit big in your concha (that's your ear well), so if you can it would make sense to try before you buy.

All in all, these are a seriously impressive pair of buds, especially considering their affordable price. You get great sound, a slick design and ANC that really impressed us. You'd have to pay big bucks to find buds that seriously improve on all of these points. Which is why this is our top budget recommendation for most people.

Although the Ear (a) remain our top budget pick, it's worth mentioning that the new Nothing Ear (3) buds are now here. Although they're more expensive, we thought you should know the Ear (a) are no longer the newest in-ear Nothing-branded buds on the block.

Read our full Nothing Ear (a) review

Nothing Ear (a): scorecard

• ^ Back to the top

The best open earbuds with noise-cancelling

As the name suggests, the Honor Earbuds Open are open-ear earbuds, designed to let in a bit of the outside world. Perfect for anyone who needs to stay aware of their surroundings, whether in an open plan office or out on a run. They're also great for people who dislike the feel of traditional in-ears. But here's the twist: they also offer ANC, to a degree.

This isn’t the kind of ANC that blocks out everything, like you'll find from other models in this guide. But it does a solid job of dampening background distractions while still letting more important sounds through, like train station announcements or the engines of nearby vehicles.

Unexpectedly, these earbuds also come with live translation. An interpreter app lets you chat in two of eleven supported languages, using your phone’s speaker and the buds. It’s a curious addition, but in early tests, it worked well.

Sound quality can be a weak spot for open earbuds, but these defy expectations. In our review, we said they "offer energetic bass, bristling treble and a soundstage that’d be most welcome on normal earbuds, let alone ones that don’t even sit within your ears." And they’re not just sonically solid, they fit well too, which is often hit or miss with open designs. We found them comfortable and secure enough for workouts, making them a great choice for fitness, commuting, or just getting on with your day.

Battery life is fine but a little disappointing at around 6 hours with ANC off, 4.5 with it on, plus 22 hours with the case. Fine for daily use, but not built for all-day listening or long-distance travel. There’s also no EQ customization, beyond two preset modes, which might disappoint audiophiles who like to fine-tune their listening.

But there is a lot to love here, especially if you’ve been searching for open earbuds that offer even a hint of ANC. We expect more models to follow soon, but for now, the Honor Earbuds Open are our top pick for hearing the world and cutting out the noise that doesn't matter.

Read our full Honor Earbuds Open review

Honor Earbuds Open: scorecard

• ^ Back to the top

The best noise-cancelling earbuds for Apple

The AirPods Pro 3 replace the Pro 2 buds as our top pick for Apple lovers. See, the Pro 2 already had excellent ANC. It wasn't Bose levels, but it was close. Now Apple says the ANC in the Pro 3 is twice as good. Which is an incredibly bold claim. But after spending significant time hands-on testing them, we can vouch for it.

Our reviewer actually wrote it's the "neatest near-silent ANC performance I've ever experienced using an iPhone source device." Which is an incredibly testament to their noise-nixing abilities. Well, as long as you have an iPhone...

Apple hasn't just improved the ANC, the design has had a refresh too, making the buds much more streamlined. The result is they'll sit in your ear in a way that's noticeably more comfortable and stable, too.

The sound is zealous, fun and head-turning (especially with dynamic head-tracking on), it really is genuine joy to listen to a range of genres with them.

Expect all of the usual Apple AirPods features here, again as long as you have an iPhone, like device switching and a quick way of checking the battery. But there are some notable additions here too, like a heart rate monitor that takes readings from your ear – great for fitness – as well as a live translation feature, which is incredibly cool if a little difficult to setup at first.

The only notable downside is really the fact that the battery life is still distinctly average at eight hours. That's better than the six hours from the Pro 2, but still nothing to write home about when compared to rivals. You're also not getting Lossless audio support, LDAC or aptX here either.

However, relatively small niggles aside, these are excellent buds in every way. But especially if ANC is your priority and you've got an iPhone.

Read our full Apple AirPods 3 review

Apple AirPods Pro 3: scorecard

• ^ Back to the top

The best noise-cancelling earbuds for Samsung

If you own a Samsung phone and want great noise cancellation, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are for you. An update on the previous Buds 2 Pro (which they replace in this guide), these Samsung buds bring you great audio quality, a premium (but familiar) design and truly impressive ANC – there's certainly a lot to like.

Let's start with that impressive ANC. In our review of the Buds 3 Pro we commented that these buds are very effective and "throw a blanket over whatever background noise is going on when you’re trying to listen to music." We also noted that the audio on offer here is among some of the best we've ever heard from a pair of wireless buds and what some would consider an optimal sound signature: "The Buds have a V-shaped sound, which means that both the bass and treble are elevated and distinct, while the mids are just a little stepped back." The result is a wide soundstage that feels rich and full of energy.

The newer Buds 3 Pro also improve on the slightly disappointing battery of their predecessors. This time round you'll get six hours of battery from the buds themselves, 30 hours with their case, and longer with ANC off. It’s not a huge increase, but it’s something. Samsung has also added some AI-powered features here for Samsung phones, including adaptive ANC (we didn't think this added much during our testing), a feature which restores crackling voice in poor-quality calls, and live audio translation.

The design of the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro is similar to AirPods, but with a more angular design we thought looked Toblerone-like during our testing. At 5.4g per bud, they're lightweight and we found them comfortable to wear. Although switching out the tips to get the best fit was a frustrating process that seemed much more fiddly than it needed to be.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are the best value for those with a Samsung device. If you don't have one, there are better options higher up this list.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro: scorecard

• ^ Back to the top

The best value noise cancelling earbuds

In our JLab Go Pods ANC review we said these bargain buds are "basically the cheapest noise-cancelling earbuds that are actually worth buying" and that's no small feat. For under £30 / $40 they punch well above their weight, offering features you'd usually only see on mid-range models.

Sound quality is surprisingly strong at this price. You get lively treble, solid mids and more bass than you'd expect. Especially if you play with the EQ in JLab's companion app. The soundstage is also wider than many rivals at this price, which makes every track sound full and enjoyable.

The buds themselves are very light, comfortable enough for long listening sessions and have an IP55 rating for workouts and rainy commutes. The charging case is small and portable, though its built-in cable design is a love-it-or-hate-it quirk.

There are some compromises here, which we did expect at this price. The included ear tips aren't very grippy, you'll want to replace them. Battery life is also disappointing at only 5 hours with ANC on – not great for all-day listening.

But look at the JLab Go Pods ANC as a whole and they're excellent value. They deliver solid ANC, sound that's genuinely enjoyable and EQ presets, all at a price that makes most budget rivals look over-priced.

Read our full JLab Go Pods ANC review

JLab Go Pods ANC: scorecard

• ^ Back to the top

The best noise-cancelling earbuds for sound

All of the earbuds in this guide offer strong ANC and sound quality – otherwise they wouldn’t be here – but the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 buds are among the best wireless earbuds we’ve tested for sheer sonic performance, and the noise cancellation, features and fit all score highly too.

To add some context, the Pi8 buds are the latest version of B&W's flagship buds. Previous versions performed well, but with niggles; this time, B&W has nailed it. It's redesigned the buds to look sleek and stylish and, more importantly, to fit incredibly well. They sit snugly with well-distributed weight and real design consideration behind them.

Now, onto the two things that matter most: sound and ANC. If sound is your top priority, these are the buds to beat. They deliver an impressively high level of detail and dynamism across genres. Turning on ANC doesn’t degrade the audio quality either – it stays feeling like it's from a renowned hi-fi brand. Thanks to the improved fit and seal, the ANC is also very strong – not far off the best we’ve tested, with near-silence that only a few rivals can top.

Beyond that, you get premium features here too, including something very unusualy: the case doubles as an audio re-transmitter so you can plug the earbuds into wired audio sources (meaning you can use them with in-flight entertainment systems, or locked-down work laptops).

There are on-ear controls, but note you’ll have to choose between being able to switch ANC profiles or having on-ear volume controls when setting them up, which is annoying. All in all, these are a seriously accomplished pair of earbuds. One of the best for ANC and our top pick if you want both excellent noise cancellation and outstanding sound.

Read our full Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 review

• ^ Back to the top

The best noise-cancelling earbuds for features

The Technics EAH-AZ100 were released in 2025 and are an update on Technics' much lauded EAH-AZ80 buds that came before them. They look, feel and sound premium with solid ANC, but it’s their features that earn them a place in this guide.

We’ve got triple-point connectivity here, allowing you to seamlessly connect to three devices at once, extra voice enhancement tech for calls and a ‘magnetic fluid’ driver that Technics says results in better low-frequency response and less distortion throughout the frequency range. The buds use Bluetooth 5.3 for wireless and there’s compatibility for SBC, AAC, LDAC and LC3 codecs – something for everyone. You should get a solid 7 to 8 hours of playback time from the buds themselves, with a decent one-and-a-half further charges. The buds also work with Qi-certified charging pads, too.

The Technics EAH-AZ100 may be our top pick for features, but they also look excellent and comfort is impressive, thanks to a smaller and lighter design on previous models. They sounded engaging, exciting and thoroughly musical during our testing, more than capable of giving the high-end buds a run for their money. The EAH-AZ100s are, of course, on this list because they offer good ANC, which isn’t best-in-class, but is impressive.

However, although ANC here is solid, we’d recommend you keep it switched off if you want the best quality audio. Yes, this is a shame, but for some reason the beautifully-handled low frequencies lose substance, which is why we didn’t award these buds the full five out of five stars in our review. Otherwise, however, you’re getting top-tier sound, a shopping list of features and great comfort.

Read our full Technics EAH-AZ100 review

Technics EAH-AZ100: scorecard

• ^ Back to the top

The best noise-cancelling earbuds for sports

We've reluctantly swapped out the Beats Fit Pro – our longtime "best for sports" pick – for the newer Beats Powerbeats Pro 2. And we say reluctantly because the Fit Pro are still an excellent choice, especially if you want a simple, secure in-ear design. But when it comes to high-intensity workouts – running, dancing, even gymnastics – the Powerbeats Pro 2 take the lead.

Why? They won't budge once fitted and they come packed with some seriously impressive features, including head-tracked spatial audio, excellent battery life and a built-in heart rate monitor – which we found to be both accurate and genuinely useful. Now, if you're already tracking your heart rate with a smartwatch or smart ring, you might not need this feature. But if you’re just looking for fitness-focused heart rate tracking without the commitment of 24/7 monitoring, it’s a great addition.

Stability is another major win. The Fit Pro are still rock solid, but the Powerbeats Pro 2 go a step further thanks to their in-ear fit and over-ear hook. In other words, these earbuds aren’t going anywhere. They also come in a few fun colors, which is always a nice bonus.

Sound-wise? They’re good, but not quite as premium as their features and design might suggest. The audio is energetic – almost too much at times – occasionally veering into tinniness. Of course, there’s active noise cancellation (ANC), otherwise they wouldn’t have made this list. It works well, but interestingly, turning it off makes the audio suffer even more.

The Powerbeats Pro 2 aren’t cheap, but if you're going to take full advantage of their standout features – ANC, heart rate tracking, and rock-solid stability – they’re well worth the investment. Especially if you’ve never quite found earbuds that stay put during workouts.

Read our full Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 review

Beats Fit Pro: scorecard

• ^ Back to the top

The best noise-cancelling earbuds for battery life

Many earbuds pack in great ANC, but that often leads to a big reduction in battery life. This is hard to avoid given how much power is needed to nix noise effectively, so if you're looking for something that leans further towards the battery end of the balance, the JBL Live Beam 3 are our top choice. You'll get long listening sessions, or just won't have to worry about charging your buds as often.

The JBL Live Beam 3 boast a seriously impressive 12 hours of battery from the earbuds alone or 10 hours with ANC. The case then delivers three further charges, meaning total playback time is up to a best-in-class 48 hours. That's impossible to beat, especially with good ANC, sound and design as well. In terms of additional features, you'll also get great call handling, six EQ presets or the option to create your own, and strong noise cancellation. Adaptive ANC is on-board, which adjusts the level of cancellation based on your surroundings. There's also a feature called Auto Compensation, which adjusts audio based on your ear canal. If you switch off Adaptive ANC, you get a slider offering seven different levels of noise-nixing power.

Use a compatible smartphone and fire up a track from Qobuz or Apple Music and you can take advantage of Sony's LDAC tech for higher-quality Bluetooth. These tracks are beautifully replayed. That doesn't mean other tracks don't sound impressive here too. In our review, we wrote: "Want big, exuberant sound that knows when to deliver large, but also when to pull back just a little, allowing the detail to shine through? That's the sonic recipe the JBL Beam 3 present."

The earbuds fit securely and snugly. Our reviewer has small ears and found them easy to wear, although it is worth mentioning that they do sit quite far into your ear canal – maybe avoid these if you're already a little unsure as to whether you want in-ears or not. The other major design point is that the case has a screen on it, which surprisingly doesn't drain the battery. You can access some basic features here, like putting a photo on the screen or using it as a flashlight. It's not as smart as say a smartwatch, but it's a cool addition.

Read our full JBL Live Beam 3 review

JBL Live Beam 3: scorecard

• ^ Back to the top

More noise-cancelling earbuds we've tested

AKG N5: With good audio, a solid feature set and an in-case USB-C dongle, it's easy to see why we awarded these buds 4 out of 5 stars in our AKG N5 review. However, they don't quite make the cut for this guide because they've got a disappointing battery life as well as several design issues we just couldn't look past considering the price.

Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation: More affordable than the AirPods Pro 2, and they have the same H2 chip powering them, but with an open-ear design instead of an in-ear some. Some will prefer this, but it means the sound and ANC aren't at quite the same high standard. In our AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation review, we said these are the best open earbuds for Apple fans – but we generally much prefer the AirPods Pro 2, which usually cost only a small amount more than these, but are better in most ways..

Creative Aurvana Ace 3: We gave these buds high praise in our Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review. They're fantastic-sounding, look nice and are very lightweight – good news for long listening sessions. But unfortunately their ANC is just not up to standard, so we can't include them here.

Creative Zen AirSXFI: As you'll find in our Creative Zen AirSXFI review, these buds boast exceptional stamina, lasting up to 39 hours. But the poor spatial audio and ambient profiles really let them down.

Earfun Air 2 NC: Look, they're good. You've got some impressive ANC here for the price. But the design and 'theater mode' isn't great, and they're not the most detailed listen. If you're on a budget, however, read our Earfun Air 2 NC review and have at them.

Earfun Air Pro 4 Plus: We rated these Earfun buds for their fantastic battery life, build and features. But they just can't compete with rivals in this list across the board. It's worth reading our Earfun Air Pro 4 Plus review for more.

Edifier Stax Spirit S10: If you're looking for excellent sound, you'll find it from these buds. However, the ANC isn't great – soo they don't deserve a spot in this guide. Do take a look at our Edifier Stax Spirit S10 review though if audio is your only priority.

Google Pixel Buds 2a: Look, these buds do bring us improvements on past Pixel Buds, which is a plus. But they're still not that great, especially when compared to rivals in this guide, and we explain all of the reasons why over in our full Google Pixel Buds 2a review

Google Pixel Buds Pro 2: Battery life is good and they're small and cute, but otherwise these Google buds were pretty disappointing all round. Read our Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 review to find out why.

LG xboom Buds: We were very impressed with the bass output on off from these buds when we we tested them for our LG xboom Buds review. But they're not as sleek and aesthetically pleasing as rivals, with a sound we enjoyed but that needed a fair bit of tweaking too.

Noble FoKus Rex5: These earbuds really are one of a kind. They sound great, ANC is top and they're finished to a very high standard. But they're incredibly and expensive and they're also just very, very green. If that's your thing, take a look at our full Noble FoKus Rex5 review.

OnePlus Buds 4: For ANC alone, these earbuds are excellent. We also rated their super light design and bassy audio. But otherwise (and as an overall package), we can't quite justify them. Do read our full OnePlus Buds 4 review though, as they're still worth considering if your budget is tight.

OnePlus Buds Pro 3: In our OnePlus Buds Pro 3 review you'll learn we enjoyed testing these buds, they deliver great sound and have impressive battery life. But they're not quite good enough to beat the best buds in this guide.

Viaim RecDot: Here's a different proposition from Viaim, buds packed with AI features that can record and transcribe, making meetings infinitely easier. Sound quality is good too, but as far as ANC goes they're a little disappointing. Although they don't beat the rivals in this list, we definitely recommend you take a closer look at our Viaim RecDot review, because if you want buds for productivity, transcription and meetings, it doesn't get better than this.

How to choose the best noise-cancelling earbuds

If you're looking for the best noise-cancelling earbuds, a good place to start is the design. Do you need earbuds for working out? Then look for a pair that come with a water-resistance rating of IPX4 or above, interchangeable eartips, and earhooks that will keep them securely in place while you exercise.

Do you want a pair of noise-cancelling earbuds for the commute? Then you may want to consider a pair with a simple design that look unobtrusive.

It's also a good idea to have a budget in mind before you start looking for a pair of noise-cancelling earbuds. Earbuds that block out ambient sound most successfully tend to be more expensive, with most of the best models costing at least $200 / £200 / AU$300. However, you can still get great active noise cancellation on a budget, with some of the best earbuds in this guide costing less than $100 / £100 / AU$150 – just don't expect best-in-class ANC at mid-range and budget prices.

Of course, noise cancellation isn't the only thing to consider when buying a pair of earbuds. Whatever you're buying earbuds for, you want them to sound fantastic. If you consider yourself an audiophile, look for models with aptX HD or aptX Adaptive support, so you can enjoy your hi-res audio streams and get the most detail out of your music.

Frequently asked questions

How do noise-cancelling earbuds work?

Noise-cancelling earbuds have built-in microphones. They use these to listen to the world around you and identify sounds. Like the rumble of an engine, the hum of a fan, or background chatter.

The buds then use this information to create sound waves that are the exact opposite (called “anti-noise” or antiphase), which cancels those sounds out before they hit your ears.

The result is that you hear more of what you want to hear and less of everything else. If you want to dig deeper, we’ve got a full noise-cancellation explainer.

Are Apple earbuds noise cancelling?

Some Apple earbuds are noise cancelling. The basic AirPods range (including the most recent AirPods 4) doesn’t have active noise cancellation.

But the AirPods Pro, AirPods Pro 2, the AirPods Max and the AirPods 4 with ANC do. They all use ANC to reduce outside noise and also come with a Transparency Mode, which lets noises from the world back in when you want to stay aware of your surroundings or have a conversation.

When did noise cancelling headphones come out?

The first widely produced noise-cancelling headphones landed in the late 80s, originally for pilots who needed to cut out the loud sounds of plane engines.

But the idea behind them was born a little earlier. The story goes that in 1978, Amar Bose (yes, the man behind Bose) was so annoyed by the roar of a jet engine and the useless airline headphones he was given that he sketched out the concept of active noise cancellation on a napkin mid-flight. A few years later, ANC was born.

How we test the best noise-cancelling earbuds

We've thoroughly tested all of the noise-cancelling earbuds in this guide, so you can be confident that you're making an informed decision when you buy.

We've spent lots of time using these earbuds in different situations, putting the active noise cancellation to the test in noisy environments, on public transport, on flights, and in shared offices – and of course we listen to a wide range of music from various sources to check whether the noise cancellation negatively affects your music collection. However effective the noise cancellation is when deployed, it's no good if the track you're listening to becomes constricted, tinny or otherwise compromised.

The audio performance of these earbuds is thoroughly analysed to test how well balanced they are across the frequencies, how wide the soundstage is, and how much detail they eke out from audio files.

Battery life and connectivity are also tested rigorously, so you can be sure that the earbuds you're buying live up to the manufacturer's claims.

At the moment, we're beginning a new process for scoring earbuds' performance in certain areas, to make it easier for you to compare models in our buying guides. You can read all about it in our guide to how we test earbuds at TechRadar, but the most relevant parts are that we'll be scoring earbuds specifically on their sound quality with ANC turned on and off, since that can make a notable difference. We'll also offering recordings of microphone quality so you can compare different earbuds on that front, and we'll give you exact figures for how long the battery in them lasts with active noise cancellation turned on.

We'll re-test the earbuds in this guide with these new process in mind, and we'll use the new process for new reviews in the future.

Latest updates to the best noise-cancelling earbuds

January 26, 2026
Refreshed the introduction to this guide, while also adding in a link to our best open earbuds guide. Removed the Earfun Air Pro 3 in no 2 as our 'best budget' pick, replacing them with the Nothing Ear (a). Moved the Honor Earbuds Open in the 'best open earbuds with ANC' category higher up in the guide. Finally, checked all copy to make sure we're not referencing old products and everything is up to date for 2026.

November 27, 2025
Replaced the AirPods Pro 2 with the newer AirPods Pro 3 as our 'best for Apple' pick. Added the Creative Aurvana Ace 3 and Earfun Air Pro 4 Plus to our 'also consider' section – they're good but not good enough for the main guide.

September 30, 2025
Refreshed the introduction. Switched out the JLab Go Air Pop ANC for the newer JLab Go Pods ANC as our 'best value' pick. Added a mention of the new AirPods Pro 3 in our AirPods Pro 2 entry (review coming soon), and added a mention of the Earfun Air Pro 4+ (review coming soon) in the Earfun Air Pro 3 entry. Put details of the Nothing Ear (3) in the Nothing Ear (a) entry.

August 14, 2025
Refreshed the introduction to emphasize our expert testing process and update mentions of our top pick, which is now the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen. Added a new mini review of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen, replacing the original Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. Added the OnePlus Buds 4 to our 'More we've tested' section.

June 13, 2025
Added information about the upcoming Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen. Switched the Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 for the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 as our 'best for sound' pick, based on our testing. Added more products to our list of other earbuds we've tested.

April 11, 2025
Added a 'best open earbuds with ANC' pick to the end to include the recently tested Honor Earbuds Open. Included several new FAQs to explain some of the ins and outs of noise cancelling tech and how it works.

March 7, 2025
Refreshed the introduction. Switched the Beats Fit Pro out for the newer Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 as our 'best for sports' pick, based on our recent testing. Alphabetized our 'also consider' recommendations to make them easier to navigate, and added the Earfun Air 2 NC and Noble FoKus Rex5 as two new devices to consider, even though they didn't make the final cut for this guide.

January 10, 2025
Refreshed the introduction. Removed any older references to prices from last year. Swapped the Technics EAH-AZ80 in for the new Technics EAH-100 in the no.8 spot as our 'best for features' pick, based on our recent testing. Added scorecards to the bottom of each product so readers can get a quick overview of key factors to consider before buying.

November 25, 2024
I switched the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 for the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds as our 'best overall' pick based on my testing, and following recent dramatic price drops for the Ultra. The QC 2 buds are also now very hard to find in stock.

November 15, 2024
Refreshed the introduction. Included a new 'Black Friday' section to give readers advice about choosing earbuds this sales season and links to our relevant deals guides. Added new images next to our recommendations so readers can get a better look at the devices we've selected. Added some new products into our 'also consider' section, including the Edifier Stax Spirit S10.

October 18, 2024
Rewrote the introduction. Added the JLab Go Pop ANC as our 'best under $30/£30' affordable pick. Added some new suggestions to our 'also consider' section, including the Xiaomi Buds 5 and the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 buds.

September 17, 2024
Switched the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro for the newer and better performing Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro based on our testing. Added several new options into our 'also consider' section, including the LG Tone Free T90S and Earfun Air Pro 4. Also added details about Apple's new earbud announcements, including details of the ANC variant of the upcoming Apple AirPods 4.

July 19, 2024
Added the JBL Live Beam 3 in as a new option for the 'best battery'. Also added the Nothing Ear (a) as the 'best mid-range option' replacing the Sony WF-C700N, based on our testing of the two products. Updated the 'also consider' section to reflect some of the other new earbuds we've reviewed recently that didn't make it into this guide.

May 21, 2024
Updated the copy throughout; added Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 in as the best-sounding option, to replace the Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2. Updated the 'also consider section to reflect several new earbuds reviewed recently (Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7, OnePlus Buds 3 and more) and why they didn't make it to this list.

20 March 2024
Added a new 'Also consider' section to highlight more earbuds that aren't in the list, and removed some products to streamline selections.

4 March 2024
Added new products based on the latest reviews.

This guide breaks down what I think are the current best noise cancelling headphones on the market. It is my definitive list, based on my comparison testing of the biggest models across different price points. Naturally, I’m prioritizing active noise cancellation power – their ability to cut down outside noise – as the most important factor here. But because everyone wants the complete package, I’m also factoring in sound quality, comfort, value for money and the overall experience too.

For my comparison testing, I chose 17 pairs of the best noise cancelling headphones, narrowed down from the literally hundreds of reviews we’ve published. The result is a list of only the strongest contenders. Luckily for you, the options range from over $400 / £400 down to around $30 / £30, so whatever your budget, there's an option here for you. We also ran consistent tests to compare them properly in real-world conditions, so you know they'll deliver.

When it comes to pricing, I’ll cover both official prices and the real-world prices you should actually aim to pay. That's what I call the 'target' price. I mostly judge the headphones based on the target price, because sales are so common now that the official figures don’t always reflect what most people will end up spending. There’s not much point giving buying advice on the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones at their official $349 price when it routinely drops to $220 or lower.

My history as an audio reviewer

I started testing and reviewing audio gear in 2011, and back then my focus was mostly on iPod/iPhone dock speakers and wired earbuds. Since then, I’ve watched wireless headphones and speakers become the default for mainstream listening.

That shift includes the arrival of truly mainstream wireless noise-cancelling headphones from big names like Bose and Sony in 2016. (Is it just me or does it feel strange that wireless ANC headphones hit the mainstream the same year as AirPods?)

Over the years, I've tested a huge range of headphones, including countless noise-cancelling pairs, from the cheap options you’ll find on Amazon right up to super premium models from Dali, Bowers & Wilkins and Bang & Olufsen.

I led the development of TechRadar's process for testing headphones, including our headphones testing track list. When writing this guide, I expanded on the testing we've already done with a new set of specific noise-cancellations tests, based on my decade of experience testing these types of products, and designed in conjunction with TechRadar's expert Audio Editor, Becky Scarrott.

You can read more about these tests later, but to arrive at the recommendations in this guide I performed new real-world testing and direct comparison of the headphones we identified as the best candidates. I had them all in one place, I connected them all to my phones, I swapped between them, and made frantic notes and rankings, then I changed those rankings, then I checked the headphones some more and changed the rankings again.

Oh, and if you're thinking that trying to have around 20 pairs of headphones all paired to your phone at once sounds like a recipe for chaos and frustration, you are right. I don't recommend it if you're not working on updating a hefty buying guide like this!

My #1 pick to buy today

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (1st Gen)

The 3 key reasons why

✅ Noise cancellation as good as anything else, but cheaper
These scored joint-top in my noise-cancellation tests, matching the Bose Ultra 2nd Gen and marginally beating the Sony WH-1000XM6, but can be found for around $100 less than those models.

✅ Comfortable and portable
I love the design of the Bose Ultras. They're very light, you can wear them for long periods without any fatigue, and they fold down small for travel.

✅ Fun and energetic sound
These give you really punchy and dynamic audio, with big (but not overly heavy) bass, zinging treble, and great clarity through the mid-range. I've loved the sound since their launch.

2 reasons to choose something else

❌ The battery life isn't great
The 24-hour battery life is below average. If you want 30 hours, the Sony WH-1000XM6 or Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen will give this to you with the same level of noise cancellation.

❌ You want a more refined sound
The Sony WH-1000XM6 offer a little more detail, a balance of bass/mid/treble that's closer to 'neutral', and a little better cohesion from bass through to mids.

See today's best prices for the alternatives:

Sony WH-1000XM6: today's best deal
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones 2nd Gen: today's best deal

The best noise cancelling headphones I tested for different budgets

The headphones I tested for this guide

Here's the list of headphones I was testing directly against each other to settle on my recommendations for this guide:

Why only these headphones?

Obviously, there are a lot more headphones than these in the world – and not only that, there are a lot of good headphones that are not in this list. There are even entries in our list of the best headphones that have active noise noise cancellation, but that I didn't put through this testing process.

Why? Well, I knew based on the testing we've done on those headphones before that they wouldn't actually win in a battle that focuses on noise-blocking power first and foremost, and I only had so much time I could spend testing.

Take the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S3, for example. They're five-star headphones, and are excellent – but I've compared them to the similarly priced options from Bose, Sony and Sonos before, and I know that their noise cancellation is a clear level below.

I focused on choosing the most likely candidates for delivering strong ANC results across different pricing bands, from the premium of the Sony WH-1000XM6 down to the tiny price of the Runolim WH301A, ensuring that we had several options competing at the same price level.

This not only helps me to ensure that I'm only picking the ones that stand out among their peers, but also means I was doing direct comparisons between any cheaper models that punch above their weight and the models just above, for a complete picture of where the best value can be found.

How I tested the best noise cancelling headphones

There's obviously a lot to test in these noise-cancelling headphones, from sound quality to smart features to how comfortable they are to wear – but the most important thing is their active noise-cancellation power.

I decided that I wanted to test in real-world conditions, which means I'm not taking scientific measurements of the levels of noise reduction here, based on artificially created sound from a speaker.

While that kind of test is obviously a good way to measure with absolute consistency, it doesn't reflect well the nuances of how well noise is cancelled in practical use, because there are multiple factors involved.

For example, I tested two pairs of Soundcore headphones while compiling this guide, and the noise cancellation power was very similar on them both – this applied with no sound coming through, and when listening to music that covers a wide range of frequencies.

However, when listening to a podcast, one was much weaker, because its mid-range reproduction wasn't as strong as the other pair, so voices sounded more muted and were much harder to make out over the background sounds. There was similar noise reduction in most cases, but a clear difference in how well you could make out what you were listening to.

But I still wanted to create some consistent testing conditions so that I could fairly compare all the headphones to each other for noise cancellation, and dig into where their strengths and weaknesses are.

So TechRadar's audio team came up with the idea of four noise-cancellation tests. Two of them target droning noises (which are easier for ANC headphones to deal with), while two target chaotic and unpredictable noises (which are harder to cancel out).

Similar, two of the tests target higher-pitched noises (harder for ANC headphones to deal with), and two target lower-frequency noises (easier to deal with).

Here are the four tests I did, all using real-world sound. In all cases, I tested all the different pairs of headphones in one big session, switching back and forth between them, making direct comparisons and ranking them.

Hair dryer

I placed a hair dryer on a table on full power (with no heating – I'm not made of money), facing me. I measured 2m away from it, and marked the floor. I faced the hair dryer directly while testing each pair of headphones.

Microwave

I took over the office microwave for several hours (I am not kidding, that's exactly what I did) and marked the floor 1m away from it, and tested the headphones facing it directly. I had the microwave on full power, normal microwave use, for short periods at a time so I could listen to the headphones.

Café

I set myself up on a table in a busy city-center chain café for a few hours over lunch. The noise of the espresso machines, the clinking of cups and cutlery, and the chatter all combine into a cacophony of higher-pitched sound that rises and falls, and has sudden sharp peaks. This is basically the toughest kind of sound for ANC headphones to deal with.

Road traffic

While road traffic certainly can produce higher-pitched sounds, the rumble of engines and friction of tires tends more towards the mid- to lower-frequency range. I stood on the side of a busy intersection with traffic going in three directions, testing all the headphones one after the other. This is easier than the café test, but can still easily overwhelm the podcast, and will be quite audibly over the music on weaker headphones.

How I make my comparisons

When comparing headphones, I try them with nothing playing just as a bit of a base line, then I try them with music playing, then I try them with a podcast playing to see if I can easily make out what's being said.

For consistency, I use the same piece of music: Let It Happen by Tame Impala, from 1:45 on. I found this to be a good balance drowning out noise, because it has a consistent melange of sound across a wide frequency range, but with just enough space among the sound for audio to leak through, if it's going to.

I also use the same podcast episode – an episode of The Eye of the Duck, with two men with fairly lower-frequency voices, which can be easily overwhelmed by higher-frequency outside sounds leaking in, so this is providing the toughest test.

The audio is played from my iPhone 16 Pro to the headphones – this means that some of them are playing in limited standard Bluetooth quality rather than the higher quality they're capable of over aptX or LDAC, but again this is important for consistency. They all get the same input, which make it easier to compare the output.

Volume levels are also important when it comes to noise cancellation, of course – the louder the better for drowning something out. But that's not good for your hearing, and doesn't tell me too much about how well the sound is being actively cancelled, so I stick with a reasonable real-word listening volume.

This is where it gets hard to be truly consistent: I have to just estimate the volume as being equivalent between the different headphones. I can't just set my iPhone volume to 35% and say that's the right level, because that 35% means very different levels of actual volume depending on the headphones. I've been reviewing audio gear professionally since 2011, so I'm confident in my ability to equalize the volume suitably, but you should know that this is the biggest variable.

Testing the rest of the headphones' skills

I've made noise cancellation the dominant factor in this guide, but obviously it's not the only thing we test for. Sound quality is a significant factor, as is comfort for long sessions while traveling or working.

I take battery life into account, and any key features that make a pair of headphones easier to use, or generally more useful, in the long term.

I'm also looking at build quality and how easy the controls are to find and use – and while nice aesthetics don't make or break my picks, it's nice for things to look nice.

The test scores of these headphones

After completing the testing described above, I ranked the headphones from best to weakest in each individual test, and assigned a score out of 5 to each (including half marks).

I didn't just go with a system of '5 for the best one, 1 for the worst one' – I started with 5 for the best one, and then dropped a mark or half a mark whenever there was an obvious step down in effectiveness between models. This means that in some cases, no headphones scored right at the bottom of the scale.

First, here's a table purely of the scores I gave, including the total across all tests.

However, I think the Traffic and Café tests are more important than the Hair Dryer and Microwave tests, because they're more like the environments in which you'll mostly rely on ANC, and at the same time are harder tests. If you agree, then here's the same table as above, but with the Traffic and Café scores doubled when counting the total score, to increase their importance.

My list of the best noise-cancelling headphones, in-depth

The best noise cancelling headphones overall

Let me sum this up quickly: Bose's first-gen Ultra Headphones offer noise cancellation that's basically indistinguishable from newer premium models, but can be bought for around $100 / £100 less than them. That's it, that's the tweet.

These were first released in late 2023, and since then Bose has released its own Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) and Sony has released the Sony WH-1000XM6, both of which should in theory overtake these the noise-cancellation stakes, being newer and fancier.

But, having compared the three extensively – swapping between them maybe ate up more time than any other testing I did – my conclusion is that they're still best-in-class for blocking noise in a meaningful sense. I think the 2nd Gen are marginally superior, but only if you spend ages looking for differences because you're writing a long guide to the best noise-cancelling headphones (for example).

As you can see in the tables above, I actually think these are even marginally better than the Sony XM6, based on superior performance for more chaotic real-world sounds, particularly with higher-frequency noises – I felt that that the Bose Ultra clamped down on sound better across all frequencies, while the Sony cans leaked in a little more hiss, although again I'm talking about very minor differences.

I love the design of the Bose Ultra too – they've very light, very comfortable for long periods, and fold up for travel use, which I always appreciate.

There are good reasons to choose the other two big competitors over the original Bose Ultra, though: the main two are battery life, and your sound profile preference.

Battery life is simple: theBose Ultra only manage 24 hours with active noise cancellation turned on, compared to 30 hours each for the Bose Ultra 2nd Gen or the Sony XM6. And let me clear: the 24 hours of the Bose is a real-world figure that I've tested – you won't secretly get more out of them.

If you're good about staying on top of charging your devices, this won't be a problem; but 30 hours leaves more margin for error, in my experience, and generally means you won't find they need charging halfway through a lengthy session of use.

The sound profile issue is more complicated. I love the sound of the Bose Ultra – they're so dynamic, they have a huge range, with every frequency well-represented and offering plenty of detail, and they're punchy and fun. But they lean on having more energy in the bass and treble, and some people prefer a sound that's a closer to neutral.

Both the Bose Ultra 2nd Gen and the Sony lean more this way – I think the Sony is the superior option when it comes to sound fidelity, especially with its tighter representation of lower mids and the detail within them, creating a slightly more cohesive soundstage than the Bose Ultra, just without the extra bass depth the Bose offer.

(Though I'll mention here that the best sound in this kind of price range is offered by the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S3, which blows away the Sony in this regard – but the noise cancellation is far behind the three options I'm talking about, which is why I dismissed it from my testing list after early comparisons. The AirPods Max are also incredibly strong for people who like a neutral sound, and have great ANC that's a bit weaker than these in the high frequencies.)

The other reason you might choose the Sony WH-1000XM6 are the superior smart features compared to Bose's headphones. Both have a spatial audio option and the ability to customize your levels of noise cancellation, but the Sony have a few other useful options – one we particularly love in practice is the ability to just hold a hand over the earcup to active transparency mode temporarily, so you can speak to someone quickly without finding the button. And speaking of buttons, the controls are a little easier to use on the Sony, in my opinion, but Bose's are fine.

Despite all this, for me, it comes down to bang for your buck. I regularly see the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones drop to around $300 / £300, and I think the huge saving of up to $150 compared to the newer models more than negates any small advantages those have. For elite noise cancellation at a reasonable price, these are my favorites after testing all the options.

The best noise cancelling headphones under $250 / £250

At full price, the Bose QuietComfort are arguably a little too expensive. But there's no reason to pay full price – having originally been released in 2023, these are now generously discounted throughout the year. I've picked them for an 'under $250' category, but I'm playing it safe there – you will almost certainly find them available for more like $200 / £200 during the sales season.

In my noise-cancellation tests, I scored these only a couple of points lower than far more expensive models, including Bose's own Ultra models, plus the Sony XM6, and the Sonos Ace. In fact, I rated them higher than the pricey AirPods Max when weighting the real-world tests higher. When it comes to the quality of noise cancellation for the price, nothing beats these – especially at a lower sale price.

These headphones pretty much match more premium headphones when it comes to noise cancellation, but it's the sound quality and the design that makes them feel like they're a step down.

They sound good, don't get me wrong – rich bass, strong detail and clear highs all stand out – but there's a thinness to the mids that betrays the fact that these aren't Bose's highest-end offering. I found that you can improve the sound noticeably by playing with the EQ settings in the app and boosting the mids just a couple of points, giving a more well-rounded soundstage. If sound is your focus at this price, I'd steer you towards the Cambridge Audio P100 SE, but their noise cancellation is a step down.

The design, again, isn't bad in any way; it's just more utilitarian than the Bose Ultra, or the Cambridge Audio P100 SE. It's got more seams, and more square edges. This leads them to be superior to fancier sets in some ways, I have to say – for example, the on/off slider is a simpler thing to deal with than a button, and makes it easy to see at a glance if you've left them on – but it still won't excite aesthetes.

Crucially, though, the Bose QuietComfort Headphones are really light and comfortable for long-term use, matching the venerable (and similarly priced) Sony WH-1000XM4 in this regard. The Cambridge P100 SE are among the heaviest here, and are 38% heavier than the Bose, and so to keep stable and comfortable they use a much stronger clamping force. Some people don't like this (and it tends to affect glasses users like me more than the non-bespectacled), though some don't mind it – I tend to think it makes them more fatiguing for long-term use (such as flights) in particular.

I also prefer headphones that fold up, which is another reason I'd lean towards the Bose or Sony over the Cambridge. And I think the Bose are probably superior to the Sony in every way, even if it's not by a huge margin in some areas. Where it counts though – the noise cancellation – they're undoubtedly better.

The clear downside to these headphones is the 24-hour battery life. Sony's XM4 give you 30 hours, while the Cambridge P100 SE offer a colossal 60 hours. So if you're forgetful when it comes to charging, these may be preferable, since you're less likely to run out of power when you're in the middle of using them.

As someone who a) prefers a lighter pair of headphones that fold up, and b) is prioritizing noise cancellation in this guide, the Bose QuietComfort Headphones beat the competition for me, though there's a chance you'll find the Sony WH-1000XM4 for less during sales events, and I'd happily recommend them if price is a deal breaker for you.

The best noise cancelling headphones under $100 / £100

Having tried competitors from the likes of Sony and Soundcore, I think the 1More SonoFlow Pro HQ51 stand out – they could cost twice their price, and I'd still say they were excellent value.

The money you're spending here is all going into into the sound, both in terms of music quality and the active noise cancellation. I rated these at basically the same level of ANC power as the Sony XM4 or Cambridge Audio P100 SE, but those headphones cost more than twice as much.

What's so impressive here is how well they lock down the sounds across the whole frequency range – as noise-cancelling headphones get more budget, they tend to get weaker at blocking higher-pitched noises. That's not the case here; whatever you throw at the 1More, it's ready to respond.

Similarly, cheaper headphones are usually weaker if you're trying to listen to spoken-word content, because their mid-range is less expressive, so not only is more sound leaking in, the headphones are also less able to overcome it when the frequencies are similar. Again, that's not the case here – the mid-range is full-chested and capable of overcoming background sound without you needing to crank the volume to silly levels.

The sound is pretty bassy, but in a good way – the bass is controlled, and gives the headphones great energy. Keeping the bass in check helps that mid-range to come through fully, and despite the low price these are capable of expressing all the elements of really dense and complex tracks.

It's mostly the expansive of the soundstage here that lets you know you're listening to cheaper headphones – it's a little more compressed than better headphones, with less space between the instruments, and the feeling that the sound is coming from a set of headphones, not from the space around you. But for the price, that's absolutely normal.

It's a similar story for the design – they look fine. They feel fine. But you won't mistake them for anything premium. However, they're among the lightest pairs here, and so are very easy and comfortable to wear now matter how long you wear them for.

And that might be a long, long time because these are capable of 65 hours of continuous use with noise cancellation turned on, which is the best of any headphones here. If you like the idea of something you'll very rarely need to remember to juice up, look no further. That makes them ideal for travel, as does their folding design and case included in the box – something that gets more rare as the price drops.

While we like options such as the Soundcore Space One and Sony WH-CH720N a lot – and have slightly better apps if you're into customization – the 1More are simply a step above in terms of value.

The best noise cancelling headphones under $50 / £50

Amazon's snappily titled Basics Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Headphones (at least there's no confusion over what you're getting here) were only release in the second half of 2025, so I didn't know what level of quality to expect here at all. It didn't take long for them to impress me.

Obviously, for around $40 / £30 full price, my expectations were pretty low to begin with – but in basically every respect, these make you nod your head and make your 'hey, that's pretty good!' face. You know that one you make.

Build quality is good – it doesn't exceed the likes of the similarly priced Soundcore Q30, here, but they both feel like they basically match the quality of the more-expensive 1More SonoFlow Pro HQ51. The pattern on the earbuds is nicer than pretty much any other cheap headphones (though the Soundcore Q30 has classier buttons).

I'm always happy with headphones that fold small for travel, though these don't come with a protective case, and I found that the headband scuffed very quickly from being carried around in a back with other headphones while I was doing my tests. Not in a way that ruined them, but you can see the effect, so bear that in mind.

They're comfortable to wear – they have more clamping force than the Soundcore Q30 (or 1More SonoFlow Pro), so you feel them a little more, but they're very lightweight, so I didn't find it fatiguing – even as a glasses wearer, they stayed comfortable. They just made the area around my ears a little warmer than other headphones generally do.

When it comes to sound, the balance is impressively good, the soundstage is well-organized, and treble is clean and clear. The latter element stands out because it's admittedly a compressed soundstage overall, as is usually the case with cheaper headphones.

Super-dense musical mixes is one area where you'll hear this limitation – there's generally a loss of precision in detail compared to the 1More Sonoflow, while bass is lightweight in impact and doesn't dig very deep. However, the bass is tightly controlled, and I'll take that as a fair trade off for the price – accuracy over scale.

I can live with all of this – the songs may not sound audiophile, but they do sound correct and pleasing. And with the strong noise cancellation, you can really hear them.

This is another pair of headphones set apart by how well it tackles noise cancellation across all frequencies in the real-world tests in particular. I was especially impressed with how well it handled the noise of a café, where its noise-stopping power was only a tiny bit weaker than not only the 1More SonoFlow HQ51, but also far more expensive headphones such as the Sennheiser Accentum Plus.

Compared to the cheaper headphones I tested – the Soundcore Q20i and Runolim WH301A – the Amazon Basics were a major step up and worth spending the small amount extra. The Q20i were way better at pure noise cancellation than I expected (and very close to the Amazon and Soundcore Q30 overall), but their actual sound quality is so poor that I couldn't recommend them. And the Runolim are just too cheap for their own good – they try, bless them, but choosing them over the Amazon would be a major false economy.

There's not much between these and the Soundcore Q30, but these seem to generally come in a little cheaper, and I marginally preferred their sound balance and noise cancellation skills, especially in the real-world tests.

A noise-cancelling headphones glossary

There's a lot of jargon associated with tech-focused headphones, so it's helpful to understand some of the key terms when you're browsing different options. I've collected some of the most useful and common terms below.

Active noise cancellation (ANC): A technology that reduces unwanted background noise. It works by using external microphones that can measure ambient sounds. The headphones then generate an opposing soundwave (often called ‘anti-noise’) to cancel out the background noise, which is mixed into whatever you're listening to. With ANC, you can listen to your audio at lower volumes and with improved clarity, especially in noisy environments, like on planes or in a busy cafe.

aptX: A Bluetooth audio codec designed for higher-quality streaming. aptX comes in different forms, with aptX Adaptive being the most common in newer headphones. It adjusts sound quality based on the strength of your connection. aptX Lossless delivers top-tier, high-resolution audio. There’s also aptX Voice, which enhances call clarity, especially when you're in noisy surroundings.

Auracast: A new Bluetooth technology that allows for easy, seamless connections without pairing. Auracast enables you to connect your headphones directly to public audio sources, like TVs in bars or announcement systems at airports. Originally developed for hearing aids, it’s expected to become widely supported in upcoming headphone models for its user-friendly approach.

Bluetooth: The wireless technology used by nearly all modern headphones for connecting to devices. Bluetooth supports various audio streaming technologies, including aptX, LDAC, and LHDC. The most widely supported codecs are SBC and AAC, these are found in most wireless earbuds. Bluetooth versions vary, with higher versions like Bluetooth 5.3 and 5.4 offering improved features such as Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast. However, not all headphones with newer Bluetooth versions support these advanced features, so always check product specifications.

Bluetooth LE Audio: A next-generation Bluetooth audio standard, known as LC3, designed to deliver higher-quality sound while consuming less power than previous codecs like SBC or AAC. LE Audio is expected to become more widespread, but right now only a few headphones and devices support it.

Dolby Atmos: A 3D audio format used in music and movies that creates immersive, spatial sound. Instead of traditional channel-based audio, Dolby Atmos encodes sounds as objects that can be positioned in a virtual 3D space, delivering a listening experience that feels more real and dynamic.

Drivers: The components responsible for producing sound in headphones, often referred to as mini speakers. Most headphones use dynamic drivers, which function similarly to loudspeakers but are much smaller, from around 20mm up to 50mm in over-ear headphones, like the ones covered here. Audiophile-grade headphones may use planar magnetic drivers, which offer greater precision but tend to be more complex to manufacture and are expensive.

EQ (Equalizer): EQ, short for equalizer, lets you adjust the sound profile of your headphones by boosting or reducing specific frequencies, like bass, mids, and treble. Many modern wireless headphones sync up to an app with preset EQ modes for different genres (like rock, classical, or pop) or manual sliders that allow you to fine-tune the sound yourself. EQs are divided into "bands," with a three-band EQ offering control over bass, midrange, and treble, while a nine-band EQ gives more precise control over a broader frequency range.

In-ear: In-ear headphones, also known as earbuds, have tips that sit snugly in your ear canal. You might also see the term "IEM," or "In-Ear Monitor," which refers to high-quality in-ear headphones often used by professionals. IEMs typically offer excellent noise isolation and are designed to deliver superior sound quality.

Find My: A feature that helps you locate lost headphones through your smartphone. Apple’s version is called Find My and Android users have Find My Device. Some headphones offer their own "find my" feature within their apps, but the built-in phone versions are generally more reliable and easier to use.

Head tracking: An advanced feature in spatial audio-enabled headphones that adds to immersion by detecting head movement. With head tracking, sounds stay in their virtual position, creating the effect of being in a room with speakers, even as you move your head. This technology is used in formats like Dolby Atmos to make the audio experience feel more realistic.

Hi-Res Audio: High-resolution audio (Hi-Res) refers to music files with greater detail and less compression than standard formats, like MP3. These files bring you a more expansive dynamic range and are closer to the original studio recordings. While many headphones are "Hi-Res Certified," this label only ensures they technically meet certain standards, not necessarily high-quality playback. Hi-Res files are larger and typically streamed over Wi-Fi on streaming platforms like Tidal, Qobuz, or Amazon Music HD. Check our our what is Hi-Res Audio guide for a more detailed definition.

LDAC: A high-quality audio streaming codec from Sony. LDAC enables Bluetooth devices to stream music at higher resolutions than standard codecs like SBC. LDAC is supported across Sony products and is compatible with many Android devices and best portable music players.

LHDC: Similar to LDAC, LHDC is another high-resolution Bluetooth streaming codec designed to deliver better sound quality. It competes with LDAC and aptX, and is supported on some Android devices.

Lossless: Lossless music retains all the original audio data from a recording, unlike compressed formats like MP3, which lose some detail to reduce file size. Lossless formats, such as FLAC (used by Tidal) and ALAC (used by Apple Music), offer higher-quality sound but take up more storage space.

Multi-point Bluetooth: Multi-point Bluetooth allows your headphones to connect to two or more devices simultaneously, so you can switch between them without needing to manually disconnect and reconnect. This feature is convenient for multitasking, like taking a call on your phone while staying connected to your laptop.

Noise isolation: The ability for a pair of headphone to block external sounds passively, without electronic processing. In-ear headphones achieve this by fitting snugly into your ear canal (acting a little like earplugs to reduce outside noise.), while over-ear models create a seal around your ears.

Over-ear: Over-ear headphones have large earcups that fully cover your ears, creating a seal for the best noise isolation. This design, especially when combined with active noise cancellation, makes over-ear headphones the best choice for blocking out external sounds and enhancing audio quality.

Snapdragon Sound: A suite of wireless technologies designed to enhance audio quality when both your phone and headphones support it. It combines aptX high-quality streaming with features that reduce Bluetooth latency, improve voice call clarity, and boost connection stability. Snapdragon chips, developed by Qualcomm, power many Android devices. For more details, check out our Snapdragon Sound explainer.

Spatial audio: A broad term for 3D sound technologies that create an immersive listening experience. Apple uses it to describe its integration of Dolby Atmos with head tracking, but other brands also offer similar 3D sound effects using technologies like Dirac Virtuo, DTS. , THX, and Dolby Atmos. The goal is to make audio feel as though it's surrounding you, rather than playing directly in your ears, providing a more cinematic experience, especially when watching movies.

Transparency mode: A feature that blends ambient sounds with your music, allowing you to stay aware of your surroundings without turning off your audio. It’s ideal for hearing announcements, having conversations, or staying alert to traffic. Various brands have different names for this feature, such as 'Aware Mode,' 'HearThru,' or 'Ambient Mode,' but we often refer to it as ‘Transparency mode’ for consistency across our guides and reviews.

USB-C Audio: Some headphones can play high-resolution digital audio via a USB-C cable connection from a phone or computer, offering superior sound quality compared to Bluetooth. For audiophiles, headphones with both wireless capabilities and USB-C audio support are ideal, providing the convenience of wireless listening and the high fidelity of wired playback when desired.

3.5mm jack: A standard wired connection for headphones, often found in traditional devices. Not all modern wireless headphones include a 3.5mm jack, so it’s an essential feature to look out for if you prefer or need a wired connection.

FAQs about noise cancelling headphones

Latest updates to the best noise cancelling headphones

January 22, 2026
I've checked over all entries and prices, making sure to take into account new releases and the latest discounts. I also checked and refreshed the introduction.

November 12, 2025
Completely rewrote this guide from scratch, retesting the best options at different price points using a new system of consistent real-world noise-cancellation tests.

October 11, 2025
Made some big structural changes to this design, including moving the Sony WH-1000XM6 into our 'best overall' spot. Made the the Bose QCU Headphone our 'best premium' pick. Put the Sony WH-1000XM4 into our 'best mid-range' spot, the Dali iO8 to 'best for design' and made the new B&W PX8 S2 'best for audiophiles'. Moved the Sony WH-CH720 and B&W Px7 S3 that were in the guide down to the 'also consider' section.

August 21, 2025
Refreshed the introduction to emphasize our rigorous testing standards and experience. Added a new main image. Tweaked the Cambridge Melomania P100 entry to mention the launch of the SE version. Added the Happy Plugs Play Pro, Focal Bathys MG and the Nothing Headphone (1) to our ‘Also consider’ section. Deleted the ‘Coming soon’ tab. Added 'Buy them if/Don't buy them if' tabs to each of the long entries to give readers a quick look at whether a product recommendation is right for them.

June 30, 2025
Checked all products against our latest reviews, and refreshed multiple entries based on updated features and software they've received. Added several new entries to the list of other headphones we've tested, including the JBL Tour One M3.

May 20, 2025
Replaced the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones with the Sony WH-1000XM6 as our top premium option based on recent testing and comparison of the two headphones. The Bose are now our 'Best for Bose fans' pick, for the die-hards.

April 24, 2025
Refreshed the introduction. Switched the older Bowers & Wilkins PX8 for the newer Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S3 as our 'best-looking' pick, based on our recent testing. Added the JBL Tour ONE M3 in our 'coming soon' round-up.

March 28, 2025
Refreshed the introduction. Switched the 1More Sonoflow for the recently-reviewed 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 as our 'best budget' pick. Added a brand new section called 'coming soon' to showcase all of the best ANC headphones landing imminently. Added a bunch of new products here, including the upcoming Sony WH-1000XM6s.

February 27, 2025
Rewrote the introduction. Added the Bose QuietComfort Headphones and the Panasonic RB-M600, to our 'also consider' section. Put score cards under each entry so that readers can quickly see which of the recommendations might suit them best.

January 31, 2025
Rewrote the introduction. Added the Bose QuietComfort Headphones to our 'also consider' section and mentioned them in the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones entry as a cheaper alternative. Checked the whole guide for any info that needs updating.

January 2, 2025
Refreshed the introduction. Added the Beyerdynamic Aventho 300 as our 'best for EQ tweaks with ANC' pick, based on our recent testing. Included the newly-reviewed OneOdio Focus A5 in our 'other ANC headphones to consider' section. Added new bios for members of the audio team.

December 3, 2024
Removed all reference to Black Friday. Added context to Sony WH-1000XM4, refreshed the intro, added information of planar magnetic headphones and other designs in the FAQs.

November 8, 2024
Refreshed the introduction. Added extra images to each entry so readers get a better view of the devices. Added new entries to our 'also consider' section, including the Noble FoKus Apollo. Included a new 'meet the team' section so readers can see the knowledge and expertise of the reviews team.

October 11, 2024
Added the Dali iO-8 in place of the Focal Bathys to reflect our newest choice for high-end headphones. Updated the guide with our new glossary.

September 12, 2024
Rewrote the introduction. Added several recently reviewed headphones to our 'also consider' section, including the Dyson OnTrac and Final D7000.

August 16, 2024
Rewrote the introduction. Switched the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless for the Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 as our ‘best noise-cancelling headphones for battery life’ option based on our testing. Added the recently reviewed Edifier Stax Spirit S5 and Creative Zen Hybrid SXFI to our ‘also consider’ section. Itemised our 'how we test' section.

July 17, 2024
Added the Sonos Ace as the best option for movies with spatial audio, based on our testing against the other headphones here.

May 23, 2024
Refreshed the intro to reflect current products and added more recently-reviewed models (commenting on why they aren't featured in the main roundup) to our 'Also Consider' section.

May 1, 2024
Checked all products against our latest reviews, and added new products in our Also Consider section.

March 28, 2024
Added a new 'Also consider' section covering recently reviewed products that haven't made it into this list, explaining why.

March 4, 2024
Added the Sennheiser Accentum Plus as the best option for a tighter fit (or smaller heads).

January 30, 2024
Added the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones as the best premium option, and removed the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 given current prices and availability.

January 2, 2024
Updated the information in the guide for 2024.

November 20, 2023
Checked all entries against latest reviews, and added information about Black Friday deals.

October 13, 2023
Added a new quick menu to make it easier to see the list at a glance and introduced other formatting elements such as a navigation bar and a new lead image.

The best standing desks can help transform your workflow, with the flexibility to help you stay active throughout the day. And out of 64 in-depth standing desk reviews conducted by me and my team, I've selected the 9 top-performing models with excellent global availability. If you're upgrading your home office setup for the new year, these are the sit-stand desks that will help change the way you work for the better.

For most people, the FlexiSpot E7 will deliver everything you'd expect from a quality standing desk - from programmable height settings to a stable build quality, it impressed us during review. And the mid-range price is great too.

At either end of the price spectrum, the Fezibo electric standing desk is a surprisingly well-specced budget standing desk, while for a premium pick for the executive lifestyle, nothing much can touch the build quality and style of the Herman Miller Fully Jarvis.

You can check out the full line-up below. Our testing panel has compared height ranges, measured assembly times, and assessed build quality and performance in the office and home office.

Best standing desk overall

Buy it if...

✅ You want a solid, stable standing desk. Well-priced and well-designed, we enjoyed our time with this sit-stand desk. It's stable, quiet, and basically ticks every box.

Don't buy it if...

❌ You need a cheap standing desk. There's not much we don't like about the E7, but it's not the cheapest and is more a mid-range pick.

Why we chose the FlexiSpot E7

The Flexispot E7 has been our overall best standing desk for a few years now. It’s a fantastic desk for anyone and everyone, nicely bridging the gap between premium and accessible.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the Flexispot E7 feels flagship, but accessible. Not only does it look sharp, and come in quality materials, tabletop choices, and with some nice accessories, but it also has a spectacular lifting capacity of 355 lbs, it’s relatively quiet, and it’s very smooth. The keypad is one that I compare all other keypads to, it’s become the gold standard to me, and it’s highly functional.

I love that not only are there four programmable buttons, but having two of those already graphically noted to be stand and sit makes remembering what each one does so much easier. Thanks to the wood top design, you can add whatever desk accessories you may want to the top, or underneath, as this desk is phenomenal for attaching gear, drawers, and more.

For me, this desk looks and works great for the simple laptop-only setups all the way up to multi-monitor, all the accessories, and more gear than you now what to do with setups. .

Read our full FlexiSpot E7 review

• ^ Back to top

Cheapest standing desk

Buy it if...

✅ You want to see how a standing desk fits into your workflow: This is one of the lowest-priced standing desks around from a brand whose other models impressed us for the cost, making it a good way to see if it works for you.

Don't buy it if...

❌ You like fine-tuning the experience using all the features: As a budget standing desk, this has all the core features I'd expect, but it won't be as feature-rich as a desk like the FlexiSpot E7 or the Herman Miller Fully Jarvis.

Why we chose the Fezibo electric standing desk

It’s not often I’ll recommend a desk we haven’t fully reviewed, but I’ll make an exception for this height adjustable sit-stand desk from Fezibo. We’ve reviewed a number of other desks and chairs from this budget brand, and for the money, there’s a whole lot to like here.

Coming in at around the $100 / £100 mark (and I frequently see it discounted on Amazon), this standing desk is available in a range of tabletop sizes, from 40in to 60in, and colors, including vintage brown, black walnut, and white. So, there are a lot of options here to find the right style for your workspace.

The desk rises between 28.3 to 46.5in, which is about average in my experience, matching the E7’s noise levels as sub-50dB. Features include anti-collision detection, lockable casters, and two hooks for hanging headphones, bags, and so on.

As a cheap standing desk, what I’d be watching out for here is the materials used in construction. For example, the frame is built from solid steel, which is stable at least at lower settings, but also very heavy. The desktop is also splice-board (two bits of wood), which keeps the cost low, but will be less stable than a single-piece desktop.

• ^ Back to top

Best premium standing desk

Buy it if...

✅ You want an executive-level standing desk: With its long warranty, excellent build quality, and performance, this is perfect for professionals in the office.

Don't buy it if...

❌ You’re on a budget: If you’re on a budget, or if you are planning on spreading your funds across multiple office upgrades, this one may not make the most sense with its premium price-tag.

Why we chose the Herman Miller Fully Jarvis

The Herman Miller Fully Jarvis is an executive-class desk from a company of the same caliber. Herman Miller is known for its elite class of ergonomic chairs, the pinnacle of professional seating, and its desks match the same quality and craftsmanship.

This is not a budget desk, nor is it the most feature-rich, but it is of high quality, made from excellent materials, and functions very smoothly. Build quality proved excellent during our review, feeling solid and stable throughout use. And it only took us about 15 minutes to assemble. In use, it’s quiet, operated with a control paddle that simply needs a brush of the finger to begin elevation. In our experience, it's vastly superior to cheaper control panels with physical buttons. You can even upgrade the basic grommet for a powered version, which adds a socket, USB-A, and USB-C ports for charging devices.

Compared to other top standing desks, the Herman Miller Fully Jarvis feels refined, as if the company took the elements they do really well and made those great. It’s not the best for everyone, but for executives and professionals who want that polished look and feel (and brand recognition), this one is fantastic.

Read our full Herman Miller Fully Jarvis review

• ^ Back to top

Best standing desk for gaming

Buy it if...

✅ You want integrated power and cable management: While fitting the gamer vibe, this desk shines most in the fact that it has power running through the desk leg, keeping cables tucked away so you won’t kick them while gaming.

Don't buy it if...

❌ You want a classic wood desktop: The Secretlab Magnus Pro is designed around a large metal frame and desktop with a desk pad. If you prefer a classic wood top design, other options may be a better fit for your workspace.

Why we chose the Secretlab Magnus Pro

When it comes to the best standing desk for gamers, there’s no doubt in my mind that the Secretlab Magnus Pro fits the bill. This is an all-black, all-metal desk that comes equipped with a full-length cable management tray and, interestingly, a control panel neatly built into the tabletop itself.

Beyond the all-metal construction, the focus is on integrated power and data cabling through the leg to prevent cables hanging down. There's also a built in cable tray in the back of the desk with flip-up access, an easy-to-add lighting package, and interchangable desk pads to change the colors and feel of the desk entirely. Standing at 6’2”, I found the maximum height of 49.2in ideal for taller users compared to other desks. And it’s plenty large and functional enough to accommodate both work and play setups.

If you enjoy the gamer vibe or simply prefer sturdy steel structures with rigidity to support a multi-monitor setup and more, or if you dislike seeing cables dangling from your desk, this is a fantastic option.

Read our full Secretlab Magnus Pro review

• ^ Back to top

Best standing desk for stability

Buy it if...

✅ You want greater stability: With its four-legged design, we found this offers all the extra stability you'd expect from a more traditionally styled office desk.

Don't buy it if...

❌ You don't really need a four-legged height-adjustable desk: For most home offices (and even offices), the E7 is still ideal - the Plus model is one for those who really want the extra lifting weight or the classic style.

Why we chose the FlexiSpot E7 Plus

Want a more stable workspace and a more classically styled sit-stand desk? Then the E7 Plus is a great pick for the price. The only other one that comes close is the Branch Four-Leg (see my review here), but it's not so widely available and costs more.

The E7 Plus is a spin on the excellent E7 standing desk, adding a more sturdy frame with both the classic T- or C-shaped legs. In my own tests, I was pleased to find it delivered on its rock-solid stability, and even boasts smooth height adjustments.

The lifting capacity is some of the best I have seen, and the four legs have become a design statement more than something that serves a functional purpose. FlexiSpot also offers the Odin (E7Q Pro) if you need something even more substantial. Still, the E7 Plus combines the reliability and rugged good looks of the Odin with the ever-popular E7 to create a perfect middle ground.

Read our full FlexiSpot E7 Plus review

• ^ Back to top

Best standing desk for storage

Buy it if...

✅ You want a standing desk with storage and some excellent extras: Alongside the storage space for stationery and laptops, this sit-stand desk also features wireless charging pad.

Don't buy it if...

❌ You need deep drawers. There's only one drawer here, and it's not as deep as you'll find on traditional desks, with room for laptops and notebooks, but nothing too thick.

Why we chose the FlexiSpot Q8

While the FlexiSpot Q8 isn't the only standing desk with storage built in - the Branch Duo, for example, offers the same - I particularly like this model for the extra features and build quality on offer.

For one thing, it comes with the option of a bamboo desktop, much like the E7, which gives it a beautiful look in the workspace. As part of this, there's also a wireless charging pad for your phone, alongside the charging ports on the control panel.

In operation, it's smooth and swift when lifting and lowering, working beautifully throughout the review period. You'll find the usual four-button control panel, which is programmable. And in the main, it felt robust in use, with only a slight wobble on the carpeted flooring. Lifting capacity is good for a desk this size, and when placing two heavy speakers, a synthesizer, a laptop, and assorted computer accessories on top, there was no sense that they added any strain to the desk or affected operation. The drawer, like most you'll find on standing desks, is simple and relatively shallow (we measured it at 26.22 x 12.20 x 1.97 in). It's ideal for stowing a laptop or stationery, and helped retain the overall slim, stylish feel.

Overall, the Q8 is a great desk that's packed with some genuinely useful features - and while the build quality isn't the best at this price-point, it's a beautiful design with solid performance.

Editor's note: If you prefer a cheaper standing desk with a drawer for around the $200 / £200 mark, check out our FlexiSpot Comhar review.

Read our full FlexiSpot Q8 review

• ^ Back to top

Best standing desk for small spaces

Buy it if...

✅ You need a fully-featured desk for a compact workspace: While it comes in a range of sizes, the 36in desktop model is one of the smallest full-sized standing desks we can find.

Don't buy it if...

❌ You need a multi-monitor or expansive workspace: The Branch Duo shines in it’s minimalist and smaller workspaces; for larger ones, there are other options to choose from.

Why we chose the Branch Duo

The Branch Duo is easily one of the best standing desks we’ve ever reviewed here - and with the svelte 36in model, it's one of the smallest I've found for a full-sized desk without going for a portable sit-stand option like the Humanscale FloatMicro).

The Duo is ideal for a smaller workspace, or for that minimalist set-up without compromising on features. I found this desk sleek and straightforward, but still has a highly functional drawer to help keep the top of your desk tidy.

After two months of continuous testing, I loved the minimalist style and high build quality. At this size, I would recommend the Duo for a simple laptop, tablet, monitor, or mini PC setup It’s not designed to withstand the weight capacity or stability needed for a full workstation or provide stability. What stands out to me here is the discrete control paddle, similar to that on the premium Herman Miller Fully Jarvis, rather than the big, button-filled control panels I’ve seen on other standing desks. Here, you’ll find a small screen and invisible buttons letting you adjust the height between 28 and 47.8in. The downside, however, is the paddle has no USB charging ports,

Alongside a range of sizes and styles, there are a handful of accessories available to accompany the Branch Duo, including a cable organizer and the aforementioned drawer for stashing stationery and mobile devices.

Read our full Branch Duo review

• ^ Back to top

Best standing desk for large set-ups

Buy it if...

✅ You want to build your own dream desk: If you are starting your first desk, or are upgrading every element, this one is a top choice due to all of the accessories you can choose from the point of sale, making a one-of-a-kind desk without any hassle.

Don't buy it if...

❌ You want something simple: While you could opt for a minimalist and straightforward desk, this desk shines in its ability to add power, accessories, cable management, and an array of desktop materials to your workspace

Why we chose the Uplift

There are many standing desks available, so finding one with a unique twist is not always easy. The Uplift V3, however, stands out as a desk with a thousand customizable options from the moment you order the desk. That hyper-customization allows you to create your perfect one-of-a-kind desk with all the gizmos and gadgets you may need (or simply want) to get the job done.

It exhibits excellent stability even when fully built out, as I have done with a standing desk. It can efficiently function as the base station for a massive and complex workstation, all the way down to a minimalist and straightforward option. For the cables you have, regardless of the type of desk you build, Uplift has a simple yet effective cable management solution.

All around, this desk remains the professional modular dream, allowing you to design around what you actually want and how you plan to use your unique workspace.

Read our full Uplift V3 review

• ^ Back to top

Best L-shaped standing desk

Buy it if...

✅ You want maximum space: For those who need a massive workspace, rather than combining several workspaces together that don’t match or work together, grab an E7L to get the best of both worlds.

Don't buy it if...

❌ You don’t have a lot of space: If your workspace where this desk will go is not expansive, or intentionally measured, then you may have some issues making this desk work simply by size.

Why we chose the FlexiSpot E7L

If you’ve the space for it, the FlexiSpot E7L Pro is a great L-shaped standing desk for corners. It’s a spin on the classic E7 desk, which we proceeded to test in both the home office and in a classroom. It shone in both.

For those who need a massive desktop for whatever reason, the FlexiSpot E7L is a brilliant option. It takes what’s great about the E7, which has been our top-rated desk since we first tested it shortly after its release, and essentially combines two of them to make an L. It’s stable, reliable, quiet, and still robust.

What really impressed us during tests was just how smooth the elevation was. That’s because the E7L boasts three motors, and we experienced no stuttering or uneven lifts at all. This desk raises and lowers just as smoothly as the standard E7. And you have plenty of room to add drawers, desk shelves, speakers, monitors, organizers, desk mats, and the works, or you can leave it expansive for large drawings, diagrams, lots of papers.

Read our full FlexiSpot E7L review

• ^ Back to top

Best standing desks compared

Best standing desks: Also tested

Not every sit-stand desk can make it into the top round-up, but these ones we've tested out deserve an honorable mention.