Best Running Headphones and Earbuds for 2024
Whether you run marathons or take a quick jog, running headphones make a difference. We've tested the best headphones and earbuds for running to help you choose.
Our Experts
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What to consider
Budget
Noise-isolating or open design
Ear hooks?
Comfort
Durability
Return policy
Our Picks
Which are the best headphones and earbuds for running?
Since it largely comes down to what models fit your ears best -- and stay on your ears -- it's hard to declare a single model of headphones or earbuds that are best for running. While there are a lot of great choices, I personally like the new Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, though they are expensive. I also like the Beats Fit Pro, which have integrated sport fins, and the various Shokz bone-conduction models for those who like to keep their ears open. The Shokz OpenFit earbuds with ear hooks are also good for those looking for an open design with an integrated ear hook.
Over the years, I've tested dozens if not hundreds of headphones and earbuds while running. When we evaluate the best headphones and earbuds for running, we're looking for models that are designed to stay in your ears or on your head even when you're really pushing your pace. Your safety is also important, which is why we look for headphones and earbuds that allow you to hear the outside world so you can hear traffic. Many of the latest noise-canceling earbuds also have a transparency mode and some earbuds, as noted, feature an open design.
Most of the models on this best list are true-wireless earbuds, but I've also included some neckband-style wireless headphones that feature bone-conduction technology or just have an open design. These types of headphones are popular with runners and bikers because they fit securely and their nonoccluded design allows you to hear the outside world.
Read more: Best wireless earbuds
Best running headphones and earbuds of 2024
The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds have one of the most unusual designs of any earbuds I've tested over the last several years. They literally clip onto the side of your ears, kind of like earrings, and their open design has micro speakers that fire sound into your ears while still being able to hear what's happening around you. At $299, they're somewhat overpriced, but otherwise there's a lot to like about them, including a surprisingly comfortable, secure fit and very good sound quality for open buds.
Best bone-conduction headphones
Shokz OpenRun Pro
AfterShokz has changed its name to Shokz and released new ninth-generation bone-conduction headphones that offer slightly improved bass performance compared to the company's earlier flagship model, the Aeropex (now called the Shokz OpenRun). That makes the OpenRun Pro the best bone-conduction headphones you can get right now, although they still can't match the sound quality of traditional headphones.
Bone conduction wireless headphones don't go on your ears -- they actually deliver sound to your ear through your cheekbones. The big benefit of this technology as a safety feature for running is that, thanks to its open design, you can what's going on around you -- traffic noise in particular -- while listening to music or having a phone conversation (yes, they perform well for voice calls). Also, some race coordinators don't allow runners to wear anything in their ears, which is where headphones like this come in handy.
The OpenRun Pro has a lightweight, wraparound titanium frame and is rated for up to 10 hours of music playback and you can get 90 minutes of battery life from a 5-minute charge (they have a proprietary charging cable instead of USB-C, which is unfortunate). I found them comfortable to wear but you may occasionally have to adjust them on your head to relieve potential pressure points. While they do offer a bit fuller sound with more bass (an incremental improvement, not a huge leap forward) like other bone-conduction headphones, these are strongest in the midrange where voices live. They're very good for podcasts, talk radio, newscasts and audiobooks. A hard carrying case is included as well as foam ear tips that you can jam into your ears to get better bass performance (most people use those tips sparingly).
Note that Shokz makes other, more affordable bone-conduction headphones, including the OpenRun, if you don't want to shell out for its current flagship model.
Best Apple wireless earbuds for sports
Beats Fit Pro
While the Beats Fit Pro technically aren't AirPods, they're built on the same tech platform as the AirPods Pro (yes, Apple owns Beats). Unlike Beats' earlier and less expensive Studio Buds and new-for-2023 Studio Buds Plus, the Beats Fit Pro include Apple's H1 chip and has most of the AirPods Pro's features, including active noise canceling, spatial audio and Adaptive EQ. I'd venture to call them the sports AirPods you've always wanted.
Good value open earbuds with ear hooks
1More Fit SE S30
1More makes a couple of open sports earbuds with ear hooks. The Fit S50 buds are the flagship ($130) and feature a little better sound than the Fit SE S30, have a more premium design and are fully waterproof (IPX7 rating). I like the fit a little better on the step-down S30, which is IPX5 splash-proof (can sustain a spray of water) and costs half the price, making it a better value.
The case is bulky and feels a little cheap (the lid is flimsy) but the buds themselves seem sturdily built and the ear hooks are nice and flexible. They have 14.2mm drivers that output decent but not great sound (there's a bit of distortion at higher volumes), which is par for the course for these types of open buds that sit on top of your ears and fire sound into them. They're also good but not great for voice calling. A companion app for iOS and Android allows you to tweak the sound with an equalizer and you can update the buds' firmware. The buds are available in black or white and offer up to 10 hours of battery life at moderate volume levels.
Best comfortable open earbuds with ear hooks
Shokz OpenFit
Shokz, the company formerly known as AfterShokz, has long been the leader in bone-conduction headphones. Models like the OpenRun Pro, which deliver sound to your ear through your cheekbones, are popular with runners and bikers who like to leave their ears open for safety reasons. However, Shokz's new OpenFit model, the company's first true wireless earbuds, doesn't use bone-conduction technology. They have an open design that fires sound into your ears using custom speaker drivers, which Shokz dubs "air conduction" technology.
I was impressed by how lightweight (8.3 grams) and comfortable they are -- they have one of the best ear-hook designs I've tried (Shokz calls it a Dolphin Arc ear hook). It's soft and offers just the right amount of flexibility to conform to the shape of your ear, with "dual-layered liquid silicone that provides a pliable fit," according to Shokz. The earbuds also sound quite good for open earbuds, though not quite as good as Cleer's Arc 2 Open Ear Sport earbuds ($190) which also have an ear-hook design.
Best budget bone-conduction headphones for runners
Shokz OpenMove
Shokz's OpenMove bone-conduction headphones list for $80. The OpenMove headphones have some small design upgrades over their predecessors. I found them comfortable to wear, and while the sound isn't great, it's relatively good for a bone-conduction headphone. Again, keep your sound quality expectations in check or you'll be disappointed. They're very good for listening to podcasts, audiobooks and news broadcasts while you run. I tend to listen to XM radio while running.
This model charges via USB-C and includes a simple carrying pouch. Battery life is rated at up to six hours.
Best value open-ear neckband-style headphones
Soundpeats RunFree
After releasing the RunFree Lite neckband-style open sports buds last year, Soundpeats has come up with a new, upgraded version with a more flexible and comfortable design and better sound. Like its predecessor, the buds sit just outside your ears and fire sound into them from small speakers with 16.2mm drivers. The sound quality still isn't the greatest, but this new model does offer better clarity with slightly better bass definition. They're just fine for casual listening.
They're nice and lightweight, and they fit my head securely -- the headphones' design feels more premium (by that I mean less cheap). Equipped with Bluetooth 5.3, they're IPX4 splash-proof and are rated for up to 14 hours of battery life at moderate volume levels. Expect to get less than that, because you'll likely play these at high volume levels, especially outdoors where you'll encounter more ambient noise. They also work decently for making voice calls but don't expect business-class performance.
Best durable earbuds
Jabra Elite 8 Active
Equipped with six microphones instead of four, slightly improved adaptive noise canceling and wind-reduction technology along with a higher durability rating, the Elite 8 Active looks, feels and performs like a modestly upgraded version of the Elite 7 Pro and Elite 7 Active. Jabra is billing them as the "world's toughest earbuds," and based on our tests (they survived several drops without a scratch), that may very well be true.
Best ear-hook style true-wireless earbuds under $100
JBL Endurance Peak 3
JBL has upgraded its ear-hook style sport earbuds for 2023. Available in black or white, the Endurance Peak 3 buds offer better battery life (up to 10 hours with four extra charges in their case) improved voice-calling performance and an IP68 rating that makes them fully water- and dust-proof. They also have an Ambient Aware transparency mode and Talk Thru mode that can automatically lower your music's volume level and open up the buds to the outside world. That means you can have a conversation with someone without removing the buds from your ears.
They stayed on my ears very securely during runs and I thought they sounded quite good, though they do have a bit of bass push (i.e. they have powerful bass). Just be aware that if you don't get a tight seal, sound quality will be significantly worse. Also, like other earbuds with ear-hook designs, the case is on the beefy side. That said, the buds do seem durable and if you get a good fit, they're an excellent and less pricey alternative to the Beats Powerbeats Pro. I also thought the touch controls worked well; I was easily able to toggle through the sound modes.
Premium open-ear buds with hooks from Anker
Anker Soundcore AeroFit Pro
The Anker Soundcore AeroFit Pro are among the best open-ear "air conduction" earbuds, with a premium look and feel, and are comfortable to wear. (I had no problem keeping them on my ears while running or working out.) On the downside, they're expensive, but they do feature strong audio quality for these types of earbuds, with ample bass and volume, plus decent clarity. They're good for making calls (they do a pretty good job reducing background noise reduction) and also offer strong battery life -- up to 14 hours at moderate volume levels.
While they don't have ear-detection sensors, I liked that they have physical buttons to control playback and also come with a cord, should you want to turn them into neckband-style wireless headphones. It's also worth noting that they have a spatial audio feature and offer the LDAC audio codec for devices like Android smartphones that support it for Bluetooth streaming.
Anker's standard AeroFit fit model ($130) has smaller drivers (14mm versus 16.2mm for the Pro), so it doesn't sound quite as good, and also has a battery life rating of 11 hours. However, those buds are fully waterproof with an IPX7 rating, while these are splash-proof with an IPX5 rating.
