7 Best Earbuds for Working Out of 2023, Tested by Experts

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We analyzed these earbuds with our Lab's audio equipment and took them on runs to find the top performers.

Nothing gets the blood rushing better than your favorite pump-up playlist during a workout, but bad earbuds with inferior sound quality, a poor fit or ones that short when exposed to sweat can ruin your training session. Everyone has different needs when it comes to finding the perfect headphones, whether that be top-tier noise cancellation, the perfect fit for your ear or ones that don't break the bank.

The Good Housekeeping Institute's Media and Technology Lab tests a myriad of audio equipment, from wireless earbuds to speakers and home cinema solutions, both in our Labs and with the help of consumer testers who provide us individualized, real-world data on products we evaluate. When looking at earbuds specifically, we pay attention to fit (which is particularly important in the case of earbuds for working out), ease of connectivity, durability and quality of audio. Using our Lab's equipment we're able to put headphones head-to-head when it comes to frequency response and noise cancellation, helping us pick the best ones for every application.

Read on after our reviews to find out more about how we test earbuds for working out, what to looking for when shopping and why you should trust Good Housekeeping.

Bose headphones and earbuds are a Lab favorite for their superior audio quality and noise-cancelling. These earbuds are no exception, with one tester remarking "they deliver clear, balanced sound with deep, rich bass and crisp highs." The sound can be tailored to your preferences with the Bose music app, where you can cycle through different modes and adjust the EQ. The noise-cancelling offered by these earbuds is also top-tier according to several testers, perfect for noisy gyms or running along a busy path.

The QuietComfort Earbuds II are compact and store away conveniently in their pocket-sized case. They come with several tips so you're sure to find the perfect fit, and they were among our most highly-rated for comfort during wear. Testers also loved the extensive battery life and charging options, with six hours of continual playback and a nifty quick charge option that allows you to garner two hours of battery life from only 20 minutes of charging.

The one drawback to these headphones is their microphone: Two testers noted that on calls while wearing these headphones their callers had trouble hearing them and reported that the sound around the wearer felt amplified, so if you plan on phoning a friend during your workout routine you may want to look at other options.

There's no better option than the JBL Reflect Aero TWS if you're looking for durable, dependable earbuds that don't break the bank. With an IP68 rating, they can withstand dust from outdoor hikes or beachside jogs, and they're rated to hold up for 30 minutes in water as deep as five feet, including salt water (though JBL advises rinsing them off afterwards). The tiny charging case makes these tiny earbuds easy to take wherever your workout takes you, and they were top-rated by testers for secureness in fit so you're set for any activities.

Though we love the rugged nature of these earbuds that seems perfect for workouts of all types, the sound quality leaves something to be desired. Frequency response analysis (which tells us about how well headphones reproduce music and other audio as intended by the mixing and mastering engineers) conducted during our last Lab tests revealed them to have a noticeable roll-off in the high end and considerable distortion in the bass.

In subjective reviews our analysts found the audio quality passable but not superb for both musical and spoken word content. We love that these earbuds feature adaptive noise-cancelling for a peaceful workout, though it wasn't as powerful as some of the other units we tested. Those looking for high-fidelity audio for their workouts may want to browse some of the other picks on our list.

Audio geeks like to refer to a general rule when it comes to headphone and earbud pricing: Generally as price goes up you'll get better quality, but at a certain point you'll hit a plateau of how far your dollar takes you sonically. In this price versus quality graph, the Jabra Elite 4 sit in the sweet spot, offering good sound, high durability and active noise cancellation at a low price.

With IP55 protection they aren't as protected from dust and water as some of our other picks but it's more than sufficient for the gym or a run with light rain. The compact case and small earbuds were generally appreciated by testers, many of whom pointed out that they enjoyed the various color options available. The slight, aesthetic design doesn't detract from the audio, though. One tester noted how "[the] bass comes through really clearly," an impressive feat for such small earbuds.

The battery life on the Jabra Elite 4 isn't as ideal, offering a combined 28 hours with the charging case — just short of some of the others on the list. Some testers also pointed out that the fit might not be ideal and the small buds can be easy to lose. For those looking for other inexpensive buds, check out our roundup of the best earbuds we've found for under $100.

If you require total serenity to get your best pump, the JBL Tour Pro 2 delivers on that promise. Among all of the earbuds we tested in the Lab, the noise-cancelling on this pair was the most effective at eliminating background noise. Frequency spectrum analysis also showed these headphones to deliver solid sound quality, with our test engineers noting that they sound good with spoken word content but specifically shine when it comes to music — perfect for your hype-up playlist.

The charging case on the Tour Pro 2, which helps these earbuds boast an impressive 40 hours of charge, is unique, with a touchscreen that offers extensive functionality. From it, you can play and pause music, activate noise cancelling, find your earbuds if they get lost, manage phone calls and even create a "quiet bubble" (activating noise-cancelling and not playing any audio) for a set period of time. Our Media and Tech Lab analysts found the pair easy to set up and comfortable to wear for extensive periods of time. For all of this functionality, it's not a shock this pair isn't quite as durable as some of our other picks, only offering IPX5 ingress protection, though that's plenty to protect from splashes of water and sweat from a hardcore workout.

While Apple is renowned for their phones and laptops, we're also big fans of their audio equipment. The AirPods (3rd Generation) offer exactly what we look for in terms of sound: A flat, well-tuned frequency response with little distortion, meaning you're hearing the music just like the mixing and mastering engineers made it. The microphone also impressed our analysts, conveying voice over phone calls clearly and without interruption

Consumer testers were uniformly impressed with the convenience of these earbuds, syncing seamlessly with different devices (especially of the Apple variety) and offering extensive battery life. The unique design made for a secure fit and our analysts with smaller ears found these stayed in place the best during high-impact workouts like running, though comfort does leave a bit to be desired, with one tester remarking, "it can make your ear ache after extended wear." The AirPods have an IPX4 ingress protection, meaning they'll survive bits of sweat from a rigorous workout but they shouldn't be submerged for activities like swimming.

Though phasing out of style, wired earbuds have a bevy of hidden advantages compared to Bluetooth ones. The wire makes losing a piece less likely, they connect in a snap and they don't have to be charged. We love Apple EarPods because of their cheap price, superb audio quality and unique shape that fits into the ears seamlessly and stays in during vigorous workouts.

Though we haven't run formal audio analyses on these pairs, several of our analysts have used these on and off for years, and we keep coming back to them because of how dependable they are. They reproduce music and spoken word audio content in high quality despite their low price point. We also appreciate that there's a version available with a lightning connector for those with Apple phones, though we prefer the 3.5mm audio jack paired with an inexpensive dongle to give us ultimate connection flexibility.

In terms of durability, they don't offer ingress protection (a measure of how well-protected an electronic good is protected from dust and water), and we've noticed over time that the wire can get frayed when kept in tight pockets affecting connectivity. We aren't bothered though, as at the extremely low price point they're easily replaced when damaged.

For workouts that involve a lot of jostling and movement like running you'll want a pair that fits securely, resist sweat and water and have an impressive battery life. We've done a deep dive on the best earbuds and headphones, and the Beats Fit Pro were our top pick. They offer IP68 ingress protection, meaning they'll survive submersion in up to five feet of water for 30 minutes. The active noise cancellation ensures a tranquil run free of gym background noise or the rattles and hums of nearby traffic.

Though we didn't run an audio analysis on this pair, testers across the board were impressed subjectively with the audio quality, with one saying it was "unmatched" compared to others they've tried. Though the buds offer a fantastic six hours of continuous play with noise cancelling on, the total battery life with the case is only 24 hours which is less than others on our list, so you may need to charge these more than other pairs.

The experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute have logged more than 300 hours listening with, performing tests on and evaluating headphones in the past five years alone. We take a multi-pronged approach since finding the right earbuds or headphones, especially for your workout, can be highly subjective.

In our Labs, we run audio spectrum analyses and test noise cancelling efficacy using MiniDSP EARS (a headphone testing apparatus) that reveals to us both the audio quality of each pair as well as a very granular understanding of how powerful the noise cancelling is. We listen to music and spoken word audio to subjectively review for quality and average the scores of multiple analysts to try to find what works the best for the most people. We also take the time to set up each earbud and play with the accompanying app (if there is one), taking notes on how easy they are to connect to our devices, how useful the app is and how comfortable they are to wear.

We combine regimented Lab tests with a bevy of consumer testing related to earbuds, where we ask people to use the earbuds in regular, daily-life activities and relay their thoughts on audio quality and ease of use. Both consumers and analysts take earbuds to the gym and try them out with workouts that produce sweat and jostle the head around, and we pay close attention to how well each pair is rated for fit when it comes to workouts, since earbuds slipping out of your ear can be a pet peeve when lifting weights or on a run.

✔️ Water-resistance: Since working out can involve sweat and debris from the outdoors, you'll want to get earbuds that offer some type of water-resistance. "IP" stands for "ingress protection," and the two numbers that come after the IP in a rating indicates how protected an electronic device is from dust and water, respectively. Most of the earbuds we recommend sport some type of IP rating, and if you know you'll be running in an area where it might rain or you might drop your earbuds in some water, we recommend going for the more intensive ones so that they're protected even if there's a mishap in your workout.

✔️ Battery life and charging: Lots of wireless earbuds sport cases that can charge your buds, giving you longer time between charges, but pay attention to the amount of battery life that the buds themselves have. Most last a couple hours which is suitable for most athletes but if you do any endurance sports like running marathons you'll want to make sure your buds can last your entire route.

✔️ Noise-cancellation: Active noise-cancellation uses microphones built into the earbuds to monitor outside noise and cancel it out by playing inversely shaped waves into your ears. These can be a great for running outdoors where noisy traffic or other unwanted sounds can be distracting — just make sure to exercise caution when crossing roads or passing any sites that may require heightened alertness.✔️ Comfort and fit: Everyone has different ear shapes, so it may take some trial and error to find a pair of earbuds that work seamlessly with your ears. To look for earbuds that have a secure fit during your entire workout, and read customer reviews about fit and adaptability to different ear shapes.

Nikolas Greenwald is the Lab assistant at the Good Housekeeping Institute. He ran our most recent test of headphones and earbuds and spent over 20 hours researching, recording and analyzing data, as well as taking several pairs down to our office's gym to give a solid road test. When not working in our Labs, Greenwald is a record producer and DJ, and has written songs that have amassed millions of streams.

For this article, Nik consulted with Olivia Lipski, who covers much of the audio equipment reviewed by Good Housekeeping. Lipski is an audio aficionado, having evaluated hundreds of pieces of equipment for the Institute and organizing all consumer testing related to earbuds and headphones.

As the lab assistant at the Good Housekeeping Institute, Nik (he/him) works with all of our Labs to develop testing protocols and manage data collection and analysis. Before joining Good Housekeeping in 2022, Nik worked in the labs of MIT and Regeneron, working on projects ranging from chemical inventory and reporting to the development of bioassays. He holds a degree in chemical engineering from Northeastern University.

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