Best workout earbuds & headphones 2024

A workout isn't the same for everyone. You could be lifting in a gym, going for a long run, or out riding a bike, and that's why having the best headphones for your workout can add to your motivation to keep going. Some headphones block out all other sounds to help you stay focused, while other let as much in to help you stay safe if you jog on roads with a lot of cars and bikes.

Whether it's music, podcasts, or audiobooks that propel you while breaking a sweat, all of these options are capable of delivering something inspirational when you're pushing yourself. We test a lot of wireless headphones to help us narrow down the models and materials that work best when you work out.

At a glance

Best overall

Jabra gave the Elite 7 Active an IP57 rating, which is high enough to get you that extra bit of sweat and water resistance necessary to push harder while trying to meet a goal. The Elite 8 Active take that even further in our review with IP68 protection, giving you a very rugged pair of buds that are comfortable for longer runs and workouts.

You could probably wear these for hours and not always notice. They stick to a similar design from their predecessors, and despite the excellent rubberized coating, it doesn't fully cover the inner portion of these buds. You get three sizes of ear tips, any one of which should give you a tighter seal for great passive noise isolation.

Active noise cancelation (ANC) performance benefits a lot from that, and you no longer have to customize or personalize it because it's all adaptive. Whether you're running through busy streets or a loud gym, these earbuds will cancel out noise relative to your surroundings. 

Sound quality didn't dramatically shift, but you can still expect smooth, bass-heavy audio to come through. Go into Jabra's Sound+ app and tweak it however you want using the onboard EQ. If you prefer, you can also listen to spatial audio for a virtual surround effect that works on anything you want to listen to.

Another advantage is the onboard controls are actual physical buttons, not touch-sensitive taps, making a big difference in consistency when you skip tracks or access a voice assistant.

Battery life is solid at up to eight hours per charge with ANC on. Leave it off, and you can probably stretch that out to 10 hours. The included case gives you another three charges for an overall total of about 32 hours. Charge them up via USB-C or place them on a Qi wireless charger.

Runner up

For durability and audio customization, we feel the Jaybird Vista 2 stand out as one of the best you can find, and we said so in our review. An IP66 rating gives these a high water and sweat resistance level, making them well suited to any run or workout. Jaybird considers them to be waterproof, crushproof, drop-proof, and sweatproof, so it's reasonable to expect these earbuds to sustain a certain level of punishment. The charging case alone has an IP54 rating.

Don't swim with them, though, since they're not made for constant submersion. Want to run in the rain? No problem, but best to keep them clean after every exposure.

Jaybird added ANC and improved passive isolation to enhance audio playback further. Assuming the fit is ideal for your ears, the resulting performance should be agreeable. By default, the Vista 2 lean toward a heavier sound, with enough bass to satisfy anyone looking for a little rumble in their tunes. 

Aside from learning about its controls and features, the Jaybird app also has an equalizer with a very active community of fellow users who create and contribute their own EQ presets. You can sample and apply these to the Vista 2 earbuds at any time, effectively changing how they sound on a whim. 

So, if you like deeper bass to get pumped up in the gym, but prefer a more dynamic or neutral sound signature any other time, you can just select the preset to give you that. You're free to create your own as well, making these earbuds among the most customizable available.

Battery life isn't exceptional, but good enough for working out or going out on a run. You can expect up to six hours with ANC on (eight hours when off), and the earbuds get closer to those numbers because the default volume is pretty loud to begin with. The case gives you an extra two full charges. You can also quick charge them via USB-C or lay them down on a wireless charging pad.

Best value

Sometimes, you don't have to spend a lot to get a lot, and that's essentially what you get with the Treblab X3 Pro. Their ear hook design is great for stability, especially when you're being active and don't want the earbuds to fall out at the wrong time. With stability, you often get better comfort, and the two do go together well here.

The IPX7 rating is great for both water and sweat resistance, and the rubberized veneer makes them easier to manage and clean. Wipe them down after a workout, and you should have these playing for some time to come. If you're just looking for earbuds that stay firmly in place while you work out or go for a run, these will do just fine.

You do get Beats-style audio quality, so if you're into heavier bass, you'll feel at home moving to tunes coming through. There are no actual special audio treatments beyond that, including the lack of an app to customize anything, so what you hear is going to be what you get. The bass is nice, thick, and well suited to listening while active. There is no ANC or ambient mode, so you can't block out or let in the outside world when you see fit.

Battery life can last up to 9 hours per charge depending on volume level. The case, which is going to be larger than most, has another four charges inside, for up to 45 hours total. If you're only using these for workouts, you can go for weeks before needing to fully recharge. No fast charging here, but it takes just two hours to fill them up again.

Best battery life

When we reviewed these earbuds, there were two things JLab Audio got right about the Epic Air Sport ANC off the bat. First, while hardly proprietary, the ear hooks suggest that stability is as essential to the overall design as comfort is. Second, the number of ear tips in the box tries to cater to various ears and preferences.

Ear hooks aren't for everyone, but it's hard to argue with their ability to maintain a good seal since the weight and pressure are largely allocated to the hooks rather than the buds. These are flexible enough to find a happy medium in many respects, even if the fit doesn't feel perfect the first time. 

JLab includes two large-sized silicone tips, which are molded for taller inner ears. There are even medium sizes doing the same thing. There's even a CloudFoam pair included to truly deform into your inner ear's proportions for the tightest seal yet.

The IP66 rating gives them a pretty good level of durability from the start, though you will want to be careful not to expose them to too much water. You shouldn't have any issues with runs or workouts, provided you keep them clean after you sweat all over them. Whether dry or sweaty, the touch controls are finicky on these, which is a shame since physical buttons might have been the better option.

When it comes to listening to music with them, the default sound signature is a good starting point that you can tweak through the JLab Epic Air ANC app. While presets are limited, you can create your own for whatever sound you're looking for. Either way, you can expect the battery to go for a long while. 

Without ANC, the earbuds can play for up to 15 hours per charge, or 11 hours with it on. Those are truly impressive numbers at this stage. The case adds another 55 hours or 44 hours, depending on where ANC is set.

Best value over-the-ear

Over-ear headphones may not be everyone's cup of tea for a workout, but if they're your preference, then you may like the Soundcore Life Q35 for their value and performance. They don't have a particular durability rating, but you can get away with using them while working out or being active, much like we did when reviewing them. 

What helps these achieve that is the larger earcups that do a nice job of staying in place. While not ideal for runs (maybe on a treadmill), they should stay in the gym.

These headphones are very similar to the Soundcore Life Q30, with the only difference being that these support the LDAC codec for lossless playback on any devices or content that can play it. They don't have an ambient mode, but they auto-pause when taking them off, another feature that sets the Q35 apart. 

With ANC on board, you can cut off the world around you and focus on the work you need to do. Passive isolation is already excellent, so the ability to stay focused by drowning out background noise is just a button away.

It doesn't hurt that they sound good, too. The soundstage is vibrant, and if you find it to need something more, you can find it through the excellent Soundcore app. It has an equalizer you can use to tweak the sound however you want, plus over 20 presets to use on top of that. Even the ANC has three settings within the app, giving you a good level of control over what these headphones can do.

You also won't be charging them all that often. These headphones last 60 hours per charge with ANC off or up to 40 hours when it's on. So in the odd time you might find them dead and need a quick boost to listen to music for a workout, plug them in via USB-C for five minutes, and you'll get up to four hours of playback.

Best on-ear headphones

It's unique on its own that Adidas made a pair of headphones, and now there's a sequel to consider in the RPT-02. It used recycled plastics to manufacture half of it, and even more interesting is that the headband also uses a material capable of solar charging. And not just from the sun, but from any source of light available. It's rare enough to wear a pair of headphones that can feed the battery while you're out being active. 

Like their predecessors, the fabric parts in the headband and ear cushions are removable, so you can wash them when they've gotten too dirty or sweaty. It could be more elegant, but it's not often that you can take pieces off your headphones and clean them this way, either.

Adidas didn't engineer the best possible sound by default, but they do get loud, and there's plenty of bass, which is perfect if you're looking for that combination during a workout. 

The companion app has its own EQ with a bunch of presets you can choose from, as well as the ability to create your own for a custom sound. You could also edit the existing presets to tweak the sound just a little bit if you feel they sound right, but need a little work.

On-ear headphones aren't known to be the most comfortable, which applies to the RPT-02. You should be fine if you're only wearing them while working out, but like their predecessors, wearing them for prolonged periods may wear on your ears. For the average hour-long workout, you likely won't notice.

Battery life is outstanding at up to 80 hours per charge, giving you plenty of workouts before needing to fully recharge them again, which you can do via USB-C in lieu of solar charging.

Best sporty style

If you're an Apple user looking for something sporty, don't start with the AirPods; start with the Powerbeats Pro. It's not just because Apple owns all things Beats but because these earbuds are much better designed for activity. 

The ear hook design gives them an edge in practicality for running so you don't have to worry about them falling off. Also, despite a more modest IPX4 rating, the more rubberized finish offers greater sweat and water resistance than the more exposed AirPods.

The secure fit also helps deliver better sound than the AirPods. With multiple ear tip sizes and the hooks' stability, it should be easy to find a fit that creates a tighter seal to improve the audio further. Once you do, you'll find these have a nice sound signature with richer and cleaner output. There's bass if you're looking for that, which is even better when you find the proper seal.

If you carry a Lightning charging cable around for your iPhone, you can use the same one to charge up the case for these earbuds. It's not a small case, making it less portable than others, but at least there's a sizeable battery inside. You can expect up to nine hours per charge, with 24 hours coming from the case. So with a quick five-minute charge, you can squeeze out about 90 minutes of playback.

And since these are Apple-made, you get the H1 chip inside for super-fast pairing, plus always-on Siri for hands-free access. Of course, Android users can still use the onboard playback and volume buttons to control those things with relative ease.

Best on a budget

For the price, it's hard not to like what the Back Bay Audio Tempo 30 can do for you. Toggle on the Bass Mode for an extra thump while going hard during a run or workout. After you're done, give the Game Mode a shot, keeping things in sync whenever you're down to play games or watch shows and movies on your phone or tablet.

With six different ear tips in the box, odds are good you will find a pair that fit your ears. Unfortunately, you won't be able to block out background noise with the help of some ANC, or even talk to someone using the ambient mode, but the right fit should at least get you good passive noise isolation.

The Tempo 30 have IPX7 water resistance, making them more than good enough for rigorous workouts and sweaty runs. Don't swim with them, but feel free to wear them if you're lounging in a bath or tub afterward. 

Expect up to eight hours per charge, assuming you're not blasting the volume, which will definitely drop that number. The case gives you another three charges, and your only option to charge them is via USB-C. 

Best open-ear performance

Shokz made the OpenRun Pro for an active crowd, and as we pointed out in our own review, these are worth a look if you want (or need) to free your ears entirely. 

Bone conduction headphones work by vibrations through your jaw and skull to capture audio so that you can hear it that way, only without anything coming into contact with your ear canal. Shokz continues to be a significant player in this particular category, and these are among the best you'll find.

It made these with decent IP55 water and dust resistance to fulfill the need to stay active, whether running, cycling, or anything else you want to do. The open design means you will hear your surroundings, so for runners who want to know their environment, it's hard not to wear these headphones. 

They spread out across the entire pad to help the skull absorb some of the audio output, and Shokz amped up the bass to give the OpenRun Pro a thicker sound. You can also download the Shokz app to utilize the onboard EQ. Often the toughest part of the audio spectrum to produce with bone conduction headphones, be mindful that you're not going to match what in-ear and over-ear headphones can do.

Battery life is good at up to 10 hours per charge. The onboard buttons aren't bad, mainly when it's time to play/pause or bring up Google Assistant. Shokz also addressed the design as far as the buttons go, making them easier to manage when making a call or turning them off.

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Time to put the work in

Finding a pair of best headphones or best wireless earbuds to wear for leisure is easier than finding a pair that you'd like to use while working out or exercising. This is because they can't be too bulky, need to fit comfortably, without wiggling around too much. Not to mention they also need to repel as much sweat or water as they can.

Regardless of what you're ready to spend, this list has something for you. The Jabra Elite 8 Active stand out as the most ruggedized and accomplished pair earbuds that deliver the best combination of durability and performance. They'll fit comfortably and offer excellent sound quality you can tailor however you like through the Sound+ app.

That's not to say the other options here aren't worthy. You can still find great performance and comfort when wearing the Jaybird Vista 2 so your options are varied and effective here.