9 Of The Best Clip-On Earbuds You Can Buy In 2026

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The clip-on earbud design is a great option if you want to avoid the plugged-up, uncomfortable feeling of silicone tips that need regular cleaning, or just want to be aware of your surroundings. Standard earbuds may have transparency mode or noise cancellation features for hearing what's going on around you, but leaving your ear canal open is without a doubt safer. Clip-on earbuds hook around your ear cartilage, leaving your ears fully open, so whatever you're listening to feels more like background music to the ambient sound around you.

For the above reasons, clip-on earbuds are ideal for running, commuting, cycling, and anyone who doesn't fancy being completely cut off from the world. There are many clip-on earbuds models to choose from, which is a good thing, but choosing the right one may not be that straightforward. We'll save you the trouble of sifting through the many available, confusing options by going over nine of the best pairs you can buy today. To make these selections, we considered expert reviews from various credible outlets, as well as what actual customers said about them.

If you work out a lot, you may want to treat yourself to a pair of the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds. They are arguably the most comfortable pair on this list, with What Hi-Fi giving them a perfect 5 out of 5 comfort score. Like with every other clip-on earbud, sound quality is a genuine concern, but that doesn't compromise this pair.

The Ultra Open earbuds deliver richer, fuller bass than their open-ear rivals. Wired described them as having "great fit and class-leading sound," despite being one of the pricier models on the market. The same detailed review also notes that this pair outperforms the semi-open Apple AirPods 4, which we found to have solid audio quality in our testing. The sentiment is backed by Amazon buyers praising the pair, pointing out that the premium price comes with premium sound and build.

Battery life on the Ultra Open earbuds should get you through roughly 7.5 hours on a single charge and 26.5 hours total when you include the case. In case you run low on juice, a quick 10-minute charge should keep you going for a couple more hours. One interesting feature worth noting is that this IPX4-rated pair comes with a physical control button on each bud, which means no fumbling around with touch or gesture control. You can grab a pair now for $300, with sale events like Amazon Prime Day slashing the price to as low as $200.

Bose's pricing may be a bit steep, but you can find a great alternative in the cheaper Soundcore Aeroclip, which will set you back $170 or as low as $100 on sale. They feature a nice light open-ring design that Tech Radar describes as having a "jewellery-esque aesthetic." For this reason, you won't have to worry about how they look regardless of what other accessories you have going.

Under the hood, the Aeroclip buds deliver a nice punchy sound for an open design, but you have to play around with equalizer settings in the Soundcore app to get the best out of them. However, sound leakage may be an issue when compared to more premium options. The battery should see you through eight hours, with the case increasing your listening time to 32 hours. Call quality is good enough for everyday use, according to buyers, but one thing they consistently praise, besides the audio, is how comfortable this pair of buds is, earning them a well-deserved spot in this roundup.

The Baseus Inspire XC1 open-ear earbuds are the second pair here to feature physical buttons, which, as we mentioned before, are more reliable than touch controls. Not a surprise considering these buds were made in partnership with Bose, which is conspicuously engraved onto each bud (Sound by Bose). The most important metrics for any type of earbuds are comfort and sound quality — this pair checks these boxes. In extended tests, a ZDNET reviewer was able to wear the Inspire XC1s all day without any discomfort, and they found this pair to be the first to produce quality bass in their experience with clip-on buds.

The Inspire XC1 buds are IP66-rated, meaning they are more resistant to dust and splashes than most rivals. Battery life is solid, with a single charge being able to offer eight hours of listening, with the case providing an additional 32 hours. Wired describes the calling experience as decent in most environments, with the buds keeping most background noise at bay for the receiver. From the buyer side, a good number seem to appreciate the collaboration with Bose, with some seemingly associating it with good sound quality.

If you're green in the clip-on space and just need a cheap way of trying them on without gambling with a generic brand, Soundcore's C50i are a decent budget pick that are likely to impress you at just $70, though they have dropped to as little as $40 in the past. According to Kotaku, the bass is good enough for open earbuds, but you should expect the limitations considering they are clip-ons. Sound leak is also a noticeable issue with these buds in quiet environments, but that is another challenge that boils down to the open-ear design,

Soundcore claims eight hours of playtime on a single charge for the C50i buds, with the case delivering up to 20 more hours. They are great for working out too, IP55-rated and feature Bluetooth 6.0 if you're keen on the nitty-gritty details. They also feature a physical button for easier control. Amazon customers praise them for their great value, with a few noting minor sound issues that don't seriously detract from the overall comfort and listening experience.

Shokz built its name on bone-conduction headsets, but the Shokz OpenFit Pro earbuds are the brand's flagship open-ear offering for listeners seeking better music quality. The buds' soft hooks sit around your ears while the drivers hover just outside your ear canal. Sound quality is decent, and according to Wired, they're "Shokz's best earbuds so far." But sounding good comes at a premium, with this pair costing $250, in the ballpark of the Bose Ultra Open, which are marginally better according to Rtings.

Despite being clip-ons, the OpenFit Pro earbuds offer noise cancellation, but it comes at the expense of battery life. With the feature turned on, you should expect a measly 5.6 hours of battery life. However, with the feature off, you'll get a healthier 12 hours on a single charge, with the case backing you up with an additional 38 hours. From what both experts and buyers are saying, these seem very comfortable and deliver admirable sound quality, even without the seemingly unnecessary noise-cancellation feature.

The Sony LinkBuds Clip earbuds are among the most fashion-friendly pairs in this lineup. CNET calls them "well-designed and comfortable to wear with a premium glossy finish." They come in three soft pastel color options in addition to black and sit low and close to the head, making them look more like jewelry, especially the non-black variants. If you want, you can buy case skins separately for an even more refined look and added protection. They are perfect if you want something subtle for the office or going out.

Mashable lauds the LinkBuds Clip's sound and call quality, as well as comfort, but notes that they are a bit pricey at $230. However, you can always watch out for deals, which are available quite often on Amazon or Sony's official website. On battery life, expect up to nine hours of continuous playtime with the case extending it an extra 28 hours. Whenever you run out of juice, a three-minute quick charge will give you an hour of playback. Many buyers appreciate the sound quality, with a number raising concerns about touch controls for the price, but a few have pointed out that you get used to it over time.

Nothing Ear (Open) earbuds are another style-centric wildcard in this lineup but bolder than the Sony LinkBuds Clip, and they look nothing (no pun intended) like any other buds on the market. They wrap around your ear, with the drivers aimed toward your ear canals, and feature a transparent design that shows off their internal components, making them look futuristic. The pill-shaped case features a transparent top with rounded edges and, in Sound Guys' words, the whole package "wouldn't look out of place in the Star Wars universe." If you want something that stands out, this is definitely it.

The sound quality of the $150 Ear (Open) buds is on par with the looks. PC Mag notes that they are among the best open-ear buds the reviewer has tested, though they don't reach the same levels as in-ear buds in the same price range. Given the different mechanics we've seen all open-ear buds have to bear with, this shouldn't be a cause for concern. The battery should be able to hold out for eight hours on a single charge, and you can stretch it to 30 hours with the case. If you love dabbling with equalizers, these buds come with the Nothing app, which offers strong customization options to help tune the sound to your liking. On Amazon, sound quality appears to be the main reason buyers enjoy the Ear (Open) buds, but it usually comes paired with comfort and the futuristic look.

Just like the OpenFit Pro, the Shokz OpenDots One earbuds are another battery champ. They'll get you through 10 hours on a single charge and a total of 40 hours with the case. At $200, they are expensive but cheaper than the highly rated Bose Ultra Open, and at the time of writing, they are on sale for $139.95. Tech Radar pitted the two against each other, and the OpenDots One came out on top for sound performance, scoring a solid 4.5 out of 5. CNET's similar comparison gives the Ultra Open a slight edge on sound quality but still lauds the OpenDots for being a bit more comfortable and cheaper.

On Amazon, users point out the premium feel of the OpenDot One buds both in hand and in the ear besides sound quality. The only consistent complaint we've seen here is the pricing, but you can always get these during Amazon sale events. They are right up there with the Bose Ultra Open, and we'd recommend them if you want to save a few bucks without necessarily going for an inferior alternative.

The Earfun Clip 2 earbuds may be the go-to when decision fatigue sets in. They offer the perfect balance between price, sound quality, extra features, battery life, comfort, and fit. AI translation is the icing on the cake on these, and you can get them for $100 or even cheaper during sales. At the time of writing, they are on sale for $63.99. They stay in place during workouts, according to Tom's Guide, with only slight movement during intense activity. These buds also have button controls, meaning those sweaty hands or gloves won't get in your way when you want to jump to the next song or adjust volume — also handy for non-tech-savvy people who are more comfortable with physical toggles.

For casual listening like YouTube, podcasts, and most music, the Clip 2 buds sound good enough — not up to Shokz or Bose standards, but remember the Clip 2 are less than half the price of the former. Where they really win is on battery life, clocking up to 11 hours on a single charge and about 40 hours with the case, which gives them an edge over the pricier options. Amazon buyers confirm that the bonus AI-powered translation feature works, a nifty tool that may come in handy in your future travels. 

We selected the clip-on earbuds based on two important criteria. First, each pair of earbuds had to receive favorable commentary from at least one credible tech outlet or expert review, such as Sound Guys, What Hi-Fi, Wired, or Rtings. More importantly, each pair had to have at least a 4-star rating and at least 100 Amazon reviews, since some models are fairly recent listings. The number of units sold had to be more than 100 over the past month at the time of writing — eight of the nine selections sold at least 500 units.