Technologies
The 6 Best Clip-On Earbuds I’ve Tested for 2026
Earbuds with a clip-on design that makes them look a little like clip-on earrings are the latest trend in true-wireless earbuds. Here are my current top picks.
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What to consider
Budget
Know how much you want to spend before you start researching, because the high end is frequently above $150.
Sound quality
Some of the cheaper clip-on earbuds don’t sound all that good and tend to distort at higher volumes. You may have to pay a little more to get better sound quality.
Comfort
Clip-on earbuds tend to offer a secure fit but their comfort level varies. Having a flexible design to the clip (with some give to it) is important.
Durability
You want clip-on on buds that hold up well over time, so look for models that we note have sturdy build quality and a good water-resistance rating.
Return policy
Be careful where you buy from, so if you aren’t happy with your purchase you can try something else.
When Bose released its Ultra Open Earbuds in 2024, I called them «daringly different,» and they brought a lot of attention to a new style of true-wireless earbuds that resemble clip-on earrings in some ways. Currently, all clip-on earbuds feature an open design, which means they don’t have silicone ear tips that you jam in your ears. Open earbuds let you hear your surroundings, which is great for runners and cyclists, and the clip-on design helps the buds stay securely attached to your ears. I’ve tested all the earbuds on this list and fully reviewed some of them.
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What are the best clip-on wireless earbuds?
While the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds remain a top model in the category, newer models like Shokz OpenDots One and recently released Sony LinkBuds Clip cost less and deliver a little better bang for the buck. That said, I have the new Baseus Inspire XC1 at the top of this list because I consider them the best value. They cost just a little more than $100, are well-designed and feature Sound by Bose.
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Best clip-on earbuds of 2026
Pros
- Comfortable, secure fit
- Fairly premium design for the price and a good value overall
- Very good sound for open earbuds
- Dual drivers, including a Knowles balanced-armature driver, and Sound by Bose tuning
- Good battery life (up to 8 hours)
- IP66 waterproof and dust-resistant
Cons
- They distort a little at higher volumes
- Not great for noisy environments
- No ear-detection sensors
Why I like them
Like Baseus’ noise-isolating Inspire XP1 earbuds that I rated highly, the Inspire XC1 feature «Sound by Bose» and a more premium design than earlier Baseus earbuds. The XC1 don’t sound as good as the XP1, but they sound very good for open earbuds and are equipped with dual drivers, one of which is a Knowles balanced-armature driver that helps improve treble performance. While they don’t produce as much bass as noise-isolating earbuds like the Inspire XP1, their bass performance is better than I expected. The buds’ sound is pretty full, especially in quieter environments, though they do better with less bass-heavy material (I did notice a bit of distortion at higher volumes with certain tracks with harder driving bass).
While I slightly prefer the design and fit of Bose’s Ultra Open Earbuds (as well as the design of their case) and think the Bose buds sound more natural and a tad better overall, the much more affordable Inspire XC1 fit comfortably and offer top-tier sound for clip-on open earbuds (and they play louder than the Bose), as well as decent voice-calling performance with good background noise reduction. They also have an IP66 water-resistance rating, which means they’re fully waterproof and dust-resistant. I also appreciated that they have a programmable physical button on each earbud to control playback, multipoint Bluetooth (so you can connect two devices to the buds simultaneously) and a low-latency mode for video gaming and video watching.
The buds have been tuned by Bose engineers and their default EQ setting in the app is «Sound by Bose,» but you can also tweak the sound a bit with six additional presets, including a bass boost mode and a custom EQ setting. The buds support the SBC and AAC codecs along with LDAC for Android users (it has to be turned on in the app). Battery life is solid at around 8 hours on a single charge with volume set at 50%.
Reasons to buy
The Inspire XC1 stack up well against the more expensive Shokz’ Open Dots clip-on earbuds and while they’re not quite as good overall as Bose’s Ultra Open Earbuds, they cost less than half the price and sound nearly as good.
Reasons to skip/keep looking
If you can’t afford this model, Baseus also makes the MC1 Pro, which sometimes gets discounted to around $50. The Inspire XC1 look very similar but have a more premium design and upgraded sound.
Pros
- Good sound for clip-on open earbuds
- Comfortable, secure fit
- Good battery life
- Wireless charging
Cons
- Pricey
- Voice-calling performance could be a little better
The well-designed OpenDots One are among the best open earbuds out there right now. While they don’t sound quite as good as the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, they’re pretty close and fit my ears slightly better and have better battery life. Read review.
Reasons to buy
Like the Ultra Open Earbuds, which list for $299, they’re a bit overpriced, but at least they cost less than the Bose and their case has wireless charging.
Reasons to skip/keep looking
The Shokz OpenDots One may cost less than the Bose but they’re still pretty pricey. Read review.
Pros
- Well-designed and comfortable to wear with a premium glossy finish
- Very good sound for open earbuds
- Excellent voice-calling performance
- Good battery life (up to 9 hours)
Cons
- Pricey
- Case doesn’t support wireless charging
- Touch controls are a tad finicky
When Sony launched its original stem-free, donut-shaped LinkBuds in 2022, I lauded them for being an innovative take on open earbuds after Apple had dominated the open earbuds genre with its AirPods for several years. The second-gen LinkBuds Open were released in 2024, and now Sony’s added the donut-shaped LinkBuds, its take on the increasingly popular clip-on genre of open buds. While there isn’t anything terribly innovative about the them, especially given their high list price of $230, they’re nicely designed, fit my ears well, sound quite good (for clip-on buds anyway), have strong battery life and feature excellent voice-calling performance. Read full review.
Reasons to buy
The LinkBuds Clip may not sound great compared with noise-isolating earbuds in the same price range, but they measure up quite well to other top clip-on buds, none of which feature fantastic sound and aren’t really designed for critical listening. Where they do seem to have a real competitive advantage is with their voice-calling performance, which is great if you like to chat when you go for a run or do other activities.
Reasons to skip/keep looking
The LinkBuds Clip seem a little overpriced at $230, which is why I have them rated just below four stars. Should they end up on sale on Amazon for $50 less, you can add a quarter star to my rating.
The Bose Ultra Open earbuds have a unique clip-on design.
Pros
- Innovative clip-on fit
- Comfortable to wear
- Very good sound for open earbuds
- Decent voice-calling performance
Cons
- Expensive
- Look may not appeal to everyone
- Not great for noisy environments
Why I like them
They weren’t the first clip-on earbuds, but Bose’s Ultra Open Earbuds really kickstarted this sub-genre of true-wireless earbuds. 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. 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. Initially, the buds didn’t feature multipoint Bluetooth pairing, but the feature was added in July of 2024. Read my Bose Ultra Open Earbuds review.
Reasons to buy
If you’re looking for open ear buds that allow you to hear the outside world, Bose’s Ultra Earbuds among the best out there, featuring a very comfortable, secure fit with strong sound quality for open earbuds in a premium design.
Reason to skip/keep looking
They’re a little overpriced. I’d like to see these closer to $200 (they do often go on sale for $250).
Pros
- Good sound quality for clip-on earbuds
- Nicely-designed with comfortable, secure fit (flexible joint)
- Good voice-calling performance
Cons
- Somewhat pricey
The Soundcore AeroClip are Anker’s current flagship clip-on earbuds. Not only do I like their design — they have a premium look and feel — but they’re comfortable to wear and feature very good sound for clip-on buds. Equipped with 12mm drivers, they serve up ample bass with good volume and decent clarity. The buds sound fuller and more open than many cheaper clip-on buds and are among the better-sounding open earbuds I’ve tried. (Android users should note that they have support for Sony’s high-quality LDAC audio codec.) I also thought they worked well for making calls. For the most part, callers said they could hear me clearly — even in noisier environments like the streets of New York. Anker says they have five beamforming mics, wind-blocking meshes and advanced AI. Battery life is rated at up to eight hours at moderate volume levels and the buds are IPX4 sweat- and water-resistant (they’re splash-proof). Their only drawback is their somewhat high price tag.
Pros
- Affordable
- Comfortable, secure fit
- Decent sound for the price
- They’re equipped with Bluetooth 6.0 and are fully waterproof and dust-proof with an IP67 rating
- Good battery life
Cons
- Somewhat generic design
- Distort a little at higher volumes
Why I like them
Baseus is known for its value earbuds, power banks and charging products. Its Bowie MC1 Pro aren’t quite in the same league as Bose’s Ultra Open Earbuds, the Shokz Open Dots or Baseus’ own Inspire XC1 clip-on buds, but they cost a lot less and sound pretty decent for open earbuds, particularly with less demanding tracks that don’t feature heavy bass and a lot of instruments playing at the same time. On Amazon, you’ll find clip-on buds that cost around the same price (or less) that have a similar design, so they’re a little generic. But the MC1 Pro are equipped with Bluetooth 6.0 and I found their sound quality and design to be better than many competing clip-on value buds. They’re also a step up from Baseus’ earlier Bowie MC1 buds and I liked that they have a single physical control button on each bud for controlling playback and adjusting volume levels.
Battery life is rated for up to 9 hours at moderate volume levels (without bass boost), which is good, but expect to get les than that because you do tend to have to listen to open earbuds at higher volumes, especially in noisier environments. With an IP67 certification, the buds are fully waterproof and dust-proof, making them suitable for runners and bikers. Voice-calling capabilities are also decent though don’t expect business-class performance (they have 2 microphones per bud compared to the MC1’s single microphone per bud).
Reasons to buy
The Bowie MC1 Pro are among the best budget clip-on earbuds.
Reasons to skip/keep looking
While the MC1 Pro look similar to the Bose-infused Baseus Inspire XC1, that step-up model has a more premium look and better sound quality.
Factors to consider when buying clip-on earbuds
Budget
Before anything else, you’ll want to figure out how much you’re willing to spend on new clip-on buds. The quality of value-priced earbuds and headphones continues to improve, so you can find decent clip-on buds for less than $50. The premium models, which offer better build quality and performance, tend to cost more than $100 and sometimes more than $150.
Sound quality
All the clip-on earbuds I’ve tried have an open design with the part of the bud that contains the speaker driver resting over your ear canals, firing sound into them. How you attach the buds to your ears will impact sound quality so you’ll have to play around with their placement to optimize comfort and sound quality. Some of the cheaper models don’t sound all that good and tend to distort at higher volumes. You may have to pay a little more to get better sound quality.
Fit and comfort
Clip-on earbuds tend to offer a secure fit but their comfort level varies. Having a flexible joint (with some give to it) is important. Also, note that you typically have to make some adjustments when clipping the bud to your ear, placing it higher or lower on the side of your ear to optimize comfort levels as well as sound quality.
Durability
You want clip-on on buds that hold up well over time, so look for models that we note have sturdy build quality and a good water-resistance rating.
Return policy
It’s critical to buy your clip-on buds at a retailer that has a good return policy in case you have buyer’s remorse. Some people who are having trouble deciding between two models sometimes buy both, try them out for a few days and then return one.
How we test clip-on earbuds
We test true-wireless earbuds based on five key criteria, comparing similarly styled and priced models. These criteria are design, sound quality, features, voice-calling performance and value.
- Design: We assess not only how comfortable the earbuds fit (ergonomics) but their build quality and how well the controls are implemented. We also look at water- and dust-resistance ratings.
- Sound quality: We evaluate sound quality by listening to a set playlist of music tracks and comparing the earbuds to top competing products in their price range. Sonic traits such as bass definition, clarity, dynamic range and how natural the headphones sound are key factors in our assessment.
- Features: Some great-sounding earbuds aren’t loaded with features but we do take into account extra features. These include everything from noise-canceling and transparency modes (ambient sound mode) to special sound modes to ear-detection sensors that automatically pause your music when you take the headphones off your ears.
- Voice-calling: When we test voice-calling performance, we make calls on the noisy streets of New York and evaluate how well the earbuds reduce background noise and how clearly callers can hear your voice.
- Overall value: We determine value after evaluating the strength of the earbuds against all these criteria and what the buds are able to deliver compared to other models in their price class.
Other wireless clip-on earbuds we tested
Edifier LolliClip: Edifier’s LolliClip buds cost $130 and their sound is pretty close to what you get with the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds — and they’re almost as comfortable to wear while fitting my ears securely. They also have some features the Bose buds don’t have, including active noise canceling (it’s not all that effective but you do sense it muffling some noise in the lower frequencies), a heart-rate monitor, blood oxygen sensor and spatial audio with head-tracking. There’s also a low-latency mode for gaming and they support the LDAC audio codec for Android users. Voice-calling performance was good but not exceptionally so and I found the touch controls a little finicky (you have to figure out just what is the touch zone), but you do get several customization options in the Edifier ConneX companion app.
Soundcore by Anker C40i: In early 2024, Anker released its Soundcore C30i clip-on buds. Not only didn’t they sound all that good (they distorted at higher volumes and were a little bass shy), but they weren’t all that comfortable to wear. The C40i, which came out in October of 2024, are a different story. Equipped with a flexible joint (the C30i didn’t have that), they’re significantly better in terms of fit and sound quality, though the step-up Soundcore AeroClip sounds fuller and more open. They also come with attachable ear grips, although I didn’t use them because they fit my ears securely without adding them.
Clip-on earbuds FAQ
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Apple’s New Smart Home Display Delayed Until Fall Over Siri Issues
It has been nearly a year and a half since the company announced the AI-powered product.
Your home could get smarter with Apple’s Siri, but it will have to wait a few more months. Bloomberg reported the iPad-shaped AI home hub won’t be ready until September, several months after the company was hoping to launch it this spring. Apple engineers first need to complete work on a new and improved Siri assistant for the home device, code-named J490, according to Bloomberg.
Apple was hoping to release J490 this month, along with a slew of other new devices, including the iPhone 17e, MacBook Neo, MacBook Air M5, new Pro models, and iPad Air M4. Apple first teased the smart home display in November 2024.
A representative for Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Siri is Apple’s virtual assistant that uses voice recognition and AI to fulfill a variety of tasks and commands, along with intriguing uses. You might use Siri to find your iPhone — «Hey Siri, where are you?» — or to hear the weather forecast — «Siri, what will the weather be today?» Siri is available on iPhones, MacBooks and iPads. It was launched in 2011 as a feature of the iPhone 4S.
As CNET reported last month, Apple engineers have struggled to push the upgraded Siri assistant out the door. It isn’t fast enough, gets confused by complex commands and doesn’t interact well with other Apple AI models. The company is also wrestling with how much personal data to access to inform the AI, and the new Siri is not yet able to complete in-app tasks, such as finding a photo and posting it to socials, all with one command.
It has been nearly two years since Apple announced that it would give Siri a major upgrade. In the meantime, competitors like Alexa Plus and Gemini for Home have entered the marketplace.
Tech tester Jon Rettinger, whose YouTube channel has 1.66 million subscribers, says the repeated delays in upgrading Siri can «erode» confidence in Apple’s ability to keep up in the AI race.
«Apple as a whole is still one of the strongest companies on the planet. But their AI play is clearly the weakest link in an otherwise very strong chain,» Rettinger told CNET.
Rettinger said he has had issues getting Siri to complete basic commands, such as setting two alarms at the same time, and that it’s a bit of «a mess» right now.
«Having said that, the iPhone has such massive market penetration that I’m not sure it will actually matter in the end. Which is kind of wild when you think about it,» Rettinger said.
Facial recognition for residents
The hardware for the forthcoming smart home display has already been finished. It resembles an iPad and can be either attached to a wall or rest on a half-domed-shaped base, the Bloomberg report said.
The device will be equipped with facial recognition, so when residents walk up to it, they will be shown personalized data such as music preferences, news headlines, appointments, reminders, tasks and so on.
The screen interface will include a bunch of circular app icons, similar to the display on an Apple Watch. The Bloomberg report said the smart home display will be the first of several home devices by Apple. Future products include a tabletop robotic limb with a 9-inch screen, a smart security camera and a Face ID-enabled smart doorbell.
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