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Many Bluetooth headphones these days that support active noise cancellation, and an added benefit of ANC is transparency mode. But not all transparency modes are equal, and even the best ones can’t match how your ears actually perceive the outside world. Open-ear headphones are the solution for those who find transparency mode to be lacking. As the name implies, open-ear headphones let external sound in rather than sealing your ear canals. While earbuds are still the most popular option, this type of headphone has been growing in popularity lately, especially with those who want complete awareness of their surroundings in all situations, like athletes, parents, and those employed in dangerous jobs that require full situational awareness. 

Open-ear headphones are a relatively new technology, and there aren’t a lot of great models yet. To make things easier, we’ve compiled a list of the best open-ear headphones you can buy in 2025. This list includes top-of-the-line options commanding top-dollar prices, as well as more budget-oriented models for those who don’t need the best sound and features. We carefully selected options that actually do what they claim to, and do it well. We’ll go into more details about the process of selecting those products later on.

Shokz is the leading brand of bone-conduction headphones. We previously reviewed their Shokz Open Run Pro 2 and gave it a strong thumbs up. One would think a bone-condution headphone company would make great open-ear headphones — and it does. The Shokz OpenFit 2 hook-shaped buds weigh 9.4 grams each and offer 11 hours of playtime, or up to 48 with the case. The OpenFit 2 claims to address the two main issues of open-ear headphones: weak bass and sound leakage. A huge issue with earphones lacking a good seal — particularly open-ear headphones — is the lack of bass, so the OpenBase 2.0 algorithm is tuned to addresses this. Its proprietary DirectPitch 2.0, on the other hand, claims to minimize sound leakage. These earbuds also boast IP55 water resistance, Bluetooth 5.4 and multi-pairing, and good microphone call quality. The OpenFit 2 retails for $179.95.

On Amazon, the Shokz OpenFit 2 commands a very respectable 4.6 star average across almost 2,000 reviews. The only claim users seem to contest is how securely they stay in your ears, though your mileage in this regard will of course vary. TechRadar gives it a 4 out of 5 stars, citing the price and the difference from the OpenFit 2+ variant as the biggest strikes against it, while audiophile review website SoundGuys gives it high praise while pointing out that louder environments lead to a poor experience — an unavoidable caveat of open-ear headphones.

Though Shokz headphones are a bit pricey for most, they deliver on their promise. We recommend this option for athletes and runners, given that they’re water resistance and have a comfortable hook design.

Bose is one of the best brands of earbuds you can buy, and the Bose Ultra Open is the company’s answer to the call of the open-ear market. This is the priciest option on the list, at $299. The Ultra Open boasts an adjustable fit with its curious jewelry-like, clip-on design. You get 7 hours of battery on a single charge, and another 19 in the case. That said, the Ultra Open claims to have a very efficient standby time that lasts up to 48 hours. To address the low bass and leaking sound of open-ear headphones, Bose uses proprietary OpenAudio technology, which is supposed to keep the sound rich, but private. It also supports multipoint pairing and is water-resistant.

On Amazon, those headphones have a review average of four stars; Complaints address connectivity issues, poor battery life, and poor value for such a high price. Tom’s Guide gives it 4 out of 5 stars, citing poor call quality and the lack of wireless charging, while PC Mag is a bit more negative, with 3.5 out of 5 stars. Based on my personal experience, I can attest that those issues are not rare with Bose products. Other reviews consistently praise the comfort factor of these earbuds. Plus, they really look like a piece of jewelry, and may be less noticeable than typical open-ear models.

Nothing Phone is a young brand on the Android scene, but it’s making waves with stylish, budget devices that push flagship specs. We’ve previously given the Nothing Phone (3) and the Nothing CMF Phone 2 Pro solid reviews. Recently, the Nothing brand branched out into making earbuds with the Nothing Ear (Open), which earned a 10/10 from us.

Retailing at $159 (and going on sale for much less), the Nothing Ear (Open) fits the brand by being unlike any hook-on earbuds in this camp. You can expect about 8 hours of battery, with the case adding another 30. The buds are rated for IP54 water and dust resistance, and feature AirPod-esque pinch controls and multipoint connectivity. Their proprietary AI Clear Voice technology delivers great sound quality, as we confirmed in our review. Users also get advanced EQ, “find my earbuds” functionality, low lag mode, and more through the Nothing X app.

Reviews from other tech and audio websites are generally positive, too: The SoundGuys gave it 7.3 out of 10, while PC Mag and Android Authority gave it a 4/5 stars, with a consistent complaint being the lack of wireless charging. We absolutely recommend the Nothing Gear Open primarily for Nothing Phone users, who get additional integrations, but these are great choices for any smartphone user who wants a highly-rated, somewhat affordable open-ear option that’s different from the rest of the crowd.

Anker doesn’t just make batteries and cables, and the Anker Soundcore AeroFit 2 should be on your radar. The AeroFit 2 offer some of the most impressive battery life on this list, at 10 hours of playback, and a huge 42 hours extra with the case — which, by the way, comes with wireless charging. Unlike the Shokz and the Nothing, the hooked design has an adjustable hinge for a perfect fit. You also get IP55 waterproofing, touch controls, multipoint, and 4 beam-forming mics for better calls. Anker’s standout feature on the Soundcore AeroFit 2, however, is its built-in real-time language translation. Anker claims you can converse in over 100 languages with these earbuds and a phone.

Amazon users give the Anker soundcore AeroFit 2 an average of 4.4 stars from over 1,500 reviews. SoundGuys is more critical, giving it a 5.3 out of 10 rating, with sound quality being the primary complaint — though that criticism could be aimed to all open-ear headphones. MUO‘s score is similar, a 6 out of 10 that cites sound quality and issues with the touch controls. Digital Trends, on the other hand, calls this “the best open-ear earbuds for most people”, giving it 4 out of 5 stars.

Concerns aside, these headphones are very competitively priced, and their specs are on par with more expensive options. Anker has always had a reputation as being a reliable brand, and it seems that trend continues here.

For a large chunk of the population, any pair of headphones that costs over $100 is absurdly expensive, regardless of what it can do. If that describes you, then the SoundPeats PearlClip Pro, priced at $69.99, are for you. As is typical of budget earbuds these days, the price belies the feature set. The PearlClip offers 6 hours of playback and 18 hours with the case, despite each earbud weighing a paltry 5.8g apiece, or 0.2oz. They support an IPX5 waterproof rating and Bluetooth 5.4. Impressively, these earbuds are also interchangeable; They assign channels based on which side of the case they’re in, so you get correct left/right stereo separation even if you switch them. They use a clip-on design reminiscent of earrings, which is comfortable and inconspicuous.

Low prices don’t guarantee low reviews. On Amazon, the PearlClip earns 4.2 stars out of 5 across over 1,000 reviews. RTings (one of the biggest reviewers for audio equipment) gives the PearlClip an impressive 8.1 out of 10 for sports and fitness usage. Its testing, however, isn’t that impressed by the sound quality and says the battery life is actually closer to three hours. How-To Geek reams the microphone and touch controls, giving it 7 out of 10, calling them “affordable, comfortable, and fine.”

This is an easy recommendation for anyone in search of a cheaper pair of earbuds that gets the job done without premium frills. Budget devices have to make compromises, but the PearlClip achieves a lot under serious financial constraints.

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At SlashGear, we don’t just take the top Google results and call it a day. We considered all the available open-ear options on the market in 2025 and vetted them with verified user reviews. Those on this list are the highest-rated in a wide price bracket spread. We’ve been careful to only cite expert tech reviews that actually used the headphones hands-on — ideally for a considerable period of time.

Further, we look to see how well each pair stacks up to the specifications it claims to have, particularly where it concerns battery, ease of use, call experience, and so on. We’ve also taken into consideration that the market for open-ear headphones is relatively new and small, and it’s only been in recent years that we could recommend so many options. Unfortunately, this means that the most popular options available tend to be on the more expensive side. Models on this list can be purchased right now in 2025, but we fully expect the open-ear market to expand to include even better and more affordable options in coming years.