Our sweat sessions show these sports headphones can withstand any workout.
Not long ago, finding sports headphones was a real pain. People want something that sounds good but can also stand up to the rigors of a strenuous workout. Luckily, times have changed and it’s much easier to find fitness headphones now. In fact, sports enthusiasts have more choices than ever.
So, here we’ve listed some of the best fitness headphones money can buy. They all have basic features like sweat resistance and good sound quality. There are also headphones in various price ranges. Choose whichever one you want and they can handle the workout.
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beat/pocket velvet
BeatsPowerbeats Pro
Best overall headphones
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Sony/Pocket-lint
Sony WF-1000XM5
Second best overall headphones
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beat/pocket velvet
Beats Fit Pro
Best Compact Sports Headphones
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Bose / pocket velvet
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II
Best Premium Fitness Headphones
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Anker / pocket velvet
Soundcore by Anker Life A1 True Wireless Earphones
Best Budget Workout Headphones
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Best fitness headphones: Our top picks
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BeatsPowerbeats Pro
Best overall headphones
The Beats PowerBeats Pro are a great pair of workout earbuds. They offer up to 9 hours of battery life per charge, great sound quality, and an integrated Apple H1 chip that helps them work perfectly with your iPhone. The headphones are also IPX4 waterproof, which is enough to resist sweat. The charging case holds nearly three extra charges, which should last for a while.
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Sony WF-1000XM5
Second best overall headphones
The Sony WF-1000XM5 are high-end earbuds with sweat resistance, making them a good choice for workouts. In addition to IPX4 sweat-proof protection, the earbuds offer great sound quality and a ton of useful features. This includes a built-in artificial intelligence engine that intelligently cancels external noise based on your environment, truly helping you focus and get a good workout.
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Beats Fit Pro
Best compact fitness headphones
The Beats Fit Pro are another great option for fitness headphones. In addition to solid sound quality and a small form factor, Beats Fit Pro includes spatial audio support, three listening modes to customize your experience, and the Apple H1 chip for improved support for modern iPhones. Like the other headphones on this list, it has an IPX4 rating, so it’s also sweat-resistant.
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Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II
Best Premium Fitness Headphones
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II are everything you’ve come to expect from Bose. This includes excellent noise cancellation as well as good sound quality. The earphones are rated for 6 hours of battery life, and the charging case holds an additional 3 hours of charge, so they’ll last you through a few workouts, too. Add to that IPX4 waterproofing, stylish looks, and two color options, and you’ve got a recipe for success.
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Soundcore by Anker Life A1 True Wireless Earphones
Best Budget Workout Headphones
The Anker Life A1 Soundcore is a solid set of wireless headphones that are great for working out. Their costs are much lower than many of their competitors in the field. However, they still sound good and have an IPX7 waterproof rating, which is higher than most others. Even though these headphones don’t have all the advanced features of their more expensive competitors, they’re still a hit.
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Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Generation (USB-C)
Best iPhone Sports Headphones
The second generation of Apple AirPods Pro can be said to be the best choice for iPhone users. They feature not one, but two chips designed to work well with iPhones. They have great sound quality, good noise cancellation, and a host of advanced features. Unlike other AirPods models, they come with silicone ear tips to help keep your AirPods Pro in place while you work.
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Google Pixel Buds Pro
The best Android fitness headphones
If you have an Android phone, Google Pixel Buds Pro are your best choice. They’re just as waterproof as the other sports headphones on this list, but have the added feature of running well on Android phones. They have an even, pleasant sound quality and a good fit. Plus, they come in six colors, adding fun to your workouts.
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Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro
Best Samsung Sports Headphones
$187 $230 Save $43
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro can be said to be the best fitness headphones for Samsung mobile phone users. They have an IPX7 rating, which is higher than the nearest competitors, while also giving you good sound quality and noise cancellation. There’s also 360-degree audio and three color options. They pair with Samsung phones almost instantly and are generally very easy to use.
Bottom line: Which sports headphones are the best?
In terms of value for money, Beats PowerBeats Pro are the best choice. It has the best combination of battery life, sound quality, and sweat resistance, while also supporting iPhones well. In addition, Sony WF-1000XM5 and Beats Fit Pro are also good choices. No matter what platform you’re using, you can’t go wrong with any of these three options.
From there, it’s mainly about shopping for the best fit with the gear you have. AirPods Pro 2nd generation work best with iPhones, Google Pixel Buds Pro work best with Pixel phones and most Android phones, and Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro work best with Samsung phones. If you have one of these types of phones, it’s worth considering. For anyone on a budget, the Anker Life A1s’ SoundCore will fit your budget.
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FAQ
Q: Why are there no over-ear or on-ear headphones on this list?
A valid question has a good answer. On-ear and over-ear fitness headphones can get very hot during strenuous activity. So while they may be better for things like sound quality, in-ear headphones actually dissipate the best heat of any type of headphone, which is especially important in hot weather and during long workouts.
Additionally, earplugs tend to fit the ears better. On-ear and over-ear headphones tend to slide around, especially during strenuous exercise. So, between fit and heat dissipation, in-ears are the practical choice for workout headphones. Plus, not many in-ear headphones are sweat-resistant, making long-term reliability for workouts uncertain.