These Are Our Favorite Workout Headphones To Get In Shape

Exercising without music is absolutely possible. However, it can also be a tedious slog fraught with struggle and annoyance. By the simple act of putting on some motivating music, you might find that you enjoy your workouts a good deal more — and they might actually be more effective and efficient, as a result. That being said, nobody wants to be the guy at the gym (even if that gym is in your own home) who blasts his playlist out loud for everyone else to hear.

Thankfully, you can still listen to your albums, artists, and genres of choice without disturbing anyone around you, even if it’s only in passing. That’s because there are a wealth of workout-ready headphones of all styles available for purchase. And while not all of them are worth your hard-earned cash, the ones that have made this list — the best workout headphones — will serve you well throughout your fitness journey.

What headphones are best for working out? (earbuds vs. over-ear)

Generally speaking, earbuds will be better for most workouts because they commonly come with sweat resistance, a secure fit, and more options for customization. Especially for running, this is essential because you don’t want your headphones jostling around during a workout or sweat causing damage/discomfort. However, if you’re mostly doing strength training or stationary movements in a gym, a pair of noise-cancelling over-ear headphones are great, and may even be more aligned with your needs.

what to look for

If you’re not intimately familiar with workout headphones, you might mistakenly believe that any old pair will work perfectly. You’d be wrong, however. There are numerous features and metrics to consider when picking out the perfect pair of exercise-ready headphones. We’ve outlined some of the most impactful ones below.

Style: While this might be the most important overall metric, it’s also the most personal, will not affect anyone other than you (the user), and comes down to your own preferences. Typically, this comes down to one specific preference: comfort. Some people are fine wearing in-ear buds, while others prefer over- or on-ear headphones and vice versa. Try out a couple while getting your blood pumping to discover which suits you best.

Battery Life: This is especially important if you don’t want to plug in your headphones between each workout. A few hours is usually reasonable enough of an expectation, but there are some headphones that really stand apart from the rest of the pack — either because they’re woefully underpowered or they last for far longer than the competition. Of course, old-fashioned plug-in headphones don’t require a battery at all — but they do have a cord that could get in the way and cause frustration.

Sweat Resistance: Your average, budget-friendly pair of headphones (of any style) is not going to be very sweat-resistant. That can cause some serious problems if your workouts are of the high-intensity variety, as the sweat your body produces can get into the nooks and crannies of your ‘phones and, over time, will quite literally destroy their ability to function. Higher resistances make for longer-lasting headphones, but they also tend to be more expensive.

Noise-Canceling: This matters more if you work out somewhere with a lot of noise or clashing music, as in group-focused gyms or shared public spaces. It’s a rarer tech, at least for now, but getting a pair of workout headphones with some measure of noise-canceling can help you focus on your own music and, therefore, will result in fewer distractions as you exercise. However, if you’re the type to work out in public spaces, you might want to consider veering away from ANC tech, as situational awareness is more important. You wouldn’t want to get hit by a taxi, after all.

Price: While you probably don’t need to be told that the price of a pair of headphones is a major determining factor as to their viability for purchase, it’s still something that needs to be said. It’s also worth pointing out that, the higher the cost, the greater the hurdle should your ‘phones of choice stop working and you need to replace them. Overall cost — including the potential for replacement — is likely not going to be a make-or-break factor for most of these, but it’s definitely still worth thinking about.

Soundcore by Anker Sport X10

Best Budget Earbuds: If you’re looking for a solid pair of ultralight earbuds you can wear while you build up a good sweat, you can find exactly that in the Soundcore by Anker Sport X10 wireless headphones. They’re remarkably compact and feature a slew of solid features — including eight-hour playback on a full charge (with a full 32 hours provided by the charging case), IPX7 waterproofing (which is right alongside the competition, even at this reasonable price point), and comfortable over-ear hooks for the perfect fit for even the most vigorous of workouts. It even offers a variety of custom EQ settings, so you can ensure they’re tuned to your preferences every time.

These earbuds are also equipped with Soundcore’s BassUp technology, giving you some extra bass and oomph when listening to your music. Alongside the IPX7 resistance, you’re also getting the label’s SweatGuard protection, which is designed to protect the earbuds against the corrosion that built-up sweat can cause over time.

Sennheiser Sport True Wireless

Best Starter Earbuds: Traditionally, Sennheiser plays more in the home and/or office end of the audio equipment industry — but that hasn’t stopped them from taking a swing (and succeeding gracefully) at building a pair of sport-focused headphones. Appropriately called the Sport True Wireless, these lightweight wireless earbuds have a compact design, can deliver 9 hours of playback on a full charge (with a total of 27 hours with the case), and come with IP54 resistance to keep sweat and water at bay. On top of the already ergonomic fit, you have a choice of three ear adapter sizes and four ear fin sizes to make it even more custom.

As for the sound, you get Sennheiser’s TrueResponse Transducer which provides deep bass and clear sound. The Adaptable Acoustic tech allows you to choose between open or closed-ear adapters, which work alongside the EQ modes to adapt to your environment. Although there’s no ANC, the closed-ear adapter is pretty good at blocking external noise.

Jabra Elite 7

Best Running Earbuds: These Bluetooth beauties offer simple controls and connectivity, IP54 waterproofing, a microphone array for 2-way calls, and up to 8 hours of playback from a single charge, with a charging case that gets you 30 hours. 6mm speakers and the options provided by the Jabra Sound app give you a personal listening experience that’s easily customized, and keeps the buds updated with the latest software. Jabra’s HearThrough technology works alongside adjustable active noise cancellation, so you can either tune out the gym or stay aware of your surroundings if you’re out on a run.

While these may be designed for working out, the call quality is honestly just as impressive as the workout features. They’re equipped with 4 microphones that are covered with SAATI Acoustex mesh, so even if you’re running in the wind, you can take calls without interrupting your workout.

Apple AirPods Pro

Best Apple Earbuds: You might argue that Apple didn’t intend for their EDC-friendly AirPods Pro to be called “workout” headphones. However, the long list of features these headphones offer speaks to the contrary. That includes IPX4 waterproofing (the industry standard at this point), up to 30 hours of battery life (with the charging case, and 6 hours with active noise cancellation), built-in noise-canceling technology, the ability to turn on transparency mode for more situational awareness, Siri compatibility, and so much more. Don’t let your bias get in the way; these are definitely workout-worthy earbuds — and they’re some of the best around.

The real star of the show here is Apple’s H2 chip, which gives you high-quality sound and some of the best noise cancellation you can get in a pair of earbuds. This nifty chip works with the custom driver to deliver crisp audio and call quality, with Spatial Audio to keep you immersed. To get a custom fit, these buds come with four silicone tips that all create an acoustic seal.

Beats Powerbeats Pro

Best Earbuds Overall: Anyone who hasn’t been living under a rock for the last decade should have seen Beats’ inclusion on our list coming. After all, this Dr. Dre-backed brand has made significant waves in the audio equipment industry for some time — time enough that they’re almost always in the conversation when it comes to the best headphones. The Powerbeats Pro true wireless earphones hit all the right points — a long 9-hour battery life, a charging case that extends playback for up to 24 hours total, numerous available colorways, a lightweight format, and (perhaps most impressively) Apple’s spectacular H1 chip powering them.

While there’s no active noise cancellation, the secure fit and seal, along with the noise isolation and dynamic range, are surprisingly good at blocking out external sounds. Another impressive feature is the FastFuel tech that gives you 1.5 hours of playback after just 5 minutes of charging.

Bose QuietComfort Headphones

Best Premium Headphones: The latest and greatest QuietComfort headphones from Bose may not seem like workout headphones at first, but if you’re doing a lot of strength training or stationary workouts inside of a gym, a pair of super comfortable noise-canceling might be right up your alley. Especially if they provide an entire day (24 hours) worth of battery on a single charge (and 2.5 hours with just a 15-minute charge). While there’s no sweat resistance, the ear pads are extremely comfortable, and the headband is padded, so you can wear them for a long time without discomfort. Two listening modes, Quiet and Aware, let you transition between noise-cancelling modes so you can let in as much external sound as you need.

You also get an included microphone cord (that works even when the headphones are out of battery), making these a convenient pick for both working out and day-to-day activities. Again, you’re not getting sweat resistance as you do from earbuds, but the all-day comfort and battery life, best-in-class ANC, and superb sound quality make these headphones one of the best over-ear picks.

The Best Home Gym Equipment for your Set-Up

If you’re working out at home, having a good pair of workout headphones is a bit less dire. However, you may need to outfit your home with some of the best home gym equipment from our comprehensive guide.