Released in early 2024, Bose's Ultra Open Earbuds brought a lot of attention to a new style of true-wireless earbuds that resemble clip-on earrings. 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.
Why I like them
Jump to details
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
Jump to details
Pros
- Affordable
- Comfortable, secure fit with upgraded slim wave C-ring and air cushions
- Good sound for the price
- They're equipped with Bluetooth 6.0 and are fully waterproof and dust-proof with an IP67 rating
- Physical button for playback and volume control
- Solid battery life and decent voice-calling performance
Cons
- Rounded case is a little slippery
- Distorts a little at higher volumes
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
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 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 my Sony LinkBuds Clip 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
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
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What are the best clip-on wireless earbuds?
The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds remain a top model in the category, but newer models cost less and deliver a little better bang for the buck. Both the Shokz OpenDots One and Sony LinkBuds Clip are leaders in the category, but I have the Baseus Inspire XC1 ($110), which feature Sound by Bose, and the new Baseus Bowie MC2 ($60) at the top of this list because I consider them the best values, especially since these earbuds are designed for comfort and not critical listening (though they are improving with each new generation).
Read more: Best Earbuds and Headphones That Can Handle the Sweatiest Workouts
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
- Affordable
- Comfortable, secure fit with upgraded slim wave C-ring and air cushions
- Good sound for the price
- They're equipped with Bluetooth 6.0 and are fully waterproof and dust-proof with an IP67 rating
- Physical button for playback and volume control
- Solid battery life and decent voice-calling performance
Cons
- Rounded case is a little slippery
- Distorts a little at higher volumes
Why I like them
New for 2026, Baseus' affordable Bowie MC2 clip-on buds improve upon the earlier MC1 with superior sound and a design that's a little less generic (don't confuse the for the $10 cheaper MC2 Air buds, which have slightly worse sound and build quality). They're also a bit more comfortable, thanks to an upgraded "slim wave C-ring" and "air cushions" that come in three sizes. They offer slightly better performance to the Bowie MC1 Pro -- I felt they sounded a little cleaner with slightly bigger sound overall and less distortion at higher volumes. (The MC2 has a shade larger 11mm driver instead of the 10.8mm driver found in the MC1 Pro.) Like the MC1 Pro, these have support for the LDAC audio codec (along with AAC and SBC) for Android devices and multipoint Bluetooth pairing. A low-latency gaming mode is also available.
While not quite in the same league as Bose's Ultra Open Earbuds, Shokz' Open Dots or Baseus' own Inspire XC1 clip-on buds, they're only a very small step down for sound quality but cost a lot less. Equipped with Bluetooth 6.0, they have an IP67 certification, which means the buds are fully waterproof and dustproof, making them suitable for runners and bikers. Voice-calling capabilities are also good -- like the MC1 Pro, they have two microphones per bud. Callers told me they heard only minimal background noise while my voice sounded acceptably clear when I spoke to them from the noisy streets of New York. As for battery life, the buds are rated for up to 11.5 hours with bass boost engaged (Baseus markets it as Super Bass 3.0). I kept the bass boost on when I was listening to music.
Reasons to buy
The Bowie MC2 offer a comfortable fit and are among the best budget clip-on earbuds. They sound quite decent for open buds.
Reasons to skip/keep looking
The step-up Bose-infused Baseus Inspire XC1 offer a little more premium look and slightly better sound quality.
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
Why I like them
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 sell 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.
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 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 my Sony LinkBuds Clip 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.
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 are 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
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.
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.
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.
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.
Are clip-on earbuds better than earbuds with ear hooks for sports?
Not necessarily. Both clip-on buds and buds with integrated ear hooks or wingtips (or sports fins) are designed to help keep your earbuds from falling out of your ears. As for what's better, it's really a design preference. Some people like the look and feel of earbuds with ear hooks while others prefer earbuds with a clip-on design. Like clip-on earbuds, most earbuds with ear hooks have an open design that allows you to hear ambient sound.
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What are the downsides to clip-on earbuds?
The two biggest downsides are that some people think they look a little funny and their sound quality usually isn't as good as earbuds with a noise-isolating design (silicone ear tips).
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How is the battery life for clip-on earbuds?
Generally, quite good and usually significantly better than what you get with standard earbuds. That's because clip-on earbuds are larger and can house bigger batteries. Typical battery life ratings for buds with ear hooks are in the 8- to 10-hour range while traditional true-wireless earbuds are usually rated for anywhere from 5-8 hours of playback time at moderate volume levels.
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