Whether legitimate or not, Apple’s AirPods have become the default choice for most iPhone owners in the market for new wireless earphones. However, if you are buying an Android smartphone, the options are less obvious. That’s where we can help: We’ve tested dozens of wireless earbuds over the years, so we’ve categorized the top recommendations for Android users below. Whether you want powerful noise cancellation, a pair that survives in the gym, or something that works particularly well on your Galaxy or Pixel phone, here are some of your favorite AirPod alternatives for Android.
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Best Android Earphones of 2025
What to look for with wireless earphones for Android devices?
Photo by Jeff Dunn/Engajit
In most cases, the functions required from the Android earphone set are the same as those required from any headphone. Comfortable sound quality, comfortable fit and ample battery life are still the basis. Proper water resistance is good for workouts, and no one wants a clumsy microphone to make calls. Approaching the $100 range, you can expect features like Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), Wireless Charging, Ambient Sound Mode (You can hear external noise without turning off the music), and Multipoint Connection (the ability to pair multiple devices at the same time).
There are a few extras to consider, especially for Android devices. I highly recommend a dedicated app that allows you to easily switch between sound modes, customize audio profiles, put them incorrectly, or tweak other settings to find earbuds. Features like Google Fast Pair Alternatively, NFC-based pairings are also a great perk, as you don’t have to dig into the Bluetooth menu to connect your earphones for the first time. Some Android devices can also utilize high quality Bluetooth codecs such as Aptx Adaptive Or Sony’s LDAC – These aren’t as important to audio quality as the actual architecture of the earbuds, but they can help narrow down a bit more detail if the buds are well-capable and are streaming lossless files. Aptx Adaptive also helps reduce latency that is suitable for streaming video and games.
Diversity is Android’s biggest strength, but that means that some wireless earbuds are superior on certain devices, usually devices made by the same company. For example, there are some perks with modern Samsung earphones that can only be used with a Galaxy phone. There are some recommendations related to this idea above.
How to test your Android earphones
Photo by Billy Steele/Engajit
The best way to test earphones is simply to wear them as much as possible. That’s what we do. Normally you do this for a week to two weeks, but embargo times can close the review process a little faster. Listen to test playlists that contain several musical genres and podcasts, and take great care in how each pair approaches bass, mid and high frequencies to get an accurate sense of its healthy profile. It also tests on large and low volumes to check tuning consistency. I can’t access Dummy head To take more objective measurements, however, we sometimes rtings, soundguys And the others who do solely to ensure our impressions are not very off. If your model supports custom EQ, you can tinker with it and use the available EQ presets to see if it is dramatically better than the other EQ presets, but in general it is the basis for most impressions of the stock tuning that each pair uses by default.
To assess the quality of your microphone, record your own audio samples and make multiple calls with your partner, both indoors and externally. For battery life, play the test playlist in a loop of about 75% volume and measure the time each set takes to drain. If applicable, we will thoroughly review the pair’s companion apps and test each available feature. Comfort is ultimately subjective, but be aware of how you feel each pair of sensations feel safe while on the move. You can also use certain pairs, especially in busy public spaces, to gain a better sense of passive and active noise cancellation and the ability to maintain a consistent Bluetooth connection.
Recent Updates
April 2025: Check out this guide to make sure the top picks are still standing, and we focused on some alternatives to the Noble Fokus Rex5 as the pair had recent stock issues. It also looks at how the Trump administration’s tariff policy affects pricing and inventory for recommendations (and the consumer technology industry as a whole). All of our picks are still available in the normal price range today, but we will update this guide if that guide changes.
February 2025: The Noble Fokus Rex5 is a new “best sound quality” pick that replaces the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4. Other recommendations remain unchanged.
December 2024: I’ve edited this guide clearly and lightly to make sure the current picks are still accurate.
This article was originally published at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/best-earbuds-for-android-devices-120015765.html?src=rss
