Headphone buying guide
The Best Headphones for Workouts in 2026
The best workout earbuds of 2026: Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 for the most secure fit, Soundcore's Liberty 5 Pro for gym-to-office use, AirPods Pro 3 for iPhone runners, and the Liberty 5 on a budget.
Workout headphones fail in predictable ways: they fall out mid-sprint, they die from sweat, or they're so heavy you stop wearing them. So this guide ranks fit security, water and sweat resistance, and weight before sound or noise cancelling. That's also why every pick is an earbud — the over-ears we cover score 1 or 2 out of 5 for workouts.
These picks and fit scores are an editorial synthesis of published reviews and manufacturer specs, not our own testing. Prices are approximate Amazon prices seen on October 5, 2026, not live quotes; Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days event (October 6–7) may show lower prices for Prime members, so check the current price before you buy.
The short list
| # | Best for | Model | Approx. price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Best overall for workouts |  | Earhook earbuds ANC | ~$179.95 |
| 02 | Best for gym and office |  | Earbuds ANC | ~$169.99 |
| 03 | Best for iPhone runners |  | Earbuds ANC | ~$179 |
| 04 | Best budget workout earbuds |  | Earbuds ANC (budget) | ~$79.99 |
Approximate Amazon prices seen October 5, 2026, not live quotes.
Ranked
Our picks
- 01
Best overall for workouts
Beats Powerbeats Pro 2
- Earhook earbuds ANC
- ~$179.95
- Feb 2025
- Any phone
MKBHD and Tom's Guide both rate these the best workout earbuds, and they're the only model we cover with a 5 of 5 workout score. Earhooks keep them locked in on runs and lifts, there's a built-in heart-rate sensor, and the battery is rated for 45 hours total (36 with ANC). The rating is only IPX4 and the case is large; ~$179.95 (list $249.99).
Pros
- Pro: Earhooks keep them locked in during workouts
- Pro: Built-in heart-rate monitoring
- Pro: 10 h per charge (8 h with ANC); 45 h total
Trade-offs
- Trade-off: The case is large
- Trade-off: IPX4, below the IP57 on AirPods Pro 3
- Workouts
- 5 out of 5
- Calls
- 4 out of 5
- Value
- 4 out of 5
Editorial fit scores, 1–5, from published reviews and specs — not lab measurements.
Check priceAffiliate link to Amazon. Price approx., seen Oct 2026.
Read the review: Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 - 02
Best for gym and office
Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro
- Earbuds ANC
- ~$169.99
- May 2026
- Any phone
Wirecutter's top earbud pick works as well at your desk as on the treadmill: IP55, 5.5 g per bud, a 4 of 5 workout score, and 5 of 5 for travel and calls. Soundcore's Amazon listing shows ear fins in the box for a more secure fit. Battery is rated for 6.5 hours with ANC; $169.99 list.
Pros
- Pro: Wirecutter's top earbud pick
- Pro: Call-focused design that Soundcore backs with a Guinness World Records certification
- Pro: Adaptive ANC 4.0, LDAC, and Bluetooth 6.1
Trade-offs
- Trade-off: 6.5 h with ANC trails the Sony WF-1000XM6 and AirPods Pro 3 (8 h each)
- Trade-off: Rated battery drops to 2.5 h with every feature on
- Travel
- 5 out of 5
- Calls
- 5 out of 5
- Value
- 5 out of 5
Editorial fit scores, 1–5, from published reviews and specs — not lab measurements.
Check priceAffiliate link to Amazon. Price approx., seen Oct 2026.
Read the review: Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro - 03
Best for iPhone runners
Apple AirPods Pro 3
- Earbuds ANC
- ~$179
- Sep 2025
- iPhone
IP57 on both the buds and the case — the highest water rating among our picks — plus heart-rate sensing and Apple's hearing features, at ~$179 (list $249). They get a 4 for workouts: no earhooks, so the fit depends on your ears and the five tip sizes.
Pros
- Pro: SoundGuys' best earbuds for iPhone
- Pro: ANC that SoundGuys measured among the best of any earbud
- Pro: Heart-rate sensing plus Hearing Test, Hearing Aid, and Hearing Protection
Trade-offs
- Trade-off: No user EQ
- Trade-off: Built around the iPhone; MacRumors steers Android owners to the Sony
- Travel
- 5 out of 5
- Value
- 5 out of 5
- Calls
- 4 out of 5
Editorial fit scores, 1–5, from published reviews and specs — not lab measurements.
Check priceAffiliate link to Amazon. Price approx., seen Oct 2026.
Read the review: Apple AirPods Pro 3 - 04
Best budget workout earbuds
Soundcore Liberty 5
- Earbuds ANC (budget)
- ~$79.99
- 2025
- Any phone
At ~$79.99 (list $129.99) you get IP55, a light 4.6 g per bud, and a 4 of 5 workout score, the same as AirPods Pro 3. It's also the pair you'll worry least about losing at the gym. Expect bass-heavy tuning you'll want to EQ.
Pros
- Pro: Strong ANC for the money, per reviewers
- Pro: LDAC, multipoint, and Bluetooth 5.4
- Pro: IP55 and a light 4.6 g per bud
Trade-offs
- Trade-off: Bass-heavy tuning needs EQ
- Trade-off: Fiddly stem controls
- Value
- 5 out of 5
- Travel
- 4 out of 5
- Workouts
- 4 out of 5
Editorial fit scores, 1–5, from published reviews and specs — not lab measurements.
Check priceAffiliate link to Amazon. Price approx., seen Oct 2026.
Read the review: Soundcore Liberty 5
Disclosure: “Check price” buttons are Amazon affiliate links; we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes the ranking.
How we chose
Our workout fit score combines fit security, water and sweat resistance, and weight, so it led the ranking. The Powerbeats Pro 2 is the only model we cover with a 5; the other three picks score 4. The Galaxy Buds4 Pro also scores 4 and, like AirPods Pro 3, is IP57, so Galaxy owners can treat it as their pick. After that we weighted value and how well each pair works outside the gym, since most people don't want a separate pair for workouts.
MKBHD and Tom's Guide shaped the Powerbeats pick, Wirecutter and SoundGuys the Liberty 5 Pro, SoundGuys the AirPods Pro 3, and Tom's Guide, TechRadar, and Cult of Mac the Liberty 5. IP ratings, weights, and battery figures are manufacturer specs.
Fit beats everything
An earbud that falls out is useless, however good it sounds. Earhooks, like the Powerbeats Pro 2's, wrap over your ear and are the most secure option for running and high-intensity training. Wing tips or fins that brace against the ridge of your ear are the next best thing, and regular in-ear designs rely on the tip's seal alone.
Whatever you buy, try every included tip size. A tip that seals well stays put better, blocks more gym noise, and sounds fuller; if one ear always works loose, the next size up often fixes it.
IP ratings for sweat and rain
IP ratings have two digits: the first is dust protection, the second is water, and an X means that part wasn't rated. Among our picks:
- IPX4 (Powerbeats Pro 2): protected against splashes and sweat. Fine for the gym and light rain; don't rinse them.
- IP55 (Liberty 5 and Liberty 5 Pro): dust-protected and protected against water jets. Comfortable in sweaty classes and rain.
- IP57 (AirPods Pro 3, buds and case): dust-protected and rated for temporary immersion. The most forgiving if you're careless with sweat and weather.
- None of these is designed for swimming, and Bluetooth doesn't work well underwater anyway.
Heart-rate sensing in your ears
Two picks have heart-rate sensors built in: the Powerbeats Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3. That's useful if you don't want to wear a watch or chest strap on a run, though a dedicated sensor is still the better tool if training data is your priority. Neither Soundcore pair has one.
Hear the traffic
Noise cancelling is great in a loud gym and risky on a road run. Most ANC earbuds have a transparency or ambient mode that lets outside sound in; use it outdoors, and keep the volume low enough to hear cars and cyclists. Open-ear and bone-conduction headphones that leave your ear canal clear are popular with road runners, though we don't review them yet.
Why not over-ears?
Over-ear cushions trap heat and soak up sweat, they shift when you jump or run, and the ones we cover weigh roughly 250 to 390 grams. That's why every over-ear in our reviews scores 1 or 2 for workouts. They're fine for a slow walk on the treadmill, but for anything faster, use earbuds.
Make them last
A little care after each session goes a long way:
- Wipe the buds after a sweaty session and let them dry before putting them back in the case.
- Clean the charging contacts on the buds and in the case now and then; sweat residue can stop them charging.
- Replace worn ear tips; they lose their grip and seal over time.
Also consider
- Open-ear and bone-conduction headphones, such as Shokz models, leave your ears open for outdoor runs. We don't review them yet, so we can't rank them.
Frequently asked questions
Are AirPods Pro 3 good for working out?
Yes, for most people. They're IP57 on the buds and the case, have heart-rate sensing, and get a 4 of 5 workout score. If they don't stay put during runs, earhooks are the fix, and the Powerbeats Pro 2 also use Apple's H2 chip.
Is IPX4 enough for the gym?
For sweat, yes. IPX4 covers splashes and sweat, which is why reviewers still call the IPX4 Powerbeats Pro 2 the best workout earbuds. If you train in heavy rain or sweat a lot, IP55 (the Liberty 5 and Liberty 5 Pro) or IP57 (AirPods Pro 3) gives more margin.
Can I swim with these earbuds?
No. Even IP57 only means the buds survive temporary immersion; none of our picks is designed for swimming, and Bluetooth doesn't work well underwater.
Powerbeats Pro 2 or Liberty 5 Pro for the gym?
Powerbeats Pro 2 if fit security comes first: earhooks and a 5 of 5 workout score. The Liberty 5 Pro if you want one pair for the gym and the office: it's IP55, lighter, and scores higher for travel and calls, though it has no heart-rate sensor.
Do I need noise cancelling for workouts?
It helps in a loud gym, but it's optional. For outdoor runs, switch to transparency mode so you can hear traffic.
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Disclosure: Our picks are independent and editorial — a synthesis of published reviews and manufacturer specs, not our own lab measurements. Prices are approximate Amazon prices seen October 5, 2026. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no extra cost to you.