Top 5 earbuds with noise canceling (ANC)
Noise-canceling earbuds are becoming more popular. And rightly so: wireless earbuds with ANC keep background noise from distracting you. But earbuds with 'noise canceling' aren't the same as earbuds with 'active noise cancelling'. What should you look for? Which earbuds have the best ANC? Let's find out.
In this article
Best true wireless earbuds with ANC in 2026
These wireless earbuds performed best in our tests:
- OneMelon Sky (Best earbuds in our tests)
- DunRock Bubble (Best ANC earbuds under €100)
- MPOW X3
- SoundPEATS T2 Hybrid (Best ANC earbuds around €50)
- Samsung Buds 3 Pro (Fourth-best earbuds with ANC)
- AirPods Pro (Best Apple earbuds with ANC)
We've worn and tested every pair of noise-canceling earbuds in this review. We also took all the photos ourselves.
Test results
A few pairs of ANC earbuds stood head and shoulders above the rest in our tests. The 5 best earbuds earned a place on our list.
Best earbuds with ANC in our 2026 tests
These are our current picks for the very best Bluetooth earbuds with noise canceling. We keep this list up to date, adjusting it when prices change or better earbuds reach the market.
1. OneMelon Sky
Best ANC in our tests | Good app | Stylish design
- Price: 90
For the money, these are by far the best earbuds with ANC. Did I say active noise cancelling? I meant hybrid active noise cancelling. That's a step up from standard ANC.
Put these earbuds in and most background noise disappears immediately. You'll notice it right away, even before you start playing music. You can also adjust the ANC in the OneMelon app to get it just how you like it.
Are they as good as the Samsung Buds 3 Pro and AirPods Pro? Well, yes: for the money, they're actually much better than those two. The OneMelon Sky costs less than €100. Those Samsung and AirPods models cost more than three times as much, while ANC performance is fairly close across all three. In short: a no-brainer.
Best noise-canceling earbuds under €100
Noise-canceling technology is expensive, but it's becoming more affordable. Entry-level noise-canceling earbuds used to cost around €200. Now you can buy a good pair with ANC for less than €100.
2. DunRock Bubble
Good ANC | Beautifully balanced sound | Best microphone in our tests
- Price: ~75
These are currently the best wireless earbuds of 2025. They're also by far the best noise-canceling earbuds under €100. They do a good job of filtering out low-frequency noise.
As a tester for Eardopes, I even got to take them on a plane to Spain. I have to say: they made the flight so much more pleasant.
It's in an environment like that that you really hear how well noise canceling works. Press the right earbud to turn it on and "fffffttt": that annoying engine rumble simply disappears. Lovely.
I also think the sound is excellent. No cheap subwoofer sound that gets irritating after an hour. These sound like proper monitors, with a lovely balance of sub-bass, bass, mids and highs. You hear the hi-hat and guitar strings, but also the bass guitar and kick drum.
So, earbuds for audiophiles. Is everything about them good? If I had to name a downside, it would be the stem. But plenty of much more expensive earbuds have stems too, and they do make them easy to hold.
The microphone is good too, because the mic has a noise filter (ENC). The fit is comfortable, and the earbuds come with the new Bluetooth 5.3. Yes, really.
3. MPOW X3
Rich, full sound | Very good mic | Strong ANC | Solid build
- Price: 69
The MPOW X3 are the best earbuds with ANC under €100. The sound is rich and full, and the mic exceeds expectations. The noise canceling works well too.
Best wireless noise-canceling earbuds around €50
4. SoundPEATS T2 Hybrid
Well-balanced sound | Good mic | Great value with ANC
- Price: 59
We've thoroughly tested the SoundPEATS T2 Hybrid, and the quality at this price surprised us in every way. The ANC works well, and they're currently the cheapest option for earbuds with active noise cancelling.
Best noise-canceling earbuds
5. Samsung Buds 3 Pro
Very comfortable fit | Great sound | Significant price drop | ANC added in an update
- Price: 150
The Samsung Buds 3 Pro (not the Buds 3) are in-ear earbuds with very good ANC. Their ANC is good. Better, in fact, than our number one pick in this test. But not when you factor in the price: these cost 2x as much. Still, they deserve a spot on this list.
Best Apple earbuds with ANC
Lots of people love Apple's AirPods. But which AirPods with ANC should you choose?
6. AirPods Pro 2
Weighty sound | Good ANC | Comfortable fit | Extra features for iPhone
- Price: 190
If you want Apple earbuds, we'd choose the AirPods Pro 2. They're in-ear earbuds with ANC and slightly better sound than the first version. You're also paying for the sleek design and extra compatibility with your iPhone.
Explore our full review.
All about wireless noise-canceling earbuds
Wireless noise-canceling earbuds are becoming more popular. But on many earbuds, the ANC doesn't work at all. It's increasingly becoming a gimmick that manufacturers want to put on the box.
💡 Take a look at the best wireless earbuds we've tested so far, with and without ANC.
There's quite a difference between noise canceling, active noise cancelling, adaptive noise canceling and passive noise canceling. Let's explain those differences.
What is noise canceling?
Noise canceling is a technology that reduces or blocks out background noise. Want to know more? See our detailed guide to noise canceling.
It's useful when you want to concentrate or hear your music or podcast more clearly in a noisy environment. Noise canceling is also known as noise reduction.
With ANC, tiny microphones on the outside of each earbud pick up background noise. The earbud then quickly generates an opposing sound and plays it into your ear. This neutralizes the sound coming from outside.
There are several types of noise reduction:
- active noise cancelling
- passive noise canceling
- adaptive noise canceling
Pay close attention to which type of noise reduction a product lists. Some types mean a lot less than others.
What are ANC and noise canceling?
Active noise cancelling is a technology in earbuds, wireless or wired, that reduces the background noise you hear. It works digitally: sound picked up by the earbuds' microphones is digitally neutralized by an 'opposing sound' played into your ear. That's why it's called 'active' noise cancelling. Need more detail? See our full explanation.
What is passive noise canceling?
There's also passive noise canceling. Here, it's simply the ear tip in your ear that blocks background noise from entering. So be careful when a product page says 'noise canceling: yes'. Often, it means passive noise canceling, not active noise cancelling. The latter technology is much more expensive.
We think passive noise canceling is underrated. Put in a good pair of earbuds that seal well (in-ear), and you'll already hear almost no background noise. Add some quiet music, and we can guarantee that with earbuds that seal really well, you won't hear any background noise at all. Good examples are the Eardopes B6 Pro (wireless) and the OneMelon Waterfall (wired). They seal so well that you no longer hear background noise.
What is adaptive noise canceling?
Adaptive noise canceling is the same as active noise cancelling. One manufacturer calls ANC 'active noise cancelling', while another calls it 'adaptive noise canceling'. The second name focuses on the fact that background noise enters the earbuds, but doesn't reach your ear.
What to check when buying earbuds with ANC
It's easy to make mistakes when buying wireless noise-canceling earbuds. For example, when a product says 'noise canceling', people often assume it means active noise cancelling. But you can be sure that if a seller offers earbuds with ANC, they'll do everything they can to make it clear that you're getting ANC.
So if you want earbuds with ANC, don't buy a pair whose product description only says 'noise canceling'.
In-ear or semi-in-ear earbuds with ANC?
When choosing earbuds with ANC, make sure you go for in-ear earbuds, not half in-ear earbuds.
Half in-ear earbuds don't seal your ears, so background noise can always get in. In-ear earbuds create a snug seal, allowing the ANC to do its job.
In-ear earbuds
In-ear earbuds have silicone ear tips. The ear tips on in-ear Bluetooth earbuds go deeper into your ears than half in-ear earbuds.
Half in-ear earbuds
Half in-ear earbuds, also called semi-in-ear earbuds, have a hard plastic shell. They don't seal your ear canal. Apple's earbuds are the best-known example, but there are plenty of better alternatives.
Want to know more about the difference between in-ear and half in-ear? Explore our article on in-ear and half in-ear earbuds.
HearThrough and ANC: the difference
HearThrough is the opposite of ANC. Other brands call it 'transparency mode'.
HearThrough amplifies the background noise you hear in your ears. So while ANC generates an opposing sound to cancel out background noise, transparency mode amplifies that noise instead.
That's useful when you're outdoors or in traffic. Hearing your surroundings helps, because sound is often your first warning of danger.
HearThrough or transparency mode is also useful during calls. It's frustrating to be on a call, or simply talking, when you can't hear your own voice.
Wireless earbuds with ANC and multipoint
Multipoint lets wireless earbuds connect to several devices, such as your phone and laptop, over Bluetooth. More expensive earbuds often have extra features like multipoint and noise canceling.
In practice, you can listen to music on your laptop through your Bluetooth earbuds, and when you get a call, the signal switches to the Bluetooth connection with your phone. You can then answer and use the same earbuds for the call.
Multipoint makes your earbuds easier to use by letting you connect to several devices at once.
Did you know there's a simple workaround that gives you roughly the same functionality as multipoint? Connect your earbuds to your phone, then open Spotify on the laptop you're working on. You can control all your Spotify playback from your computer.
In other words: choose the next track on your laptop, and your earbuds play it without being connected to the laptop. If someone calls your phone, you can answer and use your earbuds for the call. That gives you a sort of multipoint function, even if your earbuds don't have multipoint.
Others also viewed:
- Explore all our wireless earbuds articles
- These are the 8 best wireless earbuds ever
- These are the best earbuds under €50
- These are the earbuds with the best microphone
- Also explore our article on AirPods alternatives
- Take a look at the 3 best earbuds for running
- Also explore our hands-on review of the Eardopes B6 pro.
