The Best Clip-On Earbuds of 2025

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I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but earbuds have gotten funky lately. AirPods, with their uniform white plastic, seem staid in comparison to Samsung’s light-up earbuds or Sony’s see-through buds, and companies are putting earbuds in wacky cases just for fun. There’s CMF’s Buds, which have a built-in volume knob, JBL’s Tour Pro 2, which has a touchscreen, or Skullcandy’s bag charm-inspired carabiner case.

One unusual trend that extends beyond novelty is the surge of clip-on earbuds that have hit the market in the last couple of years. The unique design, which can resemble a horseshoe, clips onto the side of the ear. Clip-on earbuds are part of the growing open-ear earbuds trend, with everyone from runners to office workers seeking options that allow them to listen to music while remaining aware of their surroundings. 

We have suggestions if you’re looking for open-ear earbuds, which include plenty of clip-on designs. But if you’re looking to try the clip-on earbud trend or are curious about what options are available, we’ve rounded up the best options below. 

Why Buy Clip-On Earbuds?

Clip-on earbuds may seem like they have only niche appeal, but they have a surprising number of use cases. For starters, as open-ear earbuds, they’re an excellent option for any outdoor workout where situational awareness is important. Like other open-ear earbuds, by leaving the ear canal open, clip-on earbuds can be more comfortable for those with small ears or anyone who finds in-ear earbuds uncomfortable to wear for long periods. 

And because they don’t go around the ear, unlike earbuds with ear hooks, they can be more comfortable for glasses-wearers, since they don’t compete for precious behind-the-ear real estate. And because of the compact cuff design, clip-on earbud cases tend to be smaller than over-the-ear open earbuds.

We’ve rounded up the best clip-on earbuds below, including options from Shokz, Bose, and more, all of which we’ve put to the test. 

Bose arguably kicked off the clip-on earbud trend with the Ultra Open Earbuds, and in hindsight, it felt like a big risk for the brand to take. Best known for noise-canceling, Bose came out swinging with a pair of unusual-looking earbuds that have no active noise cancellation (ANC) at all.

And while we’re not privy to Bose’s sales data, they seem to be a hit, judging by the collaborations and multitude of colorways available. The UOE earbuds are impressively lightweight, yet secure. Having taken them on numerous hilly bike rides, I’ve been blissfully unbothered by the risk of them falling out, as they’ve managed to stay put for hours on end. 

Crucially, the sound quality is exceptional, with surprisingly crisp and punchy sound for a pair of open-ear earbuds. The earbuds’ are controlled with a physical button that handles playback, and they’re more reliable than the tap controls of other similar earbuds. 

The biggest drawback is the price. At $300, they’re the same price as Bose’s noise-canceling QC Ultra earbuds, which is a steep ask. But they’re simply the most comfortable, best-sounding, and most dependable earbuds in this category. 

Shokz deserves a lot of credit for popularizing open-ear earbuds. The brand, best known for its bone-conduction headphones, is beloved by runners and cyclists. Bone conduction headphones inevitably have a slightly muffled sound compared to in-ear earbuds, but the clip-on OpenDots One are impressively crisp-sounding, making them a great alternative to Shokz’s other headphones.

The audio performance is nearly on par with Bose’s UOEs, but they’re $100 cheaper. They have some other advantages over Bose, including better battery life and a wireless charging case. Most unique of all, the earbuds themselves are interchangeable. That means there’s no left or right earbud, making them easier to pop on during a run without fiddling with the buds.  

The biggest drawback with these earbuds are the controls. They have tap controls on the band and pinch controls on the barrel. The tap controls can be customized, including the ability to turn off the tap to prevent accidental taps. But the controls are a little finicky and slow to respond. 

That said, these earbuds have wear detection, playing and pausing when you take them out, a feature nearly unheard of on open-ear earbuds. The earbuds are also very comfortable and secure, making them well-suited to outdoor workouts or everyday office use. 

Anker’s Soundcore brand has long been a go-to for affordable earbuds, and the AeroClip earbuds are their best attempt at making open-ear earbuds to date. They’re comfortable and impressively lightweight, and they’re available in a range of eye-catching colorways. 

The earbuds have a secure fit while exerting minimal pressure on the ear, and if the fit isn’t quite right, the earbuds come with interchangeable tips for a more secure fit, a rare feature on typically one-size-fits-all open-ear earbuds. 

The earbuds also have excellent audio performance, outperforming some of Anker’s in-ear earbuds. The earbuds offer eight hours of battery life and 24 hours with the case, while the IPX4 rating protects them during sweaty workouts.

As for controls, the earbuds are compatible with Soundcore’s reliable app, but the tap controls could be improved. The sweet spot can be somewhat hard to find and slow to respond, so you may find yourself reaching for your phone more often. The case is also somewhat bulky. 

JLab’s Flex Open Earbuds are an excellent value, albeit with some compromises.  The sound quality isn’t as crisp as that of our top picks, and the earbud band isn’t as flexible. But at just $50, they’re an affordable way to try out clip-on earbuds. 

They feature Google Fast Pair, making for quick setup with Android devices, and multipoint pairing means you can connect to a laptop and phone at the same time. Despite the bulky design and inflexible band, they’re not uncomfortable, and you can adjust them somewhat to find the right fit.

The JLab app is surprisingly comprehensive, offering more in-depth customization options than some of the more expensive earbuds on this list. You can customize the EQ, as well as the controls for both the left and right earbuds, with options to set a single, double, or triple tap, as well as a long-press function. The tap controls are slower than the physical buttons of some of our other picks, but they’re dependable and not overly sensitive. 

If you’re looking for a workout-friendly pair of open ear earbuds, and don’t want to spend too much, these earbuds are a great option. 

The AeroClip isn’t the only option Soundcore offers. The C40i earbuds feature a similar clip-on design, and while they’re less refined in terms of audio performance than the AeroClip, they’re a great, affordable option for everyday use and workouts. 

The earbuds have decent battery life, with up to seven hours with the earbuds and 21 hours in the case. Like Anker’s other earbuds, these can be customized in the Soundcore app, including full customization of the controls. 

Like Bose’s UOE earbuds, the C40i earbuds use a physical button, rather than a tap. Generally, I find button controls on open-ear earbuds to be more reliable, and the same is true here. 

The sound quality isn’t as impressive on these as it is on the Shokz earbuds, and they don’t feel as high-end as the Bose earbuds. But for just a fraction of the price, they’re a good, comfortable option for clip-on earbuds. 

Soundpeats’ Pop Clip earbuds are frustratingly close to great. They retail for about $40, the sound quality is surprisingly solid, and they’re impressively comfortable, exerting minimal pressure on the ear.

The controls are good, too. Like the Bose or Soundcore C40i earbuds, these feature physical buttons, with a double press controlling playback. A single press on the left lowers the volume, while a press on the right raises and lowers the volume. The stated battery life is eight hours, with an additional 14 hours in the case. 

The biggest drawback with these earbuds was the app, which was frustrating on multiple fronts. For starters, the app makes you register for an account. Having tested many earbuds from different companies, only one other has asked me to make an account — it’s simply unnecessary. Moreover, I couldn’t even get the Soundpeats app to reliably connect to the earbuds.

That said, they’re as comfortable as any other option I tested, sound better than some more expensive picks, and feature handy controls. And for $40 — and as little as $30 — it’s hard to argue with the performance of Soundpeats’ Pop Clip earbuds, as long as you don’t need the app.