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Say what you will about the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live’s bean-shaped design, but they might just be the most innovative new true wireless earbuds of the year. Like the standard AirPods, they have an open design — you don’t jam an ear tip into your ear — and they’re quite comfortable to wear and fit my ears more securely than the AirPods. These wireless buds are discreet and basically sit flush with your ear, which reduces wind-noise while biking. I regularly use them for running and biking, and they’re great for sporting activities if they fit your ears well, but one warning: Some people won’t get a secure fit, so buy them from a retailer that has a good return policy.

$40 isn’t a huge discount but it is almost 25% off their list price of $170. Read our Galaxy Buds Live review.

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Both Bose’s new QuietComfort Earbuds and Sport Earbuds make good workout headphones, thanks to their StayHear Max tips and secure fit, but the Sport Earbuds are more compact and lighter and also more affordable (the QuietComfort Earbuds do have excellent active noise canceling, however). This is the first time we’ve seen them discounted.

Unlike their step-up sibling, they have no active noise canceling and an hour less of battery life — five hours instead of six — as well as no wireless charging. While they do stick out from your ears, they’re noticeably smaller and lighter than the QuietComfort Earbuds and their case is about 30% to 40% smaller. The case still isn’t as small as the cases for such competitors as the AirPods Pro, Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus, Galaxy Buds Live and Jabra Elite 75t. But it feels reasonably compact.

Read our Bose Sport Earbuds review.

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If you’re looking for a cheap set of wired wireless sport earbuds, the Jaybird Tarh, which is getting phased out, is on sale for $30. That’s the lowest price we’ve seen for them.

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The Beats Powerbeats Pro (list price $250) remains a top true-wireless sports model with many of the same features as Apple’s standard AirPods but in a water-resistant design with better sound. You can get the lava red color for as low as $150 and spring yellow is $160. Read our Beats Powerbeats Pro review.

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Companies like Under Armour (with the help of JBL) have released sporty on-ear models designed for people who want that type of secure-fit workout headphone that covers their ears. This Adidas RPT-01 is a bit too expensive at its list price of $170, but it’s a good deal at $100. Designed by the same Swedish company that makes Urbanears headphones, it sounds quite decent, with well-balanced sound that doesn’t push the bass too much.

I found them comfortable for on-ear headphones, which tend not to be as comfortable as over-ear headphones, but those with larger heads may feel they clamp down a little too snugly on both your head and your ears. This set of headphones is sweat-resistant with an IPX4 certification. Also, the ear cushions and inner headband are removable and washable (there are instructions for how to do this, but Adidas should do a how-to video). The RPT-01 is available in three colors.

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The price for the AirPods Pro went as low as $169 for Black Friday, but that deal is gone. Amazon is now selling them for $199. With their lightweight design and IPX4 water-resistance (they’re splashproof), they make for good workout headphones. They should fit most ears securely, but if you want an even more secure fit, invest in a pair of foam tips specially made for the AirPods Pro.

Read our AirPods Pro review.

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The AfterShokz bone conduction wireless headphones deliver sound to your ear through your cheekbones. The big benefit of this technology is that, thanks to its open design, you can hear what’s going on around you while listening to music or having a phone conversation through the wireless headphones. That openness allows runners to hear traffic sound, an important safety feature for sport headphones. Also, some race coordinators don’t allow runners to wear anything in their ears, which is where over-ear headphones like this come in handy, particularly for people who need to listen to music while they run.

The Aeropex, which AfterShokz describes as its “lightest, highest-quality headphones yet,” were released in 2019. The sound quality in this pair of headphones is definitely better than the company’s previous flagship model, the Trekz Air — or the Air, as it’s now called. It’s also slightly more comfortable to wear with a comfortable fit. However, while AfterShokz continues to make small improvements to performance with each new iteration of its wireless headphones, the sound quality still can’t match that of traditional headphones. Read our AfterShokz Aeropex first take.

Although they’ve been out for over a year, Plantronics’s BackBeat Fit 6100 over-the-ear wireless headphones are a solid choice for both the gym and everyday use. The adjustable sport-fit headband has an IPX5-rated water-resistant and sweatproof design. The headphones are equipped with 40mm angled drivers and noise-isolating earcups with an Awareness mode. Battery life is rated at 24 hours. I thought they were a bit expensive at $180, but they’re a good value at $90. Last year for Black Friday they were on sale for $110.

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It took a while, but now we finally have a new true wireless noise-canceling sports model from Sony: the WF-SP800N. Funnily enough, I wrote at the end of my mostly positive review that I’d like to see them more in the $160-$175 range. They were recently down to $127, but the current $148 price is still $50 below list, and $20 below their usual street price.

This isn’t quite the WF-1000XM3 with a water-resistant body. It’s missing Sony’s QN1e processor, but there’s still a lot to like about it, including excellent sound, solid noise canceling and good call quality. It’s definitely a significant upgrade over the WF-SP700N, which came out in 2018, and its “arcs” (sports fins) lock the buds in your ears. Just make sure you get a tight seal from one of the included ear tips or else both the sound and noise canceling will be lackluster. Read our Sony WF-SP800N review.

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If you’re looking for an AirPods Pro alternative for a lot less, JLab’s Epic Air is well worth considering, particularly at $50, or half off its list price of $100. I used these recently and was generally impressed, partially because they fit my ears really well. They’re comfortable, include a wide assortment of ear tips, and fit securely with an IP55 water-resistance rating (they can withstand a sustained spray of water).

They also sound decent, have active noise canceling and a compact wireless charging case that can also be charged using the integrated USB cable, a trademark of JLab true wireless earbuds. Don’t expect the noise canceling to be as good as the AirPods Pro, but for $50 these are a good value. Additionally, they work reasonably well for making calls although their background noise reduction could be a little better.

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If you can’t afford the Beats Powerbeats Pro, the Powerbeats 4 feature a similar design, features and sound quality with one key difference: They have a wire between the buds (that said, they are wireless). I thought they were expensive at $150, but at $99, they’re a lot more enticing. They’re available in 3 color options.

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This is a great price for the Jaybird Vista, one of our top picks for runners. It’s a good set of true wireless sports earbuds that lock in your ears and are fully waterproof. The Vista has been out a while, so it’s due for an upgrade — maybe that’s why it’s on sale — but if a new model comes out any time soon, it’ll probably cost around $180. Read our Jaybird Vista review.

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Jabra’s Elite Active 75t earbuds are the more rugged version of the Elite 75t. Both models are among the best true wireless earbuds out there and now can be upgraded with active noise canceling via a software upgrade. (New models that shipped to stores recently may already be equipped with the upgrade.)

The Elite Active 75t buds look nearly identical to the Elite 75t, but upon closer inspection, you’ll notice the finish on the case and earbuds is different. Instead of the hard smooth finish of the Elite Active 75t, the Active 75t has a soft-to-the-touch finish with a touch of grip to it. Or, as Jabra put it, the earbuds are “built with a durable coating for dust and sweat resistance and features an increased IP water-resistance rating from IP56 (of the Elite Active 75t) to IP57, making them waterproof.” Read our Jabra Elite Active 75t review.

Amazon

JBL’s Live 300 true-wireless earbuds have been out since last year and have sporadically been on sale for $100. Now $75 is the lowest price we’ve seen for them. They’re a good sounding set of earbuds that are suitable for sports use with their included sport fins and IPX5 water-resistance rating (they can withstand a sustained spray of water). Battery life is rated at six hours and they have an “ambient aware” mode that lets some sound in for safety purposes.