The Best Workout Headphones of 2024

The Jabra Elite 8 Active ($200) are far and away some of the best sports headphones we’ve seen here at GJ. Our tester found himself reaching for these headphones more often than any other in this round of testing. The fit and finish are top-tier, and the sound quality, Bluetooth, battery life, and ANC/spatial audio are all excellent. 

The batteries were fully charged straight out of the box, and pairing with Bluetooth took a minute or two, but the included startup guide made things simple. Once paired, the buds automatically connect to your phone when you open the case. This is true for one or both buds at a time, and if you do want to pair the second bud, the pairing is seamless and works every time. 

The buds fit securely in your ear and Jabra sends users several silicone tips to ensure a snug fit. Battery life is 8 hours out of the case using ANC, and 32 hours per charge (putting them back into the case between use). Our tester found the spatial audio feature particularly helpful during testing and finds it to be a great feature for increasing situational awareness when the gym is busy. 

One of the things that helps the Elite 8 Active stand out is its lack of touch controls. With other headphones like the Beats Fit Pro and the JBL Endurance TWS, clunky touch-sensitive controls lead to unwanted skips, pauses, and unpairing. Jabra does away with touch controls altogether, and our tester had no issues whatsoever with unintentional pausing or skipping because of the more traditional buttons. 

The only thing our tester could find to be bothered about with the Jabra Elite 8 Active was the coating on the case, which is particularly slippery and led to inadvertently flinging the case across the room. These headphones performed flawlessly throughout our testing and easily beat out their competitors with their fit, user experience, and function. At $199 they are comparably priced with the Beats Fit Pro, but beat them out with better connectivity and ease of use.

The JBL Endurance RUN corded earbuds can also be worn behind the ear when you need to be more aware of your surroundings. They’re sweat-resistant (IPX5) and have magnetic buds to keep them together while stored. But the best part may in fact be the price: a cool $20.

The fit on these headphones was comfortable, and we didn’t have any problems with slippage. The sound isn’t as rich as some higher-end headphones, but for just 20 bucks, they’re a great value.

Since our initial review, JBL has released a second edition of the Endurance RUN headphones, and we’re testing them now to ensure they stand up to the balance of budget and audio quality that the original units provide. For now, the JBL Endurance RUN is still available, and still in our opinion a must-buy for anyone who needs a quick hit of music without emptying their wallet.

We were impressed with the JBL Endurance Race TWS ($79). These headphones offer excellent value in a well-featured package — users will get many of the same features you’d expect from a headphone costing twice as much such as the Jabra Elite 8, but at a fraction of the cost. 

Pairing them with our phones was a cinch, and once paired, the Bluetooth will connect automatically when you open the case and remove the headphones. Battery life is approximately 8-10 hours, and up to 30 hours total while using the case to recharge the buds. The sound quality is excellent, as well, and the bass is particularly good — something JBL prides itself on. 

While the features and performance of the Endurance Race TWS exceeded expectations for the price, there were still some minor issues that contributed to an overall lack of refinement. Our biggest issue was the touch control — there are no physical buttons on these buds, so users need to rely on a somewhat clunky touch sensor. This led to several instances of unwanted pauses and skips during exercise, and in one or two instances caused the buds to become unpaired from each other. 

At one point, something happened with the Bluetooth connection which caused the volume controls to become un-synced. Putting the buds back in the case and re-syncing them sorted that problem out quickly though. Our tester also found the twist-lock to feel somewhat finicky and needed to change the silicone tips out multiple times to find the right fit for their ears. Once settled, however, we had little issue with the buds staying secure in our ears. 

Even though there were a handful of little hiccups with controls, connectivity, and fit, our tester was still a big fan of JBL Endurance Race TWS, especially when considering the price. When it comes down to it, you just need to be willing to put a little more time into getting your setup dialed. If you are in the market for a well-featured sports headphone around the $80 mark, the Endurance TWS is an excellent option that offers features usually seen in headphones twice the cost.

The Anker Sport X10 ($70) is an attractive option for gym-goers looking for an affordable and well-featured headphone to help get them through their workouts. These headphones offer an innovative rotating ear hook that loops over the back of the ear to keep the buds from falling out, and after testing we can safely say that these buds offer the most security of any of the headphones on the list. 

The sound is good, though not quite on par with buds like the Jabra Elite 8 or Beats Fit Pro, but the bass driver in these buds packs a significant punch for when you need to psych yourself up. Connecting and syncing the buds was straightforward, and much like other headphones on this list, the Sport X10 has a range that allows you free movement throughout the gym without the worry of disconnecting. 

The call quality is clear and offers good sound. The touch controls are simple on these buds — an analog button on the sides allows you to pause, skip, and adjust volume. Battery life is approximately 8 hours with ANC turned on, and users can expect 32 hours per case charge.

The Anker app helps the Sport X10 to stand out, offering adjustability and other features not available from other headphone apps. Users can fine-tune the EQ and update firmware in-app, and folks can follow along with an in-app breathing exercise before heading into the gym. It’s clear that these headphones are aimed directly at the gym crowd, but they make for a great everyday earbud too. 

The overarching feeling of the Sport X10 is one of convenience, and we think that’s a good thing. They just work; the sound is decent, the bass is impressive, the battery life is excellent, and the controls are easy and work well. While less refined than more expensive options like the Beats or Jabra Buds, the Anker Sport X10 is still an excellent headphone, and a great buy if you are in the market for a new set of headphones for the gym.

One of the only over-the-ear headphones on this list, the Plantronics Backbeat Fit 6100 ($70) offers quality fit and finish, solid audio quality, and features you might expect to be reserved for more expensive headphones. One of the best things about wearing over-ear headphones is that it’s obvious to other folks that you’re wearing headphones, and for people who prefer to keep on track in the gym, these can be a useful way to convey that they’re in the zone. 

The headband offers a comfortable, secure fit while minimizing slipping, and the foam cradle creates a soft and secure fit over your ears to help filter out unwanted noise while you listen to your favorite music and podcasts. The Backbeat Fit 6100 also features spatial audio, allowing for passthrough sound when things get busy and you need to pay attention to what’s going on around you. 

Like most other headphones on this list, the Backbeat is sweatproof and water-resistant and offers touch control. The Bluetooth works well, syncs up immediately, and has good range, allowing you to leave your phone on the bench and move freely around the gym without disconnecting. Battery life is also solid at 24 hours per charge. 

Another benefit of over-ear headphones is the sound quality — the foam creates an acoustic chamber around the ear which enhances sound quality and bass. Naturally, the Backbeat scores high in sound quality due to its design. Call quality is also excellent, though our tester found that it could be difficult to modulate his voice with the headphones over both ears.

Our tester did have a few issues with the touch controls and connectivity. Like the JBL Endurance TWS and the Beats Fit Pro, the touch controls on the Backbeat are a little clunky. We also had a particularly interesting issue where the sharp metallic clanging of gym equipment caused the headphones to become unsynced with our phone. We’re not sure what the underlying cause of this issue is, but it happened multiple times and also occurred while testing the Beats Fit Pro. 

On the whole, the Plantronics Backbeat Fit 6100 is a quality and well-featured over-the-ear headphone option that offers an excellent listening experience. It certainly has a few quirks, but at $60 this headphone offers excellent value, and we’re confident that folks will be pleased with these headphones.

The Shokz OpenRun ($130) is a comfortable and safe option for outdoor pursuits. Instead of filling the ears with sound, they rest on the bone in front of the ear and conduct sound via vibration. It seems crazy, but it works. It allows for full enjoyment of music or podcasts while still being aware of what’s happening on the trail or when biking or running around town.

We were able to comfortably wear the Shokz OpenRun with glasses and a helmet. And at just a little over one ounce, they were light and easy to wear for long rides. The only time we noticed any vibration was at full volume.

And because they don’t fill the ear, they aren’t noise-canceling. But you can pair them with earplugs to achieve full noise cancellation.

For those looking at getting into the bone conduction headphone scene but balk at the price of the OpenRuns, consider the Shokz OpenMove, which packs in much of what we love about the higher-end models, but at a more palatable $80. But for the best in audio quality and a lighter frame, the Shokz OpenRun are our choice for the best bone conduction headphones for working out in.

The Apple Beats Fit Pro ($199) is positioned to directly compete with the Jabra Elite 8. They’re priced the same and offer a similar suite of features. Our tester felt that the Beats Fit Pro is significantly less refined than the Jabra Elite 8, however, mainly due to the underwhelming Bluetooth performance and the lack of support for Android phones. 

The Beats Fit Pro are sweat and waterproof and feature a small wingtip to hook into your ear for enhanced security. We found this feature fairly unhelpful and our tester had issues with these headphones falling out, even after changing the silicone tips out for a more snug fit. The buds offer solid ANC and excellent sound quality, and they do offer passthrough sound, but those of us using Android phones will need to download the Beats app to toggle this feature on or off. 

Users can expect to go 6 hours between bud charges and get about 18 hours out of a single case charge, which is about half that of the Jabra Elite headphones. These buds also feature touch control, and like the JBL Endurance and Plantronics Backbeat, unwanted and accidental pauses and skips are a frequent occurrence during overhead movements or while wearing a hood or beanie.

Apple claims that the Beats Fit Pro works with Android phones “right out of the box.” We’d disagree. These buds were the most difficult to pair in our testing, and required multiple tries to sync. We had hoped that things might go a little bit smoother once paired, but getting the Beats Fit Pro to sync was hit or miss at best. Using the Beats with an iPhone is a different story entirely — a simple, quick, and seamless connection. Take heed, Android users.

The Beats Fit Pro is certainly a nice headphone. Those of you in the Apple camp may find them to be an attractive option, and we’d have to agree — they are attractive. But if you’re going to throw down 200 bones on headphones, you’ll get better Bluetooth, battery life, controls, and fit from the Jabra Elite 8 at the same price. The choice is yours, but we know where we’d spend our money.

The Jaybird Vista 2 wireless earbuds ($150) quickly became a favorite with their rich sound, secure fit, and overall ease of use day after day. But the acquisition of the company has thrown doubt into whether or not these buds will be supported (or sold) in the future, which is why they find themselves here below the fold. But if you can find them, we still highly suggest the Jaybirds.

Runners will like that these can be activated separately to allow for running with just one earbud. And while some testers had issues with prolonged use and comfort during long runs, most could agree that the quality of sound and security beat out most everything else on the market.

As our editor noted during the full review, “At $150, the Jaybird Vista 2 falls on the steep end of the price spectrum for the category. But for that price, the brand offers up some impressive performance in terms of audio quality, fit, and software features.”

Updated from the initial iteration, the Vista 2 gains bolstered active noise cancellation, 8 additional hours of run time with the included charging case, and something called SurroundSense, a pass-through audio profile that enhances the noise around you to ensure you’re aware of passing vehicles and such. While our impression of this tech wasn’t one that had us raving (the buds still struggle with wind noise), it is a handy addition for commutes — and it can be toggled off in the Jaybird app.

Forget to charge your buds overnight? Our testers loved the Jaybird’s ability to quickly charge and add an hour of playtime for only 5 minutes on the charger. Unreal. While $150 is a hefty price, we believe that the Jaybird Vista 2 Buds are some of the best things going when it comes to bringing your tunes with you on a workout.

The Anker Life Soundcore Q20+ Headphones ($69) do a lot for a little, and are an excellent workout option that fills an important niche: budget active noise canceling (ANC) headphones. 

Noise cancellation can be a huge benefit when working out in a crowded gym, where the only alternative to drowning out the lunk of dropped weights is often turning up your headphones higher than they should go. The ANC on the Q20+ headphones isn’t the best we’ve experienced, but for the price, it does an admirable job in the weight room.

The headphones themselves are a comfortable design, with a padded band and ear cups that stay put on our heads during moderate activity. Jogging will be a bit hit or miss, and you’ll likely want to reach for your earbuds or bone-conduction headphones for that.

We also appreciated the ability to connect these headphones to the Anker Soundcore app, which opens up additional audio profiles and ANC options (including a transparency option, which meshes your tunes with outside audio). Along the right earcup are buttons for playback and volume control, as well as the USB-C port, which we appreciated for being quick-charging.

Like most over-ear headphones, these will build up some heat in the earcups when working out. And there are some concessions made to audio quality in order to get ANC on board, namely in a slight hiss when listening with the cancellation activated. We’ll also note that turning off ANC on these headphones results in a much crisper audio profile. 

Look, they’re no high-end audiophile ear-cannons, but we wouldn’t want to work out in those anyway. For hitting the gym, the Anker Life Soundcore Q20+ does everything we need at just the right price.

If you’re like our Editorial Director Sean McCoy and can’t stand the feeling of something pressing into your ear while working out, an open-ear headphone like the Shokz OpenFit ($180) provides a cure-all solution with audio quality that’ll stand up to all but the most staunch audiophiles.

Like the Bose Sport Open Earbuds, the OpenFit headphones sit on the exterior of the ear and direct audio into the ear canal, eliminating the pressure that can sometimes accompany snug-fitting sport earbuds. While testing, McCoy put these noisemakers through the ringer while running and they didn’t budge.

The tradeoff in that comfort, of course, comes in the form of audio quality, which couldn’t quite match the fidelity that other earbuds and over-ear headphones we tested could provide. But to be fair, it was still impressive what the OpenFit headphones could put out, with only minimal ground given up in the bass department.

“Are these studio-quality headphones? No. Will they replace your over-ear headphones for close audio listening? No. But will they be great for everyday use, exercise, taking Zoom meetings, and whatnot? Absolutely, and they’ll do it with a lot of comfort lacking in other buds,” McCoy said.

When we’re working out it’s more about just having a beat to move to, and while we’d like the best audio possible, the Shokz OpenFit are more than serviceable. Add on the supreme comfort for those who don’t tolerate in-ear headphones and don’t want to exercise with a full over-ear set, and these quickly become a go-to.

The Pro version ($249) of Apple’s wireless earbuds finally comes with different-size silicone tips to seal the ear canal and ensure getting the most of the active noise-canceling qualities that adjust what you hear by monitoring surrounding sounds.

For workouts, transparency mode will help you keep aware of your environment. It’s worth noting, though, that these are only sweatproof (IPX4). At $249 MSRP, you’d better hope you never get stuck in the rain — and that Apple has fixed the issues with the long-term life of its earbuds.

More than any other headphone, the Apple AirPod Pro has been seen in the ears of many GearJunkie employees while they studiously clack away, and while they’re marketed as more of a daily-driver headphone, don’t count out the AirPod Pros to deliver while working out as well.

Unlike most of the earbuds on this list, the Bose Sport Open Earbuds ($180) do not actually penetrate your ear canal. Instead, the earpiece sits on top of your ear in order to keep your ears open to the world for maximum safety and comfort while exercising.

If you plan to run or bike out in the world, these open earbuds are a great alternative to noise-canceling models. Of all the open-ear models on the market, the Bose Sport Open Earbuds offer superior sound quality and battery life.

Compared to standard in-ear headphones, open-ear models tend to rank lower in the bass department. Still, Bose has outfitted the Sport Open Earbuds with good clarity, natural-sounding mids, and just enough bass.

We feel these earbuds offer better sound quality than any of the bone-conduction headphones on the market. In a sense, these are the perfect combination of sound quality and open-ear safety benefits. Runners and cyclists, rejoice!