The 5 Best Open Headphones Available in 2024

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Finding high-quality headphones that fit your budget and requirements in terms of sound quality and additional functionality shouldn’t be too difficult, as the market is huge. There are different types of headphones to choose from, whether you prefer them in a headband style or something that you can easily insert and remove from your ears.

If you’re not a fan of stuffing your ear canal with in-ear headphones or wearing bulky headband headphones, there’s a set of open-back headphones inside. They don’t completely seal off your ear canals like in-ear headphones do to provide clear sound. Instead, they’re designed to hang near the opening of your ear with a hook that allows them to fit snugly against the edge of your outer ear.

The way they float over the ear holes has two benefits for these headphones. You could say they’re more comfortable to wear and are better suited for listeners who wear them for hours at a time. Open-ear headphones can provide greater situational awareness without sacrificing too much sound quality. They’re useful for people who need to wear headphones and still pay attention to what’s going on around them.

There are two ways that open-ear headphones can deliver clear sound without sacrificing quality. One is through bone conduction technology, where sound vibrations are transmitted through the head and jawbones directly to the inner ear, completely bypassing the eardrums. On the other hand, some open-ear headphones work a bit more traditionally, transmitting sound via air conduction and going directly to the ears.

Here are some of the best open-ear headphones. The explanation of why these headphones were chosen is at the end of this article.

Basic Option: Tozo OpenEgo

It’s only natural that you’d be hesitant to invest a lot of money if you’re not sure about the product. Given their high spot on Amazon’s bestseller list for open-back headphones, the Tozo OpenEgo truly wireless open-back headphones are a good place to start. They feature ear hooks that allow them to hang securely over your ear canals without completely blocking your canals. They come in a compact charging case that promises up to 80 hours of playtime and has a handy LED display that lets you keep track of the earphones’ battery and charging status. They also work in conjunction with an accompanying app that lets you further customize your sound preferences and choose your desired equalizer setting.

Some of the things online shoppers love about the Tozo OpenEgo are how easy it is to pair with a mobile device and how impressive the sound quality is, despite the fact that there’s some space in the channel for air circulation and ambient noise. They also have an IPX5 sweat resistance, making them suitable for working out. They have a rating of 4.3 out of five on Amazon.

At the time of this writing, the Tozo OpenEgo open-back headphones are available for purchase on Amazon for $49.99.

Another affordable alternative: Soundcore V20i

Another affordable pair worth considering are the SoundCore V20i open-back headphones from Anker, a brand you’re probably familiar with if you’ve bought a power bank, portable speaker, or charger of the same name. These headphones also have comfortable ear hooks, but they don’t have the stabilizers that the Tozo OpenEgo pair has behind the ears. The earpiece itself, which sits above the ear opening, is adjustable, so you can find the angle that works best for your preferences or ear shape.

Battery-wise, you can get eight hours on a single charge, and up to 36 hours with the slim charging case. As for sound quality, recent reviews from happy customers agree that for the price of $49.99 on Amazon and the occasional 20% off coupon, these are a decent first pair of open-back earbuds. Built-in microphones ensure clear calls, and the fact that they’re water, dust, and sweat resistant makes them great all-rounders. Users can also use the Soundcore app to customize their settings.

Great for longer listening: Oladance OWS2

The open-ear headphones that are highly rated by several reputable tech publications are the Oladance OWS2. You get multi-point connectivity so you can listen to any Bluetooth-enabled device simultaneously. They feature larger drivers that produce concert sound, ear hooks for a more secure fit, and stabilizers that rest behind your ears so the overall weight of the device is evenly distributed.

Their biggest selling point is their battery life. When playing audio at 100% volume, the headphones can provide up to 16 hours of playback or 8.5 hours of talk time. At 50% volume, you can get up to 19 hours of playback or 10 hours of talk time on a single charge. Of course, this will all depend on how you use your headphones, but if you’re looking for a pair of open-back headphones for long listening sessions, the Oladance OWS2 — currently priced at $149.99 on Amazon with the option to get a discount using a coupon — could be a good option to check out.

Try Bone Conduction Technology: Shokz OpenRun Pro

If you run or train in areas with a lot of foot and vehicle traffic, you may not want to completely block out ambient noise, if only for safety reasons. In these cases, open-ear headphones can be useful—you can keep up the pace and listen to faster tracks while still being aware of your surroundings.

Shokz’ OpenRun Pro is a brand of open headphones, popular among runners, that uses bone conduction to transmit sound. The headphones have several bass boosters that boost the quality of the sound, which is then delivered through the cheekbones. They have two noise-canceling microphones that allow for crystal-clear conversations.

The wrap-around design is more workout-friendly, as the earphones stay in place despite some pretty vigorous movement. They also have an IP55 water resistance rating, which allows them to withstand light rain and sweat. Battery life is promised at 10 hours of continuous playback, with a five-minute quick charge getting you back to 1.5 hours, which should be enough for some decent long runs.

While the OpenRun Pro headphones are a bit pricey ($179.95 MSRP on Amazon) and the bone conduction technology may seem strange to those new to them, they are currently the best-selling open headphones on the platform, if that’s any indication of the number of people who vouch for the overall quality of the product.

Premium Brand Choice: Bose Ultra Open Earbuds

Bose is a trusted speaker and headphone brand that’s spawned some of our favorite listening devices — it produced the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II, our recent top pick for the best noise-cancelling earbuds to check out. In the same vein, it released its own open-ear headphones earlier this year: the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds.

Instead of ear hooks, these headphones have a cuff-like design that attaches to your ears in the same way you would earrings, so if you wear any, they may be a more comfortable option. They feature Bose’s patented Immersive Audio, which you can turn on and off as needed. They also have an IPX4 water resistance rating and an acoustic mesh that blocks moisture and debris, so you can wear them in a variety of situations. Battery life is rated at up to seven hours of playback, or four hours with Immersive Audio on. You can get an additional 2.5 full charges with the charging case.

In addition to the excellent sound quality that Bose is associated with, you also get all the cool features that most premium headphone brands have these days, like multi-point connectivity, simple touch controls, and the ability to further customize your audio settings via the companion app. Still, these earbuds are a steal at $299 on Amazon. Considering the brand has consistently released top-tier products over the past few years, the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds could be worth every penny.

Why were these headphones chosen?

If you’re new to open-back headphones, here are some of the best models to consider. The recommendations in this roundup are based on the popularity of the products online among gadget reviewers and regular users who had positive things to say about their recent purchases.

These open-ear headphones serve different purposes and meet different needs. They are also relatively budget-friendly.