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Just about any pair of wireless earbuds, from the cheapest to the priciest, has built-in microphones for making
phone calls. But they’re not all created equal — and just because a pair of earbuds sounds great for music , that doesn’t mean it’ll excel at making phone calls.
That’s why I put some of our favorite earbuds to the test to find the best earbuds for making phone calls. To evaluate each pair, I tested the earbuds’ mic quality by recording my voice in both quiet rooms and on busy streets. Some earbuds did well in quiet places but struggled in loud ones, while others were able to separate my voice from noisy backgrounds, including wind. (One advantage of recording my voice, rather than recording phone calls, is that it is easier to remove variables like unstable cell connections).
Best Earbuds for Phone Calls
Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro
Nothing Ear
Apple AirPods Pro 3
Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro
Sony WF-1000XM6
Technics EAH-AZ100 Earbuds
Generally, I found that earbuds with a stemmed design (like AirPods) perform better for phone calls than pod-shaped earbuds. That wasn’t too surprising, as stemmed earbuds place the microphone closer to the mouth.
In addition to testing phone call quality, I evaluated several other factors that come in handy for phone calls, such as fast pairing with phones and active noise canceling (ANC) for easier conversations in loud cafes or busy streets. And since phone calls can drain earbuds fast, I checked out factors like battery life and evaluated the controls’ ease of use.
Of course, audio quality is still a crucial factor, since most people aren’t just using their earbuds for phone calls. I prioritized picks that deliver crisp audio performance for listening to music.
The Best Earbuds for Phone Calls
Read on for our top picks for the best earbuds for phone calls, and check out our other earbud roundups, including the best earbuds with ear hooks, the best open ear earbuds, and the best noise-canceling earbuds.
BEST OVERALL
Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro
Quick Summary: Simply put, these earbuds remove background noise during phone calls better than any others I have tested.
Pros: Great noise-canceling, top-tier call quality, surprisingly useful touchscreen case
Cons: Others have slightly better audio quality for music, somewhat bulky shape
Anker’s Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro earbuds have the best call performance I’ve tested, especially in loud environments. When I recorded myself on a busy street, the earbuds sharply reduced background noise to a whisper, even on a somewhat windy day. There was still a slight drop-off in how my voice sounded on the noisy street, but I almost couldn’t hear the wind or traffic on the recording.
As expected, my voice sounded clear in the quiet environment, too. There are still some earbuds that make my voice sound more natural. But none of the other earbuds I tested could compare to Soundcore’s performance in loud settings, making these the clear winner among nearly every earbud I’ve tested as far as call quality is concerned.
These also have other unique features, like a touchscreen display that lets you quickly adjust noise-canceling. The shape of the earbud is somewhat chunky, but I didn’t find that they protruded too much when I was wearing them. Sound quality is solid, if unremarkable — it will do justice to music across a variety of genres, but some other earbuds offer greater detail and crispness.
BEST DESIGN
Nothing Ear
Quick Summary: Nothing’s Ear earbuds have a stylish design, with plenty of features under their transparent hood, including customizable controls, solid ANC, and reliable mics for phone calls.
Pros: Striking design, good alternative to AirPods for Android users, intuitive pinch controls
Cons: Case is somewhat large, more color options would be nice
Nothing’s line of earbuds and smartphones, featuring transparent cases and quirky features, is an exciting antidote in a sea of anonymous design. But crucially, the sound quality lives up to the design.
That’s not to say Nothing’s earbuds are exactly revolutionary — the Ear and Ear (a) earbuds feature a similar shape and controls to Apple’s AirPods, with thin stems and pinch controls. While both the Ear and Ear (a) look nearly identical out of the case, the more expensive Ear earbuds outperformed the budget model in terms of call quality.
The Ear stacked up well in call quality tests, with minimal background noise and clear vocals. Nothing also came out with a newer model of these earbuds, which feature a microphone in the charging case, but I didn’t find the additional features merited the higher price.
The ANC is solid, and the EQ and controls can be customized. Plus, with Google Fast Pair and multipoint connection with up to two devices, it’s easy to switch back and forth between a phone and a laptop for calls.
BEST FOR IOS
Apple AirPods Pro 3
Quick Summary: For Apple devices, the AirPods continue to be a reliable bet, with great noise-canceling and plenty of useful features
Pros: Excellent ANC, useful features like a heart-rate sensor for workouts
Cons: Not ideal for non-iOS devices, still only comes in white
With quick pairing with iPhones and great call quality, it shouldn’t be too surprising that AirPods came out on top as the best option for iOS users. The latest AirPods Pro 3 offer excellent ANC performance that can come in handy in loud environments. The Adaptive ANC can adjust based on your surroundings, and voice isolation helps reduce background noise.
The controls are straightforward: a pinch to answer, or a double pinch to decline. Apple stepped up the battery life in the earbuds, from six to eight hours. It’s a handy upgrade if you’re frequently taking long calls, which tend to drain the battery. That said, the battery life in the charging case declined, but longer battery life in the buds themselves is arguably more important for daily use.
The AirPods Pro 3 have some unique features beyond using them for phone calls and music, including a heart-rate sensor for workouts. You also get features like spatial audio and head tracking for more immersive music. These can also be used as hearing protection and a hearing aid for mild to moderate hearing loss.
BEST FOR ANDROID
Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro
Quick Summary: For Samsung users, the Galaxy Buds4 Pro offer the same convenient integration iPhone users expect from AirPods, with arguably better sound quality.
Pros: Comfortable fit, clear call quality, excellent sound quality for music
Cons: ANC is solid but not showstopping, some background noise on phone calls in noisy environments
Samsung’s latest flagship earbuds are an excellent pair of earbuds, even if Samsung might take some deserved knocks for looking over at Apple’s designs for inspiration. They have a similar stemmed design and nearly identical pinch controls. Like AirPods, Samsung’s flagship model uses in-ear tips, while the budget model has hard plastic tips instead.
As for call quality, my voice sounded natural and clear; it sounded like I had recorded my voice directly into a microphone, not a pair of earbuds. But the performance slipped somewhat in loud environments. The earbuds did a good job of picking up my voice and making it sound clear, but it also picked up a significant amount of street noise.
Samsung also doesn’t quite stack up to the competition when it comes to ANC. Apple’s AirPods outperform the Galaxy Buds, although I would give the edge to Samsung in sound quality. The bass is deep and authoritative, without compromising the mids and highs. If you have a Samsung phone, these are a great companion for phone calls, but you can expect some background noise when you’re in noisy settings.
BEST SPLURGE
Sony WF-1000XM6
Quick Summary: Sony’s WF-1000XM6 earbuds have excellent ANC, mic quality, and audio performance.
Pros: Great audio quality and noise-canceling, plenty of features
Cons: Stiff foam eartips take getting used to
Sony’s WF-1000XM6 earbuds are among the best-sounding on the market and deliver excellent noise-canceling performance. If you prefer a non-stem style earbud, the XM6 earbuds have a pod-shaped design. The noise-canceling is also adaptive and can automatically adjust to your surroundings.
As for call quality, I found that my voice sounded among the clearest and most natural of the earbuds I tested. According to Sony, the XM6 earbuds use dual beamforming mics designed to focus on vocals, a bone conduction sensor to detect when the wearer is speaking, and AI processing to reduce noise.
Like all earbuds, these did best in a quiet environment, but the performance was still solid on a noisy, windy street. I could make out my voice relatively clearly in the recording, although there was a slightly robotic sibilance, and an amount of background noise bled through. The biggest quirk with these earbuds is the stiff foam eartips, which I found hard to get a secure fit with.
Still, if you’re looking for dependable noise-canceling earbuds with great sound and call quality, Sony’s XM6 are well worth considering.
BEST SOUND QUALITY
Technics EAH-AZ100 Earbuds
Quick Summary: Technics’ EAH-AZ100 earbuds are some of the most impressive earbuds on the market, with excellent comfort, audio quality, and voice calling performance.
Pros: Comfortable low-profile fit, excellent audio quality, compact charging case
Cons: So-so ANC performance, pricey
Technics’ EAH-AZ100 earbuds are not only among the best-sounding earbuds on the market, but they’re also exceptionally comfortable, with solid active noise-canceling performance to boot.
They’re also the rare non-stemmed earbuds with excellent microphone quality. These feature a monaural and MEMS microphone, and Technics claims its Voice Focus AI technology reduces background noise when talking.
I tested these earbuds in a simulated setting, recording my voice both in a silent room and with background noise. While there was a slight drop-off in voice quality in the loud environment, the earbuds effectively reduced background noise, such that it could barely be heard in the recording.
In the quiet setting, my voice sounded clear and natural, without any tinniness or robotic distortion. If you’re looking for a premium pair of earbuds that also excel for phone calls, these should be a top contender, although the price may put some off.
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