The Best Earbuds for Android of 2025: Samsung, Pixel, and More

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If you ask Android users what they like about the operating system, “flexibility” will probably come up frequently. There’s greater choice in phone type and brand, from Samsung and Pixel to more niche offerings from OnePlus and Motorola. The same goes for accessories, which can be mixed and matched throughout Android’s ecosystem. 

But that amount of flexibility can come at a cost. Call it analysis paralysis, or simply too many things to choose from. While iPhone users can pick up a pair of AirPods and feel confident they will work well, there’s no default choice for Android users when it comes to earbuds. That’s why we sought to narrow it down to our favorites.

How We Picked the Best Earbuds for Android

Truthfully, the best earbuds for Android could be an extensive list, because any pair of Bluetooth earbuds —yes, even AirPods — work with Android. To narrow it down, we sought features offering Android users the most seamless experience possible.

We looked for earbuds with reliable companion apps and handy features like Google Fast Pair, which uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to automatically pair with Android smartphones. Google Fast Pair also offers device location and battery life notifications for a streamlined experience.

Of course, factors such as audio performance, call quality, and battery life were also top considerations, as were comfort and noise cancellation. All of the earbuds on our list were tested using a Samsung Galaxy S25 to evaluate Android compatibility and features like audio quality and performance.

The Best Earbuds for Android

The best options include earbuds made by smartphone brands (Pixel, Samsung) and affordable picks from manufacturers that may not be on your radar.

Unsurprisingly, Google’s Pixel Buds Pro 2 are designed to play well with Pixel phones. But having tested these on a Samsung device, I found them a great option for any Android user. With Google Fast Pair, they connect seamlessly, and the Pixel Buds app has a clean interface that lets you see and customize controls and EQ. 

There are three ANC modes: Noise Cancellation, Off, and Transparency. In my experience, the ANC outperformed Samsung’s similarly priced Galaxy Buds3 Pro, though I would give the slight edge for audio quality to the Buds3 Pro. The earbuds have an impressively compact and lightweight pod-shaped design that’s low-profile and comfortable for long periods. 

The sound quality is solid, as are the controls; a simple forward or backward swipe raises the volume, with a single, double, and triple tap controlling play/pause, next track, and previous track. Pressing and holding the earbuds switches ANC modes. The earbuds also work with Google’s Find Hub app.

As for battery life, the stated 12 hours of listening time with 48 hours of total listening time with the case outperforms Samsung and Apple’s similarly priced earbuds. Some features, such as spatial audio, are limited to Pixel users. However, there were no features I felt were sorely missing when using the Pixel app on a Samsung phone. 

There’s a caveat to calling these one of the best earbuds for Android; they’re not the best option if you have a non-Samsung Android. Samsung borrowed from Apple in designing a pair of earbuds with a walled-off ecosystem, with some features exclusively available on Galaxy smartphones. 

They also borrowed heavily from Apple aesthetically, with a design some have derisively dubbed a mashup of AirPods and a Cybertruck. Divisive looks aside (I didn’t mind the spaceship aesthetic), the Buds3 Pro earbuds have a lot going for them, with excellent audio and voice-calling performance, plus features like wireless charging and intuitive pinch controls. The earbuds are controlled through Samsung’s Wear app, which is also used for devices like smartwatches, so it’s a great option if you’re locked into Samsung’s ecosystem. 

The controls are similar to the AirPods Pro 2, with a pinch that controls playback and a volume slider underneath the stem. Personally, I found the triangular shape made it easier to accurately control the earbuds compared to the AirPods’ rounded stems. Plus, the controls are customizable in the Wear app, as is the EQ. You can also find the earbuds through Samsung’s SmartThings app.

There are a couple of flaws, including subpar ANC and battery life that’s only so-so, but if you want a great-sounding pair of earbuds that play well with Samsung’s Android devices, the Buds3 Pro are a top contender. 

If you prefer an option that’s not locked into Google or Samsung’s ecosystem, Nothing makes some of the best affordable earbuds for Android. The boldly minimalist aesthetic, with a transparent case and industrial-inspired details, is a standout. But the earbuds have a lot going on under the see-through hood, with great audio performance and a conveniently compact charging case. 

The price is right, too. These are the best-sounding earbuds I have tested at this price range, and while the ANC isn’t as robust as offerings from brands like Bose, it effectively dims loud noises. The pinch controls are fairly intuitive, though the double-pinch-and-hold volume control is not the most straightforward, and is turned off by default. The app’s clean interface is also easy to use. 

The pricier Nothing Ear offers more features, such as more refined audio and more customization in the app. But many of these features are extras, with the Ear (a) maintaining in-app EQ and Google Fast Pair for a seamless experience. Call quality is decent, (although if great call quality is a priority, the pricier Ear earbuds will be the better bet). 

Nothing, for what it’s worth, knows a lot about the Android ecosystem. The brand’s founder also founded OnePlus, and Nothing also manufactures affordable Android smartphones. There are a couple of drawbacks related to ANC. Audio quality takes a hit with ANC off, but battery life drops significantly with ANC on, with a stated 5.5 hours in the buds with ANC on. 

The Pixel Buds 2a, Google’s affordable alternative to its flagship Pixel Buds Pro 2, make some expected sacrifices to lower the price. These earbuds lack swipe controls, have a shorter battery life, and lack some software features found on the Pro 2 model. But where it counts — audio quality, comfort, and ANC — these earbuds are competitive with their premium counterpart. 

The 2a model features a similar build to the Pro 2, with a small pod-shaped bud and a wing for a secure fit. Pixel earbuds are some of the smallest and lightest I’ve tried, making them a more comfortable option for those with smaller ears. The tap controls are intuitive and reliable; a single tap controls playback, while pressing and holding can be customized to open Gemini or toggle between ANC modes (I use it for the latter). 

These earbuds also have solid audio and ANC performance, and the Pixel app lets you customize the sound with a five-band EQ. While these earbuds are optimized for Pixel phones, I found I got most of the features I needed with a Samsung Galaxy. 

While the latest QuietComfort Ultra earbuds were a fairly minor upgrade, they do fix one of the major flaws with the first generation: call quality. These earbuds have improved mic performance for calls, and while others may sound clearer, there’s little to complain about when using these earbuds at home or on the go. 

Crucially, these are the best earbuds on the market if noise canceling is your top priority. Not only do these cancel noise better than any others on the market, but the ANC is also widely customizable. You can adjust the level of transparency with personalized modes in the app, and you can toggle through the modes with a long press of the earbuds’ tap controls. 

The earbuds have great sound performance and a comfortable fit thanks to the replaceable ear tips and stabilizer bands. The controls are also a standout feature; you can swipe up or down on the stem to raise and lower the volume, a feature many other earbuds don’t have. 

EarFun’s Air Pro 4 earbuds offer a lot of features, particularly for the price. They have solid ANC, including an ambient mode, and the ANC can be customized with five different modes in the EarFun app. 

Google Fast Pair functionality makes for seamless pairing, and the app lets you customize the long-press control for accessing your preferred voice assistant app, controlling ANC, and more. Multipoint pairing lets you connect to two devices at once, and the earbuds support an impressive number of codecs, including LDAC and Qualcomm aptX Adaptive for enhanced audio performance.  

The audio quality is solid, outperforming most earbuds at this price point aside from Nothing, and you can also customize the EQ. That said, Samsung or Technics’ earbuds will offer a greater level of detail The earbuds also have in-ear detection, automatically pausing music when you take an earbud out. 

They’re comfortable and dependable, with little to gripe about at this price point other than the generic-looking design. 

Technics EAH-AZ100 earbuds live up to the hype; the sound quality is outstanding, the fit is comfortable, and the case is compact enough to take on the go. As for Android-specific features, the earbuds have Fast Pair to easily connect to any Android device, and three-way multipoint pairing makes for seamless use with tablets, laptops, and other devices. 

Plus, a Find Headphones feature can use the earbud’s location based on the last time they were connected. Or, if you misplaced them nearby, you can emit a sound to locate them. 

The app is feature-rich, if somewhat confusing, with customizable EQ and controls. The ANC is adaptive, automatically adjusting to your environment, although the ANC is not as impressive as earbuds from brands like Bose.  

The tap controls are straightforward, though, like most pod-shaped earbuds, there is no easy way to control the volume using the earbuds. The earbuds also have in-ear detection, playing and pausing when you take an earbud out. 

There are a couple of flaws. Besides the high price, these earbuds are occasionally susceptible to Bluetooth interference; I’ve occasionally found the audio stuttering when I’m walking on a busy street. But it’s not a regular enough problem to detract from the overall quality of these earbuds.