The best wireless earbuds in Australia 2023: Our top picks for any budget

These are the best wireless earbuds you can buy today based on our in-depth testing

The best wireless earbuds in Australia make it easy to enjoy your favorite music, movies, podcasts and more. There are more models than ever vying for our attention, and while Apple's AirPods are synonymous with the category, there are plenty of great-sounding alternative options to choose from.

Some of the premium models here are loaded with useful audio tech and also make the grade as one of the top models on our best noise-cancelling earbuds that isolate you from noisy surroundings, but we’ve also included our favourite mid-range and low cost earbuds models that are often less well specified in terms of features.

Ready to cut yourself free from the wires? Keep reading through our picks of the best wireless earbuds and you’re sure to find a pair that fits your needs.

Why you can trust Tom's Guide? Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what's best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate.

Best sound overall: NuraTrue ProThese are the best-sounding earbuds we've heard, plus they have the best feature set of any pair of earbuds right now — think multipoint connectivity and support for Bluetooth Lossless audio from compatible devices. ANC performance isn't the strongest, but this 'pro' model presents one of the most immersive listening experience from a pair of earbuds, period.

Best value: Sennheiser CX PlusThese are great value at the AU$260 RRP, but you can regularly pick them up for less, especially if you don't mind which colour you get. At the time of publishing, the black pair can be picked up for AU$246 from Amazon, but if you're happy with white, you can grab a pair for AU$149. With Sennheiser's high-quality house sound, effective ANC, and dependable connectivity, the CX Plus earbuds are an enticing package for less.

Best overall for iOS users: Apple AirPods Pro 2The AirPods Pro 2 are Apple's flagship ANC earbuds taken to the next level with better overall performance, including 6 hours of battery life on a single charge. Not only are the earbuds IPX4-rated, but the wirelessly chargeable case is too, and has a built-in microphone that helps you find it when it's lost.

Our expert review:

Although the NuraTrue Pro are ranked top and are easily the best-sounding earbuds we've heard, they fall short in a few areas. On the one hand they have the best feature set of any pair of earbuds right now — think multipoint connectivity and support for Bluetooth Lossless audio from compatible devices — and deliver the most immersive listening experience we've heard from a pair of earbuds, period.

On the other, if you're not into the Lossless audio codec capabilities and just a want great-sounding pair of ANC earbuds, there are plenty of alternative options to consider that have better noise-cancelling and cost considerably less. But, if owning the best-sounding pair of true wireless earbuds is your goal, we simply can't fault the NuraTrue Pro. Nura's Personalised sound tech is the best we've experienced, delivering a sound profile unlike anything we've heard before. It's just a shame that this flagship model feels overpriced compared to ANC rivals.

Read our full NuraTrue Pro review.

Our expert review:

Apple's next-gen AirPods Pro 2 bring significant upgrades to the popular original, taking performance to the next level in the process. Externally, they look pretty similar to the first generation, but battery life has thankfully been increased to offer 6 hours on a single charge from the earbuds and a further 30 hours from the wireless charging case. Not only are the earbuds IPX4-rated, but now too is the case itself.

Designed for iPhone owners looking for a more tailored listening experience, these are the pinnacle of Apple technology. On the audio front, Apple has included a new H2 chip with custom amp and driver that delivers much-improved lower and higher frequencies, and you can use the iPhone's TrueDepth camera to create a personalised spatial audio sound to listen to some of the best Dolby Atmos sound in any pair of earbuds. Noise cancellation is double what the last pair of AirPods Pro offered, and is among the best we’ve yet to see, period.

Read the full Apple AirPods Pro 2 review.

Our expert review:

The market's best true wireless noise-cancelling technology just got better. Bose's latest flagship true wireless earbuds introduce several upgrades over the outgoing model, including adaptive active noise cancellation (ANC), Bluetooth 5.3, and sound calibration technology for improved sound quality. Most importantly, Bose has made the new version one-third smaller than the original QuietComfort Earbuds, while also developing new ear-tips to help achieve optimal wear for more users.

The next-gen buds build on traditional Bose hallmarks, but they also continue to struggle in areas where they underperformed in the past, including battery life, special features, and touch controls. Despite these shortcomings, though, their ANC and sound quality performance carry the QuietComfort Earbuds 2 to the top echelon of our best wireless earbuds list.

Read the full Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 review.

Our expert review:

The Sony WF-1000XM4 wireless earbuds improve on just about everything compared to the outgoing WF-1000XM3. Updates include reworking the design, to enhancing ANC and tweaking the sound signature for better frequency balance. These changes bring with them a higher price, but we think the WF-1000XM4 sounds good enough to warrant it.

This is also a particularly well-featured set of wireless earbuds. There's LDAC support for higher-quality music, a highly customisable ambient listening mode, support for all three of the big digital assistants and full EQ customisation. Want to bring back the WF-1000XM3's bass-heavy sound? No problem.

Read our full Sony WF-1000XM4 review.

Our expert review:

This third generation Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 has seen the earbuds being shrunk down compared to its bulky predecessors. Sennheiser has also tidied them up a bit, and managed to hold the price down to a level most realistic rivals compete at.

Battery life is good, control options are both extensive and reliable, and the app is great. Noise-cancellation, especially where wind is concerned, is competitive. And the sound is a combination of fanatical attention to detail, a naturalistic approach to rhythms and tempos, and a very pleasant unity of tonality.

Read the full Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 review.

Our expert review:

The Sennheiser CX Plus are one of the more affordable pairs of true wireless earbuds on this list at AU$260 (RRP), but with rival pairs costing not a huge amount more, they certainly face stiff competition. Still, they're one of the top models at this price and are worthy of your consideration. Articulate, high-quality sound combined with normal playtimes, effective ANC, and dependable connectivity make them an enticing package.

Music lovers will swoon over the sound quality that delivers clarity and depth to feed your ears a well-balanced dose of deep lows, rich mids, and detailed highs. There are compromises in terms of fit and lack of features sported by some rivals, but even so there's plenty of value in these buds.

Read the full Sennheiser CX Plus review.

Our expert review:

Samsung finally has a serious AirPods Pro rival, at least for Galaxy owners. Sound alone makes the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro worth the investment, giving you a high quality audio experience and compelling 3D sound with precise head tracking. Samsung's ANC holds its own against the category's best and blocks out close to 90% of ambient noise. The updated design also provides improved comfort and noise isolation.

These buds operate well across all Bluetooth-enabled devices, but Galaxy smartphone owners get to enjoy cool features like Easy Pairing and compatibility with Samsung's Scalable Codec. It's upsetting that Bixby doesn't perform up to its potential, though the mediocre battery life with ANC turned on is a greater disappointment.

See our full Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro review.

Our expert review:

We'll be honest, we didn't expect Apple's third-gen AirPods model to turn out this great. Minus the eartips and noise cancellation, these buds are a near replica of the AirPods Pro, sharing many of the same features, while introducing new ones to the series. These include MagSafe wireless charging and skin-detect sensors that accurately discern when the buds are in your ears to enable auto-pause/play.

Music and movies are a delight to hear with Apple's proprietary technologies like Adaptive EQ and Spatial Audio at the helm. We also love that the popular Force Sensor was added for seamless operation. Best of all, Apple increased battery life to 6 hours, along with 30 hours in total via the charging case. Simply put, the AirPods 3 wireless earbuds are the upgrade iPhone users have been clamouring for, at least those not interested in the AirPods Pro.

Read our full AirPods 3 review.

Our expert review:

In a field full of excellent AirPods alternatives, the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 Plus still manages to stand out. While it lacks ANC there's still plenty about this sleek pair of wireless earbuds to love, not least the superb sound quality. This even gets a boost from the same amplification tech that Cambridge Audio uses in its CX hi-fi stereo amplifiers, should you engage the buds' High Performance mode.

There's also water resistance, full EQ customisation and some very reliable voice assistant support, all for less than you'd pay for a set of the most basic AirPods. Battery life deserves a mention too: with High Performance mode on you can expect between 6 and 7 hours of uptime, which jumps to 7 to 8 hours with the Low Power profile.

Read our full Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 Plus review.

Our expert review:

The Fit Pro is a culmination of Apple and Beats’ greatest triumphs, packaging AirPods Pro-like performance into an updated Studio Beats design. Sound quality is amazing, backed by a proprietary transducer that keeps bass punchy, while also balancing frequencies to hear crisp mids and detailed highs. Spatial Audio for immersive 3D sound has also been added, making this the first Beats product to feature the technology.

Popular features tied to the H1 processor are available, including automatic switching between Apple devices and FindMy to help locate misplaced buds. We also appreciate the integrated wingtips, which keep the buds secure during intense workouts.

Android users do get to bask in the sonic upgrades, though all other iOS-related features remain exclusive to iPhone and iPad users. The lack of features available on the Android app also means limits to what the Fit Pro can perform on Google's mobile platform.

Read our full Beats Fit Pro review.

Our expert review:

Jabra has long been circling the bigger names at the top of this list like a vulture. The company regularly produces some of the best pairs of earbuds on the market, but can often go overlooked, which we think is a travesty, to be honest.

The Elite 85t is the latest pair of Jabra's flagship true wireless buds and they do plenty to make you sit up and pay attention. First up you have some incredibly effective ANC, which can be adjusted to one of five levels from within the app. Also impressive is HearThrough, which lets external sounds through.

Sound quality is also excellent and can also be customised within the companion app. We really couldn't fault the sound when we reviewed the Jabra Elite 85t, finding them to be engaging, loud and lively. Battery life isn't what you would call class-leading, but it's standard for the category.

Read our full Jabra Elite 85t review

With so many wireless earbud options to choose from in Australia, you may find it difficult to settle on one. There are several factors to weigh up, and which one is most important depends on personal preference.

Design: When buying a new pair of wireless earbuds, it can be helpful to think about where you want to wear them. If you're going to use them on a run, for example, you may want a pair that offers the most secure fit and a high water resistance rating like all the models in our best sports headphones.

Whatever type you choose, make sure the earbuds are well built and comfy to wear for at least 1 to 2 hours daily.

Sound quality: Different models offer different sound, and since you’re buying a pair to enjoy music individually, it's important to find headphones that match your sound preference, be it heavy bass or distinctively clear to where you can hear the littlest nuances in recordings.

Some models like the NuraTrue Pro (top) offer personalised sound via their companion app, which allows the user to create their own profiles and tweak EQ levels to their hearing.

Battery life: Battery life is also key in choosing the best wireless earbuds. Wireless earbuds can last about 5 to 10 hours and offer extended playtime with their bundled charging cases — always make sure one is included.

Accessories: It's disappointing spending money on a new pair of wireless earbuds only to find that you need to buy the accessories separately. Any models that come with a carrying case, charging cable, user guide, and extra ear cups or tips are solid purchases.

Pricing considerations: Obviously, price is a big consideration when looking for the best headphones. Although there are always exceptions, big-name brands will typically command a bit extra, but generally speaking, the less you spend on a pair of headphones the greater the chance that sound and features will be compromised.

Going for a budget option isn't always the best choice, as any money you save on your purchase won't do you much good if you're constantly needing to recharge your audio gear, or the sound quality is poor.

As the saying goes: timing is everything; and right now many of our favourite models are discounted at online retailers, meaning you can bag a bargain for even less. Bookmark our headphone deals pages to keep track of the latest discounts.

In determining the best wireless earbuds in Australia, we consider fit, battery life, sound quality, design and value (are they worth the price?). We also factor in features like how well the controls work and how easily the earbuds pair with phones.

In terms of audio, we listen to many sample tracks that span a number of genres, including hip-hop, rock, jazz, classical and R&B, while evaluating volume, clarity and fullness. We also make phone calls to assess both call quality and microphone performance.

Find out what we listen for during our testing process and how to get the best headphone sound for you.

During the testing phase, our reviewers wear each pair of headphones for hours at a time throughout the course of a week. Reviewers will make note of battery life and how well it matches the rated battery life provided by earbud makers.

We evaluate earbuds based on our five-point system (1 = worst, 5 = best). If a product hits nearly every mark, it's awarded an Editor's Choice badge.

For more information, check out our how we test page for Tom's Guide.

Contributions from: Alex Bracetti, Simon Lucas, Nick Pino

Next: Looking for a pair of great-sounding value earbuds? Check out the best wireless earbuds under $100.

More: Find out why Tom's Guide audio editor says I'd still choose wired headphones over wireless.

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As a former editor of the U.K.'s Hi-Fi Choice magazine, Lee is passionate about all kinds of audio tech and has been providing sound advice to enable consumers to make informed buying decisions since he joined Which? magazine as a product tester in the 1990s. Lee covers all things audio for Tom's Guide, including headphones, wireless speakers and soundbars and loves to connect and share the mindfulness benefits that listening to music in the very best quality can bring.

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