Bose’s Immersive Audio feature may be the headline grabber on its QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, but these noise-canceling earbuds also showcase the company’s stellar noise-canceling abilities. These are particularly adept at battling airplane noise during flights—a task typically reserved for over-ear headphones. While slightly less effective on human voices (a common challenge for most noise-canceling earbuds), they excel at neutralizing constant background noise and many irregular sounds.

Bose’s CustomTune technology analyzes your ear shape to personalize both sound and ANC performance, creating a tailored listening experience that enhances the effectiveness of these noise-canceling earbuds. The tradeoff comes in battery life—six hours with ANC activated but only four when using Immersive Audio. Despite this limitation, the QuietComfort Ultra delivers the most comprehensive noise isolation of any earbuds we’ve tested in 2025.

Sony’s WF-1000XM5 noise-canceling earbuds deliver ANC performance that rivals Bose, making them a co-champion in our testing. The gap between these two premium options is remarkably slim—both excel at creating a peaceful listening environment in noisy situations. Sony’s approach includes using two separate chips for audio and ANC processing, resulting in exceptionally effective noise reduction.

These noise-canceling earbuds feature six dual-feedback microphones that excel at combating low-frequency noises from airplanes, vehicles, and transit environments. Sony’s Adaptive Sound Control automatically adjusts settings based on your activity or location, while the companion app allows for precise customization of both ANC strength and transparency mode levels. With DSEE Extreme upscaling to enhance compressed audio and thoughtful features like automatic pause when you speak, the WF-1000XM5 represents a complete package for those seeking premium noise-canceling earbuds.

Anker’s Soundcore line consistently delivers impressive performance at budget-friendly prices, and the Space A40 noise-canceling earbuds continue this tradition. These earbuds particularly excel at combating low-to-mid-range environmental noise during flights and commutes, making them an excellent affordable alternative to premium models. The adaptive ANC system automatically adjusts based on your surroundings, but you can also manually select from strong, moderate, or weak intensities to balance performance and battery life.

While Anker claims 10 hours of battery life, our testing with ANC activated yielded closer to 8 hours—still impressive for budget noise-canceling earbuds. Sound quality exceeds expectations at this price point, delivering a warm tonal profile with enhanced bass response. The transparency mode is functional though not exceptional, and the companion app allows you to customize up to six different touch control gestures. For those seeking effective noise-canceling earbuds without breaking the bank, the Space A40 delivers remarkable value.

Battery life is often a significant limitation for noise-canceling earbuds, but the Master & Dynamic MW09 breaks this pattern by delivering up to 12 hours of playback with ANC enabled. While many competitors claim extended battery life, the MW09 consistently delivered 10+ hours in our real-world testing—substantially longer than both Bose and Sony flagship models. This makes these noise-canceling earbuds ideal for long-haul flights or extended workdays without access to charging.

While the ANC performance isn’t quite as robust as Bose or Sony offerings, Master & Dynamic provides three noise-canceling presets to help optimize both performance and energy efficiency. Where the MW09 truly excels is audio quality—the balanced, natural tuning captures exceptional detail and clarity that rivals many wired headphones. You’ll hear subtle texture in guitar riffs and percussion details that most noise-canceling earbuds miss entirely. This audio excellence, combined with the remarkable battery life, makes these a compelling option for discerning listeners.

While the AirPods Pro aren’t higher in our rankings primarily because they require an iPhone to unlock their full potential, they deliver exceptional performance for Apple ecosystem users. These noise-canceling earbuds leverage Apple’s H2 chip to power sophisticated noise reduction that overcomes the limitations of their compact size. The latest model blocks twice as much ambient noise as its predecessor, making them significantly more effective noise-canceling earbuds than the original AirPods Pro.

Apple’s Adaptive Audio feature represents a major advancement in how noise-canceling earbuds respond to changing environments. This technology intelligently blends ANC and transparency modes, automatically adjusting based on environmental noise levels. The system considers whether you’re moving or stationary and adapts differently for music listening versus calls. Perhaps most impressively, the AirPods Pro offer the most natural-sounding transparency mode of any noise-canceling earbuds we’ve tested—a significant factor for those who frequently need to hear their surroundings.

Bose has made premium noise-canceling earbuds more accessible with the 2024 QuietComfort Earbuds, which incorporate many flagship features at a more approachable price point. These streamlined noise-canceling earbuds are smaller than typical Bose models, resulting in improved comfort and fit while still delivering the brand’s signature effective ANC technology. They strike an excellent balance between performance and affordability in the mid-range segment.

Battery life is impressive at over 8 hours with noise cancellation enabled, and the IPX4 water resistance rating makes these suitable for workout sessions. While these noise-canceling earbuds lack Bose’s Immersive Audio spatial sound feature at launch, product documentation suggests this capability may be added in future updates. For those seeking Bose-quality noise cancellation without the premium price of the Ultra model, these represent an excellent compromise with fewer sacrifices than you might expect.