Best True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds (2021)

Last Updated on August 5, 2021 by Asif Iqbal Shaik

Finding the best true wireless earbuds can be a bit of a challenge. People are slowly moving on from wired earphones towards wireless earphones because modern smartphones have started omitting the 3.5mm headphone jack. Since most people listen to music, podcasts, and watch videos primarily on their smartphones, the lack of a dedicated headphone jack is forcing them to switch to Bluetooth earphones.

Over the past few years, true wireless earphones have started sounding better, and more importantly, they have become more affordable. You can find them for as low as ₹2,000 and as high as ₹30,000, and choosing the right one can be tricky. To help you in finding the best true wireless earbuds, we have created a straightforward list of the best true wireless earbuds that are available in the market right now. All the good true wireless earbuds are classified into various price segments so that you can jump straight to the ones that fit into your budget.

Best Budget True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds Under ₹5,000

Most budget true wireless earbuds are riddled with connection stability issues, low battery life, bad audio quality, and bad case design. However, there are a few earbuds that offer good Bluetooth signal strength, decent audio, and respectable battery life.

We preferred the true wireless earbuds in this price segment that have the following features:

1. Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity
2. Compatibility with at least one high-quality Bluetooth audio codec
3. Mono working with both earbuds (no Master-Slave dependability)
4. Mics on both earbuds
5. USB Type-C port on the charging case
6. At least 12-hour battery life on a single charge

Anker Soundcore Life Note – ₹2,699

The Anker Soundcore Life Note are the cheapest true wireless earbuds that I would recommend to anyone. They have a decently compact charging case that can fit inside most jeans pockets without much trouble, but the case’s lid feels a bit too thin and cheap. The earbuds themselves have stems and an in-ear canal design. They feature Bluetooth 5.0 with AAC and aptX, two mics on each earbud, an IPX5 water splash-resistant design, USB Type-C charging port, fast charging, and a 40-hour battery life with the case. They can be fully charged within 2 hours. It is not compatible with Soundcore’s smartphone app, though, so you won’t be able to adjust equalizer settings or controls.

The audio output is clear and loud, but clearly V-shaped, which means you’ll hear slightly amplified bass and treble. But most people won’t have a problem with its audio quality. And they are also the best in this price segment when it comes to call quality, thanks to four mics and Qualcomm cVc technology. A quirk that we found with the Soundcore Life Note is that the buttons are a bit too hard to press, and the earphones can get pressed inside your ears while pressing the buttons. You can realistically expect around 6-7 hours of battery life from the earbuds, and around 24 hours of additional battery life from multiple charges via the charging case. That makes around 30 hours of combined battery life.

OnePlus Buds Z – ₹2,999

The OnePlus Buds Z is another great pair of truly wireless earphones under ₹5,000. They have an in-ear canal design with a stem and their case is compact. The case feels a bit better than the Soundcore Life Note, but still not as good as some of the premium true wireless earphone cases. The earbuds fit well and they even feature automatic wear detection, which means when you remove the earbuds from your ears, they automatically pause the music (or any media that was playing).

These earphones feature Bluetooth 5.0 with AAC, but they lack aptX. However, they make up for it through Dolby Atmos audio compatibility. Other features include USB Type-C charging, fast charging, and IP55 certification for dust and water splash resistance. There’s no smartphone app to customize controls or tune the equalizer settings. You’ll have to use a third-party app called HeyMelody for those features.

The audio is V-shaped, with accentuated bass and treble. However, for this price, it is about as good as it can get. You can expect 4 hours of battery life from the earbuds and four additional charges from the case, taking the combined battery life to around 15-20 hours. That’s good enough for 3 to 5 days, depending on how much music you listen to.

Realme Buds Air Pro – ₹4,999

Do you want ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) without spending a lot on your true wireless earbuds? Well, the Realme Buds Air Pro should be your go-to choice. Just don’t expect wonders from its ANC performance, because it is nowhere close to what the best ANC earbuds offer. But that’s the best you can get at the price.

They feature Bluetooth 5.0 with AAC, a low-latency mode, automatic wear detection, Google Fast Pair, dual-mics on each earbud, ANC, transparency mode, an extremely compact and high-quality case for its price, USB Type-C port, fast charging, wireless charging, and up to 25 hours of battery life, an IPX4 rating for sweat resistance, and a smartphone companion app for customising controls and audio.

The audio quality is great for this price. It’s easy sounding and lacks any irritation when it comes to audio tuning. The fit is good and the earbuds look stylish. The case feels higher quality than most other products in this price segment. Plus, the pairing is really fast (thanks to Google Fast Pair on Android phones), and so is charging (just 1 hour for the case). ANC can drown out constant noises such as engine rumbling or people in the cafe. The Realme Link app is among the best in any segment.

Best True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds Under ₹10,000

Spending more than ₹5,000 on true wireless earbuds gets you a more premium design, higher-quality case, more balanced sound, slightly longer battery life, and better call quality. In this price segment, we shortlisted wireless earphones that have the following features:

1. Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity
2. Compatibility with at least one high-quality Bluetooth audio codec (AAC or aptX)
3. Mono working with both earbuds (no Master-Slave dependability)
4. Two mics on each earbud
5. Compact charging case
6. USB Type-C port on the charging case
7. At least 20-hour battery life on a single charge
8. Wireless charging
9. Companion smartphone app for customising controls and audio

Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 – ₹7,999

If you are someone who spends a lot of time on calls and wants good call quality, you should consider getting yourself the Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2. They have two mics on each earbud and Qualcomm cVc 8.0, resulting in among the best call quality that you can get under ₹10,000.

The Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 feature Bluetooth 5.0 with AAC and aptX, 4 microphones, automatic wear detection, a high-quality compact case, a smartphone companion app, USB Type-C port, fast wired charging, Qi wireless charging, and up to 7-hour battery life on the earbud, and a combined battery life of around 28 hours. The combined real-life battery figure is close to 22 hours on a single charge, with the earbuds lasting around 6-7 hours on a single charge.

Audio tuning of the Soundcore Liberty Air 2 is V-shaped, similar to most affordable true wireless earphones, which means the bass is over-emphasized. Vocals sound clear, though. If you are not an audiophile, you will mostly be satisfied with its audio quality.

Samsung Galaxy Buds+ – ₹8,990

The Galaxy Buds+ are great for those who listen to a lot of music and want compact true wireless earphones with long battery life. These earbuds are compact and stem-less, and have an in-ear canal design. They fit extremely well and they are IPX2 rated for sweat resistance. The Galaxy Buds+ uses a dual-driver setup, one driver for bass and vocals and the other driver for highs. The result is fuller and clearer sound, and punchy bass.

The Galaxy Buds+ feature Bluetooth 5.0 with AAC, three mics on each earbud, automatic wear detection for auto music pause, a high-quality and compact case, a smartphone companion app, a USB Type-C port, fast wired charging, Qi wireless charging, and up to 11 hours of battery life for the earbuds on a single charge. The combined battery life with the case is quoted at 22 hours, but you can realistically expect around 18 hours of battery life.

OPPO Enco X – ₹9,990

If you want active noise cancellation (ANC) under ₹9,990, the OPPO Enco X might be your safest bet. However, you have to sacrifice battery life compared to the Samsung Galaxy Buds+. The Enco X sounds neutral, so if you are an audiophile of sorts, you might appreciate these earbuds. The audio is crisp, detailed, and immersive. ANC performance is decent, too. It falls short a bit in terms of battery life, though, and the companion app is very basic.

In terms of features, the Enco X feature Bluetooth 5.2 with AAC and LHDC, three mics on each earbud, and a dual-driver setup (similar to the Galaxy Buds+). It also features active noise cancellation and transparency modes, something that is mostly available in pricier models from other brands. Other features include automatic wear detection, a compact case with a USB Type-C charging port, fast charging, Qi wireless charging, and IP54 rating for dust and water resistance.

Best True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds Under ₹15,000

Spending more than ₹10,000 on true wireless earbuds can get you a clearer voice call quality, more accurate audio reproduction, longer battery life, active noise cancellation, and Qi wireless charging.

1. Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity
2. Compatibility with at least one high-quality Bluetooth audio codec (AAC or aptX)
3. Mono working with both earbuds (no Master-Slave dependability)
4. Up to three mics on each earbud
5. Active noise cancellation
6. Compact and high-quality charging case
7. USB Type-C port on the charging case
8. At least 24-hour battery life on a single charge
9. Wireless charging
10. Companion smartphone app for customising controls and audio

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live – ₹11,990

The Galaxy Buds Live are a unique set of true wireless earbuds. They are extremely compact and stylish. They fit inside the ears in such a way that no part protrudes out of the ears. People who want compact and stylish earbuds should choose the Galaxy Buds Live. Even those who dislike in-ear canal earbuds may like the Galaxy Buds Live as well. They also feature powerful audio and active noise cancellation. However, the ANC performance is minimal since they don’t have an in-ear canal design to isolate outside noise.

The Galaxy Buds Live feature Bluetooth 5.0 with AAC, ANC, transparency mode, a cute and compact case, a USB Type-C port, fast charging, wireless charging, a companion app, IPX2 certification for sweat resistance, automatic wear detection, and a comprehensive companion app.

Apple AirPods – ₹11,999

The Apple AirPods are neither as stylish as some of the competing earbuds, nor do they sound as good in terms of music playback. But they are still listed in our list of best true wireless earbuds because they offer excellent voice call quality and deep integration with Apple’s products.

They are probably the best-sounding true wireless earphones right now. If you are an iPhone, iPad, or Mac user, the AirPods might be a good fit for you. However, they don’t have an in-ear canal design, which means outside noise creeps in easily. Moreover, they are not a good fit for Android smartphone or tablet users. They have a claimed battery life of up to 6 hours on a single charge and up to 24 hours with the case, but you can realistically expect a combined battery life of up to 18-20 hours.

Sony WF-1000XM3 – ₹13,990

Yes, their case is huge, and they are not as stylish as some other TWS earbuds, but they perform well where it matters. The Sony WF-1000XM3 are arguably the best true wireless earbuds in terms of audio reproduction and ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) performance.

These earbuds feature Bluetooth 5.0 with AAC, but they lack aptX and LDAC. Other features include NFC, USB Type-C port for charging, up to 4.5 hours of battery life for the earbud on a single charge, and up to 24 hours combined with the case. They fall a little short in terms of battery life, but at this price, they still get my recommendation. They were originally launched with a price tag of upwards of ₹20,000.

Best True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds Under ₹20,000

While most people don’t spend on true wireless earbuds that are priced above ₹15,000, models like the AirPods Pro have been selling a lot. If you are buying true wireless earphones and have a budget of upwards of ₹15,000, you should look for the following features:

1. Bluetooth 5.0 (or newer) wireless connectivity
2. Compatibility with at least one high-quality Bluetooth audio codec (AAC or aptX), preferably both.
3. Mono working with both earbuds (no Master-Slave dependability)
4. Up to three mics on each earbud for clear voice calls
5. Active noise cancellation
6. Compact and high-quality charging case
7. USB Type-C port on the charging case
8. At least 24-hour battery life on a single charge
9. Qi wireless charging
10. Companion smartphone app for customising controls and audio

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro – ₹15,990

The Galaxy Buds Pro are Samsung’s best true wireless earbuds ever, easily rivalling Apple’s AirPods Pro and Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2. However, they cost much lower in comparison. They have a dual-driver setup, similar to the Galaxy Buds+, but they sound even better due to better audio tuning. Plus, they also feature ANC, a much-improved transparency mode, 360-degree audio, and IPX7-certification for dust and water resistance.

Samsung has equipped the Galaxy Buds Pro with Bluetooth 5.0 (with AAC), but they lack aptX or LDAC. They also feature automatic wear detection and voice detection, which means that the transparency mode turns on automatically when it detects that you are talking to someone while listening to music. They have an extremely cute, high-quality, and compact, rounded-square-shaped case. They also feature a USB Type-C port, fast charging, Qi wireless charging, a great companion app, up to 8 hours battery life with the earbuds, and up to 20 hours battery life inside the case.

The Galaxy Buds Pro sound really good, and they can give much pricier true wireless earbuds a run for their money. Even the ANC is pretty effective but it still falls slightly short of the Sony WF-1000XM3 and the AirPods Pro. The Dolby Atmos-powered 360-degree audio works only with Galaxy devices running Android 11 and One UI 3.1.

Jabra Elite 85T – ₹17,999

The Jabra Elite 85T are the successors to the widely-appreciated Elite 75T. These true wireless earbuds feature ANC as well, and it works well, thanks to its six-mic setup (three on each earbud). These earbuds sound really good, have long battery life, and even have a multi-point Bluetooth connection feature.

These earbuds feature Bluetooth 5.1 (with AAC and multi-point), wear detection, 11 levels of ANC and transparency, a companion app, USB Type-C port, Qi wireless charging, up to 7 hours battery life on the earbud, and up to 24 hours of battery life with the case. They are IPX4-certified for water splash resistance.

Apple AirPods Pro – ₹19,999

If you are an iPhone, iPad, or Mac user, and if you want all the AirPods-exclusive features along with ANC, the AirPods Pro should be your only choice. The AirPods Pro have neutral audio, surprisingly good ANC performance, and excellent call quality. Plus, they feature 3D Spatial Audio, which improves audio performance while watching videos on supported apps. There’s transparency mode, too.

The AirPods Pro fit well, have a good design and an extremely compact case. However, they lack a USB Type-C port as they depend on the Lightning Port for charging. Thankfully, there is Qi wireless charging. The AirPods Pro feature Bluetooth 5.0 with AAC, two mics on each earbud, pinch controls, always-active Hey Siri voice command detection, up to 4.5 hours of battery life on the earbuds, and a combined battery life of up to 24 hours with the case.

The battery life could’ve been a little better, but I would still recommend them as they have the best balance of audio quality, ANC performance, call quality, and the most natural-sounding transparency mode among all the true wireless earbuds. However, I won’t recommend them to be used with Android or Windows 10 devices.

Best High-End True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds Under ₹25,000

Spending more than ₹20,000 on truly wireless earbuds is overkill, and I would only recommend such earphones to those who want luxurious sound. The best true wireless Bluetooth earbuds in the price category should have the following features:

1. Bluetooth 5.0 (or newer) wireless connectivity
2. Compatibility with at least one high-quality Bluetooth audio codec (AAC or aptX), preferably both.
3. Luxurious sound
4. Mono working with both earbuds (no Master-Slave dependability)
5. Up to three mics on each earbud for clear voice calls
6. Active noise cancellation
7. Compact and high-quality charging case
8. USB Type-C port on the charging case
9. At least 24-hour battery life on a single charge
10. Qi wireless charging
11. Companion smartphone app for customising controls and audio
12. Support for voice assistants like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri

Master & Dynamic MW07 Plus – ₹21,999

The Master & Dynamic MW07 Plus have extremely attractive earbuds and a luxurious stainless steel case. They are available in a whopping 10 attractive colours. But that’s not it. They also have great audio quality, similar to Master & Dynamic’s wired earphones. Plus, they feature effective ANC, decent call quality, good battery life, and IPX5 water resistance.

They feature Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX, USB Type-C port, fast charging, 5-hour battery life for the earbuds, and up to 40-hour battery life with the case. They have wear-detection, two mics on each earbud, and a companion app for customising audio and controls.

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 – ₹24,990

The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 are successors to the legendary Momentum True Wireless earbuds. They have even improved audio quality, and they now have ANC to block out noise. They sound really, really good and the ANC performance is good, too. However, call quality is still not as good as the AirPods or the AirPods Pro.

These true wireless earbuds feature Bluetooth 5.1 with AAC and aptX, wear detection, transparency mode, a compact case with a fabric-like material, a USB Type-C port for charging, wireless charging, 7-hour battery life for the earbuds, and up to 28 hours of battery life with the case. The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 also have a companion app for Android, iOS, and watchOS.

These are all the best true wireless earbuds that we can recommend to you. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t buy other true wireless earbuds that might fit your needs more. For example, you might prefer Apple’s Powerbeats Pro because you want a bit rugged TWS earbuds to be used with your iPhone and Apple Watch. You might also prefer 1More Colorbuds for their styling, Klipsch T5 II McLaren Edition for their moisture removal feature and ruggedness, and OPPO Enco W31 for their affordability.

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Let us know which true wireless earphones you use currently and which ones you are looking out to buy. You can post your thoughts via the comments section below.