People with small ears can sometimes have trouble finding earbuds that fit well. Many in-ear headphones have pretty big earbuds that press and push on different parts of the ear, causing pain and tiredness after a while. Some ultra-thin in-ear headphones have earbuds that are small enough that they don’t touch the outside of the ear canal.
After testing more than 280 earbuds and in-ear headphones, here are our top choices for people with small ears. If you want to know what we think are the best earbuds and in-ears in general, the best truly wireless earbuds, and the best wireless earbuds and in-ears, check out our recommendations for those.
1. AirPods Pro from Apple (2nd generation) The Real Deal
The best earbuds for small ears that we’ve tried are the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) Truly Wireless. These high-end earbuds are the next generation of the Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless. Unlike their predecessor, they come with four sets of ear tips instead of three, and the newest pair is extra small. Even though people still have trouble with the buds slipping out of their ears, some have switched out the silicone tips for foam tips. Foam can mold to the shape of your ear, making the buds more comfortable, stable, and easy to wear.
The adaptive EQ in these in-ear headphones changes the sound to fit the shape of your ears. They have a warm sound that works well with pop and jazz, but they don’t have any built-in features that let you change the sound to your liking. They also have a noise canceling (ANC) system that can block out a lot of background noise, which is great for commuting or working in a noisy office. With the ANC turned on, they can be used for just under six hours straight, but their carrying case has four more charges.
2. Sony Truly Wireless LinkBuds S
The Sony Linkbuds S Truly Wireless are a good choice if you want high-power performance at a lower price. They are light and don’t put as much pressure on your ears as some of the other in-ear headphones this company makes. They also don’t go in very far, and they come with four sets of different-sized ear tips to help you find the best fit. Even though they don’t feel as well-built or premium as the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) Truly Wireless, they have a powerful ANC system that can block out the low rumble of buses as well as ambient voices and the high-pitched hum of AC units.
There are a lot of extra features on these buds that make them stand out. The graphic EQ and presets in their companion app let you fine-tune their warm sound to your liking. They also work with more than one device at once, so you can connect them to your PC and smartphone at the same time. They can be used all at once for more than seven hours, but their carrying case has more than two extra charges to keep you going.
3. Truly Wireless Anker Soundcore Space A40
The Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless are the best Bluetooth earbuds for small ears we’ve tried that are priced in the middle. They come with five different sets of ear tips so you can find the best fit. Even though they are light and well-made, they don’t go very far into your ear. However, when you put them in, they can feel a little bit like a plunger. These headphones have a lot of high-end features that make them stand out from other headphones in this price range. Their ANC system works a lot like the Sony LinkBuds S Truly Wireless, so you can expect a high level of noise isolation whether you’re driving to work or working hard at the office. They also have a long battery life of more than eight hours with ANC on, and their carrying case can hold four extra charges.
Right out of the box, these buds have a warm sound that works well for genres like folk and jazz that sound better with a bit more bass. But you can also adjust their sound to your liking with the EQ and presets in the app that goes with them. They also work with LDAC, which is Sony’s own Hi-Res audio codec. Unfortunately, their mic has bad recording quality, so speech sounds far away and sibilant, which isn’t great if you make a lot of calls.
4. Wireless Beats Flex
The Beats Flex Wireless are the best wireless earbuds we’ve tried for small ears that don’t cost too much. If you want earbuds that won’t break the bank, these neck cable headphones with small buds are a good choice. They don’t go very deep into the ear, and they come with five different sets of ear tips. Even though they aren’t as customizable as our mid-range pick, they have a unique design, come in a couple of eye-catching colors, and have a W1 chip for pairing with Apple devices.
Even though they don’t have fins or ear hooks to keep them in place, they will be stable enough for workouts. Their bass-heavy sound gives them more thump, boom, and punch. This makes them good for bass-heavy genres like EDM and hip-hop, but it may be too much for some listeners. They also have a continuous battery life of about 11 hours, which is pretty good. Even though they have a companion app, it only gives you very few control options.
5. The second generation of Apple AirPods are truly wireless.
If you have small ears and don’t want to deal with trying on different ear tips, you might want to check out the Apple AirPods (2nd generation) Truly Wireless. They are the best wireless earbuds for small ears we’ve tested with an open-back design. Even though they are the Apple AirPods (3rd generation) Truly Wireless from the previous generation, they are a bit smaller. They don’t go deep into your ear because they are one size fits all and don’t have ear tips. That means that how comfortable they are depends on how your ears are shaped. Since they have open backs, they can’t block out background noise, so they’re not good for noisy commutes or offices. But you might still like this design if you want to keep an eye on your surroundings while you’re on the go.
The sound from these buds is well-balanced and bright, making them good for classical music or podcasts. Still, they have trouble making a deep, thumping bass, and they don’t have any ways to change the way they sound to your liking. On the plus side, if you use Apple products, the H1 chip in these headphones makes it easy to pair them with your other iOS devices. They can play music for just over four hours straight, but if you need to charge them again, their case can hold five more charges, which is helpful in a pinch.
All Review
We think the earbuds we suggested above are the best ones for most people with small ears right now. We take into account the price (cheaper headphones win over more expensive ones if the difference isn’t worth it), feedback from our visitors, and availability (no headphones that are difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere).
If you want to choose for yourself, here is a list of all of our earbud and in-ear reviews, sorted by how comfortable they were. Don’t let yourself get lost in the details. There is no ideal pair of headphones. Your personal taste, what you like, and how you usually listen will be more important in your choice.
