On Google.<\/em><\/p>\nThere are only a few hours in the day when you won’t see headphones on my head or earbuds in my ears. There’s nothing like finding a great pair of headphones or earbuds; Choosing the best pair for you may take some time, significant trial-and-error, and honesty about your preferences, but once you do, you’ll be inseparable.<\/p>\n
Also: Best Headphones and Earbuds of 2026: Expert Tests and Reviews<\/strong><\/p>\nAs ZDNET’s audio editor, I’m proud of our content, which not only provides you with buying advice on the hottest names in the consumer audio industry, but also showcases lesser-known brands, budget options, and surprisingly impressive selections. We’ve compiled data on the best-selling headphones, presented in order of units sold, via a link to ZDNET’s website (a disclaimer: your privacy is protected; we only have access to aggregate data from our user base, and we have no way of identifying individual people’s purchases).<\/p>\n
Here are the most purchased headphones so far by ZDNET readers from January to April in 2026.<\/p>\n
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Best headphone deals of the week<\/h3>\n Deals are selected by the CNET Group Commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
The 10 most popular headphones among ZDNET readers<\/h2>\n\n
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Prakhar Khanna\/ZDNET<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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The CMF Buds 2 Plus are one of our favorite true wireless earbuds and the most purchased headphones among our readers over the past year and a half. These earbuds are feature-packed and perform well despite their relatively low price of $80. The CMF Buds 2 Plus are compatible with Sony’s high-resolution LDAC Bluetooth codec, have an IP55 dust- and water-resistant rating, and deliver impressive noise-canceling performance.<\/p>\n
Review: CMF Buds 2 Plus<\/strong><\/p>\nUsers with Nothing phones can use Low Latency Mode for mobile gaming and ChatGPT integration with their phone’s voice assistant. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Prakhar Khanna\/ZDNET<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Along with the CMF Buds 2 Plus, the company’s Headphone Pro are popular among our readers, thanks to their affordable $100 price and high performance. For high-resolution wireless listening, these headphones support the LDAC codec for Android users, as well as Google Fast Pair and Windows Swift Pair for seamless device pairing.<\/p>\n
Review: CMF Headphones Pro<\/strong><\/p>\nApple users can also access Headphones Pro’s impressive audio and noise-cancelling capabilities, spatial audio, and personalized sound profiles for analog listening. Additionally, these headphones boast a battery life of 50 hours, which is almost 20 hours more than its premium competitors.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Jada Jones\/ZDNET<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Bose’s latest flagship earbuds deliver a comfortable yet premium experience with exceptional noise cancellation and comfort, making them a solid choice for frequent fliers. They debuted with a new and improved spatial audio mode, wireless charging, better voice clarity, and an upgraded Bluetooth connectivity standard.<\/p>\n
Review: <\/strong>Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Generation)<\/strong><\/p>\nWe awarded the QC Ultra Earbuds 2 a ZDNET Editors’ Choice award last October for their impressive AI-powered noise processing, software-ecosystem agnosticism, stable fit, and powerful noise cancellation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Amazon\/ZDNET<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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These simple wired Sony earbuds feature 9mm neodymium drivers for clear, detailed sound, low 16 Ohm impedance for easy driving, and an attached microphone for better voice clarity during phone calls.<\/p>\n
Despite the $35 price tag, the wires on these earbuds can be delicate and breakable, but with good care, they should last a few years. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Nina Raymont\/ZDNET<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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These Soundcore sleep earbuds promise effective noise cancellation, comprehensive, barely-there comfort, and intuitive features that help you fall asleep and wake up refreshed. Our testing showed that after a few nights of wear these earbuds provide comfort, but fail to mask loud environmental noises.<\/p>\n
Review: Soundcore Sleep A30<\/strong><\/p>\nStill, if you want sleep earbuds that play binaural beats ideal for deep sleep, block out some outside noise, and have smart features personalized for your nighttime routine, the Soundcore Sleep A30 can help.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Jada Jones\/ZDNET<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Bose’s midrange QuietComfort headphones replace the QC45, offering a simple, reliable Bose experience with less fanfare and added hassle. The QuietComfort headphones have a 3.5mm jack for wired listening, ANC and Aware Audio modes, and 24 hours of playtime.<\/p>\n
Review: Bose QuietComfort Headphones<\/strong><\/p>\nThese headphones do nothing more than provide comfortable, reliable audio and noise cancellation, two things Bose does best.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Nina Raymont\/ZDNET<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Soundcore’s Sleep A20 earbuds are designed to be worn while sleeping, providing comfort and ambient noise cancellation for side sleepers. However, we recommend these sleep earbuds to people who need ambient noise to sleep, not those who want to block out outside noise.<\/p>\n
Review: Soundcore Sleep A20<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/p>\n read more
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Jada Jones\/ZDNET<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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The WH-1000XM5 aren’t Sony’s latest premium headphones, but they’re far from archaic. They promise 30 hours of playtime, LDAC codec support, DSEE Extreme audio quality upscaling, and wired listening via a 3.5mm jack. A recent firmware update brings LE Audio to the XM5 and head tracking on Auracast, Gemini Live, and LE Audio, meaning Sony isn’t ending its software support anytime soon.<\/p>\n
Also: Your Sony headphones just got a useful Bluetooth upgrade with the latest software patch<\/strong><\/p>\nIf you want access to Sony’s premium features in an over-ear form factor without spending $460 for the latest generation, the WH-1000XM5 are still a worthy option.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Nina Raymont\/ZDNET<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Shokz’s flagship open-ear bone conduction headphones are best for individuals who want to be aware of their surroundings while exercising. They feature a lightweight design, 12-hour battery life, and an IP55 rating for dust and water resistance.<\/p>\n
Review: Shox OpenRun Pro 2<\/strong><\/p>\nMany open-ear headphones sacrifice sound for their open and lightweight form factor, but the Shokz’s sound profile is highly impressive for an open-ear headphone. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Jack Wallen\/ZDNET<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Open-ear earbuds let you stay aware of your surroundings without compromising your audio, which can be especially useful for hiking, walking, biking, or running outside. The Soundcore AeroFit Pro offers a true wireless and corded experience depending on your preference.<\/p>\n
Review: Soundcore Aerofit Pro<\/strong><\/p>\nAdditionally, the IPX5 durability rating makes them sweatproof, LDAC support is on deck for high-res wireless listening, and 14 hours of continuous playtime means they can last all day.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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<\/p>\n Headphones and Earbuds Roundup