Finding earbuds that fit comfortably can often be difficult for people with small ears. Many in-ears are quite large in size, which can compress and push on other parts of the ear, causing fatigue and pain over time.
Fortunately, some ultra-slim in-ears can fit more comfortably in your ears or ear canal. These are the best earbuds for small ears, to suit every budget and priority.
Top 10+ Best Earbuds For Small Ears
1. Bose QuietComfort Ultra
Bose’s latest entry in earbuds is a fantastic choice for anyone who likes to listen to music wirelessly and in peace and quiet.
But if you’re specifically looking for the best earbuds for smaller ears, the Bose QuietComfort Ultras come with a whopping six different tips, so you’ll be able to find the right size for you.
In addition to the variety of tips that come with the QuietComfort Ultras, the buds also feature a stability band that helps keep the buds in your ears, covering the entire bud rather than just the stem.
The QuietComfort Ultra earbuds also benefit from a variety of noise-canceling settings, producing a loud, balanced sound that can be hard to find in typical small earbuds.
They also work well when you’re playing sports or exercising. They’re IPX4-rated, so they’ll work perfectly even when it’s raining or sweaty.
They also last up to six hours (four hours with immersive audio) and can be powered wirelessly when you’re at home or in the office.
2. Etymotic ER4XR
The small barrel design makes these earphones easy to fit into smaller ears. The Etymotic ER4XR is one of the best-performing earphones for small ears.
The Ety flagship recently underwent a redesign, and the ER4XR is the best of the bunch. If you’re not into music production, avoid the SE version.
The frequency response is flatter, and many will find the bass lacking. The XR is a tuning that sounds better on a daily basis, and it’s really detailed.
The ER4XR is very easy to fit into your ears thanks to the angled cable housing, and like most of the earphones on this list, it has a small barrel design.
3. Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation)
The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) Truly Wireless is the best iPhone-compatible earbuds for small ears we’ve tested.
These premium earbuds are the next generation of the Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless. They come with a set of four eartips instead of three, and the latest generation is a very small pair.
However, some users still had trouble getting them out of their ears, so they’ve swapped out the stock silicone tips for foam ones. The foam tips mold to the unique shape of your ear, improving comfort, fit, and stability.
These in-ears feature adaptive EQ, which automatically adjusts the sound to the unique shape of your ears.
The warm sound profile is great for genres like pop and jazz, but there’s no built-in sound customization to manually adjust it to your liking.
They also feature an ANC system that blocks out ambient noise, making them great for commuting or working in a noisy office.
With ANC turned on, they last just under six hours, and the carrying case holds four more charges.
4. Technics EAH-AZ80
The EAH-AZ80 might not seem like the best choice for small ears, given their bulky exterior and relatively heavy weight of 7 grams per bud.
However, Technics has worked hard on the concha fit design, allowing incredible customization with seven different eartip shapes and sizes, resulting in a finely crafted housing that fits snugly around the outside of smaller ears.
While the fit is impressive, it’s the sound that really sells these earbuds.
The 10mm free-edge dynamic drivers provide a wide soundstage with excellent detail, warm, full bass, and tight highs that deftly reproduce instrumental tones.
The noise-cancelling is impressive, too, though it doesn’t quite reach the heights of top picks like Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra buds or Sony’s WF-1000XM5.
Along with their impressive performance, the AZ80 also offers a range of top-notch features within the Technics app, allowing you to tweak the EQ, noise-cancelling, touch controls, and other settings to tailor your experience to your preferences.
Perhaps the most notable feature is multipoint pairing, which lets you connect to three different devices at once across your Apple, Android, or Windows ecosystem, allowing you to multitask with the help of eight highly sensitive MEMS microphones for voice detection and noise suppression.
We recommend trying the fit first, especially if you have picky ears, but the AZ80 are among the most adaptable earbuds we’ve tested.
They’re pricey, but you can usually find them on sale, and the many other benefits help justify the cost. If you’re picky about sound quality, these Technics buds offer some of the best performance on the market.
5. Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless
If you’re looking for something mid-range, the best Bluetooth earbuds for small ears we tested are the Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless.
These earbuds come with five sets of eartips to ensure the best fit, and their lightweight design means they won’t sink too deep into your ears.
The ANC system performs very similarly to the Sony LinkBuds S Truly Wireless, so you can expect a good level of noise isolation whether you’re commuting or working a shift in the office.
However, they’re less secure than the Sony and more likely to fall out during high-intensity workouts like sprints or heavy workouts.
These earbuds offer a warm sound profile right out of the box, and you can also fine-tune the sound to your liking using the companion app’s EQ and presets.
With ANC turned on, they last for over eight hours, enough to get you through a typical workday, and the case holds four more charges.
Unfortunately, the microphone recording quality isn’t great, with speech sounding distant and hissy, so they’re not great for a lot of phone calls.
6. Sony LinkBuds S
The LinkBuds S are small and beautifully designed and sit almost flush with your tragus when worn, so they won’t get tangled up in the wind and fall off.
Despite their diminutive size, combine noise-cancelling and audio processing using the same V1 processor as the (more expensive and larger) previous flagship Sony WF-1000XM4, but here they work with new 5mm full-range dynamic drivers that are smaller than the XM4.
The LinkBuds S may be small, but they pack a pretty big punch on the spec sheet. Aside from the multipoint pairing, they’re basically a full house when it comes to perks.
Noise-cancelling can be turned on or off using the electrostatic touch surface on each earpiece (which works well despite their small size), and the ambient sound option offers 20 different increments, handled by Sony’s Headphone Connect app.
In other words, the same one you’ll find on Sony’s flagship earbuds. Sonically, it could have used a little more passion, energy, and punch.
Nevertheless, it is perfectly musical and enjoyable, with a relatively detailed sound, openness across the frequency range, and a reassuringly thick performance on the low end.
7. JLab Go Air Earbuds
If you’re looking for a budget earbud, the JLab Go Air Earbuds are a great choice. These earbuds are designed to fit smaller, more compact ears.
They’re 15% smaller than traditional earbuds, making them more comfortable without sacrificing audio quality. They’re perfect for those who find regular earbuds too big or uncomfortable.
The sound is managed by three EQ settings: JLab Signature, Balanced, and Bass Boost. This allows users to adjust the sound to their preference.
Whether you’re listening to a podcast or bass-heavy music, these settings will help you enjoy your audio. Built-in touch controls make it easy to switch between settings without having to reach for your phone.
The Go Air Earbuds are IPX4 rated, making them sweat and moisture-resistant.
This is important for workouts or rainy days. Also, the battery life is long, providing over 8 hours of playback on a single charge and an additional 24 hours with the charging case.
8. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II are the pinnacle of noise-cancelling technology. They offer exceptional sound isolation and comfort and are perfect for those with smaller ears.
These earbuds personalize noise-cancelling and sound performance to the unique shape of your ears, ensuring the best audio quality.
Designed for all-day wear, the QC Earbuds II come with Bose’s exclusive Fit Kit, which includes three sizes of eartips and a stability band.
They ensure a precise fit, enhancing comfort and maximizing noise cancellation. The result is a deep, immersive, personal sound experience.
The audio performance is outstanding, with clear highs and deep, rich bass. Whether you’re listening to music, taking calls, or watching videos, these earbuds deliver outstanding sound, even in noisy environments.
With up to six hours of playback time, the compact charging case provides three additional charges.
9. Galaxy Buds 2 Pro
Samsung’s new Galaxy Buds this year are 15% smaller, making them a better fit for smaller ears. Another good thing is that they’re among the best-sounding true wireless earbuds we’ve tested.
The site says Samsung has packed all the latest tech into the earbuds, like ANC noise cancellation and 360-degree audio, and they’ve even upped their water resistance to an IPX7 rating, so they don’t limit performance at all.
Battery life is around 5 hours on a single charge, and the included carrying case can fully charge them about 4 times.
10. Nothing Ear (Sticks)
If you’re not comfortable with the feel of earbuds in your ears, consider the Nothing Ear (Sticks) Truly Wireless.
The body of each earbud is covered in silicone, and it sits comfortably in your outer ear, the hollow area just in front of your ear canal.
This one-size-fits-all design is comfortable and easy to use, but the fit will vary depending on your unique ear shape.
They’ll likely stay in place during moderate exercise, like jogging, but the unique fit you wear on your ears will affect how likely you are to move around during more intense exercise.
The sound profile is neutral, with warm, punchy bass that complements genres like hip-hop and EDM, but how much bass you get will vary greatly depending on the specific fit you choose.
Fortunately, the companion app has a graphic EQ and presets so you can fine-tune your mix to your liking.
Unfortunately, the earbuds of this design struggle to isolate background noise. If that’s not an issue for you, they last for nearly seven hours on a single charge, with the case holding three more charges.
If these headphones don’t quite fit, try the Apple AirPods (2nd generation) Truly Wireless.
They’re a bit more expensive and don’t have the volume control, but their H1 chip pairs seamlessly with Apple devices, and the case can charge wirelessly.
11. SoundMagic E80D
The SoundMagic E80D is a great value for the money, offering great sound in a reliable, wired package that’s perfect for USB-C phones and laptops.
This bud has a built-in digital-to-analog converter (DAC), which delivers much more detailed high-resolution audio than most other budget buds.
This makes it ideal for those who want high-resolution audio but don’t have a high-end budget to match.
The SoundMagic E80D doesn’t deliver true premium sound, but it does deliver impressive high-resolution audio for its price, making it a good choice if you want budget buds.
Of course, they aren’t as loud in our tests and there’s no active noise cancellation to compensate, but they do offer solid noise isolation.
We found that the E80D generally kept ambient noise low enough to keep you focused when listening to music, podcasts, or watching videos.
The SoundMagic E80D has a simple wired design. We found them to be comfortable to wear during our testing, and the small size of the buds makes them ideal for those with smaller ears.
We happily wore them for hours on end, both in the office and while walking home.
They also come with extra eartips in small and large sizes, as well as a dual-layer option (the default eartip is a standard medium-sized gel). They’re also lightweight at 16 grams, no matter which eargel you use.
12. Soundcore by Anker Space A40 Earbuds
Another great option for smaller ears is the Soundcore by Anker Space A40 Earbuds.
These earbuds combine cutting-edge technology with a sleek design, making them perfect for audiophiles with smaller ears. They offer a comfortable fit and create a personal sound sanctuary while you’re on the go.
The Space A40 earbuds feature adaptive noise-cancelling technology.
This technology adapts to your surroundings and blocks out outside noise, providing clear, uninterrupted sound. This is great for those who move between noisy and quiet places like city streets and parks.
These earbuds also feature LDAC technology. It transmits three times more data than regular Bluetooth, delivering Hi-Res audio with detailed, layered sound.
The battery lasts up to 10 hours and the charging case provides an additional 40 hours. Comfort is ensured with a variety of eartips that fit small ear canals without causing discomfort.
Conclusion
Choosing the right earbuds for small ears depends on your needs and preferences. Each has its own unique characteristics and fits a variety of uses and budgets.
In this article, we have recommended the best options based on overall performance, budget-friendliness, and premium quality.