Best Open Ear Headphones for Workouts and Running: Most Searched (2026)
Ranked by what people actually search
Last updated: November 1, 2026
Open ear headphones leave your ears uncovered so you can hear traffic and people around you, which is why runners like them. Workout and open-ear headphone searches add up to about 418,000 a month in the US. Here are the brands people search for most, ranked by monthly searches, not by who pays us.
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The most searched workout and open-ear brands
| Rank | Brand | Searches/mo |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Shokz Buy on Amazon | 98,500 |
| 02 | Bose Ultra Open Earbuds Buy on Amazon | 92,100 |
| 03 | Beats Powerbeats Buy on Amazon | 17,100 |
Searches/mo = each brand’s total estimated monthly US searches across all its products and name variants, not only open-ear or workout headphone searches (Semrush, October 2026).
All 3, with where to buy
1.Shokz
Shokz makes open-ear, bone-conduction headphones that sit in front of your ears instead of in them.
2.Bose Ultra Open Earbuds
Bose’s open-ear earbuds clip onto the edge of your ear and leave the ear canal open.
3.Beats Powerbeats
Beats’ earhook workout earbuds, built to stay put during exercise.
Also popular
The most searched workout and open-ear terms.
- bone conduction headphones: about 49,500 searches a month
- best headphones for working out: about 27,100 searches a month
- open ear headphones: about 14,800 searches a month
- open ear earbuds: about 14,800 searches a month
- best bone conduction headphones: about 9,900 searches a month
- running headphones: about 9,900 searches a month
- best running headphones: about 8,100 searches a month
Bone conduction vs. open-ear earbuds
Bone conduction headphones (49,500 searches a month) send sound through the bones in front of your ears. Open-ear earbuds, like the Bose Ultra Open, play sound toward your ear from a clip or hook. Both leave your ears open so you can hear what’s around you.
Bone conduction Open-ear earbuds
Running and gym headphones
For running, people search for running headphones (9,900) and best running headphones (8,100). For the gym, “best headphones for working out” gets 27,100. Look for a secure fit and a sweat- or water-resistance rating.
What are the best open ear headphones?
We rank by searches, not reviews. Shokz and the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are the most searched open-ear options.
What are bone conduction headphones?
Headphones that send sound through the bones in front of your ears, leaving your ear canal open.
What are the best running headphones?
Runners often pick open-ear models like Shokz so they can hear traffic, or secure-fit earbuds like Powerbeats.
Are open ear headphones good for the gym?
They stay comfortable and let you hear around you, but they block less noise than in-ear earbuds.
How this list is ranked: estimated monthly US searches from Semrush keyword data (pulled October 2026), with name variants added together. Search interest is not sales, and it isn’t a review. Brands we can’t link to stay on the list.
Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, What Are People Buying earns from qualifying purchases. Some other store links are affiliate links too. We may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. Affiliate links never change the order; the ranking comes from search data only. Read our affiliate disclosure.