Wireless earbuds · Ranked #16 of 31 · Best budget buds for Android

Google Pixel Buds 2a

81
Well liked
Average of 5 professional reviews
2 of 5 recommend it · broad agreement
Where the 5 reviews landedRange 70–90

Exact average 81.2 · all scores printed by the outlets

Google Pixel Buds 2aImage: Google

5 professional reviewers tested the Google Pixel Buds 2a, and 2 recommend it. Most praised: comfort and sound quality. Most common complaint: controls and app.

Reviewed by WIRED, The Verge, Expert Reviews and 2 more

The catch: Features are lost on iPhone, and the fit can fail in larger ears.

Check price at Amazon

We earn a commission if you buy through these links. It never changes a score.

What 5 critics said

Highest score first · all converted to 0–100
  1. 90
    WIREDHands-on review

    The reviewer thinks these budget earbuds deliver nearly everything people want from pricier models and calls them the best value among name-brand buds.

    Read WIRED review
  2. 90
    The VergeHands-on review · 2025

    Pleasant, crisp sound with effective noise cancelling and good battery at a fair price make these an easy pick for Android owners.

    Read The Verge review
  3. 80
    Expert ReviewsHands-on review · 2025

    Competent but unremarkable earbuds whose hands-free Gemini and multi-device switching appeal mainly to Pixel owners.

    Read Expert Reviews review
  4. 76
    TechGearLabHands-on review · 2026

    A comfortable, good-sounding budget set that ranks in the middle of the tested field.

    Read TechGearLab review
  5. 70
    Android CentralHands-on review · 2025

    Nice design, fit and bass-forward sound at a fair price, but many Pro 2 features are absent and the Pro 2 is often discounted to near this price.

    Read Android Central review

"Est." means the outlet printed no score, so we estimated one from its verdict and checked our estimates against ratings outlets print. How we check estimates

What critics praise most

Comfort4 of 5
Sound quality3 of 5
Noise cancelling2 of 5

What critics dislike most

Controls and app3 of 5
Call quality2 of 5

Other wireless earbuds critics rate highly

Sony WF-C710NImage: Sony
Top pick, narrowlySony WF-C710N4 reviews · critics agree94
EarFun Air Pro 4+Image: EarFun
Best budget earbud soundEarFun Air Pro 4+4 reviews · broad agreement91
Apple AirPods 5Image: Apple
Best for open-fit comfortApple AirPods 55 reviews · critics agree90
Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2Image: Jabra
Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 24 reviews · broad agreement88

Also reviewed, not yet scored

Common questions

Is the Google Pixel Buds 2a worth it?

Critics are divided: 2 of 5 recommend it. Features are lost on iPhone, and the fit can fail in larger ears.

Do critics agree about the Google Pixel Buds 2a?

Broad agreement: scores range from 70 (Android Central) to 90 (WIRED), a spread of 20 points across 5 reviews. Most reviewers land fairly close together.

What do critics dislike about the Google Pixel Buds 2a?

Controls and app (3 of 5 reviews), Call quality (2 of 5 reviews).

What is the best alternative to the Google Pixel Buds 2a?

The Sony WF-C710N (critic score 94), top pick, narrowly.