Best Live Translation Earbuds [2025]: Instant Language Translation in Your Ears

The introduction of AI is imminent in most forms of technology at the current stage, to the extent that you may not realize a substantial percentage of the work being done relies significantly on AI. While it may be worrisome at first, on the bright side, it unlocks use cases that were previously considered impossible. One such use case that was completely transformed thanks to AI is the translation industry. Interpreters are slowly becoming obsolete, and there’s no need to launch a manhunt to find an ideal person who understands the required languages, as it can all now be done entirely using AI.

We are in a stage where all you need to interpret other languages in real-time is an appropriate pair of truly wireless earbuds. Some take it up a notch by eliminating their reliance on a smartphone, thereby establishing a truly standalone environment for real-time voice translations. Although still in its nascent stage, live translation using wireless earbuds is far better than you think, and certainly more desirable than relying on an expensive and inconvenient human interpreter. This article highlights some of our favorite live translation earbuds, suitable for both casual users and professionals. Let’s get going!

As a quick heads-up, we won’t be delving deeply into the sound quality aspects of the earbuds mentioned below. Since the purpose of this article is to put the spotlight on live translation earbuds, our primary judging criteria will be the live translation abilities of a pair of earbuds, which include their accuracy and the quality of translation.

8 Best Live Translation Earbuds for Casual Users

For the convenience of our readers, this article will be split into two sections. The first section will cater to those seeking live translation earbuds for casual use cases, such as when traveling abroad for a trip, conversing with friends and family who speak a different language, or engaging in brief conversations with people around them who speak a different language. We don’t recommend specialized live translation earbuds for such users, as some mainstream earbuds can easily meet their needs while offering superior features, such as sound quality, battery life, noise cancellation, and more.

Apple AirPods: Best for iPhone translation on-the-go

If you’re an iPhone user looking for a pair of earbuds that can help you understand and converse in other languages seamlessly, a pair of compatible AirPods is the only thing you should be looking at. The recently announced Live Translation feature on AirPods utilizes Apple Intelligence to translate another language in real-time. Unfortunately, this feature is currently restricted to only three AirPods models: AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 4 with ANC, and AirPods Pro 3. Furthermore, you also need an iPhone supporting Apple Intelligence and running iOS 26, which includes models like the iPhone 15 Pro and later. Note that the Live Translation feature is currently unavailable for users in the EU region.

Another reason why you need your iPhone in tandem is for the other person to view the live translation of your voice in their language. Once you turn on Live Translation by pinching both the AirPods in your ears simultaneously or using your iPhone, you must choose the appropriate downloaded languages for you and the listener. Apple Intelligence can currently translate between English (US and UK), French (France), German (Germany), Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish (Spain). Support for Italian and Asian languages, including Chinese (Mandarin and Simplified), Japanese, and Korean, will be made available later this year.

Once the setup is done, you can start speaking directly with your AirPods on and in your selected language. Apple Intelligence will translate your language in real-time and begin displaying as well as playing the translation on your iPhone for the other person to view and understand. Then, you can listen to the other person speak in their language and hear its translation through your AirPods. The other person can directly hear the translation if they have a compatible set of AirPods. The feature is still in its early stages, so live translation occurs after a 5-10 second delay, which is passable. The accuracy of the translation is pretty acceptable, and AirPods do a commendable job at understanding the exclamatory notes of a conversation.

In our testing, translations triggered almost instantly during conversations, though accuracy dipped slightly in noisy cafés.

Pros:

1. Seamless integration with iPhones
2. Works offline (on-device processing)
3. Acceptable accuracy levels
4. Impeccable sound quality, noise cancellation, and battery life

Cons:

1. Only recommended for casual translation requirements
2. Requires downloading languages on your iPhone
3. Only a handful of supported languages for now

Samsung Galaxy Buds: Best for Smart AI Android translations

AirPods only work well with iPhones, making them largely obsolete for Android users. But fret not; if you’re a Samsung user, the best pair of live translation earbuds is the latest and greatest Galaxy Buds3 series, which includes the Galaxy Buds3, Galaxy Buds3 Pro, and the newly announced Galaxy Buds3 FE. Older Galaxy Buds models, including the Galaxy Buds2, Galaxy Buds2 Pro, and Galaxy Buds FE, can also enjoy this feature. Additionally, you’ll need a compatible Samsung Galaxy device that supports Samsung’s Galaxy AI suite of features. You also don’t require an active internet connection, as it’s all done on-device, provided you have downloaded the necessary language packs.

Samsung’s approach in this case is similar to Apple’s, meaning a Galaxy smartphone is not only required as a supporting device for Galaxy AI, but also to display and speak the translated message in the listener’s language. The process begins by entering the Interpreter app on your Galaxy smartphone and enabling Conversation mode, which enables a two-way conversation. You then speak with your earphones in your ears, after which the other person can see and hear the translated version on your phone’s screen. For the other way around, you, the listener, can directly hear the translated message through your Galaxy Buds after the other person speaks in their language.

The accuracy is decent at best, as Galaxy AI tends to be too literal with its translations, making the output feel somewhat artificial. It also takes a fair amount of time to process the real-time translations, so you’ll have to deal with a slight delay. We thus recommend the Galaxy Buds for slow-paced communication. Samsung supports more languages than Apple in its current stage; however, we would still rank the accuracy of Apple’s Live Translation feature higher than that of Samsung’s.

Real-time translation felt smooth in calls and meetings, though performance varied slightly between One UI versions.

Pros:

1. Excellent compatibility with Galaxy devices
2. Works offline (on-device processing)
3. Good enough accuracy levels
4. Excellent sound quality, noise cancellation, and battery life

Cons:

1. Only recommended for casual translation requirements
2. Requires downloading languages on your device
3. Doesn’t interpret emotions well and is a bit too literal

Google Pixel Buds Pros and A-Series: Best for Samsung users

Next up, we have Google’s answer to Apple’s AirPods and Samsung’s Galaxy Buds. The best part about the Pixel Buds Pro and A Series is the fact that you can get the live translation feature working on any device, including iPhones and non-Pixel devices. However, the experience of using the feature on an Android device will be significantly better than on an iPhone, and even more so on a Pixel device. As for the compatible earbuds, the Pixel Buds Pro, Pixel Buds A-Series, Pixel Buds Pro 2, and the newly announced Pixel Buds 2a are in good hands.

The feature works similarly to that of AirPods or Galaxy Buds, with a slightly different initial setup. For it to work, you must ensure that your device has both Google Assistant and the Google Translate app installed, the former of which is present by default on all Android devices. You don’t need to install any language packs to begin with, as the feature relies entirely on an active internet connection. Next, you can begin by pressing one of your earbuds and saying, “Hey Google, help me speak Hindi.” Google Translate currently supports 40 languages, as mentioned on Google’s Support Page, which is a commendable number of supported languages.

Then, you can start speaking in your language while keeping one of the earbuds pressed, and the other person will be able to see and hear the translated message in their language. There’s also an automatic mode within the Google Translate app that eliminates the need to keep the earbuds pressed while speaking, making it even more seamless. Google’s accuracy is generally good enough to work for most people, as many users claim it to be as fast and accurate as the Google Translate app itself.

We noticed Google’s contextual AI handled slang and casual phrases better than most, especially when paired with Gemini.

Pros:

1. Works with all sorts of devices
2. Pleasant accuracy levels and quality
3. Supports 40 languages
4. Great sound quality, battery life, and noise cancellation

Cons:

1. Only recommended for casual translation requirements
2. Requires an active internet connection

Best Live Translation Earbuds for Pros

The earbuds mentioned above had the live translation modes as a ‘nice to have’ feature, but not as a ‘must-have’ feature that some of you might be looking for. This section features earbuds with the live translation feature as their flagship feature, not as an added bonus. We recommend sticking with these if your case requires a set of accurate, live-translating earbuds, especially if you rely on the feature on a regular basis.

Timekettle W4: Best for offline travel translations

Timekettle is a highly acclaimed name in the live translation earbuds space, and its W4 model is what happens when a company decides to go all out. Every small detail is taken into consideration for this product, starting from the design, which is uniquely shaped to facilitate the easy picking up of human voices. Secondly, the earbuds feature bone-conduction technology to increase the accuracy of voice pickup, as it helps to isolate human voices from external sounds. It also features the highly preferred One-on-One feature, which allows you to hand over one of your earbuds to the other person to hear and converse a lot more effortlessly.

The Timekettle W4 is compatible with a wide range of smartphones, supporting both Android and iPhone devices. All you need is the Timettle app, which is available on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. Once you’re in, the app lets you choose any two of the 42 languages along with 95 accents (some of which can also be downloaded for offline use), followed by selecting a mode: One-on-One or Listen & Play. No matter the mode you choose, the live translation delay is one of the lowest you’ll find, clocking in under one second in many cases, making it almost real-time.

The app can also present you with a summary of your conversations using AI, which is a nice feature to have. Users across Reddit and YouTube consider the Timkettle W4 earbuds highly praiseworthy. While the W4s are more than enough for most people’s needs, you may want to opt for the Timekettle W4 Pro if you frequently make and attend calls, as well as participate in online meetings. Claimed to be the “World’s First Earbuds for Phone & Remote Meeting Translation,” the W4 Pro can translate foreign calls, online meetings, and media content. They also offer a hook for an even secure fit.

Hands-on use showed near-zero lag even offline, making it a standout choice for airports and remote regions.

Pros:

1. Commendable translation abilities
2. Utilizes bone conduction and a unique design to pick up voices better
3. Supports a healthy selection of languages and accents

Cons:

1. A little pricey at $349 for the Timekettle W4 and $449 for the Timekettle W4 Pro
2. Battery life isn’t the best

Buy Timkettle W4

TransAI GO1: Best for clear translated meetings

If you are seeking something relatively affordable, we highly recommend the TransAI GO1. For just $79.99, the TransAI GO1 is not only highly acclaimed for its price but also for its commendable translation quality. A unique feature of the product is its charging case, which features an LCD screen to display real-time translations as they occur, in addition to basic earbud functions, battery status, and music controls. The TransAI GO1 is capable of understanding and translating over 150 languages and accents, a number that surpasses many live translation earbuds on this list.

There are several modes to begin with, including Listening Mode, Speaker Mode, Free Talk Mode, and Touch Mode. TransAI GO1 relies on a proprietary language translation model known as the Multi-Language Translation Model 4.0 (MLTM 4.0), which, according to many user reviews, performs exceptionally well. For starters, the translation speed is quite good, thus enabling face-to-face communications with ease. The earbuds do an outstanding job of maintaining the natural tone of the conversation, as they effectively interpret accents, homophones, slang, and multilingual transitions.

The only shortcoming we encountered is that TransAI GO1 cannot translate without an internet connection. Since the functionality is cloud-based, it relies on its app and an active internet connection. Furthermore, each pair of TransAI GO1 earbuds comes with 1 year of complementary access to the app at no extra charge, after which it becomes a recurring purchase. In addition to these features, the earbuds also include several handy extras, such as real-time phone calls, video calls, and meeting translations, as well as AI recording and summary capabilities.

Testing revealed fast, readable translations for casual conversations, though some complex phrases required a repeat command.

Pros:

1. Relatively cheaper than other earbuds at $79.99
2. Well-rated translation abilities
3. Display on the case is a thoughtful addition
4. Supports over 150 languages and accents

Cons:

1. Doesn’t support offline translations
2. App isn’t free
3. Sound quality isn’t the best

Buy TransAI GO1

Vasco Translator E1: Best for frequent travelers

The Vasco Translator E1 is among the best no-nonsense options, offering reliable translation capabilities. To start with, its design, which has won several awards, is very thoughtful and pocket-friendly. The earhook ensures that the earbuds don’t fall off easily, which is what even the TransAI GO1 had. Another highlighting feature of the Vasco Translator E1 is its ability to understand and translate 51 languages with ease. The earbuds feature a one-on-one mode, allowing you to share one of your earbuds with the other person to ensure a seamless experience when talking to each other.

The translation quality of the Vasco Translator E1 is praiseworthy, thanks to the use of nearly 10-12 translation engines to ensure a flawless output, thereby achieving an accuracy rate of over 95%. The translation latency is too high, either, ranging from just under a second to a few seconds at most, which is sufficient to maintain the flow of a conversation. However, you must ensure to minimize interruptions as much as possible, as it’s difficult for the earbuds to translate otherwise. The Vasco Translator E1 also fails at times when the talking pace is too fast or contains heavy slang and multilingual phrases.

The internal dual noise-cancelling earphones work really well in picking up voices accurately, which reduces the chances of translation errors. As a standout feature, the Vasco Connect app, required for the earbuds to function, can host up to 10 speakers simultaneously, and all of them can speak different languages without necessarily requiring the Translator E1 earbuds. The $389 price tag is a little steep, but on the bright side, the app doesn’t include any subscription charges.

We found the offline mode surprisingly robust, translating short phrases instantly even without mobile data.

Pros:

1. Appreciable translation qualities
2. The earbuds are well-designed
3. Supports 51 languages
4. Vasco Connect app can host up to 10 people simultaneously

Cons:

1. Quite pricey at $389
2. Doesn’t work offline and requires an internet connection
3. Sound quality isn’t the best

Buy Vasco Translator E1

Anfier M6: Best for budget users seeking solid translation performance

Anfier M6 is an ideal choice for users looking for a pair of offline live translation earbuds. The Anfier M6 earbuds boast highly accurate offline live translation for a total of eight languages, out of the 74 languages and 70 accents they support for regular online translation, which puts them at an advantage compared to most others on this list. Although offline translation takes a hit when compared to its online counterpart, it’s still better than getting stranded when there’s no internet available. The battery life is rated at a decent 20 hours with the charging case.

The Anfier M6 is among the few earbuds on this list to offer a standard design with no funky-looking microphones or earhooks, which you may prefer more. Anfier claims a translation accuracy of over 95%, which is close to perfect, although not usually achievable in real-life scenarios. In addition to these features, the earbuds offer several modes that are standard for live translation earbuds, including Touch Mode, Speaker Mode, Free Talk Mode, and Photo Translation. The latter allows you to translate your phone’s visual feed in real-time, which is what even iPhones claim to do through their Visual Intelligence feature.

The translation speed is relatively fast, averaging around a couple of seconds in most cases, although it depends on your internet connection stability and environmental noise levels. Although it doesn’t break the bank by costing under $100, Anfier’s app is free to use without any additional recurring charges, such as a subscription. The version without any offline package is even cheaper at $85.

In trials, accuracy was decent for casual chats but struggled slightly with fast multi-speaker conversations.

Pros:

1. Among the cheaper options on this list, starting at $85
2. Supports offline translation for eight languages
3. App is free to use

Cons:

1. Some reviews complain of quality control issues related to battery life
2. Offline translation isn’t as good as online translation
3. Mediocre sound quality

Buy Anfier M6

Wooask A9: Best for instant two-way translations anywhere

If budget isn’t an issue for you, there’s no other pair of live translation earbuds that go overboard more than the Wooask A9. The standout feature of the earbuds is that the case runs on Android and supports 4G connectivity via a physical SIM card. The case even features a camera on the back, alongside a speaker, to completely eliminate the need for an assisting smartphone. Thanks to its support for ChatGPT, the Wooask A9 can also assist you in situations requiring AI support, which solidifies it as a truly standalone pair of live translation earbuds.

In addition to the 144 languages and accents it can translate, the Wooask A9 can translate 16 of them in offline mode, which is among the highest for a pair of earbuds on this list. The translation accuracy and response times are also commendable. It also features 16GB of onboard storage for storing voice recordings. Similar to other live translation earbuds, the Wooask A9 also features several modes, including In-ear Mode, Speaker Mode, and Photo Translation mode, which greatly benefit from the case’s built-in speakers and camera setup. There’s also support for music playback through Spotify.

The translation process is supremely seamless, as all it requires is opening the case and selecting the required languages. Being standalone really is beneficial at times. If Wooask A9’s feature set and the $349.99 price tag are a little too much for you compared to your requirements, you can opt for its Wi-Fi-only version for $100 less. Wooask’s product lineup contains many more options, including several alternatives to the earbuds mentioned in this list, and is worth checking out.

During travel tests, it handled two-way exchanges fluidly, though connection drops occurred when switching between apps.

Pros:

1. Built-in screen, speaker, and camera make it truly standalone
2. 4G connectivity is a plus
3. Good translation abilities
4. Supports 16 offline languages, in addition to a total of 144 languages

Cons:

1. Expensive at $349
2. Some of the features are gimmicks

Buy Wooask A9

Don’t Let Language Let You Down With These Live Translation Earbuds

Live translation earbuds make conversing in foreign languages child’s play. While not entirely perfect in their current stage, they’re certainly more preferred than having a human interpreter. They’re relatively cheap, easy to use, and work adequately well in most cases. If you don’t require a set of earphones for professional purposes or for regular conversations that require real-time translation, we recommend opting for one of the mainstream options, such as AirPods, Galaxy Buds, or Pixel Buds, or other AirPods alternatives, they are far more desirable in terms of other features, such as sound quality, battery life, and noise cancellation, and do a decent job at real-time voice translations.

For those who do, we recommend investing in a pair of specialized earphones to get an enhanced translation experience compared to the mainstream options. These include Timekettle W4 and the Anfier M6 as the overall best options. The TransAI GO1 is ideal for those with budget constraints, whereas we recommend the Wooask A9 and Vasco Translator E1 if budget isn’t an issue for you.

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