How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-06 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• Cleer ARC 5 — biggest strength: a genuinely loaded feature set. Dolby Atmos and THX Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking, Snapdragon Sound with aptX Adaptive and Lossless, multipoint, a smart case with an FHD touchscreen and UV-C sanitization, and up to 60 hours of total playtime.
• Cleer ARC 5 — biggest trade-off: more complexity and a heavier 145 g package (plus a 97 g case), and there's no active noise cancellation — which is normal for open ear, but worth knowing before you buy.
• Plufunex Open Ear Headphones — biggest strength: simple, light, tough. A 32 g build, IP68 water resistance, Bluetooth 6.0 with multipoint, physical buttons that work with sweaty hands, and up to 13 hours on a single charge.
• Plufunex — biggest trade-off: fewer premium audio features. No spatial audio, a bone conduction driver with 20 KHz frequency response, and battery that runs a single day rather than a week.
• Who each pick is for: Cleer ARC 5 for the person who wants one pair for work calls, commuting and workouts. Plufunex for the runner, cyclist or gym regular who wants minimal fuss and maximum sweat resistance.
The Cleer ARC 5 is the more ambitious product of the two. The open-ear hook design keeps your ears uncovered so you stay aware of what's around you, but the audio side is where Cleer clearly spent its budget: Dolby Atmos and THX Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking, plus Qualcomm Snapdragon Sound with aptX Adaptive and Lossless support. In my opinion that's the most interesting part of this pair for anyone who cares about sound quality rather than just getting through a workout.
Who should buy it: anyone who wants a single pair of open ear headphones to handle calls, meetings, music and workouts — especially if you're on iPhone or iPad, or you want app-level EQ control. Who should skip it: if you want the absolute lightest possible thing on your head, or you don't care about spatial audio and a smart case, you're paying for features you won't use. Also note there's no active noise cancellation here, and the controls are touch-based, which some people dislike when their hands are wet.
Plufunex Open Ear Headphones: Who It's For
The Plufunex set takes the opposite approach: strip it down and make it survive. It weighs 32 g, which is about as "forget you're wearing it" as an open-ear hook design gets, and the frame uses ABS and silicone rather than metal — light, flexible, and comfortable over long hours. The driver is bone conduction with a 16 mm driver size and 20 KHz frequency response, so expect a different presentation than a dynamic driver: clear and functional rather than lush.
Durability is the real story. IP68 water resistance covers sweat, rain and dust — the description explicitly notes it's not for underwater swimming or immersion, so treat it as "weather and sweat proof," not "swim proof." Bluetooth 6.0 brings faster pairing, lower latency and a more stable link, with multipoint so you can hop between your phone and laptop, and a stated range of about 33 feet. Battery is up to 13 hours on a charge with a 10-minute quick top-up, and charging takes about 2 hours. Physical buttons are the sleeper feature here: they respond instantly even with sweaty hands, which is exactly the scenario touch controls fail at.
Who should buy it: runners, cyclists, gym-goers and outdoor people who want awareness of traffic and surroundings, a secure ergonomic fit through climbs and descents, and controls they can hit with gloves or wet fingers. Who should skip it: if you want premium spatial audio, a case with a screen, or multi-day battery between charges, this isn't that product. The 6.35 mm jack reference in the spec sheet is best ignored — connectivity here is wireless Bluetooth, plain and simple.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for call center and work calls → Cleer ARC 5. Noise-reducing microphones, multipoint, MFi pairing and app EQ make it the stronger wireless headset for call center shifts.
• Best for running, cycling and sweaty workouts → Plufunex. IP68, 32 g, physical buttons and a secure hook fit are built for exactly that.
• Best for sound quality and immersion → Cleer ARC 5. Dolby Atmos, THX Spatial Audio with head tracking, aptX Adaptive and Lossless are a clear step up.
• Best for simplicity → Plufunex. Bluetooth 6.0, multipoint, buttons, done. No app required, no case to manage.
• Best for travel and commuting → Cleer ARC 5. The pocket-ready smart case, FHD touchscreen, UV-C sanitization and 5-minute quick charge suit a bag you carry daily.
• Best for long comfort sessions → Plufunex. At 32 g it's the lighter of the two on your head; the Cleer set is 145 g with a 97 g case.
• Best for water and dust exposure → Plufunex. IP68 beats IPX7 on the dust side and matches it on water.
If I were buying one pair of open ear headphones for a call center desk, commutes and the occasional workout, I'd buy the Cleer ARC 5. The combination of up to 60 hours of total playtime, noise-reducing microphones, multipoint, MFi pairing and a smart case with a touchscreen is simply more headphone for a working day — and the Dolby Atmos and THX Spatial Audio with head tracking is a real reason to pick it over a basic sport set. But if your priority is training, I'd point you at the Plufunex: 32 g, IP68, 13 hours and physical buttons are exactly what a runner or cyclist needs, and nothing more. Before you decide, check the current price on Amazon for both — the value math changes depending on what each one costs you today.
how to open ear headphones work
Open ear headphones rest outside your ear canal, usually on a hook that loops over the top of your ear, and send sound toward your ear without blocking it. That's why you can hear music and traffic at the same time. Both the Cleer ARC 5 and the Plufunex use this hook-style open-ear placement.
how to wear open ear headphones
Loop the hook over the top of your ear so the speaker sits just in front of your ear canal, then adjust until it feels balanced and doesn't move when you shake your head. The Plufunex has an adjustable 35° design you can angle for open or more focused listening, while the Cleer ARC 5 relies on its ergonomic ear-hook fit.
how to use open ear headphones
Pair over Bluetooth, then use the onboard controls — touch controls and the Cleer+ app on the Cleer ARC 5, or the physical buttons and touch control on the Plufunex. Both support multipoint, so you can connect to two devices and switch between them. For calls, just talk normally; the Cleer ARC 5's microphones are tuned to reduce background noise.
how to open ear headphones for running
For running, prioritize fit stability and water resistance. The Plufunex is the more natural match: 32 g, IP68 sweat and rain resistance, and physical buttons you can press with wet hands. The Cleer ARC 5 also works for running with its IPX7 rating and secure hooks, and it adds more battery for longer outings.
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