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Shokz is a solid pick for open-ear headphones in Germany: free two-to-three-day delivery, 30 days to return, and 24 months of warranty on new models. Prices run from €89.95 to €249 on the German store. Best for runners, cyclists and swimmers who want to hear traffic while they listen.
How we made this estimate
We did not test these headphones ourselves. This page compiles 14 named sources, all checked in October 2026: published test reports from German and international technology outlets, 3,057 customer ratings on Trustpilot, German price-comparison listings, the brand's own German store pages for prices and policies, and WIPO's published profile of the company for its patent record. Where those sources disagree, we say so rather than average it away.
What Shokz actually makes
Shokz builds open-ear headphones: the speaker sits outside your ear canal instead of plugging it, so you keep hearing traffic, a training partner or a colleague. The German storefront, de.shokz.com, runs on Shopify and prices everything in euros.
Two technologies sit under the range. Bone conduction sends sound through the cheekbone, which is what the brand built its name on. Air conduction fires a small speaker at your ear from just outside it, which is how the newer clip-on models work. The flagship OpenRun Pro 2 uses both at once under the name DualPitch, with the bone transducer carrying mids and highs and an air driver handling bass.
The company is older than the brand name suggests. It was founded in Shenzhen in 2004 as Voxtech, developing bone conduction for military and law-enforcement radio work, launched consumer headphones in 2011 as AfterShokz, and renamed itself Shokz in December 2021. WIPO's magazine profile records 2,692 patent applications in the open-ear field by the end of 2024, of which 1,176 had been granted. Shokz's own German homepage adds a wider count of 6,600 patent filings worldwide, 30 million units sold and availability in more than 70 countries and regions.
- Fourteen models on the German store, from the €89.95 OpenMove to the €249 OpenFit Pro.
- Free delivery in two to three working days, no minimum order.
- 30 days to return for a full refund; 24 months of warranty on new units, 12 on refurbished.
- Certified refurbished stock runs up to 25% below new, with free shipping and the same 30-day trial.
- Open-ear sound trades isolation for awareness. That is the point, and it is also the compromise.
What you pay in Germany
These are the list prices we read on the German store in October 2026. Shokz splits the range by job rather than by tier, so the useful question is which activity you are buying for.
| Model | Store price | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| OpenMove | €89.95 | Entry bone conduction, everyday use |
| OpenFit Air | €109 | Entry clip-on, air conduction |
| OpenRun | €139 | Running and gym, headband style |
| OpenFit Air 2 / OpenDots Air | €139 | Newer lightweight clip-ons |
| OpenDots ONE | €159 (listed down from €199) | Clip-on flagship, wireless charging case |
| OpenFit 2 | €189 | Premium open-ear for all-day wear |
| OpenRun Pro 2 / OpenDots 2 | €199 | Sports flagship and newest clip-on |
| OpenSwim Pro | €229 | Swimming, 32 GB of onboard music |
| OpenFit Pro | €249 | Top of the open-ear range |
A separate work line sits alongside these: OpenComm 2 at €189.95, the UC version with a wireless adapter at €239.95, and the OpenMeet series from €167. Those carry boom microphones and are built for calls rather than sport.
The store price is not always the going rate. In October 2026 the German price-comparison site Geizhals listed the OpenRun Pro 2 from roughly €150 while the store asked €199, and heise's deals desk has repeatedly flagged it below list. Check a comparison listing before you order at full price, and weigh the store's own perks against it: free shipping, the 30-day return window and 24 months of warranty all come from buying direct.
What the testers agree on
Across German and international outlets the consensus is consistent. The OpenRun Pro 2 is treated as the reference open-ear sports headphone, and the agreement covers three things: comfort, battery life and the fact that the newer hybrid design finally produces real bass.
Testers at SoundGuys call it the best bone conduction headphone available. heise's Techstage team scored it 90 out of 100 and put it first in their sports headphone ranking, measuring up to twelve hours of playback and about two and a half hours of use from a five-minute charge, in a 30.3 g frame rated IP55 against sweat and rain. TechRadar reached the same place by a different route, describing it as the ideal runner's headphone.
| Source | Verdict or score | When we checked |
|---|---|---|
| heise / Techstage (DE) | 90/100, first in its sports headphone list | October 2026 |
| SoundGuys | Best bone conduction headphone available | October 2026 |
| TechRadar | The ideal runner's headphone | October 2026 |
| hifitest.de (DE) | “Sehr gut” | October 2026 |
| techkrams (DE) | 81% | October 2026 |
| Trustpilot customers (shokz.com) | 4.5/5 from 3,057 ratings | October 2026 |
Customer feedback points the same way on service rather than sound. On Trustpilot the brand holds 4.5 out of 5 across 3,057 ratings, with 76% at five stars and 13% at one. Buyers who post about warranty claims repeatedly describe fast replacements, and the company replies to 77% of its negative ratings, usually inside a day. Regional pages sit lower, at 4.3 in Ireland and 4.0 in New Zealand, so the headline figure is the best case rather than a universal one.
Where the verdicts split
Two genuine disagreements are worth knowing before you spend €200.
The first is about ranking. heise puts the OpenRun Pro 2 first among sports headphones, but its broader open-ear list places Soundcore ahead of both Bose and Shokz. Several international roundups agree that Anker's Soundcore AeroFit 2 matches Shokz on sound for around half the money, and that the AeroFit 2 Pro adds noise cancelling that Shokz does not offer. If you are buying mainly for music rather than for sport, the premium is harder to justify.
The second is about the clip-on range. TechRadar's test of the OpenDots ONE put it ahead of the Bose Ultra Open on fit and price. What Hi-Fi's testers were cooler, finding the bass ill-defined and rivals more musically engaging. Both can be true: the clip design is excellent at staying put and staying comfortable, and it is not the way to get the richest sound at that price.
What works well and what to know
What works well
- Awareness by design. The open fit keeps traffic, announcements and conversation audible, which is the reason most buyers choose the category.
- Comfort and stability are the most consistent praise in every test report we read, helped by weights around 30 g and IP55 sweat protection on the sports models.
- Battery life holds up under measurement, not just on the box: up to twelve hours on the flagship, with a useful five-minute quick charge.
- A real swimming option. The OpenSwim Pro carries 32 GB of music and an IP68 rating to two metres, which almost nothing else in the category offers.
- Buying direct comes with free two-to-three-day delivery, no minimum order, 30 days to return and 24 months of warranty.
- Customers consistently rate the after-sales handling well, and the brand answers most negative feedback publicly within a day.
What to know before you buy
- Open-ear sound is not sealed-earbud sound. Test reports agree that music can be drowned out on a busy road or in a loud gym, and that bass does not reach in-ear levels. Use the 30-day window if that matters to you.
- Underwater listening runs in MP3 mode, so load files onto the OpenSwim Pro's storage before a swim. Bluetooth does not carry through water.
- Compare the flagship against German retail listings first; it has sat near €150 against a €199 store price.
- The first-order newsletter discount excludes OpenDots 2, OpenDots Air, OpenFit Pro, refurbished stock and accessories, and does not combine with other vouchers.
- Refurbished units carry 12 months of warranty rather than 24, though they keep free shipping and the 30-day trial.
- Microphones suit quick calls rather than all-day meetings; testers found the OpenDots ONE struggled in wind. The OpenComm line with its boom mic is the one built for that.
Which Shokz model suits you
Runners and cyclists who want traffic awareness should look at the OpenRun Pro 2 at €199, or the OpenRun at €139 if the hybrid bass upgrade is not worth €60 to you. Both use the behind-the-head band, which is the more secure option at speed.
Swimmers have one choice and it is a good one: the OpenSwim Pro at €229, loaded with MP3 files for the pool and switched to Bluetooth on dry land.
Office and hybrid workers are better served by the OpenComm 2 at €189.95 or the OpenMeet series from €167, where the boom microphone is the actual feature.
Everyday listeners who want something light for walking, commuting and errands can start with the OpenFit Air at €109 or the OpenMove at €89.95, and step up to the OpenDots ONE at €159 for the wireless charging case and better fit.
If your main use is seated listening to music at home, this is the wrong category rather than the wrong brand. Sealed earbuds will give you more for less.
Alternatives worth comparing
- Soundcore AeroFit 2 — the value pick. Roughly half the price of the Shokz flagship, with LDAC support and an IP55 rating, and several roundups rate its sound at or above Shokz level. Prefer it if music quality per euro is your priority.
- Bose Ultra Open — the sound and comfort benchmark among clip-ons, and the only open-ear set with Dolby Atmos spatial audio. Prefer it if you want the best listening experience and battery life matters less; around seven hours with immersive audio switched on is short for all-day wear.
- Shokz certified refurbished — the cheapest route into the same hardware, up to 25% below new with free shipping, a one-year warranty and the 30-day trial. Prefer it if you want an OpenRun Pro or OpenSwim Pro at a lower entry price and do not mind a shorter warranty.
Questions buyers ask
Who makes Shokz headphones?
Shokz is the headphone brand of Shenzhen Voxtech Co., Ltd., founded in 2004. Its bone conduction technology began as military and law-enforcement communications equipment, moved into consumer headphones in 2011 under the name AfterShokz, and was rebranded as Shokz in December 2021.
How long does Shokz delivery take in Germany?
The German store states free delivery in two to three working days with no minimum order, and up to five working days when demand is high. We read that on de.shokz.com in October 2026.
Can I return Shokz headphones if they do not fit?
Yes. The store gives 30 days from dispatch to return for a full refund, which it describes as a risk-free trial. New headphones carry 24 months of warranty; certified refurbished units carry 12 months and keep the same 30-day return window.
Which Shokz model is best for running?
The OpenRun Pro 2 at €199. heise's Techstage team ranked it first among sports headphones at 90 out of 100, measuring up to twelve hours of battery in a 30.3 g frame rated IP55. The OpenRun at €139 is the same basic design without the hybrid bass driver.
Do Shokz headphones work for swimming?
The OpenSwim Pro does, at €229. It is rated IP68 to a depth of two metres and holds 32 GB of music on board, which is necessary because Bluetooth does not transmit through water. Load MP3 files before you get in, and use Bluetooth on land. Testers report about nine hours of Bluetooth playback and six hours in MP3 mode.
Is there a student discount on Shokz in Germany?
Yes. The German store runs a student offer through Student Beans, worth 15% or 20% depending on the product, for verified students resident in Germany on selected items including the OpenFit and OpenDots lines. Shokz also runs a first-order newsletter discount and a referral offer for new customers above a €89.95 order value, each with its own conditions set out on the brand's own offer pages.
Bottom line
Shokz earns its 8.4 on the strength of hardware that named test outlets and 3,057 customer ratings broadly agree on, backed by buying terms that are genuinely good: free fast delivery, a month to change your mind and two years of warranty. Our confidence is high on the policies and prices, which we read directly from the German store, and moderate on sound quality, where we are relying on other people's ears rather than our own.
Buy it for awareness while you move, and compare the flagship against German retail listings before you pay list price. If you mainly want sound quality for the money while sitting still, Soundcore deserves a look first.
