Looking for good headphones can get expensive fast. With how manufacturers market their flagship models, it's easy to think that premium features like active noise cancellation (ANC), balanced sound, and all-day comfort can only come at a high cost. While you may be used to seeing barebones, no-frills products at this price tag, manufacturers have steadily raised the quality of their budget-friendly products. It's not uncommon to find solid-performing headphones without sacrificing an arm and a leg.
We've tested over 875 pairs of headphones, and below are our picks for the best budget and best cheap headphones. For the purposes of this article, we consider 'budget' headphones to fall under the $100 mark. Due to the nature of sales and pricing fluctuations, there are often some variations at this price point, so we try to point these out in our picks where possible.
For more recommendations, check out our picks for the best budget noise cancelling headphones, the best wireless Bluetooth headphones under $100, and the best noise cancelling headphones under $200.
Our How We Test Headphones article takes you behind the scenes in our lab. You'll learn how we choose and purchase products and dive into the details of our review philosophy, from testing and scoring to writing and editing.
You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
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Best Budget Headphones
Bass AmountVery Emphasized (7 dB)Treble AmountSlightly Emphasized (1 dB)Sound SignatureBoosted BassTypeOver-earEnclosureClosed-BackWirelessYesNoise CancellingYesSee all our test resultsMicYesThe best budget headphones we've tested are the Anker Soundcore Life Q30 Wireless. They're the predecessor to the Anker Soundcore Life Q35 Wireless. As you might expect from budget headphones, they lack some of their successors' features, like support for high-resolution audio codecs. That said, you don't have to compromise too much. They have ANC that does a fantastic job of blocking out a wide range of noise, including rumbling engines and background chit-chat. They also last for approximately 44 hours on a single charge and support multi-device pairing, allowing you to stay connected to your phone and computer simultaneously.
Out of the box, these headphones deliver a lot of extra bass. There's extra thump and rumble in genres like EDM and hip-hop, but instruments and voices still sound clear and bright. If you prefer a different sound, you can use the in-app EQ and presets to customize it to your liking. While these headphones are lightweight and comfy, their ear cup padding is a bit thin, which can get fatiguing during long listening sessions. Their plastic frame isn't particularly premium, but they feel decently sturdy. Thankfully, they come with a padded case to keep them secure during transit.
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Best Headphones Under $50
Bass AmountSlightly Emphasized (2 dB)Treble AmountEmphasized (2 dB)Sound SignatureV-ShapedTypeOver-earEnclosureClosed-BackWirelessYesNoise CancellingYesSee all our test resultsMicYesConsider another pair of Anker headphones, like the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 2024, if you want something less expensive. The brand dominates the budget and mid-range over-ear space by offering reasonably priced headphones with great sonic performance. There aren't many affordable over-ear headphones that outperform the Q20, especially in terms of their powerful ANC system. This iteration offers enhanced functionality, including USB-C charging, Bluetooth multi-device pairing, and 49 hours of battery life.
While they don't attenuate low-frequency sounds as well as the Anker Soundcore Life Q30 Wireless, they still do a good job of reducing bassy background noise from commutes, and they excel at isolating your ears from close-by conversations. They have a comfortable fit and feel decently well-built, even if some parts, like their plastic hinges, feel flimsy. They also lack a proper carrying case, unlike the one that comes with the Q30, which is sold with just a simple pouch. Out of the box, they have an excited sound profile with lots of bass and treble to complement pop, rock, and hip-hop. There's some scope for adjustment via the graphic EQ and presets found in the companion app, too, if you need to fine-tune the sound to your preference.
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Best Cheap Headphones
Bass AmountVery Emphasized (6 dB)Treble AmountUnderemphasized (-4 dB)Sound SignatureBoosted BassTypeIn-earEnclosureClosed-BackWirelessTruly WirelessNoise CancellingNoSee all our test resultsMicYesIf you want the cheapest possible pair of headphones, you'll likely find plenty more earbud options than over-ears. Buds like the Anker Soundcore P25i offer comparable features you'd find at a higher price point, but in a smaller, more lightweight, and cost-effective design. That doesn't mean they aren't fun to listen to, though: they have a bass-heavy sound profile that adds punch and rumble to your favorite house tracks and club bangers. If this doesn't sound like your jam, there are a further 22 EQ profiles to choose from in the companion app. As you'd expect from the price point, they lack more premium features, like ANC and Bluetooth multi-device pairing.
Still, their in-ear fit is comfortable for most and provides some passive attenuation of background noises, like passing cars and office chit-chat. They come equipped with a decent integrated mic too, which will do the job for calls, and they're able to last around nine hours off a single charge (with two extra charges in their case). If you're willing to spend a few bucks more and value features like ANC and multi-device pairing, consider instead the tier-up Anker Soundcore P31i, which have a more comfortable fit and a solid noise isolation performance that punches above their price tag.
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Best Budget Wired Headphones
Wired headphones can be an advantage for listeners who want the best sound quality and no lag. If you prefer the wired format in general, consider the Audio-Technica ATH-M20x. They're less portable and limit your range of movement with them on, but they're still a worthwhile option to consider, depending on your needs. They reproduce bass frequencies well, thanks to their closed-back design. Meanwhile, their great mid-range accuracy ensures clarity and detail in vocals and lead instruments. While their build quality isn't quite up to the same standard as the manufacturer's best-known closed-back headphones, the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x, they're still comfortable at a fraction of the price of the ATH-M50x.
While their wired-only design avoids the battery life problem altogether, the headphones' cable isn't removable. Additionally, the headband extension design directly exposes the cable to damage, routing the connection outside the body of the headband. Their lack of a mic means you can't use them for calls either, and they do a poor job of passively isolating you from background conversations at the office.
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Best Budget Audiophile Headphones
Bass AmountUnderemphasized (-6 dB)Treble AmountBalanced (0 dB)Sound SignatureFlatTypeOver-earEnclosureOpen-BackWirelessNoNoise CancellingNoSee all our test resultsMicNoThe Philips SHP9500 are a great entry point for users curious about audiophile headphones. These headphones can fluctuate in stock status, so if you can't find them, check out their similarly performing successor, the Philips SHP9600. The SHP9500 over-ears have a relatively flat sound profile that represents instruments and vocals with detail and clarity. Their open design provides a great passive soundstage, which feels spacious and wide. It also means they leak a lot, so they aren't a good choice for recording sessions or casual use around the office. People nearby can easily hear your audio, and mics will pick up your backing track when recording.
The main downside of these cans is their lack of low bass. Many open-back headphones share this trait, as their design makes it more challenging to accurately reproduce the lowest frequencies. If a thumpier low-end is important to you, consider the Superlux HD 681. The Superlux are semi-open headphones with significantly more bass than the Philips. The sonic trade-off comes at the other end of the spectrum; despite a flat mid-range, they have an elevated treble that makes cymbals and sibilants sound piercing. That said, they're usually a bit cheaper than our pick. Unfortunately, they're not as comfortable as the Philips, have a worse build quality, and don't come with a detachable cable.
Notable Mentions
- Superlux HD 668B: The Superlux HD 668B are semi-open headphones designed for budget audiophiles. They have a detachable cable like the Philips SHP9500 but aren't as comfortable and have a piercing treble. See our review
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JLab Audio GO Air POP True Wireless:
The JLab Audio GO Air POP True Wireless are cheap in-ear headphones with good battery life and a stable, gym-friendly design. However, the Anker Soundcore P25i are more customizable, thanks to their in-app graphic EQ and presets. Though the JLab attenuate more noise, the Anker headphones are rated IPX5 for water resistance too and have a slightly more comfortable fit.
See our review -
JBL Tune 520BT:
The JBL Tune 520BT are on-ears that offer a different style of fit to the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 2024. The JBL have a longer battery life than the Anker and a slightly less boomy bass response, but the Anker are more comfortable, stable, and well-built. The Anker also feature an ANC system that's capable of cutting out quite a bit of external noise.
See our review
Recent Updates
Apr 10, 2026:
We've merged this article with our 'Best Headphones Under $50' article, as the two had substantial overlap. In practice, this has meant introducing a cheap pick (the Anker Soundcore P25i) while shifting the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 2024 to our 'Best Under $50' pick. We've also added the Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless as our budget earbuds pick.
Mar 04, 2026:
We've updated this article, making changes to the text throughout for conciseness and clarity, though our picks have stayed the same.
Nov 04, 2025:
We've replaced the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Wireless with the next-generation Anker Soundcore Life Q20 2024 as our cheap pick, which introduces upgrades like USB-C charging and a longer battery life. Otherwise, we've made minor changes to the text throughout the article to ensure our picks are up-to-date.
Mar 10, 2025:
We've updated the article for clarity, but our picks haven't changed. In the 'Best Budget On-Ear Headphones' category, we now mention the JBL Live 670NC instead of the JBL Live 460NC Wireless for their significantly longer battery life.
Dec 10, 2024:
We've updated the article with minor text and clarity improvements. The Philips SHP9600 are now mentioned as a comparison to the Philips SHP9500 for their similar performance and price.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are based on what we think are currently the best budget and cheap headphones you can get. We factor in the price (cheaper headphones win over pricier ones if the difference isn't worth it), feedback from our visitors, and availability (no headphones that are difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere).
If you would like to choose for yourself, here is the list of all our reviews for headphones and earbuds under $100. Be careful not to get caught up in the details. There are no perfect headphones. Personal taste, preference, and listening habits will matter more in your selection.