The 5 Best Budget Wireless Headphones - Black Friday 2024

The best budget Bluetooth headphones we've tested are the Anker Soundcore Life Q30 Wireless. These headphones are the next generation of the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Wireless and offer an improved active noise cancellation (ANC) performance for peace and quiet during days on the go. You can set the ANC to different modes to suit your situation. For example, 'Transport' mode does a fantastic job of blocking out a wide range of noise, including rumbling engines and background conversations.

They have a sturdy, comfortable design and a good control scheme that lets you adjust your music and answer calls on the go. When you want to stay aware of your surroundings, you can set them to 'Transparency' mode to let in some ambient sound. They have a bass-heavy sound profile that adds extra thump, punch, and boom to your audio, and unlike the Q20, they're compatible with a companion app that features a graphic EQ and presets for sound customization. They also support multi-device pairing, so you can stay connected with your phone and computer simultaneously.

The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Wireless are the best cheap Bluetooth headphones we've tested. They're lightweight, comfortable, and decently well-built, although some parts have a plasticky feel, so the lower price comes with a step down in build quality. They're less expensive than their successor, the Anker Soundcore Life Q30 Wireless, and are missing a few features compared to those headphones, like adjustable ANC and sound adjustment controls. The ANC still does a good job of cutting down sounds like ambient chatter and the high-pitched hum of an A/C unit. However, it has some trouble tackling the low rumble of bus engines, so it doesn't perform quite as well as the newer Life Q30's overall.

These headphones have a 32-hour continuous battery life that'll last through long flights or a couple of workdays. Plus, their V-shaped sound profile adds intense rumble, punch, and boom to your audio, while instruments are bright and sparkly. This sound is well-suited for genres like rock and pop. You might find the intense bass response overwhelming, and, unfortunately, you can't customize it since these headphones don't come with a graphic EQ and presets like the newer Life Q30.

The JBL Tune 760NC Wireless are the best budget Bluetooth headphones for calls we've tested. Their price fluctuates, but they're worth considering as a budget option if you can get them on sale. These lightweight over-ears have an integrated mic with a better recording quality than the Anker Soundcore Life Q30 Wireless', making your voice sound clear and understandable, if a little thin. It also does a good job separating your voice from moderate background noise, so you can be heard next to a busy road or in a shopping mall, although you may get drowned out by louder background noise, like a passing truck or subway train. Their ANC performs reasonably well when cutting out mid- and treble-range noise, like office chit-chat or whiny PC fans, but doesn't do as well at isolating you from the low rumble of bus or plane engines.

They have a slightly bass-heavy sound profile that will give genres like hip-hop and EDM extra thump and punch. The rest of the range is well-balanced, making them well-suited for listening to most audio content. However, they don't have sound customization features, like a companion app with graphic EQ or presets, so you're stuck with their default mix. Fortunately, they last just over 40 hours on a single charge with ANC on, so you can use them for most of the workweek before needing a recharge.

The best on-ear Bluetooth headphones in the budget range are the Sony WH-CH520 Wireless. On-ears are generally less popular than other types of headphones, and compared to over-ears like the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Wireless, they hardly block out any noise. However, these offer a few advantages over the Q20. They support multi-device pairing, meaning you can stay connected with your phone and computer simultaneously. They also have an app with sound customization features so you can adjust their warm default sound profile, and they offer a longer 52-hour continuous battery life, so you don't need to recharge them daily.

Their integrated mic has a good recording quality, especially for Bluetooth headphones, so your voice sounds clear and natural over the phone. Unfortunately, it can't separate your voice from background noise as effectively as the JBL Tune 760NC Wireless mic, so they're best suited for calls from quiet places. These headphones are fairly well-built but don't feel particularly premium or durable. Still, they feel light on your head and have a more portable design than the over-ears listed here. You can also fold the ear cups to fit them in a bag more easily.

If you're still looking for budget-friendly headphones and don't care if they're wireless, you might find what you need on our list of the best budget and cheap headphones.

If you prefer earbuds for their portability and lightness, check out the JBL Vibe Buds True Wireless. These buds have a more stable and comfortable fit than over-ears like the Anker Soundcore Life Q30 Wireless. They're even certified IP54 for resistance against dust and direct water exposure, so you can wear them during workouts or runs in the park. One of the trade-offs in their design is that their continuous battery life of nine hours is still much less than that of other picks on this list. Still, they'll last you through long days on the go, and unlike over-ear and on-ear headphones, they come with a carrying case that supplies an additional three charges if needed.

Out of the box, they have a V-shaped sound profile, so they pack on the bass while vocals and instruments are bright and sparkly. Unlike many budget-friendly picks, they have a companion app that offers an EQ and presets so you can fine-tune the sound to your liking. They lack noise cancelling, though, and they struggle to reduce the low rumble of bus engines. However, they do a better job of blocking out ambient chatter.

If you're shopping for earbuds, you can find more options on our best budget and cheap wireless earbuds list.