The 6 best budget earbuds of 2025, tested by audio experts

The selections on this lift were driven first by price, as we wanted the options here to be truly affordable. The products on this list are under $200, with a focus on models that are mostly under $100.

We tested these earbuds with various songs, from live performances to bass-heavy electronic music, R&B, rock, and folksy guitar songs. We evaluated how they sounded out of the box, along with any EQ presets or custom controls.

Though this category can be subjective, we made sure each of our selections had at least several different ear tip sizes and was comfortable to wear for three hours or more.

Realistically, you'll make calls when using your earbuds, which is why we put each of these earbuds through a call test, making sure the person on the other end of the phone could hear us clearly and consistently.

The EarFun Air Pro 4 earbuds may not come from one of the more well-known audio brands, but they have some of the best battery life and noise cancellation we've experienced on any earbuds, not just those in the budget price range. Plus at their $79.99, they're the true embodiment of not sacrificing features while still remaining affordable.

Frankly, these earbuds have no business offering as many features as they do while costing less than $100 — that's why they're our top pick.

While it is possible to use them straight out of the box, with the app, these earbuds offer more, including five different levels of noise cancellation. While the differences between some modes were negligible, the "strong ANC" setting didn't mess around (even if it did have the slightest detectable hiss without music), and the "wind noise cancellation" setting actually diminished the sound of a bathroom fan and hair dryer even more than the standard ANC. Basically, the noise cancellation worked and felt on par with headphones and earbuds that cost double their price. Plus, having different levels of ANC isn't a common feature on cheaper or more expensive earbuds — neither the Apple AirPods line nor Bose QuietComfort lines offer these features.

Along with the impressive ANC, these earbuds fit comfortably, staying in place even during runs (which isn't always a given for earbuds without stems). The battery life lasted an impressive amount of time, leaving us only recharging the case once after a week of regular use. A light indicator on the case also easily shows you how much juice you have left. While waiting for these earbuds to start showing their price point, we thought they might struggle with their multipoint connection, but they easily connected and switched between two devices, and toggled easily between two selected devices with the help of the app. Oh, and they sounded great, with the app offering a custom and preset equalizer (which is, again, very much not a given feature at this price point, or price points $50 higher).

So were there any downsides? The case was a little bulky, and the touch controls remained finicky, even after we got used to how they worked (but you can toggle them off). If EarFun switched to a button for on-ear controls instead, these might just be perfect earbuds, but as they stand at their price now, we're really not complaining.

Without a doubt, these are the best budget earbuds you can find.

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If the customizability of the EarFun earbuds sounds overwhelming, but you still want a pair of quality earbuds under $100, the Raycon Everyday Earbuds Classic absolutely live up to their name.

As headphones and earbuds testers, we spend a lot of time playing around with companion apps — but we get that experience isn't exactly desirable for everyone. The YouTube-famous Raycon earbuds keep the listening experience simple from the jump: When you open the case, they connect to your device or automatically go into their Bluetooth pairing mode if you're not connected to a device. From there, every control you need will be found on the earbuds themselves, via the tactile button controls found on either earbud.

Want to toggle your ANC? You'll hold the buttons for three seconds for your pick of the ANC, transparency, or awareness off modes. Into a different sound profile? Pressing the button four times lets you switch between the three ANC presets: balanced sound, bass sound, and pure sound.

Speaking of sound, despite these being relatively affordable headphones, the Raycon Everyday Earbuds don't fall into the trap of going heavy on the bass in an effort to sound high-end. Instead, they sound well-balanced if a tiny bit on the thin side as compared to the EarFun option on our list — but the differences were ultimately rather negligible.

The ANC, on the other hand, was noticeably not quite as strong as the EarFun earbuds, but still could dampen sounds of a workspace, a cafe, or a noisy apartment building, especially with the help of some audio. While the lack of an app or Bluetooth button does make it more difficult to easily add devices (you'll have to disconnect the earbuds if you want them to go into their pairing mode), once you've connected two devices, switching between them is pretty seamless, even compared to much more expensive models. Plus, we appreciated their eight hours of battery life per charge.

Comfort-wise, we could see these working well during a work day or during a workout — the IPX4-rated dust and water resistance also especially helps with the latter. Five included gel tips will help you find your perfect fit. And their extra compact case makes them incredibly convenient to take on the go.

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If you really want to stay on a tight budget but don't want to sacrifice features, your best bet is the Anker Soundcore P30i earbuds. They're extremely affordable at $49.99, but you still get the perk of active noise cancellation and powerful sound.

The Anker Soundcore P30i earbuds prove that you don't need to spend even $50 to get the perks of a more expensive pair of headphones. We didn't expect much from a pair of earbuds that retail $49.99, but they proved to be a really solid pair of earbuds with active noise cancellation.

The active noise cancellation on them is impressive for their price, able to block out the bustle of busy streets or the noisy gym. That being said, it isn't the best noise cancellation or sound we've ever experienced. A $50 pair of earbuds just can't compete with a $300 pair, so we weren't entirely surprised to find that the P30i earbuds occasionally had some buzzy ANC or tinny audio.

That being said, for everyday, I find them to be a great pair of headphones for running errands. Advanced audiophiles on a budget will enjoy the addition of custom EQs and multi-point connection.

My main word of caution is that I find these earbuds to be a bit slippery. If you're a sweater, these earbuds get slippery fast, so I don't recommend wearing them to work out.

Otherwise, they're a decent pair of headphones that you really can't beat for $50. Plus, they're often on sale for even less than their $49.99 MSRP, and active noise cancellation for $25 is an even sweeter deal.

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Read our full review of the Skullcandy EcoBuds.

If you're environmentally conscious, then buying tech is a constant dilemma. While the most sustainable tech will always be what you already have, if you've run your earbuds into the ground, turn to Skullcandy EcoBuds. The brand reduced its product's usual carbon footprint by 50 percent, using less plastic and metal. While this has scaled back on some features we like in wireless earbuds like ANC or a self-charging case, these buds still bring crisp audio for vibrant music listening.

The Skullcandy EcoBuds are an interesting competitor in the earbud market. The buds are made of 65 percent recycled plastic and contain fewer metals, so they lack some features. But if you don't need a lot of flair in a pair of earbuds, these ones are a steal.

All of the other earbuds on this list have charging cases that hold enough power to recharge the buds. However, there's no battery in this case. Instead, there's a built-in USB-C charger to plug into your computer, smartphone, or the wall. So, despite not being able to charge on its own, the built-in charger makes up for that. There's also no lid to the case, which means the buds tend to fall out easily — not great for the clumsy.

These earbuds have audio performance that shines. In our tests, we were impressed with how they picked up the beat of pop songs and the nuances of live performance recordings. However, they don't have ANC, so you'll have to crank up the volume to drown out the world.

All this to say, at $39.99, these Skullcandy Ecobuds are totally affordable, especially when they're on sale for even less.

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Read our full review of the Apple AirPods 4.

If you're committed to the iOS ecosystem, you can still join the budget earbuds club. Apple's AirPods come in different price tiers so if you want the most affordable option, go for the Apple AirPods 4. They start at $129 and deliver five hours of battery life and smooth sound quality. Plus, they don't skimp on AirPods easy iOS connectivity, just open the case and they'll connect to your iPhone.

Apple AirPods are the go-to earbuds for iPhone users. With seamless connectivity between multiple devices, they're ideal for working, commuting, or relaxing on any iOS device. In 2024, the base pair of AirPods got an upgrade to the 4th generation model, delivering incredible sound quality. The AirPods 4 now come at two different price points: without noise cancellation, they're $129 and with, they're $179.

Mashable's former tech editor Kimberly Gedeon took them on a cross country flight, and these budget earbuds kept airplane noise at bay. But even if you go for the pair without ANC, you'll save $50 and still enjoy the multi-dimensional audio that the AirPods can provide. Not to mention, the microphone is crisp and clear on the AirPods 4 so you can take calls on them without a problem.

For a pair of affordable earbuds, they also come with specialized features including the ability to answer calls with the nod of your head. So if you're looking for a pair of cheap AirPods, go for the AirPods 4.

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Read our full review of the Bose QuietComfort earbuds.

If you want good-quality sound but don’t want to spend over $200, the Bose QuietComfort is an affordable answer to the brand’s lineup. They’re focused on a great fit, as they not only come with multiple ear tips but multiple bands that can be changed out on the earbuds for a better fit on the crest of your ear. 

The accompanying app lets you adjust audio levels, but you won’t need to, as these earbuds make all your music sound better. They’re reliable, have a long battery life, and are sure to please the pickiest of audiophiles.

I’ve sung the praises of the QuietComfort Ultra, but Bose’s latest earbuds, the entry-level QuietComfort, are also fantastic, especially with their under-$200 price tag. Even after adjusting the ear tips and bands, I didn’t find the fit on these quite as secure as the Ultras. However, my colleague Bethany Allard, who also tested the QuietComfort earbuds, said they were the best earbuds that have ever fit her.

The QuietComfort’s sound quality is just phenomenal. With these earbuds, listening to Ethel Cain’s "A House in Nebraska" immersed me in the orchestrations. When "Brick House" by The Commodores came on, the earbuds elevated the snappy drum beats so that I may have been listening live.

The noise cancellation on the QuietComfort earbuds isn’t as sophisticated as the Ultras; I found they had more sound leakage and that classic ANC buzz when I was in noisy environments. However, the ANC on these is still great, especially in quiet spaces. 

One tiny beef I have with the Bose QuietComfort earbuds is that they require a different app than the standard Bose one. This is annoying if you’re an existing Bose user and need to download another app; plus, this earbud app just isn’t as good as Bose’s flagship app.

All in all, these are a solid pair of budget earbuds that, for $179, are an unbeatable value.

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