8 best headphones under $100: The best budget options we've tested

The selections on this lift were driven first by price, as we wanted the options here to be truly affordable. Everything on this list is under $100, and we tested if the value matched the price.

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.

This variable revolved around the aesthetic feel of each tested item, how comfortable it was during wear, and how well it was able to withstand daily use. We assessed whether their features translated to unnecessary bulk and whether they were travel-friendly (could fold into a tight bundle, came with a case, etc.).

With wireless headphones, you have to rely on a battery charge, so we considered which headphones will last multiple wears without needing recharged.

The budget-friendly SonoFlow Pro are an ideal pickup for penny pinchers who refuse to spend a quarter of their rent money on premium ANC headphones. Not only do these noise-cancellers provide four times the battery life of Apple’s headphones, but they are stacked with extra features that expand functionality.

Let’s start with audio performance, which is noteworthy right out of the box. 1More’s sound signature leans heavily toward the low end. This results in thumpy, impactful bass that blends nicely with transparent mids and highs. Frequencies can be adjusted in the companion app via EQ or genre-specific presets. LDAC codec support creates smooth hi-res playback over Bluetooth and reveals more detail and nuance on tracks. Spatial audio is a thoughtful inclusion that moderately enlivens content, but most listeners will want to keep it disabled to optimize sound quality and battery life.

Noise cancellation on these headphones surpasses expectations. Would we say it’s Bose- or Sony-level good? Absolutely not. What you get is sufficient for quieting common daily distractions, including chatty coworkers, household appliances, and the occasional emergency vehicle siren from afar. The over-ear design does a solid job of isolating background noises. Transparency mode is just as effective for increasing environmental awareness. 

We can overlook the chintzy craftsmanship (the creaky hinges are worrisome) because of the headphones’ pleasant comfort. We wore them for five-hour stretches throughout the day before fatigue set in. 

Battery life is the SonoFlow Pro’s unsung feature. A full charge nets you 100 hours of playback when turning off noise cancellation. That’s close to three weeks of usage (five hours daily). Enabling noise cancellation decreases ANC playtime to about 40 hours, and though that seems like a dramatic drop, you’re still getting about 15 hours more than the AirPods Max (20 hours) and Bose QuietComfort Ultra (24 hours). 

Details

Retailing at $49.95, the price tag on these JBL Tune 510BT headphones is kind of unbeatable, making them ideal for those who are trying to save money. Don't expect them to perform magical acts for you, but also don't underestimate this handy JBL pair. They're great if you're not devoted enough of an audiophile to consider professional-level sound quality (or lack thereof) a dealbreaker.

The Tune 510BT headphones do everything wireless headphones are supposed to: They provide reasonably good sound quality, allow you to switch between two device audio outputs at once, and last for days on end. Each of these points comes with a caveat — to be expected when your headphones come out costing less than 50 bucks.

As for sound quality, these JBLs won't provide active noise cancellation (though their ear cups certainly protect your ears from hearing what goes on in the outside environment). That being said, you'll still hear a bit of outside noise mixed with your favorite song.

When testing out the multi-device connection of this JBL model, we found that it was possible but worked in a much slower fashion than its counterparts. In other words, when stopping a video on YouTube and immediately launching into a song on the phone, the headphones didn't immediately reflect this switch: It took them a good three to four seconds to start playing the second audio input.

In terms of battery life, we were impressed with the fact that these headphones were fully drained only after 38 hours — which comes quite close to JBL's promise of a 40-hour battery life. The device gave off a little tone that signified the battery was almost out, but this feature (in a real-life versus for-testing-only setting) is honestly "too little, too late." Unlike in other headphone models, there unfortunately wasn't a voice that announced the exact battery percentage when powering on the Tune 510BTs. To make up for this small flaw, the headphones are equipped with Quick Charge functionality. Just five minutes of them being plugged in via a USB-C connection adds two hours of power. Pretty sweet.

Details

These headphones are massive — reminiscent of a gaming headset (think wide and deep ear cups, a thick band, and an undeniable heaviness). That being said, they certainly aren’t meant for working out (especially not running), unless you don't mind wearing something clunky and heavy on your head while boosting those endorphins. If you're planning on wearing them around the house, on a long plane ride, or during your daily gaming ritual, you'll fall in love with these budget headphones. After all, nothing about them screams "budget" and they're super new on the market.

Despite their cumbersome frame, these headphones take “accommodation” to the next level with a floating axis design, rotating ear cups, and a cozy plush headband.

The Space One outclass their rivals in two key areas. The first is (and don't laugh) the fact that they come with a cute, color-coordinated carrying bag. The second is that five quick minutes of charging boosts the power of these headphones not by one hour, not by two hours, but by four whole hours. They also have three mics with an AI algorithm that pinpoints your voice and amplifies it on calls. In case you don't want to hear the voices of others, they are specially designed to reduce crowd noise by up to 98 percent.

In terms of how this crowd noise reduction feature fared in real-time, I would say that the passive noise cancellation aspect of the headphones was more responsible for making it feel like you're in your own musical bubble than the ANC. We still recommend trying the adaptive noise cancellation feature since it adequately adjusts noise reduction to your surroundings. You’ll get to enjoy the full-bodied sound that blasts from Anker’s 40mm dynamic drivers with minimal interference.

The (completely free) Soundcore app is chock-full of add-on features that you can enable at your convenience. One of these is currently in beta testing — it's called Easy Chat and lowers your music volume when it detects speech. While this is theoretically good for calls (no more scrambling to turn off your rap/hip-hop song queue when grandma calls to check in), I once started to sing along to a song, which sadly turned off, thanks to this feature being enabled. Bear that in mind when toying with all of Soundcore's fancy audio tools.

Details

If you don't need all the bells and whistles that come with top-of-the-line headphones, the Sony WH-CH520 will likely check your must-have boxes. To be completely frank, these Sonys look akin to headsets given out on flights — what with their primitive earpads, basic head cushion band, and inability to completely fold into themselves to save space. Yet, functionality sometimes trumps appearances, and this sentiment rings true for the WH-CH520 model.

Sony's WH-CH520 headphones are a great pair of affordable, basic headphones. They'd be nice for working out or sitting in the office. And they come in stylish colors like butter yellow and pink.

Through the compatible Sony app, you can manage connected devices, play around with the sound equalizer, set up "360 Reality Audio" by analyzing your ear shape, and choose whether you want to prioritize sound quality or stable connection. The learning curve to figuring out the headphones' on-ear controls is not steep at all: Press the "+" button twice to skip forward a song, the "-" button twice to go back, and the power button to start or stop.

Beware — the headphones' ear cups are kind of tiny, which can provide an uncomfortable experience for those whose ears are on the larger side. They're meant to sit on top of your ears, rather than enclose them like over-ear headphones. As far as durability goes, we could only infer that snapping the headphones' band in two would be an easy task, since this pair felt quite flimsy overall and wasn't all too cushioned. Still, the audio quality of this Sony pair certainly packed a punch. When running in them (pretty comfortable, all things considered), the sound of traffic and the wind was just barely audible — certainly way less audible than you'd expect from such a minimalistic headphone design.

Details

The older Space Q45 sell for a higher price than the Space One. Why is that? Who knows. We believe it’s because they offer a more complete brand experience. They’re also the market’s most well-rounded wireless headphones under $100. These headphones are for someone who wants the total package for less than $100.

Most of Anker’s flagship features and technologies are available on the Space Q45. There is so much to discover and enjoy upon unboxing these headphones.

Bass dominates the soundstage in a positive way. Headbangers will salivate over the Space Q45’s boomy and energetic low-end presence. Customized settings (e.g., EQ, music presets) make room for crisp highs and rich mids. LDAC brings out more clarity and detail when listening to the best music streaming services on compatible devices (primarily Android phones). Enabling noise cancellation slightly increases bass without compromising other frequencies, and the technology is capable of blocking out 80 percent of external sounds. Ambient listening mode is just as rewarding for keeping tabs on your surroundings.

You’ll find many more extras in the Soundcore app. The Safe Volume setting helps prevent hearing loss; it detects volume being output from the headphones in real-time to determine if sound is potentially harmful. Basics like a battery level indicator, control customization, and firmware updates are accounted for. Outside of the app lie popular wireless features like multi-device pairing and quick charging (five minutes equals four hours of use). Google Assistant and Siri are also accessible, granted Apple’s digital assistant often struggles to register voice commands.

Details

Sometimes you just want headphones that require very little charging when necessary, and the Wave Pro fit that description to a T. We’re talking nearly three times the amount of battery life as the market’s top-selling models, plus some of the strongest quick charging available. Not to mention, they sound great.

Other models on this list may provide longer charges, but the Wave Pro have the most accurate battery life ratings. A full charge generates between 50 to 55 hours of noise-cancelling use and 75 to 80 hours when disabling the feature. Our unit averages a recharge once a month.

The combination of 40mm DLC dynamic drivers, Hi-Res Audio certification, and LDAC creates resonant sound that streams at three times the bitrate of standard codecs. Bass is robust on contemporary tracks, while vocals are striking on ballads and live performances. EarFun’s adjustable 10-band EQ leaves room to tweak the soundstage to your liking, though it’s best to stick with the default settings. Turning on ANC will tune out a high number of disruptive sounds. Music sounds just as good in ambient mode; you can hear what’s happening in proximity loudly and clearly, and it won’t affect playback. 

Design-wise, the Wave Pro are constructed better than, I'd say, 90 percent of similarly priced competitors. Their all-plastic frame with plush leather earpads and headband supplies enough comfort and protection for long-term use.

Even if the call quality and controls leave much to be desired, the Wave Pro make up for these shortcomings with their prominent hallmarks.

Details