When shopping for cheap true wireless earbuds, you are bound to be met with an avalanche of options, plenty of which are duds, with subpar audio, overkill bass, and bare-bones features. These products often use gibberish brand names meant to trick you into thinking you’re making a good choice. While there’s a wide price range when it comes to the best wireless earbuds out there, the premium options on that list reach $300.
Even the best cheap true wireless earbuds won’t have the uncompromising sound quality received with premium earbuds like the Sony 1000XM5s or the stellar noise cancellation of the Bose QuietComfort Ultras. You get what you pay for, as the adage goes, and that certainly applies to earbuds — but that doesn’t mean a few diamonds are hiding in the budget-friendly rough. This list compiles more affordable alternatives.
Top cheap true wireless earbuds available
Nothing Ear (a)
Perfect for everyday use
The Nothing Ear (a) true wireless earbuds tick nearly every box for an excellent pair of affordable general-purpose earbuds. Besides their unique, eye-catching aesthetic, these buds are comfortable enough for long periods of wear, have a remarkable battery life, and boast impressive sound quality for the price range.
- Excellent battery life
- Surprisingly rich audio
- Lacks wireless charging
- No advanced EQ customization
For many casual music listeners, well-rounded, quality sound is what a pair of earbuds really needs to offer. For just $100, that’s exactly what the Nothing Ear (a) earbuds deliver. This midrange pick rounds up many of our favorite earbud features, making them the leading choice for daily use, whether it’s music, athletics, streaming, scrolling, or gaming.
Joggers and athletes would be pleased to know that the Nothing Ear (a) buds stay nice and snug in the ears and are comfortable enough to wear for hours on end, whether you’re working out, gaming, or just scrolling. The drivers in these buds are competitively sized and excellent for all-purpose listening. The performance is certainly commendable for the price range.
Nothing Ear (a) review: A sound investment
Battery life is simply not a concern with these earbuds
The Nothing Ear (a) buds’ other attractive features include a funky transparent tech design, 42.5 hours of battery life, intuitive touch controls, and incredibly effective active noise cancellation. One of the few downfalls to Nothing’s entry-level buds is that their case lacks wireless charging, making the case little more than a travel vessel for the buds. Overall, these buds are a textbook example of winning some and losing some, and they retain the most important feature we need in personal audio devices: decent sound quality.
Sony WF-C700N
The Sony sound you love
You can get great ANC and sound quality on a budget. If you need proof, look at the Sony WF-C700N. Their ANC is probably best-in-class for anything $120 or less. The audio quality has a clarity that makes these sound more expensive than they are. But battery life in the case is surprisingly weak, and they don’t have all the features of their pricier brothers.
- Nice bass-heavy sound
- Supports Google Fast Pair
- Control layout isn’t intuitive
- Pretty short battery life
The Sony WF-C700N offers arguably the sharpest sound and most impressive performance on this affordable earbud roundup. After all, these earbuds have the backing of Sony’s reputable audio hardware, even in budget-friendly territory. But their feature list is still pretty short — no in-ear detection or wireless Qi charging, which cheaper buds offer. Despite this, the Sony WF-C700N’s sharp, detailed audio make them an easy choice for users interested in maximizing performance without too much of a financial blow.
If active noise cancellation is a priority, these Sony buds are the strongest budget-level contender. Keeping the ANC on does bring the buds’ battery life down by about 2.5 hours, but if you need something to mute the din of a crowded subway, packed café, or a busy household, the WF-C700Ns will do the trick.
Sony WF-C700N review: Signature sound without breaking the bank
Premium listening without paying a high premium
While you will enjoy a fast charging boost during the first 10 minutes of charging with these buds, their total battery life, including the backup in the case, does leave a bit to be desired. Even without using ANC, battery life maxes out at 20 hours, which is hardly competitive with many cheaper buds.
OnePlus Nord Buds 2
Well-rounded sound for cheap-cheap
For just $60, the OnePlus Nord Buds 2 offer a ton of value as the successor to the OnePlus Nord Buds. The 2nd generation takes an already well-rounded sound and refines its bass delivery, plus some added mid-tone detail. The battery life is also impressive. And these buds come in one more color than their predecessors.
- Excellent sound performance for the price
- Nice battery life
- Case design could be better
- ANC isn’t all that
Users of the first generation OnePlus Nord Buds know they are an excellent pair of affordable true wireless earbuds. The buds were ridiculously cheap but didn’t make massive sacrifices in their sound quality and feature list. The newer OnePlus Nord Buds 2, while understandably more expensive than its predecessors, add a key highly-sought feature, active noise cancellation, to OnePlus Nord’s budget-friendly model. The ANC isn’t perfect, but we found it to be enough for muting lower-frequency, droning sounds like humming machinery.
These buds retain OnePlus’ familiar profile and circular button controls, and offer a lightweight, comfortable fit — although we found that the bulb-shaped portion that sits inside the ear is larger than other models, which may be uncomfortable for some.
OnePlus Nord Buds 2 review: Same great flavor, now with ANC
The original was already very good, it just needed a few adjustments
Audio performance is where the OnePlus Nord Buds 2 really shine. Listeners enjoy a nice natural bass and clear midtones, plus plenty of equalization options to tweak the sound to your liking. It’s a bright, dynamic sound that rivals earbuds twice as expensive, if not more. It’s worth pointing out that the Nord Buds 2 will integrate easiest with One Plus smartphones, but these are still excellent buds for just about any user, even if only because the price is unbeatable.
Google Pixel Buds A-Series
By Google for Googlers
You won’t find flagship features on the Google Pixel Buds A-Series. There’s no ANC or wireless charging, and the battery life is a smidgen shorter than other options. However, they have a comfortable fit, good audio quality, and some great first-party features for anyone using a Pixel phone, including Fast Pair and hands-free Google voice assistant support.
- Lightweight, comfortable fit
- Nice sound for the price
- No active noise cancellation
- Battery life does not impress
The Google Pixel Buds A-Series pack a fair bit of value into their $100 price tag. Users do miss out on some higher-end features like active noise cancellation and convenient wireless charging, but there are plenty of other features to enjoy — for Google users, in particular. These buds are ready to heed your commands if they’re preceded by the “Hey Google” Google Assistant greeting. Pixel phones also get to take advantage of these buds’ Fast Pair availability more easily than non-native smartphones.
These buds’ sound delivery is impressive for the price range. Their 12mm drivers grant spacious, full-bodied audio, with a strong but not overwhelming bass. You won’t write home about the battery life, though; these buds only carry five hours of use plus another 19 or so in the case, which is quite unremarkable for non-ANC earbuds.
Are the Google Pixel Buds A-Series usable with non-Google devices? Certainly. You’ll need to download the Pixel Buds app to access certain features, like Fast Pair, but there’s no reason the Pixel Buds can’t be used with an Apple, Samsung, or other brand of smartphone. Pixel users are simply afforded some extra conveniences for living within the Google ecosystem.
Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC
To keep the beats going
While the ridiculous 10-hour battery life on a single charge might be the most unique feature here, the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC have a lot going on, especially considering its $99 price tag. They sound great, support LDAC for audiophiles, and have adaptive ANC (though the implementation is a bit underwhelming).
- Solid noise cancellation performance
- Excellent sound
- May be too bassy for some
- Mic and calls are so-so
What’s a sure way to throw off your gym flow, interrupt an important video meeting, or bring your gaming session to a halt? Dead batteries in your wireless earbuds, of course. The Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC true wireless earbuds keep the tunes going with their highly competitive battery life. The buds themselves carry 10 hours of charge, while the case contains another four charges, for a whopping 50-hour battery life total.
The Liberty 4 NCs have many benefits, though, so don’t feel like you’re buying these buds for their battery alone. They also offer spatial audio, adaptive active noise cancellation, and a comfortable enough fit for hours of wear, which is an absolute necessity for this long-lasting pair. We found that the Liberty 4 NCs also perform well above their class in ANC and transparent modes. The battery life, comfortable wear, and stellar ANC make these an excellent pick for commuters, coworking space members, or students — anyone who wears earbuds for long periods in noisy places.
Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC review: Punching above their weight
Budget buds that don’t sound too cheap
A common complaint of entry-level earbuds is that they pack in too much bass to masquerade as a more high-end product. The Liberty 4 NCs are guilty of this to a degree, but with the right equalizer tuning, you can easily balance these buds’ sound into something more well-rounded. (Or, if you like the bass-heavy sound, go forth!)
Speck Gemtones Pro
Comfortable wear and decent sound performance
The Speck Gemtones Pro offer a great all-around listening and wearing experience for nearly all applications. The buds have a comfortable and secure fit, and 30 hours of combined battery life between the buds and case ensures that your listening sessions won’t be interrupted. The Bluetooth connection isn’t the greatest, though, so the Gemtones Pro may not be the best choice for serious gamers who prioritize low-latency connections.
- Nice sound quality for the price range
- Decent battery life
- Material is kind of flimsy
- No ANC
Sometimes all you ask of a pair of wireless earbuds is that they keep up with your everyday tasks. A little bit of casual music listening, some podcasts, and maybe the occasional video conference are tasks that don’t demand much more than average performance. The Speck Gemtones Pro excelI in this not-impressive, not-disappointing territory.
But don’t get your hopes up for frills like active noise cancellation, high-res audio codecs, or spatial sound. The audio quality is, at best, reasonable. General use, like audiobooks and YouTube videos, revealed no major weaknesses in the Gemtones Pro’s sound. If you’re particularly picky about an earset’s music performance, though, you’ll need to get used to some weaker sound in the higher tones — but every other range is delivered with nice detail and robustness.
Speck Gemtones Pro review: Quality earbuds that won’t break the bank
There’s no ANC, but these $80 earbuds offer decent audio and a comfortable fit
The plastic build quality is fine (if not a bit flimsy, as our firsthand testing found), the battery life is solid, and the passive noise cancellation is decent. You’ll get 7.5 hours of use out of the buds, plus another 22.5 hours stored in the case. The Bluetooth range is just okay — don’t expect to leave your phone in the living room and go to the kitchen without the connection dropping. All in all, if all you’re looking for is “meets expectations,” the Gemtones Pro are a good pick.
EarFun Air Pro 3
Robust and loud
For less than $100, you’ll getting many of the same features that come on earbuds costing twice or three times as much. The EarFun Air Pro 3 is effective for calls and exciting for music and movies. Their ANC also does a great job of making sure you’re not distracted by outside sound. Tack on long battery life and wireless charging, and what more could you really want?
- Very good ANC performance
- Wireless charging
- Flimsy case doesn’t secure very well
- App isn’t great
The EarFun Air Pro 3 true wireless earbuds are among our favorites in the budget wireless earbuds category for bold, big sound, thanks to their 11mm drivers and support for higher-res codecs. Even at higher volumes, the Air Pro 3’s sound retains impressive clarity. These budget-friendly buds will appeal to bass-heavy music lovers and listeners who prefer a more well-rounded sound. While the drivers do deliver some thick bass, the rest of the audio range is also brilliantly detailed.
Full-bodied sound isn’t the EarFun Air Pro 3 earbuds’ only compelling feature. The active noise cancellation performs fairly well, especially given the price point. Background noise will still be a dull hum when using the ANC without music, but adding in sound effectively silences most environmental din.
EarFun Air Pro 3 review: Budget buds that punch above their class
Feature-packed and rich audio — two keys that make for killer budget buds
Call quality on the EarFun Air Pro 3s is so-so, with mic performance and noise filtering being merely average. You’ll enjoy some longer listening sessions with these buds — 9 hours without ANC, or 7 hours with ANC turned on, plus another 36 hours of charge stored in the case. The EarFun Air Pro 3 wireless earbuds aren’t without a few flaws; the app isn’t polished and the carrying case feels a bit flimsy. But these are still excellent earbuds for users who like their music at large volumes without sacrificing sound detail.
Baseus Eli Sport 1 Open-Ear Wireless Earbuds
A secure fit for listeners on the move
The Baseus Eli Sport 1 Open-Ear Wireless Earbuds offer long-lasting comfort in their wear and well-rounded audio that’s bound to impress. They feature over 7 hours of battery life in the buds, plus another 22.5 hours stored in the case.
- Comfortable, secure fit
- Excellent battery life
- Charging case is big and blocky
- Design may not be for everyone
Athletic activities demand a lot from earbuds, more than just idly listening to a podcast while folding laundry or enjoying a gaming sesh with friends. You’ll need a secure fit with a minimized risk of the buds falling out mid-stretch, a sweatproof rating, and ambient or transparent modes to maintain awareness while jogging next to traffic.
There’s no shortage of high-end sporty earbuds out there, all promising the best of the best in these categories. But if you prefer to shop in the entry- to mid-range categories, the Baseus Eli Sport 1 Open-ear earbuds are a great choice. The unique fit of these buds is a standout feature; instead of sitting inside the ear canal, the Eli Sport 1s utilize a long stem that wraps over the ear, positioning the speaker piece just outside the ear opening. This minimizes ear strain after long sessions of wear, while still promising awareness of important environmental sounds.
Baseus Eli Sport 1 Open-Ear earbuds review: Budget never sounded so good
Listen to your favorite tunes and keep your head on a swivel for under $100
With an IPX4 rating, sweat and stray splashes won’t ruin your earbuds. The buds themselves pack in 7.5 hours of battery life — plenty of time to get your steps, laps, or reps in — plus another 22.5 hours waiting in the case. You can find higher element-proof ratings on other sports buds, and these aren’t meant for actual swimming or water submersion, but for less than $100, the Eli Sport 1 Open-ear buds can still run with the best of them.
1MORE Aero True Wireless Earbuds
Bass-heavy, yet still rounded, sound
With a bass-rich sound and tons of EQ freedom, the 1More Aero True Wireless Earbuds have a lot to offer avid music listeners. They feature active noise cancellation, in-ear detection, multipoint Bluetooth connection, and three battery recharges stored in the case.
- Secure, comfortable fit
- Detailed sound with robust bass
- Case feels cheap and flimsy
- ANC is present but imperfect
Bass-heavy sound profiles perform better in certain genres than others. Listeners with more delicate musical palettes — like softer indie tunes and acoustic titles — or those who mostly consume spoken-word media like podcasts may not see much benefit from earbuds with bassy audio.
However, if a harder punch on the low notes sounds appealing, the 1More Aero True Wireless ANC headphones are exactly what you’re looking for. With 10mm drivers, the sound on these speakers is undeniably robust and voluminous. Even if you seek little else but sheer volume from your earbuds, the Aeros will deliver in that category exceptionally. They’re also remarkably secure in the ears, and could even be used as sports earbuds with how secure they are.
1More Aero True Wireless ANC earbuds review: Bass on a budget
1More’s noise-canceling earbuds are all that and more
Even in the $100-ish territory, these earbuds’ feature list is highly attractive: multipoint Bluetooth connectivity, advanced equalization, and impressive spatial audio. The Aeros boast 7 hours of battery life and an additional 21 hours of backup battery awaits in the case. They also promise active noise cancellation, but they’re not as strong performers in this regard as their competitors. And we weren’t impressed with the build quality of the Aeros’ case, which felt like flimsy plastic.
Samsung Galaxy Buds FE
Caters to the Galaxy network
The Samsung Galaxy Buds FE (Fan Edition) offer great active noise cancellation for their price, plus a nice suite of touch controls and balanced, detailed sound. While compatible with iOS or Android devices, these buds play the nicest with Samsung Galaxy products.
- Solid ANC and ambient functions
- Feature-rich if you use Samsung devices
- Battery life doesn’t impress
- Barebones if you don’t use Samsung devices
Just like Apple and Google, Samsung users should consider their smartphone brand’s native earbuds for the most seamless experience. Samsung isn’t shy about the fact that its Galaxy Buds FE were designed solely with Galaxy users in mind — after all, the FE stands for Fan Edition, so this family of devices is essentially a gift directly to the Samsung following.
Spec-wise, the Galaxy Buds FE stand toe-to-toe with other midrange options but don’t quite manage to snag the lead. Their battery life is average, with 6 hours available in the buds (with ANC on, or 9 hours with ANC off) plus a 15-hour backup in the case. The Buds FE support fast pairing with other Galaxy Wear devices. There’s not a lot of codec freedom to achieve richer sound and higher playback quality, but the Buds FE make up for this limitation with above-their-class active noise cancellation.
If you’re outside the Galaxy smartphone circle, you’ll need the Galaxy Wear app to make these earbuds usable. Not just to enhance the experience with things like equalization or fast pairing, but to actually make the Buds FE in any way worthwhile. The buds’ touch controls are incredibly encumbered without the app. Like with the Pixel Buds A-Series, these earbuds aren’t entirely unusable beyond their brand family, but we’d still only recommend the Galaxy Buds FE to Galaxy phone users.
Great true wireless earbuds for a reasonable price
As you can see, there are quite a few affordable earbuds, but the top choice has to be the new Nothing Ear (a) earbuds. The case and earbuds offer a combined 42.5 hours of battery life, the transparent housing is unique and fun, and the active noise cancellation rivals that of earbuds twice or three times as expensive. We wish the case offered wireless charging, but even with that caveat, these affordable, well-rounded headphones can’t be beaten.
Since this list is all about value, even the premium pick, Sony’s WF-C700N is wallet-friendly. If you’re an audiophile on a budget, these buds are great, thanks to Sony’s trusted audio hardware and best-in-class active noise cancellation. Now, if you’re comparing the Sony WF-C700Ns with a pair of the best wireless earbuds, you might be disappointed. But at around $100, you can’t go wrong.
Those looking for a budget buy that doesn’t sacrifice audio quality should check out the OnePlus Nord Buds 2. They deliver sound that’s reserved for more expensive earbuds, and they’re also comfortable for all-day wear. While the ANC is subpar when measured against $200 models, the Nord Buds 2 perform admirably.
You’ll find a decent pair of earbuds as long as you keep an open mind and accept trade-offs with features like battery life, bass levels, and ANC. Paying less doesn’t necessarily mean you’re settling for less.
Nothing Ear (a)
The Nothing Ear (a) true wireless earbuds tick nearly every box for an excellent pair of affordable general-purpose earbuds. Besides their unique, eye-catching aesthetic, these buds are comfortable enough for long periods of wear, have a remarkable battery life, and boast impressive sound quality for the price range.
