The best budget wireless earbuds - check out our handpicked selection

There is support for a bunch of Bluetooth codecs onboard, including SBC, AAC and aptX, touch-sensitive controls, Siri and Google Assistant integration, 9 hours of battery life (+18 from the case).

The Sennheiser CX earbuds are in another league - we can’t award them with the best budget wireless earbuds stamp, because normally, well… they’re not cheap. But these earbuds are getting our “best deal” award. So get them while you can.

Another entry in the sub-100 category, not strictly "cheap" but at the top of the food chain if you value sound quality. Audio-Technica is another popular name among musicians and audiophiles, so the inclusion of the ATH-CKS5TW is not surprising (what IS surprising is the price).

Audio-Technica ATH-CKS5TWBL

Solid Bass Wireless in-Ear Headphones, Blue

Buy at Amazon

 

These puppies don’t have the most catchy name in the history of earbuds but they deliver on so many levels. They have big 10mm drivers that deliver one of the most powerful bass responses in a pair of in-ear headphones.

The ATH-CKS5TW is a truly wireless earbuds model that also comes with an IPX2 rating, meaning you can sweat in the gym all you like while wearing those. The battery life is just amazing at 15 hours on a single charge for the earbuds, and 45 hours if we count in the case.

There are physical buttons on each bud, which is a strange choice but a useful one nonetheless. These are the best budget wireless earbuds for people who like their bass heavy and powerful.

The Jabra Elite 4 Active is the newest model from the company, and it's aimed at the budget market. These earbuds are still pretty amazing for their listed price of $119.99 (you can find them for well under $100 when there's a deal around). 

Jabra - Elite 4 Active

True Wireless Noise Cancelling In-Ear Headphones - Navy

$40 off (33%)

$79 ⁹⁹

$119 ⁹⁹

Buy at BestBuy

Not only do they retain the great ergonomics of the company's more expensive models, but these earbuds also offer Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), adjustable equalizer, and HearThrough technology. 

The Jabra Elite 4 Active model is a part of the "Active" line, which means that along with the secure fit (these earbuds won't fall off during your workouts), you're getting IP57-rated water and sweat proof protection - perfect for all kinds of workouts.

There are other bells and whistles onboard, such as the Jabra Sound+ app with a great equalizer to finetune your sound, the Spotify Tap integration, and up to 28 hours of playback (7 hours in the earbuds and up to 21 hours in the case).

There’s not much else to be said here - the Jabra Elite 4 Active earbuds are the best choice for the active person on a budget. But if you're looking for a dedicated pair of earbuds for running and working out, you should check out our piece on that, too.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 are official and they're pretty affordable - actually cheaper than the Buds Pro model. However, even at $149.99, these wireless earbuds don't make the cut. Fret not, though because the Galaxy Buds+ model meets our sub-100 criteria.

Samsung Galaxy Buds+

True Wireless Earbuds, Aura Blue, Certified Refurbished

$90 off (60%)

$59 ⁹⁹

$149 ⁹⁹

Buy at eBay

These are great budget wireless earbuds that come equipped with lots and lots of features. They’re comfortable, the Bluetooth connection is absolutely amazing (up to 30 meters), they sound great, there are touch controls onboard, the battery life is decent.

The Galaxy Buds+ model supports QI wireless charging and can work with smart assistants such as Siri, Google Assistant, or Bixby. The only downside is that the price is discounted - outside of deals and promos, these earbuds are not that cheap.

Read More: Samsung Galaxy Buds+ review

Not all Sony earbuds cost an arm and a leg. The newly released Sony WF-C500 model for example can be found at around $70, which is a real bargain. Granted, this model won’t dethrone your top-of-the-line WF-1000XMs but it offers great features for the money.

Sony - WF-C500

True Wireless In-Ear Headphone - Black

$99 ⁹⁹

Buy at BestBuy

From the great build quality to the patented DSEE (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine) feature, and the IPX4 protection, these earbuds are a solid choice. They offer great passive noise isolation, and a comfortable fit for your daily run or workout.

The battery life is excellent - you get 8-9 hours from the buds, and another 18 hours with the case. Speaking of the case, it’s tiny and really compact, so you can travel with it with no problem.

Each headphone also has a built-in microphone, and your voice sounds clear when using them making phone calls, or having a chat with your preferred voice assistant. These are also pushing $100 usually, but you can find them at a great discount most of the time easily.

Anker is one of those brands that are well known for making excellent bang for your buck products and the Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro is one of these. They have good, clear sound with defined mids and powerful but not overwhelming bass. The battery life is quite decent - especially if you count the charging case into the equation. The buds will give you 7 hours on a single charge but you can triple that with the charging case.

Anker - Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro Earbuds

True Wireless In-Ear Headphones - Black

$129 ⁹⁹

Buy at BestBuy

Connectivity is also great with Bluetooth 5 out of the box, and there are some neat little features onboard, too. These also sport active noise-canceling tech onboard - each bud has two separate microphones acting together to minimize the background noise. These are also IPX4-rated against splashes of rain and sweat, so no problem to take them to the gym.

The only thing that's missing is a big brand name stamped on the Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro - if you can live with this little detail, you'll be pretty happy with these wireless earbuds, and their price.

If you want active noise-canceling earbuds for under $100 you need to resort to some not-so-well-known brands. The JLab Audio is one of these brands delivering amazing products at really affordable prices.

JLab - JBuds Air ANC True Wireless Earbuds - Black

$69 ⁹⁹

Buy at BestBuy

The JBuds Air ANC model is one of the best budget wireless earbuds with active noise-canceling technology that you can find. People really like these and compare them to the Jabra Elite 65t and the Anker Soundcore series.

There’s a lot to like - from the 40h+ combined battery life (10+ on the earbuds and 30+ on the case) to the aforementioned active noise canceling. Four microphones work together to cancel outside noises and there’s also a Be Aware mode that lets some of the outside jangles for safety purposes.

If you want to get the absolute cheapest truly wireless earbuds, you can’t go wrong with Skullcandy and its Dime model. These earbuds are just $19.99, so any potential drawback we might find will be greatly outweighed by the price.

Skullcandy - Dime 2

True Wireless In-Ear Headphones - True Black

$7 off (23%)

$22 ⁹⁹

$29 ⁹⁹

Buy at BestBuy

Of course, for $19.99 you shouldn’t expect miracles - the build quality and the design both reflect the price quite accurately. The Skullcandy Dime will get the job done, though. You get 12 hours of playtime (3.5h on the buds), and a cool charging case.

There are also touch-activated controls and automatic Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity. Pretty impressive at $19.99.

Sound Quality: This is by far the most important feature. Check the audio quality of the earbuds. Some cheap earbuds may have sub-par sound quality, which can be disappointing. Look for earbuds with good bass response, clear mids and highs, and balanced sound. It's very important to be able to try before you buy, but if that's not possible, check out our reviews and the "sound quality" section to be precise.

Battery Life: Check the battery life of the earbuds. You don't want to have to recharge them constantly throughout the day. Look for earbuds that offer at least 4-6 hours of battery life, preferably more. Also, don't forget about the charging case and the extra battery it provides.

Comfort: The earbuds should be comfortable to wear for extended periods. Look for earbuds that come with different sizes of ear tips to fit your ear comfortably and securely. Again, it's best if you can try the fit yourself, as each and every ear is unique in shape.

Connectivity: Ensure that the earbuds have stable connectivity to your device. Check if they use Bluetooth 5.0 or higher, which offers better range and connectivity than older Bluetooth versions. If you have more then one source device, a multipoint connection will do wonders and make your life a lot easier.

Extra features: Some earbuds come with extra features such as noise cancellation, an IP rating or touch controls. Consider if these features are important to you, and if they are worth the extra cost.

This short list will likely become longer in the near future as the category of best budget wireless earbuds is constantly changing. We'll be keeping an eye on the market and will update the list periodically. We believe we've done a good job of offering options in a range of prices, from $19.99 to $99.99. Going below $19.99 would likely result in a decrease in quality. As for the upper end, prices above $100 can be off-putting to some consumers, so we'll try to keep the options within this range.