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The best cheap wireless earbuds, starting at $36
You may not automatically think "cheap" when you think of "earbuds". But, if you choose a pair of earbuds like the EarFun Air S or UGreen HiTune T3, you'll get high-end features and sound at a much cheaper price than AirPods. These earbuds provide features like noise cancellation or environmental awareness mode, which allows you to hear important information like travel announcements on your commute and traffic noise to stay safe.
Battery life is also important since you won't always be able to charge your earbuds before you get home. Many new wireless earbuds come with a charging case to extend their playback time up to 20, 30, or even 40 hours. Some also allow you to use your phone's virtual assistant (like Hey Google or Siri), so you can send texts, make calls, and launch apps without taking your phone out of your pocket.
To help you decide which cheap earbuds are right for you, I've put together a list of the five best you can buy. I've broken down their features and price points to help you find the best fit for your needs and budget.
Also: You can buy ten pairs of these amazing earbuds for the price of Apple's AirPods Pro
- Great battery and sound quality
- ANC
- Very affordable
- Voice assistant compatibility
- No wireless charging for case
- May be uncomfortable for smaller ears
Battery life: 6 hours, 26 with case | Noise cancellation: Yes, active | Quick charging: Yes | Voice assistant: Google, Siri | Connectivity: Bluetooth | Compatibility: iOS, Android, Windows, macOS
While I much prefer full-sized headsets, the Ugreen HiTune X6 earbuds are some of the most impressive I've come across. The battery life is comparable to what you'd find in 3rd gen AirPods: 6 hours on a full charge and an additional 26 with the charging case for a total of 30 hours of playback. They also have a quick-charge feature where just 10 minutes gives you a few hours of play. And while the audio isn't quite what you'd get with AirPods, the HiTune X6 still deliver high quality sound for a fraction of the price.
They even have active noise-canceling technology that is seriously remarkable for a $50 pair of earbuds. I often use the HiTune X6 when I want to enjoy some time on my deck or in my backyard where traffic noise is such an issue. But with the ANC turned on, it's barely noticeable, which means that I can read, watch videos, or listen to music and podcasts while enjoying some sunshine or nice weather. The onboard touch controls let you quickly adjust volume, mute, pause/play media, and activate voice assistants like Hey Google and Siri.
- Good battery life
- Active noise cancelation
- Budget-friendly
- Apple-friendly aesthetics
- ANC could be more robust
- No built-in voice assistant
Battery life: 7 hours, 24 with case | Noise cancellation: Yes, active | Quick charging: Yes | Voice assistant: No | Connectivity: Bluetooth | Compatibility: iOS, Android, Windows, macOS
The HiTune T3 earbuds from Ugreen are great for iPhone users due to their one-step pairing, dual microphone array for calls, and resemblance to AirPods. The HiTune T3 earbuds sell for around $40, which is $130 less than the third generation AirPods, but they still give you great features.
These budget-friendly earbuds have active noise-canceling tech that is solid for the price. I have a pair and live next to a busy highway, and when I have the ANC feature turned on, I can barely hear the heavy traffic noise when I want to sit on my deck.
They're also pretty comfortable, offering different silicone tips for the perfect fit; they stay in place fairly well and don't feel like they're digging into your ears or ear canal. On a full charge, you can get up to 7 hours of playback and a total of 24 hours of use with the included charging case. And just 10 minutes of charging gives you about an hour of use, which is great for when you forgot to charge overnight and want to catch up with lecture recordings or play music on your walk to class. The dual microphones also use noise-canceling tech to isolate your voice from background noise for clearer calls.
- 40 hour battery
- IPX4 water resistance
- ANC
- Quick charge
- No voice assistant feature
- No wireless charging for case
Battery life: 10 hours, 40 with case | Noise cancellation: Yes, active | Quick charging: Yes | Voice assistant: No | Connectivity: Bluetooth | Compatibility: iOS, Android, Windows, macOS
The JBL Tune 230NC earbuds have one of the best battery lives you can find, no matter your budget. On a full charge, you can get up to 10 hours of playback, and the included charging case gives you an additional 30 hours for a total of 40 hours of play. This means you can listen to music and podcasts or jump into Zoom meetings and Slack calls all week before you need to recharge. And just 10 minutes of charging time gives you up to 2 hours of play, which is great for when you forgot to charge overnight and need your earbuds for your morning commute.
The earbuds are also IPX4-rated for water resistance against sweat, rain, and spills. The Tune 230NC also uses ANC technology to eliminate background noise so you can focus on your audio; the six-microphone array uses two mics to monitor and cancel out background noise while the other four capture your voice clearly for calls. And when you need to keep an ear open to your surroundings, you can switch to the Ambient Aware mode so you won't miss travel announcements, side conversations, or traffic noise.
- Good battery life
- Dual device connectivity
- Quick-charge
- Wireless case charging
- Limited water resistance
- Companion app needed to fine tune audio
Battery life: 6 hours, 30 with case | Noise cancellation: Yes, active | Quick charging: Yes | Voice assistant: No | Connectivity: Bluetooth | Compatibility: iOS, Android, Windows, macOS
The EarFun Air S earbuds are an excellent mid-range option if you're looking for affordable earbuds you can use across multiple platforms and devices. With Bluetooth 5.2 and a dual-pairing mode, you can wirelessly connect to up to two devices simultaneously and easily switch between them; which means that you can take calls on your phone and listen to music or hop into virtual meetings on your PC without having to disconnect your earbuds. They're also a good choice for gaming with the 100ms latency for nearly lag-free audio.
The 10mm drivers give you rich, clean audio while ANC technology actively blocks out background noise to let you focus on your music, podcast, game, or work. But if you need to keep an ear open, you can use the ambient sound mode so you can hear quick side conversations or travel announcements. The EarFun Air S earbuds also have a great battery life, giving you up to 6 hours of play on a full charge while the case gives you 24 more for all-day playback; and if you're in a hurry, just 2 minutes of charging gives you 2 hours of play. The charging case also supports wireless charging, so you don't have to keep track of yet another USB-C cable.
- Under $50
- IPX4 water resistance
- Use earbuds individually
- Tile tracking built-in
- No ANC
- No wireless charging for case
Battery life: 9 hours, 33 with case | Noise cancellation: No | Quick charging: No | Voice assistant: Google, Siri | Connectivity: Bluetooth | Compatibility: iOS, Android, Windows, macOS
If you're working with a very limited budget when shopping for new earbuds, you can pick up the Skullcandy Jib True 2 for about $40. And just because they're ultra budget-friendly, that doesn't mean you have to compromise on features. You can use either earbud by itself to keep an ear open to your surroundings so you don't miss important travel announcements and stay safe when crossing busy intersections. The earbuds also feature intuitive touch controls for quickly adjusting volume, skipping songs, taking calls, and activating your voice assistant so you never have to take your phone out of your pocket.
They're also IPX4-rated for water resistance, so sweat, light rain, and accidental spills won't ruin your new earbuds. And if you have a hard time keeping track of your things, the Jib True 2 have Tile locating technology built-in so you can always find them. On a full charge, you can get up to 9 hours of playback with these earbuds, and the included case gives you 24 more for a total of 33 hours; which means that you'll have plenty of juice to listen to music and podcasts on your commutes or while you work.
What are the best cheap earbuds?
My pick for the best cheap earbuds is the Ugreen HiTune X6. At just $50, they're a fraction of the price of AirPods or Samsung Galaxy Buds while still giving you an impressive 30 hours of total playback with the charging case. The X6 earbuds also have a decent active noise canceling mode that does a great job of filtering out most background sounds so you can focus on your phone calls, music, podcasts, or videos.
Cheap earbuds | Price | Battery life | Noise cancellation |
Ugreen HiTune X6 | $50 | 6 hours, 26 with case | Yes, Active |
Ugreen HiTune T3 | $36 | 7 hours, 24 with case | Yes, Active |
JBL Tune 230NC | $70 | 8 hours, 32 with case | Yes, Active |
EarFun Air S | $70 | 6 hours, 30 with case | Yes, Active |
Skullcandy Jib True 2 | $40 | 9 hours, 33 with case | No |
Which cheap earbuds are right for you?
Aside from price, when shopping for a new pair of earbuds, you should take comfort, fit, and sound quality into consideration. Many new models of earbuds come with different sets of silicone tips for a more secure fit in both larger and smaller ears; this keeps them from falling out or causing discomfort. With more affordable earbuds, sound quality isn't going to be the same as it would be if you bought a pair of high-end Bose or Sony earbuds. But you can still get crystal clear audio for music, podcasts, virtual classes, and phone calls. Some budget-friendly earbuds also have adaptive or active noise cancelation to filter out sounds that could be a distraction when studying.
Choose these cheap earbuds... | If you need... |
Ugreen HiTune X6 | A well-rounded pair of cheap earbuds with ANC and great battery life |
Ugreen HiTune T3 | A cheap alternative to AirPods for Apple users |
JBL Tune 230NC | A cheap pair of earbuds for Android devices |
EarFun Air S | A well-balanced pair of earbuds for under $100 |
Skullcandy Jib True 2 | An ultra budget-friendly pair of earbuds |
How did we choose these cheap earbuds?
I did my best to keep my choices under $100, and I tried to choose wireless earbuds with at least 10 hours of total battery life to hold up under all-day use for commutes, virtual classes, and studying.
Are earbuds suitable for kids?
If you believe your child is old enough and responsible enough to care for and keep track of a pair of wireless earbuds, that is up to you. Personally, I wouldn't give a pair of true wireless earbuds to a child under 10, since individual earbuds are easy to lose or get traded away on the playground.
However, models like the Sony WI-C100 connect wirelessly to devices but are wired to one another; this makes them a bit easier for younger children to keep track of, and they're much more affordable than their true wireless counterparts.
Can earbuds damage your ears?
Earbuds that don't have a proper fit can cause a lot of discomfort and might even cause bruising or small cuts depending on how they fit into your ears. Also, listening to music, podcasts, and videos at high volumes can damage your hearing over time. So make sure your earbuds have properly-sized silicone tips for a secure, comfortable fit, and set them at a reasonable volume.
Does noise canceling help with studying?
Having a pair of earbuds with active or adaptive noise canceling tech can be a big help when studying, since they can filter out annoying background sounds like conversations, TV shows, and music. So if you study in dorm common rooms, libraries, or at the dining table at home, you may want to invest in a pair of earbuds with noise cancellation tech.
Is there a cheaper alternative to AirPods?
The Ugreen HiTune T3 earbuds are a great, budget-friendly alternative to the very expensive AirPods. Not only do they sell for a fraction of the price, but they also provide premium-grade features like active noise cancellation, Bluetooth connectivity, and quick charging. They also look remarkably similar to AirPods, so if those Apple aesthetics are important to you, the HiTune T3 earbuds are a great fit into your Apple product lineup.
What's the difference between True Wireless and Bluetooth earbuds?
The terms "true wireless" and "Bluetooth" refer to very different things, but they can co-exist in the same model of earbuds. Bluetooth refers to HOW the earbuds connect to your devices, and in this case, that means wirelessly pairing. True wireless means that there are absolutely no wires connecting the earbuds to one another or your devices; picture a pair of AirPods, and those are True Wireless. Compared to something like the Sony WI-C100, which connect wirelessly to your devices, but the earbuds are wired to one another.
Are there alternative cheap earbuds that are worth considering?
There are tons of affordable options for wireless and true wireless earbuds. Here's a short list of alternative picks that I thought were great: