Looking for a pair of quality earbuds on a tight budget? Believe it or not, you can find plenty of pairs under $50 that have a remarkable sound for their price point.
In order to determine the best wireless earbuds for those on a budget, we reviewed the product category's latest offerings from leading brands like Beats by Dre, Sony, and Soundcore, to name a few. The cheap earbuds we recommend all deliver respectable sound, any many have additional features that make them convenient for many lifestyles.
Affordable earbuds come in a few forms, so it’s important to know the pros and cons of each one. You can choose between true wireless earbuds, wireless neckband ones, and wired earphones.
True wireless earbuds are unquestionably the most up-to-date and convenient option to consider. Such earbuds are also water-resistant and best suited for exercising. However, you should be mindful that the sound quality and the battery life of sub-$50 products, while plenty reliable, are not the best you can get for the money.
On the other hand, wireless neckband earbuds have vastly longer battery life than their true wireless siblings. If you're looking for a wireless headset you can depend on for, say, an entire workday, this is the type of earbuds to go for.
And while wired earbuds might seem like an old-school thing of the past, don't be so quick to write them off. Compared to their wireless relatives, some wired earbuds deliver a higher-quality sound. If you're a discerning audiophile with $50 to spend, you should seriously consider them, as long as you have a media player or a phone with a standard audio jack. If not, don’t worry — there are solid options with a Lightning or a USB-C connector worth buying.
Our guide spans from $50 true wireless earbuds all the way to super affordable wired earphones for less than $10. Find better sound on the cheap among these tried and tested offerings.
• IPX7 rating for water resistance • Up to 9 hours of battery life (35 hours with bundled case) • Storage case with USB-C and wireless charging
The Soundcore Life A1 by Anker are the best true wireless earbuds under $50, offering a sleek and durable design, a comfy fit with reliable controls, and good sound. Their call quality is solid, too.
You can expect up to 9 hours of playback from the earbuds — a remarkable feat for such an affordable product. Their USB-C carrying case packs a trio of additional charges. Rather impressively, they're compatible with wireless charging, too.
• Apple W1 wireless chip • Up to 12 hours of battery life • USB-C charging connector
The Beats Flex wireless earbuds are the best neckband offering $50 can buy. They offer a mixture of cool, instantly recognizable design, the brand’s signature sound, stellar battery life, a convenient USB-C connector, and superb connectivity with Apple and Android devices.
Thanks to the W1 chip, the Beats Flex can seamlessly connect with Apple hardware. Like AirTags, the buds are even compatible with Apple’s Find My network. There are several colors to pick from.
• Ergonomic design • 3.6-foot cable • 15 color options
Sound aficionados might scoff at any cheap earbuds that come in at less than $10, but they’ve probably never tried the Panasonic ErgoFit buds, which just happen to be a longtime favorite of ours. They offer a playful look, a comfortable fit, and adequate sound quality for their low price tag.
Panasonic offers the headset in a wide variety of colors — 15 to be precise. You can pick between ErgoFit earbuds with a glossy or a matte finish.
• IPX5 rating for water resistance • Up to 4 hours of battery life (18 hours with bundled case) • Storage case with USB-C connector
The true wireless 1More Comfobuds are the comfiest earphones you can buy at any price point. Each bud weighs only 3.8 grams — less than any true wireless offering out there. Such comfort is a worthy tradeoff for the product’s underwhelming, 4-hour battery life.
With large audio drivers, the Comfobuds delivers a powerful and entertaining sound. Their call quality is solid, too. The water-resistant earphones have AirPod-like stems and touch controls.
These cheap earbuds by 1MORE have a sleek design and a metal finish, which isn't typical for a product at this price point. You can order them in black, green, pink, or gold.
Thanks to a dual-driver audio setup and expertly tuned audio signature, they sound better than other cheap earbuds in the under-$30 price range. Other key features of the headset include a three-button remote control and tangle-free cable.
• Available with USB-C or Lightning connector • Sweat- and splash-resistant build • Three-button inline remote
Most new smartphones don't have a headphone jack, so consider a set of cheap earbuds that are compatible with their onboard wired port. Available with an Apple Lightning and a USB-C connector, the Belkin RockStar earbuds are lightweight, comfy, and, with a water-resistant build, good for exercising.
These cheap earbuds have excellent noise isolation, as well as a built-in remote for taking calls and controlling the audio playback. You can order the earbuds in black or white.
Gamers looking for cheap earbuds should consider the Turtle Beach Battle Buds. They deliver a powerful sound with enhanced bass and treble. Thanks to a detachable microphone, the Battle Buds will ensure that your in-game voice chats (or Zoom calls) are loud and clear.
Best of all, these earbuds are super comfortable. They come with several sets of ear tips and ear stabilizers for finding the perfect fit. You can order them in black or white with light blue accents.
These Sony earphones deliver big bass for a small price tag, thanks to their large 12-millimeter audio drivers. The headset's powerful bass is fun to experience, as long as you're not obsessed with hearing a consistently accurate sound.
These cheap earbuds have a smartphone-friendly, single-button remote control and comfy silicone earbuds. There are three colors available: red, blue, and black.
The MEE audio M6 PRO earbuds have an in-ear design with detachable cables, making them a unique option that offers both wired and wireless options. The headset's audio drivers also deliver one of the best sound signatures in this price range.
The earbuds come with two detachable cables (one with a smartphone remote), six pairs of ear tips, a quarter-inch adapter, and a carrying case. You can order them with a semi-transparent case in black, blue, red, or a clear finish.
The Smile Jamaica wired earphones by House of Marley feature eco-friendly materials that include responsibly sourced wood and recycled aluminum. The use of wood in their construction results in an entertaining sound with enhanced bass delivery.
A one-button remote control and microphone allow users to snap out of the good vibes and make phone calls. These cheap earbuds are also available in a wide variety of color options.
• 9-millimeter audio drivers • Up to 15 hours of battery life • USB-C charging connector
Sony’s WI-C200 are our favorite wireless neckband earbuds for less than $30. They're lightweight, extremely comfortable, and have a solid sound quality for their price range. You can order the buds in black or white.
Other product highlights include convenient playback and volume controls, up to 15 hours of battery life, and a futureproof and fast USB-C charging connector. The buds snap magnetically together when not in use.
Stefan VazharovSenior Technology EditorStefan is the senior technology editor for BestProducts.com, where he’s been covering the tech industry and testing the latest gadgets since 2015; He previously covered tech products for GSMArena.com and his work can also be found on Popular Mechanics.
This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io
