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Mar 09, 2023

9 Best Wireless Earbuds Under $100 of 2023, According to Testing

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Say goodbye to pesky wires and hello to hands-free calling!

Ditching wires doesn't have to mean ditching your budget. In fact, there are tons of super affordable wireless earbuds under $100 and several under $50 that offer great audio performance and seamless Bluetooth pairing. Some wireless earbuds even come with features you'd find in more premium pairs, like active noise cancellation, water resistance and on-ear controls. Since finding the right pair can feel overwhelming, our pros went ahead and narrowed down the best budget earbuds available today for hands-free use. That's right, no more frustrating wires getting tangled up in your purse or backpack.

Engineers and product analysts at the Good Housekeeping Institute have tested audio equipment for years, from the best AirPod alternatives to Bluetooth speakers to noise-canceling headphones. To find the best affordable earbuds on the market today, our pros assessed 15 pairs of earbuds under $100 for their battery life, audio performance, fit, ease of use and pairing, noise-canceling capabilities and more. Over the years our product analysts have logged more than 300 hours of listening to earbuds, and we continously collect data from our consumer testers regarding their experience using earbuds. According to our testing, these are the best wireless earbuds under $100 to start taking calls and playing music on the go.

After checking out our picks below, continue reading to find out what to look for when shopping for wireless earbuds under $100.

Jabra earbuds have performed well in previous Media & Tech Lab tests and the Elite 4 are no exception. From a sleek design available in four colors to super comfortable silicone tips and an instantaneous Bluetooth connection to your smartphone, this pair has everything most people are looking for in earbuds. On top of crystal-clear sound quality, we love that these feature active noise cancellation (ANC) for times when you’re commuting or traveling and want to block out noise. "The noise canceling features helped enhance my listening experience – I felt like the sound quality was much better than other earbuds I’ve used because of this," says one tester.

Each earbud is equipped with an on-ear button that's extremely easy to press when you want to stop a song or switch to transparency mode; our pros found the on-ears buttons much easier to use than some on-ear touch controls we’ve tried. We also like that they feature 22 hours of playtime with the boost of the charging case and you can extend that up to 28 when ANC is off, according to Jabra. An IP55 rating means that though we wouldn't recommend dropping these in a lake, they should be completely fine at the gym or in a light rain shower.

Several reviewers also pointed out that they also liked the appearance of the earbuds (especially the lavender color) as well as the case's slim, lightweight design and matte finish, though some do mention that the earbuds weren't a perfect fit for their ears.

Who knew you could find wireless earbuds under $50? Our pros like this pair from Skullcandy if you’re looking for fantastic value and easy set up. While these earbuds don't offer the same sound quality or rich features as more premium sets, our pros were still impressed by how comfortable they felt while wearing them and love that they’re sweat-resistant, according to the brand. The case could feel sturdier but we appreciate how it's super lightweight and compact enough to slide into your pocket.

An on-ear button on both earbuds lets you pause or play music with a quick press. Even though we’re bummed that these can only be charged via micro-USB, they’re fortunately packed with 12 hours of battery life to get you through the entire day. Just keep in mind that the case doesn't store any battery power so what you see is what you get.

Take these noise-canceling Anker earbuds with you to the office or on vacation to block out chit chat and distractions. With 50 hours of listening and 10 hours on a single charge, you won't even need your charging cable. On top of impressive battery life, we found that this model was comfy and secure when inside the ear. On-ear controls were fairly intuitive (though could be more responsive) and the sound quality was excellent for the price. Plus, we love the sturdy, attractive case that's super compact and unlike many other budget earbuds it supports wireless charging.

These earbuds were some of the most impressive on this list for their noise-canceling capabilities. Just touch the stem of the earbuds to alternative between three modes: ambient sound (great for having conversations and being aware of surroundings), normal and ANC. With the active noise cancellation on, the earbuds did a great job of blocking out external noise. Not only were touch controls responsive, but our pros found the sound quality to be solid. We also like that you get a total of 45 hours of playtime and that wireless charging is supported, though we wish the earbuds' design felt slightly more comfortable.

These earbuds are bulkier in design than other models featured on this list, but they surprised us with their great sound quality and rich bass. On-ear controls were fairly responsive and an IPX4 rating makes these a good choice for workouts that may get a bit sweaty. Unfortunately, these don't support active noise canceling but we found that they isolated against noise fairly well thanks to their larger design. Available in a variety of colors, these wireless earbuds feature up to 20 hours of battery life and their price is hard to beat.

The Apple AirPods (Gen 2) may not be the latest AirPods, but that doesn't mean they’re not worth considering. Not only are these earbuds significantly cheaper than other AirPods, but they connect almost instantly to Apple devices like your iPhone, making them super easy to use. Some users even prefer the Gen 2's longer stems to some newer AirPods, finding them more comfortable and easier to secure inside ears. "They feel very comfortable and I like that they don't have squishy silicone, which I find uncomfortable," says GH Senior Product Analyst Emma Seymour.

Keep in mind that this pair isn't water-resistant and doesn't feature active noise cancellation so you’ll still be able to hear office banter in the background, but our pros find the audio quality excellent. We also like how you get up to 24 hours of listening with the charging case so you won't have to worry about running out of power anytime soon, and the case itself is sleek, lightweight and compact. "I like that they charge quickly and pair across devices seamlessly so I can swap them on for a phone call with minimal disruption," says Deputy Editor Sarah Wharton.

These wireless earbuds from JBL were made for running, hiking and even surfing. An IP68 rating means that they’ve been tested to withstand water submersion for 30 minutes up to three feet. While we haven't taken these for a swim yet, the earbuds felt extremely secure when shaking our heads around thanks to a tight fit and hooks that go around your ears. Though the design might feel a bit tight at first and the carrying case is larger than we’d like, we found on-ear controls to be some of the most responsive of all budget earbuds.

Switching from "Ambient Aware" mode, which helps you stay aware of your surroundings, to "Talk Thru" mode, which functions a bit like active noise cancellation, was intuitive. We also found it easy to start and stop music from the earbuds, and love that you get up to 50 hours of play time, according to JBL. If, however, you want true noise cancellation and even better sound quality, our pros suggest upgrading to the JBL Live Pro 2 for an extra $50.

Pop the super sleek PistonBuds Pro into your ears and start listening to your favorite playlist. In our tests Bluetooth pairing was instant and we found the earbuds' compact size more comfortable than other earbuds. We love the design of the small, lightweight case and that the earbuds are IPX5 rated so you don't have to panic if it starts raining.

Though the sound quality leaves something to be desired and the bass isn't as rich as other budget earbuds, we like that these feature an auto-stop feature that pauses your music automatically when you take a bud out of your ear (and restarts it when you put it back). You can also use on-ear tap controls to make adjustments, though these could be a bit more responsive.

If you use Alexa as your preferred voice assistant on your phone, look no further than the Echo Buds. Once the earbuds are in, you can ask Alexa to play a song, call home or set reminders without ever having to pull out your phone. Our pros found these to be extremely comfortable and secure, and we appreciate that you can easily switch between active noise cancellation and transparency mode depending on whether you want to hear background noise or not. On-ear controls were fairly responsive, though we do think battery life could be a bit better. While the case is compact and lightweight, it could be sturdier.

The experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute have evaluated over 50 pairs of headphones and earbuds over the years. To find the best wireless earbuds under $100, we first evaluate each pair for ease of use and set up, battery life, sound quality, comfort and noise-canceling capabilities. We assess how quickly earbuds pair to Bluetooth, whether their fit is secure and adjustable and the intuitiveness of on-ear controls. We also consider earbuds' resilience and durability when dropped or put in contact with water. Lastly, we evaluate consumer tester feedback to assess the earbuds' sound quality, comfort and design. In our most recent evaluation, we assessed more than 15 pairs of wireless earbuds under $100, eliminating any that didn't fit into this price range.

✔️ Battery life and charging: Double-check the battery life of your wireless earbuds, which may be less than what the manufacturer claims. While most pairs featured on this list come with charging cases that will extend your earbuds' battery life, you'll want to make sure you get enough off a single charge to last you the day. Also, keep in mind that using features such as active noise cancellation will typically eat up more battery power.

✔️ Noise cancellation: Earbuds that feature ANC (active noise cancellation) are designed to produce a mirror image sound wave in your ear to cancel out external noise. They're extremely handy when commuting or traveling by plane as they enable you to block out a lot of the background noise so you can focus on your music, audiobook or phone call.

✔️ Pairing: Whether you use an iPhone or an Android, check that your earbuds support pairing with your smartphone and its operating system. Once initially paired, most will earbuds connect to your phone almost instantly.

✔️ Water resistance: Some earbuds claim to be water-resistant and may feature an IP (ingress protection) rating, such as IPX5. This is handy when working out at the gym or participating in activities where your earbuds may get a little wet. The first number refers to solids like dust and sand, while the second number refers to liquids. The higher the number, the more durable and water-resistant you can expect your earbuds to be.

✔️ Comfort and fit: Nobodys has identical ears so what's comfortable for one person may not be comfortable for another. If your earbuds have silicone tips, look for ones that have several sizing options so you can find the best and most secure fit for your ears. Creating a good seal with your ear canal is key for optimal sound quality and performance, as well as not losing your earbuds.

✔️ Controls: Most earbuds either feature touch controls or buttons on the actual earbud so you can play or pause music, skip songs or switch between ANC and transparency modes. Just keep in mind that some controls are more responsive and intuitive than others.

For decades, the Good Housekeeping Institute has been providing expert reviews and feedback on the best electronics and accessories you can buy. Media and Tech Reviews Analyst Olivia Lipski has tested and reviewed the latest gadgets and gear in tech, travel, fitness, home and more. She's covered audio over the years, writing about outdoor speakers, soundbars and wireless earbuds. She continues to stay on top of the industry's latest innovations and helps readers make better buying decisions by testing and reviewing the best gadgets to hit the market.

Olivia (she/her) is a media and tech product reviews analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute, covering tech, home, auto, health and more. She has more than five years of experience writing about tech trends and innovation and, prior to joining GH in 2021, was a writer for Android Central, Lifewire and other media outlets. Olivia is a graduate of George Washington University, with a bachelor's degree in journalism, political science and French, and she holds a master's degree in communications from Sciences Po Paris.

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