The 5 Best Earbuds And Headphones Under $20 - Fall 2019
Reviews

The best earbuds under $20 that we’ve tested so far are the Skullcandy Jib. They’re among the best cheap wireless earbuds we’ve reviewed and provide pretty good value for the price. Like most Skullcandy products, their price can vary depending on the color you choose, but most options are either under $20 or are just a couple of bucks more.

As is common with most Skullcandy headphones, they have a bass-heavy sound profile, which fans of EDM and hip-hop will surely love, but may not be the best for more vocal-centric music. They are decent earbuds for small ears as they have smaller buds than most in-ear headphones, making them fairly comfortable. Their smaller design also makes them extra portable and they are easy to throw into your pocket or bag.

Unfortunately, their build quality reflects their price, and they look quite cheap with thin cables and a plasticky remote with no volume controls. They also have a disappointing 6-hour battery life which takes over 2 hours to fully charge. If you can stretch your budget a little bit, consider the Anker SoundBuds Curve, which are the best wireless earbuds under $50 we've tested, thanks to their better build-quality, battery life, and even more comfortable design. Overall, these headphones provide decent value for the price if you want a pair of wireless in-ears without spending much money.

The best over-ear headphones under $20 that we’ve tested so far are the Koss UR20. They’re comfortable, decent-sounding headphones that could be an okay choice for critical listeners on a very tight budget.

These headphones have large, spacious earcups that are quite comfortable, and their headband doesn’t apply too much pressure on the head, which is great for long listening sessions. They have deep, punchy bass which makes them best-suited to bass-heavy genres like EDM or hip-hop.

Unfortunately, they’re quite plasticky and feel rather cheap. This is to be expected at this price point, but the Tascam TH-02 feel a little better-made. That said, the Koss sound better and are more comfortable, which makes them a slightly better option, and some of the best headphones under $20.

If you like on-ear headphones and are looking for something easy to carry around, then get the Koss KSC75, the best on-ear headphones under $20. They’re straightforward wired headphones that don’t have a microphone or any controls, just a regular audio cable. They have a super lightweight design that’s very portable thanks to their compact form factor.

These headphones clip onto your ears directly, so they’re very stable and can even be not bad to wear while jogging. They have a relatively bright sound profile that’s decent for podcasts or audiobooks, and their open-back design will help you remain aware of your surroundings.

On the downside, they don’t produce much thump and rumble. They also show very elevated levels of harmonic distortion in the bass range; this makes their bass sound slightly impure, especially at higher volumes. That said, they’re the most decent-sounding and portable on-ear headphones under $20 that we’ve reviewed so far and are worth considering if you’re a fan of their design.