The 5 Best Headphones Under $50 - Winter 2021 Reviews

The best headphones under $50 that we've tested are the Plantronics BackBeat Go 810. These wireless over-ears have a comfortable fit and a decently versatile performance that can please many different listeners. Thanks to their over 24-hour continuous battery life, they're ideal for long days on-the-go.

Overall, they have a neutral, well-balanced sound profile that's suitable for listening to lots of different audio content. The BackBeat companion app even offers a few EQ presets to help you customize their sound to your liking. They don't leak a lot of noise, either, so you crank up the volume on your favorite tunes without bothering people around you.

Unfortunately, while they come with an active noise cancellation (ANC) feature, they still struggle to block out bass-heavy background noises like bus and plane engines, so they may not be ideal for your commute. Their ear cups are also small and shallow, so they may not be comfortable for all listeners. However, if you're on a budget, these over-ears are a solid choice.

The Creative Outlier Air V2 are the best headphones under $50 with a truly wireless design that we've tested. They're well-built and have a comfortable fit, and come with lots of different sizes of earbud tips to help you get the best possible fit. They last for over ten hours off of a single charge, which is great, and you can even recharge them using their portable case while you're on-the-go.

Out-of-the-box, they have an excited, v-shaped sound profile with an extra punch in the bass range that can please fans of bass-heavy music like EDM. However, if you prefer a different sound, there's a graphic EQ and presets available in their companion app. They even have a Super X-FI virtual surround feature, which the manufacturer says uses head mapping technology to adjust audio reproduction based on the shape of your ears, but we don't test for this.

Unfortunately, they don't have an ANC feature, and they struggle to block out bass-heavy background noises like bus and plane engines, so they may not be ideal to use during your commute. While their microphone has a decent recording quality, it can struggle to separate your voice from background noises if you're calling for a busy environment. However, they still offer a decently versatile overall performance for a more affordable price.

The best headphones under $50 with an earbud design that we've tested are the Anker SoundBuds Curve Upgraded 2019. These wireless in-ears have an intuitive in-line remote and feel reasonably well-built, with dense plastic earbuds and an IPX7 rating for water resistance, although we don’t test for the latter. With an included selection of five differently-sized ear tips and three differently-sized stability fins, finding a comfortable, consistent, and secure fit shouldn’t be a challenge.

Their sound profile is quite bass-heavy, with enough thump and rumble to please all but the most demanding of bass fanatics. However, they seldom sound muddy or boomy thanks to their well-reproduced mids and treble. Meanwhile, their 18.4-hour battery life is among the longest we’ve tested for a pair of Bluetooth in-ears and should have no trouble getting you through a couple of long days at the office. They only take a little over one hour to charge, which is really handy if you’re in a rush.

Unfortunately, while the earbuds are made of dense plastic, their cable is quite thin and feels a little more fragile. They also lack any dedicated app support, although that might be expected at this price. Overall, they're an excellent value and are among the best headphones we've tested.