The 6 Best Headphones Under $50 - Fall 2019
Reviews

The best headphones under $50 that we’ve tested so far are the Mpow H5. They're decently comfortable wireless noise cancelling over-ear headphones that are surprisingly feature-packed for their price. They’re fairly well-built for budget headphones and even come with a detachable cable and a great hard carrying case.

These headphones have a decent 12-hour battery life and can be used while they charge, as well as passively with their provided audio cable when the battery runs out. They support multi-device pairing, which is rare for Bluetooth headphones in this price range, and have an efficient control scheme that’s easy-to-use. They have punchy bass that’s well-suited to fans of bass-heavy music like EDM or hip-hop, but they’re less suitable for more vocal-centric music.

Although they have a more premium look than other headphones under $50 we’ve tested, they still don’t feel super durable. Their noise cancellation feature is also sub-par and they leak a bit of sound at higher volumes. That said, the Mpow H5 are one of the best Bluetooth headphones under $50; they have a pleasantly surprising price-to-performance ratio and are likely to please casual listeners looking for wireless headphones on a budget.

If you prefer the compact format of on-ears, then the best Bluetooth headphones under $50 you can get are the Skullcandy Grind. Only certain color variants are available under $50, so you may have to spend a bit more for your favorite color scheme, but overall they're easily among the best on-ear headphones we’ve tested so far. They have a sturdy metal design that looks great and they’re surprisingly comfortable for on-ear headphones.

These are Bluetooth headphones but they also come with two audio cables to use when the battery is empty or just to eliminate wireless latency. They’ll work with nearly all devices, including providing audio and chat support on the PS4 and Xbox One since one of their cables has an in-line mic. They sound decent overall, albeit a bit sharp at times, but should satisfy most casual listeners. They have a decent 15-hour battery life and charge in under 2 hours.

Unfortunately, they aren’t as portable as some of the other on-ears we've tested since they don’t fold into a more compact format. They’re also only available for less than $50 in some of the slightly less popular color schemes. That said, if you don’t mind, they're one of the best wireless headphones under $50 and they provide great value overall.

The best in-ear headphones under $50 that we’ve tested so far are the Anker SoundBuds Curve. They’re very well-designed, with a comfortable fit that’s less fatiguing to wear over time than other in-ear headphones we’ve reviewed. They feel fairly well-built, are very portable, and even come with a good hard carrying case that’ll help protect them on the go.

These headphones have an excited bass-rich sound that delivers deep, thumping bass without completely drowning out instruments and vocals. Their battery lasts for nearly 13 hours of continuous playback, which is quite good, and they charge in about 1.5 hours. They even support aptX, so you might not even notice very much audio lag if you watch videos or play mobile games on a compatible Bluetooth device.

Although fans of EDM or hip-hop are sure to love their punchy bass, it might be slightly overpowering for fans of classical or folk music. Also, Anker doesn’t yet have a mobile app, so these earbuds are less customizable than the Jaybird Freedom, which can be fine-tuned in great detail with their companion EQ. That said, they still provide excellent value overall and are the best cheap earbuds that we’ve tested so far.