The 10 Best Cheap Earbuds - Fall 2019
Reviews

The best cheap earbuds that we’ve tested so far are the Anker SoundBuds Curve. They have a flexible ear-hook design that ensures a stable yet comfortable fit. Their earbud tips don’t protrude too deeply into the ear canal, either, making them less fatiguing to wear over time than other in-ears we’ve tested. They have a polished matte finish that gives them a nice sporty look and even come with a small hard carrying case, which is a welcome surprise at this price point.

These headphones have a bass-rich sound signature that delivers the deep thump and punch of bass-heavy genres like EDM and hip-hop while remaining balanced enough to be suitable for other kinds of music too. They have a 13-hour battery life that outperforms even more expensive headphones and are easy-to-use.

Although they are comfortable, they do a mediocre job at isolating noise. The AUKEY Latitude have significantly better isolation performance, which makes them a better choice for those with particularly noisy commutes, but they’re much less comfortable and can sound a bit muddy compared to the Anker. All-in-all, the Anker SoundBuds Curve are the best budget earbuds and provide excellent value for their price.

The best cheap wired earbuds that we’ve tested so far are the KZ ZST. They’re very lightweight and have a fairly comfortable in-ear design that fits nicely without putting too much pressure on the ear. In addition, they come with a detachable cable that you can replace if it ever breaks, which is great at this price point.

These wired in-ears sound decent and have a fairly accurate audio reproduction. They can sound a bit bright or even sharp to some, but not everyone will experience this equally. The unit we tested didn’t come with a microphone, but there is a variant with an in-line mic that’s available for purchase.

Although they feel well-built overall, especially for their very low price point, they don’t feel as premium as the other KZ in-ears we’ve tested, like the slightly more expensive KZ ZSN. The ZSN have less stable treble performance, though, so the ZST are a better option for the price difference.

The best budget earbuds for sports we've tested so far are the JBL Endurance Sprint Wireless. They seem fairly durable and have a matte rubberized finish which makes them look and feel surprisingly premium for the price. They're rated IPX7 for waterproofing and have a decently compact design that you can easily throw into your gym bag or even stuff into your pockets when you're on-the-go.

These earbuds reproduce audio impressively well and have a very well-balanced sound. They're among the best-sounding wireless earbuds we've tested and are suitable for all kinds of music as well as podcasts and audiobooks. Their 9-hour battery life is decent and they have an auto-off timer that triggers when the ear-hooks are closed to help save power.

While their ear-hook design is meant to help keep them firmly in place while running or working out, it can be a bit tricky to get them to stay put, especially if you have smaller ears. They're also not the most comfortable, even once they're properly fitted, and their touch-sensitive controls can be rather finicky. All things considered, though, they're still the best cheap earphones for sports.

The best cheap customizable earbuds that we’ve tested so far are the Jaybird Freedom. They’re compatible with Jaybird’s great mobile app which provides access to a number of customization options. They’re currently the best earbuds for small ears that we’ve reviewed thanks to their unique, slim earbud design that easily accommodates ears of various shapes and sizes.

When you connect these earbuds to the Jaybird MySound app, you get access to a great parametric EQ so you can fine-tune the way they sound to suit your tastes. In addition, you can browse and contribute to a library of community presets, which is great if you want to share presets with some friends. The app is also available on both iOS and Android.

Unfortunately, they have a pretty weak battery, lasting only about 4 hours on a charge. You can attach the charging clip to their in-line remote to double their battery life, but it makes the earbuds feel unbalanced with the bulky dongle hanging from one side. If you can afford the price difference, the Jaybird Tarah provide better battery performance, but they’re quite a bit more expensive. All-in-all, the Jaybird Freedom are the best cheap earbuds if you’re looking for customizable earphones that won’t break the bank.

The best cheap truly wireless earbuds that we’ve tested so far are the SoundPeats TrueFree. They’re well-built earbuds with a simple, low-profile design. They’re stable enough to wear while running, have very good isolation performance for your daily commute, and have an outstanding wireless range for home or office use.

They have a bass-heavy sound profile that lends itself particularly well to EDM like dubstep or techno, as well as rap and hip-hop. They’re balanced enough to be passable for other genres like pop or rock music, but they lack detail and clarity in the treble range, so they’re not the best for classical or jazz.

Like many truly wireless in-ears, their battery is quite weak and only lasts for 3.3 hours before needing to be charged. Thankfully, they have a standby mode that helps save the battery a bit and their charging case provides from 4 to 5 extra charges, so if you take breaks to charge them every now and then, they should last you all day. All-in-all, they offer impressive value for truly wireless in-ear headphones at this price point.