The 5 Best Cheap Earphones - Fall 2020
Reviews

The cheapest earbuds with a decent performance that we've tested so far are the Panasonic ErgoFit RP-HJE120. These wired earbuds are quite straightforward, but they still have a pretty versatile performance for their price. They're lightweight, portable, and decently comfortable so that you can wear them for longer listening sessions without a lot of fatigue.

Overall, these earbuds are adequate for neutral sound, so they're suitable for lots of different music genres. Their bass-heavy sound profile adds an extra thump and punch to the mix that fans of bass-heavy music like EDM and hip-hop can enjoy. They also don't leak a lot of noise, which is nice if you like to crank up the volume on your favorite tunes without bothering the people around you.

On the downside, these headphones feel a bit cheaply made, and they don't have a lot of features. They also don't have a very stable fit, so they may not be the best choice to use while you're at the gym. That said, if you're on a budget and looking for a decent pair of basic earbuds, they're a solid choice.

The best cheap earbuds under $20 that we've reviewed so far are the Skullcandy Jib Wireless. These wireless in-ears aren't a bad choice for taking out on a run or to the gym, as they're highly portable and offer a decently comfortable and secure fit thanks to an included selection of differently-sized ear tips.

These in-ears have a very bass-heavy sound profile that should please fans of EDM and hip-hop who prefer an extra helping of thump and rumble in their listening experience. That said, their powerful bass doesn't overwhelm more delicate vocals and instrumentals. Also, they do an impressive job of preventing audio from leaking out, so you can listen to your music pretty loud without having to worry about disrupting people nearby.

On the downside, these headphones don't feel especially well-built, which isn't too surprising given their low price. Their in-line microphone lacks volume controls, which could be a bit of an annoyance if you want to adjust while you're on the go. Their battery life is also disappointing, offering just under six hours of playback on a two-hour charge. Still, these are a solid choice if you're looking for a pair of no-frills wireless headphones.

The best cheap truly wireless earbuds that we've tested so far are the SoundPeats TrueFree/True Wireless. Despite their very low price tag, they look and feel quite well-made, and should be able to withstand a few accidental drops and bumps without sustaining much damage. As with most truly wireless headphones, they're extremely portable, and you can easily toss them in your pocket while on-the-go.

They feel very stable in the ear, making them a good choice for taking to the gym, and they passively block out a good amount of background noise. While they have a well-balanced mid-range, fans of classic rock or pop will likely find they sound fairly muddy due to bass-heavy sound that lacks a lot of brightness and detail on higher frequencies. Overall, they're best-suited for non-vocal-centric genres like EDM or dubstep.

Unfortunately, their battery only lasts 3.3 hours, and while their case houses around four additional charges, they take nearly 1.5 hours to fully charge. Their case also doesn't have a lid, and the earbuds are only held in place via magnets. There's a model available with a lid on the case, but it costs a bit more, and we haven't tested it, though we'd expect the headphones themselves to perform the same. Overall, they're surprisingly decent for the price and are among the best true wireless earbuds we've tested.

The best budget earbuds under $50 that we've tested so far are the Anker SoundBuds Curve Upgraded 2019. These wireless earbuds offer fantastic value and are among the best wireless Bluetooth earbuds we've tested. They feel very stable in the ear thanks to their ear-hook design, and they're even rated IPX7 for sweat and water resistance, though this isn't something we test for.

Their sound profile is fairly bass-heavy, but should still be well-balanced enough for most popular genres and content. Their in-line remote is easy to use, and their 18.4-hour battery is one of the longest we've ever tested on a pair of wireless earbuds. The microphone built into the remote is surprisingly decent, though, like most integrated mics, your voice tends to get drowned out in noisy environments.

Unfortunately, like with most budget options, they don't have a dedicated companion app, so you can't EQ the way they sound or make any changes to their settings. Their low price is also reflected somewhat in their build quality, and while their plastic feels dense and solid, the cord connecting the left and right earbuds feels quite thin. That said, overall, these headphones provide an excellent price-to-performance ratio and are among the best headphones we've tested.