The 6 Best Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds Under $100 – Summer 2019
Reviews

Earbuds and in-ear headphones are great for people on the go who value versatility and are looking for a convenient way to enjoy their favorite media anywhere, anytime. Compared to over-ear headphones, in-ears and earbuds offer unbeatable portability and are generally a better option for sports since they tend to be more breathable. Sometimes they can even provide pretty good isolation performance, which is great if you don’t want to shell out big bucks for headphones with active noise cancelling (ANC).

We’ve tested over 114 earbuds and in-ear headphones, and below are our recommendations for the best wireless earbuds under $100 to buy in 2019. If you’re looking for our top picks in general or are curious about different features, check out our recommendations for the best headphones under $100, the best wireless earbuds, the best wireless headphones under $100, and the best earbuds under $50.

1. Best Wireless Earbuds Under $100: Anker SoundCore Liberty Air Truly Wireless

   

   Anker SoundCore Liberty Air Truly Wireless

   SEE PRICE

   Amazon.com
   Usage Ratings - Version 1.2

   Test Benches:

   • 1.2: Winter 2018
   • 1.1: Summer 2017
   • 1.0: Winter 2017
   • 0.9: Winter 2016

   See changelog and how ratings work

   7.1

   Mixed Usage

   What it is: This is the combination of the different use cases to evaluate how versatile the headphones are. Therefore an everyday headphone should be well-rounded enough to adapt to most situations and environments without significant losses in sound quality, design ergonomics or isolation.

   Score components:

   • 25% Critical Listening
   • 25% Office
   • 25% Commute/Travel
   • 10% Sports/Fitness
   • 9% Gaming
   • 6% TV

   Score distribution:

   7.3

   Critical Listening

   What it is: The level of audio fidelity a headphone can reproduce. Therefore a balanced and true representation of bass, mids, treble, soundstage and imaging, as well as a comfortable listening experience, is essential for critical listening.

   Score components:

   • 80% Sound
   • 10% Build Quality
   • 7% Comfort
   • 3% Breathability

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations

   7.5

   Commute/Travel

   What it is: How well the headphones handle the loud environments involved in commuting or traveling. Therefore your listening experience should be comfortable, hassle-free and as isolated from noise as possible.

   Score components:

   • 24% Noise Isolation
   • 14% Sound
   • 11% Portability
   • 10% Comfort
   • 9% Build Quality
   • 9% Battery
   • 6% Wireless Range
   • 4% Controls
   • 4% Breathability
   • 4% Leakage
   • 3% Microphone
   • 1% Multi-Device Pairing
   • 1% NFC Pairing

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations

   8.1

   Sports/Fitness

   What it is: How well-adapted the headphones are, to use while doing sports or strenuous exercise. Therefore the headphones should not be too cumbersome and deliver a stable and comfortable listening experience.

   Score components:

   • 24% Stability
   • 23% Portability
   • 11% Sound
   • 10% Breathability
   • 8% Comfort
   • 6% Wireless Range
   • 5% Controls
   • 5% Battery
   • 4% Noise Isolation
   • 4% Leakage

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations

   7.4

   Office

   What it is: How well the headphones can deliver a comfortable and isolated listening experience in an office-like environment. They should not leak much and should block the noise of a busy office.

   Score components:

   • 24% Comfort
   • 21% Sound
   • 16% Noise Isolation
   • 8% Leakage
   • 7% Battery
   • 7% Wireless Range
   • 5% Breathability
   • 4% Build Quality
   • 4% Microphone
   • 2% Controls
   • <1% Multi-Device Pairing
   • <1% USB Audio
   • <1% PC Compatible
   • <1% Latency
   • <1% Analog Audio
   • <1% Line In
   • <1% USB Input
   • <1% PC Compatible
   • <1% Power Supply
   • <1% Dock Charging

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations

   5.6

   TV

   Score components:

   • 22% Sound
   • 17% Comfort
   • 15% Default Latency
   • 10% Wireless Range
   • 5% Breathability
   • 5% Build Quality
   • 4% Optical Input
   • 3% Battery
   • 3% Analog Audio
   • 3% Leakage
   • 2% Noise Isolation
   • 2% RCA Input
   • 2% Multi-Device Pairing
   • 2% Line In
   • 2% Line Out
   • 2% Power Supply
   • 1% Dock Charging

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations

   4.6

   Gaming

   Score components:

   • 20% Sound
   • 20% Default Latency
   • 15% Comfort
   • 12% Microphone
   • 5% Breathability
   • 5% Battery
   • 5% Base/Dock
   • 3% Build Quality
   • 3% Wireless Range
   • 3% Microphone Control
   • 2% Channel Mixing
   • 2% Wired
   • 2% Volume Control
   • 2% App Support
   • 1% Bluetooth

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations
   Type : In-ear
   Enclosure : Closed-Back
   Wireless : Truly Wireless
   Noise-Cancelling : No
   Mic : Yes
   Transducer : Dynamic

   The best Bluetooth earbuds under $100 that we’ve tested so far are the Anker SoundCore Liberty Air. These truly wireless in-ear headphones have a low-profile design that resembles the Apple AirPods but with a glossier finish. Their build quality is decent, and they’re rated IPX5 for sweat and water resistance, but their glossy finish tends to attract fingerprints. They’re decently comfortable and come with 4 silicone tip sizes to help you get a nice, stable fit.

   These are the best-sounding wireless earbuds under $100 we’ve tried so far. They have excellent audio reproduction and a balanced sound that is well-suited for a wide variety of music genres, from EDM, to jazz, to even classical. They isolate quite a bit of noise passively and hardly leak any sound at all, which is good for office use.

   Unfortunately, they don’t have a companion app to let you customize your listening experience. They also only provide about 4 hours of continuous playback on a charge, but this is about average for truly wireless headphones. Since their charging case provides a couple of extra charges, they should stay charged for most of the day if you keep them in their case when not in use. Overall, the Anker SoundCore Liberty Air offer pretty good value for their price and are easy to recommend.

   See our review

2. More Comfortable Alternative: JBL FreeX Truly Wireless

   

   JBL FreeX Truly Wireless

   SEE PRICE

   Amazon.com

   Type : In-ear

   Enclosure : Closed-Back

   Wireless : Truly Wireless

   Noise-Cancelling : No

   Mic : Yes

   Transducer : Dynamic

   If you like the truly wireless design of the Anker SoundCore Liberty Air but find their deep in-ear fit uncomfortable, then get the JBL Free X. They’re bulkier than the Anker when they’re in their charging case, but their in-ear fit protrudes less deeply into the ear canal, which is more comfortable. The earbuds themselves also feel better-built and easier-to-use. They have a similar neutral, balanced sound and isolate pretty well.

   There were many reports of the original JBL Free having issues maintaining a stable wireless connection, which we also noticed in our review. The new model is supposed to have corrected this problem. While we can’t confirm the issue is resolved for good, since we don’t yet have a wireless reliability test, we didn’t notice any connection issues with these headphones during our testing like we did with the original. As long as their connection stability holds up, these headphones are a solid alternative to the Anker SoundCore Liberty Air for those who prefer something more comfortable.

   See our review

3. Best Wireless Earbuds For Sports Under $100: Jaybird Tarah Wireless

   

   Jaybird Tarah Wireless

   SEE PRICE

   Amazon.com
   Usage Ratings - Version 1.2

   Test Benches:

   • 1.2: Winter 2018
   • 1.1: Summer 2017
   • 1.0: Winter 2017
   • 0.9: Winter 2016

   See changelog and how ratings work

   6.9

   Mixed Usage

   What it is: This is the combination of the different use cases to evaluate how versatile the headphones are. Therefore an everyday headphone should be well-rounded enough to adapt to most situations and environments without significant losses in sound quality, design ergonomics or isolation.

   Score components:

   • 25% Critical Listening
   • 25% Office
   • 25% Commute/Travel
   • 10% Sports/Fitness
   • 9% Gaming
   • 6% TV

   Score distribution:

   7.0

   Critical Listening

   What it is: The level of audio fidelity a headphone can reproduce. Therefore a balanced and true representation of bass, mids, treble, soundstage and imaging, as well as a comfortable listening experience, is essential for critical listening.

   Score components:

   • 80% Sound
   • 10% Build Quality
   • 7% Comfort
   • 3% Breathability

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations

   7.4

   Commute/Travel

   What it is: How well the headphones handle the loud environments involved in commuting or traveling. Therefore your listening experience should be comfortable, hassle-free and as isolated from noise as possible.

   Score components:

   • 24% Noise Isolation
   • 14% Sound
   • 11% Portability
   • 10% Comfort
   • 9% Build Quality
   • 9% Battery
   • 6% Wireless Range
   • 4% Controls
   • 4% Breathability
   • 4% Leakage
   • 3% Microphone
   • 1% Multi-Device Pairing
   • 1% NFC Pairing

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations

   8.0

   Sports/Fitness

   What it is: How well-adapted the headphones are, to use while doing sports or strenuous exercise. Therefore the headphones should not be too cumbersome and deliver a stable and comfortable listening experience.

   Score components:

   • 24% Stability
   • 23% Portability
   • 11% Sound
   • 10% Breathability
   • 8% Comfort
   • 6% Wireless Range
   • 5% Controls
   • 5% Battery
   • 4% Noise Isolation
   • 4% Leakage

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations

   7.2

   Office

   What it is: How well the headphones can deliver a comfortable and isolated listening experience in an office-like environment. They should not leak much and should block the noise of a busy office.

   Score components:

   • 24% Comfort
   • 21% Sound
   • 16% Noise Isolation
   • 8% Leakage
   • 7% Battery
   • 7% Wireless Range
   • 5% Breathability
   • 4% Build Quality
   • 4% Microphone
   • 2% Controls
   • <1% Multi-Device Pairing
   • <1% USB Audio
   • <1% PC Compatible
   • <1% Latency
   • <1% Analog Audio
   • <1% Line In
   • <1% USB Input
   • <1% PC Compatible
   • <1% Power Supply
   • <1% Dock Charging

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations

   5.2

   TV

   Score components:

   • 22% Sound
   • 17% Comfort
   • 15% Default Latency
   • 10% Wireless Range
   • 5% Breathability
   • 5% Build Quality
   • 4% Optical Input
   • 3% Battery
   • 3% Analog Audio
   • 3% Leakage
   • 2% Noise Isolation
   • 2% RCA Input
   • 2% Multi-Device Pairing
   • 2% Line In
   • 2% Line Out
   • 2% Power Supply
   • 1% Dock Charging

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations

   4.8

   Gaming

   Score components:

   • 20% Sound
   • 20% Default Latency
   • 15% Comfort
   • 12% Microphone
   • 5% Breathability
   • 5% Battery
   • 5% Base/Dock
   • 3% Build Quality
   • 3% Wireless Range
   • 3% Microphone Control
   • 2% Channel Mixing
   • 2% Wired
   • 2% Volume Control
   • 2% App Support
   • 1% Bluetooth

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations
   Type : In-ear
   Enclosure : Closed-Back
   Wireless : Yes
   Noise-Cancelling : No
   Mic : Yes
   Transducer : Dynamic

   If you’re looking for something with a more sweat-proof design, the best Bluetooth earbuds under $100 for sports are the Jaybird Tarah Wireless. They’re well-built headphones with a stable, secure fit and an IPX7 rating for added water resistance. They have eargel tips that don’t enter as far deep into the ear canal as other in-ear tips, so they’re fairly comfortable too.

   These are decent-sounding wireless in-ear headphones that should be okay for most music genres, but their default sound profile seems to favor more bass-heavy genres. Fortunately, it’s possible to customize their sound to your liking with the Jaybird MySound companion app. The app also lets you create and share sound profiles with other Jaybird users.

   Unfortunately, they use a proprietary charging cradle to charge, which is a bit less convenient than a regular micro-USB cable. They also only have a 6-hour battery life, but they do feature an auto-off timer to help save power when they’re not in use. That said, whether you’re serious about fitness or just like to go on a run from time to time, they are worth considering and are among the best cheap wireless earbuds for sports that we’ve tested so far.

   See our review

4. Alternative With A Longer Battery Life: JBL Reflect Mini 2 Wireless

   

   JBL Reflect Mini 2 Wireless

   SEE PRICE

   Amazon.com

   Type : In-ear

   Enclosure : Closed-Back

   Wireless : Yes

   Noise-Cancelling : No

   Mic : Yes

   Transducer : Dynamic

   If you like the stable, secure fit of the Jaybird Tarah Wireless but wish their battery lasted longer, then go for the JBL Reflect Mini 2 Wireless. They’re not customizable like the Jaybird, but their battery lasts significantly longer. You’ll get just over 10 hours of continuous playback with these headphones, which is pretty good, and they even come with a small rubber carrying pouch.

   Although they have a decent battery life, they don’t have any power-saving features, so you’ll need to make sure to remember to turn them off when not in use or else they’ll continue draining the battery. Their lack of customization can be disappointing when compared to the Jaybird, but thankfully they have great audio reproduction with a neutral sound profile that’s balanced enough to handle any track you might throw at them.

   See our review

5. Best-Designed Wireless Earbuds Under $100: Beats Powerbeats3 Wireless

   

   Beats Powerbeats3 Wireless

   SEE PRICE

   Amazon.com
   Usage Ratings - Version 1.2

   Test Benches:

   • 1.2: Winter 2018
   • 1.1: Summer 2017
   • 1.0: Winter 2017
   • 0.9: Winter 2016

   See changelog and how ratings work

   6.9

   Mixed Usage

   What it is: This is the combination of the different use cases to evaluate how versatile the headphones are. Therefore an everyday headphone should be well-rounded enough to adapt to most situations and environments without significant losses in sound quality, design ergonomics or isolation.

   Score components:

   • 25% Critical Listening
   • 25% Office
   • 25% Commute/Travel
   • 10% Sports/Fitness
   • 9% Gaming
   • 6% TV

   Score distribution:

   7.3

   Critical Listening

   What it is: The level of audio fidelity a headphone can reproduce. Therefore a balanced and true representation of bass, mids, treble, soundstage and imaging, as well as a comfortable listening experience, is essential for critical listening.

   Score components:

   • 80% Sound
   • 10% Build Quality
   • 7% Comfort
   • 3% Breathability

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations

   7.0

   Commute/Travel

   What it is: How well the headphones handle the loud environments involved in commuting or traveling. Therefore your listening experience should be comfortable, hassle-free and as isolated from noise as possible.

   Score components:

   • 24% Noise Isolation
   • 14% Sound
   • 11% Portability
   • 10% Comfort
   • 9% Build Quality
   • 9% Battery
   • 6% Wireless Range
   • 4% Controls
   • 4% Breathability
   • 4% Leakage
   • 3% Microphone
   • 1% Multi-Device Pairing
   • 1% NFC Pairing

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations

   8.1

   Sports/Fitness

   What it is: How well-adapted the headphones are, to use while doing sports or strenuous exercise. Therefore the headphones should not be too cumbersome and deliver a stable and comfortable listening experience.

   Score components:

   • 24% Stability
   • 23% Portability
   • 11% Sound
   • 10% Breathability
   • 8% Comfort
   • 6% Wireless Range
   • 5% Controls
   • 5% Battery
   • 4% Noise Isolation
   • 4% Leakage

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations

   6.9

   Office

   What it is: How well the headphones can deliver a comfortable and isolated listening experience in an office-like environment. They should not leak much and should block the noise of a busy office.

   Score components:

   • 24% Comfort
   • 21% Sound
   • 16% Noise Isolation
   • 8% Leakage
   • 7% Battery
   • 7% Wireless Range
   • 5% Breathability
   • 4% Build Quality
   • 4% Microphone
   • 2% Controls
   • <1% Multi-Device Pairing
   • <1% USB Audio
   • <1% PC Compatible
   • <1% Latency
   • <1% Analog Audio
   • <1% Line In
   • <1% USB Input
   • <1% PC Compatible
   • <1% Power Supply
   • <1% Dock Charging

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations

   5.7

   TV

   Score components:

   • 22% Sound
   • 17% Comfort
   • 15% Default Latency
   • 10% Wireless Range
   • 5% Breathability
   • 5% Build Quality
   • 4% Optical Input
   • 3% Battery
   • 3% Analog Audio
   • 3% Leakage
   • 2% Noise Isolation
   • 2% RCA Input
   • 2% Multi-Device Pairing
   • 2% Line In
   • 2% Line Out
   • 2% Power Supply
   • 1% Dock Charging

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations

   5.3

   Gaming

   Score components:

   • 20% Sound
   • 20% Default Latency
   • 15% Comfort
   • 12% Microphone
   • 5% Breathability
   • 5% Battery
   • 5% Base/Dock
   • 3% Build Quality
   • 3% Wireless Range
   • 3% Microphone Control
   • 2% Channel Mixing
   • 2% Wired
   • 2% Volume Control
   • 2% App Support
   • 1% Bluetooth

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations
   Type : In-ear
   Enclosure : Closed-Back
   Wireless : Yes
   Noise-Cancelling : No
   Mic : Yes
   Transducer : Dynamic

   If you’re looking for stylish, well-designed earbuds, take a look at the Beats Powerbeats3 Wireless. These in-ears have a stable ear-hook design that helps secure the earbuds in place without putting too much pressure on your ears. They’re very portable, lightweight, and come with a rubberized carrying pouch.

   They feature Apple’s W1 chip, which means they pair seamlessly with iOS devices connected to your iCloud account. They have deep, powerful bass that brings out the thump and rumble of bass-heavy music like hip-hop and EDM without drowning out the vocals and lead instruments over other genres. They have a pretty good battery for wireless in-ears too, lasting nearly 12 hours of continuous playback on a single charge.

   Unfortunately, they may not be the best for commuting, since they don’t isolate very much noise. That said, this means they might be suitable for outdoor runners who need to be able to remain aware of their surroundings. Overall, they’re well-designed, comfortable in-ear headphones that will work for many.

   See our review

6. Budget Alternative With A Similar Design: Anker SoundCore Spirit X Wireless

   

   Anker SoundCore Spirit X Wireless

   SEE PRICE

   Amazon.com

   Type : In-ear

   Enclosure : Closed-Back

   Wireless : Yes

   Noise-Cancelling : No

   Mic : Yes

   Transducer : Dynamic

   If the Beats Powerbeats3 Wireless are out of your price range and you prefer a more understated look, get the wireless Anker SoundCore Spirit X Wireless. They might not have the same build quality as the Beats, but they’re significantly cheaper for a very similar design. They’re actually quite comfortable for in-ear headphones; they don’t enter the ear canal as deeply as other in-ears and have a nice soft ear-hook. They have a bass-heavy sound, similar to the Beats, but aren’t as well-suited for vocal-centric music.

   Like the Beats, these headphones don’t isolate all that well. They also don’t have as good a wireless range as other Bluetooth headphones either. That said, they still provide great value for their price and are a solid alternative to the similarly-designed Powerbeats3.

   See our review