Skullcandy make colorful, budget-friendly headphones for casual listening, sports, and gaming. They offer wired and wireless in-ear, on-ear, and over-ear models. The brand is best known for bass-heavy sound, flashy designs, and features like haptic bass on select models. Some models also support Tile tracking, EQ presets, or app-based sound customization. However, Skullcandy aren't the strongest choice if you want premium build quality, a neutral sound profile, or top-tier active noise cancelling (ANC).
We've bought and tested over 25 pairs of Skullcandy headphones. When shopping for a pair of headphones, it's worth paying attention to fit, battery life, app support, durability, and whether you want extra bass or a more balanced sound.
Updates
- 05/30/2024Skullcandy Crusher Evo Wireless updated
- 12/22/2023Skullcandy Hesh ANC Wireless updated
- 12/14/2023Skullcandy Dime 3 True Wireless reviewed
- 09/29/2023Skullcandy Smokin' Buds/Buds XT True Wireless reviewed
- 07/21/2023Skullcandy Dime 2 True Wireless updated
Our How We Test Headphones article takes you behind the scenes in our lab. You'll learn how we choose and purchase products and dive into the details of our review philosophy, from testing and scoring to writing and editing.
You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
-
Best Skullcandy Earbuds
Neutral SoundCommute/TravelSports/FitnessOfficeWireless GamingWired GamingPhone CallsType:In-earEnclosure:Closed-BackWireless:Truly WirelessNoise Cancelling:NoSee all our test resultsMic:YesThe Skullcandy Push Active True Wireless are the best Skullcandy headphones we've tested. These portable, sports-oriented earbuds have an ear hook design for added stability while you're on the move. Their fit is comfortable, and they're rated IP55 for dust and water resistance. Thanks to their bass-heavy sound profile, the extra thump, rumble, and boom added to mixes can help keep you pumped up during your workout. Their companion app has a graphic EQ and presets if you prefer a different sound. You can also access Skull-iQ in the app, a smart feature that lets you control the earbuds with voice commands. Considering their reasonable price, these are the best Skullcandy wireless earbuds we've tested.
The buds have a continuous battery life of over nine hours, and their carrying case holds roughly 3.4 additional charges. Unfortunately, they lack active noise cancelling (ANC) and do a mediocre job blocking background noise, like the low rumble of bus and plane engines. You may find this a benefit if you want to stay aware of your surroundings, like when you're on a run on busy city streets. But if ANC is important to you, consider the Skullcandy Sesh ANC True Wireless, which have excellent noise isolation. They lack the Push Active's stability hooks, though, and aren't quite as comfortable.
-
Best Cheap Skullcandy Earbuds
Sports And FitnessTravelOffice WorkWireless Gaming (In Development)Wired Gaming (In Development)Audio Reproduction AccuracyNoise IsolationMicrophone (In Development)Frequency Response ConsistencyBass Amount:Slightly Emphasized (2 dB)Treble Amount:Balanced (0 dB)Sound Signature:WarmType:In-earEnclosure:Closed-BackWireless:Truly WirelessNoise Cancelling:NoSee all our test resultsMic:YesIf you're looking for more affordable buds, the Skullcandy Dime 3 True Wireless are the best cheap Skullcandy earbuds we've tested and a great pair of AirPods alternatives. Made of lightweight plastic with short stems and buttons, these buds are highly portable, although the peekaboo lid exposes the earbuds, which is less protective than a fully encapsulating case. That said, the earbuds have an IPX4 rating for water resistance, and they're cheap enough to keep as a spare set when you don't want to risk your premium headphones. You get three ear tips to hone your fit; they feel reasonably comfortable with good stability. They only passively block noise, so you'll still hear the low-pitched rumble of a bus engine, but the isolation helps to muffle chatty neighbors on your commute.
Compared with the Skullcandy Push Active True Wireless, the Dime 3 give up app support, a higher IP rating, and ear hooks. However, they're cheaper and still include Bluetooth multipoint, three EQ presets, and a transparency mode. Still, their slightly warm sound suits most audio types right out of the box, so you don't need to change presets unless you prefer a different sound. But if you want a higher IP rating and app support, the Skullcandy Push Active True Wireless are the pair to choose.
-
Best Noise Cancelling Skullcandy Headphones
Neutral SoundCommute/TravelSports/FitnessOfficeWireless GamingWired GamingPhone CallsType:Over-earEnclosure:Closed-BackWireless:YesNoise Cancelling:YesSee all our test resultsMic:YesThe Skullcandy Hesh ANC Wireless are the best Skullcandy headphones with ANC that we've tested. They have a reasonable noise cancelling performance that can help isolate you from ambient chatter. While they won't cut out lower-frequency sounds like engine rumble, they can help isolate you from higher-frequency sounds like office chatter. They also boast a battery life of up to 24 hours, which is good for ANC-equipped headphones. However, battery life tends to vary according to usage.
These headphones are comfortable and decently well-built. Their overemphasized bass response brings out boomy kicks and basslines in genres like EDM and hip-hop. Unfortunately, they don't have EQ or sound customization options, so you can't personalize the sound profile if the default tuning isn't to your taste. They also have a decent-quality microphone and the option of using them via their wired analog cable.
-
Best Over-Ear Skullcandy Headphones
Neutral SoundCommute/TravelSports/FitnessOfficeWireless GamingWired GamingPhone CallsType:Over-earEnclosure:Closed-BackWireless:YesNoise Cancelling:NoSee all our test resultsMic:YesThe Skullcandy Crusher Evo Wireless are the best Skullcandy headphones we've tested if you're looking for over-ears. These wireless headphones are a versatile pick, and they're especially well-suited to bass lovers thanks to their haptic bass slider, which lets you increase the bass to your liking. On the lowest setting, mixes have more warmth and boom without muddying vocals and lead instruments. At its highest setting, the slider adds a very intense thump, rumble, and body, which suits fans of EDM and hip-hop. That said, bass and treble delivery can vary depending on fit, seal, and positioning. If you still prefer a different sound, their companion app offers three EQ presets to help you adjust their sound to suit your tastes, alongside a personalized sound feature.
These headphones have over 34 hours of continuous battery life, and you can even use them passively with their 1/8" TRRS cable if you run out of battery life. They're also well-built and decently comfortable, but they have poor noise isolation performance and struggle to block out the low rumbles of bus and plane engines around you. However, this may not be a concern if you plan to use them in quieter environments. While we haven't tested the Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2, they add ANC to the same bass-focused Crusher lineup, so they're worth considering if you want noise cancelling and don't mind choosing an alternative that we haven't tested.
Compared To Other Brands
-
Colorful designs.
Skullcandy offers some of the most colorful headphones on the market. If you like to match your tech accessories to your outfits, they tend to have several color schemes for each model, including two- or three-tone variants and camo/military color schemes.
-
Good headphone variety.
Although we haven't tested Skullcandy's full lineup, they offer many models for different uses. While they don't have any audiophile headphones, the variety is still quite good, especially considering their price range.
-
Plasticky build quality.
Most of Skullcandy's headphones are pretty affordable. That affordability often comes with somewhat plasticky build quality. It's better than some super cheap brands, but the durability between Skullcandy models is inconsistent compared to other affordable options.
-
Limited companion app support.
While some of their higher-end products can connect to the Skullcandy app for EQ customization, button remapping, and status updates like battery life and volume levels, lower-end models tend to lack compatibility. On the upside, a few of these app-less headphones may have built-in sound features instead, like EQ presets or bass sliders to give you some control over their sound.
Skullcandy vs Anker
Anker and Skullcandy are both well-known in the budget-friendly to mid-price range for their bassy in-ears and over-ears. Anker's product range delivers a wider array of features like multi-device pairing, Hi-Res Audio support, and LDAC. Some of their headphones also have powerful noise cancelling, which rivals higher-end brands, but don't expect the same flashy look or graphic collaborations as Skullcandy. That said, Skullcandy's over-ear headphones tend to feel slightly more durable than Anker's, although Anker earbuds often have a better finish.
Skullcandy vs JBL
If you've been looking for affordable headphones, you've probably come across JBL alongside Skullcandy. JBL's lineup offers more diverse options for sports, casual use, and traveling. JBL's lineup is extensive, so if you want more or less bass, you're more likely to find a tuning that suits your tastes. Most have a companion app with a parametric EQ and presets, so they also tend to offer more robust sound customization features. You may still prefer Skullcandy's (mostly) bass-heavy sound, especially for genres like EDM or hip-hop, and select models have EQ. Skullcandy still has the edge if you want flashier, more colorful designs.
Skullcandy vs Beats
Beats and Skullcandy were founded around the same time, and both frequently feature vibrant designs geared towards casual listeners and regulars at the gym. While Beats, like Skullcandy, has been synonymous with bass-heavy sound profiles, in recent years, they have added more balanced frequency responses to select models alongside Apple-centric features like the H1/W1 chip for seamless Apple device switching. Beats' collection is smaller, and each one is usually priced higher than comparable Skullcandy headphones. Most Beats use the 'Find My' function to track headphones, whereas Skullcandy utilizes Tile for the same function. While lower-priced Beats often lack EQ, many budget-friendly wireless Skullcandy models have at least basic preset EQs. However, only Beats make headphones with Apple Spatial Audio support if you want virtual surround sound.
Overall, Skullcandy deliver a decent variety of fashion-forward headphones that come in many unique colors to match your style. They have sports and gaming headphones at an affordable price, too. Unfortunately, they don't have the best build quality. Their sound isn't the most balanced either, since most of their headphones favor a bass-heavy audio reproduction, which can polarize listeners. Their Bluetooth models also don't tend to support high-quality codecs, but multi-device pairing is available on models at different tiers.
Lineup
Skullcandy has a specific name for each model they release, so it can be unclear how their headphones are categorized. Sometimes, feature-specific variants of that model are available. We consider these variants (and their base model) to constitute a lineup for this brand. This includes the following:
- Crusher: Wireless over-ears with a bass-heavy sound.
- Hesh: Wireless over-ears.
- SLYR: Wireless over-ear gaming headsets.
- PLYR: Wired over-ear gaming headphones with boom mics.
- Grind: Truly wireless in-ears with unique features like Skull-iQ Smart Feature support and hands-free voice control.
- Icon: Wireless on-ears with IPX4 rating.
- Indy: Truly wireless in-ears with a stem design and non-detachable stability fins.
- Push: Truly wireless in-ears with ear hooks.
- Sesh: Truly wireless in-ears. They have a simple design and don't have companion app support.
Within these lineups, headphones come in feature-specific variations or colorways. Brand collaborations that impact design tend to be included in the headphones' name, like the Doritos Dime 2 True Wireless Earbuds. Following the lineup name, feature-related variants are denoted by the following:
- Active: Sports-oriented models with better stability.
- ANC: Supports ANC.
- Evo: Base model.
- Fuel: Case supports Qi Wireless charging.
- Transparency: Transparent design.
- Ultra: Discontinued line. Tends to have better battery performance, rapid charging, higher IP rating, app compatibility, and Tile support.
In addition, a handful of standalone models are or have been available from this manufacturer:
- Aviator: Premium wireless over-ears with ANC.
- Dime: Cheap, truly wireless in-ears with a very simple design.
- Ink'd: Wired in-ears.
- Mod: Wireless in-ears with many customization features.
- Riff: Wireless on-ear headphones.
- Spoke: Discontinued cheap truly wireless in-ears. They don't have any extra features.
- Venue: Discontinued wireless noise cancelling over-ears that support multi-device pairing, which is uncommon for this manufacturer.
Recent Updates
Jun 30, 2026:
We've checked that all our picks are accurate and in stock.
Apr 07, 2026:
We've kept our picks the same in this article, but have updated the Lineup section with new Skullcandy models that we've yet to test.
Jan 05, 2026:
We edited this text to bring it into line with changes made as part of Test Bench 2.0, but haven't changed our picks.
May 23, 2025:
We've made minor updates to the text to improve accuracy and clarity but there hasn't been a change in our recommendations.
Feb 26, 2025:
This article has been updated for clarity with minor text edits.
Conclusion
Skullcandy has expanded its style from flashy colors and prominent logos to include models with subdued colors and subtle logos. There's a large selection of headphones for casual listening, sports, and gaming, but a lack of models geared toward audiophiles. Unfortunately, it's not always the ideal brand for those seeking a more neutral frequency response since most of their headphones favor a bass-heavy sound profile, although select models buck the trend. Their durability seems inconsistent, with some models benefiting from sturdy designs and others feeling plasticky. On the upside, many of their headphones are relatively affordable.