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Wireless earbuds can make the day go by faster with music, podcasts, or audiobooks. But finding a good pair that doesn't break the bank can be challenging. Take heart, dear listener; there are great buds to be found that can save you money while meeting your needs.
Since 2014, we've tested more than 100 earbuds, including the 8 budget-friendly wireless earbuds in this review. After countless hours of testing sound quality, comfort, and more, we rank them in order, starting with our favorites.
The EarFun Air Pro 4 blew us away with a pleasantly punchy sound, loads of features, and rare-for-the-price ANC. While the calls could be clearer, for the price, it excels. For the tightest budget, the JLab Go Pop+ offers an impressive listening experience and call quality. For the price, they're hard to beat.
Love your current earbuds, but you're ready for a premium upgrade? Check out our wireless earbuds review that includes the best of the best without a bigger budget. Alternatively, if sound quality on a budget is your top priority, and you don't mind being tethered, a pair of wired earbuds can satisfy a tight budget and picky ears.
Editor's Note: This review was updated on June 27, 2025, with more information about the best inexpensive buds we've tested.
For the best mix of quality sound, features, and noise blocking, look no further than the affordable EarFun Air Pro 4. These lightweight, secure buds are incredibly powerful. “I was pleasantly surprised with their rich sound that complements any musical genre,” praised one tester. The EarFun also has a plethora of audio presets, customizable sound settings, the new LE audio support, and auto-pause. We were impressed with the thoughtful features, which are often lacking in more affordable models, like active noise cancellation (ANC), a perk no other budget option has. While imperfect, you won't find better ANC in a budget bud.
We noticed phone calls sound a bit grainy, especially in noisy public settings. You might want to look elsewhere if you're making more than occasional calls, especially in loud environments. For clearer phone calls, consider the Google Pixel Buds A-Series. They're more comfortable, but the sound quality and battery life fall short of the EarFun's 7.8-hour playback time. We think the EarFun is an excellent value that brings a lot to the table, making it a good choice for most listeners who skip the phone call chit chats.
The EarFun performed well in all our tests, though we still see room for improvement in call quality.
The Google Pixel Buds A-Series combines a comfortable, secure fit with a tough, trail-ready design for active adventures. “I love how lightweight and unobtrusive they feel,” praised one tester. The design makes extended listening sessions or phone calls more enjoyable. Plus, the IP67 rating means they can handle dust, sweat, and even full water submersion without a problem.
These buds have a ridiculously short battery life of 4.5 hours. The EarFun lasts close to 8 hours, making it a better choice if longer listening time is your priority. Also, the app is Android-only, so iOS users won't have sound customization and Adaptive Sound that auto-adjusts the volume to your surroundings. Again, the EarFun is a good choice because it isn't specific to one operating system. We also had trouble with the music cutting out randomly, and the noise cancellation is subpar. As one expert said, “I think the Pixel is an enjoyable listening experience, but it doesn't knock my socks off.” Overall, the Pixel are a good choice for Android users looking for a rugged pair for active adventures.
The JLab Go Pop+ buds are wicked cheap, and still manage decent sound. The audio is not overly harsh or tinny, with sound quality that will please those who favor music in the mid ranges, which sounds warm and rich. The Pop+ has admirable performance in many metrics, but the app is a pleasant surprise. We really like the safe hearing feature, environmental awareness mode, and fun colors. One tester remarked, “These buds come in several fun colors and the volume limiting feature makes them good for teens.”
The audio is pleasant but not pristine, and the bass sometimes felt too amped up for fans of a neutral sound. Our music expert said, “Occasionally, I think the bass takes the lead, causing some distortion and disagreement with lead vocals.” The manual pairing process is cumbersome when switching between devices, but it isn't complicated. If you prefer an extra turnt bass, ultra waterproof design, and super stable fit for gym excursions, consider the TOZO T10. However, the JLab is better for sound, comfort, and features.
The JLab Go Air Pop+ offers decent sound, comfy fit, great battery life, and a handy app—all for under $30. There's no ANC, but they’re top-tier at blocking noise passively.
The TOZO T10 is a below-average bud for a great price. These buds have better noise cancellation than other competitors with no ANC. The passive cancelation works better than most to dampen the ambient noise around you. We also think the call quality is better than average. While not the best and you won't be setting up your own call center, it is good enough to get in a quick call and pass along the information if the environment isn't too loud or frenetic.
The TOZO has below-average sound quality. However, many casual listeners looking to blare some music for a run might not notice or care. The EarFun offers better sound quality with a more expansive soundstage. It also has a sub-par app, but many lower-cost buds do, so it is in ample company if not good company. Once again, the EarFun comes out on top for apps and adjustability under a hundred dollars. Even the JLab (with a very low price) offers better sound and app functionality. Overall, the TOZO is unlikely to make you mad or feel like a waste of money for the price, but if your budget can stretch, the EarFun is probably a better choice.
The Beats Solo Buds are a lengthy listener's dream with a full 18 hours of battery life with a single charge. While they don't have active noise cancellation, they offer better-than-average passive noise cancellation with the ability to dampen some ambient sounds just by wearing them. We like the slim case and the bright, easy-to-find color. They offer average call quality, and the occasional chat with friends will work well in environments that aren't too chaotic. One tester remarked, “Friends could hear me just fine in most situations.”
These buds do not have the best sound, with one of the worst performances in the group. The EarFun is significantly better sounding, but it costs a bit more. While these buds have the longest battery life we've seen in recent memory, the case holds no additional charges, so when it is done, it's done until you plug them back in. The only thing to really love about the Solo Buds is the battery lie, and it doesn't feel compelling enough to make them an option we'd recommend to a friend.
The Beats Solo are fairly stable and passed our cartwheel test.
The Amazon Echo Buds 2023 are inexpensive, work with your Alexa, and have an open, airy feel thanks to a design with no ear canal tips. These buds offer good transparency of your surroundings and a smaller case that easily slips into most pockets. The call quality is relatively good. While nothing to write home about, they are better than most in this lineup and are good enough for most environments.
These buds do nothing particularly well, but perhaps their biggest transgression is the feeling in the ear. The casing is larger and hard with sharp points that are not softened by the included silicone sleeves. While we like the openness for those who don't want a seal over the ear canal, they hurt as soon as you put them in, and it doesn't get better. There is nothing you can do to change the fit or comfort, so you get what you get. They also don't have great sound quality or any noise-cancelling capabilities. If your budget is smaller, the JLab is more comfortable and offers better sound and noise cancellation. The EarFun would be our go-to if you can swing a bit higher. Ultimately, the only reason to consider the Echos is your love for the Alexa ecosystem, which would allow you to marry your buds to your larger environment.
The Bmani Sport with LED is a wireless bud with loops that go around the back of your ear. The loops create a relatively secure fit when active, and they performed well in our tests, from headstands to cartwheels. The battery is long-lasting for a budget bud, with a life just over 8 hours. The case holds up to five additional charges, making this a compelling choice if listening all day is a priority. One tester said, “I like that I can keep recharging them when I'm away from an outlet.”
For some testers, the wings were too large, which led to fit problems, and others reported pressure points after wearing them for longer periods. The EarFun is more comfortable and secure in our tests. The sound and passive noise cancellation is also not impressive, making them a poor choice for those who value sound quality or disassociating from their surroundings. We get why folks might be attracted to the Bmani, but we think other options provide more at this price, like the JLab Go Pop+ with better sound, comfort, and noise cancellation for half the price.
The JBL Vibe Beam has fun color options and is relatively comfortable, with multiple silicone ear tips to help you find the best fit. They fit nicely in most ears and were comfortable for longer wear. We love the longer battery life and the three additional charges you get with the case. They have a low price that makes them appealing if your budget is smaller. They offer average call quality and an okay app.
These buds have the worst sound quality in the group, and while they might be fine for podcasts or audiobooks, most casual music lovers will find them lacking. Better sound can be found in the EarFUn, which costs a little more, and the JLab, which costs significantly less. So, depending on your needs or goals, there are better options in our lineup than the Vibe Beam, and this makes them hard to recommend for anyone.
The JBL stems and buds offer tap functionality to control things like song changes and pausing tracks.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
We test each pair of budget earbuds with our head simulator and with expert audio ears.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
How We Test
We independently purchased and analyzed the top-rated budget earbuds. Based on the ideology of renown Listen Inc. CEO, Steve Temme, we built a cutting-edge audio studio equipped with a Brüel & Kjaer Type 5128 head simulator to objectively measure everything from sound quality to noise canceling and call quality. In our tests, we work to find the best sound for the price, a comfortable and secure fit, a reliable connection with most devices, and more.
Our results are divided into five test metrics:
Sound Quality — We test each pair for sound quality, soundstage, and how immersive and balanced the audio is.
Comfort and Fit — If your earbuds aren't comfortable and don't stay in your ear, it doesn't matter how good they sound.
Noise Cancellation --We consider whether the buds have passive or active noise cancellation and how well both work.
Ease of Use — We used these buds from unboxing through days of various activities to see how easy they are to pair and connect and what features and adjustments they offer.
Call Quality — We test how clearly your voice can be heard and how well you can hear others in different environments.
Battery Life — We test how long the buds will last at 75% volume with no ANC.
Our head simulator and SoundCheck software provide unbiased scientific analyses that are paramount to our testing process.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Why Trust GearLab
Spearheading this project are Senior Review Analysts, Graham Faulknor and Rachael Lamore. Graham is an engineer and professional product tester with over 15 years of experience, understanding the nitty-gritty of the ideal product. Rachael is a scientist, pianist, and clarinetist. Review Editor Lissette Velasquez has worked in the scientific research field for over 10 years and is the author of several academic publications. When she's not chasing her kids around at the crag, she spends hours reading reviews and spec sheets to inform her next purchasing decision.
Numerous sound engineers, music experts, and product testers make this highly technical review possible.
Analysis and Test Results
We tested each pair of earbuds for sound quality, comfort, noise cancellation, and more to help you decide which option is best for you.
Despite the low price tag, our music experts still found the EarFun Air Pro 4 to provide a pleasant listening experience.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Sound Quality
Not all listeners need top-of-the-line sound quality. While less expensive buds typically lack the same quality of sound and soundstage as higher-end options, many offer good enough sound for most casual listeners. We spent countless hours listening to our curated playlist, covering all genres, styles, and decades of music.
Expert Panel Sound Quality Ratings
Product
Bass
Mid-Range
Treble
EarFun Air Pro 4
8.0
8.0
8.0
JLab Go Air Pop+
7.0
8.0
7.0
Amazon Echo Buds 2023
5.0
5.5
4.0
JBL Vibe Beam
2.0
3.5
3.0
We considered how well each pair sounds across the lower, mid, and upper-frequency ranges. The EarFun performed the best in the group, with the JLab Go Pop+ close behind. Both contenders deliver a satisfying rumble across hip-hop, EDM, and rock tracks, warm, textured mids across pop, R&B, and country genres, and crisp, bright highs in folk and instrumentals with good clarity. Some of the lowest scoring in the group were the Amazon Echo Buds 2023 and Bmani Sport with LED. Both provide sound that muddied the bass and treble and had an underwhelming low-end thump better suited for mellow jazz than hard-hitting pop, rock, or hip-hop beats. The worst in the group was the JBL Vibe Beam, which had a sharp and piercing quality to instrumentals.
The EarFun has a pleasantly balanced blend to its sound signature, while the JLab and TOZO add more low-end rumble.
We measured each earbud's frequency response. While it doesn't reveal how immersive or clean the sound is, it helps supplement our audio expert's experiences. The JLab Pop+, TOZO, and EarFun followed our target response curve best, with the EarFun's lightly sculpted blend sounding best across any musical genre.
The Vibe Beam received the lowest overall sound score of any earbud we've tested, with one reviewer noting, “They fall short in every measure - I'm shocked JBL would put their name on these.”
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The JLab bring some extra bass, while the TOZO cranks it up more, making them good for soul, hip-hop, and dance. The Beats Solo was way off track; the synths and electronic instruments sounded off across genres.
Soundstage
Soundstage is the ability of the earbuds to place instruments and voices in space and time. It is the difference between how you might experience a concert with instruments surrounding you and a single speaker pointed right in your face.
Soundstage Ratings
Product
Soundstage Rating
EarFun Air Pro 4
7.5
Amazon Echo Buds 2023
4.0
The EarFun Air Pro 4 had the best soundstage in this lineup. The sound feels more dimensional, coming from multiple directions, feeling rich and layered. The most disappointing soundstage was the Beats Solo Buds, with a boxed-in and closed-off sound that wasn't impressive. An average soundstage is likely adequate for most casual listeners.
The Pixel Buds A-Series were some of the most comfortable in the group.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Comfort and Fit
Appreciating any sound quality is hard if your buds are uncomfortable or fall out easily. If the goal is pure comfort, the Google Pixel Buds A-Series set the bar, feeling light and unobtrusive for most ear shapes and sizes. The TOZO T10, Bmani Sport, and Amazon Echo all come in near the bottom for comfort. The Amazon Echo is our least favorite for comfort. These buds have a hard and sharp design with immediate pressure points that were uncomfortable in most ears.
Google Pixel Buds A-SeriesTOZO T10
The comfiest premium buds we've tested, the Google Pixel A-Series (left), and the large TOZO T10 (right). You can select more options below with the “Compare Other Products” button.
The Google Pixel A-Series and TOZO T10 felt incredibly stable, but the Earfun Air Pro 4 was the most impressive. Users felt they were great for workouts and outdoor activities. The least stable in the group were the Vibe Beam. They easily fell out of our ears with headbanging, skiing, or simply doing household chores. The lack of in-ear tips on the Amazon Echo makes them feel less stable, but they stayed in place when we used them.
There's not much difference in external sounds with the Amazon Echo earbuds when wearing them.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Noise Cancellation
Noise cancellation includes passively blocking the ear canal and technology that works to actively cancel noise. Forgoing active noise cancellation is one of the easiest ways for manufacturers to create budget-friendly earbuds without sacrificing as much in sound quality.
The EarFun is the only bud in our budget lineup to include ANC.
Active noise cancellation uses a series of microphones and algorithms to block ambient sounds. It works best in the low to mid-frequency range, where most common sounds like air conditioner hums, plane engines, and chatter reside. The EarFun's ANC is solid for the price, muffling the low-range sounds of dogs barking and keyboard clacking by about 20 decibels. If you need better ANC, it will cost double or triple the price of the EarFun.
In a noisy cafe, simply putting the EarFun in ear muffles ambient sounds. With ANC on, loud low-pitch hums nearly vanish, though some voices and high-pitch clanky dishes are still subtly audible.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Passive noise blocking happens by creating a snug ear canal seal and the acoustic properties of the materials. Some of the lineup offer impressive passive-only sound blocking. The Beats Solo Buds and JLab Go are the best in the group, muffling up to 10 decibels in the bass range, with the TOZO T10 trailing closely behind. While these options handle high frequencies well (like alarms or a crying baby), lower bass sounds, like office chatter, still bleed through.
Despite lacking ANC, the JLab still manages to greatly diminish ambient sounds.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
The worst noise-blocking buds are the Amazon Echo Buds. Given the Echo's semi-in-ear design, these results come as no surprise. Alternatively, they offer better transparency for those seeking to maintain awareness of their surroundings.
Most budget buds skip location tracking, but EarFun provides a chime you can ping to help you hunt them down.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Ease of Use
Any potential contender should provide adequate functionality, features, and connectivity. While the ability to customize is desirable, the lower-priced options often lack much to adjust.
User Experience Ratings
Product
Comfort
Stability
Customization
EarFun Air Pro 4
6.5
8.5
8.0
Google Pixel Buds A-Series
8.0
8.0
6.0
JLab Go Air Pop+
6.5
7.0
7.0
TOZO T10
5.0
8.0
5.5
Bmani Sport with LED
6.0
7.0
0.0
App Features
The EarFun and JLab Go Pop+ have excellent, user-friendly apps for customizing sound and more. Our favorite bonus features include EarFun's lost earbud chime for tracking down a missing bud and JLab's maximum volume limiter for kid-friendly listening.
Storing your Bmani Sport with LED buds in the case will help power them up in between listening sessions and provides charging information.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Battery Life
We measured each bud's battery life. Most of the wireless earbuds in our lineup offer an 8-hour battery life. Depending on your listening plans, it might be all you need.
Estimated Total Battery Life
Measured
Claimed
Charges/Case
Estimated Total
JBL Vibe Beam
9.2 hr
8.0 hr
3
27.6 hr
Bmani Sport with LED
8.3 hr
8.0 hr
5
41.5 hr
EarFun Air Pro 4
7.8 hr
11.0 hr
4
31.2 hr
JLab Go Air Pop+
7.8 hr
9.0 hr
4
31.2 hr
TOZO T10
7.7 hr
10.0 hr
4.5
34.7 hr
Amazon Echo Buds 2023
5.9 hr
5.0 hr
3
17.7 hr
Google Pixel Buds A-Series
4.5 hr
5.0 hr
4
18.0 hr
The Beats have the longest battery life in the group, boasting an 18-hour playback time. Alternatively, the Google Pixel A-Series has the shortest battery life, lasting a scant 4.5 hours.
The tiny case on the Beats cannot recharge buds without an outlet.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
On the downside, the Beats Solo small case has no built-in battery, meaning no quick top-offs. So, while 18 hours is impressive between plug-ins, it falls short of the 30+ hours you'll get when you factor in the charging capability included with the cases of the Bmani, EarFun, JLab, and TOZO. But charging takes time, and you won't be listening to anything while that happens.
The Google Pixel Buds eliminated nearly all distracting clicks, beeps, and chatter while maintaining excellent voice clarity.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Call Quality
If you plan to make phone calls with your earbuds, you'll want to ensure that the person you call can hear you loud and clear, no matter where you call from.
Call Quality Ratings
Product
Subway
Office
Baseline
Google Pixel Buds A-Series
6.0
8.0
9.0
Amazon Echo Buds 2023
6.0
8.0
6.5
JLab Go Air Pop+
6.0
6.0
7.5
EarFun Air Pro 4
4.0
5.0
6.5
In our simulated subway, the Google Pixel struggled to deliver clear audio, especially with a female voice.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
For call quality, the Google Pixel Buds A-Series reigns as the clear winner. While it cannot outperform premium buds in the noisiest conditions (like the subway), the A-Series does well in quiet to moderate environments. Voices sound crisp and clear until things get loud or busy.
Quick calls from a subway are technically possible with the EarFun, but you'll need to keep them short as the sound is choppy and headache-inducing.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
The EarFun sounded a bit grainy but still intelligible at baseline but performed poorly in our stress tests. We can clearly hear what is happening in the background. It's very loud and disorienting, intensifying the grainy quality.
Finding good budget buds in a sea of expensive options can be daunting.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
How To Choose A Budget Earbud
Buying inexpensive buds requires a few considerations and concessions to get the best bang for your buck.
Comfort is Job One
Some argue that finding a comfortable pair of buds is the most important consideration. If you don't like wearing them, then sound quality and features don't matter. We recommend buying from a retailer with a good return policy in case they are not a good fit. However, you can hedge your bets by critically assessing the size and shape of your ear and your personal tolerance for different-sized buds or the kinds of activities you plan to wear them for.
Most budget buds skip ANC, but a snug fit - like that on the JLab Go Air Pop+ - still helps minimize distractions to keep you in the zone.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Features
Spending less typically results in getting fewer features. Not as many budget finds offer ANC, but it exists. Most lack adjustable sound features, while others have clunky apps or difficulty connecting to multiple sources.
An abundance of tip sizes helps achieve a better fit across a variety of ear sizes.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Some even boast added features like a water-resistant design and EQ customizations. You need to determine which features are the most important or which might be deal breakers if they aren't offered. If your list of deal breakers is long, you might need to save up for higher-end wireless earbuds.
Price vs Performance
Wired earbuds often provide outstanding sound and call quality while removing any connectivity and battery life issues. They also don't need to be replaced as frequently as wireless models since they don't have batteries. However, depending on your device, you might have the added expense of an adapter.
There are dozens of budget earbuds out there, some with wildly optimistic performance claims. We did the gruntwork of sifting through these options and selected the most promising models to test and compare.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Conclusion
Finding a wallet-friendly set of earbuds can be challenging. Audio is often a gear category where you get what you pay for. While many audiophiles will demand the best sound quality on the planet, most of us will be pleased as punch with a little less, or as Goldilocks felt, a middle-of-the-road choice that is just right. If your goal is to spend under a hundred dollars without disappointment, we think there are compelling options for most listeners, especially those who worry less about soundstage quality and more about their favorite podcast.
—Rachael Lamore, Graham Faulknor, Genaveve Bradshaw, and Lissette Velasquez
