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The 1More Triple Driver earbuds. Credit: Reviewed.com / TJ Donegan

The Best Headphones Under $100 of 2023

Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission. Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.

The 1More Triple Driver earbuds. Credit: Reviewed.com / TJ Donegan

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Editor's Choice Product image of Anker Soundcore Space A40

Anker Soundcore Space A40

The Soundcore Space A40 set a new mark for earbuds under $100 thanks to great sound and noise canceling that outperforms many pricier options. Read More

Pros

  • Amazing ANC for the price
  • Customizable sound profiles
  • Great battery life

Cons

  • Little sizzly out of the box
  • Lows can cover vocals
Editor's Choice Product image of Jabra Elite 4 Active

Jabra Elite 4 Active

Jabra’s Elite 4 Active serve up good battery life, great features like active noise canceling, and a rugged design at a refreshing price point. Read More

Pros

  • Snug, weatherproof design
  • Active noise canceling
  • Great features and battery

Cons

  • No auto-pause
  • Sluggish app connection
Editor's Choice Product image of 1More E1001 Triple Driver

1More E1001 Triple Driver

The 1More Triple Driver earbuds offer amazing sound at an unbeatable price, though they can be a touch uncomfortable for some folks. Read More

Pros

  • Affordable
  • Great sound
  • Multiple fit options

Cons

  • Occasionally uncomfortable
  • Aggressive bass
Product image of Jaybird X3

Jaybird X3

It takes time to find the best fit with the Jaybird X3, but once you do these earbuds stay in place and sound great. Read More

Pros

  • Customizable sound profile
  • Many ear-tip, fin, and cup options

Cons

  • Unusual remote controls
  • Uses a proprietary charging cable
Product image of Sony MDR-7506

Sony MDR-7506

Reviewers find that the Sony MDR7506 headphones have good sound and decent comfort Read More

Pros

  • Great for the price
  • Travel friendly

Cons

  • Cord doesn't detach

Headphones come in all shapes and sizes, and the prices vary more than almost any other gadget. With the cheapest earbuds costing less than $10 and super expensive, audiophile-approved options retailing for over $1,000, it can be easy to get lost in the seemingly endless sea of audio options. Don't worry, though, we've got you covered.

For under $100, you can pick up a great all-around pair of headphones for work, home, the gym, or whatever. These are the best we've found so far, and the ones we'd recommend to our own friends and family. In addition to our favorite affordable headphones on this list, consider taking a look at our guide to the Best Affordable In-Ear Headphones.

Editor's Note:
The recommendations in this guide are based on thorough product and market research by our team of expert product reviewers. The picks are based on examining user reviews, product specifications, and, in some limited cases, our experience with the specific products named.
Product image of Anker Soundcore Space A40
Anker Soundcore Space A40

Ambient sound modes: Adaptive ANC, Transparency mode * Dust and water resistance: IPX4 * Battery life: 10 hours, up to 50 hours with the case

Over the past few years, Anker has been leading the charge when it comes to cheap headphones and earbuds. The Space A40 are known for their great noise-canceling performance.

The adaptive active noise canceling on the Space A40 ably handles low drones, such as airplane cabin noise or HVAC units, and even tunes out mid-level conversations in public. It doesn’t completely remove it, but if you’re vibing to music at a low level it’s enough to hear the lyrics of the song. Two different Transparency Modes are available within the Soundcore app, a full range option and one that puts the focus on letting voices through for quick conversations.

Touch controls are easy to use and fully customizable, including the ability to assign to volume, track controls, and for the two-second hold the added options of Ambient Sound Mode select, Voice Assistant, and Game Mode toggle. Throw in a wireless charging case on the features pile and the Anker Space A40 set a new standard for earbuds performance under $100.

Pros

  • Amazing ANC for the price

  • Customizable sound profiles

  • Great battery life

Cons

  • Little sizzly out of the box

  • Lows can cover vocals

A navy earbud sits in the ear of a man with brown and grey hair with trees and grass in the background.
Credit: Reviewed/Ryan Waniata

The Elite 4 Active offer mid-tier noise canceling and adjustable transparency mode to go with a balanced sound signature.

Product image of Jabra Elite 4 Active
Jabra Elite 4 Active
  • Ambient sound modes: Noise canceling, transparency mode
  • Water resistance: IP57
  • Battery life: 6-7 hours with ANC, 28 hours with the case

Jabra’s Elite 4 Active offer a package that includes nearly everything you could want in a pair of true wireless headphones at a great price. That's why they're an easy choice for the best value on our list.

The stacked feature set offers something for everyone. Whether you need a snug pair of earbuds with transparency mode for walking and running, a water-resistant pair you can rinse off in the sink (or dunk for short periods), or just decent noise canceling to keep out distractions while working from home, it’s a loaded package.

You’ll get plenty of functionality in Jabra’s Sound+ app, like a 5-band EQ and an earbuds finder. The buds themselves offer comprehensive onboard controls (including volume control), battery playback of 6-7 hours per charge (and plenty more in the case), and the ability to use either bud on its own.

As the price suggests, they don’t have it all. You obviously won’t get the seamless connection to Apple’s ecosystem found in iOS favorites like the AirPods or Beats Fit Pro, and you’ll have to forgo the multipoint pairing of Jabra’s top earbuds like the Elite 85t and Elite 7.

You’ll also have to give up a few convenience features, like auto-pause when you pull an earbud out, or a wireless charging case. But Jabra attempts to make up for those omissions for Android users with extras like Google Fast Pair and one-tap access to Spotify.

When it comes to performance, the Elite 4 Active offer clear, accessible sound and noise canceling that meets or beats most similarly priced rivals. They can’t match top picks in these categories, but again, you won’t be paying the sticker-shocking prices of the top performers. Whatever you’re into, Jabra’s versatile Elite 4 Active bring you a huge slice of the best features at a nice price.

Pros

  • Snug, weatherproof design

  • Active noise canceling

  • Great features and battery

Cons

  • No auto-pause

  • Sluggish app connection

The 1More Triple Driver earbuds.
Credit: Reviewed.com / TJ Donegan
Product image of 1More E1001 Triple Driver
1More E1001 Triple Driver

The 1More Triple Driver in-ears have the looks and sound of earbuds that cost twice as much. They really make a point to emphasize the bass notes, which really help bring your music to life, whether it's rap music or classical music. If you're worried about durability, the cord is reinforced with nylon and Kevlar, so you're not going to find them jumbled up in a big knot at the bottom of your bag (the included case will also help with that).

The fit can really make or break a pair of earbuds, so we're especially pleased with the ear-tip options with these headphones: 6 sets of silicon ear-tips, and 3 sets of memory-foam ear-tips. If you want to be able to jam with your music on the go and look cool doing it, the 1More Triple Driver in-ears are the earbuds for you. Read the full review.

Pros

  • Affordable

  • Great sound

  • Multiple fit options

Cons

  • Occasionally uncomfortable

  • Aggressive bass

Product image of Jaybird X3
Jaybird X3

The Jaybird X3 Wireless earbuds are the noteworthy successor to the Jaybird X2 Wireless earbuds. There's nothing really fancy-looking about the Jaybird X3, but these earbuds boast a number of neat features and accessories, the main one being a customizable sound profile.

Like the X2, the Jaybird X3 can be worn with the wires hanging over the ear or hanging straight down. Because there are so many ear-tip, fin, and earbud configurations, it will probably take a while for you to find the right fit. For those with small ear holes, we recommend the smallest size of Comply memory foam tips, which make for a better fit, better isolation, and better sound clarity. Once you have a good fit, the 8-hour battery life will get you through a workday's worth of calls and music with no trouble.

One sticking point is the remote. The controls rely on the wearer holding buttons down for a certain amount of time, rather than sequential button presses. It's different from the way wireless earbuds usually operate and can be frustrating to use while running, but it's manageable with a bit of practice.

Other helpful accessories include clips that can adjust the length of the cable, a shirt clip, and an exciting new feature that allows you to customize the sound profile. After connecting the X3 earbuds to the Jaybird app (Android, iOS), you can use your fingers to boost or reduce the volume of highs, mids, and lows. You can save your profile for future use, or choose from a few preprogrammed audio settings with names like "Signature" and "Bring the Bass". (In our experience, if you really want to boost the bass, reduce the highs and increase the lows at the same time.)

Many customers agreed that finding an ideal fit for the X3 earbuds is a significant time investment, but is ultimately worth it. Gym-goers were very happy that the X3 stayed in place despite a variety of exercise types and positions, and everyone really appreciated the quality of the sound. The main complaints users had were about the proprietary charging cable, defective products that failed to hold the stated 8-hour charge, and terrifyingly sudden battery updates. We do not recommend listening to classical music or horror movies towards the end of the X3's battery life; having a lady shout "BATTERY LIFE: 20%" or "CHARGE ME" will surely scare the daylights out of you.

Pros

  • Customizable sound profile

  • Many ear-tip, fin, and cup options

Cons

  • Unusual remote controls

  • Uses a proprietary charging cable

Product image of Sony MDR-7506
Sony MDR-7506

Reviewers find that the Sony MDR-7506 wired headphones sound good and have decent comfort—just as you’d expect with an affordable pair of headphones from a reputable brand. These headphones also can fold up easily for travel, tune out external noise, and include ear pads that close around your ears comfortably.

Pros

  • Great for the price

  • Travel friendly

Cons

  • Cord doesn't detach

Product image of Sol Republic JAX
Sol Republic JAX

Entry-level headphones typically leave you holding a broken tangle of junk if you buy cheap enough. The real tragedy is that it doesn't always take all that much more to get a set of headphones that will keep you satisfied—and the Sol Republic JAX in-ears are exemplary of this: they're great for the price.

They have a flat, tangle-free cord, an inline mic, and come in a satisfying array of colors. Even better, the JAX actually walk the walk and talk the talk with respect to their well-advertised isolation, or the ability to block out noise from the outside world. They do only come with three ear-tip sizes, though, so if you typically have trouble wearing in-ears, these may give you the same trouble other earbuds do. Read the full review.

Pros

  • Flat, tangle-free cord

  • Inline mic

  • Good sound isolation

Cons

  • Only three ear tip sizes included

We test all of our headphones on a head and torso simulator (HATS), which replicates how sound bounces around in the human body.
Credit: Reviewed.com / Julia MacDougall

We test all of our headphones on a head and torso simulator (HATS), which replicates how sound bounces around in the human body.

How to Choose Headphones

Headphone manufacturers are typically aiming for either a flat or a curved sound profile. A curved profile is most common, and most curved profiles are trying to replicate the Equal Loudness Curve (ELC). The human ear hears higher tones more easily than it hears the bass tones, so for a human to perceive highs and lows at a similar volume, the headphones boost the volume of the lows, and moderate the volume of the highs.

A flat profile is usually found in "studio" headphones; the highs, mids, and bass tones have the same volume. However, as I just mentioned, we don't hear all tones at the same volume, so the bass notes sound softer, and the highs sound louder. Some people prefer studio headphones because of their audio fidelity—they are hearing the music exactly as the producers intended them to hear it. Also, as implied by the name, studio headphones are used in studio recordings to help mixers figure out what, if any frequencies, they should boost or reduce.

Depending on what you're using your headphones for you'll want to know how they wear in a variety of settings so it's important to note features (like extra amps or noise cancellation) and short- and long-term comfort.

In-Ear vs. On-Ear vs. Over-Ear

You've probably seen a bunch of different headphones in your everyday life, but what you may not realize is that headphones, while they have a number of different selling points, are primarily categorized into three types: in-ear, on-ear, and over-ear.

Three popular types of headphones: in-ear, on-ear, and over-ear.
Credit: Reviewed.com

Three popular types of headphones: in-ear, on-ear, and over-ear.

Meet the testers

Michael Desjardin

Michael Desjardin

Senior Staff Writer

@Reviewed

Michael Desjardin graduated from Emerson College after having studied media production and screenwriting. He specializes in tech for Reviewed, but also loves film criticism, weird ambient music, cooking, and food in general.

See all of Michael Desjardin's reviews
Chris Thomas

Chris Thomas

Staff Writer, Imaging

@cthomas8888

A seasoned writer and professional photographer, Chris reviews cameras, headphones, smartphones, laptops, and lenses. Educated in Political Science and Linguistics, Chris can often be found building a robot army, snowboarding, or getting ink.

See all of Chris Thomas's reviews
Brendan Nystedt

Brendan Nystedt

Contributor

@bnystedt

Brendan is originally from California. Prior to writing for Reviewed.com, he graduated from UC Santa Cruz and did IT support and wrote for a technology blog in the mythical Silicon Valley. Brendan enjoys history, Marx Brothers films, Vietnamese food, cars, and laughing loudly.

See all of Brendan Nystedt's reviews
TJ Donegan

TJ Donegan

Former Director, Content Development

@TJDonegan

TJ is the former Director of Content Development at Reviewed. He is a Massachusetts native and has covered electronics, cameras, TVs, smartphones, parenting, and more for Reviewed. He is from the self-styled "Cranberry Capitol of the World," which is, in fact, a real thing.

See all of TJ Donegan's reviews
Julia MacDougall

Julia MacDougall

Senior Scientist

@reviewed

Julia is the Senior Scientist at Reviewed, which means that she oversees (and continually updates) the testing of products in Reviewed's core categories such as televisions, washing machines, refrigerators, and more. She also determines the testing methods and standards for Reviewed's "The Best Right Now" articles.

See all of Julia MacDougall's reviews

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