What are the best budget true-wireless earbuds overall?
Budget wireless earbuds that cost less than $50 continue to get better over time. I’ve tested and reviewed dozens of inexpensive earbuds over the last 10 years and while it’s true that there are a lot of mediocre buds in this price class, some cheaper earbuds are surprisingly good. It’s hard to say which cheap buds are the best overall, but a few models stand out, which is why they are on this list.
Here are my current favorite sub-$50 true wireless earbuds. I’ve tested all of these earbuds, and I update this list with new products periodically. Note that prices tend to fluctuate, so some of these may cost you a few bucks more than $50. Make sure to click all the discount coupons on Amazon before buying.
Read more: Best Wireless Earbuds
Amazon’s 2023 Echo Buds impressed me in a few ways that I wasn’t expecting. For starters, they sound good for inexpensive open earbuds, delivering decent clarity and ample bass. They also have a robust feature set, including multipoint Bluetooth pairing, hands-free Alexa and ear-detection sensors that pause your audio when you take one or both buds out of your ears.
Their sound falls short of that of Apple’s AirPods 3, which delivers fuller bass and overall fuller, smoother sound (they’re better at handling more complicated music tracks with a lot of instruments playing at the same time). The AirPods 3 cost around $179 and offer only about 15% to 20% better audio. In short, if you’re looking for open earbuds — or “semi-open” as these types of earbuds are sometimes called — the Echo Buds are good value at their $50 list price and even easier to recommend when they go on sale.
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The Echo Buds include removable silicone sleeves that help your get a more secure fit.
David Carnoy/CNET
What makes these Soundpeats Air3 Deluxe HS buds special is that they sound surprisingly good for open earbuds; they’re pretty close to what you get from Apple’s AirPods 3 for sound. On top of that, they support Sony’s LDAC audio codec for devices that offer it. Not too many cheap open earbuds have good sound but these Soundpeats have good bass response and clarity. They’re also good for making calls and have a low-latency gaming mode. Battery life is rated at 5 hours at moderate volume levels, and these are IPX4 splash-proof.
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1More makes a couple of open sports earbuds with ear hooks. The
The case is bulky and feels a little cheap (the lid is flimsy) but the buds themselves seem sturdily built and the ear hooks are nice and flexible. They have 14.2mm drivers that output decent but not great sound (there’s a bit of distortion at higher volumes), which is par for the course for these types of open buds that sit on top of your ears and fire sound into them. They’re also good but not great for voice calling. A companion app for iOS and Android allows you to tweak the sound with an equalizer and you can update the buds’ firmware. The buds are available in black or white and offer up to 10 hours of battery life at moderate volume levels.
The Tranya T20 reminds me a little of a cheaper version of Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 2 without the noise canceling. They’re pretty no-frills and missing more premium features such as an ear-detection sensor that automatically pauses your music when you take a bud out of your ears. They sound surprisingly decent for their modest price, if you get a tight seal, they sit flush with your ears (they don’t stick out much) and they have decent battery life; up to eight hours at moderate volume levels. They also work pretty well for making calls and are IPX7 waterproof.
The case feels a little cheap and the buds are lightweight. The Galaxy Buds 2 feels more premium. The buds are well-tuned and have a relatively wide soundstage. Don’t expect the world from them and I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
While 1More’s Piston Buds Pro Q30 didn’t exactly blow me away with their design, they’re lightweight and comfortable to wear. If you can get a tight seal (I had to swap in some of my own larger, more rounded ear tips), they sound quite good for budget wireless earbuds, with decent clarity and punchy bass. They also feature reasonably good noise canceling and voice-calling performance.
The “piston” in their name refers to the type of speaker drivers they use (the more expensive Beats Studio Buds also use piston drivers), and they appear to be key to their good sound. Battery life is rated at 5 hours with noise canceling on (7.5 hours with it off) and the buds are IPX5 splash-proof. While the touch controls are fairly limited, a companion for iOS and Android does allow you to tweak the sound profile, with 12 preset EQ settings. Make sure to clip the discount coupon and any additional discount codes on Amazon to get the lowest price.
The Soundcore by Anker Life P2 Mini has been out for some time but remains a good budget earbuds option. Available in several color options (navy is shown here), they’re compact and lightweight and offer decent sound with three EQ modes to choose from. While these don’t have active noise canceling, their battery life is very good at up to 8 hours at moderate volume levels. The P2 Minis are IPX5 splash-proof and perform well but not exceptionally well as a headset for making calls.
I also like Anker’s
Priced at just $25 after you click an instant $10 off discount coupon on Amazon, the Baseus Bowie MA10 delivers surprisingly good sound along with active noise canceling for its low price (you just don’t see too many active noise-canceling earbuds at this price). They’re IPX6 water resistant (can withstand a strong spray of water) and also have multipoint Bluetooth pairing and connect to a companion app. They stick out of your ears a bit, but they did fit my ears comfortably.
The earbuds deliver impressive battery life, offering up to 8 hours on a single charger at moderate volume levels with an extra 132 hours in the charging case. Yes, you heard right — 132 hours. The one big downside to these buds is that their charging case is rather large and bulky. If you can live with that, these are a very nice bargain.
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