We buy our own products and put them under the same testing methodology so that you can easily compare them. Unlike most websites, we do not get our products directly from the manufacturers, which means our units aren’t handpicked and actually represent what you would buy yourself. We spend a lot of time comparing the products side-by-side to validate our results and we keep them until they are discontinued so we can continually go back and make sure our reviews are always accurate.
Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast, a gamer, or just a casual listener, it can be hard to find affordable headphones that balance price and performance. Sometimes, you just don’t want to have to break the bank just to get a good pair of headphones. Thankfully, you don’t need to spend a fortune to get something decent.
We’ve tested and reviewed 335 headphones and here are our 5 picks for the best headphones under $100.
Mpow H10: Versatile yet affordable noise cancelling wireless on-ears
Type: Over-ear
Enclosure: Closed-back
Wireless: Yes (can also be used wired)
Noise Cancelling: Yes
The Mpow H10 are well-rounded wireless headphones that provide especially good value for their price. They’re comfortable headphones with a lightweight over-ear design. They have active noise cancelling to help make your morning commute a little more peaceful and make for acceptable travel headphones.
The Mpow H10 sound alright for budget headphones and are suitable for most kinds of music. Their mid-range is a bit recessed, so they might not be ideal for more vocal-centric music, but they sound decent overall. They isolate noise fairly well and do a good job at reducing the deep rumbles of bus and plane engines in particular. They have a great 23-hour battery life, can provide audio while charging, and even have a standby mode to further save power.
Unfortunately, the Mpow H10 aren’t the most well-built over-ear headphones. The cheaper Mpow H5 have a more premium look and feel, but they don’t perform as well as the H10 overall. The Mpow H10 also leak quite a bit of sound, so you may disturb those surrounding you if you listen to your music loudly. That said, the H10 are still versatile wireless noise cancelling over-ear headphones that have a great price-to-performance ratio.
Anker SoundCore Liberty Air: Truly wireless in-ears with great audio reproduction
Type: In-ear
Enclosure: Closed-back
Wireless: Truly Wireless
Noise Cancelling: No
If you want ultra portable headphones that are easy to grab and stash in your pocket when you’re on the go, get the Anker SoundCore Liberty Air. They’re truly wireless in-ears that come with a compact hard case to protect and charge the earbuds when not in use.
The Anker SoundCore Liberty Air reproduce audio very accurately and are well-suited for a wide range of music genres. Their in-ear fit does a great job at isolating the listener and they have great noise isolation performance. The Liberty Air passively mask out a fair bit of sound and they hardly leak, so you can raise your listening volume to block out even more noise without disturbing those around you. They provide 4 hours of continuous playback and you can stretch their battery life to up to about 16 hours total by taking breaks to charge them in their case throughout the day.
Unfortunately, the Anker SoundCore Liberty Air have very high latency, worse than most Bluetooth headphones, which makes them a poor choice to use while streaming video or playing mobile games. They’re fine if you just want to listen to music, podcasts, or audiobooks, though, and they provide great value overall.
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Jaybird Tarah: Great wireless in-ears for sports
Type: In-ear
Enclosure: Closed-back
Wireless: Yes
Noise Cancelling: No
If you’re looking for well-built sports earbuds that are versatile enough to be used casually as well, get the Jaybird Tarah. They have an earbud-like fit that’s slightly more comfortable than that of most in-ears since it doesn’t protrude as far deeply into the ear canal. They’re rated IPX7 for advanced water and sweat resistance and have a very secure fit that’s stable enough for your most intense workouts.
The Jaybird Tarah sound okay right out of the box, but if you want to tweak their sound further to better match your preferences, you can do so with their companion app. The Jaybird MySound app features a great parametric EQ along with community-created presets for you to customize their sound your way. The Tarah also support Bluetooth 5.0 and can pair to 2 devices simultaneously.
Although the Jaybird Tarah’s 6-hour battery life will likely be fine for most, it’s a bit on the short side. These earbuds also use a proprietary charging cradle instead of a micro-USB cable, which can be annoying if you forget the charger somewhere and their battery dies. That said, the Tarah are still great sports earbuds that are versatile enough for everyday usage too.
Skullcandy Grind: Comfortable and well-built wireless on-ears
Type: On-ear
Enclosure: Closed-back
Wireless: Yes (can also be used wired)
Noise Cancelling: No
If you find over-ear headphones too bulky but really don’t like the fit of in-ears, then you might like the on-ear Skullcandy Grind. They’re among the most comfortable on-ear headphones we’ve tested. They have well-padded ear cups and have a sturdy metal frame that feels durable without clamping your head.
The Skullcandy Grind sound decent overall and should satisfy casual listeners. They’re wireless and have a good battery life of 15 hours. They’re also quite versatile, since you can use them wired, and their provided audio cable has an in-line mic, so both audio and microphone will work on your phone, PC, and gaming consoles.
Unfortunately, they don’t have an app for added customization options. They’re also not as portable as some of the other on-ears we’ve tested since they don’t fold into a more compact format. On the upside, they’re among the best on-ears you can purchase below $100 and they’re easily on par with much pricier headphones.
Logitech G433: Wired gaming headset with great sound and mic quality
Type: Over-ear
Enclosure: Closed-back
Wireless: No
Noise Cancelling: No
If you play a lot of online multiplayer games but also want headphones you can use with your mobile devices, then consider the Logitech G433. They have a versatile design that’s great for gaming and casual use. They’re not as bulky as other gaming headsets, their boom mic is removable, and they come with an extra audio-cable that has an in-line mic for you to use with your phone.
The Logitech G433 sound excellent and have great audio reproduction. They have a well-balanced sound with good bass and detailed instruments and vocals. Their microphone is excellent and ensures your teammates will hear you clearly, even if there’s background noise. The G433 are also compatible with the Logitech Gaming Software for added customization features, like a graphic EQ or 7.1 surround sound.
Since they’re wired headphones, they don’t quite offer the freedom of wireless gaming headsets. They also don’t have great isolation, so they might not be ideal to use while commuting or at the office. All things considered, though, if your phone has a headphone jack and you’re a gamer, the G433 provide great value for their price.
This guide may have been updated. To see all our measurements and our current recommendations for the best headphones under $100, please go here.
