Best daily deals

All products featured are independently chosen by us. However, SoundGuys may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links. See our ethics statement.

Best Bluetooth headphones under $100

Whether you like on-ears or over-ears, we've got the best Bluetooth headphones for your budget.
By

Published onJune 28, 2024

The Best
JLab JBuds Lux ANC
MSRP: $79.99
8.2
Check price
Positives
USB-C audio
Sound quality
Comfort
Value
App
Negatives
Limited options
No IP rating
Best style
Anker Soundcore Space One
MSRP: $99.99
7.7
Check price
Positives
Isolation and ANC
Companion app
Battery life
Wear detection
Bluetooth 5.3 with LDAC support
Negatives
No touch controls
Carrying case isn't hardcover
Over-emphasized bass and treble
No audio over USB
Best battery
Jabra Elite 45h
MSRP: $99.99
7.4
Check price
Positives
Battery life
Portable design
Warranty protects against rain and dust
Microphone quality
Google Assistant and Alexa support
Negatives
SBC and AAC only, no aptX
Hard to differentiate and reach buttons
Bluetooth multipoint unreliable
No headphone jack
Best active noise cancelling
JBL Tune 660NC Wireless Headphones
MSRP: $99.95
7.6
Check price
Positives
Sound quality
Active noise cancelling
Battery life
Bluetooth multipoint
Negatives
Cheap design
Mild discomfort
No water resistance
Best sound
Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT
MSRP: $119.00
7.4
Check price
Positives
Easy maintenance
Battery life
USB-C port
Wired listening
Lightweight
Negatives
Ear pads
Can't fold

We all want the best, but sometimes, the top-tier choice exceeds our budget. Thankfully, cheap Bluetooth headphones are easy to come by, and with the rise of wireless earbuds, premium headset prices have fallen dramatically. Although all of our picks are relatively affordable, none of them are inherently cheap. Whether you need active noise canceling (ANC), a compact design, or long battery life, we’ve got something to scratch your audio itch.

Editors note: This article was updated on June 28th, 2024, to add new top picks.

For under $100, the JLab JBuds Lux are crazy good value

The JLab JBuds Lux ANC sitting atop a wooden desk.
Christian Thomas / SoundGuys
The JBuds Lux is a compelling buy under $80.

The JLab JBuds Lux ANC punches well above its weight, offering exceptional value for under $100. These over-ear headphones feature active noise cancelation that does a decent job of hushing ambient noise, especially in the higher frequencies. While the ANC performance can’t match premium models, it’s impressive for the price.

The sound quality is quite good, with an overall MDAQS score of 4.5/5, lauding the headphones’ faithful timbre and immersive soundstage. They have an elevated bass response and boosted treble that helps counter environmental noise during commutes.

Other highlights include a 44-hour battery life, USB-C audio support, and a companion app with EQ and customization options. The JBuds Lux ANC may lack advanced features like head tracking, but they nail the fundamentals at a stellar price, making them one of the best budget ANC headphones you can buy.

JLab JBuds Lux ANC
JLab JBuds Lux ANC
SG recommended
JLab JBuds Lux ANC
USB-C audio • Sound quality • Comfort
MSRP: $79.99
For under $100, these are crazy good value.
As far as inexpensive ANC headphones go, the JLab JBuds Lux ANC are one of the best of 2024. They focus on the fundamentals, and not fighting the spec wars.

The Anker Soundcore Space One has style

Anker Soundcore Space One headphones next to cloth case and cables.
Chase Bernath / SoundGuys
Along with the headphones, you get a cloth carrying case, USB-C charging cable, and 3.5mm auxiliary cable.

The Anker Soundcore Space One is a solid choice for consumers seeking noise canceling headphones under $100. The headphones have good isolation and active noise cancelation (ANC), wear detection, long battery life, and the inclusion of Bluetooth 5.3 with LDAC support. The companion app further allows customizable sound profiles and ANC adjustments.

The absence of touch controls and an audio profile that leans towards over-emphasized bass and treble may deter some users. Additionally, the lack of audio-over-USB functionality limits its versatility compared to some competitors. Despite these drawbacks, the overall value proposition remains strong, especially considering the headphones’ effective noise cancelation, sound customization options through the app, and robust battery life of nearly 43 hours.

Anker Soundcore Space One
Anker Soundcore Space One
Anker Soundcore Space One
Comfortable fit • Easy controls • Soundcore app
MSRP: $99.99
Luxury features at a budget price.

Listen and be heard with the Jabra Elite 45h

The Jabra Elite 45h on-ear Bluetooth headphones next to a Samsung Galaxy S10e smartphone and wireless car keys on a white table.
Bluetooth multipoint is available but not very reliable.

The Jabra Elite 45h are on-ear headphones designed to be compact and portable enough to take anywhere—whether you’re commuting to work, running errands, or just putting your feet up at home. The swivel ear cups make it easy to shove into a backpack for easy transport.

The headphones’ bass-heavy frequency response makes it hard to hear higher-pitched vocals. Fortunately, you can create a custom EQ in the Jabra Sound+ app (Android/iOS) and tinker all day long. If you don’t want to experiment, Jabra has a hearing test that informs an optimized sound profile.

One of the best aspects of the Jabra Elite 45h is its microphone. It reproduces voices accurately, and even people with deep voices will be heard loud and clear. The microphone also does a good job of attenuating background noise and light wind, eliminating audible distractions during conference calls.

Other features that make the Jabra Elite 45h a worthy investment include a 50+ hour battery life, USB-C fast charging, AAC codec support (which is great for iOS users), and an included two-year warranty that covers dust and water damage.

The Jabra Elite 45h has a great microphone, and it’s great at attenuating background noise. Wind noise will come through, though, which is normal in those conditions. Listen for yourself:

Jabra Elite 45h microphone demo (Ideal conditions):

Jabra Elite 45h microphone demo (Street conditions):

Jabra Elite 45h microphone demo (Windy conditions):

How does the microphone sound to you?

3719 votes
Jabra Elite 45h
Jabra Elite 45h
Jabra Elite 45h
Battery life • Portable design • Warranty protects against rain and dust
MSRP: $99.99
The Jabra Elite 45h are stellar on-ear headphones for casual listeners who prioritize compactness and microphone quality above everything else. Despite some sound quality drawbacks, these are some of the best on-ear headphones under $100.

Enjoy good active noise canceling with the JBL Tune 660NC

JBL Tune 660NC on desk with cables
Harley Maranan / SoundGuys
Wireless connectivity and active noise canceling make this a great travel headset.

The JBL Tune 660NC are a great pair of high-value headphones, despite bumping up against the upper limit of this list’s budget. In our review, we were pleasantly surprised to see how well the Tune 660NC blocked out low frequencies like a noisy dishwasher or car engine.

Noise canceling aside, these headphones sound quite good out of the box too. This is good news as there’s no mobile app where you can equalize the sound. Generally, the headphones’ frequency response closely follows our Target Curve, with a treble boost from 5-10kHz.

The headphones don’t support aptX, but you can stream over SBC or AAC. There’s also a headphone jack for wired playback. Like some other headphones on this list, the Tune 660NC supports multipoint connectivity. We love this feature as it lets you connect to two source devices simultaneously. That way, you can keep an ear on your phone while you stream a movie from your laptop.

Battery life is impeccable: these headphones last 37 hours with ANC. Fast charging is efficient, too — just five minutes of charging provides two hours of playtime. We think you’ll love the Tune 660NC

The Tune 660NC microphone is fine, but not the greatest. It still relays some background noise, as you can hear in our mic demos below.

JBL Tune 660NC microphone demo (Ideal conditions):

JBL Tune 660NC microphone demo (Office conditions):

JBL Tune 660NC microphone demo (Street conditions):

How does the microphone sound to you?

712 votes
JBL Tune 660NC Wireless Headphones
JBL Tune 660NC Wireless Headphones
JBL Tune 660NC Wireless Headphones
Active noise-cancellation • Fast USB-C charging • Bass-heavy
MSRP: $99.95
Proving that ANC headphones don't need to cost an arm and a leg
The JBL Tune 660NC are active noise-cancelling headphones. They have the distinct bass-heavy sound of JBL products and will last upwards of 40+ hours with ANC on. Fast USB-C charging will help you out if you run out of juice.

The Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT have great sound

Close up image of a Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT headband

Audio-Technica adds wireless capabilities to another classic with the Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT. These no-frills headphones do their job without issue. The company doesn’t even give you an app to mess with. Instead, the ATH-M20xBT are purely for music listening.

The headphones sound quite good for most listeners. There’s no hint of compression or distortion when listening to music. While the sub-bass under-emphasis appears alarming, the most important music notes that you’d hear actually come quite close to our Target Curve. If anything, you’ll likely only notice the lack of bass when watching a movie and an explosion happens on screen.

The headphones support multipoint connectivity, allowing you to connect to two devices at once. These devices don’t need to be under the same operating system or brand, which is a nice perk. Officially, the headphones have a 60-hour battery life, which knocks the socks off of most wireless headphones’ batteries. You can also net three hours of playtime from a 10-minute charge. Not too bad.

The Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT has a good microphone in ideal conditions but doesn’t do a great job of suppressing background noise. You can still hear keyboard clacking sounds in our “Office conditions” demo below. The mics do a better job of suppressing predictable sounds like wind. Listen for yourself:

Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT microphone demo (Ideal conditions):

Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT microphone demo (Office conditions):

Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT microphone demo (Windy conditions):

How does the microphone sound to you?

1469 votes
Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT
Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT
Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT
Wireless convenience • Decent microphone for calls
MSRP: $119.00
Affordable, ATH M-series headphones
The Audio-Technica M20xBT are the wireless version of the entry-level model in the popular ATH Mx series of headphones. Marketed as Studio Monitors, they seek a natural sound profile for your audio editing needs.

Spend a bit more with the Anker Soundcore Life Q35

Anker Soundcore Life Q35 microphone
The Anker Soundcore Life Q35 have better ANC and battery life than the Q30, but costs anywhere from $20 to $50 more.

Budget shoppers laud Anker for its reliable, low-cost products that give more expensive alternatives a run for their money. The Anker Soundcore Life Q35 is a gem as it features active noise canceling, grants over 52 hours of listening on a single charge, and has a comfortable design.

The price often dips below $100 for the Q35, but its standard price is $129, which is a bit more than our budget here. If you have a bit more to spend, we recommend learning about the best Bluetooth headphones for under $200.

The microphone on the Life Q35 is great for phone calls and video calls. Take a listen:

Anker Soundcore Life Q35 microphone demo (Non-standardized):

How does the microphone sound to you?

6149 votes
Anker Soundcore Life Q35
Anker Soundcore Life Q35
Anker Soundcore Life Q35
Multiple ANC modes • 52-hour battery life • Fast charging
MSRP: $109.99
A great companion for any lifestyle
The Soundcore Life Q35 plays for fifty-two hours on a single charge, and five-minute charging gives four additional hours. It offers plenty of customization options and travel features.

The best Bluetooth headphones under $100: Notable mentions

A picture of the Plantronics BackBeat 500 FIT cheap wireless headphones on a brick wall.
The Plantronics BackBeat 500 FIT looks identical to the BackBeat 500 but features a P2i water-repellent nano-coating.
  • Anker Soundcore Life Q20 ($59 at Amazon.): While now superseded by the newer Q30, the previous Q20 is still available and often for a discounted price. These have a similar sound signature as the Q30 and a respectable 32-hour charge.
  • JBL TUNE 600BTNC: JBL’s on-ear headphones offer a 16-hour battery life, quick charging, and ANC. For $60, this is a great deal.
  • Monoprice’s BT-600ANC ($84.99 at Amazon): Look, it’s pretty hard to find decent ANC, especially for $100. Count us surprised that the value-driven giant Monoprice pulls it off better than some headphones that cost twice the price.
  • Plantronics BackBeat Fit 6100 ($69 at Amazon): Athletes searching for workout headphones that work just as well in the office as they do in the gym should get the Fit 6100. Listeners can adjust the headband tension and benefit from a comfortable over-ear fit. Sound quality and microphone quality are generally very pleasing with these IPX5 headphones.
  • Skullcandy Crusher Wireless ($103.99 at Amazon): While the Crusher Wireless are showing their age (micro-USB charging), they still hold up as cheap headphones. You get solid battery life, plush ear pads, and a cool bass slider to affect the headset’s sound immediately.
  • TREBLAB Z2: This set of over-ear workout headphones may not keep pace with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s headset, but it does have cool features like ANC, a 35-hour battery life, and an IPX4 rating, all for less than $100.

What you should know about Bluetooth headphones under $100

Like other headphones, there’s plenty to learn about Bluetooth before buying. Before you make any purchases, Let’s review some important features like Bluetooth codec support, fit, and noise canceling.

High-quality Bluetooth codec support is rare

Image of Android Bluetooth codecs including aptX and LDAC; none of the cheap Bluetooth headphones will support all of these codecs.
You’ll have a hard time finding cheap Bluetooth headphones that support all of these codecs.

This support is typically reserved for a more premium class of headphones, so don’t be too disappointed if your favorite headset here lacks aptX or AAC support. That said, we’ve done our best to include some picks with at least aptX support, which yields high-quality audio streaming for Android devices. iPhone users, if it’s any consolation, many of us are unable to discern a difference between high-quality codecs because our ears are either too old or too damaged to observe it.

A proper fit matters, especially with cheap Bluetooth headphones

The right ear cup of the Bose On-Ear Wireless flipped inward to reveal superglue within the hinge. To the left is a partially visible black Olympus lens with a closed dictionary as a backdrop.
On the right side of our Bose SoundLink On-Ear Wireless unit, there is visible superglue in the right hinge, something you may find in cheaply built headphones.

Whether shopping for earbuds or headphones, finding a proper fit is key to optimizing audio quality. If you can’t create a total seal separating you from the environment, external noises will make it difficult to perceive detail in your music. This phenomenon is called auditory masking: loud noises cause relatively quiet noises hard to register. To avoid this altogether, take a few moments and adjust the headband.

If the yokes allow for it, you can also angle the ear cups. This creates a more comfortable fit and effectively improves passive isolation, so you can focus more on the music and less on chatty neighbors.

Why should you get noise canceling headphones?

A picture of the Master & Dynamic MW07 Plus noise canceling true wireless earbuds with on earbud in the case and the other outside of it on a leather surface next to a gold ring; these cost far too much to be considered for the best cheap Bluetooth headphones.
Lil Katz / SoundGuys
The Master & Dynamic MW07 Plus ANC true wireless earphones help protect your hearing when noise canceling is on.

It depends on what you prioritize. If you’re really scrounging for the best bargain you can find, then ANC headsets may not be an option, as they tend to be pricier. That said, noise canceling headphones are better for you than those without ANC because they can help preserve your hearing by preventing noise-induced hearing loss.

This relates to auditory masking: not only are we less able to register music playback, but many of us thoughtlessly increase volume when on a crowded train car or noisy flight. It may not seem like the music is loud at the time—again, a consequence of auditory masking—but there’s a good chance we’re damaging our stereocilia, those tiny ear hairs, when we crank the volume. Noise canceling headphones make us less prone to doing so because they reduce the loudness of external noise.

Maintain realistic expectations

Although we’re presenting you with the best cheap Bluetooth headphones around, the fact remains that these are still cheap Bluetooth headphones. If you think corners have been cut, it’s because they have been. Unfortunately, you can’t have it all for less than $100. One of the first things to go is construction quality. You won’t find a leather-wrapped headband with brushed aluminum accents on this list. However, once you temper your expectations, you’ll be amazed at how far $100 can take you regarding consumer audio.

How we chose our favorite affordable Bluetooth headphones

A picture of the cheap wireless headphones, Plantronics BackBeat Fit 6100, worn by a woman against an off-white wall.
Every headset is put to the test, so we can keep our scoring results consistent.

We understand that shopping for audio products can be arduous and confusing. Rather than sending readers off on a wild goose chase for information, we’ve chosen to consolidate the most pertinent things shoppers should know about cheap Bluetooth headphones and list out what we’re championing as the best picks around. Any headset we’ve reviewed has been subjected to a battery of objective tests to determine frequency response, isolation, microphone performance, battery life, and noise canceling effectiveness.

Although we pride ourselves on making objective data easily accessible to our readers, we also value the subjective aspect of audio and go to great lengths to use products as a normal consumer would. That way, we can highlight the good and bad each headset, microphone, or speaker has to offer.

Why you should trust SoundGuys

Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X on head
We test every product that comes our way in the studio and beyond it.

We take integrity seriously at SoundGuys. Although this website operates on affiliate links, none of our writers benefit from awarding one product over another. Ultimately, we want you to be happy with your purchase and to avoid buyer’s remorse. If you’re so inclined, we implore you to brush up on our ethics policy.

Frequently asked questions about Bluetooth headphones under $100

Although both products share a similar price and sound profile, the Sennheiser HD 350BT include a few modern additions over the HD 4.40BT, like USB-C for charging and Bluetooth 5.0.

Technically, you can work out with any headphones, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you should. If you want to use your headphones during your workout, consider buying a pair that is rated for water resistance to make sure that your investment lasts as long as possible.

The biggest difference between the two is that the HD450BT features active noise canceling, while the HD350BT does not. Sound-wise, the HD450BT claims to have a fuller, more detailed sound, though at a higher price point than the HD350BT.

Over-ear headphones are typically more comfortable since the ear cushions do not put any pressure on your ears. On the other hand, on-ear headphones balance portability and performance.

You might like