The best wireless earbuds under $100

Just a few years ago, functional, reliable, cheap true wireless earbuds would have been an oxymoron, but now they’re being released in droves. You no longer have to shell out more than $100 for a pair of solid, truly wireless earbuds. Instead, as technology has progressed, you can save money and enjoy the latest and greatest audio engineering. In this price range, you can now expect to find features previously reserved for premium wireless earbuds, such as active noise canceling (ANC) and a functional companion app.

Each year, we test dozens of new budget earbuds in our SoundGuys testing lab. We collect objective data on each earbud we test, including measurements to rate sound quality, ANC performance, and battery life. Our team of expert product reviewers then uses each earbud in the real world. By combining expert insights with objective testing data, we feel confident recommending each of the picks in our list of the best wireless earbuds under $100.

The Quick Answer

For a quick guide to the best wireless earbuds under $100, check out our top picks below. Each has a link to our full review.

The best overall:

The best noise canceling:

The best features:

The best sound quality:

The best for small ears:

The In-depth Answer

Below you’ll find our in-depth coverage of each of the best wireless earbuds under $100. Each model has been rigorously tested, ensuring you can trust our recommendations.

Best wireless earbuds under $100: EarFun Air Pro 4+

The EarFun Air Pro 4+ offers a combination of features and performance rarely found in earbuds this cheap. With Bluetooth 6.0 and support for high-quality codecs like LDAC, aptX Lossless, and Auracast, these earbuds deliver excellent sound quality and future-proof connectivity. The dual-driver system pairs a 10mm dynamic driver with a balanced armature driver, resulting in exceptional detail and clarity with improved treble extension. The default tuning is enjoyable, but you can further customize it using the 10-band equalizer or the My Sound Profile listening test in the companion app.

• Read our full EarFun Air Pro 4+ review

Noise cancelation is solid, with multiple ANC modes to choose from, including AI Ear Adaptive and AI Environment Adaptive options that adjust in real-time. The ANC reduces external noise by an average of 80% according to our testing, which is respectable for earbuds in this price range. You also get two Ambient Sound modes for situational awareness when needed, plus a dedicated Wind Noise Cancelling mode for outdoor activities.

The earbuds are lightweight and comfortable for extended wear, with five sizes of silicone ear tips to ensure a good fit. With an IP55 dust- and water-resistance rating, they’re suitable for workouts and rain. Battery life is solid, lasting 6 hours and 17 minutes with ANC enabled in our testing. The case provides additional charging for up to 54 hours of total playback time. Fast charging gives you 3 hours of playback from just 10 minutes of charging.

EarFun Air Pro 4+ price history

Best ANC wireless earbuds under $100: CMF Buds 2 Plus

The CMF Buds 2 Plus deliver excellent active noise cancelation (ANC) for their $69 price tag, reducing ambient noise by up to 83% in our testing. While they don’t quite meet the advertised 50dB reduction, they still perform admirably, particularly in canceling high-pitched background sounds. Their Smart Adaptive Mode effectively adjusts ANC levels based on your surroundings, although I found setting it to “High” and leaving it there gave me the best results. These earbuds underperform slightly in the 50–100Hz range, which means lower engine rumbles might still seep through, but they do a much better job than most sub-$100 options in filtering out chatter and daily noise.

• Read our full CMF Buds 2 Plus review

On top of ANC, you get premium features like personalized sound via Audiodo’s hearing test, LDAC codec support for higher-quality streaming, and strong battery life—over 10 hours on a single charge. However, the company’s baffling decision to drop the tactile Smart Dial from the case feels like a step backward. That said, for anyone prioritizing effective noise cancelation and tailored audio performance on a budget, the CMF Buds 2 Plus are an outstanding value.

CMF Buds 2 Plus price history

Best features for less than $100: Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC

You’d be hard-pressed to find earbuds for a Benjamin Franklin that do most of the tasks the Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC promises. With an IPX4 rating, long battery life, and good ANC with additional wind reduction and adaptive noise canceling, these earbuds offer more features than most name brands at this price.

• Read our full Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC review

Like most consumer wireless earbuds, the Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC boosts bass and treble relative to our headphone preference curve. The accompanying app offers 22 EQ presets, along with an eight-band equalizer with labels, so you can fine-tune your listening experience. Anker kitted out the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC with Bluetooth 5.3 and LDAC, AAC, and SBC codecs. Android users will likely get the most out of the LDAC codec. Meanwhile, iPhones will default to the AAC codec. Oh, and they also support Bluetooth multipoint, so you can connect to more than one device simultaneously.

For most people, the Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC are simply good, value-priced earbuds. They tick off most boxes, from the nearly 10 hours of battery life with ANC on to the responsive touch controls.

Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC price history

Best sound quality under $100: SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro+

Among all the budget earbuds we’ve tried, the SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro+ has the best sound quality, thanks to its xMEMS drivers. If you haven’t listened to xMEMS earbuds yet, you’re missing out, as this sound technology is a step above legacy technology. Our data backs it up as well, with the SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro+ scoring an impressive 4.9 on a scale from 1-5 in MDAQS sound quality testing.

• Read our full SoundPEATS Capulse3 Pro+ review

Beyond great sound quality, the SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro+ also offers effective active noise canceling and a companion app with features like a 10-band equalizer. The earbuds’ matte black finish with gold accents, lightweight design, and three ear tip sizes ensure comfort and style. They falter slightly with battery life, delivering just 3 hours and 55 minutes of playback with ANC on. Despite this, the charging case offers over six additional charges, compensating for the earbuds’ shorter playback time.

SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro+ price history

Best earbuds for small ears: JLab JBuds Mini

The best wireless earbuds under $100: Notable mentions

This is a crowded price bracket, so be sure to take a gander through our notable mentions. If you don’t see all your desired features, maybe consider upping your price threshold.

• 1MORE ComfoBuds Mini ($99 at Amazon): The 1MORE ComfoBuds Mini are ideal for those with small ears, or those who want ultra-portable wireless earbuds.
• Beats Solo Buds ($79.99 at Amazon): If you don’t need ANC, the Beats Solo Buds are worth considering.
• EarFun Air Pro 4 ($89.99 at Amazon): These budget buds offer strong ANC performance, sound quality and impressive 8-hour battery life.
• Google Pixel Buds A-Series ($94 at Amazon): If you like the Pixel Buds line but think they are too pricey, the Pixel Buds A-Series should be on your radar. They have the core features you need at a price you’ll love.
• JBL Tune Buds ($69.95 at Amazon): If you can get a good fit with the JBL Tune Buds, you will enjoy using them. They are packed full of features and have a sound quality that most people like.
• JBL Vibe Beam ($39 at Amazon): If you’re looking for inexpensive earbuds that work well around town or at the gym, it’s hard to argue against the JBL Vibe Beam. Not only are the earbuds under $50, but they offer transparency mode, over 9 hours of battery, and IP54 ingress protection, which is quite a bargain.
• Nothing Ear (a) ($95 at Amazon): The Nothing Ear (a) don’t have exceptional sound quality, but these earbuds are packed full of features.
• Moondrop Space Travel 2 ($25.49 at Amazon): These earbuds deliver ANC, good sound quality, and great EQ options for a super low price.
• SOUNDPEATS Air5 Pro ($79.99 at Amazon): If you are looking for LDAC and aptX, as well as great noise canceling, the SOUNDPEATS Air5 Pro are a good option.

If you have a smaller budget, make sure to check out our list of the best wireless earbuds under $50 for more great value options.

How we test the best wireless earbuds under $100

When you buy cheap earbuds, even the best wireless earbuds under $100, you’re typically sacrificing style, build quality, and extra features. That said, you should still expect the earbuds to function properly, which is why we test every model found on this best list.

To test connectivity, we connect the earbuds to a variety of devices, including both iPhone and Android phones. If the earbuds support Bluetooth Multipoint, we connect them to both a phone and a laptop to test the connection strength. As audio experts, we dig through the product specs to find key information relating to the Bluetooth version and supported Bluetooth codecs. If the earbuds have outdated tech, we’ll let you know.

The most important feature we test is sound quality. We use the Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Score (MDAQS) algorithm to rate sound quality on a scale from 1-5, based on typical listener preferences. We also measure the frequency response of each set of earbuds and compare that to our industry-validated SoundGuys Preference Curve. To attain these measurements, and our ANC and isolation measurements, we place the earbuds on our Bruel & Kjaer 5128 test head. With our battery test, we validate manufacturer claims to see how long the product really lasts in the real world.

We combine our objective and subjective ratings to determine an overall product score. If we recommend the earbuds to our friends and family, we award the product a SoundGuys Recommended badge. If we think the earbuds are among the best in their class, we award the product a SoundGuys Editor’s Choice badge.

Why you should trust SoundGuys

We at SoundGuys pride ourselves on providing readers with a focused understanding of consumer audio through objective measurements. We adhere to a strict ethics policy. Our income depends almost exclusively on people being happy with the products they buy after researching them and using the affiliate links on our website.

Frequently asked questions about wireless earbuds under $100