Louder's guide to the best budget wireless headphones has been compiled by three of our tech journalists, who have put their heads together to come up with a selection of headphones that proves you don’t need to spend a massive amount of money to get something special that'll make your favourite music shine.
Some of the giants of the audio world such as Sony, Beats, Apple, Jabra and AKG have released some brilliant cheap wireless headphones over the last few years and this is great to see, especially when we're all looking after our money a little bit more these days.
All three of us have had the misfortune to encounter some cheap wireless headphones which, quite frankly, were a waste of our time and money due to their horrible tinny sound. Luckily, you won't find any such throwaway nonsense in our guide, as we've picked out a range that deliver great comfort and clear audio.
While some of them cut corners when it comes to extra features to keep the prices affordable, we discovered that others punch well above their weight to deliver remarkable audio. We've also included buying advice to make some of your decisions a little easier.
Tom Parsons is a music and film fan who's been testing audio kit of all varieties for around 15 years - from turntables and headphones, to speakers and TVs - most of those at What Hi-Fi? He also loves rock and metal and is a particularly big fan of Coheed and Cambria.
Quick list
Our top pick goes to the Anker Q30. They feature hybrid active noise cancellation - which uses both an internal and external mic to block out noise - across three separate modes: Transport, Outdoor and Indoor. Audio is delivered through the Q30's 40mm drivers, while battery life is solid with 40 hours with noise cancellation on and 60 off.
Not all headphones need noise cancelling to deliver a crystal clear sound - and the over-ear Sennheiser HD350BT prove that point perfectly. They're a great choice for travelling as they fold down and will give you a tasty 30-hours of music. They also have Google and Siri voice activation installed so you won't even have to use your hands for changing music.
This particular model may have been superseded by more recent options, but if you're an Apple fan looking for a low budget way of listening to Apple Music on the go, then these are a recommended pick-up. Battery life might suffer a bit compared to more up-to-date models, but a three-hour charge will net you three hours of sounds. They sound great and are comfy.
Sony are known and well-respected for their wide range of awesome headphones, such as the neat Sony WH1000XM5 but, as you would expect, many come with a fairly hefty price tag - not so the Sony WH-CH520. Performance is good for this price point and they're light and comfortable to wear. Excellent battery life too, with 50 hours' kickback from a full charge.
The Lindy BNX-60 make the list because not only do they offer top-quality, balanced sound and comfort for long listening sessions, but they also have noise cancelling for a fantastic price. OK, so battery with a battery life at 15-hours there are better choices elsewhere, but that's still a decent amount of playback - and when you consider the added extras, the Lindy BNX-60 are an excellent option.
Skullcandy have been going for years and are known for their wide range of affordable headphones but our budget pick goes to the wireless Smokin' Buds. They're cheap as chips and deliver audio that's way better than many in-ears are this price point. They have a good battery life of 8 hours (increased to 20 with the charging case) and come with three eartip sizes for a secure, comfortable fit.
Our top pick
✅ Buy if you want cheap headphones that punch above their weight: For an all-round set of quality headphones on a budget, you can't go wrong with these: ANC, great sound and superb battery.
❌ Avoid if design matters: While the design is fine, the Q30 are starting to look a little retro.
Here at Louder, we were big fans of the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 headphones, but with those becoming harder to find, our heads were turned towards the Q30 - another set of budget-friendly headphones that punch well above their weight.
The Q30 have the same 40mm drivers from their predecessor, but that's definitely not a bad thing, as they can deliver awesome audio - something that's helped by their hybrid active noise cancellation. This basically means that the headphones have both internal and external mics to help better filter unwanted noise which Anker say removes up to 95% of low-frequency ambient sound. This feature is also customisable with three settings to suit your environment: Transport, Outdoor and Indoor.
They're comfortable to wear thanks to their soft earcups and the battery life is the icing on the cake. You'll get 40 hours of music with ANC activated and 60 hours without. And as if that wasn't enough, you'll get four hours of playback from a swift five-minute charge.
As for design, and much like the Q20s, Anker are clearly aiming to woo fans of the Sony WH-1000XM3, and at a quarter of the price the spec sure looks tempting too. Tribute band or the real deal? You decide, but these are the best budget wireless headphones you'll find right now.
Best for features
✅ Buy if you want feature-rich headphones: The 350BT have a lot going on under the good, including AAC, AptX and AptX support.
❌ Avoid if you want a wired option: Sometimes it's nice to have the option of a cable, but no such luck here.
These cut-price Sennheiser over-ear headphones aren’t just big on value, they’re feature rich too. The Bluetooth implementation is leading edge, at 5.0 with support for AAC, AptX and AptX low latency codecs (the latter giving better sync when watching videos on your smartphone), and there’s a dedicated Voice Assistant button for use with Siri or Google.
The Sennheiser HD 350BT's battery life is impressive too, with around 30 hours per full charge – there’s USB-C fast charging when you get low on juice. The over-the-ear design is comfortable for sure, but there’s definitely been some skimping on the headband padding. Performance wise, I found the 350BT’s were smooth and measured, which is surprising considering how cheap they are.
Unsurprisingly, there’s no noise cancelling on these budget wireless headphones, but there’s no option for wired 3.5mm connectivity either. Hmm. This means you won’t be able to use them with onboard in-flight entertainment systems, but then if you’re not planning to fly anytime soon, that won’t be an issue.
Read our Sennheiser HD 350BT review
Best value AirPods
✅ Buy if you want the best AirPods on a budget: Apple AirPods come in various forms and prices, but these are the best value in-ears you can buy from the company.
❌ Avoid if long battery life is a priority: This older model doesn't quite have the same longevity as newer AirPods.
There’s no getting around it: Apple AirPods are the world’s most iconic earbuds, so pretty much everyone will either own a pair or be thinking about getting some. Depending on the time of year, you can often nab them for a little cheaper than the regular price too, thanks to the best AirPods deals.
Apple AirPods are incredibly simple to set up and use, and they’re always connected, so you literally take them out of the case, stick ’em in your ears and they’re ready to rock. If someone starts speaking to you, take one of the AirPods out of your ear and the music automatically pauses. Slick.
Admittedly, the battery life isn’t great compared to some other budget wireless headphones in this list, and the sound is bettered by the AKGs and Cambridge Audio Melomania 1’s, but there’s plenty else to like here. For example, they’re lightweight in the ear and fast to charge - just 15 minutes’ charge gives you three hours of listening.
The built-in microphones are responsive and will pick up your voice loud and clear if you’re using your AirPods to make and take voice calls. The music playback control is fiddly - you need to use Siri voice command to skip or replay tracks - but of course you can also sort that via your phone.
Read our Apple AirPods review
Best budget Sonys
✅ Buy if you want a neat pair of Sony headphones for less: Sony have a rich pedigree when it comes to audio - and that continues with the excellent WH-CH520. They also have awesome battery life.
❌ Avoid if you want ANC: There's no noise cancelling here, so look for alternatives if that's what you're after.
A casual scan across Louder will reveal that we rate Sony’s headphone range pretty highly, with members of the team buying the in-ear WF-1000XM4 and the awesome WH-1000XM5 over-ears and being very, very happy with their purchases.
But with a budget in mind, we reckon the on-ear Sony WH-CH520 shouldn’t be dismissed out of hand, not only because of their low price, but because of their above average audio and excellent battery life.
Sure, there’s no state of the art Active Noise Cancellation on show here, but they are 360 Reality Audio Certified and there’s also the option of tweaking your EQ settings through the dedicated Sony headphone app. They can be controlled with your voice too, making them a versatile headphone option on a budget.
They’re lightweight and comfy - and as a glasses wearer, on-ears tend not to bother me quite as much as over-ears do - so if that sounds familiar, the WH-CH520 are worth closer consideration.
As for the battery life I mentioned, a full charge will see you get around 50 hours of music, which for this price is just crazy good. And, a quick three-minute power blast will give you an hour and a half of musical joy.
Finally, they’re available in a range of colours to suit your style, with the Sony WH-CH520 available in Black, Beige, Blue and White and look great.
Best for comfort
✅ Buy if you want comfort and sound on a budget: You might not know the Lindy name, but they offer balanced audio and a comfortable fit.
❌ Avoid if looks are important: The BNX-60s do look a little cheap, but you can't have everything.
The BNX-60s were perhaps the first to prove that it really is possible to get both noise-cancelling and Bluetooth technology for a low price – and all without sacrificing sound quality.
These Lindy cans make my best budget noise-cancelling headphones list because they offer a comfortable and snug fit. They sport a volume control, on/off switch for active noise-cancellation (ANC), and a blue light that indicates when the ANC feature is in use on one ear.
There’s also a USB input for charging, pause/play/skip track controls, a Bluetooth connection light, and a standard wired headphone output on the other ear. A full charge gives you about 15 hours of wireless music playback, or a little less when the active noise-cancelling / noise cancellation is switched on.
Cheaper headphones often fall into the trap of producing loads of low-quality bass or overly sharp treble, but these Lindy headphones are surprisingly balanced and grown-up in their delivery. They’ve got a real groove and clarity to them, making them particularly well-suited to rock.
Read the full Lindy BNX-60 review
Best budget
✅ Buy if you want fun, full-sound: Another great pair of in-ears from Skullcandy that deliver neat audio and a decent battery life.
❌ Avoid if you want more features: The Smokin' Buds don't have much in the way of extras but that's not a problem for us at this price.
Get past the cringeworthy name and the bargain Skullcandy Smokin' Buds are some of the best budget wireless headphones for anyone looking to rock out on a limited budget.
Each earbud has its own mic so you can keep one in and still play your music without the sound cutting out - and the sound quality on display here is not be sniffed at - even at this budget price. Bass is on-point at the general balance is pretty good.
The Skullcandy Smokin' Buds are also comfortable to wear for long stretches, thanks to their choice of three gel eartips which are made from soft rubber - and we really like that fact that these in-ear headphones have been created from 50% renewable plastics with the packaging is 100% recyclable.
The battery life on the these Skullcandys comes in at a thoroughly decent eight hours from a full charge, with an extra 12 coming from the charging case. Like many headphones currently on the market, the Smokin' Buds also have a fast-charge feature, with a 10-minute blast giving you two hours of playtime.
Sure, there's not much in the way of extras with the Skullcandy Smokin' Buds wireless headphones, but they're a fantastic option if you're looking for a pair of no-fuss headphones that can be kept in your backpack without any worries.
Buying advice
How to spot the best budget wireless headphones
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You may assume that a limited budget means limited options when it comes to the best cheap wireless headphones, but $100/£80 will get you a decent pair of cheap wireless headphones: from sizeable on-ear noise-cancellers, through to in-ear run-friendly headphones.
There's so much choice now that it’s easy to become crippled by the options available to you. The trick when it comes to choosing is to think about when and where you’ll be doing most of your listening. If your enjoyment of Tool is severely hampered by the inane ramblings of the tools you call ‘colleagues’, definitely consider a pair of budget cans.
If a mess of cables is holding you back during a run or workout, then a pair of cheap wireless headphones that are fitness-specific (ie, sweat- and water-resistant, with a stay-put shape) will be just the ticket.
Getting the right fit for your earholes matters too, particularly when it comes to in-ear headphones. Our ears come in all shapes and sizes, and failing to ensure your chosen headphones fit yours correctly could mean they fall out, or worse still they simply won’t sound good.
When selecting from among the best budget wireless headphones, make sure to consider the battery life being offered and which version of Bluetooth is being used. The later the version – we’ve now moved up to 5.0 – the more battery-friendly and potentially better sounding it is. AptX Bluetooth, meanwhile, is specifically for audio and suggests that sound quality has been prioritised – at least to an extent.
How good are the best cheap wireless headphones?
In a nutshell, yes. Of course, cheap wireless headphones do need to cut some corners in order to get the overall price down to a palatable figure, but many of them are still very impressive in terms of sound, features and performance.
The overall quality of the best budget wireless headphones here means you will get far more joy out of listening to your music, podcasts or audiobooks when you're on the go. We've deliberately chosen cans that sound good when playing most genres of music, but especially rock and metal – hey, what can we say? We love rock and metal!
Overall, don't think that because these cheap wireless headphones may cost way less than the premium wireless cans they must sound way worse, because that's simply not true. We love the versatility of the Beats by Dre Beats X, and use them for commuting, working out and blasting tunes at home, while the AKG Y50BT will blow you away with such impressively detailed sound.
How we test the best budget wireless headphones
While their price tags may be low, our expectations at Louder are still high for budget headphones. We’re no less demanding when it comes to testing their ability to rock, and there are other criteria we assess too, including battery life and feature count.
Battery life is obviously a big deal as the last thing we want are headphones that will let us down midway through Lynyrd Skynyrd's Freebird. Thankfully, budget wireless headphones usually offer stonking playtime, because they often don’t have the drain of Active Noise Cancelling.
We consider the flavour of Bluetooth important too, as this can have a material impact on both sound quality and battery life. Generally we favour Bluetooth 5.0 or higher, as this iteration is more economical when it comes to energy (which translates to longer playtimes) and stable, so you won’t drop out when wind-milling your air guitar.
Ultimately though, audio performance remains the big clincher. For our tests, we listen to a barrage of cuts, from tried and tested classic rock favourites, through more tonally complex prog rock, and then full-on bangers. As budget headphones tend to have smaller drivers and cut-price electronics, we particularly want to hear how well they articulate guitar tones and aggressive drum fills.
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