Best Headphones for Budget (Best Value) in 2026

Best headphones and earbuds under $100

Updated March 2026 · 35 products ranked

Best overall
Nothing Ear (a) Earbuds

In-ear TWS · ANC · 9.5h/42.5h · LDAC · BT 5.3

$60

Fit 98/100

Great valueEar (a)

LDAC, ANC, and transparent design at $60 set an absurd standard for budget earbuds.

$59.00Buy →
#2
JBL Tune Beam Earbuds

In-ear TWS · ANC · 10h/40h · AAC · BT 5.3

$60

Fit 96/100

Great valueTune Beam

Solid ANC, IP54, and JBL sound at $60 make this a top budget contender.

$9.99Buy →
Compare with #1 Ear (a) Earbuds →
#3
Samsung Galaxy Buds FE Earbuds

In-ear TWS · ANC · 6h/21h · BT 5.2

$80

Fit 94/100

Great valueGalaxy Buds FE

Samsung ANC and AKG tuning at $80 with full Galaxy ecosystem support.

$112.87Buy →
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#4
Google Pixel Buds A-Series Earbuds

In-ear TWS · 5h/24h · AAC · BT 5.0

$70

Fit 92/100

Great valuePixel Buds A

Clean Google integration and reliable sound at $70 for Pixel and Android users.

Compare with #1 Ear (a) Earbuds →
#5
Sony WH-CH720N Headphones

Over-ear · ANC · 35h · LDAC · BT 5.2

$100

Fit 90/100

Great valueCH720N

LDAC, ANC, and 35-hour battery in an over-ear at $100 is unbeatable value.

$75.99Buy →
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#6
JBL Tune 770NC Headphones

Over-ear · ANC · 44h · AAC · BT 5.3

$100

Fit 88/100

Great valueTune 770NC

Over-ear ANC with 44-hour battery at $100 for budget-conscious commuters.

$89.95Buy →
Compare with #1 Ear (a) Earbuds →
#7
JBL Reflect Aero Earbuds

In-ear TWS · ANC · 8h/32h · AAC · BT 5.3 · IP68

$100

Fit 86/100

Great valueReflect Aero

IP68 sport earbuds with ANC at $100 for active users on a budget.

$159.95Buy →
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#8
Sony WF-C710N Earbuds

In-ear TWS · ANC · 7.5h/20h · AAC · BT 5.3

$100

Fit 84/100

Great valueWF-C710N

Sony ANC and sound quality in a $70 earbud punches above its weight.

$129.99Buy →
Compare with #1 Ear (a) Earbuds →
#9
Apple AirPods 4 Earbuds

Open-fit TWS · 5h/30h · H2 chip · BT 5.3

$130

Fit 72/100

Great valueAirPods 4

Open-fit AirPods at $130 are over budget and lack ANC.

$99.00Buy →
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#10
Apple AirPods 4 (ANC) Earbuds

Open-fit TWS · ANC · 5h/30h · H2 chip · BT 5.3

$180

Fit 66/100

Great valueAirPods 4

ANC model at $180 far exceeds the $100 budget threshold.

$144.99Buy →
Compare with #1 Ear (a) Earbuds →
#11
Nothing Headphone 1 Headphones

Over-ear · ANC · 40h · LDAC · BT 5.3

$150

Fit 64/100

Great valueHeadphone 1

Strong value at $150 but exceeds the under-$100 budget category.

$239.00Buy →
Compare with #1 Ear (a) Earbuds →
#12
JBL Live 770NC Headphones

Over-ear · ANC · 65h · AAC · BT 5.3

$150

Fit 62/100

Great valueLive 770NC

Great battery at $150 but the price removes it from true budget contention.

$89.99Buy →
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#13
Sony LinkBuds Fit Earbuds

In-ear TWS · ANC · 5.5h/21h · LDAC · BT 5.3

$180

Fit 58/100

LinkBuds Fit

Interesting design at $180 but far outside the budget price range.

$228.00Buy →
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#14
Beats Fit Pro Earbuds

In-ear TWS · ANC · 6h/24h · H2 chip · IPX4

$160

Fit 54/100

Great valueFit Pro

Sport earbuds at $200 double the budget with premium pricing.

$129.99Buy →
Compare with #1 Ear (a) Earbuds →
#15
Apple AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C) Earbuds

In-ear TWS · ANC · 6h/30h · H2 chip · BT 5.3

$200

Fit 50/100

Great valueAirPods Pro 2

Excellent earbuds at $200 but firmly in the mid-range price tier.

$263.86Buy →
Compare with #1 Ear (a) Earbuds →

Frequently asked questions

Best Headphones for Budget (Best Value) in 2026: which should you buy?

Based on our benchmarks and analysis, the Nothing Ear (a) Earbuds is our top pick for budget (best value), with a fit score of 98/100. It offers the best combination of performance, features and value for this workload.

How many Headphones did you compare for Budget (Best Value)?

We evaluated 35 headphones for budget (best value), testing real-world performance, key specs, and value for money. Our rankings are updated regularly as new models launch.

bestFor.faqWorth

bestFor.faqWorthAnswer

What specs matter most for Budget (Best Value)?

For budget (best value), focus on the specs and benchmark results most relevant to that workload. Our ranking weighs performance, efficiency and value for money to surface the best fit.

Other rankings

Methodology:: Rankings are based on a weighted composite of real-world benchmark results, spec analysis (VRAM, bandwidth, compute throughput), power efficiency, and price-to-performance ratio. Each use case applies different weights to these factors. Data is sourced from independent reviews and updated regularly. Our scoring does not factor in availability or street pricing - only MSRP and measured performance.