11 Best Cheap Headphones (under $50, under $30, under $20) in 2023

Here are the best cheap headphones of all types (including over-ear, on-ear, true wireless, and wired).

Discover budget headphones with surprisingly good sound quality and features that could easily cost more money.

Find the headphones divided into 3 price ranges: Under $50, under $30, and under $20.

Last update: Updated article design and added new models.

What’s the price point for cheap, budget headphones, you ask?

After talking with many people, we established the price of $50 to be what most consider cheap.

After all, $50 is less than a full tank of gas (for most cars) or the cost of a nice restaurant date for two.

And if $50 is still too much, we’ve found headphones for less: under $30, under $20, and even quality earbuds for $10 (at the bottom).

While budget headphones can’t compare to high-end models, some offer fantastic value for your money with good quality.

What does that mean?

According to this study, people can buy happiness if their purchases match their personalities. And if you’re like me, you get more happiness from buying a quality item on a budget than paying the top price for a “premium” item.

If you like bargain shopping, this list of the best cheap headphones is for you.

Fine tune your search:

• The best cheap earbuds (in-ear headphones)
• Best budget noise cancelling headphones (ANC)
• Best headphones under $100 (all types)

Best Cheap Headphones under $50

1. Anker Soundcore Life Q20

If you’re a fan of a bassier sound profile, these should suit your taste. Consequently, they’re pretty warm, with a balanced midrange and smooth treble.

Life Q20 offer good active noise cancellation performance, especially when blocking low-frequency external noises. That makes them a great companion on airplanes and public transport. Sadly, they lack ambient mode.

Speaking of transport, ear cups have foldable hinges to make more space in your bag. Faux leather ear pads are nice and comfy and ensure good levels of external noise isolation.

The battery life is excellent, with up to 60 hours of continuous playtime (40 hours with noise cancellation), and the Bluetooth connectivity is also pretty solid.

Life Q20 are great budget wireless headphones if you plan to make many phone calls with a surprisingly clean built-in mic.

2. Audio-Technica ATH-M20x

The ATH-M20x have a well-balanced sound signature. The overall detailed sound quality is much better than you’d expect for 50 dollars.

You also get a controlled bass response while keeping the details. They’re good enough for every music genre, and a worthy top pick on this list.

The wired headphones are well built, considering the price range. They can survive most of the unfortunate drops.

See more great budget over-ear headphones.

Another great thing about them is their simple yet sleek design that never comes out of style (they look similar to other higher-end models from Audio-Technica).

Large and well-padded over-ear ear cups provide comfort for many hours so you can enjoy your favorite music without itching.

More at this price point:

• Best Bluetooth headphones under $50
• Best headphones under $50 (all types)

3. TaoTronics TT-BH090

They have an overall smooth-sounding frequency response with punchy bass. Audio performance is good, with ANC only improving the sound quality. The latter is mostly due to eliminating the outside noise.

Also, these are the only best budget headphones with an AAC codec, a great feature that ensures better audio for iOS devices.

The matte black housing gives them a straightforward look, which can be a good thing if you don’t like flashy things.

Headphone cups can rotate and fold inwards to make them more portable. Underneath the ear cup, you can find volume controls, or you can ask Google assistant to inform you about the weather without touching your phone.

As mentioned, these wireless headphones provide you with active noise-cancellation, which works really well.

They’re capable of canceling out a majority of low-end humming while also doing a good job in the office. During ANC, headphones provide enough battery life for at least a couple of days. If you end up without juice, you can always use them in wired mode.

Check our pick for the best budget noise cancelling headphones.

4. SoundPEATS Sonic

Check SoundPEATS Sonic A/B sound test:

If the punchy yet natural sound is what you’re looking for, then SoundPEATS Sonic are your best bet.

Their big bass boost only shows up when a song asks for it. Otherwise, they portray instruments and vocals with good balance and neutrality. With their Game mode, you can also use them as a mobile gaming headset.

The housing perfectly contours the outer ear, ensuring good stability even during sports activities. With the help of an IPX5 rating, you don’t have to worry about sweat damage.

Furthermore, the Sonic have insane battery life, playing your music for 14 hours straight. There are additional 20 hours inside the charging case (it uses USB-C charging).

Despite their low price, they come equipped with Bluetooth 5.2 and have the latest aptX Adaptive Bluetooth codec for high-quality wireless listening. Sadly, no app support or touch controls.

Also check:

Best budget noise cancelling headphones

Best bass earbuds

5. Linsoul Tin Audio T2

Metal housing encapsulates 2 dynamic drivers: one woofer and one tweeter. Combined, they produce a powerful sound quality that exceeds the earbud’s price range.

They have a well-balanced frequency response across the midrange and treble, with lots of details and sparkle. Even if the bass is slightly boosted, it should still please most audiophiles.

Earbuds are made of solid metal and boast an industrial look. Despite their weird shape, they’re comfortable for most users.

Inside the box, you get many accessories, including foam ear tips. The latter ensures optimal stability and passive isolation, preventing the ambient sound from mixing with your music.

Another cool thing about Tin Audio T2 is the removable MMCX cable. Since that’s one of the first things to break in headphones, you can now easily replace it with a new one.

Related: More best earbuds under $50

For a bit more money check the best Bluetooth headphones under $100.

6. Samson SR850

At the price tag, the sound quality of these cheap headphones is mind-blowing. The overall solid bass doesn’t dig very low (as in most semi or fully open-back headphones), but the midrange is engagingly natural.

Detail retrieval and imaging are great, with good instrumental separation and airiness in the treble.

To save on materials, headphones are entirely made of cheap plastic. With good care, you can have them for many years as we did. Also, the cable is thick so that it won’t break anytime soon.

You can choose between pleather or velour earpads. The latter ones are more breathable and gentler to the skin, giving you better comfort over long stretches of listening.

Due to sound leakage, they’re only usable for home listening. There’s a 6.3mm adapter in the box if you have a dedicated headphone amp or you want to plug them into a speaker amplifier.

Check the best bass headphones.

Best Cheap Headphones under $30

7. Monoprice 8323

The soundstage is clear and decently spacious, and the overall driver efficiency is good. Low-end frequency response is produced with plenty of punch and depth. The mids are full and generally rich.

The only downside is that the high frequencies can get lost in the mix depending on the style of music. Brilliance and sibilance are attenuated, good enough to notice.

DJs will love the earcup swivel design and tight bass response that these cheap headphones deliver, and the additional detachable audio cables are handy for a variety of uses.

Few over-ear headphones at this price point provide as much isolation while delivering quality audio.

Furthermore, the style and build make them great for use by audio engineers and DJs. Studio engineers or musicians may find them to be larger and heavier than standard studio headphones.

Since they also get dangerously loud, you have to practice safe headphone use.

Related: The best headphones under $30

8. Skullcandy Dime

Check Skullcandy Dime A/B sound test:

While not perfect, a slightly V-shaped sound from Skullcandy Dime can easily surpass more expensive headphones. Audio quality is crisp and fun to listen to, regardless of the music genre.

Both earbuds and charging case are entirely made of plastic. They feel cheap and have a lightweight design, but thankfully, there are no visible weak points. There’re many variants with many colors to choose from as well.

These true wireless headphones have an IPX4 rating, which protects them from sweat and light rain.

The single issue is their runtime, which is only okay. With 3.5 hours of battery life on a single charge in earbuds and additional 8.5 hours in the compact design charging case.

As long as you don’t push eartips too hard in your ear canal, the Dime provide decent comfort and fit.

Related: Best wireless earbuds under $50

Best Cheap Headphones under $20

9. Koss UR-20

Sound-wise, Koss UR-20 have a somewhat balanced audio performance that’s suitable for all music genres. Overall they sound decent for casual listening.

Softly padded earcups make them quite comfortable. Their large cups also fit securely in adult ears. Their design is extremely lightweight, and a plastic headband doesn’t put too much pressure on the top of your head.

While these aren’t built like a tank, they hold up fine to everyday use. The entirely plastic design doesn’t have state-of-the-art looks, but that isn’t a huge deal since they feel reasonably sturdy.

It’s worth mentioning they don’t isolate noise that well, so listening to high volumes can bother people around you.

Related: Best headphones under $20

10. CCA LYRA

Check CCA LYRA A/B sound test:

If you care about a faithfully sound signature, CCA LYRA are your best cheap option. They sound simply fantastic for the price, outperforming many other earbuds under $100.

To squeeze a bit more out of them, pairing them with an amp makes the bass tighter and more controlled.

Earbud’s design is somewhat ergonomic. They should remain comfortable for short listening sessions, but not everyone will praise their curvy housing.

On the positive side, LYRA provide excellent stability and good durability, thanks to detachable cables (they use 2pin connectors).

Furthermore, they look pretty cool with a diamond-shaped faceplate and clear housing. The latter lets you see the single dynamic driver inside.

Related: Best earbuds under $20

What are the best cheap headphones under 10 dollars? You won’t find a decent over-ear or on-ear pair, but you can get decent in-ears.

11. Panasonic RP-HJE120

Their sound signature is somewhat balanced and doesn’t sound cheap. The lows are well-heard, slightly enhanced but can be muddy for some songs. They have an overall decent sound quality, but still satisfying for most everyday listeners.

Furthermore, while they are cheap, their durable build can last a decent amount of time. Its plastic built isn’t class-leading but much better than most similar alternatives.

Passive noise isolation is excellent too. Even if you’re listening to high volumes, they don’t leak much sound. So no one around is bothered by your music.

If you want the most popular and best-rated budget earbuds on the planet, get these affordable headphones. You can find other earbuds under $10 here.

Honorable Mentions

Jlab Audio Go Air

Skullcandy Hesh 2

Jbuds Audio Jbuds Air

More budget guides:

• Best earbuds under $100 (in-ear)
• Best earbuds under $30

How to get the best sound quality from cheap headphones?

The easiest way to get the best sound quality from budget headphones is to use audio equalization (EQ). There are different ways to EQ your music:

• Some smartphones come with built-in EQ settings or app (check yours)
• You can download free Android equalization apps from Google Play.
• You can use EQ on your music streaming service, like Spotify.

Use any of the EQ methods above to improve the audio experience of your cheap headphones.

Shortcomings of cheap wireless headphones

• The battery won’t last forever. Since you’re paying less money, you’re not getting the latest battery technology. Expect a battery to last for about 2 to 3 years.
• Cheap headphones don’t have the latest features like inductive charging (wireless charging). You have to pay more for it.
• Lacking audio quality. The best cheap headphones have decent audio quality but don’t compare them to Hi-Fi audiophile headphones.
• Cheaper materials that are more likely to break sooner.
• Premium Bluetooth codecs like aptX and LDAC are rarely supported.

FAQs about Cheap Headphones