Best Headphones for Under $50
You don't have to spend a lot to get decent sound quality, whether you want earbuds or over-the-ear headphones
When you shop through retailer links on our site, we may earn affiliate commissions. 100% of the fees we collect are used to support our nonprofit mission. Learn more.
You don’t have to spend a fortune to get a decent pair of headphones, but you don’t want to blow your money on a subpar set either. That’s where we come in. Consumer Reports tests dozens of headphones every year across a range of criteria, including comfort, fit, and sound quality. We’ve combed through our ratings to bring you the best headphones for under $50.
Most of the headphones we’ve seen for under $50 come with some compromises. Outstanding sound quality can cost several times as much, but the models listed here will probably outperform that tangled pair you picked up at the airport.
Right now prices have been fluctuating and some products may be hard to find. "We have been seeing the impact of last year’s supply chain issues carry into the new year, not only for headphones but across consumer electronics," says Connor Barry, the headphones analyst for Gap Intelligence, a market research company that works with Consumer Reports. New product launches have been delayed, and it may be harder than usual to find a great deal.
Still, with a little patience and shopping around, you should be able to find every model below for $50 or less.
Here’s a great option if you’re looking for an inexpensive true wireless model. (They don’t have a physical connection between the earpieces.) The 1MORE PistonBuds deliver great sound quality for the price, beating out competitors that cost far more. They have an advertised 3.5-hour battery life—fairly standard for a true wireless model—and come with a charging/carrying case that will recharge the earphones almost five times before it needs to be plugged in again.
The PistonBuds feature water resistance and touch controls, and they plug in with USB-C. 1MORE boasts an Excellent owner satisfaction rating, based on surveys of CR members.
This over-ear wireless model from Monoprice is usually available for around $50. That’s an incredible deal for its superb noise-canceling performance and decent sound quality.
The BT-300ANC features integrated controls for calls, volume, and playback, and the ear cups fold in and swivel flat for easy storage and transport. According to Monoprice, the battery will run for 8 hours between charges with Bluetooth and noise cancellation turned on. (CR doesn’t test headphones for battery life.) You can keep the music going even longer by switching off Bluetooth and using the detachable audio cable, which is included.
You’ll have to spend a lot more than 50 bucks to get truly great noise-canceling earbuds, but we’ve found a few cheap options that are worth considering. The Plantronics Backbeat Go 410 doesn’t quite meet the threshold for an official CR recommendation, but they’re a decent pair of earbuds. They have pretty good sound quality and do a great job at blocking outside noise.
These Plantronics have a cable connecting the earpieces, so they aren’t as sleek as other models, but they do have a flexible collar that can be rolled up for easy transport. The earphones have "smart sensors" that work with magnets built into the earpieces, which automatically power the earphones’ Bluetooth and noise-canceling functions on and off as you clip and unclip them. Plantronics advertises an 8-hour battery life, or more if you turn off noise-cancellation.
Bluetooth headphones get all the attention, but there are still plenty of people out there who prefer a wired pair. If you’re one of them, the Shure SE112 is worth a look.
These headphones get solid ratings in our sound quality tests, and they feature a design that some users might find more appealing than your typical earbuds. The SE112 have a thick, heavy cable that gives them a sturdy feel, and they’re built for you to wrap that cable around your ear instead of letting it dangle, which can help keep the earbuds in place. Match all that up with a price that hovers around $50, and you’ve got yourself a winner.
JBL Tune 510BT headphones feel like they’re built with quality in mind—they’re cheap, but they don’t seem cheap. This Bluetooth model delivers pretty good sound quality, it has a 40-hour advertised battery life, and we’ve seen it selling at remarkably low prices. The 510BT sits on the ears, which some people find more comfortable than being engulfed by the more common over-ear style. As an extra perk, you can also use them with a cable if you forget to charge them.
BEST TIME TO BUY:
