Best Cheap Earbuds For Exercising, Noise Cancelling, Open-ear And More

Looking to upgrade your earbuds without breaking the bank? My team and I have found seven quality earbuds that cost $50 or less and in some cases much less. But each of these earbuds still receives the Tom's Guide Likes badge for their impressive features and best bang for the buck sound. If you see a pair you need right now, check out the links below for the best prices and now on with the video. First up is a pair of earbuds that I can't believe only cost $30. The Moondrop Space Travel 2s are our pick for the best budget earbuds overall because to put it simply, they sound incredible. I'm talking better than earbuds that cost over a hundred dollars or more thanks to the massive oversized 13 millimeter drivers inside. But that doesn't mean just overpowering muddy bass, but vibrant rich sound plus a super in-depth EQ. There aren't any compromises on the ANC either. The Moondrop Space Travel 2s look and sound too good to be true, which reminds me, no judgment, but I do find anime girl voices for the audio cues to be an odd choice. But that doesn't stop me from recommending the Space Travel 2s as our best budget earbuds overall. If you're looking for an affordable pair of fitness earbuds, the JLab Go Sport Plus are the best budget earbuds for working out. These buds have comfortable ear hooks that keep them in place and don't sweat it, the Go Sport Plus has a IP55 waterproof rating. The touch controls are also easy to use on the fly, so you can stay focused on your reps. No ANC, but the passive noise canceling is strong enough that there's a built-in be aware mode if you're going on the run in a city. They've got nine hours of battery life and 35 more with the case, which has a convenient built-in USB-C charging cable. Even if you're not a total gym buff, the JLab Go Sport Pluses are an affordable way to always have a pair ready in your workout bag, even if they're just there as a backup. Want a little more awareness while you listen to music? Then our choice for the best budget open earbuds, the Anker Soundcore V20i's, might just be the pair you're looking for. If you haven't encountered this style of earbud yet, you can check out our full video on the tech to learn more, but basically these don't go in your ear, but rather sit just outside it. The V20i's use super comfortable ear hooks to keep the earbuds in place, and because they're not inside your ear, you can still hear the world around you. But the sound is targeted, so no one around you will hear a thing. While open earbuds have to compromise a little on bass, the V20i's still sound warm and bright thanks to the large 16mm titanium drivers. This style of earbud hasn't been around for very long, so it's shocking we already have a pair that sounds this good for only $30. For ultimate portability, pocketability, and small ear comfort, it's hard to beat the JLab Mini. These itty bitty earbuds and their teeny tiny case can fit just about anywhere, including on a pair of keys with the built-in ring. Super ideal for everyday carry. When it comes to sound quality, the JLab Mini's bass forward sound profile punches above its weight, with passive noise cancelling from the buds tight, but comfortable, seal. You can use the JLab Sound app to customize your EQ and activate the ambient listening mode. If you're looking for a pair of earbuds you'll always have on hand, the small but mighty JLab Mini's are your best bet. CMF is nothing's budget offshoot that makes affordable smartwatches, headphones, and earbuds. Like the CMF Buds Pro 2, our pick for the best ANC earbuds under $50. Technically, these are $70 earbuds that always sell for $50 or less, but you wouldn't know that from the crisp, polished sound. They're also the only pair on this list that support the lossless LDAC codec for hi-fi listening. You get ANC that's arguably as good as the AirPods Pro 3, and longer battery life than the Sony's flagship XM6's. Up to 11 hours with the Buds, or 43 with the case, which is ridiculous. The case also has this fun, customizable smart dial that you rotate to adjust volume or playback, and click to control noise cancellation modes. I really enjoy seeing innovations in earbud cases, and it's even better when it's at this kind of price. Want high-quality ANC for even less? Then check out the JLab GoPod's ANC True Wireless earbuds. Often available for under $30, these noise-canceling earbuds feel shockingly premium, with decidedly not-budget earbud features like multipoint connectivity and a waterproof rating of IP66. The sound quality and ANC is some of the best on this list, with punchy bass and mids that avoid the tinny cheapness of a lot of budget earbuds. There's customizable EQ settings in the companion app, and I have to admit, I like the app selection of built-in ambient soundscapes. If you're really willing to spend hundreds, you can do better, but few earbuds approach the bang for the buck of the JLab GoPod's ANC True Wireless earbuds. Okay, but what about even, even less? You can still get a solid pair of wireless earbuds for just $20 with the Anker Soundcore P20i. The P20i provide powerful bass with over 10 hours of play time and another 20 from the case. There's even fast charging with two hours of playback from just 10 minutes in the case. At this price, it's no surprise the noise canceling is only passive, but you can still fine-tune your listening experience with 22 EQ presets or a gaming mode. Yes, there are more feature-packed earbuds, but not for $20, which is why the Anker Soundcore P20i earns this spot on our list. So, if all these earbuds sound so good for less than $50, why spend more? While all of these earbuds provide excellent value, there are some features you miss out on by going the budget route. First, most of these earbuds can't support high-fidelity audio codecs like aptX or LDAC, which audiophiles know means a richer, fuller sound. Something to consider if the most important thing to you is audio quality. Wireless charging is also a feature you'll only find on premium earbuds like the AirPods Pro 3 or Sony XM6. And the best noise canceling is going to be found on the highest-end earbuds like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra. I'll link our Best Earbuds of 2026 video down below if you want to check out some more options. That's it for this video. Just remember, every pair here has earned our Tom's Guide Likes badge and would make a great choice as your everyday earbuds or as a spare pair for work or travel. And if one of these caught your eye, check out the links below for the best prices. Did we miss your favorite budget earbuds? Let us know in the comments below, and give us a like and subscribe if this video helped you out. Until next time, I'm Phil Rodrigues, this is Tom's Guide, and I'll see you in the next video.