Wireless headphones are generally more expensive than their wired counterparts, with some of the best ones selling for more than $200. But there are also plenty of good options under $100, and that includes earphones in a truly wireless format. In this product guide, you’ll find the best wireless headphones under $100, including over-ear and on-ear headphones and different types of earphones. Except for the two gaming headsets, all the products listed here are Bluetooth headphones.
The Best Wireless Headphones Under $100
Best Over-ear Headphones: Anker SoundCore Life Q20
The Life Q20 are great headphones for everyday use, with their active noise cancellation (ANC) feature making them suitable for listening to music both indoors and outdoors. They sell for just around $60 and offer excellent value for the money. They are available in black and silver, with Anker also offering a slightly more expensive package that includes a hard case instead of a soft pouch.
Featuring a closed-back design, the Life Q20 have a simple aesthetic that makes for a low-profile look suitable for outdoor use. Their plastic build is decent, with their smoothly finished ear cups and padded headband both appearing sturdy and durable. Their headband is reinforced with a thin strip of metal while their memory foam earpads are coated with artificial leather that feels nice on the skin.
Although their ear cups can get noticeably warm after a few hours of continuous use, the Life Q20 are comfortable to wear. They are lightweight and not too tight on the head, with their headband easily adjusting to large heads. Their earpads are thick, soft, and comfortable for both small and large ears while the padding on the headband is adequate.
The Life Q20 are not too cumbersome to carry for everyday use and are more portable than wired over-ear headphones. They can be folded into a more compact format, allowing them to take up less space in your bag, and include either a soft pouch or a hard case. The hard case is a much better container if you can spend around $10 more. In addition to their foldable design, the ear cups can also rotate to a flat position, making the headphones less awkward to wear around your neck when not in use.
For controls, the Life Q20 have responsive and easily accessible buttons on both ear cups. On the right ear cup, there are three buttons for managing your calls and music, adjusting the volume, toggling the bass boost mode, and activating your voice assistant. On the left ear cup, there are two more buttons: a power button and a dedicated button for the ANC.
With their exciting sound profile, the Life Q20 are suitable for bass-heavy genres. Their sound quality is decent overall, but their bass is overly emphasized and too much for some people, even with the bass boost mode disabled. Unfortunately, you can’t modify the sound profile to tone down the bass for some music genres, as the headphones lack a companion app for customization. In addition to their decent audio reproduction, their mic performance is also decent while their wireless range is excellent.
Suitable for reducing background noise in the office and while traveling and commuting, the Life Q20 have good noise isolation performance. They are very effective at blocking out ambient chatter, which is useful in a busy office. While not as good as some of the best noise-canceling headphones, they are decent at blocking out low-frequency and high-frequency noises. Their sound leakage is also low, but on the other hand, they lack a talk-through feature for monitoring your surroundings without having to remove your headphones.
The Life Q20 boast the best battery life among the headphones in this guide. With the volume set to 60 percent, they can last up to 40 hours per charge in wireless mode with ANC enabled and up to 60 hours with ANC disabled, which are some of the best marks among Bluetooth headphones regardless of form factor. Their quick-charge feature is great, with five minutes of charging already providing four hours of playback, which is impressive. Using the included audio cable, you can also switch to wired mode when the battery is depleted.
For all-around everyday use, the Life Q20 are the best wireless over-ear headphones under $100 and make a strong case for the best overall in this price range. They are versatile headphones that are good for office use, commuting, and traveling. Their noise isolation performance, battery life, controls, and wireless range are either good or great, while their sound quality and build quality are decent.
Best On-ear Headphones: JBL Live 400BT
The Live 400BT are well-designed on-ear headphones with good performance. They are the best option among the several JBL on-ear headphones under $100. They are versatile headphones that are suitable for casual everyday use and have a very customizable sound profile. Like many other JBL headphones, they are available in different colors, with JBL offering black, green, red, white, and blue color options.
A pair of closed-back headphones, the Live 400BT are lightweight and more portable than over-ear headphones, with smaller ear cups. They have a metal-reinforced headband covered with a nice fabric for a more premium look and include soft, pleather-coated earpads. Their ear cups fold into the frame for better portability, but they lack a pouch or case for storage. Although their plastic parts look a bit cheap, their overall build quality is decent.
Since their ear cups simply rest on your ears, the Live 400BT are much more breathable than over-ear headphones with a closed design. However, their comfort level is only decent at best, with their rather tight fit making them more fatiguing to wear continuously for long hours. Their thin earpads are not enough to mitigate the tight headband clamp. But on the bright side, the tight clamp makes for a more secure fit, which is helpful when using the headphones while walking or jogging.
The Live 400BT have a user-friendly and efficient control scheme primarily composed of small buttons on the right ear cup. In addition to the usual three-button setup for call and music management and volume control, there is a dedicated Bluetooth pairing button and a button for adjusting the ambient sound mode, along with a power switch. The ambient sound mode is especially notable for headphones without ANC. You can also tap on the JBL logo on the left ear cup to trigger your voice assistant, which is convenient but prone to accidental taps.
With their well-balanced audio reproduction, the Live 400BT are some of the best-sounding wireless headphones under $100. Their deep and powerful bass is not too emphasized while their mid-range is clear and detailed. Their treble is also good, but their soundstage is mediocre, which is not surprising for closed-back on-ear headphones. If you don’t like their default tuning, you can freely customize their sound using the companion app, which offers a parametric equalizer that allows for a good amount of modification.
For phone calls, the Live 400BT are adequate enough, but not for business calls. Their integrated mic’s performance is satisfactory: the recording quality is decent but the noise reduction is mediocre, making the headphones unsuitable for phone calls in noisy places. They also feature multi-device pairing, with the option to connect with up to two devices at the same time and seamlessly switch between them.
Capable of running up to 24 hours on a single charge, with the option to switch to wired mode using the included audio cable, the Live 400BT provide passive noise isolation. They are decent at reducing ambient chatter and high-frequency noises. This makes them a decent option for listening to music at the office and while commuting, but not during flights. Their sound leakage is also notably low for on-ear headphones, allowing you to listen to loud music without disturbing the people around you.
Overall, the Live 400BT are the best wireless on-ear headphones under $100. They are good-sounding headphones with good controls and great battery performance. They support multi-device pairing and have access to an app that allows for a good amount of sound customization. Their build quality and passive noise isolation are decent while their wireless range is excellent.
Best Truly Wireless Headphones: Anker SoundCore Liberty Air 2
If you prefer truly wireless earphones due to their excellent portability, the Liberty Air 2 are the best option under $100. They are suitable for office use, commuting, and sports use and include features that are normally seen in more expensive products. They are available in either black or white, with both models featuring red accents and a matte finish for a more premium look.
The Liberty Air 2 are truly wireless headphones with a comfortable in-ear fit and short stems extending out similar to the Apple AirPods. They are extremely compact and lightweight and will easily fit into most pockets with or without their case, which also serves as their charging dock and holds additional charges. The build qualities of the earphones and the charging case are good and feel sturdy, with the former featuring an IPX5 rating for water resistance. Instead of the usual three, there are five pairs of ear tips included in the box, giving you more options to find the best fit for your ears.
With their very breathable form factor and cable-free design, the Liberty Air 2 are especially suitable for sports use. They stay securely in your ears during both light exercises and rigorous training, but unlike some sports-oriented truly wireless headphones, they lack stability fins and ear hooks. Their IP rating means they are protected against sweat while their compact design makes them easy to carry for daily runs or gym sessions.
Compared to wireless over-ear and on-ear headphones, the Liberty Air 2 have a more limited control scheme due to their design. You can use their touch controls to manage your calls and music, adjust the volume, and activate your voice assistant. You can customize the controls using the companion app, but the options are limited. The earphones also have a smart pause feature, which automatically pauses the audio when they are removed from your ears.
The Liberty Air 2 are some of the better-sounding truly wireless headphones under $100, with their emphasized bass making them suitable for genres such as hip hop and electronic dance music. Unlike with the controls, the companion app offers more sound customization options. In addition to all the presets, the app includes a graphic equalizer for manual sound modification, though it wasn’t available in earlier versions of the app.
For listening to music in the office and during commutes, the Liberty Air 2 are good headphones. Their passive noise isolation is good, especially if you can get a tight seal with the included ear tips. They are very effective at reducing ambient chatter at the office and in public transport. They also reduce a good amount of high-frequency noises, but they are not the most suitable for blocking out noises in the low-frequency range. Since their sound leakage is minimal, you can listen to loud music to further block out background noise without bothering the people around you.
One of the best aspects of the Liberty Air 2 is their battery performance. They last longer than many other truly wireless headphones, including the more expensive ones. They can run up to seven hours on a single charge. The charging case, which has a USB-C port and supports wireless charging, holds three additional charges to bring the total battery life to 28 hours.
You’d be hard-pressed to find similarly priced truly wireless headphones that offer a more complete package than the Liberty Air 2. They are more than just AirPods clones. They are a great pair of truly wireless headphones that are suitable for all-around use. Their sound quality, build quality, battery life, app support, and passive noise isolation are good while their touch controls are decent. They have an excellent wireless range and a lower-than-usual latency when connected to smartphones.
Best Noise-canceling Headphones: Mpow H10
The H10 are the best budget noise-canceling headphones under $100, providing better noise isolation than the similarly priced Anker SoundCore Life Q20. They are suitable for listening to music while traveling and commuting, especially considering their foldable design and long battery life. Although their build quality is rather cheap, they offer great value for the money.
Featuring foldable and rotating ear cups for better portability, the H10 are wireless headphones with an over-ear fit and a closed design. They have a bland and unattractive aesthetic that some might prefer for a more discreet profile when using them outdoors. Their plastic build is subpar but acceptable for the price. Their ear cups are sturdy and durable, but their headband and hinges feel rather fragile when being adjusted. A soft pouch is included for storage, along with a micro USB charging cable and an audio cable that terminates in a mini-plug for wired connectivity.
Although their build quality is unimpressive, the H10 are very comfortable to wear for long hours, which is especially beneficial during long flights. Their headband has a secure clamp without being too tight while their earpads, which are covered with artificial leather, are soft. They are also decently breathable for closed-back headphones. On the other hand, you might find them a bit unstable if you have a small head.
The H10 have an on-cup control scheme composed of three buttons on the right ear cup and a switch on the left ear cup. The buttons on the right are for call and music management and volume control, with the middle button also serving as the power button and Bluetooth pairing button. Meanwhile, the switch on the left ear cup is for toggling the ANC, but there is no option to switch to talk-through mode, which is a common feature among noise-canceling headphones.
Capable of running up to 30 hours on a single charge, the H10 are decent-sounding headphones that are suitable for most mainstream music genres. Their bass is deep, punchy, and not too emphasized while their mid-range is good. On the other hand, their treble can be piercing in some tracks, which is undesirable for some people. Unfortunately, you can’t modify the sound profile to your liking, as the headphones lack a dedicated app for customization.
Regarding noise isolation performance, the H10 are good and even better than some noise-canceling headphones selling for a much higher price. They are especially effective at blocking out the sound of airplane engines and ambient chatter, which is beneficial when using them while traveling and in the office. They are also decent at reducing high-frequency noises. However, their sound leakage is quite high, which means you’ll disturb the person sitting next to you during flights if you have very loud music playing.
All in all, the H10 are the best option if you are looking for noise-canceling headphones but prefer to stay in the budget category. They are decent-sounding headphones that are comfortable to wear for long hours, have a good wireless range, and provide good noise isolation with ANC. Their batter life is great while their on-cup controls are easy to use, but their overall build quality is unimpressive.
Best Sports Headphones: Jaybird Tarah
For purely sports use, the Tarah are the best wireless headphones under $100. They are earphones with a behind-the-neck cable, which means they are not completely wireless headphones. Although they have fewer features and a shorter battery life per charge than the more expensive Tarah Pro, they are a great pair of sports headphones nonetheless. You can get them for around $50-80, with three color options to choose from: black, gray, and dark blue.
The Tarah are well-designed headphones featuring a comfortable in-ear design with stability fins for a more secure fit, which is important for sports use. Unlike true neckband headphones, they lack a thick neckband and simply have a short audio cable connecting to the earpieces. Their overall build quality is better than most budget sports headphones, with their IPX7 rating meaning they are well-protected against sweat.
With their breathable design and lightweight build, the Tarah are comfortable to wear during both light exercises and rigorous training. They come with a shirt clip for additional stability and include a small cable management clip for adjusting the tightness of the audio cable. There are three pairs of silicone ear tips included in the box. Unlike with some sports-oriented wireless earphones, the ear tips and the stability fins are a single unit, which means you can’t mix and match different ear tip and fin sizes for a more personalized fit.
Composed of three buttons and a built-in mic, the in-line remote of the Tarah is easy to use, with the buttons easily registering input. Using the small remote, you can manage your calls and music, adjust the volume, and activate your voice assistant. You can also customize the middle multi-function button using the Jaybird companion app.
The Tarah are good-sounding sports earphones that sound clear and detailed and have the right amount of bass. Their wireless range is good and they support multi-device pairing, with the option to connect with up to two devices at the same time and seamlessly switch between them. You can customize some aspects of the earphones using the companion app – which is one of the better headphone apps out there – with options to customize the auto-off timer and modify the sound using a parametric equalizer.
Although they lack ANC, the Tarah provide good noise isolation. They are good at reducing ambient chatter and high-frequency noises. And for headphones that simply rely on their passive in-ear seal for noise isolation, they do a satisfactory job at reducing low-frequency noises. Their sound leakage is also minimal even at high volume, allowing you to listen to loud music to further reduce ambient noise without bothering the people around you. If their six-hour battery is not an issue for you, they are also decent headphones for office use and traveling, with their compact design making them easy to carry.
There are more versatile sports headphones that are also good for casual everyday use. But for strictly sports use, the Tarah are the best option under $100. They are durable sports headphones with a comfortable and secure fit and an IPX7 rating for water resistance. Their sound quality, passive noise isolation, wireless range, and app support are good while their in-line mic and controls are decent.
Best Gaming Headset: SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless
The Arctis 1 Wireless is the best and most versatile wireless gaming headset under $100, featuring the capability to connect with most current gaming platforms wirelessly. It includes a USB-C transmitter for a low-latency wireless connection, along with a USB-A adapter for the dongle and an analog audio cable for wired connectivity. You can use it for gaming on PC, PS4, Switch, Android mobile devices, and Xbox One, with the option to connect wirelessly with all platforms except for the latter.
An over-ear headset with closed-back ear cups, the Arctis 1 Wireless has the same casual design of other headsets in the popular Arctis lineup. It has large ear cups featuring thick earpads and an on-cup control scheme with a mic mute switch and a volume wheel. It comes with a detachable boom mic that connects to the left ear cup. Unlike more premium Arctis models such as the Arctis Pro Wireless, it has a regular, metal-reinforced headband design, with no elastic strap.
For long gaming sessions, the Arctis 1 Wireless is comfortable to wear. It has a lightweight plastic build and doesn’t feel too tight. Its earpads are decently breathable while its headband is flexible and easily adjusts to large heads. While it lacks a pouch or case for storage, it’s good for gaming on the go due to its convenient wireless format. Its ear cups rotate to a flat position, allowing it to take up less space in your bag and making it less cumbersome to wear around your neck.
The Arctis 1 Wireless is a good-sounding headset with an excellent boom mic for voice chat, which is especially useful if you play lots of online multiplayer games and actually talk to other players. It can run up to around 20 hours per charge. Its passive noise isolation is decent enough for gaming at home while its sound leakage is low, allowing you to increase the volume without bothering people around you when gaming in crowded places. You can customize the sound and mic settings on the SteelSeries Engine desktop app, which has a user-friendly interface.
With the included USB-C transmitter, the Arctis 1 Wireless allows for low-latency wireless connectivity on PC, Switch in handheld mode, Switch Lite, and Android mobile devices. You can also use the USB-A adapter for the dongle to wirelessly connect to PS4 consoles, a docked Switch, and a PC or laptop that lacks a USB-C port. For gaming on Xbox One consoles and other devices that are not compatible with the transmitter, you can use the analog audio cable for a regular wired connection.
On the whole, the Arctis 1 Wireless is a highly versatile wireless gaming headset that can connect with different gaming platforms, either wirelessly or using the analog cable. Its sound quality, battery life, mic performance, and app support are good and more than compensate for its rather fragile build. You can use it for gaming at home and while on the go, with its compact USB-C transmitter being especially convenient when gaming on a Switch in handheld mode, a Switch Lite, or an Android mobile device.
More Options
Below are more good options if you are shopping for the best wireless headphones under $100, with a few of them being more affordable alternatives to some of our top picks above.
Anker SoundCore Spirit X (2019)
The upgraded Spirit X are a more affordable alternative to the Jaybird Tarah. They are sports-oriented headphones with a comfortable in-ear design and ear hooks for a more secure fit. While their overall build quality is slightly inferior to the Tarah, their IP68 rating – which means they are protected against both dust and water – is better. They have an in-line remote for call and music management and include a small cable management clip for adjusting the fit.
With their portable design and decent passive noise isolation, the Spirit X are also suitable for office use and commuting. They can last up to an incredible 18 hours per charge, which is even better than the battery life of the Tarah’s more expensive big brother, the Tarah Pro. Their sound quality is decent, but there is no way to modify the sound profile, as they lack a dedicated companion app.
For more great options for your days at the office, check out our selection of the best headphones for office use.
SoundPeats TrueFree+
Selling for just around $30, the TrueFree+ are truly wireless earphones that offer excellent value for the money. They are suitable for office use, commuting, traveling, and sports, with their very compact design and excellent portability making them easy to carry for everyday use. Their overall build quality is good for the price while their charging case has a secure lid.
The TrueFree+ are decent-sounding earphones for travel and commute that sound clear and detailed. Moreover, they are good at blocking out ambient noise, which is beneficial when listening to music in noisy environments. On the other hand, their battery life per charge is easily the worst among the truly wireless headphones in this product guide: they are limited to around three to four hours per charge. But with the additional charges in the case, their total battery life increases to around 35 hours, which is impressive.
Samsung U Flex
If you prefer wireless in-ear headphones in a neckband format, check out the U Flex. They are decently built neckband earphones that are good for both sports and casual everyday use. They have a flexible neckband with user-friendly controls for call and music management and include magnetic earpieces for better cable management. Although they are not as portable as truly wireless earphones, they are still very portable and can be simply worn around your neck when not in use.
Capable of running up to 10 hours per charge, the U Flex are decent-sounding earphones with a good wireless range and a decent integrated mic for phone calls. They can connect with up to two devices at the same time and have good app support, but only when connected to Samsung smartphones. While their passive noise isolation is subpar overall, they are good at blocking out ambient chatter, which is useful when using them in crowded places or noisy offices.
Skullcandy Grind Wireless
The Grind Wireless are some of the best budget headphones under $50. They are on-ear headphones with a sturdy metal frame and efficient on-cup controls. With their looser headband clamp, they are more comfortable to wear for long hours than the JBL Live 400BT. Their small, circular ear cups are very breathable and include soft cushions. But unlike with the JBL headphones, their ear cups are not foldable, which hurts their portability.
While the Grind Wireless have mediocre noise isolation, they are decent-sounding headphones that are suitable for most music genres. They can run up to 12 hours per charge, with the included analog audio cable allowing you to switch to wired mode when the battery is depleted. Their wireless range is good, but they don’t support wireless technologies like NFC pairing, multi-device pairing, and low-latency codecs.
Creative Outlier Air
Of the three truly wireless headphones in this product guide, the Outlier Air have the best battery life per charge. They can last up to 10 hours on a single charge, making them more suitable for all-day use in the office and during long flights. With the additional charges in the case – which connects to a power source using a USB-C cable – you get a total battery life of 30 hours.
The Outlier Air are in-ear headphones with a limited but user-friendly control scheme, with the option to access voice assistants such as Siri and Google Assistant. Their plastic build is good and feels sturdy and durable. Their IPX5 rating – which means they are well-protected against sweat – makes them suitable for running, especially considering their excellent breathability, stable in-ear fit, and cable-free design.
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Anker SoundCore Space NC
The Space NC are wireless headphones with an over-ear design and closed ear cups featuring a user-friendly on-cup control scheme with touch controls. They are comfortable to wear for long hours and their build quality is good for the price. They fold into a more compact format, making them more portable, and include a hard case for storage, which is notable for headphones under $100.
Suitable for commuting, traveling, and office use, the Space NC are good at blocking out ambient noise with their ANC and have a good wireless range. They can run up to 20 hours on a single charge while in wireless mode with ANC enabled. If you want them to last longer, you can use the included analog audio cable to switch to a wired connection, with Anker advertising a remarkable 50-hour battery in wired mode with ANC enabled.
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Beats BeatsX
Available in different colors, the BeatsX are some of the best neckband headphones under $100. They are suitable for casual everyday use. They have a stable and breathable in-ear fit, with multiple ear tips to choose from, and include a simple in-line remote integrated into the left audio cable. Unlike other neckband headphones, their neckband is much more flexible, making them easier to cram into small spaces. Their earpieces are magnetic for better cable management if you prefer to wear them around your neck when not in use.
Compatible with both iOS and Android smartphones, the BeatsX have good passive noise isolation, which makes them suitable for commuting and traveling. Their sound leakage is also minimal even at high volume. They can run up to a solid eight hours per charge, with their fast-charge feature allowing them to gain two hours of playback after just five minutes of charging.
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Corsair HS70 Pro
The HS70 Pro is an over-ear gaming headset with a closed-back design, though the grilles on its ear cups might suggest otherwise. While it’s not as versatile as the SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless, with fewer connection options, its build quality is significantly better. It’s better-built than some headphones selling for a higher price, featuring aluminum yokes that make for a sturdier and more durable build. It has soft memory foam earpads and includes a detachable boom mic that connects to the left ear cup.
Featuring an easily accessible on-cup control scheme composed of a volume wheel and a mic mute switch, the HS70 Pro is a good-sounding headset that supports virtual surround sound on PC. It can run up to 16 hours per charge. It comes with a USB transmitter for a low-latency wireless connection on PC and PS4, but it lacks an analog audio cable for wired connectivity on gaming platforms that are not compatible with the USB dongle.
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Sennheiser HD 4.40BT
The HD 4.40BT are wireless over-ear headphones with closed-back ear cups and on-cup controls for easy call and music management. They are comfortable to wear due to their lightweight build, soft and thick earpads, and flexible headband. While they are primarily made of plastic, their build quality is decent, but since they are foldable, there are more moving parts that are vulnerable to wear and tear.
Capable of running up to 25 hours per charge, the HD 4.40BT are good-sounding headphones that support NFC technology for faster pairing and have an excellent wireless range. Compared to many other Bluetooth headphones, their latency is lower, which is especially beneficial when watching video content. If you want to eliminate latency issues or want to use them even when the battery is depleted, you can switch to wired mode using the provided analog audio cable.