Top 5 budget TWS to and around $100
No idea what wireless earphone is right for you? These are the best wireless earbuds under $100 for sound quality, ANC active noise cancelling, phone calls, video calls, and more - last evaluated April 2024.
BEST TWS under $100 - April 2024:
OnePlus Buds 3 - best overall
Samsung Galaxy Buds FE - best sound
Soundcore Liberty 4 NC - best ANC
Soundcore Sport X10 - best for sports
Sony Linkbuds S - honourable mention
Check out below for descriptions and comparisons!
On Scarbir.com, I tested and reviewed 361 TWS true wireless earphones extensively on sound quality, comfort/ fit, battery life, charging, pairing, connection quality, call quality and audio - video synchronisation. You can see the reviews for all tested models on the true wireless earphones leaderboard.
If you're new to the world of wireless earbuds, it's good to know that you can have excellent earbuds at this price point, combining great features and functionality with fantastic sound quality. This is why:
What to expect from truly wireless earphones under $100:
Outstanding sound quality: the products in this list are hand-picked as the best budget wireless earbuds from hundreds of models you can buy from Amazon and AliExpress. They offer excellent sound quality - sometimes as good as or even better than earbuds costing 200 to 300 dollars.
Great build quality: a lack of well-known brand names doesn't mean: bad build quality. The winners in this guide have a sturdy built, cleverly designed charging cases and comfortable earbuds.
Solid battery life: the TWS in this list have better battery life than many more expensive wireless earbuds. They all offer at least 6 hours of playtime, up to 8 or even more hours battery life on a single charge.
Good call quality: the phone call quality of affordable wireless earphones has increased over the last years. Unless mentioned otherwise, it's easy to take phone calls and video calls with these.
Feature packed: some TWS under $100 come with active noise cancelling, a transparency 'hearthrough’ mode, or free apps with extra functionality, just like you would see on more expensive earphones.
These are the best cheap wireless earbuds to and around $100, updated April 2024:
1. Best wireless earbuds under $100: OnePlus Buds 3
Fantastic all-around earbuds for everyday use
With its comfortable fit, clear calls, entertaining sound and tons of features, the OnePlus Buds 3 is the best and most versatile pair of ANC wireless earbuds under 100 dollars.
Available in black or blue, the OnePlus Buds 3 looks and feels great. The USB-C powered charging case is compact and stays scratch-free after heavy use. The IP55 waterproof earbuds itself look sleek thanks to their shiny finish, and thanks to soft rubbers on the inside, they're a secure fit and very comfortable. It's even doable to sleep on your side with these!
The Buds 3's battery provides comfort as well, with its 6,5 hours of playtime with Active Noise Cancelling on - even longer when you turn it off. The ANC itself is usable, and takes away darker and most middle sounds from your surroundings. Sudden sounds like nearby chatter or laughter still come through when you're not playing any music, however. You can accentuate those further by the very natural Transparency mode. While the ANC modes are sufficient for everyday use and wind noise is neatly left out, the #2 and #3 on this list offer stronger ANC.
Another thing that could have been a tad better, are the volume controls on the stems. You control them by swiping the stem up and down like on Apple's AirPods Pro 2, but your input isn't always registered well.
With that out of the way, there are three things that make the OnePlus Buds 3 stand out.
The first is the call quality. Phone and video calls are handled exceptionally well. Your voice sounds loud and clear and outweighs nearby people and sounds, even in crowded places. Noise around you is filtered well in calls, and your voice even remains clear when there's a bit of wind outside.
The second super power is the connectivity. You can easily connect the earbuds to every device you have. Take the earbuds out of the case, and it connects to the two closest devices you once connected it too, after which you can switch between them by pausing the playback on one device and starting it on the other - or automatically when you receive a phone call. It works even easier than on most competitors.
Lastly, the free HeyMelody app provides a ton of features. You can add single-tap controls to play/pause manually next to the automatic pausing when you take an earbud out, there's a gaming mode to synchronize sounds effects well with the action on your screen, but there's also so much more. The OnePlus 3D Audio can place music artificially more around you, you can measure the hearing capabilities of your ears to adjust the sound to it, and there's a BassWave setting that can strengthen or slim down the bass.
If you want to - that is. The Buds 3 can go from very soft to very loud, and except for the extremely high volumes, it always balances the sound out nicely. Higher vocals and brighter instruments are prominent clear, without dipping into harsh territory. Music has air around the treble - it feels open and vivid. The bass convinces as well: it doesn't punch you in the face with an annoying strong thump, but gets its power from its fullness and depth. Center-mid tones like guitars and piano play may not play the biggest role in between the lows and the highs, but they do sound fluent and natural. The OnePlus Buds 3 never fails to entertain.
Add everything up, and you have the most versatile wireless earbuds under $100 for everyday use. From office phone calls to outdoor runs, from sleeping to just actively listening to music. You can't go wrong with the OnePlus Buds 3.
2. Best sounding earbuds under $100: Samsung Galaxy Buds FE
with Good Active Noise Cancelling too
The Samsung Galaxy Buds FE are the best affordable wireless earbuds for music lovers, offering a balanced and hugely detailed sound. They have plenty more to offer as well.
It only takes a few seconds before you hear this Samsungs strength.
The Galaxy Buds FE has an exceptional midrange. Mid-tones have a natural tonality and strong texture; it's entirely possible to hear the pressing of piano keys or plucking of guitar strings in higher quality recordings here.
Both female and male vocals are pronounced and full-bodied, and they dip into low tones just as easily as reaching high outbursts. The Buds FE reveals details other earbuds in this price category just can't grasp, and it achieves it without pushing the treble too much. It's never too sharp.
Lower mid-tones are weighty and detailed, and thanks to outstanding separation, they don't interfere with highs or the bass. The bass boasts impactful drums and quick strikes. It's detailed and deep, and tighter than the OnePlus’ bass as well. Unless you love your sound with a ton of treble, this is the audiophile choice for earbuds under 100 dollars.
That's not all though. These earbuds have much more going for them.
The 5,5 hours battery life per charge may not push any boundaries, it's only IPX4 light-rain proof, and you won't find volume controls on the earpieces… but they come with a fierce Transparency mode that easily lets you follow conversations while you listen to music or take a call, and the totally wind noise-free Active Noise Cancelling itself is strong - reducing or removing entire frequencies from your surroundings. Combined with their snug yet comfortable fit, it's possible to gain 5,5 hours of sleep in an Indian night train with these. Impressive.
The Galaxy Buds FE supports multipoint connection on devices with a Samsung account, they're a good choice for gaming (with rapid action-to-sound synchronization), and they're great for indoor phone and video calls too, in which your voice sounds natural and louder than your surroundings. Due to wind noise, outdoor calls are trickier.
They're comfortable, offer clear indoor calls, and have hassle-free Active Noise Cancelling. Still, these are just bonuses for the Samsung Galaxy Buds FE. These sub-$100 wireless earbuds sound fantastic.
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3. Strongest Active Noise Cancelling under $100: Soundcore Liberty 4 NC
They sound great too
If you seek the strongest Active Noise Cancelling on wireless earbuds under 100 dollars, the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC is the option to go for.
The charging case of the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC is bulkier than average, about 1,5 times as thick as that of Apple's AirPods. It's best to get that out of the way first, as this text may otherwise read as an advertisement. Truth it: these are outstanding wireless earbuds, and not just for their reasonable price.
The Liberty 4 NC has oval earpieces that provide a snug fit and are comfortable to wear for hours in a row - and you can do so too: the battery lasts up to 10 hours on a single charge! If you somehow need even more battery quickly, a quick 10 minute recharge from the case will give you another 4 hours of playtime.
Those numbers obliterate the competition, especially since this Soundcore also comes with some of the strongest Active Noise Cancelling on earbuds under $100. The ANC removes or at least reduces all frequencies well. Constant buzzing and humming disappear entirely, and traffic, chatter and even sudden sounds like door slams and accelerating vehicles are heavily softened as well. Lower mid-sounds like a radio playing in the background remain somewhat audible, but you need to up your budget strongly to get stronger noise reduction.
What's more, is that the Liberty 4 NC leaves out wind noise well when you use the ANC, making it possible to run or cycle without problems - further helped by the IPX4 splashproof rating. When you do need to hear your surroundings, the Transparency mode pushes conversations and traffic noise in a natural manner - the function is usable up to moderate volume playback.
The Liberty 4 NC is highly versatile for everyday use. It lets you customise all touch controls with the brilliant free Soundcore app, and it supports multipoint connection. That means you can connect the earbuds to two devices at the same time - like your phone and a laptop. It switches as soon as you pause on one device and play on the other, or simply when you get a call.
Speaking of which: phone calls and Zoom meetings are handled well by these earbuds. Your voice sounds loud and clear, and many surrounding noises are suppressed well. Outdoor calls are more challenging. Your voice may dip a bit by wind noise now and then.
Last but not least, the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC sounds good too. The bass delivers strong and heavy thumps, and provides depth with strong sub-bass rumblings - even though bass slams could be tighter. Lower mid-tones are heavily boosted as well, giving music a warm and full vibe. The treble is kept comfortably low, yet female and higher male vocals are put moderately forward, and brighter instruments still have enough presence. You can tweak the sound with a custom equalizer or more than 20 EQ presets from the app, but you may not need to, as music is comfortably warm, vivid and engaging.
The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC convinces with the strongest ANC on affordable wireless earbuds, and throws in amazing battery life, multipoint connection and an engaging sound on top. It comes highly recommended.
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4. Best sport earbuds under $100: Soundcore Sport X10
Best fit and features for workouts and running
More than any other wireless earphone, the Soundcore Sport X10 is equipped especially well for all your sports and running needs. You can even take them under the shower after your workout.
There are more wireless sports earbuds with an added hook to put over your ears, for a more stable and reliable fit. Even ones that deliver up to 8 hours playtime on a single charge, like this pair. However, the Soundcore Sport X10 has two essential other features on top of it. The first is that these earbuds are IPX7 waterproof, meaning they survive heavy rain fall and sweating, and you can even take them under the shower.
The other big win is that the Sport X10 has actual buttons instead of touch panels, which often fail to respond to your sweaty fingers. The buttons are located on top of the earpieces. They feel a bit mushy to press, but always respond well to your input, whether it's pausing the music, skipping a song, changing the volume, or switching between ANC modes.
That's right - the X10 also boasts effective Active Noise Cancelling (ruling out most darker sounds), a Transparency mode to let you hear traffic during your runs, and even has a special option to rule out wind noise while you do so.
The free Soundcore app for Android and iPhone has more tricks up its sleeve. It even comes with breathing exercises for either warming up, cooling down, or relaxing purposes. A neat little extra, just like the different sound equalizers and settings.
Probably the most usable sound setting is the Bass Up slider, that heavily increases the weight and punch of the (mid-)bass and lower frequencies. It makes music even more energetic than it already is on the X10. Thanks to forward vocals and a slightly lifted treble, the sound tuning here is fully geared toward dance, electronic, and other uplifting genres.
With its engaging sound, stable fit, high waterproof rating, actual buttons and anti-wind noise option, the Soundcore Sport X10 is barely matched by any other affordable wireless earbuds for runs and workouts.
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5. Honourable mention for a bit more than $100: Sony Linkbuds S
The total package at a great price
Yes, this is cheating, but still: if you're willing to spend a bit more on wireless earbuds, there's another great option. Often available for a sales price around $120, the Sony Linkbuds S is well worth considering.
The Sony Linkbuds S has all the important features you could want from a TWS, and more importantly: it executes them greatly. The round and compact earbuds stay snugly in (medium-sized) ears, and provide plenty of battery life too: up to 6 hours on a single charge with ANC on.
Speaking of the Active Noice Cancelling: the Linkbuds S has ANC on par with the Soundcore, although it does take longer to adjust to the surroundings to dampen your world. The ANC does block irregular lower sounds a bit better than the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC, and comes close to Apple's $250 AirPods Pro 2. Its Transparency mode is highly usable as well, putting through traffic and conversations when you need it - and in phone calls.
Sony is not messing about with the features on these earphones. The earbuds are IPX4 splashproof and the free Sony Headphones app throws in tens of features to fiddle and play with. The only real thing that's missing is wireless charging of the case.
However, the Linkbuds S does support multipoint connectivity, meaning you can connect the earbuds to two devices at the same time. It switches as soon as you pause on one device, and push play on the other - or automatically when there's an incoming call. In phone and video calls, your voice sounds clear and full, and easily outweighs sounds around you. When you're not talking, sounds around you are gone completely, and even wind doesn't kill your voice.
Perhaps most importantly, the Sony Linkbuds S sounds great. It finds a near-perfect balance between clarity and detail on one hand, and a soothing warm undertone on the other. This is especially noticeable in the center mid-tones. Instruments like guitars, piano play, and trumpets enjoy strong presence, sound natural, and detailed - but with a comfortable warm underlining. Female and male vocals profit as well: they're pushed forward and are displayed with fullness and naturality, reaching the lower tones as easy as the higher ones.
Treble is cut off before it becomes harsh or sharp, but it's never so rolled-off that you feel like you're missing out. The bass comes in the form of a medium-strong striking and well-paced mid-bass, and a sub-bass that rumbles both deep and tight. The bass is the first to fall a bit flat in crowded compositions, however, so if you really want that ongoing bass-thumping power, you're better off with one of the other options.
With its mix of a warm and detailed sound, and a great execution of Active Noise Cancelling, multipoint connectivity and call quality, the Sony Linkbuds S is an alternative to consider.
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Honorable mentions for best TWS under $100:
Earfun Air Pro 3: Strong all-rounder
The Earfun Air Pro 3 is a strong all-rounder in wireless earbuds under $100 and a good alternative for the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC if you can get it cheaper. The Earfuns Active Noise Cancelling is among the strongest on earbuds under $100 and matches that of the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC. It also comes with multipoint connectivity, so you can tie it up to two phones or a phone and a laptop at the same time. It's also great for phone calls in quiet or office areas - wind noise is handled a little less - and video calls don't seem to work every time. The Earfun also comes with a strong, immersive bass and boosted lower tones, but lacks a little sparkle in the higher frequencies.
Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+: Raw mids
The Galaxy Buds FE may be the all-round best listen, but if you can still find them somewhere, the British Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ is something else. There's no other pair of wireless earbuds that's both so warm and so truthful to mid-tones. Center mid-tones sound lifelike and natural - like they're intended. The Melomania 1+ doesn't cover them up with a strong own sound profile, so old rock songs guitar play is as dirty as it should be, and older jazz, blues or classical recordings sound like they're, well, old. The soundstage may not be very wide, but there's fantastic separation between instruments. This is a great choice for more traditional music genres. Feature wise, the 1+ doesn't have any fancy features like ANC or Transparency, but it does have decent call quality and actual buttons on its uniquely compact earphones.
SoundPEATS Air3 Deluxe HS: Best without rubber ear tips
Good news: if you prefer wireless earbuds without rubber ear tips, you can save yourself quite a bit of money. The best option is called the SoundPEATS Air3 Deluxe HS (don't mind the name…) and only costs around 50 dollars. In its 4,5 to 5 hours of playtime on a single charge, it provides a comfortable and smooth fit, offers solid game synchronization and handles both phone calls and Zoom meetings well - even when there's a bit of wind. Its balanced sound with a warm undertone is very pleasant as well.
Previous recommendations
1more ComfoBuds Pro: Clear calls and strong ANC, now outperformed musically and function-wise by the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC.
20Decebel ANC/ Tozo NC/ SoundLiberty 94: These active noise cancelling earbuds are beaten in functionality and battery life by the Edifier TWS NB2.
Edifier TWS NB2: No longer the best ANC earbuds under $100; surpassed by the 1more ComfoBuds Pro
Fiil CC2: Tremendous sound for AirPods-like earbuds, with some calling issues
Fiil T1XS: Was the top recommendation for the combination of sound and sports use; has been beaten by the Lypertek PurePlay Z3, that has higher waterproof rating, controls more convenient, and sounds better.
Lypertek PurePlay Z3: Still sounds great; lacks fancy features from newer models.
Lypertek SoundFree S20: Beaten in sound quality by the Lypertek PurePlay Z3 and Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+.
Lypertek Tevi: Passed on allround sound and functionality by its successor.
Mpow Flame Pro: Became unavailable.
Sabbat E12 Ultra: No longer best for bass; beaten by Spirit Dot 2.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2: The predecessor to the Galaxy Buds FE still sounds great; offers less lower-mid warmth and more treble.
Shanling MTW100 Balanced Armature: Beaten by the Lypertek SoundFree S20.
Sennheiser CX 400BT: Chunky and big earpieces, devoid of new features, but its warm, intimate and detailed sound still impresses.
Soundcore Spirit Dot 2: Still the fastest bass under $100, but the Lypertek bass is more refined.
SoundPEATS H1: Great soundstage, now outdated features.
Whizzer B6/ Mezone B6: No longer best for bass; beaten by Spirit Dot 2.
Disclaimer
I buy most of the earphones myself; sometimes, a manufacturer sends them to me. I review all audio products on a level playing field, always stating their strengths and their downsides. Visit the leaderboard of true wireless earphones for all my reviews and ratings.
Consider buying a pair of earphones in this list? I'd really appreciate it if you use the links in this article. It won't cost you extra, yet it will financially support me a bit in my ongoing quest to test great affordable audio. <3
Also check out my other articles:
Guide: the best TWS under $100
Guide: the best TWS under $50
Guide: the best TWS under $25
Leaderboard: all earphones from 10-300 dollar tested
Bought a product and want to share your opinion? Do use the comments. I hope this article helps you!
- Scarbir
