00:01Looking to upgrade your earbuds without breaking the bank?
00:03My team and I have found seven quality earbuds that cost $50 or less, and in some cases, much less.
00:10But each of these earbuds still receives the Tom's Guide Likes Badge for their impressive features and best bang for
00:17the buck sound.
00:17If you see a pair you need right now, check out the links below for the best prices.
00:22And now, on with the video.
00:26First up is a pair of earbuds that I can't believe only cost $30.
00:31The Moondrop Space Travel 2s are our pick for the best budget earbuds overall, because to put it simply, they
00:37sound incredible.
00:39I'm talking better than earbuds that cost over $100 or more, thanks to the massive, oversized 13mm drivers inside.
00:46But that doesn't mean just overpowering muddy bass, but vibrant, rich sound, plus a super in-depth EQ.
00:54There aren't any compromises on the ANC either.
00:58The Moondrop Space Travel 2s look and sound too good to be true, which reminds me, no judgement, but I
01:03do find anime girl voices for the audio cues to be an odd choice.
01:08Connected!
01:09But that doesn't stop me from recommending the Space Travel 2s as our best budget earbuds overall.
01:17If you're looking for an affordable pair of fitness earbuds, the JLab Go Sport Plus are the best budget earbuds
01:23for working out.
01:24These buds have comfortable ear hooks that keep them in place, and don't sweat it, the Go Sport Plus has
01:29a IP55 waterproof rating.
01:31The touch controls are also easy to use on the fly, so you can stay focused on your reps.
01:36No ANC, but the passive noise cancelling is strong enough that there's a built-in be aware mode if you're
01:41going on the run in a city.
01:42They've got 9 hours of battery life and 35 more with the case, which has a convenient built-in USB
01:47-C charging cable.
01:49Even if you're not a total gym buff, the JLab Go Sport Pluses are an affordable way to always have
01:54a pair ready in your workout bag, even if they're just there as a backup.
02:01Want a little more awareness while you listen to music?
02:04Then our choice for the best budget open earbuds, the Anker Soundcore V20i's, might just be the pair you're looking
02:10for.
02:10If you haven't encountered this style of earbud yet, you can check out our full video on the tech to
02:15learn more, but basically, these don't go in your ear, but rather sit just outside it.
02:21The V20i's use super comfortable ear hooks to keep the earbuds in place, and because they're not inside your ear,
02:27you can still hear the world around you.
02:29But the sound is targeted, so no one around you will hear a thing.
02:33While open earbuds have to compromise a little on bass, the V20i still sound warm and bright thanks to the
02:39large 16mm titanium drivers.
02:42This style of earbud hasn't been around for very long, so it's shocking we already have a pair that sounds
02:47this good for only $30.
02:53For ultimate portability, pocketability, and small ear comfort, it's hard to beat the JLab Mini.
02:58These itty-bitty earbuds and their teeny-tiny case can fit just about anywhere, including on a pair of keys
03:05with the built-in ring.
03:06Super ideal for everyday carry.
03:08When it comes to sound quality, the JLab Mini's bass-forward sound profile punches above its weight, with passive noise
03:15cancelling from the buds' tight but comfortable seal.
03:17You can use the JLab Sound app to customize your EQ and activate the ambient listening mode.
03:23If you're looking for a pair of earbuds you'll always have on hand, the small but mighty JLab Minis are
03:29your best bet.
03:32CMF is nothing's budget offshoot that makes affordable smartwatches, headphones, and earbuds.
03:38Like the CMF Buds Pro 2, our pick for the best ANC earbuds under $50.
03:45Technically, these are $70 earbuds that always sell for $50 or less, but you wouldn't know that from the crisp,
03:51polished sound.
03:52They're also the only pair on this list that support the lossless LDAC Kodak for hi-fi listening.
03:58You get ANC that's arguably as good as the AirPods Pro 3 and longer battery life than the Sony's flagship
04:04XM6s.
04:05Up to 11 hours with the buds or 43 with the case, which is ridiculous.
04:09The case also has this fun, customizable smart dial that you rotate to adjust volume or playback and click to
04:17control noise cancellation modes.
04:19I really enjoy seeing innovations in earbud cases, and it's even better when it's at this kind of price.
04:28Want high quality ANC for even less?
04:31Then check out the JLab Go Pods ANC True Wireless Earbuds.
04:36Often available for under $30, these noise-canceling earbuds feel shockingly premium,
04:41with decidedly not-budget earbud features like multipoint connectivity and a waterproof rating of IP66.
04:48The sound quality and ANC is some of the best on this list, with punchy bass and mids that avoid
04:53the tinny cheapness of a lot of budget earbuds.
04:56There's customizable EQ settings in the companion app, and I have to admit, I liked the app's selection of built
05:01-in ambient soundscapes.
05:02If you're really willing to spend hundreds, you can do better, but few earbuds approach the bang for the buck
05:09of the JLab Go Pods ANC True Wireless Earbuds.
05:14Okay, but what about even, even less?
05:18You can still get a solid pair of wireless earbuds for just $20 with the Anker Soundcore P20i.
05:26The P20i provide powerful bass with over 10 hours of playtime and another 20 from the case.
05:31There's even fast charging with 2 hours of playback from just 10 minutes in the case.
05:37At this price, it's no surprise the noise-canceling is only passive, but you can still fine-tune your listening
05:43experience with 22 EQ presets or a gaming mode.
05:46Yes, there are more feature-packed earbuds, but not for $20, which is why the Anker Soundcore P20i earns this
05:54spot on our list.
05:57So, if all these earbuds sound so good for less than $50, why spend more?
06:02While all of these earbuds provide excellent value, there are some features you miss out on by going the budget
06:07route.
06:07First, most of these earbuds can't support high-fidelity audio codecs like APTX or LDAC, which audiophiles know means a
06:14richer, fuller sound.
06:16Something to consider if the most important thing to you is audio quality.
06:19Wireless charging is also a feature you'll only find on premium earbuds like the AirPods Pro 3 or Sony XM6.
06:25And the best noise-canceling is going to be found on the highest-end earbuds like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra.
06:32I'll link our best earbuds of 2026 video down below if you want to check out some more options.
06:39That's it for this video.
06:41Just remember, every pair here has earned our Tom's Guide Likes badge and would make a great choice as your
06:46everyday earbuds or as a spare pair for work or travel.
06:50And if one of these caught your eye, check out the links below for the best prices.
06:54Did we miss your favorite budget earbuds?
06:56Let us know in the comments below and give us a like and subscribe if this video helped you out.
07:01Until next time, I'm Phil Rodriguez, this is Tom's Guide, and I'll see you in the next video.
07:25I'll see you in the next video.
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