Best Noise-Canceling Headphones Under $100 for 2023
CNET experts tested a bunch of budget noise-canceling headphones. Here are the models that really are good values.
Updated on Aug. 18, 2023
Written by
David Carnoy
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David CarnoyExecutive Editor / Reviews
Executive Editor David Carnoy has been a leading member of CNET's Reviews team since 2000. He covers the gamut of gadgets and is a notable reviewer of mobile accessories and portable audio products, including headphones and speakers. He's also an e-reader and e-publishing expert as well as the author of the novels Knife Music, The Big Exit and Lucidity. All the titles are available as Kindle, iBooks, Nook e-books and audiobooks.
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Which are the best budget noise-canceling headphones overall?
With a multitude of budget headphones on the market, it's hard to declare one the best overall but a few do stand out, which is why they're at the top of this list. These include the Edifier 820NB Plus and 1More SonoFlow.
I've tested all the headphones on this list and I'm highlighting only models that cost less than $100 -- one even comes in under $50 -- that feature decent sound and performance along with a comfortable fit. If you're looking for the best ANC headphones regardless of price and style, check out our list of the best noise-canceling headphones overall. And we also have a list of the best noise-canceling true wireless earbuds for those looking for earbuds -- there aren't any earbuds on this list. We update all these lists regularly.
Edifier makes some good-sounding PC speakers and true-wireless earbuds and it's done a nice job with its W820NB noise-canceling headphones, now on their second-gen version, the Edifier W820NB Plus. The first thing you'll notice about them when you put them on is that they're comfortable -- Edifier has upgraded the ear pads with higher-grade memory foam -- and the headphones fit snugly on your head. They also sound good for their price, offering slightly improved audio quality from the originals, thanks to what appear to be upgraded drivers (also, they now support the LDAC audio codec for Android devices). You get a bit more clarity and slightly better bass definition. Their sound didn't necessarily blow me away -- they lack a bit of openness -- but it's very good for what the headphones cost. Like their predecessor, they're pleasant-sounding headphones -- and even a bit more so now.
Other features include an ambient mode that lets outside sound in and a low-latency gaming mode. The noise canceling has been upgraded slightly and they're decent for voice calling. Battery life is pretty impressive with up to 49 hours of battery life on a single charge at moderate volume levels (and noise canceling off).
A couple of things are still missing. There's no carrying case or headphone jack, though can connect them to your computer with the included USB-C to USB-A cable. But the 820NB Plus headphones are still a good value.
Edifier makes some good-sounding PC speakers and true-wireless earbuds and it's done a nice job with its W820NB noise-canceling headphones, now on their second-gen version, the Edifier W820NB Plus. The first thing you'll notice about them when you put them on is that they're comfortable -- Edifier has upgraded the ear pads with higher-grade memory foam -- and the headphones fit snugly on your head. They also sound good for their price, offering slightly improved audio quality from the originals, thanks to what appear to be upgraded drivers (also, they now support the LDAC audio codec for Android devices). You get a bit more clarity and slightly better bass definition. Their sound didn't necessarily blow me away -- they lack a bit of openness -- but it's very good for what the headphones cost. Like their predecessor, they're pleasant-sounding headphones -- and even a bit more so now.
Other features include an ambient mode that lets outside sound in and a low-latency gaming mode. The noise canceling has been upgraded slightly and they're decent for voice calling. Battery life is pretty impressive with up to 49 hours of battery life on a single charge at moderate volume levels (and noise canceling off).
A couple of things are still missing. There's no carrying case or headphone jack, though can connect them to your computer with the included USB-C to USB-A cable. But the 820NB Plus headphones are still a good value.
The design of 1More's SonoFlow headphones reminds me a little of some earlier Sony headphones and also the newer Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 4. They're a bit generic looking but sleek enough and more importantly, comfortable to wear. They also feature very respectable sound quality. While it doesn't quite measure up to the sound quality of what'll get with more premium models like the Momentum Wireless 4, it isn't that far off. The SonoFlow headphones deliver smooth sound with good clarity and relatively well-defined bass (they're just not quite as rich or dynamic sounding as those premium models I mentioned). They also have support for the LDAC audio codec.
The noise canceling is a step down from what Sony and Bose models offer but it does a decent job of muffling ambient sound and there is a transparency mode. Voice-calling performance is similarly solid but unspectacular. Note that you can use this in wired mode with the included cable but the noise canceling only works in wireless mode, which is an issue for frequent flyers who like some noise canceling when plugging into an in-flight entertainment system.
The design of 1More's SonoFlow headphones reminds me a little of some earlier Sony headphones and also the newer Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 4. They're a bit generic looking but sleek enough and more importantly, comfortable to wear. They also feature very respectable sound quality. While it doesn't quite measure up to the sound quality of what'll get with more premium models like the Momentum Wireless 4, it isn't that far off. The SonoFlow headphones deliver smooth sound with good clarity and relatively well-defined bass (they're just not quite as rich or dynamic sounding as those premium models I mentioned). They also have support for the LDAC audio codec.
The noise canceling is a step down from what Sony and Bose models offer but it does a decent job of muffling ambient sound and there is a transparency mode. Voice-calling performance is similarly solid but unspectacular. Note that you can use this in wired mode with the included cable but the noise canceling only works in wireless mode, which is an issue for frequent flyers who like some noise canceling when plugging into an in-flight entertainment system.
As far as sound, comfort level and build quality go, you'd be hard-pressed to do better than Anker's Soundcore Life Q30 for the money. It doesn't have quite the clarity or bass definition as some of the top premium models, but it's less than a third of the price and gets you about 75% of the way there in terms of sound. It's well balanced overall, with punchy bass, and there's an app that allows you to tweak the sound. Noise canceling is good for the price, though certainly not up to the level of the Sony WH-1000XM5 or Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones. Battery life is rated at an impressive 40 hours with USB-C charging.
The only area where the Q30 falls a little short is for voice calls. It picks up your voice fine in quieter environments but it just doesn't reduce background noise all that well.
Compared to the Q20 (see below), the Q30 does offer improved sound (it's not a huge difference, but it definitely is a notch up) and a more premium design. There's also the newer Life Q35 ($100), which adds support for Sony's LDAC audio codec for high-resolution audio streaming with music services that support it.
As far as sound, comfort level and build quality go, you'd be hard-pressed to do better than Anker's Soundcore Life Q30 for the money. It doesn't have quite the clarity or bass definition as some of the top premium models, but it's less than a third of the price and gets you about 75% of the way there in terms of sound. It's well balanced overall, with punchy bass, and there's an app that allows you to tweak the sound. Noise canceling is good for the price, though certainly not up to the level of the Sony WH-1000XM5 or Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones. Battery life is rated at an impressive 40 hours with USB-C charging.
The only area where the Q30 falls a little short is for voice calls. It picks up your voice fine in quieter environments but it just doesn't reduce background noise all that well.
Compared to the Q20 (see below), the Q30 does offer improved sound (it's not a huge difference, but it definitely is a notch up) and a more premium design. There's also the newer Life Q35 ($100), which adds support for Sony's LDAC audio codec for high-resolution audio streaming with music services that support it.
Anker's Soundcore Life Q20 Plus is among the best values in noise-canceling headphones. Not only do these budget noise-canceling over-ear headphones sound quite decent for around $60, they're also comfortable to wear thanks to their puffy ear pads. Compared to the earlier Life Q20, this Plus model adds app support and USB-C charging (instead of Micro-USB) for $10 more.
No, the Life Q20 Plus doesn't sound nearly as good as premium Bluetooth headphones such as the Sony WH-1000XM5, but the audio quality sounds pretty good, which is all you can ask for noise-canceling headphones at this price. It's fairly well balanced with a reasonable amount of clarity and plump bass that's not bloated or muddy (there's a bass boost or BassUp mode if you want an extra helping of bass with your music). Also, the noise cancelation is acceptably effective at noise reduction and blocking out ambient sound and it's decent enough as a headset for making calls. Battery life is good at 40 hours. A simple carrying pouch is included.
Anker's Soundcore Life Q20 Plus is among the best values in noise-canceling headphones. Not only do these budget noise-canceling over-ear headphones sound quite decent for around $60, they're also comfortable to wear thanks to their puffy ear pads. Compared to the earlier Life Q20, this Plus model adds app support and USB-C charging (instead of Micro-USB) for $10 more.
No, the Life Q20 Plus doesn't sound nearly as good as premium Bluetooth headphones such as the Sony WH-1000XM5, but the audio quality sounds pretty good, which is all you can ask for noise-canceling headphones at this price. It's fairly well balanced with a reasonable amount of clarity and plump bass that's not bloated or muddy (there's a bass boost or BassUp mode if you want an extra helping of bass with your music). Also, the noise cancelation is acceptably effective at noise reduction and blocking out ambient sound and it's decent enough as a headset for making calls. Battery life is good at 40 hours. A simple carrying pouch is included.
Founded by four former Amazon employees, Wyze is known for its value security cams but it's now doing a nice job with value headphones. Its over-ear noise-canceling headphones offer a comfortable fit with deep memory foam ear pads and solid all-around performance. Their noise canceling is quite good, although you do get some added passive noise isolation from the tight seal the ear pads give you (your ears will get pretty steamy in warmer weather). These are Alexa-enabled, so all you have to do is press a button to access Amazon's voice assistant, or you can use your phone's native voice assistant if you prefer. There's also a transparency mode that lets ambient sound in.
As for sound quality, these are on the warmer side -- they have lots of bass and a pretty open soundstage, though they lack that extra clarity and definition you get from higher-end models (the bass is a touch loose). In other words, the sound is quite good for the money but not ridiculously good.
Battery life is rated at up to 20 hours at moderate volume levels and I thought the headset performance was decent as well. A cloth carrying pouch is included along with a USB-C charging cable and a cord for using these as wired headphones.
Founded by four former Amazon employees, Wyze is known for its value security cams but it's now doing a nice job with value headphones. Its over-ear noise-canceling headphones offer a comfortable fit with deep memory foam ear pads and solid all-around performance. Their noise canceling is quite good, although you do get some added passive noise isolation from the tight seal the ear pads give you (your ears will get pretty steamy in warmer weather). These are Alexa-enabled, so all you have to do is press a button to access Amazon's voice assistant, or you can use your phone's native voice assistant if you prefer. There's also a transparency mode that lets ambient sound in.
As for sound quality, these are on the warmer side -- they have lots of bass and a pretty open soundstage, though they lack that extra clarity and definition you get from higher-end models (the bass is a touch loose). In other words, the sound is quite good for the money but not ridiculously good.
Battery life is rated at up to 20 hours at moderate volume levels and I thought the headset performance was decent as well. A cloth carrying pouch is included along with a USB-C charging cable and a cord for using these as wired headphones.
JLab makes the cheaper Studio Pro headphones, which don't have active noise canceling, and this model, which does. They look very similar.
The lightweight headphones have a bit of a retro vibe, and they're comfortable to wear with decent noise canceling and voice-calling performance. There are two levels of noise canceling to choose from along with a transparency mode and the headphones have multipoint Bluetooth pairing so you can pair them simultaneously with a smartphone and computer.
Like I said about the Studio Pro, don't expect these to deliver the clarity and definition of higher-end headphones, but the bass has some punch to it and there's an acceptable amount of detail. You can choose between three sound modes -- JLab signature sound, balance and bass boost. There's no companion app (so no firmware upgrades).
Pros:
Lightweight design and comfortable fit
Good sound for their price
Decent noise canceling and voice-calling performance
JLab makes the cheaper Studio Pro headphones, which don't have active noise canceling, and this model, which does. They look very similar.
The lightweight headphones have a bit of a retro vibe, and they're comfortable to wear with decent noise canceling and voice-calling performance. There are two levels of noise canceling to choose from along with a transparency mode and the headphones have multipoint Bluetooth pairing so you can pair them simultaneously with a smartphone and computer.
Like I said about the Studio Pro, don't expect these to deliver the clarity and definition of higher-end headphones, but the bass has some punch to it and there's an acceptable amount of detail. You can choose between three sound modes -- JLab signature sound, balance and bass boost. There's no companion app (so no firmware upgrades).
Pros:
Lightweight design and comfortable fit
Good sound for their price
Decent noise canceling and voice-calling performance
There aren't too many on-ear noise-canceling headphones. Beats' Solo Pro was one of the best, but it's been discontinued. Meanwhile, these cheap noise-canceling headphones, the JLab Studio ANC, cost a lot less and deliver solid all-around performance for a budget model with decent sound quality, noise canceling and battery life (28 hours with ANC on). While they may not be stellar for making calls, they do work well as a headset -- callers said they could hear me clearly, even with some outside noise around me. A carrying pouch is included.
The Studio ANC headphones are reasonably comfortable for an on-ear model (I prefer over-ear), but those with bigger heads may feel it clamps a little too tightly.
There aren't too many on-ear noise-canceling headphones. Beats' Solo Pro was one of the best, but it's been discontinued. Meanwhile, these cheap noise-canceling headphones, the JLab Studio ANC, cost a lot less and deliver solid all-around performance for a budget model with decent sound quality, noise canceling and battery life (28 hours with ANC on). While they may not be stellar for making calls, they do work well as a headset -- callers said they could hear me clearly, even with some outside noise around me. A carrying pouch is included.
The Studio ANC headphones are reasonably comfortable for an on-ear model (I prefer over-ear), but those with bigger heads may feel it clamps a little too tightly.
Do cheap noise-canceling headphones sound as good as premium models from Sony and Bose?
Alas, no. More budget ANC headphones tend to be a little lacking on the sound quality front. That said, some budget ANC models that cost less than $100 offer surprisingly good sound for the money. So while you shouldn't expect great sound, you can certainly get headphones that sound quite decent.
What are the biggest differences between cheaper noise-canceling headphones and more premium models?
Often, the biggest difference is build quality. Premium headphones tend to feel sturdier and tend to be built with more premium materials. They also have a more premium look and feel to both the headphones themselves and their carrying case (many cheaper headphones don't even include a carrying case or protective pouch). Performance is also a few steps behind. Premium headphones tend to have more advanced drivers designs, chipsets and better microphones for voice calling. Finally, some cheap headphones don't link to a companion app that allows to you tweak their sound with EQ settings or upgrade their firmware.
Do cheap budget ANC headphones work for voice calling?
Some do. Many cheaper headphones now feature multiple microphones and some do a surprisingly good job when it comes to voice calling. A few models on this list have decent noise reduction. Some also offer multipoint Bluetooth pairing, which allows you to pair the headphones to two devices simultaneously (such as a smartphone and computer).
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