5 Best Earbuds Under $100 in 2024

Earphones are not particularly a new concept and have been around for decades. But as the years passed, earbuds have gotten smaller and smaller. Today, they’re available for a fraction of the cost compared to several years ago. This means the competition has gotten even tougher in the industry. So if you’re in the market for earbuds, you would realize that it’s difficult to filter between the reasonably priced variants from the ultra expensive offerings.

This is why we’ve compiled a list of earbuds that can be purchased for less than $100. Though these are affordable, the quality they offer is still on par with some of the premium headphones. So don’t let the price be a determining factor in the product’s quality. Keeping this in mind, let’s have a look at the 5 best earbuds for under $100 in 2024.

5 Best Earbuds Under $100

SONY h.ear

Sony is no stranger to the audio segment and is known for multiple high-end headphones and earbuds. This one, though, is targeting the budget audiences. However, it’s not lacking in the hardware department. It comes with a 9mm driver unit, helping you get the best in terms of audio reproduction. These are wired headphones, which gives the company the opportunity to add tangle proof wires, a cord adjuster, and an in-line remote with microphone. The earbuds are made using aluminum alloy for that premium look and beautiful texture.

The company provides three replacement four pairs of earpieces with the product along with a carrying pouch to conveniently take your earbuds along with you. Although the h.ear lineup is available in multiple colors, the retailer is offering these earbuds only in lime yellow. Check it out.

Fantime Mini

This is a slightly odd choice as far as earbuds are concerned, although we still think there’s value for a product like this. Unlike any other earbuds on this list, the Fantime Mini is a single wireless earbud, which can connect to your smartphone or tablet over Bluetooth. It also comes with a microphone for phone calls as well as a single button for manual pairing. The best part, however, is the charging case that the earbud comes with. You simply have to place it in the charging case for the earbud to retain its juice and you’re good to go for a day or two. Since it’s a single earbud, it might be inconvenient to use this for music.

However, this can be extremely handy as a Bluetooth headset especially while driving. If wearing a full-blown headset during driving is cumbersome for you, this product is definitely designed to suit you. The company offers the earbud in Silver, Black and Red variants, while the Gold variant doesn’t appear to be in stock anymore. While its size is the highlight here, it can also be a negative since it can be lost all too easily. So make sure you place it firmly in the charging case when you’re done using. Customer reviews are pretty great for this product and it’s sold for a fraction of the price of other earbuds in the market.

FiiO F9

This is probably the only earbuds on this list that falls under the premium segment. These wired earbuds come with a unique design wherein the cable has to be wrapped around your ear before the earbud is placed inside. This is by design and allows for seamless music experience under any circumstances. Further, the cable can be detached from the earbuds, which can be handy if you’re traveling. It all slots in beautifully, so you won’t spend too much time plugging it in or removing it from its silo.

The FiiO F9 comes with a 9.2mm dynamic driver on board for optimum audio performance. It also features high resolution audio with a frequency response of up to 40kHz. It’s a pretty attractive looking pair of earbuds and can be bought in two colors as of now – Black and Red. There is a titanium variant as well, although it’s out of stock at the moment. The company offers a total of six silicone ear tips with the product, three black in color and three in mixed colors to help you spice it up. You will also get a waterproof carrying case along with the earbuds. About 70% of the customers gave this product a five star rating, which speaks volumes about the quality of the FiiO F9.

HydroActive Short-Cord Waterproof Headphones

While we’ve all heard of waterproof speakers, this one takes it a step further. These are wired headphones that can run underwater (swimming and water aerobics). It consists of two different attachments that need to be connected in order for the music to be playing. The ear tips are designed in a way to completely seal your ears, thus restricting any water from entering your ear. Naturally, you will also need a waterproof music player or smartphone to go along with this, so its use case might be somewhat limited.

But if you’re looking for a pair of headphones that can work underwater (and if you own a waterproof smartphone with a 3.5mm jack), this attractive over the ear earbuds make complete sense for you. It has highly favorable ratings on Amazon as well, so you should have no trouble as far as quality is concerned.

COWIN HE8D

We would be remiss if we didn’t mention a decent sub $100 Bluetooth earbuds. The Cowin HE8D is an exceptional offering in a small package, making it convenient for casual music listening or heavy workouts. Keeping this in mind, the company has made this product entirely sweat proof, so you’re good to go in the gym or the track. The HE8D uses a 1.57-inch driver with Liquid Crystal Polymer for excellent audio and rich bass.

It comes with a magnetic charging port while also allowing you to charge it up using an OTG cable on your phone. These features alone make it a hot pick in the sub $100 segment. Be sure to check it out from Amazon.