We're hurtling towards peak sales season, which means cheap headphones are about to become even cheaper. But if you want to know which pairs are worth considering in the first place, you've come to the right place.
Our list covers everything, from over-ears with active noise cancellation (ANC), to on-ears and in-ears (both with and without ANC). But they all have two things in common: they sound amazing for the money, and they're very cheap even without a deal.
They're also not lacking on the features front. Some have the aforementioned ANC, while ambient mode, equaliser presets and app controls are also common.
We've tested each pair thoroughly, running them in to ensure we're hearing them at their best, and using them in a variety of situations with all different genres of music. We try all their features too, in order to make sure we're seeing – and hearing – everything they can do.
After extensive evaluation, we have given each of the below five stars in our reviews, and some have even won Awards. That's mighty impressive given they cost less than or around £100.
For more information about our testing process, check out our how we test section further down the page.
October 2026: We've switched in the Sony WH-CH730N and WH-CH530 in place of their predecessors, and updated the Award winners for 2026.
I've been testing wireless headphones since the AirPods were just a glint in Tim Cook's eye. In my 20 years in the business, I've seen cheap wireless headphones come on leaps and bounds. Sony currently dominates this area, thanks to its sophisticated features and great sound, but check out our Also consider section to see other pairs worth a listen. If you're on a budget, there are plenty of options to give you great sound on the go...
The best cheap wireless headphones we recommend in 2026
Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.
Best overall
If it's cheap wireless headphones you're after, Sony should be your first port of call.
True, the market has responded since Sony's clean sweep in the wireless headphones category at the 2023 What Hi-Fi? Awards, but Sony still featured heavily in the most recent Awards, especially in terms of budget pairs.
The jewel in its pound-shop crown? The WF-C510.
They replace the WF-C500 in fitting style – the improvements are numerous, and significant. Crucially, they have a longer battery life, which is often one of the main compromises when a brand decides to slum it and launch a budget pair.
They also offer a new ambient mode, which allows in some outside sound to make you more aware of your surroundings. Which makes them unique, as that feature is usually only for pairs with active noise cancellation.
As you would expect, they do feel like their price would suggest. But then when that launch price is significantly lower than their predecessors, we can forgive it.
And they provide a snug, comfortable fit – combined with their IPX4 protection, they're ideal for sports use.
Bluetooth Multipoint lets them pair with two devices at once and switch seamlessly between them, so you can go from listening to music on your phone to a Zoom call on your laptop without faffing about with any re-pairing.
You can use each earbud independently of the other, too.
Thankfully Sony didn't just beef up the spec sheet and think 'That'll do'. It's improved the sound quality too.
You wouldn't expect an overly analytical performance from a pair costing this much, and that's not what you get. Rather, the C510 are fun, engaging and musical, but without sacrificing Sony's signature sound profile.
"You can tell the WF-C510 are part of the Sony family, such is their musicality and rhythmic ability – even complex pieces of music don't unravel and their sense of timing and ability to just get into the groove of a song works with any music you play through them," we wrote in our Sony WF-C510 review.
Compared to the C500, they're a little richer and fuller-bodied, which is why they've won a What Hi-Fi? Award three years in a row Sony's storming run continues.
Read the full Sony WF-C510 review
Best budget
All of the headphones on this list are quite cheap, but the Earfun Air are cheapest even by these standards. They're the most affordable headphones of any style that we can heartily recommend.
Before the Earfun Air, we had never awarded five stars to a set of proper budget wireless headphones – despite testing models from well-known and highly respected audio brands.
In the Air, this little-known company has produced a comfortable, nicely built set of headphones that also boast excellent battery life, wireless charging support and a should-cost-more presentation. In many ways, it showed what's possible from a budget pair, kickstarting the current trend for well-specced wireless headphones that cost very little.
"Fans of a grippy, energetic listen to get you through a workout will find much to enjoy here," we wrote in our Earfun Air review.
"While similar budget-friendly headphones can come off somewhat congested, here the design of the driver and earpiece (which doesn’t sit too far into the ear canal) allows for a pleasant and spacious presentation."
The Earfun Air buds have a waterproof IPX7 rating, so they can be submerged in up to a metre of water for up to 30 minutes, and an impressively long battery life of 35 hours.
There are also touch controls and in-ear detection tech to pause playback when you remove them.
If you’re after dirt-cheap wireless headphones for casual listening, the Earfun Air could just be the ideal proposition.
Read the full Earfun Air review
Best ANC earbuds
The WF-C710N follow the WF-C700N (a previous entrant on this list), and they're another Award-winning performance from Sony.
Like their predecessors, they're a mid-range pair, sitting between the non-ANC WF-C510 and premium WF-1000XM6 in Sony's wireless earbud lineup. They add a cool transparent blue finish that lets you see the inner workings of both the earbuds and case. It's a really nice touch, and unlike anything we've previously seen from Sony.
They are chunkier than their predecessors, and incorporate touch controls for the first time. The feature set is largely unchanged, but you get a slightly newer version of Bluetooth (5.3) and Multipoint at launch (it came via a later software update for the C700N).
Wear detection and auto pause are also new for this model.
One of the biggest improvements is battery life. You get 8.5 hours from the buds (an hour more than their predecessors), and 30 hours including the case – that's twice as long as the C700N.
The ANC now has Sony’s Dual Noise Sensor filters, which make a real difference. You can hear the earbuds increase the intensity of the ANC and extract an extra layer or two of noise, especially in the lower mid and bass frequencies. It's a definite step up from the C700N.
As is the sound quality. Bass has plenty of weight and solidity, and there's immense detail to be heard across the frequency range.
Thanks to their spot-on timing, they can handle even tricky tracks with aplomb. Playing Radiohead's 15 Step, the C710N "remain fleet-footed at all times and don't get bogged down in the music or lost in what feels like a million other elements going on in the track," we wrote in our Sony WF-C710N review.
At this price, that's nothing short of miraculous.
Read the full Sony WF-C710N review
Best ANC over-ears
Sony has form when it comes to making cheap wireless headphones in both over-ear and in-ear forms – the CH730N's predecessors, the CH720N, were past Award winners, so these cans have big shoes to fill.
But fill them they do.
Build quality was one area we thought improvements could be made, and we're glad that Sony has paid attention. Their predecessors' rather basic earcups are out, replaced by larger, more oval ones that feel much more premium. The buttons still feel a little plasticky, but they work well, and that's what counts.
But best of all, the earcups fold, which makes them more suited to stashing in a bag. And while the headphones as a whole are a little heavier than their predecessors, they're still very comfortable to wear.
Battery life is impressive, at 50 hours with ANC on and 75 hours with it off. And there are plenty of features for the money, including Bluetooth Multipoint, DSEE upscaling and Sony 360 Reality Audio for a more engrossing listen.
The noise cancellation is very good for the money, though spend more and you will be treated to a better experience. But voice calls are excellent: "We get a firm sense of the headphones pushing voices to the fore, all while effectively minimising intrusive background noise as we conduct our testing next to a busy road," we wrote in our Sony WH-CH730N review.
And as for sound quality? They take everything we loved about their predecessors, and refine it to superb effect. "The newer headphones are clearer, more natural-sounding and a little more full-bodied than before, offering a presentation that expertly rides the line between punch and precision," we noted.
True, they prioritise entertainment value over out-and-out insight, but at this price, that's to be expected. Another Award-winning budget pair from Sony.
Read our full Sony WH-CH730N review
Best over-ears without ANC
Sony does premium headphones with aplomb (see the WH-1000XM6), but its budget offerings are some of the best around, too. Witness the WH-CH530. If there's a better pair for £50, we haven't see in it.
They follow the CH520, and on the surface, very little has changed (besides the new bubblegum pink finish, that is). They're still plasticky to the touch, they still don't fold, and there's still no active noise cancellation. But what can you expect for this money?
But 'plasticky' doesn't mean 'poorly made'. Their on-ear design fit all of our testers' heads comfortably, though the larger-noggined of us did find our ears aching over prolonged sessions. But they're well padded and don't heat your ears, which is far from a given at this level. And the slightly tighter fit does keep out external sounds to an extent.
Features-wise, we're looking at Bluetooth 6.0, Auracast and Bluetooth Multipoint – all impressive for this price. You also get Sony's SoundConnect app, which is very comprehensive and lets you customise various aspects of the sound. And a battery life of 55 hours will certainly suffice.
Sonically, they're "well-balanced, expressive, and frankly, surprisingly enjoyable listen for the price," we wrote in our Sony WH-CH530 review. They deliver more energy and insight than most pairs at this price, with bass that delves deep without overwhelming the sonic balance.
The midrange is expressive and detailed, with plenty of texture, while the high end remains lucid and expressive. They could have more detail in the higher frequencies, but for the money, it's nothing short of astonishing.
Which rather sums up these headphones.
Read the full Sony WH-CH530 review
Also consider
The best cheap wireless headphones alternatives we've tested:
Sony WF-C700N: These previously had a place on this list, until they were bumped off by their successors, the WF-C710N. Sound and ANC aren't quite as good as the C710N, and they're lacking a couple of features. But at a reduced price to clear stock, they are superb value. Get them while they're still around.
JBL Live Pro 2 TWS: If you prefer a 'stem' design to the more rounded look, these are for you. They have all the features you could want, and perform brilliantly too.
Sony LinkBuds Open (WF-L910): It's another Sony pair, but these offer something genuinely different – an open design that lets you stay aware of your surroundings. They're very comfortable and packed with features, plus they regularly drop below £100.
Apple AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case: Not cheap cheap, admittedly, but these are more affordable than the AirPods Pro 3, and deliver a lot for the money, especially if you're an Apple user.
How to choose the best cheap wireless headphones for you
The best cheap wireless headphones come in all shapes and sizes. You can get some pretty decent wireless over-ears and in-ears for not much money at all.
Wondering which is best for you? Check out our guide to headphones vs earbuds.
Healthy battery life should be a priority for any of the best budget wireless headphones – anything around 20 hours and above for over-ear headphones and over six hours for earbuds (plus charging case battery life) is good.
If you're a fitness fiend who wants a secure fit and waterproofing, you're better off going for a pair of sport headphones with sweat/water resistance. Look out for an IP rating of at least IPX4, meaning they'll survive basic splashing but not a dunk in the drink.
You also might want to consider which version of Bluetooth they're running.
We're currently on Bluetooth 6.0. Newer versions can offer improvements in performance over older versions when it comes to things like wireless range, so it could pay to do a bit of extra digging through the specs of any pairs you're considering.
Bluetooth Multipoint is another one to look out for – it lets you pair with multiple devices at once, and then switch between them seamlessly as and when you need.
Some cheap models offer active noise cancellation (ANC), while some might have an ambient mode which allows in some outside sounds to make you more aware of your surroundings.
The ANC on budget pairs will be more basic than found on pricier headphones – if you want more advanced features, you have to pay for them.
You'll also want to consider comfort, especially if they're going to be sat in or on your ears for any length of time.
Finally, you definitely want decent sound quality for the money. As the best cheap wireless headphones around, all of the above have come out of our testing labs with flying colours.
How we test cheap wireless headphones
In order to put these headphones through their paces, we use them in real-world conditions.
That means we run them down from full to empty to gauge battery life (multiple times) and use them outdoors in both built-up areas and open spaces to test how stable the wireless connection remains to the music source.
Using them outdoors also lets us check their noise-isolating properties, and active noise-cancellation (ANC) if they have it.
We try them with both smartphones and computers to see how well they stand up in different use cases. And if they're a sporty pair, we'll take them out for a jog or to the gym to check how well they stay in our ears while exercising.
Each pair is compared to the best in its price and style class – whether that's one standout pair or a few that we favour the highest among the 100+ pairs we listen to each year.
What Hi-Fi? is all about comparative testing, and we keep class-leading products in our stockrooms so we can always compare new products to ones we know and love.
All review verdicts are agreed upon by the team rather than an individual reviewer to eliminate any personal preference and to make sure we're being as thorough as possible, too.
There's no input from PR companies or our sales team when it comes to the verdict, with What Hi-Fi? proud of having delivered honest, unbiased reviews for decades.
For more information, check out our dedicated how we test headphones page.
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F.A.Q.
What are cheap good quality headphones?
It depends what you're looking for, but you can't go far wrong with any pairs on this list.
The best overall are the Sony WF-C510, but if you want noise cancellation and/or an over-ear pair, there are options for you above.
Are wireless headphones worth buying?
We think so. The sound quality – especially at this end of the market – isn't much different from a wired pair, and the added convenience is a godsend (no more cable tangle).
Why do people still use wired headphones?
Some prefer a wired connection as it's more reliable (though all of the pairs on this list have rock-solid wireless connections).
At the high end, a wired pair will give you better sound quality. Or maybe they just haven't upgraded from their old pair of wired headphones.
Recent updates
- 15th October 2026: Switched in two new Sony models (WH-CH730N and WH-CH530) in place of their predecessors. Replaced the WF-C500 from Also Consider with the Apple AirPods 4 with ANC. Updated Award winners references to reflect the 2026 Awards and updated the intro.
- 19th June 2026: Updated the intro, and updated a reference to the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen).
- 17th April 2026: Rewrote intro, but left the main list and 'Also consider' unchanged.
- 16th February 2026: Updated dates to 2026. Rewrote intro to mention the AirPods Pro 3 and Sony WF-1000XM6, both of which we reviewed recently.
- 19th December 2025: Rewrote intro. Updated references to What Hi-Fi? Awards. Deleted Panasonic RZ-S500W from 'Also consider' as they're no longer on sale.
- 21st July 2025: Added references to the recently launched Sony WH-1000XM6 and the rumoured Sony WF-1000XM6. Added links to the recent Bluetooth 6 feature.
- 19th May 2025: Replaced Sony WF-C700N with WF-C710N. Moved WF-C700N to 'Also consider'. Changed references to Sony WH-1000XM5 to WH-1000XM6.
- 20th March 2025: Added Sony LinkBuds Open (WF-L910) to 'Also consider'. Changed references from Sony WF-C500 to the newer WF-C510.
- 11th November 2024: Swapped Sony WF-C510 for C500 in main list, moved C500 to 'Also consider'. Expanded 'How to choose' section with more details and links. Added review quotes for each entry in the main list. Rewrote intro to link to our Sony WF-C510 review.
- 9th September 2024: Rewrote intro. Deleted headings from entries in 'The quick list'.
- 8th July 2024: Deleted Jump Menu and Test Results tables. Rewrote intro. Bolded advisory text in the How to Choose section.
- 30th April 2024: Changed to new Best Buy format. Removed Panasonic RZ-S500W and JBL Live Pro 2 TWS from main list. Added new 'Also consider' and F.A.Q. sections.
- 6th February 2024: Removed JBL Flow Pro.
- 11th May 2023: Removed Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 Plus, added Sony WF-C700N and JBL Live Pro 2 TWS.
Today's best cheap wireless headphones deals
