TL;DR: Sony WH-CH720N for best ANC under $80. JBL Tune 770NC if you want the longest battery in the tier. Anker Soundcore Space Q45 for LDAC audio quality on a budget. Soundcore Life Q30 if you're spending under $60. Philips SHP9600 if you want wired open-back sound that audiophiles actually recommend.
Disclosure: Our reviews are research-based. We compile and synthesize expert reviews (Wirecutter, RTINGS.com, Engadget), manufacturer specs, and Amazon user feedback. We do not conduct hands-on testing.
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Something weird happened to the budget headphone category over the past two years. The $70-80 tier now does things that cost $150 in 2023. Real ANC. LDAC support. 50-hour batteries. Multipoint Bluetooth. Stuff that felt like a flagship differentiator six months ago.
I've been going through spec sheets, RTINGS.com measurements, and Amazon review patterns to figure out which of these budget picks actually deliver — and which ones are impressive on paper but underwhelming in practice. Eight made the cut.
One note before the list: "under $100" is a real price constraint, not an aspirational one. Every pick here is regularly available under $100 on Amazon, not just occasionally on sale.
Quick Comparison: Best Headphones Under $100
| Headphone | Price | Battery | ANC | Standout Feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sony WH-CH720N | ~$70 | 35 hrs | Yes | Lightest ANC headphone at this price |
| JBL Tune 770NC | ~$80 | 70 hrs | Yes | Longest battery in the tier |
| Anker Soundcore Space Q45 | ~$80 | 50 hrs | Yes | LDAC support under $80 |
| Soundcore Life Q30 | ~$60 | 50 hrs | Yes | Best sub-$60 ANC headphone |
| Philips SHP9600 | ~$65 | N/A (wired) | No | Audiophile open-back at a budget price |
| Audio-Technica ATH-M20x | ~$49 | N/A (wired) | No | Studio monitor sound for $49 |
| JBL Tune 510BT | ~$40 | 40 hrs | No | Best wireless under $50 for casual use |
| JLab Studio Pro ANC | ~$50 | 45 hrs | Yes | ANC under $50 — does it work? Mostly |
1. Sony WH-CH720N — Best Overall
Price: ~$70 | Check on Amazon
Let me start with why this one stands out: it weighs 187 grams. That's lighter than some pairs of sunglasses. For an over-ear ANC headphone.
The noise cancellation isn't Sony XM6-level, but it cuts office noise well — the kind of thing you actually face during a work day. The "ambient sound" mode (transparency) is useful and doesn't sound particularly artificial. Battery is 35 hours with ANC on.
Multipoint Bluetooth lets you connect to two devices at once. This matters more than people think — being able to switch between your laptop and phone without going into Bluetooth settings is a quality-of-life thing you miss immediately when you go back to single-device headphones.
The sound is v-shaped — punchy bass, decent treble, slightly recessed mids. For casual listening and calls, that's fine. For critical music listening, you'll notice the compression. But for the use cases most people actually have (commuting, work, exercise), it's thoroughly competent.
The caveat: The ear cups are smallish. People with larger ears sometimes find them uncomfortable over long sessions. If that's a concern, JBL's Tune 770NC has bigger cups.
2. JBL Tune 770NC — Best Battery Life
Price: ~$80 | Check on Amazon
70 hours of battery life. With ANC on. Under $80. This is the number that keeps stopping me cold.
For context: the Sony XM6 flagship gets 30 hours. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra gets 24. The JBL Tune 770NC, at roughly one-quarter the price, doubles both of them. The math is surreal.
The ANC works decently for the price — not as clean as Sony's in the CH720N, but usable for open-office and commute noise. JBL's "Smart Ambient" mode lets you hear your surroundings without removing the headphones, which is useful at a crosswalk or grabbing coffee.
Sound-wise, it's classic JBL: bass-heavy, punchy, fun. Not accurate, but enjoyable for music and podcasts. The foldable design means it travels well. Speed Charge gives you 3 hours of playback from 5 minutes of charging.
Where it falls short: the ANC isn't as polished as Sony's at this price, and the soundstage is a bit closed. If ANC performance matters most, go Sony. If you travel and battery anxiety is the concern, go JBL.
3. Anker Soundcore Space Q45 — Best for Audio Quality
Price: ~$80 | Check on Amazon
The thing that makes this one interesting: LDAC.
LDAC is Sony's Bluetooth codec that transmits audio at up to 990 kbps — about three times the bandwidth of regular Bluetooth. On most sub-$100 headphones, you get SBC or AAC. The Space Q45 supports LDAC, which means it can actually deliver hi-res audio wirelessly if your source supports it (most Android phones do; iPhones don't).
The ANC is adaptive — it monitors your environment and adjusts. RTINGS.com measurements put it in the solid mid-tier for noise cancellation, not flagship-level but noticeably better than older budget options. 50-hour battery with ANC. Bluetooth 5.3.
The app (Soundcore) lets you customize the EQ, which is a real differentiator at this price. You can shape the sound to your taste rather than living with whatever the engineers decided was fun.
Comfort is good — light clamping force, soft ear cushions. It's not going to win awards for premium feel, but the plastic doesn't feel as cheap as some competitors.
If audio quality is your priority and you have an Android phone that supports LDAC, this is the pick at this price.
4. Soundcore Life Q30 — Best Under $60
Price: ~$60 | Check on Amazon
Drop the budget to $60 and the honest winner is still Anker — just the older Life Q30 instead of the Space Q45.
The Q30 has three ANC modes (Transport, Outdoor, Indoor) that you can switch between based on your environment. It's a real differentiator at this price — most sub-$60 headphones just have "ANC on" without any tuning. Transport mode for transit, Indoor mode for office, Outdoor mode for street noise.
50 hours of battery. Hi-Res certification. App EQ. Multipoint Bluetooth support.
What's the catch? The ANC modes don't all work equally well — Transport mode is genuinely good, Outdoor mode is mediocre. The sound signature skews toward bass. And the build feels noticeably more budget than the Space Q45 — lighter materials, less premium feel. But for under $60, those are acceptable trade-offs.
If you're shopping in the strict sub-$60 range, the Life Q30 is where I'd point you.
5. Philips SHP9600 — Wired Open-Back Sleeper Pick
Price: ~$65 | Check on Amazon
This one's different from everything else on the list. No ANC, no wireless, no app. Just wired open-back headphones that sound like they should cost three times as much.
Open-back means the ear cups aren't sealed — sound can pass in and out. This makes them completely wrong for commuting or open offices (you'll disturb everyone around you). But for home listening, studio monitoring, or gaming, the soundstage you get from open-back headphones is worth the trade-off. Instruments sound like they're in a room with you, not inside your head.
The SHP9600 uses 50mm neodymium drivers and delivers genuinely wide imaging with natural tonality. Audiophile community consensus is positive — it comes up repeatedly in r/headphones recommendations for "best bang for $60-70."
One catch: the impedance is relatively low (32 ohms), so it works fine with phones and laptops without a separate amp. You just plug in and get real hi-fi sound.
If you need wired over-ear for home or studio use and can't spend $150+, this is the first thing I'd recommend.
6. Audio-Technica ATH-M20x — Best Wired Under $50
Price: ~$49 | Check on Amazon
The M20x is the entry point to Audio-Technica's M-series studio monitors. At $49, it's a studio headphone that sounds better than most $100 wireless options — if you're okay with the cord.
Closed-back design (unlike the Philips), which means better isolation and more practical for environments where open-back isn't appropriate. Tuned for accuracy rather than fun — the frequency response is flatter than typical consumer headphones, which means less hyped bass but more accurate representation of what's actually in the recording.
The build is sturdy in an old-school "this thing was made to last" way. The cable is fixed (not detachable), which is the main downside. But at $49, it's hard to argue with the value.
Good for: recording, podcasting, gaming where you want accurate audio, critical listening at a desk. Not for: commuting, gym, anything where a cord is a problem.
7. JBL Tune 510BT — Best Wireless Under $50
Price: ~$40 | Check on Amazon
No ANC, no LDAC, no app. Just wireless headphones that sound better than they have any right to at $40.
The Tune 510BT has been around long enough that the price has dropped without the product getting any worse. 40-hour battery, fast charge (5 min = 2 hours), comfortable fit, and JBL's typical bass-forward tuning that works well for pop and hip-hop. If you're outfitting a kid or need a secondary pair for the gym, this is the answer.
What you don't get: any noise cancellation, high-quality codecs, multipoint Bluetooth. For $40, that's the deal. Straightforward wireless headphones that don't cut corners on battery or build for this price point.
8. JLab Studio Pro ANC — ANC Under $50
Price: ~$50 | Check on Amazon
Let me be honest here: ANC under $50 is a category where you should set expectations accordingly. The JLab Studio Pro ANC does have functional active noise cancellation — it works for consistent background noise like plane engines or HVAC. For more complex noise environments (cafes, open offices), it's noticeably less effective than the picks above it.
That said, it's $50. And it has ANC. And 45 hours of battery. And it doesn't sound terrible. For someone who needs wireless headphones with some noise reduction for light transit use and doesn't want to spend more than $50, this is a reasonable option.
Just don't expect it to compete with the Sony CH720N or Space Q45 on ANC performance. It competes on price, not capability.
What to Know Before You Buy
Wireless vs wired at this price: Wireless is more convenient; wired sounds better for the same money. If you're at a desk, wired wins. If you're moving around, wireless wins.
ANC trade-offs: Budget ANC works best on consistent, low-frequency noise (airplane engines, HVAC). It's less effective on variable or mid-frequency noise (voices, keyboards, traffic). All the ANC picks above handle the former well; only the Sony and Anker handle the latter meaningfully.
Codec support matters if you care about audio quality: SBC and AAC are baseline. LDAC (Android only) and aptX are better for hi-res audio. The Space Q45 is the only sub-$100 pick here with LDAC.
Battery life vs ANC quality: The JBL Tune 770NC has the longest battery but not the best ANC. The Sony WH-CH720N has the best ANC but 35 hours (which is still plenty). Figure out which matters more for your actual use case.
Related Reading
If budget isn't your constraint and you want the best ANC regardless of price, check our best noise cancelling headphones roundup where the Sony XM6 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra compete at their full potential.
