The best affordable noise-canceling headphones in 2024
Finding budget-friendly noise-canceling headphones can be tricky as they usually have a shorter battery life, poor noise reduction, or awful audio.
Yet, we're here to uncover the best headphones that are effective at reducing environmental noise, offer great audio quality, have decent battery capacity, and, best of all, are reasonably priced.
We'll provide ten budget-friendly headphones you can get in 2024 and guidance on how to pick the right one for you.
Top 5 best affordable noise-canceling headphones – shortlist
- JBL Tune 760NC Wireless – best budget noise-canceling headphones overall
- Anker Soundcore Life Q30 Wireless – cheap but effective ANC
- Sennheiser CX Plus – best affordable headphones with premium-level audio
- Edifier W820NB Plus – impressive noise canceling at a low price
- Cleer Enduro ANC – not as cheap but great value for money
How to choose the best budget noise-canceling headphones?
There are several things you should look at to find the most budget-friendly noise-canceling headphones, including:
- Noise removal ability. Some cheap headphones can only reduce noise by 20 dB. However, some affordable headphones can reduce up to 40 dB. Ask yourself, how much noise removal power do you need?
- Affordability. To find the best budget noise-canceling headphones, search for products within a low price range. Take note of the features and compare the offer to the other headphones. Ask yourself, are the features and quality worth the price?
- Audio resolution. Audio quality varies a lot in the cheap headphones section. Some budget earphones have cheap, tinny audio, and the best have ANC, auto equalization, and premium drivers for immersive sound. How much is quality audio worth to you?
- Battery capacity. Low-cost noise-canceling headphones often use poor-quality batteries to cut costs. The worst can have as little as 6 hours, and the best have upwards of 40. Ask yourself, is the battery capacity good enough for your needs?
- Materials. To get the best, you need to avoid cheap materials. Low-quality earcups are uncomfortable and feel cheap. Some clamps are too tight or snap easily. Ask yourself if the materials are comfortable, well-fitting, and built to last.
10 budget-friendly noise-canceling headphones – our detailed list
Our curated list of the best affordable noise-canceling headphones is a result of rigorous testing. Our team of expert researchers tested these headphones based on the qualities of noise canceling, price, sound quality, and comfort.
Take a look at our detailed list of the best budget-friendly options for noise-canceling headphones:
1. JBL Tune 760NC Wireless – best budget noise-canceling headphones overall
| Sound quality: | Excellent |
| Noise-cancellation level: | Great |
| Battery: | 35h |
In terms of features, quality, and price -The Tune 760NCs are the best affordable noise-canceling headphones you can get.
Noise canceling. Its ANC technology is effective at removing ambient and other low-volume sounds. It’s perfect for blocking out background conversations or an annoying fan hum.
Sound quality. The Tune 760NC delivers precise and clear notes across all genres we tested. The audio is excellent, and you couldn’t ask for more at such a low price point.
Battery. Most budget headphones have cheaper batteries, which don’t last long. JBL’s Tune 760NC lasts 35 hours and fully charges in just two hours.
Comfort. The padding is soft, plush, and altogether comfy. But the clamp feels a little tight when you wear it for too long. So, it’s better suited for people with smaller heads.
2. Anker Soundcore Life Q30 Wireless – cheap but effective ANC
| Sound quality: | Excellent |
| Noise-cancellation level: | Excellent |
| Battery: | 40h |
Most cheap noise-canceling headphones don’t use the most advanced ANC technology – but Soundcore’s Q30s are incredibly affordable and offer very reasonable noise reduction.
Noise canceling. Thanks to its double noise detecting mic system, the Q30s successfully filter 95% of low-frequency sound. Plus, these headphones have an outdoor and indoor mode, so the ANC is always just right.
Sound quality. These headphones have 40mm drivers that dramatically enhance the treble for excellent high-resolution audio. But when you use AUX, the audio drops significantly in quality. We also noticed that some of the sound was audible to people nearby.
Battery. Its battery lasts 40 hours, five hours more than JBL Tune 760NC. Plus, it fully charges in 50 minutes.
Comfort. The Anker Soundcore Life Q30 uses soft leather memory foamed earcups to guarantee pressureless comfort all day long.
3. Sennheiser CX Plus – best affordable headphones with premium-level audio
| Sound quality: | Great |
| Noise-cancellation level: | Excellent |
| Battery: | 8h |
Sennheiser’s CX Plus are affordable noise-canceling headphones perfect for audio lovers looking for high-res audio.
Noise canceling. Thanks to its advanced Active Noise Cancellation technology, the CX Plus is excellent at noise removal.
Sound quality. Thanks to Sennheiser’s TrueResponse transducer, audio is automatically equalized. This means you get clear and crisp audio despite its low price.
Battery. One downside is that the battery is only 8 hours. This is a lot less compared to the Tune 760NCs and the Life Q30s wireless headphones.
Comfort. It comes with four earbud fittings to ensure you get the perfect fit for your ear. Unfortunately, we did find the earbuds a little uncomfortable after long-term use.
4. Edifier W820NB Plus – impressive noise canceling at a low price
| Sound quality: | Average |
| Noise-cancellation level: | Excellent |
| Battery: | 49h |
If you’re looking for cheap noise-canceling headphones mainly to block out your surroundings, you should check out Edifier’s W820NB Plus.
Noise canceling. With its Hybrid Noise Cancellation technology, W820NBs are exceptional at removing unwanted noise – both at home and out in a busy town.
Sound quality. Unfortunately, these wireless headphones don’t offer the best sound quality compared to others on our list. The base is a little unpronounced, and some notes lack clarity, but it’s still reasonable for its price.
Battery. W820NB budget headphones have a great battery life. An exceptional 49 hours on a single charge.
Comfort. There’s a cheaper feel to these headphones, which is sort of expected at its price point. However, this headset uses higher-grade memory foam and its patented technology for maximum comfort – even with long-term use.
5. Cleer Enduro ANC – not as cheap but great value for money
| Sound quality: | Good |
| Noise-cancellation level: | Medium |
| Battery: | 50h |
You should consider Cleer’s Enduro ANC headphones if your budget is a little higher and you’re looking for the best audio quality for a low price.
Noise canceling. With its advanced ANC technology, Enduros can remove up to 25dB of noise. This is perfect for most people who are trying to dampen irritating background sounds.
Sound quality. These noise-canceling headphones have impressive patented drivers that produce immersive, high-quality audio.
Battery. Cleer’s Enduro ANCs can handle more than 50 hours of playback on a single charge – provided your volume is set to around 50%.
Comfort. The headset is slightly heavy on the head. But it's adjustable and well-designed to fit comfortably. Plus, the earbuds are well-cushioned soft material, so there’s only a slight discomfort when worn for long periods of time.
6. 1More SonoFlow SE – the cheapest noise-reducing headphones
| Sound quality: | Average |
| Noise-cancellation level: | Good |
| Battery: | 50h |
If you’re looking for the cheapest noise-canceling headphones with reasonable features, you should consider Sono Flow SEs.
Noise canceling. These SonoFlow SEs use innovative tech to block out a wide range of unwanted environmental noises.
Sound quality. The sound is mediocre. But it’s the best sound quality you can get at this price point.
Battery. It lasts 50 hours with ANC switched on, and it doesn’t take very long to charge.
Comfort. SonoFlow SEs use leather designed to feel comfortable on the skin. Plus, they have a customizable headband for a secure fit – no slippage.
7. Urbanista Miami – incredible audio but a little pricy on a tight budget
| Sound quality: | Top-tier |
| Noise-cancellation level: | Average |
| Battery: | 40h |
If you want top-tier audio quality more than anything else, Urbanista’s Miami headphones are a reasonably affordable option.
Noise canceling. Its ANC is pretty good, cutting out most background noises successfully. But we did find equal noise canceling ability on much cheaper products.
Sound quality. These headphones have such excellent audio that it’s worth the extra cost. There’s fantastic low-end bass, crisp audio, and premium-level sound balancing.
Battery. 40 hours with ANC on is more than enough for an everyday headphone user.
Comfort. We found the headband a little tight on larger heads, and the earcups don’t fit over larger ears. That being said, the earbuds are very soft, well-cushioned, and aren’t irritating to the skin.
8. Sennheiser HD 450BT – perfect for audio lovers who have a little extra to spend
| Sound quality: | Top-tier |
| Noise-cancellation level: | Average |
| Battery: | 30h |
Noise canceling. Unfortunately, Sennheiser’s HD450BT headphones don’t have the best noise-canceling technology. But it still reduces outside noises by around 50% most of the time.
Sound quality. The HD 450BTs have premium-level audio, typically found in noise-canceling headphones, which are significantly more expensive. It’s excellent at producing strings and vocals. Plus, the base is enhanced in a way that makes every genre sound great.
Battery. The headphones can last 30 hours on a single charge and have USB-C fast-charging support. This battery life is adequate. You can use it for a full day or so without needing to recharge.
Comfort. Unfortunately, the HD 450BT has quite a strong clamp, and we found it to be a little tight around the head. The padding also could do with some improvement.
9. Monoprice BT 600ANC – top-tier noise cancellation
| Sound quality: | Good |
| Noise-cancellation level: | Top-tier |
| Battery: | 36h |
Monoprice’s BT600ANC headphones offer incredible noise-canceling technology at a very reasonable price.
Noise canceling. Monoprice was awarded Editor’s Choice Award for its advanced noise cancellation. It effectively suppresses environmental noise up to 35dB, which is better than a lot of expensive headphones.
Sound quality. These noise-canceling headphones have an excellent bass, mids, and treble range – appropriate for most music fans. But it doesn’t offer the best sound quality. Not bad, just nothing to get excited about.
Battery. With a 36-hour and 20-minute charge, the BT 600ANC are perfect for listening to music all day and all night.
Comfort. The ear cups are better suited to someone with small ears. But aside from that, the BT 600ANC headphones are nice to wear. The earcups are very well-cushioned and soft. Plus, the clamp isn’t too tight on the head.
10. JBL Tune 660NC – great value as long as you don’t need high-level noise reduction
| Sound quality: | Excellent |
| Noise-cancellation level: | Average |
| Battery: | 40h |
If you’re looking for cheap headphones with excellent quality audio and a long-lasting battery the Tune 660NCs are an excellent choice.
Noise canceling. JBL’s Tune 660NCs don’t have the most advanced ANC technology. It’s still fine for removing quiet sounds under and around 10 dB.
Sound quality. The audio is incredible. No matter which genre you choose, it’s crisp notes and full-bodied bass every time. It’s rare to find such high-quality audio at such a reasonable price.
Battery. Despite its low price, Tune 660NCs have up to 40 hours of playback time – which is better than a lot of far more expensive headphones.
Comfort. Thanks to its fluffy cushioned earcups and skin-friendly material, you can wear the headset for hours with minimal discomfort. That being said, the Tune 660NC’s round design doesn’t fit all head shapes, and you might find it’s slightly tight if you have an unusually shaped head.
How we selected the best affordable noise-canceling headphones
To find the best noise-canceling headphones with fair prices, we looked at the most important factors:
- Noise canceling standard. We analyzed the noise-canceling ability of every headphone we reviewed. For each, we measured the handling of external sound removal at different audio levels and whether it covered the ears correctly for maximal noise reduction.
- Cost and value. We compared tons of noise-canceling headphones within a low-price range. We considered the features of each and how much they cost. From this, we’re able to gauge which noise-canceling headphones offer the best value for money.
- Audio quality. We searched for the very best in audio technology. We found headphones that produce crisp and clear notes and others that offer reasonable quality for lower prices. We selected the ones with the best audio quality to price ratio.
- Battery life. We accounted for the battery life of every headphone we reviewed, how long it lasted using different features, and how quickly it fully recharged.
- Comfort and durability. We looked at each headphone’s material. For example, the clamp tightness, earcup padding, and skin-fabric friendliness. We also determined whether the materials seemed sturdy enough to last the test of time.
Also read:
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Best noise-canceling headphones for sleeping: have trouble sleeping? These noise-canceling headphones might be a solution
Comparison of best value noise-canceling headphones
With so many fabulous affordable headphones to choose from, it might be quite a challenge to compare them among themselves. The table below shows the key features of the top three options compared.
| Model: | JBL Tune 760NC Wireless | Anker Soundcore Life Q30 Wireless | Sennheiser CX Plus | Edifier W820NB Plus | Cleer Enduro ANC |
| Sound quality: | Excellent | Excellent | Great | Average | Good |
| Noise-cancellation level: | Great | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Medium |
| Battery: | 35h | 40h | 8h | 49h | 50h |
| Additional information: |
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Pros and cons of noise-canceling headphones
It's important to understand the main pros and cons of noise-canceling headphones to make an informed decision.
Pros:
- Sound clarity. Noise-canceling headphones block out disruptive sounds in your surroundings. This allows for an enhanced listening experience with fewer interruptions.
- Improved call quality. Headphones that use ANC often have advanced voice recognition. So you won’t just hear better on phone calls - the person on the other end can hear your voice more clearly, too.
- Reduces stress. Unwanted noises can cause irritation that drastically reduces your quality of life. Blocking out these stressful sounds with noise-canceling technology is going to help you relax.
- Improved productivity. It's usually a lot easier to concentrate in a quieter environment. So, noise-canceling headphones can increase your productivity.
Cons:
- Shorter battery life. Noise-canceling headphones are typically very feature-heavy. Some features, such as ANC use a significant amount of power. So, noise-canceling headphones often don’t last as long on a single charge.
- Lower awareness. Some headphones are so effective at removing outside noise that you barely hear any surrounding noise. This is a little dangerous - you mightn’t hear a smoke alarm, or when you’re outside, you can’t hear oncoming traffic.
Do 100% noise-canceling headphones exist?
No, 100% noise-canceling headphones don’t exist. Every noise-canceling headphones, no matter how advanced the noise reduction technology is, has its limits.
Most noise-canceling headphones reduce noise by around 20-40dB of noise. At its highest level, this is enough to remove up to 75% of background noise.
There are many factors that affect a headphone's noise removal capabilities. For example, whether it uses Active Noise Cancellation or noise reduction.
Active Noise Cancellation uses microphones to capture external noises. It then produces sound to mask whatever it detects. Noise-isolating headphones use soundproof material and an air-tight ear seal.
The best budget noise-canceling headphones use both active noise cancellation and noise Isolation techniques to get as close to 100% as possible.
FAQ
Is it worth buying noise-canceling headphones?
Yes, it’s worth buying noise-canceling headphones. Noise-canceling isn’t as expensive as it once was. For only a minimal cost, you can reduce your exposure to irritating external noises and become fully immersed in the music of your choosing.
Why are noise-canceling headphones so expensive?
Noise-canceling headphones are expensive because of the use of Active Noise Cancellation. This technology is new and makes manufacturing more complicated. This added complication translates to higher production costs, which are then passed on to you, the consumer.
What are the best budget noise-canceling headphones?
The best budget noise-canceling headphones are JBL’s Tune 760NCs. These headphones are unmatched in terms of value for money. The headset produces premium-quality audio, has a long-lasting battery, and offers effective noise reduction.
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