Best cheap wireless earbuds (2026): skip the pricey ones
Get the soundcore P31i: real noise cancelling for under $50 / £50. Skip the Beats Solo Buds, which cost more and have no noise cancelling at all.
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The short answer
Beats Solo Buds
Skip: no noise cancelling
- Researched
- No noise cancelling, and the case does not charge the earbuds, at $79.99 / £79.99.
$79.99/£79.99Apple US & UK stores, checked 3 Oct 2026
What matters
Three things decide a budget pair. Noise cancelling (ANC) is now normal under $50 / £50, so don't settle for less. Check battery life with ANC switched on, because that's how you'll use it. And match the codec to your phone: iPhones use AAC, while LDAC only helps on Android phones that support it.
ANCBlocks engine and traffic rumble. Worth having on any commute.
BatteryCompare hours per charge with ANC on, not the headline total.
CodecAAC for iPhone. LDAC for supported Android phones.
Multipoint lets the earbuds stay connected to your phone and laptop at once. A water rating such as IP55 means they shrug off sweat and rain.
Compare the picks
| Verdict | Model | ANC | Battery (ANC on) | Codecs | How judged |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PICK | soundcore P31i | Adaptive | 8 h / 40 h | LDAC | Researched |
| BUDGET | JLab Go Pop ANC | Yes | 6 h / 20 h | SBC, AAC | Researched |
| SKIP | Beats Solo Buds | No | 18 h (no ANC) | not listed | Researched |
Specs from each maker's own product page; see Sources. Battery shows hours per charge / total with the case. Prices from the brands' and Apple's US and UK stores, checked 3 Oct 2026; they change often and may be lower elsewhere.
Our verdicts
PICK
soundcore P31i
ResearchedThe best pair for most people under $50 / £50.
Why it’s good
- Adaptive noise cancelling, up to 52 dB
- 8 h per charge with ANC on, 40 h with the case
Watch out for
- soundcore does not state a water rating or multipoint on its product page
BUDGET
JLab Go Pop ANC
ResearchedReal noise cancelling, two-device pairing and IP55 sweat resistance for about $18 / £20 less than the Pick.
Why it’s good
- Connects to two devices at once (multipoint)
- IP55 sweat and splash resistance
You give up
- 6 h per charge (20 h with the case) with ANC on, no adaptive ANC and no LDAC
SKIP
Beats Solo Buds
ResearchedApple promotes these widely, and the tiny case looks great. But they have no active noise cancelling, only the seal of the ear tips. Beats also says the case is for storage and protection and does not charge the earbuds; you plug the case into USB-C to charge them. At $79.99 / £79.99 they cost more than the Pick, which has both.
How we chose
Show how we chose
We compared six pairs priced from about $30 to $100. Every verdict was checked on the maker's own product page and on a US and a UK store on 3 Oct 2026. To be a pick a pair had to be sold in both countries and have active noise cancelling. Then we weighed battery life with ANC on, codecs, extra features and price.
Tested means we used it ourselves. Researched means we judged it from specs, independent tests, safety rules and owner reports, without using it. We never mark a researched pick as tested.
Questions
Do budget earbuds work with iPhone?
Yes. All three connect over Bluetooth to iPhone and Android. The JLab uses AAC, the codec iPhones prefer.
What is LDAC, and do I need it?
LDAC is a higher-quality Bluetooth codec for supported Android phones. iPhones don't use it, so it makes no difference there.
Is noise cancelling worth it on cheap earbuds?
Yes, for commuting and travel. It takes the edge off engine and traffic noise, so you can listen at a lower volume.
Sources
Show the sources
- soundcore US: P31i, accessed 3 Oct 2026
- soundcore UK: P31i, accessed 3 Oct 2026
- JLab US: Go Pop ANC, accessed 3 Oct 2026
- JLab UK: Go Pop ANC, accessed 3 Oct 2026
- Beats: Solo Buds, accessed 3 Oct 2026
- Apple US: Beats Solo Buds, accessed 3 Oct 2026
- Apple UK: Beats Solo Buds, accessed 3 Oct 2026
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