We have a list of the best cheap true-wireless earbuds. But what if you want to pay as little as possible? Say, under $40 or even less? Yes, there are an increasing number of cheap true wireless earbuds out there, but only a few that stand out for being a cut above and surprisingly decent for the price. As I like to say, you shouldn’t expect the world at this low price, but you can throw any of these wireless earbuds in a gym bag (when gyms open again) and not feel heartbroken if you happen to lose them.
The wireless headphone game has evolved significantly over the last few years. The market has completely flooded, and there are wireless earphone options that we never could have imagined. These earphones are so tiny, but can come with noise isolation, incredible battery life, ear hooks, microphones and more. And a pair of cheap earbuds could totally meet all of your needs when it comes to filtering out background noise on your commute or during your workout. And, with these new-fangled phones forgoing a headphone jack, you don’t need to worry about spending a ton of money on top-notch Bluetooth earbuds.
Here are my current dirt-cheap true-wireless favorites, listed from lowest to highest price. I’ve tried them all, and I’ll update this list periodically. If you’re looking for the best true wireless earbuds for under $50, here is where you start your search.
Read more: Best cheap true-wireless earbuds of 2022
Amazon
The Tranya Rimor started out at $50 but have since dipped to $30. They have decent sound, an IPX5 water-resistant rating, which means they’re sweatproof and can withstand a sustained spray of water, and their charging case is fairly compact and charges via USB-C. At 5 hours battery life isn’t fantastic, but the charging case does give you three extra charges.
At $30, they’re a bargain. For a few bucks more, you can get the Tranya T3, which look similar (a lot of Tranya’s products look alike). I haven’t tried it but it has high ratings on Amazon. Tranya says these have 10mm drivers while the T3 have 6mm drivers. The Rimor has more bass but the T3 apparently has better battery life. A new T10 model is coming soon.
David Carnoy/CNET
The Enacfire E60 is a pretty low-frills affair from a design standpoint and the Enacfire logo on the case is a bit jarring. But like the similarly designed Earfun Free, it has both USB-C and wireless charging and is fully waterproof (IPX8 certification, which means it can be fully submerged in shallow water).
It delivers good sound for its modest price, with punchy bass and decent clarity. It even has aptX streaming for devices that support it, such as Samsung’s Galaxy phones. Don’t expect incredible sound — it’s a bit uneven from track to track, sometimes sounding great and other times less good — but again, for the price, it exceeded my expectations. I also thought it performed well as a headset for making calls. It offers good noise reduction, and callers said I sounded clear.
While it lists for about $30 on Amazon, there’s currently a 20% instant savings coupon that brings the price down to $24. Important note: You have to make sure to clip the coupon before checking out. If it doesn’t apply at checkout, go back to your cart and look for the “clip the coupon” link to the right of the product.
David Carnoy/CNET
While the Tribit Flybuds 3 don’t sound stellar (there’s a bit of treble push, which is sometimes referred to as presence boost), they do sound decent and feature an ample amount of bass so long as you get a tight seal (I had no problem). They’re pretty discreet — about the same size as Samsung’s Galaxy Buds Plus — and are equipped with little wings similar to the Buds Plus that help you get a secure fit.
They’re also waterproof (IPX7 rating) and deliver 5 hours of battery life on a single charge, which isn’t great compared to some competing models. However, the case is equipped with a 2,600-mAh battery that can charge the buds 20 times, according to Tribit. Additionally, the case can also charge your phone (it has a USB-C input for recharging and a USB-A-out port for charging other devices). That bigger battery makes the case a little bulky and somewhat heavy, but the buds themselves are lightweight. They have touch controls and work reasonably well for making voice calls.
Update: While the deal lasts, you can get these earbuds for $32 when you click the coupon on the product page.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Amazon lists these for $40, but if you clip the coupon, you get 10% off. What’s most impressive about the EarFun Free is its features: Bluetooth 5.0, both USB-C and wireless charging, and it’s fully waterproof (IPX7), according to the specs. Is the audio pristine? No, but these Bluetooth earbuds sound pretty good — it’s not just noise coming out of the Bluetooth earbud speaker. They don’t have the audio clarity of higher-end true wireless earbuds that cost $150 a pair or more, but they do have plump bass and enough audio detail to make you think you got your money’s worth with the sound quality, and then some. The earbuds are also pretty solid for making calls. The battery lasts six hours at moderate volume levels, and the case provides four charges on the go.
