The best wireless earbuds under $100 for most people are the EarFun Air Pro 4+, the pair SoundGuys’ lab names its best overall pick in this price range. If quiet matters most, get the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC; if you want the best value, get the CMF Buds 2 Plus; and if you want extras like call recording, get the Nothing Ear (3a). On a tighter budget, SoundGuys’ guide to cheaper earbuds names the CMF Buds 2 its best overall pick; they have noise cancelling but no LDAC and no wireless charging. The Skullcandy Dime 3 have the lowest regular price here and no noise cancelling.
Prices are from each maker’s own store on November 13, 2026. The two budget picks: the CMF Buds 2 were on sale at $25 (list $49) and the Dime 3 were $34.99. The Liberty 4 NC was on sale at $79.99 (list $99.99) and the Ear (3a) was on sale at $69 (list $99). The EarFun was listed at $99.99, and its page showed a short-term coupon code that day. The CMF Buds 2 Plus are the exception: Nothing’s US store sold them for $59 on October 30 and no longer listed them on November 13. SoundGuys gives their MSRP (the maker’s suggested retail price) as $69 and describes them as selling for around $50.
Quick picks
| Pick | Model | Maker’s price (Nov 13, 2026) | Measured noise reduction | Measured battery per charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | EarFun Air Pro 4+ | $99.99 list | 80% | 6 h 17 min, noise cancelling on |
| Best noise cancelling | Soundcore Liberty 4 NC | $79.99 sale (list $99.99) | 84% | 9 h 53 min, noise cancelling on |
| Best value | CMF Buds 2 Plus | Not listed on Nothing’s US store (SoundGuys lists $69 MSRP) | 83% | 10 h 22 min, noise cancelling off |
| Most features | Nothing Ear (3a) | $69 sale (list $99) | 80.9% | About 10 h, noise cancelling off |
| Budget pick | CMF Buds 2 | $25 sale (list $49) | 82% | About 9 h, noise cancelling off |
| Lowest regular price | Skullcandy Dime 3 | $34.99 | None (no noise cancelling) | 6 h 48 min |
Prices are from each maker’s own store on November 13, 2026. The noise and battery columns are SoundGuys’ test results. It tested the first two batteries with active noise cancelling (ANC) on and the next three with it off, and the Dime 3 have no ANC, so compare those rows with care. SoundGuys says its team “runs every pair through the same lab tests for sound, noise canceling, and battery life,” using a Brüel & Kjær 5128 test head with a realistic ear canal.
Best overall: EarFun Air Pro 4+
SoundGuys says the Air Pro 4+ “pack in more current tech than any other earbuds on this list, at about half the price of big-name competitors.” They run Bluetooth 6.0 on Qualcomm’s QCC3091 chip and support LDAC and aptX Lossless, Bluetooth formats that can carry more detail than the basic ones, plus the newer LC3 codec, which EarFun pitches for low power use and a stable connection. Each bud pairs a 10mm driver with a tiny second driver for high notes, which SoundGuys says makes cymbals and guitar plucks easier to pick out.
You also get a wireless charging case, an IP55 rating against dust and water, multipoint (staying connected to two devices at once) and in-ear detection. The EarFun Audio app has a 10-band equalizer (EQ) and a short listening test that builds a sound profile for you.
The weak spot is noise cancelling. EarFun rates it at up to 50dB, but it cut outside noise by 80% in SoundGuys’ testing, which the lab calls fine for a commute but behind its noise-cancelling pick. Battery follows the usual pattern: EarFun rates 12 hours per charge with ANC off and 8 hours with it on, and SoundGuys measured 6 hours and 17 minutes with ANC on.
A successor is close. EarFun showed the Air Pro 5 at IFA 2026, and Notebookcheck reported in late September that it would cost $89.99, $10 less than the 4+‘s list price, and go on sale in November 2026. EarFun’s own Air Pro 4+ page did not list it on November 13. If you need earbuds now, the Air Pro 4+ is the tested pick.
Best noise cancelling: Soundcore Liberty 4 NC
If quieting your commute is the point, these are the ones to get. SoundGuys measured an average 84% cut in outside noise with ANC on, which it says is tied for the highest it has measured from earbuds under $100, and they handled traffic and transit hum well. Of the two picks here that SoundGuys battery-tested with ANC on, this pair lasted longer: 9 hours and 53 minutes per charge, against 6 hours and 17 minutes for the EarFun.
Soundcore lists 11mm drivers, LDAC, 10 hours per charge and 50 with the case, Bluetooth 5.3 with two-device connection, Fast Pair and an IPX4 rating, which Soundcore says covers spills and rain. The case charges wirelessly. One limit: Soundcore’s FAQ says that once LDAC is turned on, the earbuds automatically exit the two-device connection.
Two catches. The default sound leans hard on bass, and SoundGuys suggests the app’s Spoken Word preset, which its measurements show lines up closely with its target curve. The case is chunky. The newer Liberty 5 is not a better buy here. SoundGuys gives its list price as $129.99 and measured only 76% noise reduction and 7 hours and 8 minutes with ANC on, both behind the Liberty 4 NC.
Best value: CMF Buds 2 Plus
These are SoundGuys’ best-value pick under $100, set up in the same Nothing X app as the Ear (3a). SoundGuys scored their sound 4.8 out of 5 and measured an 83% cut in outside noise, especially good with higher-pitched sounds like office chatter. SoundGuys’ summary line: “These earbuds sound like they cost twice as much.”
Nothing lists a 12mm driver, LDAC with Hi-Res certification, a hearing test that tunes the sound to your ears, spatial audio and an IP55 rating. It rates the battery at 14 hours per charge and 61.5 hours with the case, measured with the AAC format and ANC off, and says a 10-minute charge gives 8.5 hours. SoundGuys measured 10 hours and 22 minutes with ANC off.
What you give up: the case has no wireless charging, and the app’s custom EQ has only three bands.
One change since October: Nothing’s US store sold them for $59 on October 30, 2026, and no longer listed them on November 13. Nothing’s UK store still has a product page for them. If the listing below runs out, Nothing’s US store still sold two siblings that day: the CMF Buds Pro 2, which also have LDAC, and the cheaper CMF Buds 2, which don’t.
Most features: Nothing Ear (3a)
SoundGuys says the Ear (3a) have features “you usually only find on flagship earbuds, or nowhere else.” Pinch both buds and Audio Snapshot saves a clip of what you are listening to, and the buds can record phone calls in supported countries, which needs a Nothing account. Nothing says Audio Snapshot keeps up to a minute of media and Call Recording saves up to 2 hours of conversations. They run Bluetooth 6.0 with LDAC, and the Nothing X app has an 8-band EQ that lets you pick exactly which frequencies to raise or lower.
Nothing rates the noise cancelling at up to 45 dB; SoundGuys measured an 80.9% cut, plenty for a normal commute, and found the microphones handled wind better than most $99 earbuds. Battery lasted about 10 hours per charge with ANC off in SoundGuys’ test, and SoundGuys reports a Nothing estimate of around 6 hours with it on. They are rated IP54. The catch is the out-of-the-box sound, which SoundGuys says heavily over-emphasizes bass, so plan a few minutes in the EQ.
Budget pick: CMF Buds 2
This is the pair to get if $50 is your ceiling and you still want noise cancelling. SoundGuys’ under-$50 guide, last restructured on April 10, 2026, names them its best overall pick and says “nothing else at this price comes close” for a shopper who won’t give up ANC or battery life. SoundGuys measured an average 82% cut in outside noise, against 83% for the Buds 2 Plus in its under-$100 guide, and got about 9 hours per charge with ANC off in its testing. SoundGuys’ newer under-$100 guide gives its own under-$50 slot to a different pair, the ROSESELSA Ceramics Ultra, at a $59.99 MSRP; this guide picks the CMF Buds 2, which list for less.
Nothing’s US store listed them at $49 on November 13, 2026, on sale for $25. SoundGuys reviewed them at $59, so the store’s regular price is now lower than the one in the review. Nothing lists an 11 mm driver, six microphones, an IP55 rating against dust and water, and up to 13.5 hours per charge or 55 hours with the case. It claims 48 dB of noise cancelling, and SoundGuys says its measurements “don’t quite reach” that figure.
What you give up: there is no LDAC. The Buds 2 only use AAC and SBC, the two basic Bluetooth formats, so an Android owner who wants LDAC needs the CMF Buds Pro 2 or the Buds 2 Plus. The sound is bass-heavy out of the box, and SoundGuys found the Vocals preset the best-sounding fix. The app’s custom EQ has three bands, SoundGuys measured distortion at higher volumes, and the case has no wireless charging.
Take a lot of calls? Look at the CMF Buds Pro 2 instead. SoundGuys says their six microphones kept voices clear on busy streets and in wind, and it measured an 81% cut in outside noise. The case has a dial for volume and playback, and the default sound is very bass-heavy. Nothing lists LDAC for them, and its US store listed them at the same $49 on November 13, 2026, on sale for $35.
Lowest regular price: Skullcandy Dime 3
The Dime 3 are for the reader who wants to spend about $35 and can live without noise cancelling. Skullcandy’s own store had them at $34.99 on November 13, 2026, with no discount shown. SoundGuys’ verdict: “At this price, it’s hard to beat the Skullcandy Dime 3.”
The reason is the sound. SoundGuys says the frequency response “pretty much exactly follows” its preference curve, the sound target it measures against, where most cheap earbuds overdo the bass or lose it. Its lab measured 6 hours and 48 minutes per charge, short of the 8 hours Skullcandy rates. Skullcandy lists 20 hours of total battery with the case, Bluetooth 5.3, multipoint pairing, three sizes of ear tips and built-in Tile tracking for finding a lost bud. SoundGuys lists an IPX4 rating against sweat and splashes.
What you give up is a lot. There is no noise cancelling, and SoundGuys says the buds “struggled to block out much noise” in its testing, so they are a poor match for buses and planes. There is no app, so you can’t change the controls, and the sound choices stop at three built-in presets. The microphones struggle in wind.
What about the Beats Solo Buds?
The Beats Solo Buds are rated at up to 18 hours of playback per charge, with four ear tip sizes and one-touch pairing on both iPhone and Android. Beats sells them for $79.99. SoundGuys measured 17 hours and 24 minutes on a single charge, which it calls among the best battery life of any wireless earbuds.
They are not a pick here because of what they leave out. There is no noise cancelling, no water resistance rating, and no battery in the case: you recharge by seating the buds in the case while it is plugged into a USB-C cable, and no cable comes in the box. SoundGuys’ review concludes that the Solo Buds “ultimately cut too many corners to warrant a recommendation,” and they are not on its under-$100 list. If you own an iPhone and want Apple’s own earbuds instead, the AirPods guide compares them.
The spec-sheet traps
- Noise cancelling claims are not measurements. EarFun claims up to 50dB, Soundcore claims up to 98.5%, Nothing claims 50 dB for the CMF Buds 2 Plus and up to 45 dB for the Ear (3a), while SoundGuys measured 80%, 84%, 83% and 80.9% for those four pairs. Use the maker’s number as a rough tier, and a lab number to compare.
- Battery headlines assume ANC is off. The Air Pro 4+ drops from 54 total hours to 36 with ANC on. The Liberty 4 NC drops from 50 to 40, and to 25 with both LDAC and ANC on. SoundGuys’ advice: “Look at hours per charge with noise canceling on, not just the total with the case.”
- Some features can’t run together. On the Soundcore Space A40, Soundcore’s own FAQ says LDAC “cannot be used at the same time as multipoint connection.” If a listing stacks a lot of wireless acronyms, check which ones work at the same time.
- iPhones don’t use the fancy codecs. SoundGuys notes that “iPhones use AAC,” and that LDAC and aptX only reach compatible Android phones. On an iPhone, choose on noise cancelling, battery and fit.
How to choose in a minute
- You ride buses, trains or planes: get the Liberty 4 NC. It had the highest measured noise reduction of the picks here and lasted 9 hours and 53 minutes with ANC on.
- You use an Android phone and stream high-quality music: get the Air Pro 4+, whose aptX Lossless and LDAC support only pays off on compatible Android phones.
- You want the lowest price that still blocks noise well: get the CMF Buds 2, which measured an 82% cut and list for $49.
- You want strong noise cancelling plus LDAC for less than the top picks’ list prices: get the CMF Buds 2 Plus, which SoundGuys lists at a $69 MSRP. Nothing’s US store no longer listed them on November 13.
- You want to spend about $35 and don’t need noise cancelling: get the Dime 3.
- You take a lot of calls outside or like gadget tricks: get the Ear (3a), whose microphones SoundGuys found handled wind better than most at this price. On a tighter budget, the CMF Buds Pro 2 are the pair for calls.
- You sweat or run in the rain: check the IP rating. The EarFun, CMF Buds 2 Plus and CMF Buds 2 are IP55, the Ear (3a) is IP54, and the Liberty 4 NC and Dime 3 are IPX4. SoundGuys explains that the second digit covers water: “4 handles sweat and splashes, 5 handles light rain.”
- You would rather plug in than charge: the wired noise-cancelling earbuds guide covers wired pairs with noise cancelling.
Why the Space A40 is gone
The Soundcore Space A40 was this guide’s battery pick, but it no longer stands out on battery. Soundcore gives it the same rating as the Liberty 4 NC: 10 hours per charge and 50 hours with the case. The CMF Buds 2 Plus are rated higher, at 61.5 hours with the case. On November 13, 2026, soundcore’s store had the Space A40 on sale at $59.99 (list $99.99), $20 less than the Liberty 4 NC that day. SoundGuys’ under-$100 list includes the Liberty 4 NC and not the Space A40, so this guide has no lab result for it from that list.
Wireless earbuds under $100 questions
What are the best wireless earbuds under $100?
The EarFun Air Pro 4+, SoundGuys’ best overall pick under $100, at a $99.99 list price on EarFun’s store on November 13, 2026. They run Bluetooth 6.0 with LDAC and aptX Lossless and pair two drivers in each bud.
Which cheap earbuds have the best noise cancelling?
The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC. SoundGuys measured an average 84% cut in outside noise, tied for the highest it has measured under $100. Soundcore’s store had them at $79.99 on November 13, 2026, down from a $99.99 list price.
What are the cheapest good earbuds with noise cancelling?
This guide’s pick is the CMF Buds 2. Nothing’s US store listed them at $49 on November 13, 2026, on sale for $25. SoundGuys measured an 82% cut in outside noise and names them the best overall pick in its under-$50 guide. They have no LDAC.
Should I wait for the EarFun Air Pro 5?
Only if you don’t need earbuds now. Notebookcheck reported in late September that the Air Pro 5 would cost $89.99, $10 less than the 4+‘s list price, and go on sale in November 2026. EarFun’s Air Pro 4+ page did not list it on November 13. The Air Pro 4+ is the one SoundGuys has already tested and picked.
Does the Beats Solo Buds case have a battery?
No. SoundGuys confirms the case has no battery, so total battery life is whatever the buds hold. Beats rates the buds at up to 18 hours per charge, and you recharge them by seating them in the case while it is connected to a USB-C cable.
Do cheap earbuds with LDAC work with an iPhone?
They work, but without LDAC. SoundGuys says iPhones use AAC and that LDAC picks fall back to a standard format on them, AAC in the Buds 2 Plus’s case. On an iPhone, compare noise cancelling, battery and fit instead.
If your budget stretches further, the noise-cancelling headphones guide covers over-ear headphones and pricier noise-cancelling earbuds.
Sources (17)
- myearfun.com EarFun: Air Pro 4+ product page
- nothing.tech CMF Buds 2 Plus product page
- us.nothing.tech Nothing: CMF Buds 2 Plus US store page, October 30, 2026
- us.nothing.tech Nothing: US store audio page
- us.nothing.tech Nothing: CMF Buds 2 product page
- us.nothing.tech Nothing: CMF Buds Pro 2 product page
- skullcandy.com Dime 3 product page
- soundguys.com The best wireless earbuds under $50
- soundguys.com CMF Buds 2 review
- soundguys.com Skullcandy Dime 3 review
- soundcore.com Liberty 4 NC product page
- soundcore.com Space A40 product page
- beatsbydre.com Beats: Solo Buds product page
- soundguys.com The best wireless earbuds under $100
- us.nothing.tech Nothing: Ear (3a) product page
- soundguys.com Beats Solo Buds review
- notebookcheck.net EarFun Air Pro 5 announced at IFA 2026
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