Five pairs of headphones that punch well above their price, ranked for 2026.
A hundred dollars used to buy you compromises. In 2026, it buys genuinely good sound. Here are the headphones worth your money under $100.
What matters at this price
At this budget you’re choosing what to prioritise: noise cancellation, sound quality, or battery life. No headphone under $100 does all three perfectly, so pick the one that fits how you’ll actually use it.
The picks
- Best overall — a balanced pair with surprisingly good ANC for the price.
- Best sound — an audiophile-leaning pair that skips ANC to focus on tuning.
- Best for travel — long battery and a folding design.
- Best for calls — a boom mic that isolates your voice.
- Best budget — the cheapest pair that doesn’t sound cheap.
How we rank them
Each pick is ranked on sound, comfort, battery, and build quality, using the same 0–5 scale we use across the site.
For the full list with ratings and prices, keep an eye on our reviews section.