Best cheap headphones 2020: budget headphones, great sound

published 5 March 2020

Cheap headphones, everyone's got a pair. They're convenient and, let's be honest, they're the ideal backup, which is why we've collated this list of the best cheap headphones around.

You’ll often hear audiophiles opining that you really mustn’t rely on the earphones that come bundled with your smartphone. We’d agree with that sentiment 100%, but with one important modifier.

UPDATE:For those who want a nice-looking pair of headphones, rich sound and a budget-friendly price tag, you're in luck. We've added the over-ear Urbanista Seattle headphones to our list this week. They're a comfy pair of cans that are particularly appealing right now because you can grab a pair for under £50 on Amazon.

That is: you really don’t have to spend all that much money on a new set of headphones. The right budget headphones these days will give you brilliant sound quality as well as features like wireless connectivity and active noise cancellation (ANC).

The following headphones come in all shapes and sizes, and also a variety of prices. After all, £75 might be considered quite a lot of money for a simple pair of in-ear ’buds, but it’s downright cheap for a set of noise-cancelling on-ear headphones. But they’re all firmly in the budget category.

Which of these cut-price headphones do you prefer? Be sure to vote below.

Thinking about opening up your budget? Don't miss our best wireless headphones mega-test.

Best cheap headphones

The Panasonic ErgoFit RP-TCM125 are easily the cheapest set of headphones on this list, so you should probably temper those expectations of transformative sound. What you get, however, is a comfortable in-ear fit, a one-button mic for taking calls, and solid distortion-free sound quality. They’ll be an improvement (albeit not a seismic one) over many stock smartphone provisions, at the very least, and they’ll do so under the strictest of budgets.

If you're after a comfy pair of over-ear headphones that'll give you some pocket money from a £100 budget, then this pair from Urbanista are what you need. Now, for this price you're going to be getting a slightly plasticky feel, but overall this is a decent pair of cans for the price. They're comfortable, have a soft touch feel and deliver rich sound quality to your ears. We also love this simple design, especially give they're currently discounted on Amazon for under £50 - what a bargain!