Best budget noise-cancelling earbuds in 2026: the 5 worth buying under $100
Soundcore Liberty 4 NC, CMF Buds 2 Plus, EarFun Air Pro 4, CMF Buds 2a and Sony WF-C710N compared, with verified prices, battery life and codecs.
The skim
- Best under $100 overall: Soundcore Liberty 4 NC. $99.99 list, often less. Strong adaptive noise cancelling, LDAC, two-device pairing and a wireless charging case.
- Best value: CMF Buds 2 Plus. $59. Nothing's budget brand gets you adaptive ANC, LDAC and IP55 dust and water resistance, and a top-tier sound score in SoundGuys' testing.
- Best for Android audio fans: EarFun Air Pro 4. $89.99 list but regularly far less. It adds aptX Lossless, LDAC, wireless charging and in-ear detection.
- Cheapest that's still worth it: CMF Buds 2a. $29 for real hybrid ANC.
- Best name brand on sale: Sony WF-C710N. No LDAC, but Sony's tuning, multipoint and an IPX4 rating, and it's been under $80 on Amazon.
List prices come from each maker's own U.S. store, checked Oct. 24, 2026; Amazon prices noted as "on Amazon" were checked the same day and change often. Skimwire may earn a commission from links in this guide. As an Amazon Associate, Skimwire earns from qualifying purchases. That never decides what we recommend.
At a glance
| Liberty 4 NC | CMF Buds 2 Plus | EarFun Air Pro 4 | CMF Buds 2a | Sony WF-C710N | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maker's list price | $99.99 | $59 | $89.99 | $29 | $119.99 at launch |
| On Amazon, Oct. 24 | $79.99 | $59.00 | $53.16 | $29.00 | $78.99 |
| Noise cancelling | Adaptive ("up to 98.5%" claimed) | Adaptive hybrid, 50 dB claimed | Adaptive hybrid, up to 50 dB claimed | Hybrid, 42 dB claimed | Yes, plus ambient mode |
| Battery (buds / with case) | 10 h / 50 h (ANC off) | Up to 61.5 h total | 11 h / 52 h | 8 h / 35.5 h | 8.5 h with NC on (12 h off) |
| Hi-res codecs | LDAC | LDAC | LDAC, aptX Lossless | No | No (SBC, AAC) |
| Two devices at once | Yes | Yes | Yes | — | Yes |
| Wireless charging case | Yes | No | Yes | No | No |
| Water rating | IPX4 | IP55 | IPX5 | IP54 | IPX4 |
What matters in cheap noise-cancelling earbuds
- Fit beats specs. Noise cancelling only works if the tips seal your ear canal. Try every tip size in the box, and use the fit test in the app if there is one.
- Ignore "dB" and "%" claims on the box. Makers measure them differently, so they can't be compared. Independent lab numbers, like SoundGuys' measurements quoted below, are more useful.
- LDAC and aptX only help on Android. iPhones use AAC, so an iPhone owner shouldn't pay extra for them.
- Multipoint keeps the buds connected to your phone and laptop at the same time. It's the feature people miss most once they've had it.
Soundcore Liberty 4 NC: best overall under $100
Anker's Liberty 4 NC lists at $99.99 on soundcore.com and was $79.99 on Amazon on Oct. 24. It's still the pick that does everything well. In SoundGuys' testing it cut the loudness of outside noise by an average of 84%, tied for the best they've measured under $100, and lasted 9 hours 53 minutes with ANC on.
Anker rates it at 10 hours per charge and 50 hours with the case, with 11mm drivers, LDAC, Bluetooth 5.3 multipoint, six call mics, IPX4 splash resistance and a case that charges wirelessly.
Watch out for:
- The default sound is very bassy. SoundGuys suggests the Spoken Word preset as a more balanced starting point.
- The case is chunky, and IPX4 means splashes, not a sweaty run in the rain.
Buy: Soundcore Liberty 4 NC on Amazon. Other colors are on the same listing.
CMF Buds 2 Plus: best value
At $59 on Nothing's U.S. store and on Amazon, the CMF Buds 2 Plus are the easiest recommendation here. SoundGuys measured an 83% drop in perceived outside noise and gave them a 4.8 out of 5 sound-quality score. That puts their sound in the top half of every earbud the site has measured, at any price.
You get 12mm drivers, LDAC, Bluetooth 5.4 with two-device pairing, IP55 dust and water resistance, and up to 61.5 hours of total playback with the case, by Nothing's rating. The Nothing X app adds a hearing test that tunes the sound to your ears, plus a custom EQ.
Watch out for:
- No wireless charging.
- The mics struggle with background noise, according to SoundGuys. They're fine for music, less so for calls in a busy office.
- Like most budget ANC, they're better with high-pitched noise than with the low rumble of a plane or bus.
Buy: CMF Buds 2 Plus on Amazon.
EarFun Air Pro 4: best for Android audio fans
The EarFun Air Pro 4 lists at $89.99 on EarFun's site, but it's regularly discounted: it was $53.16 on Amazon on Oct. 24. At that price it packs in more features than anything else here. It uses Qualcomm's QCC3091 chip with aptX Lossless and Snapdragon Sound, plus LDAC and LE Audio. EarFun rates the adaptive ANC at up to 50 dB.
Battery life is rated at 11 hours per charge and 52 hours with the case, and 10 minutes of charging adds about 2 hours. The case charges wirelessly, the buds have in-ear detection and are rated IPX5, and there are six mics for calls. CNN Underscored names it the best budget noise-cancelling pair, praising both its ANC and its sound.
Watch out for: aptX Lossless needs a recent Android phone that supports Snapdragon Sound. On an iPhone these are simply good AAC earbuds, so the Liberty 4 NC or CMF Buds 2 Plus may be the better buy.
Buy: EarFun Air Pro 4 on Amazon.
CMF Buds 2a: best under $30
The CMF Buds 2a cost $29 from Nothing and on Amazon, and they still have hybrid noise cancelling (rated at 42 dB) and 12.4mm drivers. Nothing rates them at up to 8 hours per charge. The SoundGuys spec listing puts total life at 35.5 hours with the case, with Bluetooth 5.4 and IP54 resistance. Tom's Guide calls them about as impressive as budget buds get.
Watch out for: there's no in-ear detection or LDAC, and the build feels plasticky. They're a great spare pair or a first pair, not a Liberty 4 NC rival.
Buy: CMF Buds 2a on Amazon.
Sony WF-C710N: best name brand on sale
Sony launched the WF-C710N at $119.99, but it was $78.99 on Amazon on Oct. 24. Sony's spec sheet lists noise cancelling with an ambient sound mode, multipoint, IPX4, Bluetooth 5.3 and 8.5 hours of music with noise cancelling on (12 hours off).
Watch out for: it supports only SBC and AAC, and the case doesn't charge wirelessly. At full price, the Liberty 4 NC gives you more for less. Buy the Sony only when it's discounted.
Buy: Sony WF-C710N on Amazon.
How to choose in 30 seconds
- iPhone owner, best all-round pair: Liberty 4 NC.
- Tight budget but you want it to sound great: CMF Buds 2 Plus.
- Recent Android phone and you care about codecs: EarFun Air Pro 4.
- Under $30, or a pair for the gym bag: CMF Buds 2a.
- Want a big brand: Sony WF-C710N, but only on sale.
- Want to hear traffic while you run? Skip ANC and read our open-ear earbuds guide.
Key facts
What are the best noise-cancelling earbuds under $100?
The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC ($99.99 list, $79.99 on Amazon on Oct. 24, 2026). It cut outside noise by 84% in SoundGuys' testing and has LDAC, multipoint and wireless charging.
What are the best cheap noise-cancelling earbuds?
The $59 CMF Buds 2 Plus for the best sound for the money, or the $29 CMF Buds 2a if you want the lowest price that still gets you real ANC.
Is LDAC worth it on an iPhone?
No. iPhones don't support LDAC or aptX. They use AAC, which all five picks here support.
Do budget earbuds cancel airplane noise?
They reduce it, but cheap ANC is usually weaker against low engine rumble than premium models like Sony's or Bose's flagships. A good seal from the right ear tips matters most.
Sources
- Anker/Soundcore: Liberty 4 NC product page
- Nothing: CMF Buds 2 Plus and CMF Buds 2a store pages
- EarFun: Air Pro 4 product page
- Sony: WF-C710N specifications and launch announcement
- Testing and reviews: SoundGuys (under $100), SoundGuys (CMF Buds 2 Plus review), SoundGuys (best ANC), CNN Underscored, Tom's Guide
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