As someone who’s not really interested in audiophile-level equipment, where do you turn to find out more about headphones? It seems that the only market that brands are interested in today is the audiophile community.

So how do you learn more about the best affordable headphones?

Today, we’ve decided to help you out by creating a list of the best affordable headphones on the market right now. If you’re not willing to spend more than $40 on a pair of headphones, this is the right place for you.

In case you’re short of time, feel free to skip to the end and look at our final verdict.

Top Rated Inexpensive Headphones Comparison Table

Best Affordable Headphone Reviews

1. Koss PortaPro Headphones

Once it became obvious that there was a huge market for open-back headphones, almost every headphone brand jumped in and started making them.

The Koss PortaPro are innovative headphones that use the open-back design to great success.

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Design

First things first, the Koss PortaPros are on-ear headphones. However, they are extremely comfortable and provide a perfect fit with the included adjustable headband and pivoting ear plates.

The headphones feature two temporal-comfort zone pads that shift pressure to fit perfectly on your head.

Regarding looks, the headphones have a very unique design. You’ll either love them or hate them – middle ground is hard to find in such matters.

Sound Quality

The headphones are designed for deep bass performance that remains tight without becoming overwhelming.

However, you may find lower-end bass output lower than expected. If you listen to a lot of rap and hip-hop, your listening experience may suffer, but only with some songs.

Portability

As their name suggests, the PortaPros are extremely portable. Their collapsible design makes them easy to fit in any bag, and they also come with a carrying case which makes transporting them even easier.

Features at a Glance

2. SoundPEATS Q800 Neckband Bluetooth Earbuds

Neckband Bluetooth earbuds became a hit some time ago, and now it seems that everyone has a pair! Is there a reason to buy these neckband earbuds? Read on to find out.

Design

The earbuds have a magnetic lock which allows you to keep the earpiece stuck around your neck without worrying about dangling cords or the earbuds getting caught on an obstacle and being pulled off your neck.

All the controls are at the front of the neckband and are clearly marked. Since the earbuds have an integrated mic, you can use them for taking calls as well.

Another great feature of the earbuds is that they vibrate when you get a call – no more worrying about missing important calls.

The around-the-neck design is comfortable and will easily allow you to keep the earbuds on you for the entire day. Since they weigh only 4.58 ounces, you can easily wear these when working out. Just put them around your neck and forget about them!

Connectivity

The earbuds support Bluetooth 4.1 technology which allows you to pair them to two devices at the same time. This also means that after you pair with the earbuds for the first time, subsequent pairing will be carried out automatically.

Sweat Resistance

The earbuds are rated IPX4 sweat resistant. You can wear these to the gym without any worry of damaging them because of sweat!

Battery Life

These earbuds will give you up to ten hours of continuous playback on a full charge. Keep in mind, however, that this number is likely to change per music volume and content.

If you charge the earbuds up and leave them on, you’ll get around 300 hours of standby time, which is nothing short of incredible.

Features at a Glance

3. AmazonBasics Lightweight On-Ear Headphones

AmazonBasics is Amazon’s own in-store brand that allows it to sell basic commodities at prices much lower than competitors’. While these headphones don’t feature exciting looks or mind-blowing design, they offer a sensible look and good sound at an affordable price.

Design

These on-ear headphones are designed to maximize portability. They rotate inwards and lay in flat to allow you to transport them relatively easily. Their low weight (4.5 ounces) also adds to their portability. They also come with a carry bag to further facilitate easy transport.

One thing you may not like about the design is that the headphones look and feel slightly flimsy. They’re made almost entirely out of plastic, and you may be worried about them breaking if abused even slightly.

However, Amazon does give you a one-year limited warranty, so even if they do end up breaking, you’re sure to get a new pair. It’s insane how Amazon can provide a one-year warranty for such a low-priced item.

Sound Quality

The headphones have hard-hitting bass that will please casual listeners. They also don’t suffer from distortion, even at high volumes.

Value

These headphones sell for around fifteen dollars.

Yeah, we’ll let that sink in a little.

What’s even more amazing is that despite their low cost, they sound as good as some hundred-dollar headphones! If you’re looking for value for your money, that’s exactly what these headphones give you.

Features at a Glance

4. Sennheiser HD 202 II Professional Headphones

The first and only big-brand pair of headphones on our list, the Sennheiser HD202s offer superb value for your money. Their clean and simple design really adds to their appeal, and the fact that they’re Sennheiser headphones all but guarantees the level of sound quality.

Wiring

The headphones come with a ten-foot Y-cable. Ten feet of wire is a lot to handle for anyone, which is why Sennheiser also includes a belt clip for excess cable.

You get two options for the jack plug: 3.5mm and 6.33mm in case you want to use the headphones with studio equipment.

Design

The headphones are clean and minimalistic. If you prefer flashy headphones, these may not be the ones for you.

While the headphones are supposed to be over-ear, you might have some trouble with getting them over your ear if you have a larger than average head. They will warm up slightly, but not so much that you’ll have to keep adjusting, or worse, removing them constantly.

While the headphones are slightly fragile, you don’t have to worry about them giving up the ghost. Sennheiser offers a two-year limited warranty on the headphones, so make sure you keep your receipts tucked away safely– just in case.

In case you find the earpads uncomfortable, you can always swap them out with better ones.

Sound Quality

The HD202s are great at isolating sound. Unlike most headphones in this price range, they won’t leak any sound and provoke complaints from people around you. They also prevent outside sound from leaking in, so be prepared to miss out on shouts from people if you crank the volume up to full.

The bass on these headphones is definitely boosted, but not enough to be overwhelming. The sound quality is not as clean as more expensive headphones, but it’s more than adequate for casual listening.

Features at a Glance

5. Symphonized NRG Wood Headphones

Last but not least, we have the Symphonized NRG wood headphones. These luxurious in-ear headphones are worth every penny of their low price tag.

Design

Every pair of Symphonized NRG headphones is handcrafted from real wood. They look stunning and are likely to draw many second looks, especially if you have them on in public.

The earbuds have an inbuilt inline microphone that can be used to take calls. An embedded button also allows you to control music playback, activate voice control, or receive calls.

The earbuds’ nylon cord looks amazing and is also tangle-free.

The NRG wood headphones also come with six pairs of silicone eartips in three different sizes and a carrying pouch to facilitate transportation.

Sound Quality

While the use of wood has definite aesthetic appeal, there’s more to it than that. Wood has been used for ages to modify music properties in places ranging from music halls to solo instruments.

The wood in these headphones pumps the bass up quite a bit, without reaching the point of annoyance. The wood also dampens the high and mids slightly, but that’s expected when you’re using wood.

Overall, sound is crisp and clear, and you won’t find yourself complaining about distortion when you crank up the volume.

Features at a Glance

Final Verdict

What do you do when you must choose the best from a number of incredible headphones?

While it breaks our hearts to do so, we have to say that there’s one pair of headphones that has stolen our hearts. It looks great, sounds great, and they just require to be connected.

The SoundPEATS Q800 Neckband Bluetooth Earbuds are our top pick for the best cheap headphones in the market at the moment.

They have a host of incredible and innovative features that you’ll find yourself using every day. While you may not like neckband headphones in general, give the SoundPEATS a try, and you may find yourself pleasantly surprised.

However, if you don’t like all the hassle some people associate with Bluetooth headphones, you may prefer the Symphonized NRG wood headphones. They’re just as good as the SoundPEATS, look unique, and sound incredible.

Remember to make your choice wisely based on what you require, and you won’t be disappointed for the next year or two.

Shop wisely!