The Best Earbuds Under $200 Right Now

You do not need to spend $250 to $300 to get genuinely excellent wireless earbuds. Several of the best pairs on the market list for under $200 — and a couple more regularly drop below that on sale. Here are the ones we'd actually buy at this price, and the honest truth about which is right for you.

Apple AirPods 4 (with ANC) — $179

The best sub-$200 pick for iPhone owners, and a genuinely clever product: active noise cancellation in an open, tip-free design. The open fit can't seal like in-ear buds, so the ANC is milder — but for everyday listening and all-day comfort in Apple's ecosystem, nothing at this price competes.

Beats Studio Buds + — $169.99

The best value if you cross between iPhone and Android, since they work fully on both. Improved ANC over the originals, a clear three-mic call setup, and a striking transparent finish. You give up wireless charging and automatic switching — which is exactly why they cost less than AirPods.

Beats Fit Pro — $199.99 (often less)

List price sits right at the line, and street prices frequently dip under $160, which makes these one of the smartest buys here: AirPods-grade features, a secure wingtip fit, and fair treatment on Android. (Full disclosure: the Beats Fit Pro are a personal favorite of SIGNAL’s author, so weigh our enthusiasm here accordingly.)

Worth watching on sale

Two pricier pairs regularly cross below $200 and become steals when they do. The Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 ($229 list) are the comfiest Android buds around and dip under $200 on sale. The Sony WF-1000XM4 ($279.99 at launch) are now years old and routinely sell well under $200 — and they still offer better ANC and LDAC hi-res than anything else at that street price.