The best cheap running headphones are the perfect way to soundtrack your runs without breaking the bank. These affordable earbuds are long-lasting, can withstand sweat and light rain, and help you stay aware of your surroundings.
But if you're working on a budget, you want to be sure that the pair you choose is actually worth your money, which is why we put these low cost alternatives to the best running headphones to the test to see how they actually fare on a run.
Our top choice are the JLab Go Air Pop, as they're excellent value, sound good, and stay in place during exercise. But they're not your only option, as we've also picked out our favorite cheap running headphones across a range of styles and designs.
The quick list
The JLab Go Air Pop punch well above their price tag, offering great sound, long battery life and a secure enough fit for running. They also come in a wide range of colors and you can use each bud independently.
The 1MORE Fit SE S30 headphones have an open design that allows you to hear your surroundings, making them ideal for exercising outdoors. They sound good too, and the fit is secure thanks to the earhook.
The Skullcandy Dime 3 have a stemmed design closer to Apple's AirPods than the JLab or Plantronics models. We liked how they sounded and they're comfortable, but we were most impressed with the call quality, so these are perfect if you like to chat while you run.
These budget-friendly running headphones are designed with runners in mind, using ear hooks to keep them in place during outdoor sessions. We were impressed with the sound quality and the 8-hour per bud battery life, which should see you through most runs.
The JBL Endurance Race 2 in-ear buds offer a highly secure and comfortable fit for running, plus impressive battery life and good sound quality, all for well under $100.
The Creative Outlier Free Pro uses bone conduction tech to play audio while leaving your ears clear to hear what's around you. They offer MP3 playback as well as Bluetooth connectivity, making them the best budget bone conduction buds for runners.
The JLab JBuds Sport ANC 4 impress on several fronts including fit and handy awarenesss mode, but its their battery life that really stands out, with the buds lasting 14 hours on a charge, and up to 60 hours with the carry case.
The best cheap running headphones you can buy right now
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Best cheap running headphones overall
If you want the best cheap running headphones, more importantly, a pair that comes in true wireless form, seek out the JLab Go Air Pop. Our favorite pair can be had for just $20 and has strong audio, steady battery life, and durable design, which is IPX4-certified for sweat and water resistance.
The lightweight, compact form of these buds allows them to rest pleasantly on the ears during long workouts. We've worn them for a full marathon and the fit was secure throughout. Music is well handled, and JLab’s three well-engineered EQs (JLab Signature, Balanced, and Bass Boost) present a decent sound.
Battery life is just as impressive with 8 hours of listening time, plus you receive a tiny charging case that has an integrated USB cable for charging on the go. Obviously, a price this low presents compromises, which, in the Go Air Pop’s case, are weak call quality and no extra features.
- Read our full JLab Go Air Pop review
Best cheap open running headphones
Open headphones are becoming more and more popular with runners because they offer greater awareness of what's around you, which is helpful when running in busy environments. The 1MORE Fit SE S30 headphones are best value open headphones we've tested, offering great sound quality and a secure fit thanks to the earhook design.
They're a bargain at their $70 MRSP, but are also regular in sales for less than that and can usually be found for under $50. That's a lot cheaper than most open headphones, which are usually well over $100, and the 1MORE Fit SE S30 mostly match the performance of those pricier buds.
As with all open headphones you don't get any passive noise cancellation and the sound quality is not quite as good as with in-ear buds, but we found the 1MORE headphones still packed enough of a punch to motivate us during workouts, and their long battery life is another plus point.
Best for cheap running headphones for calls
While the Skullcandy Dime 3 aren't aimed specifically at active lifestyle users, we found that they offered acceptable awareness mode and strong call quality for taking calls while on the move.
The buds secure and comfortable to wear, too. The small-stem design doesn’t stick out awkwardly and durability is rated at IPX4, so they'll survive some splashes and a bit of sweat, making them the ideal companion for summer runs or indoor sessions.
Sound quality was strong while listening to these buds, and they come with three built-in EQs, and boom-filled bangers handle monstrous lows like a pro. The buds lasted around 7.5 hours in our tests, and a 10-minute quick charge gives up to 2 hours of playback.
Not everything hits the mark though. There’s no way to assign and personalize the controls, and we're also surprised by the absence of wear detection to auto-pause content when removing the buds. The charging case is nicely compact though and small enough to be a neat key-fob addition.
- Read our full Skullcandy Dime 3 review
Best cheap running headphones for fit
The JLab Go Air Sport earbuds are a little more expensive than the Go Air Pop buds, but still great value and they have an earhook design that creates a more secure fit for running. If you find in-ear buds often squirm loose during sweaty workouts, them it'll be worth the upgrade to the Go Air Sport.
The bass-forward sound profile will stimulate energy levels, plus the long battery life make these buds an ideal pitch for exercise enthusiasts who want acceptable performance on a budget.
The $30 MSRP means you’ll have to deal with compromises including dull-sounding highs, tricky controls, and awkward charging system. But the Go Air Sport accomplish what they need to for the price: a secure fit, long playtimes and reasonably good sound.
- Read our full JLab Go Air Sport review
Best running headphones under $100
The JBL Endurance Race 2 are in-ear buds that focus on fitness but are great for general use as well. The star feature is the reliable fit, which I found secure enough for runs of all lengths thanks to the flexible wing that secures the buds in the ear.
Unlike many in-ear buds with wings, I also found them comfortable enough to wear for hours outside my runs as well, and the long battery life of 10 hours with ANC or 12 hours without means you can get through a day without having to put them back in their case.
The high IP68 rating means the Endurance Race 2 buds will see off sweat and rain without trouble, and the case also has an IPX2 rating, though I found it a little big to carry with me on runs anyway.
As you'd expect for buds at this price, the sound quality doesn't match pricier headphones, but it's still pretty good. The ANC is a weak point though, and the Endurance Race 2 buds are much less effective in filtering out noise than the best options on the market.
- Read our full JBL Endurance Race 2 review
Best cheap bone conduction headphones
The Creative Outlier Free Pro are bone conduction headphones that leave your ears open to your surroundings, making them safer to use when running in busy environments. They play sound through vibrations that travel along your bones and while the Creative Outlier Free Pro don't match the audio quality of the best bone conduction headphones or in-ear buds, they still sound pretty good and offer excellent value.
There are bone conduction headphones that come in cheaper like the Creative Outlier Free or Shokz OpenMove, but the Pro have the advantage of being able to store music as well as offering the Bluetooth connectivity you get on the cheaper models.
This means you can leave your phone behind and still listen to music or podcasts, which I find useful when running races in particular. It also makes the Creative Outlier Free Pro a great option for swimming, if you hit the pool regularly as well as running.
The headphones are lightweight and comfortable to use for long runs and while the original launch price was $129, this has since dropped to $99 and its not uncommon to find the Creative Outlier Free Pro available for even less than this in sales.
- Read our full Creative Outlier Free Pro review
Best cheap running headphones for battery life
The JLab Jbuds Sport ANC 4 offer three things that will appeal to every runner on a budget; a secure fit for your workouts, a low price-tag, and exceptional battery life. The headphones themselves last up to 14 hours on a charge, and the charging case brings the total up to a whopping 60 hours, meaning you can go weeks or even months of use without having to find a socket.
If you use the ANC on the headphones, the battery numbers come down, but it's not very effective noise cancellation anyway, so turning it off to save juice is the way to go. The headphones do have a useful awareness mode though, which means you can be safer during outdoor runs without having to turn off your music.
The sound quality is pretty good given the low price, and you get strong bass to help you power through your tough runs. The earhook design ensures a reliable fit even when pounding down hills or running into the wind, though note that the fit is not the most comfortable for extended use outside your workouts because the hook holds the ear quite firmly.
- Read the full JLab Jbuds Sport ANC 4 review
How to choose the best cheap running headphones
Although none of these cheap running headphones will break the bank, it's still worth thinking about the features you value the most before opening your wallet. Here are a few considerations to keep in mind.
Even if you don't plan on being caught in the rain, there's always a chance of a downpour when you're training. Plus, if you exercise in summer or hot environments, then you'll need a set that's sweat-proof.
If you're into short distance runs, then you'll want a set that comes with a charging case, so you don't have to remember to charge the buds that often. However, battery life is a bigger concern if you run longer distances, or are training for a marathon.
And when you're exercising, you want to focus on your running, not fiddle with annoying or uncomfortable earbuds. Ideally, what you're after is a set that you can pop in and forget about. But if you plan to wear them for long periods, make comfort a priority.
How we test the best cheap running headphones
To ensure we recommend the best cheap running headphones that'll actually stay in place, we pop them in our ears and go running. At this price, we consider sound quality (that it's not terrible) but our main focus is on the comfort and durability.
So, we use them for several sessions, with some distance runs and some shorter jogs to see how they fare. Since running causes a lot of vibrations, it's easy for some headphones to slip out of place, so we only include sets that stay firmly in your ear.
As we do a few more intense runs, we put the headphones' durability to the test and see how they handle sweaty workouts and light rain. Generally, cheap running headphones don't have the top water resistance rating, but we check that they are durable enough to suit most runs.
And as with all of the best workout headphones, you don't want to fuss with them. So, we experiment with on-bud buttons and controls, try different in-ear tips, and evaluate the noise cancellation (often passive at this price).
FAQs
What type of headphone is best for running?
There are three types of headphones that usually work best for running; in-ear buds, bone conductions headphones, and open headphones. On-ear and over-ear headphones are usually too bulky for running, and can be damaged by sweat.
In-ear headphones provide the best sound quality and are good for using outside runs as well, but block your ear canal so you are less aware of your surroundings. You also usually need wings or an earhook on in-ear buds to keep them in place while running.
Bone conduction headphones leave your ears completely clear so you can hear what's going on around you while running, but this comes at the cost of sound quality. Sometimes bone conduction headphones can be too quiet as well, but they are rightly popular with runners and are sometimes the only headphones allowed at races.
Open headphones split the difference. They position a speaker near your ear canal but don't block it. They offer better sound than bone conduction headphones and more awareness than in-ear buds. They usually have an earhook design to ensure they stay in place on the run.
What headphones won't fall out when running?
A secure fit is one of the most important features of running headphones, no matter how much they cost. In general the best running headphones will have wings to secure them inside your ear, or an earhook to go over the top of your ear.
Some in-ear buds will stay in place without either of these features, and some runners will find their buds stay in place without any problems, but if you find your buds are falling out on the run then an earhook or wings are vital.
There are pros and cons to each style. Earhooks are the most secure option but can feel a bit intrusive, especially if you also wear glasses and a hat. Wings mean the headphones feel smaller, but can put unwelcome pressure on the inside of your ear.
