We buy our own products and put them under the same testing methodology so that you can easily compare them. Unlike most websites, we do not get our products directly from the manufacturers, which means our units aren’t handpicked and actually represent what you would buy yourself. We spend a lot of time comparing the products side-by-side to validate our results and we keep them until they are discontinued so we can continually go back and make sure our reviews are always accurate.
Headphones with active noise cancelling (ANC) have a reputation for being pretty pricey. Thankfully, you don’t have to pay a fortune to find decent ANC headphones anymore. There’s lots of options for different budgets, so it’s possible to find something that’s right for you.
We’ve tested over 346 headphones so far and below are our top picks for the best budget noise cancelling headphones to buy in 2019.
Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2: Feature-packed headphones at a decent price
Type: Over-ear
Enclosure: Closed-back
Wireless: Yes (can also be used wired)
The best budget noise cancelling headphones that we’ve tested so far are the Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2. They’re feature-packed over-ear headphones that cost significantly less than most high-end ANC models. They’re a great mid-range choice at a reasonable price, with a feature-packed yet intuitive design that’s easy-to-use.
These headphones have an exciting bass-rich sound signature that helps bring out the thump and rumble of EDM and hip-hop without drowning out the vocals and lead instruments of pop or rock music. Their 30-hour battery life is excellent and they come packed with a bunch of power-saving features like smart pause and auto-off to help them last even longer.
On the downside, they have rather ordinary noise isolation performance. They can reduce the intensity of sounds in the bass range like bus and plane engines a bit, but not as well as other budget ANC headphones that we’ve tested. Thankfully, they don’t leak very much sound, which makes them a good choice for office use since you can raise your listening volume a bit to block out more sound without having to worry about disturbing your colleagues.
Mpow H5: Inexpensive yet decently performing noise cancelling headphones
Type: Over-ear
Enclosure: Closed-back
Wireless: Yes
If you like the feature-packed experience of the Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2 but find them outside your budget, then get the Mpow H5; they’re the best noise cancelling headphones under $50 that we’ve tested so far. They have a simple, low-profile design that’s easy-to-use and are decently comfortable. They feel fairly well-built, especially for the price, and even come with a nice hard carrying case, which is a welcome bonus.
They sound decent and are balanced enough to be alright for most genres of music. Their 12-hour battery life should be long enough to last you an entire workday, and they can even connect to two devices simultaneously, which is great if you often switch between your smartphone and work computer.
Unfortunately, they leak quite a bit of sound, so they might not be ideal for use in a particularly noise sensitive office. They also have pretty disappointing noise isolation performance for ANC headphones. That said, they still do cancel some noise and definitely isolate better than most budget over-ear headphones without ANC. Overall, they’re a good low-cost choice if you’re looking for some extra isolation in your day-to-day life.
Anker SoundCore Life 2: Comfortable budget headphones with a balanced sound
Type: Over-ear
Enclosure: Closed-back
Wireless: Yes (can also be used wired)
If you listen to a wide range of music genres and are looking for budget noise cancelling headphones with a balanced sound profile, then get the Anker SoundCore Life 2. They’re fairly well-designed, with plush, comfortable ear cup padding and easy-to-use controls. Like the Mpow H5, they also come with a great hard carrying case and can be used wirelessly or wired as well.
These headphones have a rich, overemphasized bass that’s great for hip-hop and EDM without completely overshadowing the vocals and lead instruments of other music genres. They have an excellent 28-hour battery life and come with a detachable cable that has an in-line microphone and remote so you can still listen to music and take calls even when the battery is dead.
Like most budget noise cancelling headphones, they don’t have very powerful ANC. They do a great job at isolating noises in the treble range, which can be helpful for blocking out the hustle and bustle of a lively office, but they don’t do much in the bass range. That said, they don’t leak very much, so you can cover up more noises with your music without bothering others too much.
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Mpow H10: Versatile budget noise cancelling headphones
Type: Over-ear
Enclosure: Closed-back
Wireless: Yes (can also be used wired)
If you’re looking for budget headphones with a versatile design and decent ANC, then get the Mpow H10. They’re comfortable, have impressive battery performance and isolate noise reasonably well. They provide very good value for their price and are a solid choice for everyday casual use.
These headphones sound alright and will be decent for most genres of music. Their ANC is better than that of most budget noise cancelling headphones, and they can effectively reduce noises of all frequencies. They also have surprisingly low base latency (122 ms) which is better than most Bluetooth headphones. Since some apps and devices seem to offer some sort of latency compensation, you may not notice very much audio lag with these headphones, which is great.
Unfortunately, their build quality feels rather mediocre. The plastic used feels rather cheap and the frame makes a startling snapping sound when the ear cups are folded inwards. The headphones don’t seem to actually suffer any damage once you unfold them, but the noise is still concerning. Besides this, they perform quite well overall and are easy to recommend for most people.
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Anker SoundCore Space NC: Bass-heavy headphones with good noise cancelling
Type: Over-ear
Enclosure: Closed-back
Wireless: Yes (can also be used wired)
If you prefer a more bass-heavy sound signature and are looking for budget ANC headphones that actually isolate noise well, then get the Anker SoundCore Space NC. They’re comfortable over-ear headphones that are well-suited for fans of bass. They feel well-built, with a fairly premium-looking design that includes an easy-to-use touch-sensitive control scheme.
They have the best noise isolation out of all the budget ANC headphones that we’ve tested so far. They effectively reduce the intensity of disruptive noises in the bass, treble, and mid ranges, blocking out bus engine rumbles and office chatter alike. They have a great 21-hour battery life, and like the Anker SoundCore Life 2, can be used passively with their included audio-cable and in-line controls.
While their sound signature will be fine for fans of bass, those who prefer more vocal-centric pop music or brighter genres like jazz or classical will find they make vocals and instruments sound rather thin and weak. However, if their bass-heavy sound works for you, they’re a solid choice thanks to their comfortable design and good ANC.
This guide may have been updated. To see all our measurements and our current recommendations for the best budget noise cancelling headphones, please go here.
