Best Noise Cancelling Headphones Under $100

Noise cancelling headphones can block out most of the noises that come from the outside world. Thanks to that feature, you no longer need to turn up the volume just so that you’ll be able to hear. 

This is good for both the overall listening experience and your aural health as well. The only problem is that they tend to cost a lot of money – unless you know where to look. Since we do, we decided to share that bit of information with you! So, without any further ado, let’s get right into it!

Things to Keep in Mind

First things first, it’s important to know what you want and what you’re dealing with. There’s more to headphones than noise cancelling. So, here are a few other important things to keep an eye on. 

• Compatibility: Some headphones are only compatible with specific devices – especially the wireless variants 
• Type: Lots of different headphones out there. In-Ear, Over-Ear, On-Ear, etc. They all have pros and cons, so, balance things out and choose whatever fits you best
• Communication and Controls: Not everyone is interested in such things. But, if you are, pay attention to the specs
• Weight: Some Over-Ear and On-Ear headphones tend to get rather heavy which quickly becomes tiring for certain people. But, at the same time, weight can also be a sign of good build quality (Not always, though)
• Battery: If you’re looking into wireless options, pay attention to their overall battery life
• Audio and build quality: While you can’t expect to get an audiophile experience for less than 100 – there are still lots of decent options
• Range and connectivity: Affects both wireless and wired headphones. Wireless is pretty self-explanatory. Wired headphones come in various shapes, though. For example, gaming and desktop headsets tend to have a very long cable as they are made for desktop usage
• Noise cancelling/isolation: Noice isolation is not the same with noise cancelling. Noise isolation relies on noise-blocking materials to block external noises while noise cancelling is an entirely, somewhat sophisticated technology
• Enclosure: Open-back headphones tend to have a wider soundstage with more balanced sound – but they lack a bit of that strong bass. Closed-back, on the other hand, creates a thumpy bass while sacrificing soundstage and the neutral sound

Our 5 Best Noice Cancelling Headphones Under 100

Now that this is out of the way, it’s time for us to start checking out some headphones. Some of you may be a bit more picky with the details – but those are more or less the basics that a newcomer needs to know. 

1: Mpow H10

Our Budget Pick

If you’re on a budget but you still want something that offers a little bit of everything, then the Mpow H10 is most likely your best pick. 

• Type: Over-Ear
• Communication and controls: ANC, track control, multifunctional button, and volume – onboard microphone
• Weight: 0.62 pounds
• Battery: About 30 hours on average (About 20 hours with ANC left enabled)
• Range and connectivity: About 10 meters – can only connect to a single device at once
• Noise cancelling/Isolation: Includes both Noise Cancelling and Noise Isolation
• Enclosure: Closed-back

As we mentioned above, they offer a little bit of everything. Wireless connectivity, decent battery life, decent base, onboard buttons, and, of course, ANC (Active Noise Cancellation). 

Not to mention that Mpow is one of the most popular names in the headphone industry. So, generally, hard to go wrong with those. 

If there’s one downside, then that’s probably going to be the weight. At 0.62 pounds, some of you may find them to be a bit too heavy for long-term use. 

Pros: 

1. Decent audio sync for watching videos on Android (With a tiny bit of delay on iOS)
2. Relatively comfy – if you don’t mind the weight
3. Foldable design
4. Onboard controls
5. Cheap
6. Good sound for what you pay with a somewhat neutral balance
7. Built-in mic

Cons: 

1. A bit heavy for some
2. Bulid-quality feels a bit cheap – which is to be expected
3. Too unstable for sports
4. Bluetooth 4.1 tends to become unreliable when there are too many wireless devices around

2: Mixcder E9

Our Wireless Pick

While all of our picks on this list are actually wireless, the Mixcder E9 is an option that particularly stands out. In fact, we even picked it as the best overall Bluetooth pair!

• Type: Over-Ear
• Communication and controls: Volume up and down, ANC, track control, call answering/rejection, power – built-in microphone
• Weight: 0.56 pounds
• Battery: 30 hours without ANC – about 24 with it enabled
• Range and connectivity: About 10 meters while wireless + 3.5mm jack – can only connect to a single device at once
• Noise cancelling/Isolation: Includes both Noise Cancelling and Noise Isolation
• Enclosure: Closed-back

They lean a bit more towards the $100 mark. But, in exchange for the higher price tag, you get better build quality, better sound, comfort, low-latency, and a 3.5mm jack if you want to use them with a cable. 

While they are foldable, keep in mind that they are not the greatest option for portability. However, they feel quite stable on the head – which makes them suitable for a casual run, if you’re into that. 

If there’s one downside, then that’s probably going to be the treble response/accuracy. But, that’s to be expected from sub-100$ headphones. The situation can be improved a lot with an equalizer – if you’re into that. 

Pros: 

1. Very balanced sound (With a small exception for treble response)
2. Low latency
3. Built-in microphone
4. Good battery life
5. The 3.5mm jack is a welcome addition
6. Onboard controls

Cons: 

1. Relatively heavy – but acceptable
2. Mids and highs are mediocre out of the box – use an equalizer if you can

3: Cowin E7 Pro

Our Mid-range Pick

This isn’t our most expensive choice or the cheapest one for that matter. So, if you need that stands somewhere in the middle both in terms of pricing and features, this is most likely the one you need. 

• Type: Over-Ear
• Communication and controls: Volume up and down, call and track controls, Bluetooth, and ANC – built-in microphone
• Weight: 0.60 pounds
• Battery: About 30 hours – maybe less with ANC
• Range and connectivity: 30 meters while wireless or more in a straight line + 3.5mm jack – can only connect to a single device at once
• Noise cancelling/Isolation: Includes both Noise Cancelling and Noise Isolation
• Enclosure: Closed-back

At this point, we’d say that it’s worth mentioning that this is one of the best selling headphones on Amazon. Also one of the highest-rated ones, so, kind of hard to go wrong with it. 

It generally brings everything that the above-mentioned picks do. But, the sound is slightly inferior compared to the Mixcder E9, which is to be expected at the lower price point. 

If there’s one downside, it’ll have to be the small delay between audio and video. And while that’s not an issue while listening to music, it can be a deal-breaker while watching videos. That said, keep in mind that you can fix that by using a 3.5mm cable. 

Pros: 

1. Good sound for the money (Even if it’s a bit inferior compared to more expensive options)
2. Relatively balanced sound
3. Onboard controls and the microphone are welcome additions
4. Superb Bluetooth range
5. Good value
6. 3.5mm jack is always a welcome addition
7. NFC pairing can be a huge plus for those who have a compatible device

Cons: 

1. A bit heavy
2. Relatively high latency while watching videos

4: Anker SoundCore Space NC

Best Over-Ear Headphones

At this point, we’re just about done with budget and mid-range picks. So, if you’re not willing to spend $100, we’d suggest you stop reading here and focus on the above-mentioned picks. 

• Type: Over-Ear
• Communication and controls: Track controls, volume, call, power, touch controls – integrated microphone
• Weight: 0.57 pounds
• Battery: 20 hours
• Range and connectivity: Generally over 12 meters + 3.5mm jack – can only connect to a single device at once
• Noise cancelling/Isolation: Includes both Noise Cancelling and Noise Isolation
• Enclosure: Closed-back

These headphones offer superior mids and highs compared to what we’ve looked at till now. However, keep in mind that the bass is quite thumpy – which is good for those who like it; just not so much for those who prefer something more neutral. 

Their clamping force is quite high and that makes them suitable for jogging. However, those of you who have sensitive temples will feel very fatigued very quickly. 

If there’s one downside, then that’s going to be the overall latency when they are being used with iOS; pretty much unusable for watching videos. The situation is somehow much better on Android and PC – even more so than the competition. 

Pros: 

1. Strong bass
2. Very comfortable (If you don’t mind the strong clamping force)
3. Decent for a big of jogging (Maybe not so much for more intense activities, though)
4. Good range
5. Onboard controls and microphone
6. 3.5mm jack

Cons: 

1. Relatively bad battery life – especially for the money
2. Audiophiles will probably hate the strong bass
3. Very high latency on iOS (Which isn’t a problem while listening to music)

5: Audio Technica ATH-ANC7B

Best Wired Headphones

Audio Technica is one of the most well-known names in the audiophile industry and these headphones are one of their budget offerings. So, if you’re willing to lean as close as possible to the $100 mark, these are worth checking out. 

• Type: Over-Ear
• Communication and controls: ANC and track control – in-line microphone
• Weight: 0.43 pounds
• Battery: Almost 50 hours (With AAA batteries)
• Range and connectivity: 3.5mm
• Noise cancelling/Isolation: Includes both Noise Cancelling and Noise Isolation
• Enclosure: Closed-back

Unlike our previous picks, these headphones actually rely on a removable 3.5mm cable instead of Bluetooth. So, if you absolutely need something that’s wireless, you can scratch this one off your list. 

In exchange, you almost never have to worry about battery life. And we say almost because you still need AAA batteries to power ANC. 

If there’s one downside, that’s definitely the build quality that numerous reviewers complain about. 

Pros: 

1. Decent bass and mids
2. Pretty comfortable
3. Relatively lightweight when compared to our other picks
4. Best battery life (Probably because they only need one for ANC)
5. Zero latency

Cons: 

1. Wired only
2. Minimal onboard controls
3. Numerous complains about their build quality

Wrapping Up

We understand that this may be quite a lot of information to take in at once. So, here is everything that we talked about for each pick as fast as possible: 

1. Mpow H10: The cheapest ANC headphones on this list that offer decent sound. Some of their drawbacks are their weight, stability, cheap-feeling build quality, and the sub-bar Bluetooth stability when other wireless devices are in range
2. Mixcder E9: All-around one of the best wireless picks with the only downside that they are a bit heavy. Also, the mids and highs can see some massive improvements with an equalizer
3. Cowin E7 Pro: A decent mid-ranger with decent sound quality – but it’s not the best for watching videos due to its relatively high latency
4. Anker SoundCore Space NC: Great if you like strong bass – but that’s not good for audiophiles. Not to mention that they introduce a ton of latency on iOS for some reason
5. Audio Technica ATH-ANC7B: Our only wired choice on this list. Just keep in mind that batteries are still necessary thanks to ANC. Their only downside apart from the lack of Bluetooth connectivity is the fact that tend to break down a bit easier compared to the competition

That’s all for now. If you have any questions, you can feel free to let us know about them in the comments section down below!