Getting ready for your next trip? Packing smart is essential for a comfortable trip. You’ve got your sleep mask, your neck pillow, and maybe a good book. The last thing you need is a good pair of travel earbuds.
Whether you want to drown out the background noise on a plane or catch up on work during a long bus journey, a good pair of earbuds can make your trip that little bit more enjoyable.
When looking for travel earbuds for your next trip, you want a pair that are comfortable, with good sound quality, great battery life, and a reasonable price tag. Extra functions like one-tap controls, dual-connection and noise isolation are also nice-to-haves.
To help you find the perfect pair, we’ve made this list of four budget-friendly, travel earbuds. The buds range from $18.99 to $44.99, offering a great variety of options that won’t break the bank.
We’ve ranked them based on price, battery life, sound quality, functionality, comfort and durability, with one clear winner trumping the list.
jLab Go Air Earbuds
Price
From $18.99, definitely not going to break the bank!
Battery Life
9 hours of playtime in each earbud, and around 26 extra hours from the case, making a total of 35+ hours playtime. Perfect for a long journey.
Sound Quality
The jLab Go Air earbuds offer brilliant sound quality, especially when considering the bargain price. There’s minimal sound leakage, so you won’t be bothering the person in the seat next to you. And, the earbuds go up to a good volume without distorting.
Functionality
The earbuds turn on and connect automatically, which is super handy. Just pull them out of the case and they’re ready to go.
They’ve also got a ‘beware mode’, just tap the buds and they will let in ambient noise, so you can be more aware of your surroundings. Great for making sure you don’t miss those flight announcements!
One downside of these earbuds though is that the charging lead is incredibly short, it’s also integrated into the case. This means it’s always attached, which is a little awkward.
Comfort
The earbuds are relatively small, and they sit just inside the ear, so they’re pretty comfortable. They also come with three tip options, small, medium and large, which you can play around with to find the perfect fit.
The only potential issue is that they do fall out fairly easily, depending on your ear shape. That being said, while they might not be great for running, they’re perfectly secure while sitting on a plane!
Durability
If you’re accident prone, good news, as these jLab earbuds seem pretty durable. We’ve dropped them a few times and we’ve not had any issues. The earbuds themselves seem tough, and the case adds an extra level of protection while they’re stored in your bag.
Get jLab Go Air Earbuds here
PocBuds Earbuds
Price
From $37.99
Battery Life
Each earbud offers 8 hours of play time on a single charge, with the case itself taking the total playtime up to 80 hours. These are the longest-lasting earbuds on our list!
Sound Quality
The PocBuds have HiFi sound quality and HD voice technology. They deliver good bass, clear mids and bright treble, no matter what song you throw at them. Compared to some other earbuds on our list, the sound is perhaps a little ‘thinner’, but for the price it’s still more than acceptable.
The built-in mic is also great for making calls. It isolates your voice from the noise around you so you can enjoy clear conversations even while you’re on the go.
Functionality
With one button you can adjust volume, answer calls, skip songs, pause and play songs, and talk to Siri. They’re compatible with most Bluetooth devices, and they also work with wireless charging which is a bonus!
Comfort
This is kind of down to personal choice, but we’re knocking some points off for comfort. The PocBuds come with an over-ear bar, which we find a little uncomfortable. while it does make them more secure (there are definitely no issues with them falling out) we find the over earbuds way more chunky and less travel-nap friendly. These buds are water-resistant and super secure around the ear, so we’d say they’re better suited to sports and outdoor activities than traveling.
Durability
For less than $40, the PocBuds earbuds offer incredible durability. Even after dropping them and tossing them around in our travel bags, our buds are still working just fine. Also, because they are water-resistant, there’s less need to worry about leaking bottles in backpacks.
Get PocBuds Earbuds here
TOZO T6 Ergonomic Earbuds
Price
From $26.99 a great price with plenty of brilliant features for under $30.
Battery Life
The earbuds offer 12 hours of playtime on a single charge, with the case bumping that up to 50 hours.
Sound Quality
The TOZO T6 ergonomic earbuds pack a big punch, in a small package. The buds come with OrigX technology, offering bass as deep as 18Hz. The mids and trebles are clear at any volume, for brilliant overall sound. You can also customize the buds with the TOZO app, which has 32, preset EQs for best listening.
Functionality
The TOZO T6 earbuds also have one-touch control. You can tap to pause, double tap to skip tracks and hold to adjust volume. The buds also automatically connect with each other, as well as your Bluetooth device, so it’s easy to pick them up and play.
Comfort
One thing we especially love about the TOZO earbuds is that they are feather light and super comfortable. The buds come with six tips, from XS to XXL, so you can easily find the best fit. We also found that because they are so light, they don’t tend to fall out, so you won’t be fumbling around under plane seats looking for your other bud!
Durability
These earbuds have an IPX8 waterproof rating, which means you don’t have to worry so much about water damage. In terms of bumps and scuffs, both the earbuds and the case seem to hold up pretty well.
The only downside we noticed is that if you drop the case, the lid pops open easily, and the buds tend to fly across the room!
Get TOZO T6 Ergonomic Earbuds here
Soundcore by Anker Earbuds
Price
From $44.99, at the top end of our list but worth it for the sound quality.
Battery Life
The Soundcore Anker earbuds offer 50 hours of total playtime, or 10 hours from a single charge.
Sound Quality
The sound quality is one of the standout features for us. These earbuds reduce background noise by up to 98%, cancelling out chatter, announcements, and roaring plane engines so you can get some peace and quiet while travelling. They’ll also detect external noise around you, then automatically adjust the level of noise cancellation, for the best listening experience.
The earbuds also come with pioneering double-layer diaphragm drivers, to offer the best blend of bass, mid and treble.
Functionality
The buds are compatible with most Bluetooth devices and perfect for listening to music, films, or making calls. Another standout feature is the AI call assistant, which uses 6 mics and an AI algorithm to block out other noises, for crystal-clear calls.
The buds also offer dual-connection, so you can stay connected to your phone and laptop while you travel, instantly switching between devices without interruption.
Comfort
The buds fit nicely in the ear, feeling tight and secure without being too bulky. They’re small and lightweight, at only 4.9g, so you can wear them for extended periods of time without getting ear fatigue.
Durability
The earbuds and the case feel sturdy and well-made. We tried a couple of drop tests and the buds seemed to hold up well (but don’t try this at home!). The buds are also IPX4 waterproof, so you don’t need to worry about splashes and rainstorms when you’re out and about traveling!
Get Soundcore by Anker Earbuds here
The Results Are In…
After testing four budget-friendly travel earbuds, the Soundcore Anker buds are definitely coming out on top. They might have the highest price tag, but they offer incredible sound quality, great noise cancellation and a strong battery life.
But, that’s not to say the other buds on our list fell short…
If price is especially important to you, the jLab Go Air Earbuds are super affordable, with great sound quality and ok battery life.
If battery life is your main focus, the PocBuds Earbuds offer a whopping 80 hours, though they do lose some points on comfort, thanks to the over-ear bar.
And, if you’re looking for a good combination of everything, but a more affordable price point, the TOZO T6 Ergonomic Earbuds are a good all-rounder for under $30.
No matter which pair you choose, this list proves that you don’t have to spend a fortune to get reliable, quality travel earbuds.
As an Amazon Associate, Tools For Travel earns commission from qualifying purchases.