I've spent the last month rotating through every pair of budget wireless headphones I could get my hands on. Trains, the office, the gym, my desk — the lot. And here's the thing: you don't need to spend more than £70 to get a pair that sounds good, blocks out noise, and lasts a full work week on a single charge. Three years ago that would've been nonsense. It isn't now.
This guide covers the five best wireless headphones you can buy in the UK for under £100 right now. All over-ear, all with active noise cancellation, all tested properly — not just unboxed and photographed. I'll tell you which ones are worth it, which ones surprised me, and which ones nearly got thrown out of a train window.
What to look for in wireless headphones under £100
Before you buy, here's what actually matters at this price:
- Battery life: Anything under 30 hours with ANC on is disappointing in 2026. The best budget pairs now push past 40, some past 70. There's no excuse for running out mid-week.
- Active noise cancellation (ANC): Every pair on this list has it. The question is how well it works. Cheap ANC used to mean a faint hiss and not much else. That's changed — but there's still a gap between the best and worst at this price.
- Comfort and weight: You'll wear these for hours. Heavy headphones with shallow ear cups become torture after 90 minutes. Anything under 250g is good. Under 200g is exceptional.
- Sound quality: Look for support for high-res codecs like LDAC if you stream from Tidal, Apple Music, or Spotify's HiFi tier. But honestly, the default Bluetooth codec (AAC or SBC) is fine for most people.
- Bluetooth version: 5.0 minimum. 5.2 or 5.3 gives you better range and more stable connections. Multipoint lets you connect to two devices at once, so you can switch between phone and laptop without re-pairing. Once you've had it, you won't go back.
- Build and portability: Foldable designs are easier to chuck in a bag. A carry case is a nice bonus. Plastic builds are fine — metal at this price usually just means heavier.
- Microphone quality: If you take calls, this matters. Budget headphones have historically been terrible for voice calls. Some on this list are still mediocre, but a few have got noticeably better.
The best wireless headphones under £100
1. Sony WH-CH720N — best overall (£69)
There's a reason this pair has won What Hi-Fi? awards three years running. At 192 grams, the WH-CH720N is absurdly light for an over-ear headphone with ANC. I wore them for a six-hour train journey and forgot they were on — which is not something I say often.
The noise cancellation handles low-frequency rumble well. Train engines, aircraft hum, the general drone of an open-plan office — all reduced to a background whisper. It won't match Sony's own WH-1000XM5 on high-frequency sounds like voices, but at less than a quarter of the price, that's not a reasonable expectation.
Sound is warm and balanced. Not the most detailed at this price, but musical and easy to listen to for long stretches. Sony's DSEE upscaling does a noticeable job of making compressed Spotify streams sound a bit fuller. The app lets you tweak EQ and toggle between noise cancelling modes, though I mostly left it on full ANC and forgot about it.
Battery is 35 hours with ANC on. Not the longest on this list, but more than enough for a full work week. A three-minute quick charge gives you an hour of playback when you're desperate.
Pros:
- Incredibly light at 192g
- Award-winning sound quality for the price
- Solid ANC for trains and offices
- Multipoint Bluetooth (two devices at once)
- Sony Headphones Connect app with full EQ control
Cons:
- 35h battery is shorter than some rivals
- Plastic build feels light (functional, not premium)
- Microphone is passable, not great
Best for: Commuters and office workers who want the best all-round package without spending a fortune.
Where to buy: Amazon (£69)*, John Lewis (£69)*
2. Soundcore Space One by Anker — best noise cancelling (£64.99)
If noise cancelling is the thing you care about most, the Space One is the one to get. Anker claims it reduces human voices by twice as much as its predecessor, and in practice, that tracks. Colleagues chatting two desks over went from distracting to barely perceptible. I tested it on a busy bus and was genuinely startled when someone tapped my shoulder — I hadn't heard the stop announcement.
The adaptive ANC adjusts automatically based on your environment, which sounds gimmicky until you walk from a quiet street into a loud coffee shop and the headphones just handle it. No fiddling with modes, no reaching for your phone. It just works.
Sound quality is a step up from the cheaper Soundcore models. LDAC support means you can stream at near-CD quality from compatible services, and the bass has a satisfying thump without drowning out mids and highs. The Soundcore app lets you customise EQ and ANC levels, and the presets are actually decent for once.
Battery is 40 hours with ANC. Solid. Build quality feels solid — not cheap, not premium. The ear cushions are comfortable enough for three or four hours before I needed a break.
Pros:
- Strongest ANC on this list
- Adaptive ANC that actually adjusts (not just a gimmick)
- LDAC hi-res audio support
- 40h battery with ANC on
- Good app with customisable EQ
Cons:
- Slightly heavier than the Sony
- Ear cushions could be softer
- No wired mode without battery
Best for: Anyone who works in noisy environments and wants the strongest noise cancelling for under £100.
Where to buy: Amazon (£64.99)*
3. 1MORE SonoFlow SE HQ31 — best battery life (£59.99)
Ninety hours. That's the claimed battery life with ANC off, and in my testing, it's not far off. With ANC on, you're looking at around 50 hours — which is still enough to get through two full work weeks without charging. I forgot to charge these for over a week and they just kept going. For frequent travellers who hate hunting for cables, this is the pick.
1MORE has been quietly improving their headphones for a while, and the HQ31 is their most convincing budget pair yet. The hybrid ANC is effective against sustained noise — not as aggressive as the Space One on voices, but solid against transport noise and air conditioning hum. It has Hi-Res Audio certification and supports LDAC, which gives it a slight edge in raw audio detail over some competitors at this price.
The foldable design is practical. The headband has enough padding for long sessions, and the ear cups, while not the roomiest, are comfortable for medium-sized ears. Calls are clear enough — the AI noise reduction on the microphone side handles background noise reasonably well.
The 1MORE Music app lets you adjust EQ and ANC levels. It's functional rather than polished, but it does the job.
Pros:
- 90h battery (ANC off) / ~50h (ANC on) — the longest on this list
- Hi-Res Audio with LDAC support
- Foldable, portable design
- Multipoint connection
- Good value at £60
Cons:
- ANC is adequate, not exceptional
- Ear cups could be roomier
- App is basic
Best for: Travellers and anyone who wants to charge their headphones as rarely as possible.
Where to buy: Amazon (£59.99)*
4. JBL Tune 770NC — best under £50 (£47.99)
Under fifty quid for adaptive noise cancelling, 70-hour battery life (ANC off), and JBL's signature sound? That's hard to argue with. The Tune 770NC has been one of the best-selling budget headphones in the UK for good reason — it punches hard for the price.
JBL's sound signature is bass-forward, which won't be for everyone. If you like your music with some weight behind it — hip-hop, electronic, pop — these deliver. If you prefer a flatter, more neutral sound, the Sony or 1MORE will suit you better. The JBL Headphones app lets you adjust EQ, which helps, but the default tuning is already fun rather than flat.
ANC is decent for the price. It won't eliminate a chatty office, but it takes the edge off commute noise and helps you focus. The ambient sound mode works well enough to hear announcements without removing the headphones. Battery with ANC is around 44 hours. That'll get you through a week and then some.
Build is plastic but solid. They fold flat for transport, and at this weight they're comfortable for extended sessions. Bluetooth 5.3 keeps the connection stable, and speed charge gives you three hours of playback from a five-minute charge.
Pros:
- Hard to believe this costs £48
- 70h battery (ANC off), 44h with ANC
- Fun, bass-forward JBL sound
- Bluetooth 5.3 with multipoint
- Foldable design with speed charge
Cons:
- Bass-heavy tuning won't suit all genres
- ANC is basic — fine for commuting, not for open offices
- No LDAC or aptX support
Best for: Anyone on a tight budget who wants solid wireless headphones without compromising on battery life.
Where to buy: Amazon (£47.99)*
5. Soundcore Q30 by Anker — best value (£44.99)
The Q30 has been around for a while now, and that's actually a good thing. It's been refined, the price has dropped, and it's accumulated tens of thousands of positive reviews. At £45, it remains one of the safest budget headphone purchases you can make.
The hybrid ANC uses two microphones per ear to filter ambient noise, and it's effective for the price. There are three modes — Transport, Outdoor, and Indoor — so you can match the noise cancelling to your environment. Transport mode is the strongest and handles train rumble well. Indoor is lighter and leaves some ambient awareness.
Sound is warm and full, with a gentle bass boost that flatters most music. The Soundcore app lets you adjust EQ with a 22-band equaliser, which is more granular than most headphones at any price. If you're willing to spend ten minutes tweaking, you can get surprisingly good sound out of these.
Battery hits 40 hours with ANC on, 60 without. It comes with a travel pouch, which is a thoughtful inclusion at this price. Comfort is good — the memory foam ear cups are plush, and the headband distributes weight evenly.
Pros:
- £45 for ANC headphones with a travel pouch. Come on.
- Three ANC modes (Transport, Outdoor, Indoor)
- 50h battery with ANC on, 60h without
- 22-band app EQ — unusually granular
- Comes with travel pouch
- Thousands of verified reviews
Cons:
- Older design — no LDAC or Bluetooth 5.3
- ANC isn't as strong as the Space One
- Plastic build creaks occasionally
Best for: First-time buyers who want proven, reliable headphones without any risk.
Where to buy: Amazon (£44.99)*
How they compare
| Feature | Sony WH-CH720N | Soundcore Space One | 1MORE HQ31 | JBL Tune 770NC | Soundcore Q30 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £69 | £64.99 | £59.99 | £47.99 | £44.99 |
| Battery (ANC on) | 35h | 40h | ~50h | 44h | 50h |
| Battery (ANC off) | 50h | 55h | 90h | 70h | 60h |
| Weight | 192g | ~260g | ~230g | ~250g | ~260g |
| Bluetooth | 5.2 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.0 |
| LDAC | No | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Multipoint | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Foldable | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| App EQ | Yes (5-band) | Yes (8-band) | Yes (preset) | Yes (10-band) | Yes (22-band) |
| Carry case | No | No | No | No | Yes (pouch) |
| Best for | Overall quality | Noise cancelling | Battery life | Budget pick | Value + safety |
When to buy wireless headphones in the UK
Headphones go on sale frequently, but some periods are consistently better than others:
- Amazon Prime Day (July): Historically the best time for headphone deals. Sony, JBL, and Anker Soundcore all tend to see significant discounts. The Sony WH-CH720N dropped to around £49 during Prime Day 2025.
- Black Friday and Cyber Monday (November): Another strong window. Budget headphones often drop by 20-40%. Worth waiting for if you're not in a rush.
- Back to School (August-September): Amazon and Currys often run promotions on headphones and tech accessories. Not as deep as Prime Day, but decent.
- January Sales: Post-Christmas clearance can throw up good deals, especially on models being replaced by newer versions.
That said, the prices on this list are already competitive. If you need headphones now, buy now. Waiting three months to save £10 isn't worth it if you're suffering with rubbish earbuds in the meantime.
Frequently asked questions
Are cheap noise cancelling headphones actually worth it?
Yes, genuinely. The gap between budget and premium ANC has closed fast. A £65 pair today will outperform a £200 pair from 2022. They won't match a Sony WH-1000XM5 or Bose QuietComfort Ultra, but for commuting, office use, and general listening, they're more than good enough. If you're spending under £100, every pair on this list will actually block out noise. Not perfectly, but enough that you'll notice the difference on a train or in an office.
Do I need LDAC or aptX support?
For most people, no. LDAC transmits audio at higher bitrates over Bluetooth, which means less compression and theoretically better sound. But you'll only hear the difference if you're streaming lossless audio from a service like Tidal or Apple Music, and you're listening in a quiet environment. If you mainly use Spotify or listen on public transport, standard AAC or SBC is perfectly fine. Don't let codec support be the deciding factor unless you're a proper audiophile.
How long should wireless headphones last?
As a product, two to four years with daily use. Batteries degrade over time — expect around 80% of original capacity after 18-24 months of regular charging. The ear cushions will likely need replacing before the battery dies, and most brands sell replacements for £10-15. Given the prices on this list, you're looking at excellent value even if they only last two years.
Can I use these for gaming?
For casual gaming, sure. But Bluetooth headphones introduce latency — a slight delay between what happens on screen and what you hear. Most of these headphones have a latency of 150-250ms over Bluetooth, which is noticeable in fast-paced games. If gaming is your priority, look at our best gaming headsets under £50 guide instead, or use these headphones in wired mode with the included cable for lower latency.
The verdict
The Sony WH-CH720N is the one I'd recommend to most people. It's light, it sounds good, the ANC works well enough for daily use, and Sony's app gives you the control to tweak it to your liking. At £69, it's not the cheapest on this list, but it's the most consistently good across every category.
If noise cancelling is your top priority, spend a little less and get the Soundcore Space One. Its adaptive ANC is the strongest here, and the LDAC support is a nice bonus if you stream hi-res audio.
On a tighter budget? The JBL Tune 770NC at £48 is ridiculous value. It won't win any awards for subtlety, but it's fun to listen to and the battery life is excellent.
And if you just want headphones that you never have to think about charging, the 1MORE SonoFlow SE HQ31 and its 90-hour battery will sort you out.
Honestly, any of these five would've cost twice as much two years ago. The budget headphone market has got properly competitive, and we're the ones benefiting. Pick whichever fits your priorities and stop overthinking it.