Best budget AirPods-like earbuds / semi-in-ears
Dislike wireless earphones with rubber ear tips that go into your ears entirely? These is the top selection of so-called semi in-ear earbuds or half in-ear wireless earbuds around and under $50, updated for June 2025.
best semi-in-ear wireless earbuds - June 2025:
Best overall - Oppo Enco Air3
Best battery life - Huawei Freebuds SE 2
Best for bass - SoundPEATS Air5 Lite
Best under $25 - 1more Q10 Mini
Best under $10 - Haylou X1c
Not everyone likes earphones with rubber-tips that completely fill up your ears. That's one of the reasons Apple hit the jackpot with its original AirPods: earbuds that just hang in your ears. You fling them in, they don't fall out too easily and they're comfortable to wear for hours.
On Scarbir.com, I've tested and reviewed 458+ affordable wireless earbuds, ranging from 15 to 150 dollars. Including a lot of open wireless earbuds - carrying the AirPods design.
In this guide, you'll find the best low-budget open or half-in-ear wireless earphones.
How Scarbir.com tests half-in-ear earbuds
Scarbir.com is a one-man job. Since 2019, I've performed all 455+ wireless earphone reviews on this site myself - so you can be sure every model has gotten the same testing methods and the same reference.
I try and test all earbuds at least 1 to 2 weeks fully before writing about it, experiencing all aspects of the earbuds. All earbuds are tested on an Android phone, iPhone, and Mac.
I test the basics like wearing comfort after several hours, the actual battery life, the fit when you're on the move, the controls, and the reliability of the Bluetooth connection. If an earbud fails in any of these categories, it has very little chance to become a recommendation.
For phone and video calls, all earbuds undergo the same tests; recordings performed in the same office and on the same crowded traffic intersection with occasional wind, as well as in pre-defined simulated scenes with noise and wind.
The gaming performance and low-latency modes are always tested with the highly challenging shooter Call of Duty mobile on an Android phone.
For the app support of an earbud, I look at the features, the ease-of-use and the needed permissions of the Android and iPhone app.
Active Noise Cancelling often is a scam on half-in-ear earbuds, as this form factor doesn't seal your ears off enough to block noise around you. I still test the function to see how it fares.
Sound quality is my biggest passion and, with so much competition on the market, it's what can make or brake an earphone. I listen to earbuds on low, moderate and high active listening volume, take notes and compare an earbud to its biggest comparably priced rivals. Sound performance is both tested by both everyday and active listening to whichever music I throw at it, and by checking technicalities with my Scarbir.com Earbuds Test List on Spotify.
Why choose semi-in-ear wireless earbuds?
They are comfortable because they don't fill up your ears. You can just ‘hang’ these in your ears. A lot of people prefer the comfort of this half in-ear design over the regular in-ear design, with rubber ear tips entirely filling up your ear canal.
They are safer. Because they leave room from sounds from your environment, you will still hear traffic while you're listening to music.
Call quality. These earphones have stems with the microphone placed all the way down, meaning the mic is closer to your mouth. This is no guarantee for clear calls, but often call quality on earphones with stems is better than on earphones without stems.
What to expect from the best cheap AirPods alternatives?
Battery life: About 4,5 to 8 hours of play time on a single charge, unless mentioned otherwise.
Decent call quality: The stem designs pick up your voice easily.
Great connectivity: take them out of the box, and they pair and connect instantly.
A comfortable and steady fit for most ears.
Great audio quality for the price.
To take away the hassle of reading and comparing all Scarbir TWS reviews, here are the top recommendations based on different preferences.
Has this guide helped you? Please consider supporting my work:
These are the 5 best cheap semi in-ear wireless earbuds, updated for June 2025:
1. Best cheap earbuds without rubber tips: Oppo Enco Air3
Comfortable fit, multipoint connection, and beautiful sound
The Oppo Enco Air3 is the total package. These half-in-ear wireless earbuds are comfortable to wear, sound great, have enough battery life, clear calls, and can be connected to two devices at the same time.
The Oppo Enco Air3 has a small speaker mound, reminiscent of the earlier AirPods models instead of the AirPods 3, and it's very comfortable because of it. It's easy and light to wear during its 5 hours playtime on a single charge, although the fit could be a bit loose if you're planning to sport or sweat with them. Rain isn't a problem, however, thanks to its IP54 waterproof rating.
All controls can be setup via the HeyMelody app on iPhone and Android phones, which makes it easy to change tracks and volume from the earbuds. It controls really well, and affirms your taps on the top of the stems with neat clicky feedback.
The Oppo can also switch between two devices easily thanks to the multipoint connection. Phone and video calls are clear, as the microphones put your voice through natural and clear. Noise around you is audible but not too loud, and your voice also survives a bit of wind. The gaming mode is equally convincing, with the sound effects fluently following the action on a challenging game like Call of Duty mobile.
But as good as the features already are, it's the sound quality where the Air3 really stands out.
The Enco Air3 has a solid, gently thumping mid-bass that barely feels lighter than many earbuds with rubber tips - even more so when you select the well-balanced Bass Boost EQ from the app. There's a decent bass kick and underneath it, the sub-bass gives off a round, controlled rumble in James Blake's ideal test track Limit to Your Love.
The Enco Air3 lifts the lower-mids somewhat, creating a smooth warm undertone. Vocals are very forward, and brighter voices even outweigh the also open treble. From moderate to the highest volumes; higher instruments and voices have space to breathe without becoming sharp, peaky or light.
Furthermore, center-mids like guitars and piano play have body and strike the same balance between warmth and clarity as the treble; they feel natural. Separation between instruments and details is good too; music feels airy and detailed. Make no mistake - these sound better than Apple's AirPods 3.
The Oppo Enco Air3 throws in good call clarity, comfort, controls, multipoint connection and solid gaming performance on top of an exceptionally balanced sound. It's the top choice for half-in-ear earbuds on a budget.
2. Best battery life on half-in-ears under $50: Huawei Freebuds SE 2
exceptional BATTERY LIFE, and sounds great too
The Oppo Enco Air3 aren't available in every country, it seems. But fear not - there's a great alternative. The Huawei Freebuds SE 2 has tremendous battery life and a wonderful, vocal-centered sound.
The Huawei FreeBuds SE 2 are half-in-ear, or semi-in-ear earbuds, meaning you can just hang them in your ears instead. They have all the perks of this form factor: they're extremely light and comfortable to wear for hours, and you'll still hear traffic around you when you use them, which is good for safety. Happily, sound leakage is limited even when you listen to your music loud.
The earbuds that house inside this tiny bit of plastic case are IP54 waterproof and have a crazy long battery life of up to 9 hours of playtime on a single charge! On the downside, you can only connect them to one device at a time.
It's no problem taking a phone call, as the FreeBuds picks up your voice loud and clear. A bit less so when people start to talk loudly around you, but the microphones still focus well on you.
The controls are limited out of the box, offering only play/pause. You can add track skip/ return options with the free Huawei AI Life app for iPhone and Android, but Android-users have to download it outside of the Play Store - a QR-code on the box will help you get it.
The app comes recommended: it also lets you activate a low-latency gaming mode, update firmware, find your earbuds when you've lost them, and comes with four sound presets.
The sound is convincing too, especially for vocals. The FreeBuds SE 2 enjoys the clarity and openness that comes to semi in-ears easily, but it restrains from making higher notes too prominent or harsh.
The sound basically consists of forward vocals and a gentle, warm underlining from instruments and electronic tones. Both higher female singers and lower male vocals have plenty of body, and reach the highest ourbursts as easy as the lowest notes. Vocal performance stands out on the Freebuds SE 2 - voices brim with life.
Mid-tones from guitars and piano play are cosy, and the mid-bass thumps decently. The lows are further accentuated by the subtly boosted lower mid-tones, giving music a pleasant fullness next to its openness. This warm-balanced presentation is a joy to listen to, from singer-songwriter ballads to heavier dance tracks.
Note of March 2025: The recently released Huawei Freebuds SE 3 has a more slippery fit and is more expensive: the SE 2 remains better value for money.
With their exceptional battery life, great vocal-centered sound quality, and solid call clarity, the Huawei Freebuds SE 2 are stellar AirPods-like earbuds for their regular 40 to 70 dollars asking price.
3. Best bass earbuds without rubber ear tips under $50: SoundPEATS Air5 Lite
COMPACT, COMFORTABLE AND GOOD SOUND
Can't get the Oppo Enco Air3 and Huawei Freebuds 2 SE in your country? Fear not - the SoundPEATS Air5 Lite is a good alternative. These are also the top recommendation for bass lovers.
The SoundPEATS Air5 Lite have more or less the same shape as the predecessors that have been recommended in this Buying Guide before; the SoundPEATS Air3 Deluxe HS, SoundPEATS Air4 Lite and SoundPEATS Air4. It sets itself apart with a new sleek, shiny part on the stem.
The earbuds can require a bit of fiddling to get the most secure fit, but they're light and comfortable to wear during their 5 hours playtime on a single charge.
Recharging the buds for 15 minutes, gets you another 3 hours of playtime.
The Air5 Lite controls well with the touch panels on top of the stem. It's easy to change the volume with a single-tap, pause with a double, and change tracks by triple-tapping.
And just like its predecessors, the SoundPEATS Air5 Lite comes with multipoint connection, meaning you can connect it to two devices at the same time. It switches seamlessly when you pause on one device and play on the other, or when you receive a call.
The call quality is good. Your voice sounds natural to warm and loud enough, and noise around you is reduced well. The same goes for wind noise, although it can give your voice a crackle.
The free PeatsAudio app for iPhone and Android lets you customize controls and activate the low latency mode, which synchronizes the sound in games very well. The most important app addition is the Dynamic Bass button. Activated by default, it gives the Air5 Lite plenty of weight in the lows - unlike many other rubber tip-less earbuds.
The Air5 Lite presents an impressive, rumbling sub-bass. Its mid-bass strikes are thumpy, full and impactful, and the bass doesn't just kick nicely, but feels deep too.
On top of that, boosted lower mid-tones bring out darker electronic tones, instruments and lower vocals well. They help giving the Air5 Lite a warm and even somewhat dark tonality, especially on lower and moderate volumes. The sound also gets a bit of bloom because of it: an echo-y feel.
On higher volumes, the Air5 Lite loses its darker character and throws in more vocals and clearer treble. Happily, treble still rolls off before the sound becomes harsh.
The SoundPEATS Air5 Lite is a great sum of good comfort, call quality, multipoint, and an entertaining warm and bassy sound. It's an easy recommendation for its $50 price.
Buy on Amazon US
Buy on your Amazon country
Buy on AliExpress
4. Best AirPods-like earbuds under $25: 1more Q10 Mini
It just works
If you want to spend as little as possible money on half-in-ear earbuds with great comfort and good sound, look no further than the 1more Q10 Mini.
The 1more Q10 Mini, also sold as just 1more Q10, has a simplicity that just works for its small price that ranges from $25 to sometimes only $15 (!) on Amazon and AliExpress. The charging case is lovely compact, and the same goes for the stems on the earbuds.
Moreover, these earbuds have a secure, grippy fit that's comparable to the Oppo Enco Air3, and they're light and comfortable to wear for hours.
Despite their size, these last around 7 hours on a single charge. During that time, it's safe to take a phone phone call with them in easy circumstances. Your voice loses clarity when there's much noise going on, and more when there's also a bit of wind involved, but you'll stil be audible.
You will not find app support, a multipoint connection or volume controls on the 1more Q10, but you can activate a gaming mode by holding the left earbud. It synchronizes the sound effects in games greatly. Gaming is quite intense too, as the 1more has a solid bass.
No, really. The 1more Q10 Mini has a sound that reminds of earphones with rubber tips. It has a full, punchy mid-bass. Lower-mid tones are fiercely boosted as well, awarding darker electronic tones and lower male vocals and lower instruments a prominent role.
Meanwhile, treble is smooth. Vocals are forward enough, but brighter instruments are toned down a bit as highs roll off early. There's more warmth than clarity on the 1more Q10.
The friendly sound character just adds to the no-nonsense character of these budget earbuds. These are just great, no-nonsense rockers.
Buy on your Amazon country
Buy on AliExpress
5. Best half-in-ears under $10: Haylou X1c
These cost just… 6… dollars…
If you're on an even tighter budget, the Haylou X1c may be worth looking into. These super-simple earbuds often go as little as 6 to 10 dollars on AliExpress.
The Haylou X1c seems to be included in every AliExpress sale, and is one of these products that is immediately promoted to new accounts. It's easy to see why. The value for money here is insane.
The X1c has an insanely compact charging case, the earbuds look okay in their grey-dark blue-green finish, and they last up to 5 hours on a single charge. They fit good, although you can feel them sitting in your ears a bit. The stem could fall more elegantly as well.
The basics are there, too. It has play/ pause and track controls on top of the stems, and you can (de)activate the game mode with three taps.
You need this game mode not only to synchronize the sound effects in games, but also in regular videos. By default, there's a delay in the sound. Everything comes at a price.
That said, you don't have to be afraid to take a phone call every now and then; the microphones make your voice sound loud and full, although it can be a bit more inconsistent with noise around you. For this price? Insane.
Even music can be enjoyed. When you turn the volume up, the X1c trades in its laidback, clear presentation and its sound becomes actually entertaining. It has a slim yet punchy mid-bass delivering quick thumps, and on louder volumes, you can even feel some vibration when a song pushes the bass - a rare feature for half in-ears. Now, the highest vocal outbursts and instruments can be peaky, but for the most part, the combination of the warm-balanced tonality of the mid-tones, typical openness of the vocals, and uplifting bass make for an entertaining sound.
If you have the money, however, an upgrade to the 1more Q10 Mini is worth it.
The Haylou X1c makes clear calls and fun music available to everyone.
Previous recommendations
1more ComfoBuds 2: Surpassed in 2025
Edifier TWS200: These were recommended in this guide for a long time because of their call quality, but the TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 builds further upon it and delivers better battery life.
Fill CC2: Still sound great, but the Huawei Freebuds SE 2 win in the sound department now
Haylou GT6: These AirPods-like earbuds sound terrific, but only if you get a perfect fit and push the earbuds uncomfortably strong in your ears.
QCY T3: Half-in-ears with rubber-tips that go halfway in your ears that sound great, but controls are cumbersome.
Sabbat X12 Pro: Now beaten in battery life and sound quality.
SoundPEATS Air3: Out of stock in 2025
SoundPEATS Air3 Deluxe HS: A long-time recommendation, now beaten by the Air5 Lite and competitors.
SoundPEATS TrueAir: Now surpassed in sound quality, call quality and battery life.
SoundPEATS TrueAir2+: Now surpassed by the SoundPEATS Air3 and Deluxe HS.
SoundPEATS TrueBuds: Sounded a little bright, but were backed with a beast of a charging case that could recharge the earbuds 20 times, making them travel proof. Not available anymore.
TaoTronics SoundLiberty 88: Good runner-up and still great overall half-in-ears, but the SoundLiberty 92 sounds better and the Xiaomi Mi Air 2 SE has better battery life.
Tozo A3: Was a recommendation for cheap bass earbuds, still is - but not enough to make it to this Guide anymore.
Xiaomi Mi Air 2 SE: Praised as the best all-round wireless earbuds in Q3 2020, it's now beaten in multiple aspects by the SoundPEATS TrueAir 2 - a richer sound and clearer calls.
Disclaimer
I hope this comparison on cheap Apple AirPods look-a-likes helps you select the right one for you. If you plan to buy one of the items in this list, please consider doing it with the links in this article.
These are affiliate links, from which I'll gain a little percentage of the price. Buying a product from the link won't cost you extra, yet it will support me a bit in my ongoing , independent and honest research on affordable audio.
Was this article helpful for you?
There are way more true wireless earphones you can buy for under 50 dollars, than described in this selection. See my reviews and comparison here:
Also check out my other articles:
Guide: the best TWS under $100
Guide: the best TWS under $50
Guide: the best TWS under $25
Leaderboard: all earphones from 10-300 dollar tested
Bought a true wireless earbud thanks to this list? I'd love to hear what you've chosen. Do comment! :-)
- Scarbir
