TWS true wireless earphones - under $25
4.5 STARS - The Earfun Free Mini is less comfortable than you'd expect from the name, but these ultra-cheap wireless earbuds are seriously capable.
Earfun Free Mini specs and features:
Bluetooth 5.2 with AAC codec
IPX7 waterproof rating (heavy rain and shower proof)
5 hours playtime on a single charge
Charging case can charge earpieces fully 3 times
Comes with three ear tips and USB-C cable
$20 - Check price on Amazon US, Amazon UK, Amazon Germany or other Amazon stores
Below this Earfun Free Mini review, you will find comparisons of the Earfun Free Mini vs SoundPEATS Mini, QCY T17, QCY T13 and Baseus W12.
Update August 2024: Due to increased competition the overall score has been adjusted from 5 to 4.5 stars. Check out the best $25 earbuds, best $50 wireless earbuds and best $100 wireless earbuds here.
All reviews on Scarbir.com are unsponsored and honest. You can support my quest to find great affordable audio by buying via the links on this site or via PayPal.
Design, comfort and battery life
Tiny wireless earbuds without stems are all the rage the lasts months, so it's no surprise that Earfun jumps the train after the SoundPEATS Mini, Redmi Buds 3 Lite, QCY T17, and Mpow M13.
The Earfun Free Mini is lightweight and compact earbud, that disappears so far into your ears, you can easily sleep with it or wear it under a helmet. The outside is just big enough to touch and control it easily. On the inside, the Mini is shaped ovally and along with the rubber ear tip, it feels larger in your ears than you would expect. With exception of the Mpow, the aforementioned other earbuds are rounder than the Earfun and may be more comfortable to wear over time. Actually - the Earfun Free Pro 2 feels lighter and smaller in your ears too.
The earbuds reaches around 5 hours of playtime on a single charge, with is merely an average score nowadays, even in the $25 price range. The medium-compact case can recharge the earbuds 3,5 times before needing new power via the USB-C port itself. A subtle LED-light just under the lid shows if the case is still charging.
The best feature of the Mini's design may actually be the IPX7 waterproof rating, meaning you can wear these safely when it rains heavily, or even under the shower. It's also easy to run or workout with them.
Controls and connectivity
Earfun isn't afraid to throw all the controls straight on the earbuds. Controlling the Mini is easy, although the double-tap can sometimes register as a single touch:
Double-tap L or R to play/ pause music
Tap R to increase the volume
Tap L to decrease volume
Triple-tap R to skip to the next song
Triple-tap L to return to the previous song
Hold L or R to activate the voice assistant
Connectivity is good too. The Mini takes some seconds to pair and connect after you've taken them out of the case, but they're good to go afterwards, with a strong Bluetooth connection up to 9-10 meters away from your device. It's possible to listen to one or two earbuds and switch at all times too - handy when you want to charge an earbud while listening to the other.
Music doesn't automatically pause when you take an earbud out.
Calling and watching movies
While Earfun doesn't advertise the call quality of the Earfun Free Mini on the box, it's actually doable to take a phone call with these. Your voice has plenty of volume, sounds clear and even natural. Background noises like chatter and passing trains come through in the call, but your voice keeps on sounding louder.
The same goes for video calls like Microsoft Teams or Zoom meetings. Your voice is clear, easily picked up, and especially in quieter areas, calling is easy. Both phone and video calls are challenged by wind noise, however, and both can show a crackle on the line which only you can hear.
Watching videos is a breeze, with flawless synchronization between audio and video on both iPhone and Android. The Mini doesn't have a dedicated low-latency mode for games, and it shows. Sound effects always come later than the action on your screen.
Also read: The best wireless earbuds under $25
Sound quality of Earfun Free Mini: Engaging
Like almost all aspects of the Earfun Free Mini, its sound quality is solid for its small price.
Earfun's TWS embrace bass, and the Mini is no exception. The sub-bass, the darkest bass tones you can feel as much as hear, goes fairly deep and can give a proper yet controlled shake. The mid-bass has a decent thump that can provide dance and hip-hop songs with a powerful slam - although it's not the quickest out there.
Lower mid-tones are boosted too, giving darker electronic tones, drums, and lower male vocals plenty of body. Despite this emphasis, there's still plenty of room between the lower frequencies - basses and lower-mids are separated well. They have some space between them - and the same goes for instruments higher on, revealing some details on your left and right.
Some good work was been done in the higher mids, with guitars, piano play, trumpets and other instruments sounding natural and textured. Highs are rolled-off before they are too bright. Higher-pitched singers are forward enough, but when they're really pushed by a song, they can appear a bit thin and metallic, with still an occasional sharp edge.
These peaks don't happen often, however: the tamed treble makes for a mostly smooth and comfortable listen.
The Earfun Free Mini is yet another affordable, compact earbud that may surprise you with how good it sounds.
Earfun Free Mini comparisons
Earfun Free Mini vs QCY T17
The QCY T17 has rounder earbuds that feel a little less big in your ears than the more oval shaped earbuds of the Earfun Free Mini. It also has 7,5 hours of battery life on a single charge, opposed to Earfun's five. The Free Mini has an advantage on waterproof rating and call quality, however. When it comes to sound, it's a choice between clarity and warmth. The QCY T17 puts more effort into treble and sounds clearer, with more vocal nuances. The Earfun has a stronger mid-bass, and thicker lower-mids to offer a smoother and warmer sound.
QCY T17 review ($20)
Earfun Free Mini vs QCY T13
If you don't mind stems attached to your affordable and comfortable wireless earbuds, the QCY T13 is another offering from the same brand, with a sound character that is closer to the Earfun Free Mini. The QCY has a stronger, but also a bit looser, mid-bass thump, and offers a more open sound than the Earfun, with a wider soundstage and more articulated details on your left and right. It has more emphasis on treble and sounds clearer in the highs. If you prefer a warm sound, you may want to trade these off to the boosted lower-mids the Earfun brings in. Call quality is comparable, but the QCY wins on battery life: 7,5 versus 5 hours on a single charge.
QCY T13 review ($25)
Earfun Free Mini vs Baseus W12
The Baseus W12 has old-fashioned square-ish earbuds with a trickier fit than the Earfun, but they also feel lighter and smaller in your ears. While battery life is comparable, the Earfun is more versatile, with higher waterproof rating and much better call quality. In the sound department, the Earfun has a stronger mid-bass thump with more separation in the lower frequencies, and more upfront upper-mids. This is also where the Mini can sometimes appear a bit metallic or sharp. The Baseus controls vocal outbursts and cymbals better, helping to make it sound just a bit more balanced overall.
Baseus W12 review ($25)
Earfun Free Mini vs SoundPEATS Mini: Which is better?
What's the best Mini? The earlier released SoundPEATS Mini is around double the price of the newer Earfun, but it also wears the name better. SoundPEATS’ buds are rounder, smaller and more comfortable in your ears. It has 7,5 instead of 5 hours battery life on a single charge; the Earfun has a higher waterproof rating. Both of these buds are decent for phone and video calls despite their size, but when it comes to sound… the cheaper Earfun Free Mini takes the throne. The Earfun has a more cohesive sound, by rolling off the highs before they sound sharp - as they can on the SoundPEATS. Vocals, high and low, are fuller on the Earfun, mids are more textured, and mid-bass is more engaging. Considering the Earfun is half the price, it's an even better offering.
SoundPEATS Mini review ($45)
Verdict
The Earfun Free Mini is less comfortable than you'd expect from the name, but these ultra-cheap wireless earbuds are seriously capable.
Update August 2024: Due to increased competition the overall score has been adjusted from 5 to 4.5 stars. Check out the best $25 earbuds, best $50 wireless earbuds and best $100 wireless earbuds here.
4.5 stars - Great
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I requested and received the Earfun Free Mini myself to test and review. My reviews are unsponsored and non-commercial. I test and review all audio products equally honest - read about it here.
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