Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones Under $200 (2026)

What are the best noise-cancelling headphones under $200 in 2026?

Background, first written February 2026. The current picks, with dated prices, are in the table above.

Summary

Three 2026 models now lead this price band. The JBL Live 780NC, launched in the US in March 2026, is RTINGS's best noise-cancelling headphones under $200, and TechRadar (4.5/5), Tom's Guide (4/5) and What Hi-Fi? (4/5) all recommend it. [src1, src13, src14, src15] The Soundcore Space 2 replaces the Space One at a $129 list price and earns strong noise-cancelling verdicts from four testers. [src16, src17, src18, src19] The Nothing Headphone (a), launched in March 2026 at $199, has the longest battery life on this card, though reviewers split on its noise cancelling. [src9, src10, src11, src25] At the budget end, Tom's Guide's top cheap pick is the CMF Headphone Pro and TechRadar's best under $100 is the 1More SonoFlow Pro HQ51. [src2, src4, src20]

Lab results and listening tests do not always agree at this price. RTINGS measured remarkable noise isolation on the JBL Live 780NC, while Tom's Guide calls its ANC "fine" and What Hi-Fi? calls it decent, with higher-pitched sounds still getting through. [src12, src14, src15] List prices are also rising: the Live 780NC costs $50 more than the Live 770NC it replaces, and TechRadar says a price rise means the Space 2 are "no longer bargain cans". [src14, src17] The rankings below follow those reviews. Stock does not change them; the verified-picks table above shows which models are in stock today and at what price.

Top 17 Models Compared

Prices are the latest checked US offers when this revision was written; the verified-picks table at the top of this page shows the current price, stock and seller for each one. "See retailer" means we hold no current price for that listing. Battery is the maker's rating with ANC on, as the cited reviews report it, unless marked "tested". The ANC column quotes each outlet's own verdict.

Table sources: [src1, src2, src3, src4, src5, src7, src8, src9, src10, src12, src13, src16, src17, src19, src20, src21, src24, src25, src26, src27, src30, src32, src33]

Best for Each Use Case

Top Pick: JBL Live 780NC — Check price

RTINGS's best noise-cancelling headphones under $200: it says their ANC "competes with flagship offerings from brands like Sony and Bose", and its lab measured remarkable noise isolation and more than 60 hours of battery with ANC on. They support LDAC and LC3, connect to two devices at once, and play wired over a USB-C-to-analog cable for seatback screens. [src1, src12] TechRadar gives them 4.5 stars, with a rated 50 hours with ANC on (80 off) and a weight of 260g, and What Hi-Fi? calls them easy to recommend at this price. [src13, src15] The caveats are consistent. RTINGS finds a high clamping force and thin headband padding, Tom's Guide calls them a little clampy, the default tuning is bass-heavy, and Tom's Guide and What Hi-Fi? rate the ANC as fine or decent rather than class-leading in daily use. [src1, src13, src14, src15] JBL lists them at $249.95, and Tom's Guide says a $199 price would have earned them 4.5 stars instead of 4. [src13, src14] They are this card's pick when you can buy them under $200.

Best Value: Soundcore Space 2 — Check price

The Space 2 replace the Soundcore Space One at a $129 list price. Tom's Guide calls them "Even better than the Space One" and gives them 4.5 stars, saying they "perform well above their price tag". [src16] The noise cancelling is what the reviews agree on: Tom's Guide calls it "stellar" for everyday use, TechRadar finds "great noise cancellation for the price", SoundGuys says the ANC and battery "punch well above" the price, and RTINGS measured great noise isolation, including jet-engine rumble. [src16, src17, src18, src19] SoundGuys's battery test ran 53 hours 21 minutes with ANC on, against a rating of 50 hours on and 70 off. [src17, src18] They have Bluetooth 6.1, LDAC, memory-foam ear cups and a live-translation feature. [src16, src18, src19] The weak point is sound out of the box: SoundGuys calls it the biggest weakness but fixable in the app's EQ, and TechRadar says the sound quality "isn't the best", though Tom's Guide liked it, especially over LDAC. [src16, src17, src18] There is no USB-C audio, and RTINGS notes no way to blend ANC with transparency mode. [src18, src19]

Best Budget: CMF Headphone Pro — Check price

Tom's Guide's top cheap noise-cancelling pick: "If you're on a tight budget and want the very best ANC you can find for the price, then the CMF Headphone Pro are our top pick." [src2] TechRadar gives them 4.5 stars at their $99 list price, with 50 hours of battery with ANC on (100 off), LDAC, a weight of 283g and four ANC settings including adaptive. [src20] RTINGS measured impressive noise isolation, with the ear pads doing most of the work in the mids and treble and the ANC working mainly on bass, and more than 38 hours with ANC on. [src21] SoundGuys (7.7/10) found solid noise cancelling and LDAC but a creaky plastic build and an uncomfortable headband; the ear pads swap out. Tom's Guide flags weaker call quality and a bag instead of a case. [src2, src22]

Best Battery Life: Nothing Headphone (a) — Check price

Rated for 135 hours with ANC off and about 75 with it on, which Tom's Guide calls "utterly outrageous"; RTINGS measured close to 80 hours. [src10, src25] TechRadar gives them 4.5 stars ("The Nothing Headphone (a) nail it in nearly every way"), with good noise cancelling, the best on-ear controls, LDAC, USB-C audio, a 3.5mm jack and an IP52 rating at a $199 list price. [src9] SoundGuys says that if there were a headphone befitting $200, "the Nothing Headphone (a) would be it", and measured about 83% noise reduction when the fit is right. [src11] Reviewers split on the noise cancelling: RTINGS found very good isolation but less effect on deep engine rumble, and Tom's Guide (3.5/5) calls the ANC mediocre. [src10, src25] At 310g they are heavy, and TechRadar and Tom's Guide both note a firm grip. [src9, src10]

Best for Calls: Sony ULT WEAR — Check price

RTINGS's pick for phone calls under $200: the ANC "performs amazingly", only slightly behind the JBL Live 780NC on bass-range noise, and the microphone reproduces your voice more naturally than the JBL's. [src1] SoundGuys makes the ULT WEAR its best overall headphones under $200, measuring more than 25dB of attenuation above 80Hz and 32 hours 35 minutes of battery, with LDAC, multipoint and a $199.99 list price. [src5] The ULT button adds a heavy bass boost, and both outlets suggest the app's EQ if it is too much. [src1, src5]

Tom's Guide Editor's Choice: Soundcore Space One Pro — Check price

Tom's Guide gives the Space One Pro 4.5 stars and its Editor's Choice, calling them "one of the best mid-range headphones I've tested" for their bass-focused yet balanced sound, app features, 60-hour battery (with ANC off) and comfort. [src23] TechRadar is cooler: "very solid-sounding" and comfortable, with a rated 40 hours with ANC on and an ultra-compact fold, but "similarly priced rivals perform better". [src7] SoundGuys measured noise cancelling similar to the older Space Q45 and suggests most buyers save money with the Space One instead. [src24] At a $199.99 list price the Space One Pro compete with this card's top pick rather than its value tier, and Tom's Guide itself now positions them as its midrange recommendation, $70 above the Space 2. [src7, src16]

TechRadar's Budget Pick: 1More SonoFlow Pro HQ51 — Check price

TechRadar's best noise-cancelling headphones under $100: it rated their ANC at "basically the same level" as the Sony WH-1000XM4, and their 65 hours with ANC on was the longest in its test. [src4] Its review gives them 4.5 stars at an $89 list price, with LDAC and 100 hours with ANC off. [src26] Tom's Guide picks them for $50-$100, saying the ANC can silence a keyboard, a busy office or an air conditioner, and notes a hard case that is rare at this price. [src3] TechRadar's reservations are a messy app situation and a slightly flimsy build. [src4]

Best for aptX Phones: Sennheiser Accentum — Check price

Tom's Guide's pick between $100 and $200 calls the Accentum "a wonderful pair of headphones at a very good price", with 50 hours of battery with ANC on, very good ANC and a $189 list price that deals often undercut. [src3] SoundGuys lists aptX and aptX HD rather than LDAC, USB-C audio and a 46-hour battery test. [src5] RTINGS's best-sounding pick under $200 is the pricier Accentum Plus, not this model. [src1]

What Hi-Fi? Award Winner: Sony WH-CH720N — Check price

What Hi-Fi? calls the WH-CH720N the best over-ear ANC headphones it has tested at this more affordable level, with three consecutive What Hi-Fi? Awards. [src6] Its five-star review lists 35 hours with ANC on, a weight of 192g and SBC and AAC only. [src30] TechRadar likes them but rates the 1More SonoFlow Pro a step above on value. [src4] Sony has released a successor, the WH-CH730N, which What Hi-Fi? reviewed at five stars with 50 hours of ANC battery and no LDAC. [src31]

Comfort Pick: EarFun Wave Pro — Check price

TechRadar gives the Wave Pro 4.5 stars and calls them some of the most comfortable headphones its reviewer has worn, with 80 hours of battery (55 with ANC on), LDAC and a weight of 268g. [src27] SoundGuys calls them "an excellent option" if you only have $80 to spend and measured 52 hours in its battery test. [src5, src28] Not every reviewer agrees: Tom's Guide gives them 2.5 stars for "super tinny sound", while still praising the cushions. [src29]

SoundGuys's Value Pick: JLab JBuds Lux ANC — Check price

SoundGuys's best value under $200: a $79.99 list price, 44 hours in its battery test, a 10-band EQ and USB-C wired audio. [src5, src32] The ANC is modest, at 10 to 20dB below 700Hz in SoundGuys's measurement, and there is no higher-bitrate codec. [src5, src32]

Best On-Ear: JBL Live 670NC — Check price

The only on-ear model here, and SoundGuys's best sound-quality pick under $200: ANC approaching 30dB around 250Hz, 54 hours 57 minutes in its battery test, multipoint, a 3.5mm cable and a $129.95 list price, but SBC and AAC only. [src5]

SoundGuys's Android Pick: Soundcore Space One — Check price

SoundGuys picks the Space One for Android owners under $200 for its LDAC support, Bluetooth 5.3, HearID tuning and 8-band EQ, with 42 hours 57 minutes in its ANC-on battery test. [src5] TechRadar likes them too. [src4] The Space 2 now succeed them, and SoundGuys measured about 10 hours more battery on the newer model. [src16, src18]

Tom's Guide's Cheapest Pick: 1More SonoFlow SE HQ31 — Check price

Tom's Guide's best noise-cancelling headphones under $60: 90 hours with ANC off and 60 with it on, superb call quality and effective ANC that struggles with high-frequency noise. [src2] Tom's Guide lists LDAC both as missing and as supported, so treat hi-res support as unconfirmed. [src2]

Best ANC on Sale: Bose QuietComfort — Check price

TechRadar's best noise-cancelling headphones under $250: in its tests the ANC scored only a couple of points below Bose's Ultra models, the Sony WH-1000XM6 and the Sonos Ace, and the headphones are light (240g) and very comfortable. [src4] Their list price is $349, so they belong in this guide only on sale; TechRadar expects them at about $200 in sales events. [src4] Battery is the weak point at 24 hours, and codecs are SBC and AAC. [src4, src33] Bose has since released a second-generation QuietComfort, which TechRadar considers too expensive for its guide. [src4]

Older Soundcore Flagship: Soundcore Space Q45 — Check price

SoundGuys (7.3/10) found fairly solid noise cancelling, LDAC and 55 hours 48 minutes in its battery test (Anker rates 50 hours with ANC on), but a poor frequency response, and notes that the Space One Pro replaced it as Soundcore's flagship. [src24] RTINGS still uses its ANC as a yardstick: the Sennheiser Accentum Plus's is weaker than the Q45's. [src1]

Headphones Addict's Noise Pick: Edifier WH950NB — Check price

Headphones Addict called the WH950NB the best headphones under $200 for removing noise that it had tested, with microphone performance that "compares to premium models", LDAC, multipoint and 34 hours with ANC on. [src8] That guide was last updated in 2023, and none of the newer guides cited here include this model.

Key Market Trends (2026)

• 2026 releases lead the tier: the JBL Live 780NC and the Nothing Headphone (a) both launched in March 2026, and the Soundcore Space 2 replaced the 2023 Space One. [src11, src13, src19]
• List prices are rising: the Live 780NC cost $50 more than the Live 770NC, SoundGuys counts a $30 rise from the Space One to the Space 2, and SoundGuys argues the CMF Headphone Pro should have cost about $20 less. [src14, src18, src22]
• 50 hours with ANC on is now common: the JBL Live 780NC, Soundcore Space 2, CMF Headphone Pro and Sennheiser Accentum are all rated for 50 hours, the 1More SonoFlow Pro HQ51 for 65 and the Nothing Headphone (a) for about 75. The Bose QuietComfort's 24 hours is the outlier. [src3, src4, src10, src13, src17, src20]
• LDAC is common but not universal: the Sony WH-CH720N, JBL Live 670NC, JLab JBuds Lux ANC and Bose QuietComfort lack it, and the Sennheiser Accentum uses aptX HD instead. [src5, src30, src32, src33]
• Lab and listening verdicts diverge: RTINGS measured remarkable isolation on the JBL Live 780NC where Tom's Guide found it merely fine, and very good isolation on the Nothing Headphone (a) where Tom's Guide found it mediocre. [src10, src12, src14, src25]
• Bose sells on discount: the QuietComfort lists at $349 and TechRadar expects it near $200 in sales; the newer second-generation model costs more. [src4]

Important Caveats

• Prices change often. The comparison table shows the latest checked offers when this revision was written; the verified-picks table at the top of the page carries the current price, stock and seller.
• The rankings follow the reviews, not stock. Check the verified-picks table for which models are in stock today.
• The JBL Live 780NC's $249.95 list price is above this card's cap. It is the top pick only when you can buy it under $200. [src1, src13]
• The Bose QuietComfort lists at $349 and belongs here only on sale. [src4]
• LDAC works only with Android phones and other LDAC sources; iPhones use AAC. [src10]
• Noise cancelling depends on fit: SoundGuys found glasses, hair or a weak seal reduce the Nothing Headphone (a)'s isolation, and RTINGS says its soft pads and shallow cups make sound delivery sensitive to fit and seal. [src11, src25]
• Battery figures are makers' ratings unless marked "tested"; reviewers' tests run both above and below them. [src12, src18, src21]