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Headphones Radar

Updated Nov 6, 2026

Data from Nov 6, 2026. First edition of this segment.

Best headphone up to $500 dollars today

177 models, median of $88.

Planning to spend up to $500? See what that money gets you.

We compare the 177 models on sale today. See where each one stands on price and score.

See today’s picks

Today’s picks

Today’s price, Nov 6, 2026. We searched 1 store: Amazon. Below, the lowest price we found today at the stores above.

We don't score headphones: store listings don't carry data worth measuring. We sort by price.

Partner store links: the Radar may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. How we make money

How we choose: the score is the spec score (0 to 10) and the price is the lowest we found today, using the upfront-payment price when the store offers a discount for it. See how we pick.

All models: Headphones up to $500

See the 24 highest-scoring modelsHide the list
Models in the segment, from highest score to lowest
ModelPriceScoreBuy
Sony ZX Series Wired On-Ear HeadphonesOver-ear$13at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Samsung Wireless EarbudsEarbuds$16at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Panasonic HeadphonesOver-ear$17at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Trausi Wireless Bluetooth 5.4 HeadphonesOver-ear$20at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
JBL Junior 320 Kids HeadphonesOver-ear$20at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Lorelei B-C6 Wireless Over Ear HeadphonesGaming$20at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Lorelei Q30 Bluetooth Headphones Over EarGaming$20at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Logitech H390 Wired USB-A HeadsetGaming$21at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Sony MDR-ZX310AP ZX Series Wired On Ear HeadphonesOver-ear$22at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Haoyuyan Sports Bluetooth HeadphonesEarbuds$23at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Earfun K2Over-ear$23no scoreBuy at the store
Soundcore by Anker P20i True Wireless EarbudsEarbuds$23at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Tozo T10 Wireless Earbuds Powerful Bass Stereo Wireless ChargingEarbuds$23at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
JBL Tune 310CEarbuds$25at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Earfun K1 - Black RedOver-ear$25no scoreBuy at the store
Earfun K1 - Blue GreenOver-ear$25no scoreBuy at the store
Earfun K1 - Green VioletOver-ear$25no scoreBuy at the store
Earfun K1 - Violet PinkOver-ear$25no scoreBuy at the store
Logitech H391 Wired Headset PC/Laptop Stereo HeadphonesGaming$25at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Soundcore P30i by Anker Noise Cancelling EarbudsEarbuds$25at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Tozo NC9 Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Wireless EarbudsEarbuds$27at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Sennheiser CX 300S In Ear HeadphoneOver-ear$29at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
JBL Quantum 100Gaming$30at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
JBL Quantum 100M2 Wired Gaming HeadsetGaming$30at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon

Headphones up to $500 in numbers

How much it costs

Half of the 177 headphones cost up to $88; the range with the most models is from $0 to $100, with 102.

How many models there are in each price range, from $0 to $500. Half cost up to $88; across the whole catalog, the median is $90.102 models between $0 and $10045 models between $100 and $20017 models between $200 and $3007 models between $300 and $4006 models between $400 and $500102451776$0$100$200$300$400$500
  • half cost up to $88
  • whole catalog: $90

Cheapest $13 Sony ZX Series Wired On-Ear Headphones

Most expensive $500 Sennheiser HDB 630 Wireless Headphones incl. Hi-Res BT Dongle

See the table by price range
Headphones up to $500 by price range, against the whole catalog
Price rangeModels in the segmentIn the catalogMedian score of the segmentMedian score of the catalog
Up to $302929
$30 to $805959
$80 to $1001414
$100 to $2004545
Over $2003035
See these models on the price and score map

What changed

This is the first check with history for this segment. Radar checks prices every day: from the next one on, this section shows what got cheaper, what got more expensive and what came in or left.

Confirmed features

Counts only what each model’s listing confirms.

  • 90 of 177 have Bluetooth confirmed

  • 61 of 177 have Noise cancelling confirmed

Against the whole catalog

  • −2%median price below the catalog’s
  • 97%of the catalog: 177 of 182 models
See the full table
Headphones up to $500 against the whole catalog
IndicatorHeadphones up to $500Whole catalogDifference
Models17718297% of the catalog
Median price$88$90−2%
Median scoreno scoreno score
Lowest price$13$13igual
Highest price$500$2,200−$1,700

How to read these numbers

On November 6, 2026, the Radar tracks 177 models of headphone with a price up to $500: median price of $88, practically the same as the catalog’s ($90). Prices range from $13 to $500.

How we choose
  • The picks combine a high rating and a price in line with the list: each one fits a way of spending, a use, or the brand that shows up most. The pros and cons come from each model’s spec sheet.
  • Stores: Amazon. We include stores we read every day through an open source or an affiliate program: the Radar collection, the Amazon catalog and the factory price database. A store that failed to load today is left out.
  • The same model in two stores is only merged with a catalog code, GTIN or the manufacturer’s full code. When in doubt, only one store is kept. A price far from the collected one (below 60% or above 150%) is left out.
  • Amazon appears without a price, only with the link: we don’t read Amazon prices in bulk.

Next step

See each headphone on the chart

Open the chart already filtered to Headphones up to $500.

See on the chart

Frequently asked questions

How much does a headphone with a price up to $500 cost?

In the Nov 6, 2026 catalog, the median price of the 177 models in the segment is $88, and prices range from $13 to $500. The final price is the one at the store.

How does the Radar count the models in this segment?

Models with at least one version whose lowest collected price is $500 or less are included. Each model counts once: if it has more than one version within the rule, the price is that of the cheapest version and the others show on the card.

What changes between "up to $500" and the neighboring ranges?

The range is cumulative: everything that costs less is in it too. To see only what costs between two values, use the price range table on this page or the chart’s price filter.

How does the Radar choose the headphones on the "best score for the price" line?

From cheapest to most expensive, the headphone that has a higher spec score than all the cheaper ones in the segment makes the line. Anything that costs more and has an equal or lower score is left out. The line doesn’t say which headphone to buy: it only shows which ones don’t lose on both score and price at once.

How often does this page change?

Every day, with each collection: numbers, chart, ranking and the "What changed" section are rebuilt with the day’s catalog. This edition is from November 6, 2026.

Read next

Headphones up to $400: median of $80Headphones up to $1,500: median of $90Over-ear headphones up to $500: 104 models, median of $80Gaming headsets up to $500: 25 models, median of $62All Radar overviewsOverview of new headphones: price, score and brandSee on the chart
Where the numbers come from

Lowest price seen for the product in the stores we read, on the day it was read, before sales tax.

The price is the one recorded on the date shown. The spec score doesn’t measure how they sound or durability.

Data from Nov 6, 2026.