Best Earphones under 500 in 2024 with Audio Samples

We searched for the best earphones under 500 in India and bought the most popular earphones with 4★ to 4.5★ ratings. Then we used all the earphones for many days and ranked them all.

So if you are also looking for the best earphone under 500, then you don’t need to look elsewhere because we have listed the best options.

Furthermore, we have included the audio samples of every earphone listed here. It will give you a precise idea of how these earphones sound.

And, if you make a lot of calls using earphones, then we will have also shared the calling experience of these earphones.

Our Top Recommendations

These are our top recommended earphones under 500. But how do these earphones perform in real life? Read further, as we have covered all the earphones in detail after testing.

Why should you buy a wired earphone under 500?

The audio market is full of Bluetooth earphones under 500, but we suggest you buy a wired earphone at this price.

Why?

Because the BT earphones at this price are nothing more than garbage. Their sound quality is just inferior.

So, If you want a good quality BT earphone, then spend at least Rs 800-1000.

For TWS, you need to spend a little extra. Consider your budget to Rs 1500, at least, to get a good quality TWS.

But if your budget is very tight at around Rs 500, then we strongly suggest you buy a wired earphone over the BT earphone.

How did we select the best earphones under 500?

We bought the top earphones under Rs 500 and started using them.

We started testing all the earphones in multiple scenarios with different types of songs to see which earphone performs better.

Along with the audio, we have taken care of the call quality too.

So the earphones listed here are tested by us, and we have given our honest opinion on them.

Best Earphones under 500 with mic

1. Realme Buds 2

Main Highlights

We know the Realme Buds 2 generally costs Rs 600, but during sales, you can easily get it for under Rs 500.

But to be honest, this earphone is worth buying even for Rs 600.

Here’s why.

The Realme Buds 2 comes with the most premium box at this price. You can tell how good it’s going to be by looking at the box and packaging.

It’s not just the box or packaging, but the earphone itself looks and feels premium.

The back panel of the earbuds is made of metal and hence, feels sturdy to hold. These earbuds are magnetic, which no other earbuds in this list are.

It’s great to see that Realme has used a braided cable, which is more premium compared to the braided cable of boAt 152, thanks to added thickness.

Some portion of cable joining the earbuds is not braided, but it still feels sturdy, unlike other earbuds.

The Realme Buds 2 is one of the most comfortable earphones. It’s tilted at 45° and fits perfectly in the ears.

The fit is so good that after listening to music and watching videos for many hours, there was no pain in the ears.

Now coming to the main point, the Realme Buds 2 delivers the most immersive audio experience.

It has the largest 11.2 mm driver in this segment, and this driver does the job perfectly.

The vocals are surprisingly clear, but the treble is a tiny bit compressed. However, It’s not that noticeable.

The bass is the main highlight of Realme Buds 2, and this earphone does its best to deliver a thumping bass.

It’s slightly warm but clear and punchy. It has that thump to it, making the overall music experience immersive.

Note that the bass doesn’t compress vocals. As a result, you can clearly hear the voice and thumping bass.

So, the overall sound quality on Realme Buds 2 is impressive.

What’s also impressive is the call quality. The mic is aligned just beside the mouth, because of which, there were no problems during calls.

The only problem we faced with the earphone is that the media control button is flush with the volume buttons. So one may accidentally press volume buttons instead of media button.

The Realme Buds 2 would have been a perfect earphone under 500 if the company had included an IP rating. But it’s missing.

Realme Buds 2 Audio Sample:

Verdict: The Realme Buds 2 is the most impressive earphone. It has all the features, a premium build, and delivers the best sound and call quality. It’s easily the best earphone under 500.

Pros and Cons

Lightweight
Excellent build quality for the price
Comfortable fit and design
Immersive sound quality
Clear vocal with good treble
Punchy and deep bass
The sound gets pretty loud
Excellent for calling
Half braided cable
Volume control buttons

No IP rating

• You should also check these FAQs regarding Realme Buds 2.

2. boAt Bassheads 152

Main Highlights

User Experience:

The boAt Bassheads 152 is in second place for good reasons. But a few features are skimped compared to the Bassheads 142.

• There is no IP rating.
• The volume control buttons are gone, and you are left with one button to control media.

In return for these two skimped features, the Bassheads 152 offers a lot.

The unboxing experience is as good as Bassheads 242’s, but the carrying pouch is missing here. It would have been nicer to include one here too.

Heading further, this earphone comes with a braided cable, which is way more rugged than any non-braided cable.

However, the braided cable ends at the controller. From control to earbuds, it’s just a regular rubber cable.

Talking about the earbuds, these are made of aluminum, hence feel premium. Despite being made of metal, the earbuds remain too light.

This time around, there is no comfort issue with the Bassheads 152. It fits great in the ears and doesn’t slip out like Bassheads 225.

After listening to music for several hours continuously, there was no pain in the ears. So the fit is really comfortable.

One will be forced to use this earphone for several hours because the sound quality is impressive for the price.

boAt’s signature sound continues here, and the overall sound output is pleasing.

The vocals are clear, and the treble is light and punchy. Every beat is delivered well, no matter what kind of music you listen to.

Bass lovers will also love these earphones. The bass is well-tuned and has that punch. It’s deep but doesn’t muffle the vocals at the same time.

In a nutshell, the sound output is almost similar to the Bassheads 242, which is great for the money you pay.

No worry if you make a lot of calls because the Bassheads 152 also delivers a great call quality.

However, the mic is located within the control unit, which is slightly far, so you may have to move it closer to your mouth sometimes, but even if you don’t, the call quality remains clear.

boAt Bassheads 152 Audio Sample:

Verdict: The boAt Bassheads 152 delivers a great sound quality. It’s well built, has a comfy design, and is great for calling purposes. If you are tight on budget, then this is one of the best earphones under 500.

Pros and Cons

Lightweight
Solid grip
Great sound quality
Clear vocal and punchy treble
Deep bass
The sound gets pretty loud
Good for calling
Half braided cable

No volume controls
No IP rating

3. boAt Bassheads 242

Main Highlights

It was very hard to pick one earphone between Bassheas 242 and 152 to put in third place.

But after testing both the earphones simultaneously, we think this place is to be given to the Bassheads 242.

Why? Is it inferior to Bassheads 152?

Well, no, absolutely not. In fact, the Bassheads 242 offers some extra features that Bassheads 152 doesn’t.

The moment you open the box of Bassheads 242, you will get an assuring feeling that you have bought a good product, thanks to the included carrying pouch.

Furthermore, the earphones also feel quite nice, although they are made of plastic. Compared to the Blaupunkt EM-01, the plastic used here is solid.

The plastic treatment continues with the wire too. It would have been great to include a braided cable, but that’s not the case.

Upon listening to the songs on the Bassheads 242, we immediately noticed that it sounds impressive for the price.

The vocals are absolutely clear, and the treble is punchy. The sound separation is also great, and you can enjoy every beat of the songs.

Don’t worry bass lovers, this earphone won’t disappoint you. The bass is heavy but not to the extreme to compress vocals.

The Bassheads 242 carries the boAt signature sound for sure. We have noticed that the sound gets too loud, and 80% volume is more than enough for many.

So overall, the sound quality is great on this earphone.

What’s even great is the call quality. The person on the receiver end didn’t even complain once about the voice.

As the mic is located near the mouth, this earphone turns out to be an excellent option for calling purposes.

Features like an IPX4 rating and volume controls come really handy at most times.

So if the Bassheads 242 is so impressive, then why is it being placed in the third spot?

It’s because of the comfort. The Bassheads 242 is designed for sports lovers, so the earbuds come with ear hooks to offer a better grip.

Yes, they do offer more grip, but the design of the earbuds starts to give a slight pain after some time.

The comfort is very subjective as it depends on the shape of your ear, but we all have faced slight pain in our ears.

It’s not an extreme pain but a slight one that offers discomfort. Removing the ear hooks solves the problem to some extent, but it also loosens the grip a little.

To know in detail, check the boAt 242 review.

boAt Bassheads 242 Audio Sample:

Verdict: The boAt Bassheads 242 is an excellent earphone that produces great sound quality. It’s one of the best for calls too. But its design may be a little uncomfortable for some.

Pros and Cons

Lightweight
Solid grip
Great sound quality
Clear vocal and punchy treble
Deep bass
The sound gets too loud
Great for calling
Volume controls
IPX4 rating

It may not fit comfortably for everyone
The wire quality could have been slightly improved

• Check the Boat Bassheads 242 vs 225 comparison.

4. Boult Audio BassBuds X1

Main Highlights

To be honest, we weren’t expecting much out of the Boult Audio BassBuds X1, but it left us surprised.

Actually, we received the package of Boult BassBuds X1 at the end of every earphone. Until then, we were testing other earphones.

When we received the box of Bassbuds X1, we thought it would be a normal earphone because the box was too simple with some dents.

We had been expecting it to perform similarly to the Blaupunkt EM-01, as both the earphones are priced the same. But we were wrong.

When we took the earphone out, we were surprised to see how well built the earphone was.

No, it’s not a braided cable, but a regular rubber one. But due to its thickness, the wire feels more rugged.

The earbuds are made of metal and feel premium. We weren’t expecting this at Rs 300.

However, the control module feels slightly cheap, but not much.

When we started to listen to music, this earphone surprised us again with its audio quality.

The audio quality was so good that it didn’t feel like coming out from a Rs 300 earphone.

The vocals were clear and weren’t creaking at high volumes. The treble was also as good as the vocals.

Many people prefer bass, and the bass quality was impressive here. It was great, punchy, and had depth.

During music, vocals, treble, and bass all were going smoothly without muffling each other.

Every frequency was perfectly matched and delivered an immersive audio experience.

Everything was working fine, but suddenly we realized that this earphone has a comfort issue.

After listening to music for 30 minutes, it started to give a slight pain in the ears. 

However, taking off the ear hooks solves this problem to a great extent.

This earphone does a decent job in the calling department. If you hold the mic a little closer to your mouth, the calling experience gets even better.

In Boult vs boAt comparison, we generally recommend boAt, but the Boult BassBuds X1 changed our mind, especially at this price.

Boult Audio BassBuds X1 Audio Sample:

Verdict: The Boult Audio BassBuds X1 is a surprisingly good earphone. It delivers a great sound with heavy bass. If you have a very tight budget, then this earphone is a perfect option.

Pros and Cons

Lightweight
Sturdy build
Great sound quality
Clear vocal and punchy treble
Deep bass
The sound gets pretty loud
Good for calling
IPX5 rating

Not so comfortable fit with ear hooks
No volume controls

• Boult BassBuds X1 is also featured on our list of best earphones under 300.

5. Blaupunkt EM-01

Main Highlights

The Blaupunkt EM-01 is one of the cheapest yet capable options on this list.

For those who are very tight on budget but want a pretty good music experience, the Blaupunkt EM-01 could be the right option.

But as this is an inexpensive option from Blaupunkt, some compromises are evident.

The hints of compromises begin with the box itself. The box quality is average and doesn’t give a feel of anything premium.

Taking the earphones out, you will notice its build quality reminiscent of older Nokia earphones with rounded cables.

However, the cable is slightly thicker here. Hence, the cable feels better. It’s slightly rigid and sturdy.

But note that it’s not a braided cable, so don’t bend it unnecessarily.

One thing that we didn’t like about the build is the quality of the earbuds. These are made of plastic and feel cheap, to be honest.

There is little to no heft in the earbuds, making them feel like inferior earbuds.

But the lack of heft also has a positive. The earbuds remain in the ears comfortably for hours.

The design of the earbuds is ergonomic, but they remain a little out from the ears.

Coming to sound quality, it’s good. It might feel a little compressed if you have already used expensive earphones, but after a day or so, you will start liking the sound.

The vocals are clear, and the treble is decently punchy. Both remain clear and don’t get distorted much, even at high volumes. The instrument separation is also good.

Bass lovers may feel a little disappointed as the bass lacks the punch slightly. 

Don’t get it wrong. The bass is there, and it works fine, but it’s not very heavy.

The overall sound quality is good, if not impressive, for the price.

When we made calls using the Blaupunkt EM-01, the person on the other end complained that the sound was coming from far away.

Our voice was audible at the receiver end but was a little compressed.

So the call quality is average on the EM-01.

As this is a wired earphone, there was no latency in gaming or videos.

Blaupunkt EM-01 Audio Sample:

Verdict: The Blaupunkt EM-01 is a good option for sure. If you prefer a balanced sound with not-so-heavy bass, this is the right option for you.

Pros and Cons

Lightweight
Comfortable fit and design
Decent quality wire
Clear vocal and treble
Good enough base
Sound doesn’t distort much at high volume

Not for heavy bass lovers
Average call quality
No volume controls
No IP rating

Which is the best earphone brand in India? Click here to know.

Do you want us to test more earphones?

There are a ton of earphones under 500. We may have skipped any that you were expecting on this list.

If you want us to test the earphone that should be on this list, then just let us know. We will review and add that earphone to this list if worthy.

• Must check the Realme Buds 2 vs boAt 242 comparison.

Final Verdict on Best Earphones under 500

All the earphones listed here deliver a great value.

You can pick any of these and have a great audio experience. Here is a quick ranking of all earphones in every category.

For Comfort, Realme Buds 2, boAt Bassheads 152, and Blaupunkt EM-01 are the best.

For Bass and overall sound, the Realme Buds 2 and boAt Bassheads 242 are the best.

For calling, Realme Buds 2 and boAt Bassheads 242 are the best.

For fitness activities, the Boult Audio X1 and boAt Bassheads 242 are the best.

So, if we had to recommend one, then we would recommend the Realme Buds 2 without any doubt. It’s a complete package.

Our second recommendation would be the boAt Bassheads 242. It also delivers an open sound with good bass.

These are our top recommendations, but the remaining earphones are worth buying too.

So depending on your budget and use, you can pick anyone you like.

Still confused?

We have tried our best to make your doubts cleared about the earphones under 500. If you are still confused, then feel free to get in touch with us.

Or you can drop your query in the comment section. We would love to help you out.

• Also check these best Boult earbuds.

So, do you agree or disagree with this list? Do share your thoughts with us.