Running & Cycling · The rankings

Best running earbuds under $100: eight with a rating for rain and a fit for a stride

Budget running earbuds fail two ways: they bounce out, or the first rainy month kills them. These eight have a hook, clip or neckband and an IP rating on the maker's own page, at a list price under $100 when we checked.

By Mike M.Updated September 2026Spec-checked, not worn by us

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Quick picks

The rankings at a glance

#	Product	Best for	Score	Price
1	Baseus Bowie MC2 IP67, 5.1 g, 11.5 to 13 hours per charge and 55 to 60 with the case, Bluetooth 6.0 with multipoint and LDAC. On paper the best-rated budget clip-on by a distance.	Best under $100 for runningOpen-ear clip-on	8.6 /10	Check price · Amazon
2	Creative Outlier Free Pro IPX8, 10 hours, 8 GB of onboard MP3 storage and Bluetooth 5.3 multipoint for well under $100. The budget bone conduction set that can also swim.	Best budget neckbandBone conduction (neckband)	8.3 /10	Check price · Amazon
3	Mojawa Run Plus IP68, 29.6 g, 32 GB of storage and a 5-minute quick charge in the under-$100 band. A swim-capable neckband that undercuts Shokz on paper.	Best phone-free budgetBone conduction (neckband)	8.2 /10	Check price · Amazon
4	Soundcore V20i The cheapest open-ear hook worth naming: IP55, four adjustable positions, 8 hours per charge, 16 mm drivers, multipoint. It's a budget set with a real sweat rating.	Best budget open hookOpen-ear hook	7.7 /10	Check price · Amazon
5	Soundcore Sport X20 Hooks that rotate 30 degrees and extend 4 mm, ANC, 12 hours per charge (48 with the case) and a submersion rating for under $100. The sweatproof sealed bud that actually fits different ears.	Best for the treadmillIn-ear + ear hook	8.9 /10	Check price · Amazon
6	JLab JBuds Open Sport 2 IP55, Bluetooth 6.0 with three-device multipoint and 45 hours total for about the price of a gym month. The cheapest sport hook that still carries a jet-spray sweat rating.	Cheapest IP55 hookOpen-ear hook	7.6 /10	Check price · Amazon
7	Shokz OpenMove The cheapest way into Shokz: IP55, 29 g, 6 hours, USB-C. You give up quick charge and two generations of driver, but the neckband fit is the same idea.	Cheapest ShokzBone conduction (neckband)	7.4 /10	Check price · Amazon
8	JLab GO Sport+ IP55, 9 hours per bud and 35 total, a Be Aware mode and a small ear hook, for less than a pair of gym socks. The cheapest hooked earbud we'd hand to anyone.	Best under $50In-ear + ear hook	7.4 /10	Check price · Amazon

#ad · Prices are set by Amazon and change often, so we don't print them. Scores are ours, built from published specs and cited independent reviews, not our own wear tests. Photos are illustrative stock. Tap a row for the full write-up.

An athlete tying sneakers on a running track — Illustrative stock photo. It does not show a specific product reviewed on this page.

The bar

A maker's own product page with an IP rating on it, a list price under $100 there on September 21, 2026, and a retention system that isn't a plain tip. Amazon's price is whatever it is today (the button shows it; we don't print numbers that change daily). Those rules eliminated most of what a search returns, including every pair whose brand name we couldn't find a website for.

The table

Evidence	Baseus Bowie MC2	Creative Outlier Free Pro	Mojawa Run Plus	Soundcore V20i
Fit system	Open-ear clip-on	Bone conduction (neckband)	Bone conduction (neckband)	Open-ear hook
Water & sweat rating	IP67	IPX8 (Creative: run, cycle and even swim)	IP68 (fully submersible)	IP55
Weight	About 5.1 g per earbud; about 52 g with case	31.5 g / 1.11 oz	29.6 g	—
Battery	About 11.5 h (bass boost on) or 13 h (off) per charge; 55 to 60 h with case	Up to 10 hours per charge	8 hours; standby up to 10 days	8 hours; 36 hours with case
Storage	—	8 GB built-in memory	32 GB built-in	—
Multipoint	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Score	8.6/10	8.3/10	8.2/10	7.7/10

Top four. Each value links to the maker's page; a dash means it isn't published.

Evidence	Soundcore Sport X20	JLab JBuds Open Sport 2	Shokz OpenMove	JLab GO Sport+
Fit system	In-ear + ear hook	Open-ear hook	Bone conduction (neckband)	In-ear + ear hook
Water & sweat rating	Soundcore lists IP68 in its product imagery and IPX7 in its product description; both are immersion ratings	IP55	IP55	IP55
Battery	12 hours per charge / 48 with case (normal); 7 / 28 with ANC	45 hours total with case	6 hours listening	9 hours per earbud; 35 hours total
Noise control	Active noise canceling	—	—	Be Aware transparency mode
Controls	Physical buttons, customizable in the app	—	Physical buttons	Touch
Score	8.9/10	7.6/10	7.4/10	7.4/10

Picks five through eight.

Road picks vs treadmill picks

Six of the eight are open-ear (three neckbands, two hooks, one clip): they're the road picks, because traffic. Two are sealed hooks: the Sport X20 with ANC and the Go Sport+ with a Be Aware transparency mode. They're the treadmill and track picks. If you take a sealed pair on a road, transparency on, volume low; the reasoning is in safest headphones for running.

In detail

The picks, in full

Rank 1

Stock photo

8.6 /10

Best under $100 for running

Baseus Bowie MC2

Open-ear clip-on8.6 /10

IP67, 5.1 g, 11.5 to 13 hours per charge and 55 to 60 with the case, Bluetooth 6.0 with multipoint and LDAC. On paper the best-rated budget clip-on by a distance.

Spec sheetSpec-checked · not worn by us

Fit system	Open-ear clip-on. Ear canal stays open: you hear the room and traffic.
Water & sweat rating	IP67
Weight	About 5.1 g per earbud; about 52 g with case
Battery	About 11.5 h (bass boost on) or 13 h (off) per charge; 55 to 60 h with case
Bluetooth	6.0; 38 ms low-latency mode
Multipoint	Yes
Microphones	4-mic AI call clarity
Codecs	SBC, AAC, LDAC
Driver / tech	11 mm dynamic, 20 Hz to 40 kHz
Extras	Detachable air cushions in M/L/XL

How the 8.6 score breaks down

Fit security (25%): 8
Sweat & water resistance (20%): 10
Awareness (open canal) (15%): 9
Sound & leakage (15%): 7
Calls & wind (10%): 7
Battery & charging (10%): 10
Value (5%): 10

What the spec sheet supports

IP67 at a budget price: the best water rating of any clip-on here
Lightest clip-on at 5.1 g
Battery figures nobody else in the category matches
Three cushion sizes for fit

Where it falls short

Less brand track record and fewer independent reviews than Bose, Shokz or Soundcore
Baseus's battery figures are at 50% volume

Skip this if…

…you want a known name with a long warranty history; Shokz and Bose cost more for that reason.

Check price on Amazon

#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to Baseus Bowie MC2

Rank 2

Stock photo

8.3 /10

Best budget neckband

Creative Outlier Free Pro

Bone conduction (neckband)8.3 /10

IPX8, 10 hours, 8 GB of onboard MP3 storage and Bluetooth 5.3 multipoint for well under $100. The budget bone conduction set that can also swim.

Spec sheetSpec-checked · not worn by us

Fit system	Bone conduction (neckband). Ear canal stays open: you hear the room and traffic.
Water & sweat rating	IPX8 (Creative: run, cycle and even swim)
Weight	31.5 g / 1.11 oz
Battery	Up to 10 hours per charge
Charging	Magnetic charging cable
Bluetooth	5.3
Multipoint	Yes
Storage	8 GB built-in memory
Extras	Silicone and titanium memory alloy frame; plug-in microphone for underwater use

How the 8.3 score breaks down

Fit security (25%): 9
Sweat & water resistance (20%): 10
Awareness (open canal) (15%): 10
Sound & leakage (15%): 4
Calls & wind (10%): 6
Battery & charging (10%): 8
Value (5%): 10

What the spec sheet supports

IPX8 at a budget price: the cheapest set here you can take in the pool
10 hours beats the Shokz OpenMove by four
8 GB MP3 player for swimming or phone-free runs

Where it falls short

Heavier than the Shokz OpenRun models at 31.5 g
No dust rating (the X in IPX8 means dust wasn't tested)
Magnetic charging cable rather than USB-C

Skip this if…

…you want the best sound at this price; bone conduction bass is thin across the board and the sealed JLab Go Sport+ sounds fuller for less.

Check price on Amazon

#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to Creative Outlier Free Pro

Rank 3

Stock photo

8.2 /10

Best phone-free budget

Mojawa Run Plus

Bone conduction (neckband)8.2 /10

IP68, 29.6 g, 32 GB of storage and a 5-minute quick charge in the under-$100 band. A swim-capable neckband that undercuts Shokz on paper.

Spec sheetSpec-checked · not worn by us

Fit system	Bone conduction (neckband). Ear canal stays open: you hear the room and traffic.
Water & sweat rating	IP68 (fully submersible)
Weight	29.6 g
Battery	8 hours; standby up to 10 days
Quick charge	5 min = 90 min
Charging	Magnetic induction, 1 hour to full
Bluetooth	5.2
Multipoint	Yes
Storage	32 GB built-in
Extras	Full titanium construction

How the 8.2 score breaks down

Fit security (25%): 9
Sweat & water resistance (20%): 10
Awareness (open canal) (15%): 10
Sound & leakage (15%): 4
Calls & wind (10%): 6
Battery & charging (10%): 8
Value (5%): 9

What the spec sheet supports

IP68 and 32 GB at a price the Shokz OpenSwim Pro doesn't approach
Lighter than the Creative and close to the Shokz OpenRun
Quick charge, which the Shokz OpenMove lacks

Where it falls short

8 hours is two short of the Creative Outlier Free Pro
Magnetic charging cable
Fewer independent reviews than Shokz; we cite only Mojawa's own specs

Skip this if…

…you want the brand with the deepest review record and the widest accessory support; Shokz has both.

Check price on Amazon

#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to Mojawa Run Plus

Rank 4

Stock photo

7.7 /10

Best budget open hook

Soundcore V20i

Open-ear hook7.7 /10

The cheapest open-ear hook worth naming: IP55, four adjustable positions, 8 hours per charge, 16 mm drivers, multipoint. It's a budget set with a real sweat rating.

Spec sheetSpec-checked · not worn by us

Fit system	Open-ear hook. Ear canal stays open: you hear the room and traffic.
Water & sweat rating	IP55
Battery	8 hours; 36 hours with case
Quick charge	10 min = 1 hour
Multipoint	Yes
Microphones	4 mics with AI algorithm
Controls	Touch control
Driver / tech	16 mm drivers with titanium-coated domes
Extras	Four adjustable hook positions

How the 7.7 score breaks down

Fit security (25%): 8
Sweat & water resistance (20%): 8
Awareness (open canal) (15%): 9
Sound & leakage (15%): 6
Calls & wind (10%): 6
Battery & charging (10%): 7
Value (5%): 10

What the spec sheet supports

IP55 at a fraction of the Shokz price
Adjustable hook, the same idea as the AeroFit 2
Multipoint and four mics at this price is unusual

Where it falls short

Soundcore doesn't publish weight or Bluetooth version on the product page
10-minute charge only buys an hour
Touch controls

Skip this if…

…sound matters; single-driver budget open-ears are thin, and the JLab Epic Open Sport adds LDAC for a bit more.

Check price on Amazon

#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to Soundcore V20i

Rank 5

Stock photo

8.9 /10

Best for the treadmill

Soundcore Sport X20

In-ear + ear hook8.9 /10

Hooks that rotate 30 degrees and extend 4 mm, ANC, 12 hours per charge (48 with the case) and a submersion rating for under $100. The sweatproof sealed bud that actually fits different ears.

Spec sheetSpec-checked · not worn by us

Fit system	In-ear + ear hook. Sealed ear canal: isolation, no awareness.
Water & sweat rating	Soundcore lists IP68 in its product imagery and IPX7 in its product description; both are immersion ratings
Battery	12 hours per charge / 48 with case (normal); 7 / 28 with ANC
Charging	About 40 minutes to full for the earbuds
Multipoint	Dual connections
Controls	Physical buttons, customizable in the app
Codecs	SBC, AAC
Driver / tech	11 mm dynamic drivers with BassUp
Noise control	Active noise canceling
Extras	Ear hooks rotate plus or minus 30 degrees and extend 4 mm in four steps; SweatGuard sealed cavity

How the 8.9 score breaks down

Fit security (25%): 10
Sweat & water resistance (20%): 10
Noise control & transparency (15%): 8
Sound quality (15%): 7
Calls & wind (10%): 7
Battery & charging (10%): 9
Value (5%): 10

What the spec sheet supports

Adjustable hooks: rotation and extension are the difference between a bud that stays and one that doesn't
Immersion-rated where Beats is IPX4
12 hours per charge with ANC off
Buttons, not touch

Where it falls short

Soundcore's own page disagrees with itself on IP68 vs IPX7
SBC/AAC only
Soundcore doesn't publish per-earbud weight on the product page

Skip this if…

…you want heart-rate data or Apple integration; the Powerbeats Pro 2 has both.

Check price on Amazon

#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to Soundcore Sport X20

Rank 6

Stock photo

7.6 /10

Cheapest IP55 hook

JLab JBuds Open Sport 2

Open-ear hook7.6 /10

IP55, Bluetooth 6.0 with three-device multipoint and 45 hours total for about the price of a gym month. The cheapest sport hook that still carries a jet-spray sweat rating.

Spec sheetSpec-checked · not worn by us

Fit system	Open-ear hook. Ear canal stays open: you hear the room and traffic.
Water & sweat rating	IP55
Battery	45 hours total with case
Bluetooth	6.0
Multipoint	Multipoint-3 (up to three devices)
Extras	Sport ear hooks; JLab 2-year warranty

How the 7.6 score breaks down

Fit security (25%): 8
Sweat & water resistance (20%): 8
Awareness (open canal) (15%): 9
Sound & leakage (15%): 5
Calls & wind (10%): 6
Battery & charging (10%): 8
Value (5%): 10

What the spec sheet supports

IP55 at the lowest price on this site for an open-ear
Three-device multipoint on Bluetooth 6.0
45 hours total

Where it falls short

JLab hasn't published per-earbud battery, weight or driver size for this model yet
Budget single-driver sound

Skip this if…

…you want a published spec sheet before you buy; JLab's Epic Open Sport has one, and LDAC.

Check price on Amazon

#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to JLab JBuds Open Sport 2

Rank 7

Stock photo

7.4 /10

Cheapest Shokz

Shokz OpenMove

Bone conduction (neckband)7.4 /10

The cheapest way into Shokz: IP55, 29 g, 6 hours, USB-C. You give up quick charge and two generations of driver, but the neckband fit is the same idea.

Spec sheetSpec-checked · not worn by us

Fit system	Bone conduction (neckband). Ear canal stays open: you hear the room and traffic.
Water & sweat rating	IP55
Weight	29 g
Battery	6 hours listening
Quick charge	None
Charging	USB-C, 2 hours to full
Bluetooth	5.1
Multipoint	Yes
Microphones	Dual noise-canceling
Controls	Physical buttons
Driver / tech	7th-gen bone conduction (PremiumPitch 2.0)
Launched	September 2020

How the 7.4 score breaks down

Fit security (25%): 9
Sweat & water resistance (20%): 8
Awareness (open canal) (15%): 10
Sound & leakage (15%): 4
Calls & wind (10%): 6
Battery & charging (10%): 4
Value (5%): 8

What the spec sheet supports

Under $100 at Shokz's own list price, so the cheapest entry to the brand
IP55 covers sweat and rain
USB-C charging, no proprietary cable

Where it falls short

6 hours of battery and no quick charge
Older 7th-gen driver: the thinnest sound of the Shokz neckbands
Heavier than the OpenRun models despite the lower price

Skip this if…

…you run long or forget to charge: six hours with no quick charge is the deal-breaker. The Creative Outlier Free Pro costs less and lasts longer.

Check price on Amazon

#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to Shokz OpenMove

Rank 8

Stock photo

7.4 /10

Best under $50

JLab GO Sport+

In-ear + ear hook7.4 /10

IP55, 9 hours per bud and 35 total, a Be Aware mode and a small ear hook, for less than a pair of gym socks. The cheapest hooked earbud we'd hand to anyone.

Spec sheetSpec-checked · not worn by us

Fit system	In-ear + ear hook. Sealed ear canal: isolation, no awareness.
Water & sweat rating	IP55
Weight	13.1 g for the pair (about 6.5 g per earbud); case 45.8 g
Battery	9 hours per earbud; 35 hours total
Quick charge	10 min = 1 hour
Charging	Integrated USB-C cable on the case
Bluetooth	5.3
Multipoint	Dual Connect (either earbud solo)
Microphones	2 MEMS mics with ENC
Controls	Touch
Codecs	SBC, AAC
Driver / tech	8 mm dynamic driver
Noise control	Be Aware transparency mode

How the 7.4 score breaks down

Fit security (25%): 9
Sweat & water resistance (20%): 8
Noise control & transparency (15%): 6
Sound quality (15%): 5
Calls & wind (10%): 6
Battery & charging (10%): 8
Value (5%): 10

What the spec sheet supports

IP55 and 9 hours per bud at a throwaway price
Be Aware mode lets some of the gym in
Integrated charging cable means nothing to lose

Where it falls short

8 mm driver: thin sound
Touch controls
No ANC

Skip this if…

…sound quality is on the list at all; the Epic Sport ANC 3 is JLab's real sport bud.

Check price on Amazon

#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to JLab GO Sport+

Buyer's guide: running under $100

Battery per charge

Sport X20 12 h, Baseus 11.5 to 13 h, Creative 10 h, Go Sport+ 9 h, V20i 8 h, Mojawa 8 h, OpenMove 6 h. JLab publishes only a 45-hour total for the Open Sport 2.

Rating for rain

All eight are IP55 or better; the Baseus, Creative, Mojawa and Sport X20 are immersion-rated. The full ladder is at IPX4 vs IPX5 vs IPX7.

When to spend more

For USB-C on a neckband with 10-plus hours and a wind rating, the Shokz OpenRun Air 2; for a hook with a button, the OpenFit Air 2. Both on best open-ear headphones for running.

How we scored this

Pairs we claim to have worn: none we haven't

Plenty of sites say they ran a hundred miles in every pair on the list. We don't say that, and we say so on every page. What we do instead: classify the retention system (hook, clip, wing, neckband), record the maker's published IP rating, weight, battery, charging, mic and control type from its own product page, cross-reference at least one independent published review where one exists, and score every pick on a public rubric. Every figure links to where it came from.

Scores are editorial judgments from that documented research, not lab results. Commissions never set a score or decide a pick. The rubric and its weights are published.

Corrections & updates

Sep 21, 2026First edition.

Questions

Frequently asked

What are the best cheap running earbuds?

The Baseus Bowie MC2 (IP67 clip-on), Creative Outlier Free Pro (IPX8 neckband) and Soundcore Sport X20 (sealed, for treadmills). All under $100 at maker list price when checked.

Are there good bone conduction headphones under $100 for running?

Yes: Creative Outlier Free Pro (IPX8, 10 h) and Mojawa Run Plus (IP68, 8 h, 32 GB). The full list is at best bone conduction under $100.

Are cheap earbuds okay in the rain?

Only if they carry a published IP rating. Every pick here does; most unbranded pairs don't.

Keep reading

Receipts

Sources

We haven't worn every pair on this site and we don't pretend to. Specs come from the maker's own product pages (linked on every product), independent findings are attributed to whoever published them, and Amazon prices change often, so we don't print them. Where a figure isn't published, we say so. Read the full method.

The rankings at a glance

The bar

The table

Road picks vs treadmill picks

The picks, in full

Baseus Bowie MC2

Creative Outlier Free Pro

Mojawa Run Plus

Soundcore V20i

Soundcore Sport X20

JLab JBuds Open Sport 2

Shokz OpenMove

JLab GO Sport+

Buyer's guide: running under $100

Battery per charge

Rating for rain

When to spend more

Pairs we claim to have worn: none we haven't

Frequently asked

Related on Openear Club

Sources