There are plenty of noise-cancelling headphones under $200 in the market, and we’ve selected the very best under this price range for you.
These headphones are designed with built-in active noise cancellation that can actively cancel outside noises so that you can focus on your music and podcasts.
Noise cancellation technology works by producing a counter frequency that neutralizes external noise so you can have a quiet listening experience. The headphones that we have selected are more effective at doing this, providing the listener with a quiet listening experience to enjoy your music.
Whether you are a seasoned audiophile or looking for a set of noise cancelling headphones for plane travel, be sure to check out our top picks below!
#1 Sennheiser PXC 550 Noise Cancelling Headphone
Sound Quality: Exceptional sound performance, good bass
Noise Cancellation: Up to 90% noise cancellation
What we liked: Good noise cancellation headphones
View full specs: Sennheiser PXC 550 Noise Cancelling Headphones
The Sennheiser PXC 550 is our preferred pick and definitely one of the best noise cancelling headphones under $200. These headphones come with NoiseGard adaptive noise cancellation which cancels out 90% of ambient background noise, allowing you to focus on your music without being distracted.
We really liked the sound quality on the PXC 550 headphones – the midranges and highs are silky smooth, while the bass sounds impactful and punchy with the noise cancelling turned on. That being said, we did find that the headphones sound better with the noise cancellation turned on, and there is some diminished sound quality if the noise cancellation is switched off.
The PXC550 headphones are equipped with Bluetooth 4.2 technology and feature an ergonomic lightweight design – they are great for travel and are pretty comfortable to wear.
Furthermore, the PXC 550 headphones have an intuitive user control with voice prompts, touch controls, NFC pairing and smart pause and automatic on/off functions for day to day use.
If you want to take hands-free calls, the PXC 550 has a triple microphone array that delivers very good vocal clarity.
#2 Bose QuietComfort 25 Noise Cancelling Headphones
Sound Quality: Deep, powerful sound for music
Noise Cancellation: Up to 95% noise cancellation
What we liked: The best noise cancelling headphone
View full specs: Bose QuietComfort 25 Noise Cancelling Headphones
If the Bose QuietComfort 35s are out of your budget, go for the Bose QC 25 headphones – they are an excellent choice for noise cancelling headphones under $200. In fact, out of all the headphones we’ve tested, these headphones deliver the best active noise cancellation and can block up to 95% of external noises.
The headphones produce deep and powerful sound – the volume on the headphones can get very loud and we did not hear any hint of distortion while listening to music. Podcasts and vocals sound sharp and clear on these headphones, and they do provide quite a good degree of soundstage when the noise cancelling is turned on.
The headphones are also comfortable and lightweight, and have luxurious ear padding which reduces listening fatigue.
Do note that the QC 25s are either android or iPhone compatible, so you’d need to get the headphone depending on which device you are using.
#3 Sony WH-XB900N Noise Cancelling Headphones
Sound Quality: Wide frequency response, 20 Hz to 20 kHz
Noise Cancellation: Up to 90% noise cancellation
What we liked: Touch sensor controls, quick attention mode
View full specs: Sony WH-XB900N Noise Cancelling Headphones
The Sony WH-XB900N noise cancelling headphones are another set of high-quality headphones that delivers really good noise cancellation. The noise cancelling on these headphones works very well to block outside noises from coming in, and can cancel up to 85% to 90% of ambient noise. That being said, we still found that the Bose QC25s provide better noise cancelling overall.
Where these headphones shines is the level of bass that you get with these headphones – they are effectively extra bass headphones and can deliver a solid deep low end with a level of kick that most headphones lack. Electronic dance music sounds particularly good on these headphones.
The WH-XB900N headphones features 30 hours of battery life, and have a frequency range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz. It also comes with a touch sensor control to pause, play and skip soundtracks and control volume. It also works with Google Assistant and other voice assistants.
The headphone has a quick attention mode which allows you to have conversations without taking the headphones off. You can also optimize the sound settings on the headphones via the headphone connect app.
#4 COWIN E7 PRO Noise Cancelling Headphone
Sound Quality: Well-balanced sound, crisp highs, detailed midranges
Noise Cancellation: Up to 85% noise cancellation
What we liked: 45mm large aperture drivers
View full specs: COWIN E7 PRO Noise Cancelling Headphones
Another good noise cancelling headphone under $200 is the COWIN E7 PRO wireless headphones. These headphones are equipped with professional noise cancelling technology that blocks out surrounding noises and engine rumbling noise, and are great for office or air travel. We also liked that the noise cancelling function works in both wired and wireless modes, making them highly versatile.
The sound quality of the COWIN E7 is definitely much better than what we were expecting. They deliver proprietary 45mm large-aperture drivers which provide deep accurate bass response. We played a couple of soundtracks through these headphones including instrumental and jazz, and enjoyed the vibrant and detailed sound coming from the acoustic drivers.
The COWIN E7 headphones are equipped with a 30 hour battery life which is great for long distance travelling. They also come with professional protein ear-padding and a 90 degree swivelling ear-cup for portability.
Comfort-wise, these headphones are rather lightweight and comfortable to wear for long periods of time without fatigue, although you’d probably need to let these headphones loosen up straight out of the box.
#5 Sony MDR-ZX110NC Noise Cancelling Headphones
Sound Quality: Great bass response, well-balanced sound
Noise Cancellation: Up to 95% noise cancellation
What we liked: 80 hours battery life, wide frequency response
View full specs: Sony MDR-ZX110NC Noise Cancelling Headphone
The Sony MDR-ZX100NC are some of the best noise cancelling headphones under $200 that deliver really good sound performance and long battery life.
These are essentially over-ear, noise-isolating headphones and can reduce ambient background noise by up to 90% to 95%. That being said, the noise cancelling feature is effective in low-frequency ranges and not as effective for higher frequencies.
These Sony headphones come with 30mm neodymium drivers and deliver up to 80 hours of battery life on a single charge. It has a wide frequency range from 10 Hz to 22 kHz and can deliver loud volume output without any distortion.
Overall, the Sony MDR-ZX110NC’s are a really effective set of noise cancelling headphones under $200 and we highly recommend them.
#6 Boltune Noise Cancelling Headphones
Sound Quality: HD sound, deep bass, wide frequency response
Noise Cancellation: Up to 96% noise cancellation
What we liked: Bluetooth 5.0 and CVC 6.0 noise cancellation
View full specs: Boltune Noise Cancelling Headphones
If comfort is the most important factor for you, go for the Boltune wireless noise cancelling headphones. These are hybrid active noise cancelling headphones which can effectively reduce external noise by 96% while travelling or working in the office. It is also equipped with internal features that reduce the headphone’s internal noise and improve the overall sound quality.
The Boltune headphones come with 45mm large-aperture drivers with HD sound quality and deep bass performance. They produce an authentic sound performance that’s true to the original sound recording, and does not muddle up the bass or midrange frequencies.
These headphones feature protein ear pads and aluminium alloy materials that are very comfortable and rotatable; they are light and durable and feels comfortable over the ears.
Finally, these headphones feature the latest Bluetooth 5.0 and CVC 6.0 microphone for hands free calls. It also has 30 hours of playtime and fast-charging. It comes with a built-in 680mAh battery.
#7 TaoTronics Active Noise Cancelling Headphones
Sound Quality: Crystal clear sound with loud volume
Noise Cancellation: Up to 96% noise cancellation
What we liked: aptX wireless Hi-Fi sound
View full specs: TaoTronics Noise Cancelling Headphones
The TaoTronics active noise cancelling headphones are highly effective at reducing background noise by up to 96%. They are some of the best noise cancelling headphones under $200 and come highly recommended if you are looking for a headphone on a budget.
Compared with the Bose QC25s and Sony WH-XB900N, we found that the noise cancellation on the TaoTronics is not as effective in cancelling out higher-frequency noise such as voice and chatter. That being said, it does a pretty good job at lower frequency ranges and blocks out lower volume murmurs and sounds.
These headphones feature Hi-Fi audio soundstage and aptX coding with Bluetooth 5.0 for a stable and consistent wireless connection. It also has fast charging capabilities using USB-C connectors ; you can get up to 30 hours of playtime with a 45 minute charge.
You can take hassle-free calls through these headphones via CVC 8.0 noise cancelling microphones.
We liked how comfortable the headphones are – they have customizable soft protein memory foam pads which reduce pressure on your ears, while an adjustable headband increases comfort for long-term use.
#8 SANAG Noise Cancelling Headphones
Sound Quality: 360 degree Hi-Fi sound quality
Noise Cancellation: Up to 90% (low frequency ranges)
What we liked: 30 hours battery life
View full specs: SANAG Noise Cancelling Headphone
You may not have heard about the Sanag noise cancelling headphones, but these headphones does provide really good sound quality with excellent noise cancellation. The headphone comes with four static condenser microphones equipped with active noise cancellation modes which can continuous monitor and accurately locate environmental noise.
The noise cancelling feature on the SANAG headphones is unique because it will adjust continuously at a frequency of 200 times per second, allowing it to cancel out almost all background noises.
The headphones are equipped with built-in 40mm driver units which deliver 360 degree sound quality and high-resolution audio. The bass response on these headphones punches deep and hard, and adds a layer of quality to music performances.
We liked how comfortable the SANAG headphones are. They come with pressure relieving ear-pads which distribute the pressure evenly and increase the contact area of the ear pads for more comfort. These headphones are over-ear and have 90 degree rotating earmuffs.
The SANAG headphone uses Bluetooth 5.0 with A2DP transmission for lower power consumption and a more consistent and stable connection.
Finally, these headphones can last for 30 hours with its 600 mAh battery on a single charge.
#9 Venue Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones
Sound Quality: Clean sound with vibrant midranges
Noise Cancellation: Up to 85% noise cancellation
What we liked: Ambient mode, 24 hours battery life
View full specs: Venue Noise Cancelling Headphones
The Venue noise cancelling headphones are a pretty good set of headphones you can find on a budget. These headphones are equipped with the latest Bluetooth wireless technology for a consistent and stable connection, and have active noise cancellation with ambient mode.
The sound quality on the Venue headphones is crisp, clear and well-defined. They have a well-balanced sound signature with crisp timbre ranges, smooth midranges and deep bass performance. The level of detail that you get with the Venue headphones is very good, and you can hear details from these headphones with crystal clarity.
The Venue wireless headphone has a 24 hour battery life with rapid charge functionality. It also has a microphone and volume control, and supports voice assistants.
#10 Paww Wavesound 3 Noise Cancelling Headphones
Sound Quality: High-fidelity sound, great bass impact
Noise Cancellation: Up to 90% noise cancellation
What we liked: aptX low latency wireless
View full specs: Paww Wavesound 3 Noise Cancelling Headphone
The Paww Wavesound 3 is one of the best noise cancelling headphones under $200 that delivers exceptionally good sound performance. It features active noise cancellation which effectively reduces low-frequency noises and allows you to focus on your music.
These headphones are custom –tuned with twin 40mm dynamic drivers that accurate reproduce balanced sound across the entire frequency range. It also has built-in aptX low-latency that can reproduce high-definition sound over Bluetooth. It has a 34ms latency that is incomprehensible to the human ear.
These headphones are comfortable and lightweight and weigh under 7 oz. They feature ultra-light and soft protein ear-pads with swivelling ear-cups. The headphone is also adjustable and foldable and easy to carry inside your backpack.
We also liked that the Paww Wavesound 3 headphone can connect to multiple devices and is compatible with Siri or Google Assistant with voice recognition. It comes with a CVC 6.0 microphone for hands free calls with noise cancellation.