TBest Budget MP3 Players

It’s surprising to discover that MP3 players are still widely used, despite having smartphones that can easily stream hundreds of songs with a tap of a button. From people who like to listen to music and podcasts while working out to those who simply want their audio-listening device separate from their phone, an MP3 player proves to be a lifestyle essential.

While MP3 players can be a necessity for some, it’s still important to choose one that has a reasonable price tag. We recommend these products as they are the best budget MP3 players out right now.

SanDisk 32GB Clip Sport Plus MP3 Player is one of the best budget mp3 players for people who listen to music while working out. This compact, budget MP3 player is wearable and water-resistant (can withstand moderate water flow for three minutes). The back of the player has a clip for attaching it to clothing or gear. With Bluetooth capability, a generous 32 GB storage, FM radio, and up to 18 hours of mp3 playback, the SanDisk Clip Sport Plus has the best features of a great MP3 player even on a budget. While it does support all MP3 audio formats, Amazon reviews reveal that it’s not ideal for listening to audiobooks as the controls are not as responsive as most users expected. However, the SanDisk Clip Sport got rave reviews from people who use it for their workout routines.

Pros

• Holds up to 8000 tracks
• Water-resistant
• Bluetooth compatible

Cons

• No micro-SD slot
• Not ideal for audiobook-listening

Specification

• Price $59.99
• Storage 32 GB
• Item Dimensions 0.68 x 1.74 x 2.6 inches
• Supported Standards MP3

You don’t have to spend a fortune to enjoy listening to MP3s with the Sony NWE394/B MP3 player. It’s not the cheapest MP3 player on the list, but for a brand like Sony, you can count on a good quality device that’s worth your money. The Sony NWE394/B is available in 6 GB, 8 GB, and 16 GB variants, with the 8 GB priced at around $75 on Amazon. This budget MP3 player boasts a drag-and-drop music file transfer from iTunes to Windows and Windows Media Player, premium sound, and up to 35 hours of playback. The LCD display enables users to view the album art of music tracks as well as play video files. A Dynamic Normalizer feature ensures all tracks play within a certain volume for a better listening experience.

Pros

• Easy file transfer
• Great battery life
• LCD display for album art and photos
• Volume regulator

Cons

• No expandable storage option
• No Bluetooth

Specification

• Price $74.95
• Storage 8 GB
• Item Dimensions 0.39 x 1.69 x 3.62 inches
• Supported Standards MP3

Possibly one of the best budget MP3 players of its kind, the RUIZU Bluetooth MP3 player has many premium features for a fraction of the cost. Starting with a 1.8-inch HD touchscreen display, the device feels more like a small mobile phone than an MP3 player. The RUIZU features HiFi lossless sound and 16 GB of built-in storage with an option to expand up to 128 GB. It connects to wireless headphones and speakers via Bluetooth 5, with a battery life of up to 25 hours. Despite its small size, this budget MP3 player managed to have an HD touchscreen display and built-in speakers. This versatile MP3 player includes a pedometer, voice recorder, and an e-book reader, which makes this device handy for purposes other than listening to audio.

Pros

• Lossless HiFi sound
• Supports MP3, WAV, and WMA
• Expandable storage up to 128 GB
• Full touch screen HD display

Cons

• Doesn't come with a charger
• Can not skip portions of a track

Specification

• Price $33.98
• Storage 16 GB
• Item Dimensions 1.97 x 1.69 x 0.59 inches
• Supported Standards MP4, MP3, APE, FLAC, WMA, ACELP, WAV, OGG

Similar to the RUIZU MP3 player, the AGPTEK Curved Screen MP3 player is a multifunctional device that goes beyond playing music tracks. This budget MP3 player has a built-in 32 GB storage, with an option to expand to 128GB using an SD card. This player uses HiFi lossless compression, giving you clear, quality sound every time. One of the notable features of this player is its curved screen, which makes the device look sleek, modern, and easy to hold. Considering all it offers, the AGPTEK mp3 player is one of the best budget MP3 players in the market. These days, it’s not easy to find an audio device that includes Bluetooth connectivity and a full touchscreen display with a backlight for under $50. This player supports several file formats including MP3, WAV, APE, FLAC, and DRM, making it great for people who want to upload files with different formats. Overall, the AGPTEK budget MP3 players deliver a wide range of functionality and features that are more than enough to meet anyone’s audio-listening needs.

Pros

• Sleek, modern design
• Supports many file formats
• Built-in speaker

Cons

• Doesn't automatically connect to previously paired Bluetooth devices

Specification

• Price $43.99
• Storage 32 GB
• Item Dimensions 4.17 x 1.89 x 0.35 inches
• Supported Standards MP3, AAC, APE, FLAC, WMA, WAV

Another budget MP3 player that features HiFi lossless sound, the BERENNIS MP3 player comes with 16 GB of storage, which is expandable up to 128 GB. It can pair with Bluetooth headphones or speakers, but not with mobile phones or computers. Sporting a 2.4-inch HD touchscreen, this player looks impressive. The sound quality also matches those of premium brands thanks to its lossless sound technology and customizable EQ. Just like the other MP3 players on this list, the BERENNIS player supports several files other than MP3, which includes FLAC, APE, WMA, WAV, ALAC, and AIFF. This player is ideal for travels or long commutes as it can last up to 50 hours after a 2-hour full charge. This alone makes the BERENNIS a great device for its price point.

Pros

• Eye-catching design
• Menu is easy to navigate
• Superb Bluetooth connectivity
• Comes with headphones

Cons

• No MP4 support

Specification

• Price $35.99
• Storage 16 GB
• Item Dimensions 1.5 x 1.5 x 0.77 inches
• Supported Standards MP3, APE, FLAC, WMA, WAV

This MP3 player may be one of the cheapest and best, budget MP3 players on this list; its quality might just surprise you. The Hotechs MP3 player comes in 9 vibrant colors, with a design reminiscent of the 2nd generation iPod Nano. For under $20, you can get 16 GB of built-in storage (expandable to 128 GB), up to 10 hours of playback, FM radio, and a voice recorder. These all work fairly well, according to its Amazon reviews (4.5 out of 5 stars). The sound quality is decent, and while the battery is not the best there is, it’s enough to go a full day without having to charge. Users might find it takes a while to learn how to use the player’s volume controls, and it’s not as intuitive as the iPod Nano. For a player in its price range, this is a small caveat.

Pros

• Affordable
• Decent sound and battery life
• Colorful design
• Lightweight

Cons

• Unintuitive playback controls

Specification

• Price 19.99
• Storage 16 GB
• Item Dimensions 4.13 x 2.13 x 1.46 inches
• Supported Standards WMA

For those who prefer to access their music through Spotify or Amazon, the Mighty Vibe is a more suitable choice. The price point might not make it the most budget-friendly MP3 player, but it’s not that expensive considering the appeal and convenience it brings to people who love to stream albums and listen to podcasts. Unlike mobile phones, the Mighty Vibe provides 5 hours of music from Spotify and Amazon without an internet connection. You don’t have to connect to WiFi or cellphone data to listen to your playlists. This is what makes the Mighty Vibe player truly one of a kind. The Mighty Vibe is as small as a box of matches and can be clipped onto clothing. It is water, sweat, and drop resistant, which makes it durable enough to take outdoors when traveling or working out. As for device compatibility, the Mighty Vibe is versatile enough that you can pair it with wireless headphones or connect it to a wired pair. To make sure your playlists are updated, you can download the Mighty Vibe app for wireless syncing.

Pros

• Great for Spotify and Amazon music users
• Durable and lightweight
• Easy to use
• Mobile app support
• Supports wireless and wired headphones

Cons

• Limited battery life

Specification

• Price $119.99
• Storage 8 GB
• Item Dimensions 1.5 x 1.5 x 0.77 inches
• Supported Standards SDHC

The TIMMKOO WiFi MP3 player feels more like a mobile phone than an audio device. For starters, it’s powered by a 4-core MTK chip that enables fast Bluetooth connectivity and syncing with headphones, speakers, and car stereos. This player also has a full 4-inch touch screen, so you play and view videos in addition to music files. When it comes to battery life, the TIMMKOO player boasts up to 77 hours of music and 10 hours of video. Transferring files can be done via a USB cable or WiFi. WiFi file transfers are done using the player’s mobile app, which is compatible with both Android and iOS. The player’s software is also quite impressive, with an option to search for a file in the media library. You can create playlists and use several playback features like Shuffle All, Party Shuffle, Loop Single, and Loop All.

Pros

• Great battery life
• 4-inch touchscreen display
• 4-core chip allows faster sync
• Screen lock

Cons

• Doesn't support WMA

Specification

• Price $49.99
• Storage 8 GB
• Item Dimensions 4.2 x 2.4 x 0.5
• Supported Standards MP4, MP3, AAC, ACELP, APE, AMR, FLAC, M4A, WAV, OGG

If you’re a fan of the 6th generation Apple iPod Nano, then The Eclipse T180 can help provide the nostalgia of listening to music from a tiny LCD screen. Other than bringing back old memories, there’s not much else to expect. The Eclipse T180 MP3 player delivers basic functions, which might be what some users are looking for. Don’t expect to load too many songs in this player as its storage capacity is 4 GB. The most important feature of the Eclipse T180 is its lightweight and tiny design. This player is great for people who want something discreet and extremely portable. The LCD touchscreen may prove too small for some users, but might actually be preferable for others. Considering the player’s simplicity and limitations, it’s ideal for anyone who is not technically adept and needs an easy way to listen to songs from a digital device.

Pros

• Small and lightweight
• Great sound quality
• Easy to use

Cons

• Limited storage space

Specification

• Price $59.99
• Storage 4 GB
• Item Dimensions 2.25 x 0.5 x 1.75 inches
• Supported Standards WAV; MP3; ASF; OGG; APE; FLAC; WMA

The Aiworth MP3 player has all the features of a high-end MP3 player without the high price. Packing the latest Bluetooth technology, connecting devices with this player is quick and easy. The sound quality from this budget MP3 player is superb, as it uses the latest DAC (digital-analog converter) chip. Anyone with a massive music library should feel right at home with Aiworth’s 32 GB storage via TF (TransFlash) card, which can store approximately 5000 songs. This player also supports files other than MP3, such as WAV, OGG, and WMA. With the battery lasting for up to 8 hours after one hour of fast charging, the Airworth MP3 player is one of the best budget MP3 players on this list. This device also doubles as a voice recorder, e-book reader, and FM radio.

Pros

• Sleek, luxurious design
• Fast data transfers
• Decent battery life

Cons

• Limited volume level

Specification

• Price $38.24
• Storage 32 GB
• Item Dimensions 4 x 1.5 x 0.29 inches
• Supported Standards MP4, MP3, APE, FLAC, WMA, WAV, OGG