Is Beats Studio Buds+ Worth It in 2026? Honest Review
The Beats Studio Buds+ have been around since 2023, and in 2026 they compete with newer earbuds from Apple, Samsung and a long list of budget brands. What has changed is the price. Today they sell for $99.95 on Amazon, sold by Amazon, against a $169.95 list price. That's a 41% discount, and about $30 below the $129.99 we tracked for most of the past month.
At $170 these were a tough sell. At $100 they're a different proposition, so we went back through what they do well, where they fall short, and who should buy them instead of something cheaper or something fancier.
Beats Studio Buds+ (Transparent)
Price today (Oct 29, 2026): $99.95, 41% below the $169.95 list price, sold by Amazon. Rated 3.9 out of 5 from 8,073 reviews on this listing. Active noise cancelling, Transparency mode, up to 36 hours of total listening with the case, and native pairing on both iPhone and Android.
Check price on AmazonWhat you get for $99.95
| Beats Studio Buds+ | |
|---|---|
| Price today | $99.95 (list $169.95) |
| Noise control | Active Noise Cancelling + Transparency mode |
| Battery | Up to 36 hours total with the charging case |
| Ear tips | Four silicone tip sizes in the box |
| Calls | Voice-targeting mics, 3x larger than the original Studio Buds |
| Pairing | One-touch pairing on iPhone and Android |
| Charging | USB-C case (no wireless charging) |
| Amazon rating | 3.9 / 5 (8,073 reviews) |
What the Studio Buds+ do well
They work equally well on iPhone and Android. This is the main reason to pick Beats over AirPods. You get one-touch pairing and native features on an iPhone, and a proper Android app with quick pairing on a Pixel or Galaxy phone. If your household mixes both, or you might switch phones in the next couple of years, these won't lock you in.
The noise cancelling is good for the price. It won't match the best flagship earbuds on a plane, but it takes the edge off buses, office chatter and fan noise. Transparency mode is natural enough to hold a short conversation or hear a station announcement without pulling a bud out.
Battery life is long. Beats rates the set at up to 36 hours with the case, so most people will charge them about twice a week. The case uses USB-C, the same cable as most current phones and laptops.
Calls sound clearer than the original Studio Buds. Beats moved to larger voice-targeting microphones in this version, and callers notice the difference in noisy places.
The fit suits more ears. Four tip sizes come in the box, including an extra-small option, which matters because noise cancelling only works well with a good seal.
Where they fall short
No wireless charging. The case only charges over USB-C. If you already use a Qi or MagSafe pad, that's a step back.
Fewer convenience features than AirPods Pro 2. There's no automatic ear detection to pause music when you take a bud out, and Apple-only extras such as automatic switching between your iPhone, iPad and Mac are reserved for AirPods. The controls are physical button presses on the stems rather than touch or swipe gestures, which some people prefer and others find fiddly.
The rating is middling. 3.9 out of 5 is lower than most earbuds we cover. Reading through the critical reviews, the common complaints are fit (the buds sit flat and don't suit every ear) and connection issues for some owners. If fit has been a problem for you with other earbuds, buy from Amazon so returns are simple.
They're not new. Launched in 2023, they're older than most of their rivals. That's why the price has dropped, but it also means newer models may get features these never will.
- 41% off today at $99.95, sold by Amazon
- Full feature support on both iPhone and Android
- Effective ANC and natural Transparency mode for the money
- Up to 36 hours of total battery with the case
- Four tip sizes and clearer call mics than the original
- No wireless charging case
- No automatic ear detection
- 3.9-star rating, with fit and connection complaints
- A 2023 design that newer earbuds have caught up with
How they compare with the alternatives
Apple AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C)
Price today (Oct 29, 2026): $265.28 from a third-party seller. Rated 4.7 out of 5 from 28,826 reviews. Stronger noise cancelling, ear detection, wireless charging and seamless switching across Apple devices, but at more than twice the Beats price today. Read our full take: Are AirPods Pro 2 worth it in 2026?
Check price on Amazon
Soundcore by Anker P20i True Wireless Earbuds
Price today (Oct 29, 2026): $22.99, 43% below the $39.99 list price. Rated 4.4 out of 5 from 118,205 reviews. No active noise cancelling, but bass-heavy sound and a long-lasting case for under $25. If you only need earbuds for the gym or podcasts, this is the money-saver.
Check price on Amazon
Soundcore by Anker Q20i Hybrid ANC Headphones
Price today (Oct 29, 2026): $44.99, 36% below the $69.99 list price. Rated 4.5 out of 5 from 78,509 reviews. If you mostly listen at a desk or on long trips and don't need earbuds, over-ear ANC for under $45 is hard to beat.
Check price on AmazonThe Samsung Galaxy Buds3 would be the obvious Android rival, but they had no buy-box offer on Amazon when we checked this morning. If you're deciding between Apple's options instead, see AirPods 4 vs AirPods Pro 2.
Who should buy the Beats Studio Buds+
Buy them if you want real noise cancelling for around $100, you use Android or switch between Android and iPhone, and you care more about battery life and call quality than premium extras.
Skip them if you're all-in on Apple and can stretch to AirPods Pro 2, you rely on a wireless charging pad, or you just want cheap earbuds for workouts, in which case the $22.99 Soundcore P20i saves you $77.
The verdict: worth it at $99.95
At full price, the Beats Studio Buds+ were hard to recommend over AirPods or Samsung's own buds. At $99.95, they're one of the better ANC earbuds you can buy for about $100, especially if you use Android or switch between platforms. Just go in knowing they skip wireless charging and ear detection, and that the fit doesn't suit everyone.