The best budget microphones mean you can keep costs down without compromising on quality too much. So whether you're a podcaster or Twitch streamer, musician or film-maker, or just want a better quality microphone for your Zoom calls, it's possible to get a very decent mic within quite a tight budget.
Of course, this won't be the best microphone overall, but it will certainly be a big improvement on the one built into your phone, tablet or laptop. So it's still a very worthwhile investment. The only problem is, with so many options on the market, which do you choose?
Below we've listed the best budget microphones for a variety of purposes, including the best budget mic for Zoom, best budget mic for iPhone, the best budget mic for interviews, and the best budget mic for Twitch. And they all hit the sweet spot between affordability and performance.
Tom May
Tom May is a freelance writer and editor specializing in art, photography, design and travel. He has been editor of Professional Photography magazine, associate editor at Creative Bloq, and deputy editor at net magazine. He has also worked for a wide range of mainstream titles including The Sun, Radio Times, NME, T3, Heat, Company and Bella.
This is our favorite budget option for clipping to your clothing, newsreader-style. It has a windshield, although it is liable to pick up background noise. Read more below...
Made with mobile filmmaking in mind, the Me-C takes its power from your phone’s USB-C port, and offers a headphone socket for monitoring. Read more below...
Our second mobile mic costs much less, but delivers surprisingly good sound quality. Make sure you check it works with your phone model. Read more below...
This directional mic is ideal for setting up in front of a guitar or other musical instrument, recording clean sound with minimal background noise. Read more below...
This stablemate to the SM57 has been tweaked sonically to record your singing voice rather than musical instruments – an attention to detail we love. Read more below...
Here’s a great way to get started with recording videos in your home studio, including a stand and a filter to handle the ‘pop’ noises you make as you speak. Read more below...
When you want to be heard clearly, reach for this cardioid mic that does a great job of cutting background noise and supports monitoring. Read more below...
This tiny omnidirectional mic has its own battery and works with laptops, phones and cameras, making it a versatile choice for recording a chat. Read more below...
Get set for your next streaming session with this gaming headset. As well as recording crisp sound, it gives you a great listening experience. Read more below...
If you’re going out on stage, this double set can connect to amps and PA systems, with a range of over 160 feet. Read more below...
The best budget microphones in 2024
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The Simorr Wave U1 is a plug-and-play USB mic that's very affordable but still sounds great. It's compatible with a huge range of devices, including those running Windows, Android, macOS and Linux, as well as the PS4 and PS5.
It's very compact, standing just 17.5 cm tall. It has a touch-sensitive mute button, and a physical input dial that makes it more or less sensitive to your sound levels. You can monitor the audio quality by plugging headphones directly into the mic’s jack. And its cardioid polar pattern reduces the sound from the sides and rear of the mic, so there’s less interference from background noise.
All this at such a small price makes this our clear pick as the best budget mic overall. For more details, see our full Simorr Wave U1 review.
Looking for a cheap mic you can clip to your clothing? Here's our current favorite. This lavalier mic is small and unobtrusive, and captures clear, high-quality sound from all directions, via two omindirectional capsules.
It comes with a 3.5mm jack TRS connector, so you can connect it to a compatible camera, voice recorder or transmitter, and it takes it power from these devices, so there's no need for batteries. Its flexible rotating clip lets you attach it to yourself at any angle, from horizontal for a necktie or lapel, to vertical for a pocket. It comes with a windshield designed to reduce the impact of both wind noise and the sound of your own breathing.
The main downside with this mic is that of all omnidirectional mics; by capturing 360 degrees of sound, it may pick up a lot of background noise. That aside, this is a great option for anyone on a budget.
Compatible with iPhone 15 and Android phones with a USB-C port, this is our favorite option for recording audio on the move through your smartphone. While it's a little costlier than most of the other mics on this list, it's still pretty cheap, and offers great quality and value overall.
Designed specifically for mobile filmmaking and content creation, this shotgun mic uses a directional polar pattern to reduce background noise and focus on exactly what you're recording. It comes with a furry windshield to further enhance audio, and a 3.5mm headphone port, so you can monitor your sound as you go. The main potential downside is that you'll probably have to remove your phone case to use it.
If you have an older iPhone with a Lightning port, by the way, Rode also offers the strikingly similar VideoMic Me-L.
If you want a budget mic for iPhone that's cheaper than our number three pick (a lot cheaper, in fact), here's one we recommend. This lovely clip-on mic provides a clear, clean sound, and its cable is nice and long at 12.87 feet (4m).
It comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack, and at such a low price, the quality-to-value ratio is quite astounding. It's compatible with a wide range of devices, including smartphones, laptops and PCs. However, there are lot of things it won't work with, including Samsung Galaxy S4-S7, so do check before you buy.
Polar pattern: Cardioid, Omnidirectional, Stereo, and Bidirectional
Weight: 680g
Dimensions: 241 x 166 x 109mm
Reasons to buy
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Studio quality output
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Four directional pattern modes
The JLab Talk is a popular choice for streaming, gaming, podcasting and more. It offers studio-quality resolution of 96kHz/24-bit, three studio-quality condensers, and great dynamic sound range, enabling you to capture clear and accurate audio for less than you might expect.
What's even more surprising at the price is that you get not one but four polar patterns: cardioid, omnidirectional, stereo, and bidirectional. There's a handy button and lighting system too, making it easy to switch between modes, or to mute your sound. Finally, this plug-and-play mic comes with a 6.5-foot USB/USB-C input cable to plug into your device. On the downside, it's better used indoors than out, and it's not good enough for recording music; but otherwise, this offers superb value.
If you want to capture the sound of a single musical instrument, such as a guitar amp or a drum, this is our top pick. Because this is a directional mic, it'll pick up the sound clearly, with minimal interference. And for the low price, it offers exceptional quality, with a bright and clean sound. Widely used in the music industry for both studio and live performances, it's robustly made too. You can't really go wrong with this budget favourite.
The Shure SM57 (number 6 in our list) is fine for vocals. But if singing is your main reason for needing a budget mic, you'd be better off with this sibling, the SM58, which is purpose-made for the task.
The main difference between them is a slightly different approach to frequency response, which in this mic enhances the mid and upper frequencies. Otherwise, you get all the great value, robust build quality and clean sound of the SM57.
Want a mic for streaming that's even more affordable than our number 5 pick above? The Tonor TC30 is super-cheap and would suit someone who's just starting out on YouTube or a similar platform – especially as this condenser mic comes with a tripod, a shock mount, a pop filter and USB-C to USB-A cable included in the price.
Overall, this mic is durable and reliable, and offers good audio quality. It's compatible with Macs, PCs, PS4 and iPads, althoughyou'll need to buy an adapter for the latter. It's not, however, compatible with iPhones or the XBox.
The best budget mic for Zoom and video conferences
Specifications
Type: Condenser
Polar pattern: Cardioid
Weight: 454g
Dimensions: 244 x 244 x 66mm
Reasons to buy
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Better quality than in-built mics
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Cuts out background noise
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Controls for headphone volume
Reasons to avoid
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Not suitable for outside use
Fed up with your words not being heard properly on Zoom calls? This condenser mic's cardioid polar pattern and high-quality A/D convertor will cut out most background noise, and make sure others can hear what you're saying clearly.
And that's not all. It's easy to connect to your laptop via USB. A built-in headphone jack allows you to directly monitor from your microphone. And you can adjust headphone volume with easy-to-use controls on the bottom. This mic also comes with a stand clamp, tripod desk stand, 2m mini USB cable, 3m XLRF-type to XLRM-type cable and a carrying pouch.
It all adds up to a bargain at US prices, although on the other side of the Atlantic it's currently about 50 per cent more expensive, for some unexplained reason. So if you're in the UK, you might want to give this one a miss, because in truth any of the mics on this list will also improve the quality of your Zoom calls significantly beyond your laptop or phone's in-built mic.
If you want a mic specifically for interviews, here's our top choice. The Audio-Technica ATR3350iS connects to video cameras, DSLRs and audio recorders, as well as via smartphones, tablets and laptops using the included 3.5mm adapter, and offers very good sound quality for the price. This tiny, newscaster-style mic comes with an in-line battery pack and its omnidirectional polar pattern captures full 360-degrees, stereo sound. You also get a clothing clip, LR44 battery, and foam windscreen, making this a fantastic deal overall.
If you're streaming on Twitch, you'll want a gaming style headset with high-quality audio. Thankfully, you can get all of that for an affordable price, in the form of the Logitech G332 Wired Gaming Headset. As well as a great listening experience, it also captures clear and crisp sound, thanks a large boom mic which boasts noise-canceling smarts and mutes when flipped up. It's compatible with Windows, Mac and mobile devices via a 3.5mm cable, as well as gaming consoles such as the PlayStation, the XBox One and the Nintendo Switch.
Want a wireless mic for using on stage? Whether you're a DJ, musician, comedian or giving a lecture, these budget mics will set you right. Coming as a two-for-one combo, these mics offer an impressive range of 160 feet (50m), great audio quality, and easy connection to singing machines, amplifiers, PA systems and mixers. Note, though, that they're not compatible with MacBooks or Bluetooth speakers, and you'll need to buy two AA batteries separately.
Tom May is a freelance writer and editor specializing in art, photography, design and travel. He has been editor of Professional Photography magazine, associate editor at Creative Bloq, and deputy editor at net magazine. He has also worked for a wide range of mainstream titles including The Sun, Radio Times, NME, T3, Heat, Company and Bella.
