Finding a quality microphone on a budget can be a daunting challenge!
Budding creatives such as musicians, podcasters, and streamers can be put off initially by $200+ price tags on ‘top of the line’ microphones.
However, there are other options out there!
In this article, we did the hard work of reviewing a wide range of mics in the $50 and under price bracket on Amazon — and there are a handful of clear winners.
Read on to find the solution to all your microphone troubles!
Top 5 Microphones Under $50 for Vocals in 2024
1. Maono USB
Number five on our list is one of the cheapest options we managed to find, and it’s a choice that offers a lot without breaking the bank!
For your money, you’ll get a solid stand, a 6.5-foot USB connecting cable, headphone input to the rear, and volume/headphone volume knobs on the front.
This mic comes in a solid metal finish, and we believe it wouldn’t look out of place on any desk!
2. Anker Powercast M300
Our next microphone pick comes in at the upper ranges of our budget, but it offers a lot of cool features that come with the tag.
With the Anker Powercast M300, you’ll enjoy an adjustable stand, a 6-foot long USB connecting cable, and the mic itself fitted with a headphone jack on the bottom and a volume knob on the side.
One attractive element of this mic is a cool RGB light feature, which offers a total of 23 different colors!
This feature, combined with its solid build quality, makes it a handsome microphone that will serve an entry-level audio creative very well.
3. Uhuru Gaming Mic
Next on our list is a gaming mic from Uhuru.
This one may appeal to more sci-fi-inclined readers as its built-in adjustable stand makes it look like a Martian invader from War of the Worlds. But don’t let its appearance fool you — this mic has a respectable price to boot!
It also has an incredibly decent audio quality that rivals our number one pick below.
The coolest thing about this mic feature-wise is that it offers users a selection of two different polar patterns: omnidirectional (picking up sound from all angles) and cardioid (picking up sound only from the front).
This feature, combined with its durable build and audio quality, makes this microphone an overall great pick!
4. Tecurs USB Mic Kit
Our pick for the second-best mic under $50 comes as part of a set — the mic comes with a boom arm, tripod stand, shock mount, and pop and foam filters!
It remains an elegant simplicity despite this many pieces, with the mic itself glowing a warm red color once turned on.
In terms of build quality, we believe the Tecurs USB mic is the pick of the bunch!
It’s sturdy without passing up on flexibility, and the accessories that come in this set simply can’t be beaten by any of the other mics on this list. And the best part? You get all that without having to blow a hole through your wallet! Now that’s a steal!
5. HyperX Solocast 1
The relatively well-known Solocast mic is sleek and flashy — and you can get your very own at an absolute bargain!
This HyperX mic comes with an adjustable stand, a 6.5-foot cable, a touch-sensitive mute button, and a classic design that allows it to blend in seamlessly into any recording setup.
In our opinion, this is the best-sounding mic by a considerable margin. If you prioritize audio quality over other features mentioned in this list, you’d be hard pressed to find another option that could beat this extremely affordable mic!
Key Features to Look for in Affordable Vocal Microphones
While on our lookout for the best microphone picks under $50, we had four main features in mind. These were:
4. Build quality
Nobody wants a flimsy microphone that feels like it could break at any second!
Build quality is an important thing to consider when shopping for budget-friendly microphones. It is also a good predictor of quality among our other features.
3. Accessories
We’re going to keep it real: For under $50, you can’t expect a host of top-quality accessories!
However, that shouldn’t stop you from keeping an eye out for them. Our number 2 pick (the Tecurs USB mic kit) offers a great lineup of accessories that any creator would find useful.
2. Special Features
If it’s your thing, unique and fun features can be the difference between taking or leaving a microphone, regardless of the price bracket.
These could be things such as nifty RGB light displays (see the Anker Powercast M300 at number 4) or different polar pattern options (see the Uhuru gaming mic at number 3).
1. Audio quality
We’re rounding this section off with the most important feature any microphone can offer you: audio quality!
While other features are a bonus and important to consider, we (quite sensibly) don’t think anything is more important to a microphone than its audio quality.
After all, it’s the feature that has the only real bearing on the end product of whatever it is you are creating!
Audio quality comes before everything in the search for a microphone. Once you have that important tip implanted in your head, you can’t go too wrong!
Final Words
It may not seem like it at first, but $50 is enough to buy yourself an extremely solid microphone!
To assist in your searches, this article has suggested the five we think are the best in the $50 price range on Amazon, as well as remind you of the top features to look for when on the hunt for a mic.
Build quality, accessories, special features – and most importantly – audio quality are all aspects to consider!
With this information, we have faith that you will find a microphone that fits both your purpose and your budget in no time at all.
Philip had the founding vision for Audio Assemble, previously known as Pro Tools Tutorial. In 2008 Philip began recording and producing songs and had a hard time finding free and accurate information on Pro Tools software. From there the website was born. Philip currently works as a Software Engineer for Amazon and handles the editorial strategy as well as much of the technical aspects of Audio Assemble’s website.