EarFun Free Pro 3 review: The best compact earbuds to buy on a budget this year

After spending a good few months with the EarFun Free Pro 3, I can say these mid-range wireless earbuds easily contend for some of the best buds under $100. The price is right, you get premium features like wireless charging, and we have a familiar compact design that sets the Free Pro lineup apart from EarFun's other models.

For context, EarFun usually kills it in the budget audio accessories segment, making it a staple recommendation on our list of the best cheap wireless earbuds. The EarFun Air Pro 3 from 2023 set the bar for good, affordable in-ear buds for me last year, and I was fully hoping the Free Pro 3 would do the same this year.

So, if you have about $80 to spare and wireless earbuds on your shopping list, should you be considering the EarFun Free Pro 3? Let's answer that question.

EarFun Free Pro 3: Price and availability

EarFun launched the Free Pro 3 wireless earbuds towards the end of last year, on Oct. 30, 2023. The earbuds were available globally right after that, taking a few weeks to arrive in certain regions.

The EarFun Free Pro 3 wireless earbuds cost $79.99 at all retailers, including Amazon and EarFun's own website. The buds come in Brown Black, Navy Blue, and Silver White.

EarFun Free Pro 3: What's nice

Anyone who's seen the EarFun Free Pro or EarFun Free Pro 2 will recognize the familiar and compact design of the EarFun Free Pro 3. You get a sleek little carrying case that is impossibly small and lightweight but doesn't feel poorly made or cheap. The rectangular slab that houses the buds has curved edges, making it even easier to store in pockets.

The compact build, well-balanced weight, and reassuring snap of the case all work in tandem to deliver a premium feel to the product.

As for the earbuds, the EarFun Free Pro 3 buds themselves are positively tiny, too. There are plenty of extra ear tips in the box for folks with smaller ears. This is always the first thing I do because I prefer small ear tips.

Apart from the regular ear tips in the earbuds, there are small wing tips (or hooks) made of silicone as well. These help secure and lock in the position of the EarFun Free Pro 3 earbuds once slid into your ears.

The design is lovely, but let's move on to more significant things now. EarFun equipped the Free Pro 3 wireless earbuds with a well-rounded set of specs. In terms of sound quality, you get Snapdragon Sound with Qualcomm aptX Adaptive audio as well as Hi-Res audio support. Naturally, this gives you much better audio quality than an average pair of wireless earbuds on the market.

Thanks to ANC, the sound is contained and sealed off pretty well. You can, of course, turn it off with a few taps, and the companion app lets you customize the controls and play around with the EQ to further tailor the audio to your liking.

Overall, the EarFun Free Pro 3 wireless earbuds sound very, very good for wireless earbuds priced at $80.

Sound quality and design check out, but what about the longevity? This is where EarFun flexes on us with its abilities. The battery life on the EarFun Free Pro 3 wireless earbuds is amazing, going on for 30 to 33 hours, including the charging case. I used these constantly, at home and on the go, and barely felt the need to recharge them frequently.

Busy people who don't remember to charge their tech will appreciate the long lifespan of these earbuds. On top of that, they also support wireless charging, making it even more convenient to elongate that uptime.

You can simply plop the earbud case on any wireless charging pad while sleeping, eating, or working, and it'll stay topped up and ready for use. And if you want to recharge the EarFun Free Pro 3 wireless earbuds even faster, you get USB-C fast charging support, too. Convenience is key here, clearly.

EarFun Free Pro 3: What's not good

The EarFun Free Pro 3 earbuds boast a so-so IPX5 sweat-proof water resistance. While this is okay for light workouts and office use, it's certainly not ideal for rougher, more demanding activities and lifestyles. If you're a heavy gym-goer or frequent the outdoors, I'd suggest looking at more robust alternatives.

A small letdown for me is that the Free Pro 3 buds are not as comfy as the Air Pro 3, which I absolutely adored. The sound quality is just as good, but unfortunately, the smaller, more compact shape cannot compete with the uber-ergonomic shape of the Air Pro 3 buds.

Lastly, I also feel the need to mention that I faced some microphone issues when using these buds with my laptop. This wasn't a problem with smartphones and tablets, but the mic is finicky on computers and laptops and does not pick up clean audio for some weird reason. I had mentioned this to EarFun, and they rolled out an update to try to address this. The update did not fix it entirely, but EarFun has told me that they are working on a proper fix, and it should be pushed out any day now.

EarFun Free Pro 3: The competition

There is nothing but a shortage of superb wireless earbuds under $100 that are widely available. In fact, I would even recommend last year's EarFun Air Pro 3 as a great, cheaper, and more comfortable alternative to the EarFun Air Pro 3 wireless earbuds.

If you want something more robust, the Jabra Elite 4 earbuds are a decent alternative with an IP55 water and dust-proof rating. For bang for your buck, the Anker Soundcore Life P3 earbuds are bright-looking and bright-sounding options, too. Anker's buds share the same IPX5 rating as the EarFun Free Pro 3 wireless earbuds.

EarFun Free Pro 3: Should you buy it?

You should buy it if...

• You want high-end audio codecs
• You need excellent battery life
• You want fast charging and wireless charging
• Your budget is tight

You shouldn't buy it if...

• You need something robust for rough gym use
• You need something to use with your laptop or computer

The EarFun Free Pro 3 wireless earbuds are designed for a smooth mobile experience. You get a nice companion app, touch controls, and a very sleek and compact carrying case. The battery life is amazing, so students will find it very useful. Plus, you can charge the EarFun Free Pro 3 wireless earbuds quickly on the go or without wires.

These earbuds are not designed for rough workouts and activities, so don't get them if that's your primary purpose. In that case, you need to expand your budget and aim for something a little more durable and sturdy, like something from Jabra.

The EarFun Free Pro 3 earbuds boast a good price and great value; just be prepared for a better mobile experience.