Subscriptions for music are convenient, but those monthly costs add up. That’s why we’re excited to help you find the right MP3 player for offline listening, hi-res audio, and total control.
MP3 players give you full control over your music library without needing Wi-Fi, mobile data, or a monthly fee. Many modern MP3 players even support high-resolution audio formats like FLAC and include built-in DACs for quality playback. If you’re ready to own your music and ditch the subscriptions, then these expert-tested MP3 players are for you.
Also: The best speakers for vinyl
Get more in-depth ZDNET tech coverage: Add us as a preferred Google source on Chrome and Chromium browsers.
What is the best MP3 player right now?
We rounded up the top MP3 players you can buy, and evaluated them by storage, battery life, media type, and price to deliver this curated list of picks. My top choice for best MP3 player overall is the Sony NW-A306 Walkman thanks to its compact design, price, and high-quality audio. Keep reading to check out more of the best MP3 players on the market today that are worth ditching your smartphone for.
Also: The best sound systems you can buy
The best MP3 players of 2025
Show less
This Sony Walkman may look a little different than the one you’re used to from the 90’s, but this model still functions the same as Walkmans of the past — now with a modern edge. It has an LCD display with up to 18GB of memory, which can be expanded to up to 32GB with an SSD card.
Sony claims it uses AI to enhance the quality of compressed digital music files, S-Master HX technology to reduce distortion, and a reflow solder to improve sound localization.
Also: Sony has a new Walkman. That might be a bigger deal than you realize
The player also has High-Resolution Audio, which captures and reproduces digital audio at a higher rate than a CD to get you as close as possible to the original studio recording sound. You can access apps like Spotify or Apple Music via Wi-Fi or connect it to a PC to access your music collection.
Sony NW-A306 specs: Storage: 18GB (expandable up to 32GB with SD) | Battery: Up to 36 hours | Display: 3.6-inch touchscreen | Media types: PCM, AAC, WMA, JPEG, and MP3
Read More
Show Expert Take Show less
Show less
If you want to spend less than $35 on an MP3 player, I recommend the AGPTEK A02X player as a solid option. It has a 1.8-inch display and room for 32GB of storage, with support up to 128GB via a memory card.
This player has Bluetooth 5.3 capability so you can pair it with your favorite wireless headphones. It does have AUX support, but you’ll need to buy a separate male to male AUX cable.
You can listen to music or AM/FM radio, audiobook support, and voice recording capabilities. Verified customers praise the device’s battery life of up to 40 hours and the clear sound quality.
AGPTEK A02X 32GB MP3 Player specs: Storage: 8GB plus a microSD slot | Battery: Up to 40 hours | Display: 1.8-inch | Media types: MP3/APE/WAV/FLAC/WMA/DRM/ACELP.
Read More
Show Expert Take Show less
Show less
This compact MP3 player from Mighty is reminiscent of Apple’s famed iPod Shuffle but is more 2025-friendly. The Mighty app allows you to sync your Spotify or Amazon Music playlists wirelessly, and the Stay Fresh feature automatically syncs playlists while you sleep so your tracks are always up to date.
Verified customers like the ease of use of the Mighty 3 and note that it’s super durable. The Mighty 3’s clip-on design makes it perfect for running or working out, and it’s rated IPX4 to resist splashes of water or sweat. It works with both Bluetooth and wired headphones, although some users report that wired headphones sound better.
Mighty 3 specs: Storage: 8GB | Battery: Up to 8 hours | Display: 1.5 inches (Just buttons, no display) | Media types: Spotify and Amazon Music
Read More
Show Expert Take Show less
Show less
Lossless audio has grown more popular in recent years thanks to Apple’s implementation of the technology in Apple Music. This MP3 player from Fiio is perfect for lossless audio tracks thanks to a custom-made chip, which provides a lower noise floor and distortion.
The player comes with Android 10 so you can immediately access the Play Store and your go-to streaming app. The Fiio also uses Bluetooth 5.0 technology and becomes a high-quality Bluetooth amplifier with a superb frequency response when set into Bluetooth receiver mode.
Fiio M11S specs: Storage: 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage | Battery: 13 hours | Display: 5.15-inch bezel-less (1440 x 720) touchscreen | Media types: WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF, DXD
Read More
Show Expert Take Show less
We believe the best MP3 player for most people is the Sony NW-A306 Walkman, based on compatibility and price. It also has an impressively long battery life of up to 36 hours. Check out the list below to see which MP3 player is best for your needs.
| MP3 player | Price | Storage | Battery life |
| Sony NW-A306 Walkman | $348 | 18GB (expandable up to 32GB with SD) | Up to 36 hours |
| AGPTEK A02X | $26 | 32GB plus microSD | Up to 40 hours |
| Mighty 3 | $120 | 8GB | 8 hours |
| Fiio M11S | $370 | 32GB | 13 hours |
*MSRP at the time of writing.
The right MP3 player for you will depend on how much storage you need, what audio files you want to upload, if you need something simple or high-end, and what price you’re willing to spend.
Below, I’ve broken down the options further.
| Choose this MP3 player… | If you want… |
| Sony NW-A306 Walkman | The best overall option when it comes to price and quality. This Sony Walkman is compact and has Hi-Res audio. |
| AGPTEK A02X | A budget-friendly MP3 player. It has expandable storage and even a voice recorder feature. |
| Mighty 3 | A mini MP3 player that has a clip. You can sync up your Spotify or Amazon Music playlists wirelessly to listen on the go. |
| Fiio M11S | An MP3 player perfect for lossless audio. It has a quality metal build as well as a touchscreen display. |
There are several considerations to keep in mind before purchasing an MP3 player.
- Storage: The amount of storage in an MP3 player will ultimately determine how many songs it can hold, so pay attention to devices with lots of storage space. For example, 16GB of memory equates to about 4,000 songs.
- Media types: While MP3 players of course take MP3 files, consider devices that support additional file types, including WMA, WAV, AAC, and more.
- Battery: The great thing about modern-day MP3 players is that they will have much better battery lives than the devices of the past. The average battery life for a good MP3 player will be about 12 hours.
- Price: MP3 players vary greatly in price, from budget-friendly picks to expensive ones built for audiophiles.
When choosing the best MP3 players, we did extensive research into different products and brands and took into consideration positive and negative user reviews, competitor analysis, and more.
This all depends on the amount of storage that is on the MP3 device. The number of songs an MP3 player can hold will also depend on a song’s file format and compression rate, so these numbers may vary. Here is a quick guide for reference of how many songs typical storage types can hold:
- 4GB = 1,000 songs
- 8GB = 2,000 songs
- 16GB = 4,000 songs
- 32GB = 8,000 songs
- 64GB = 16,000 songs
In 2025, you might wonder if it’s even worth buying an MP3 player when you can just listen to music on your smartphone. But MP3 players are great for kids who want to listen to music but aren’t old enough to have a smartphone, people who like to run or hike outside, or those who simply want to listen to music without any distractions from their phones.
Many MP3 players today support multiple audio files. Here are the most popular ones you’ll see and what they mean:
- WAV: A lossless audio format for studio recording larger than MP3 files.
- FLAC: A lossless format that maintains excellent sound quality, even though the files are compressed.
- WMA: A Windows-based MP3 alternative.
- AAC: Provides high-quality sound thanks to advanced audio coding.
- OGG: A Spotify-specific audio format.
No. Because MP3 players don’t need Wi-Fi to work, you can use them in more situations. However, some MP3 players do have Wi-Fi connection capabilities, such as the Mighty Vibe player.
Other MP3 players
Show less
This MP3 player is just $40 and uses Bluetooth 5.0 for faster data transfer. It can also store 32GB worth of songs.
Read More
Show Expert Take Show less
Show less
Even though Apple discontinued the iPod Touch in 2022, you can still buy used or refurbished models if you want to relive the good ol’ days. The iPod touch can also take photos and videos.
Read More
Show Expert Take Show less
Show less
A full-color 2-inch LCD display can display lyrics to whatever song you’re listening to so that you can sing along.
Read More
Show Expert Take Show less
