16 Best Cheap Sunglasses of 2026, Tested and Reviewed

We love an expensive pair of sunglasses. In fact, some people out there would say that we love them too much, but you have to admit it’s nice to bask in a bit of financial frivolity every once in a while. But unlike a pair of goodyear-welted shoes, expensive sunglasses are a risky investment because they are so prone to being abandoned in the backseat of an Uber or in a dive bar after a late night.Despite our admiration for a pricey pair of sunnies, we also love and appreciate the more affordable sunglasses on the market. When we find the right pair, they almost always take the top spot in our sunglasses rotation, and for good reasons: they stir up zero anxiety, require little care or attention, and instill no feelings of regret. They’re like a summer fling that, under the right circumstances, has long-term potential but no expectations. So, in that spirit, we thought we’d round up our favorite affordable sunglasses under $100, ones that look great but won’t break your heart if (or when) the relationship ends.The Affordable Sunglasses Hit ListThe Sub-$35 WorkhorseHuckberry Weekenders SunglassesRead moreThe Rose-Colored GlassesCrap Eyewear The Suntan Underground SunglassesRead moreThe Tortoise Shell AviatorsSunski Shoreline Polarized SunglassesRead moreThe Slopes-Approved SunglassesSuncloud Cadence Polarized SunglassesRead moreHow We Test and Review ProductsHow We Make These PicksSportKnockaroundKinetics SunglassesThere are a lot to love about these featherweight wraparounds, but the most important detail for this sweaty time of year just might be those non-slip rubber arms.TifosiVeloce Fototec Photochromic SunglassesNot only do these lenses adjust to the light, but they're also ventilated so they don't fog up on you. Or, in other words, they're always keeping things as clear and comfortable as possible.SuncloudCadence Polarized SunglassesCall these the Frozones.GoodrBolt G SunglassesThere are plenty of good reasons to invest in a pair of heavy-hitting running sunlgasses, but these will satisfy like 75% of that list and cost about a quarter of the pricey pairs.How We Test and Review ProductsStyle is subjective, we know—that’s the fun of it. But we’re serious about helping our audience get dressed. Whether it’s the best white sneakers, the flyest affordable suits, or the need-to-know menswear drops of the week, GQ Recommends’ perspective is built on years of hands-on experience, an insider awareness of what’s in and what’s next, and a mission to find the best version of everything out there, at every price point.Our staffers aren’t able to try on every single piece of clothing you read about on GQ.com (fashion moves fast these days), but we have an intimate knowledge of each brand’s strengths and know the hallmarks of quality clothing—from materials and sourcing, to craftsmanship, to sustainability efforts that aren’t just greenwashing. GQ Recommends heavily emphasizes our own editorial experience with those brands, how they make their clothes, and how those clothes have been reviewed by customers. Bottom line: GQ wouldn’t tell you to wear it if we wouldn’t.How We Make These PicksWe make every effort to cast as wide of a net as possible, with an eye on identifying the best options across three key categories: quality, fit, and price. To kick off the process, we enlist the GQ Recommends braintrust to vote on our contenders. Some of the folks involved have worked in retail, slinging clothes to the masses; others have toiled for small-batch menswear labels; all spend way too much time thinking about what hangs in their closets.We lean on that collective experience to guide our search, culling a mix of household names, indie favorites, and the artisanal imprints on the bleeding-edge of the genre. Then we narrow down the assortment to the picks that scored the highest across quality, fit, and price. Across the majority of our buying guides, our team boasts firsthand experience with the bulk of our selects, but a handful are totally new to us. So after several months of intense debate, we tally the votes, collate the anecdotal evidence, and emerge with a list of what we believe to be the absolute best of the category right now, from the tried-and-true stalwarts to the modern disruptors, the affordable beaters to the wildly expensive (but wildly worth-it) designer riffs. Whatever your preferences, whatever your style, there's bound to be a superlative version on this list for you. (Read more about GQ's testing process here.)