Apple AirPods are trendy wireless earbuds that offer some great features, but as with most things Apple makes, they are a bit pricey. The good news is that there are plenty of great alternatives that won't cost you as much and offer most of the features you want in a pair of wireless headphones. Whether you're looking for something priced less than regular AirPods or the Pro version, here are ten excellent wireless earbuds cheaper than Apple AirPods.
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Jabra Elite 5
Staff pickFantastic features; amazing price
The Jabra Elite 5 earbuds offer good audio quality and feature noise cancellation in an entire package priced less than Apple's standard AirPods. With a solid seven hours of battery life with ANC, support for Google Fast Pair, and a stellar companion app, it's easy to see why these are one of the best wireless earbuds you can get for $150.
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Beats Studio Buds
Premium pickExcellent for taking calls or working out
Don't be fooled into believing that Apple makes the Beats Studio Buds. They aren't just Apple-friendly. They are everyone-friendly, thanks to the ability to fast-pair with Android devices with the companion app. Plus, they are a cheaper alternative to Apple's regular AirPods. The Beats Studio Buds are a steal with their impressive ANC performance, IPX4 water-resistance rating, great onboard microphones for taking calls, and a fantastic bass-filled sound profile.
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Google Pixel Buds A-Series
Best valuePerfectly priced
The Google Pixel Buds A-Series offer a ton of value thanks to its sub-$100 price point. While we do think the battery life could be a bit better, they offer good audio quality and a comfortable, lightweight fit that makes them easy to wear for as long as you want. Plus, with Hey, Google detection on board it's easy to bring up your favorite smart assistant to help you whenever you need.
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Jaybird Vista 2
Best for workoutsDurable IP68-rated
While the Jaybird Vista 2 aren't our favorite-sounding pair of AirPods alternatives, they have an incredible IP68 rating, making them some of the more durable headphones on the market — the best gym buddy you can have. The ANC works well enough to give you a little quiet time when you need it, and the 8-hour battery life on the buds themselves can make sure you get through even the most intense workouts.
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Audio-Technica ATH-SQ1TWBK
The Audio-Technica ATH-SQ1TWBK sound incredible for their price tag, making them a great set of wireless earbuds, even if there is no companion app to adjust their sound profile. Plus, the battery life is excellent, offering about 6–8 hours on a single charge and two extra charges in the fairly compact charging case.
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Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+
The Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ earbuds are some of the best cheap true wireless earbuds around, offering stellar battery life of 9 hours on the buds. Plus, they ship with memory foam and silicone ear tips, so you can get the right fit and choose a softer material if you know you'll be using your earbuds for an extended period.
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Earfun Air Pro 2
$70 $84 Save $14Earfun Air Pro 2 sound pretty balanced out of the box, which is good because there is no app to adjust the EQ. Plus, they even have ANC, so you can tune out the noises of the world around you when you want. Add in the 7-hour battery life and the 34 hours of charge with the charging case, and you have a bargain for this price.
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Nothing Ear 2
While the Nothing Ear 2 suffer from subpar battery life, the second iteration of wireless earbuds from Nothing offer a very unique style and some pretty solid ANC quality. All in all, they also sound better than their predecessor, so if you want something that looks about as unique as possible, the Nothing Ear 2 could be worth a look.
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Anker Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro
Anker's Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro offer some of the best sound quality from a pair of wireless earbuds, along with plenty of tip and wing options for even the most stubborn ear canals. With excellent ANC and decent call quality, a better-than-average battery, and an app you'll actually want to use, the Liberty 3 Pros are a great cheaper alternative to not just AirPods but also the AirPods Pro.
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Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro
The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro are Samsung's smallest, lightest, and best wireless earbuds yet. They improve on the Galaxy Buds Pro in every way, with better sound quality, more fulsome active noise cancellation, and support for 24-bit audio. They're also IPX7 water and dust resistant. At $230, they're our premium pick for AirPods Pro alternatives.
Spending money on AirPods isn't necessary
While there's no question AirPods can be fantastic for Apple users, they typically aren't so great for Android users; however, they also aren't great for people looking to save some money. With the regular AirPods being $180 and the AirPods Pro retailing for about $260, there are a ton of different options out there that can accomplish much of the same results for a lot less.
Jabra makes some truly wonderful headphones, and it's hard to beat the package the Jabra Elite 5 gives you for $150. The active noise cancellation (ANC) works well, the 7-hour battery life gives you ample listening time, and the earbuds support the AAC, SBC, and Qualcomm's aptX codecs, so you can listen to some high-quality music if you're so inclined.
The Beats Studio Buds have some great microphones that help you sound crystal clear when taking calls, which means they work well in the office. Especially since they have ANC, which is good enough to deal with those low annoying sounds like the hum of the office air conditioner. The design of Beats Studio Buds also do a great job actually staying in your ears — perfect for the gym, as the earbud's IPX4 rating will allow them to survive a little sweat from your workout.
Lastly, regarding the value, we like the Google Pixel Buds A-Series because they offer solid all-around performance. The sound is decent and will likely work with any style of music you like. Also, they pair super fast, thanks to Google Fast-Pair, and cost under $100. They may not excel when it comes to battery life (only about five hours on the buds themselves), but the charging case carries up to 24 hours, and they can charge decently quickly, meaning it's easy to top up when you need.
As evidenced by the list above, true wireless earbuds don't have to be Apple AirPods to offer you all that fast pairing goodness that Apple likes to talk about. Plus, when it comes to battery life and sound, there are many options to choose from.