The AirPods and the AirPods Pro are among today’s most popular wireless earbuds, thanks to their great sound, seamless ergonomics, and superb performance during phone calls. However, their magic works best with Apple’s own hardware — you need an iPhone, an iPad, or a Mac to get the best experience.
Luckily, there are a lot of solid alternatives to Apple AirPods, AirPods Pro, and even the AirPods Max for Android, PC, and Chromebook users, or if you're looking for a more affordable option, too. To determine the best worth buying, we scrutinized products from leading brands like JBL, Samsung, and Soundcore, to name a few. The process involved sifting through and comparing specs, reading consumer and expert reviews, and real-life product testing.
The most important thing to consider is whether you need an AirPods or an AirPods Pro alternative. The iconic AirPods, just like Apple’s timelessly cool EarPods, have an instantly recognizable, one-size-fits all design that doesn’t require fiddling with ear tips to find a set that works for you.
However, the above setup, while unquestionably convenient, will not fit as securely and isolate ambient noise as a set of silicone ear tips. If you plan to use your buds in louder spaces and during workouts, you should consider a pair with swappable ear tips like the AirPods Pro's.
Speaking of louder spaces, many of our favorite alternatives to the AirPods and the AirPods Pro, in addition to good audio quality and reliable performance during calls, have onboard noise cancellation. Once reserved for pricey wireless headphones and earbuds, the feature is now available on affordable offerings. We highly recommend that you opt for this feature, because it will make your buds more travel-friendly than those that don’t have it.
You should also look for products with futureproof Bluetooth 5.0 (or higher) connectivity, as well as a USB-C connector for charging. All the products we picked have the aforementioned features. Just like active noise cancellation, wireless charging has also made its way to lower-priced true wireless earbuds, so you should keep an eye out for it, too. Its convenience is hard to overlook.
Now that you what features to look for, learn more about today’s best Apple AirPods alternatives worth your attention.
Key Features • 11-millimeter audio drivers, adjustable noise cancellation • IPX4 rating for water resistance • Up to 7 hours of battery life (26 hours with charging case)
The Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro true wireless earbuds are our favorite alternative to the Apple AirPods. Sporting a lower price tag, the feature-packed buds have a sleek design with stems like the original AirPods, as well as an in-ear fit with silicone ear tips like the AirPods Pro. You can order them in a quartet of colors: black, white, blue, and pink.
The earbuds' HearID feature will allow you to create a personalized sound profile by analyzing your hearing through their companion app. Their stellar sound and noise cancellation are also customizable. Excellent call quality, dependable battery life, and a wireless charging-compatible case round up the product’s highlights.
A companion app with elaborate customization tools
Wireless charging-compatible case
Touch controls have a learning curve
Key Features • 11-millimeter audio drivers, adjustable noise cancellation • IPX4 rating for water resistance • Up to 7 hours of battery life (28 hours with charging case)
JBL’s Live Pro+ wireless earbuds are a solid alternative to the AirPods Pro with a significantly lower price tag. The buds have a compact and lightweight, an incredibly comfy fit, as well as top-tier sound and reliable noise cancellation. The last-mentioned bits have an elaborate set of customization tools via a companion app.
Thanks to Google’s Fast Pair tech, the Live Pro+ earbuds are effortlessly easy to pair with an Android phone. The buds’ battery life is longer than the AirPods Pro’s, too. Like its Apple rival, the product also has a wireless charging-compatible storage case.
Key Features • 13.1-millimeter audio drivers • Water- and sweat-resistant • Up to 5 hours of battery life (32 hours with charging case)
The FIIL CC2 wireless earbuds are a budget-friendly alternative to the regular AirPods with characterful design (we like their angular stems!) and a metallic finish. The earbuds’ magnetic case without a cover is just as cool-looking, though it’s worth noting that it lacks a lid.
Sound-wise, the FIIL CC2 earbuds deliver a powerful and entertaining experience, powered by large audio drivers. You can customize it to your liking, as well as choose between music, video, and gaming modes via a companion app. Up-to-date Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity is also on board.
Key Features • 11-millimeter audio drivers, multi-mode noise cancellation • IPX5 rating for water resistance • Up to 7 hours of battery life (35 hours with charging case)
The Soundcore Life P3 wireless earbuds are the best AirPods and AirPods Pro alternative for thrifty shoppers. Priced well below $100, the buds offer everything an awesome pair should: cool design, tough build, good sound, reliable noise cancellation, great call quality, and solid battery life with a wireless charging-compatible case. There are many colors to pick from: black, white, coral, and a couple of shades of blue.
Save for the lack of HearID tech for a bespoke listening experience and a sound with a slightly heavier bass, the Soundcore Life P3 are quite similar to the pricier Liberty Air 2 Pro earbuds from the same brand.
Key Features • 13.4-millimeter audio drivers • IPX5 rating for water resistance • Up to 4 hours of battery life (18 hours with charging case)
The sub-$50 1MORE ComfoBuds are an exciting sub-$100 alternative to the regular AirPods. Available in black or white, the wireless earbuds are insanely lightweight (weighing less than 4 grams each) and comfy. Plus, with their official rating for water resistance, they're a great option for exercising.
Some features are only available on Samsung Galaxy phones
Key Features • 11-millimeter audio drivers, adjustable noise cancellation • IPX7 rating for water resistance • Up to 8 hours of battery life (28 hours with charging case)
Samsung’s Galaxy Buds Pro wireless noise-canceling earbuds are hands-down the best AirPods Pro alternative for Android users. They have a stylish and durable design with top-tier sound, noise cancellation, touch controls, and wireless charging-compatible case. You can order them in black, silver, or violet.
Samsung has equipped each bud with a duo of audio drivers, which deliver a well-balanced sound that's customizable via a mobile app. You can also adjust the noise cancellation and the touch controls as well. The buds are designed to pair seamlessly with Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones — the experience is similar to connecting AirPods with an iPhone.
Key Features • 43-millimeter audio drivers, adjustable noise cancellation • Tactile button controls • Up to 30 hours of battery life
When it comes to alternatives to the AirPods Max, the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 wireless headphones are the best. The over-ear cans have a captivating design, an incredible build with composite carbon fiber arms, seamless controls, and longer battery life. For less than $400, the PX7 headphones are cheaper than the AirPods Max, too.
The headphones deliver sound with outstanding quality. Their noise cancellation is also excellent — it can automatically adapt depending on the ambient noise around you. Available in a trio of finishes (silver, space gray, and dark carbon gray), the product has a bundled hard-shell case and standard audio cable.
Key Features • 2-layer audio drivers • IPX5 rating for water resistance • Apple Find My app & network compatibility • Up to 7 hours of battery life (28 hours with charging case)
The Belkin SoundForm Freedom wireless earbuds, in addition to rocking a design a la AirPods Pro, are fully compatible with Apple’s Find My app and network. This means that, just like the AirTag tracker and a multitude of additional Apple products, you can track the buds by tapping into a network of almost a billion devices. You’ll receive a notification with map whereabouts the moment the buds come within the range of a participating Apple device.
The comfy SoundForm Freedom wireless earbuds deliver good sound, reliable call quality, robust battery life, and wireless charging-compatible case. You can order the product in black or white.
Key Features • 12-millimeter audio drivers • Button controls • Google Fast Pair compatibility • Up to 5 hours of battery life (25 hours with charging case)
The JBL Tune 225TWS wireless earbuds are a great alternative to the regular AirPods for those who like powerful bass. Powered by large audio drivers, the earphones deliver a seriously entertaining sonic experience that's great for rocking out, as well as gaming and watching action-packed content on the go.
JBL has equipped the Tune 225TWS with Google Fast Pair tech, so you can easily pair them with an Android phone. The buds have convenient button controls, but, oddly, no official rating for water resistance.
Key Features • Storage case with UV light • IPX4 rating for water resistance • Up to 6 hours of battery life (18 hours with charging case)
The coolest feature of the LG Tone Free HBS-FN6 wireless earbuds is their charging case with a built-in UV light. The feature can eliminate up to 99.9% of the bacteria on the buds' speaker mesh in a matter of minutes. The ear gels of the earbuds are made from hypoallergenic, medical-grade silicone, too.
Available in black or white, LG's wire-free earbuds deliver a high-quality sound, tuned by the audio pros from Meridian Audio. Each bud packs two microphones, ensuring that phone calls sound crisp and clear. Their carrying case is compatible with wireless charging.
Stefan VazharovSenior Technology EditorStefan is the senior technology editor for BestProducts.com, where he’s been covering the tech industry and testing the latest gadgets since 2015; He previously covered tech products for GSMArena.com and his work can also be found on Popular Mechanics.
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