9 Wireless Earbuds We Like More than AirPods

Advertiser Disclosure: At Slickdeals, we work hard to find the best deals. Some products in our articles are from partners who may provide us with compensation, but this doesn’t change our opinions. Our editors strive to ensure that the information in this article is accurate as of the date published, but please keep in mind that offers can change. We encourage you to verify all terms and conditions of any product before you apply.

At the time of their unveiling, consumers had a hard time taking Apple AirPods seriously. But fast forward a few years and the AirPods have become the best-selling true wireless earbuds on the market.

Shop Wireless Earbuds on Amazon

Although Apple’s earbuds have a significant lead in the category, they aren’t the only good option on the block. One of the biggest cons for the AirPods is its higher price tag—even when they’re on sale, you should still expect to spend $100 or more.
But with so many competitors out there, you can find literally hundreds of cheaper alternatives and one of the best places to find them is none other than Amazon. If you don’t necessarily need to have Apple everything and are looking for a decent pair of earbuds to fit your budget, then keep scrolling.
Related: Where to Find the Best Current Deals on Apple AirPods

The Best (Affordable) Alternatives to Apple AirPods

Aukey EP-T31 True Wireless Earbuds

Credit: Amazon

• 5 Hours Per Charge with a Total of 30 Hours with Case
• IPX5 Water Resistance
• Low-Latency Mode

The Aukey True Wireless Earbuds offer you a good mix of capabilities that sit right between AirPods and its Pro sibling. In terms of battery life, these earbuds perform slightly better and you can charge the case either through USB-C or wirelessly. Similar to the AirPods Pro, you have proximity sensors in the headphones for automatic pause and play when they are removed from the ear. For exercise lovers, the EP-T31’s design also offers a more secure fit than the AirPods and, with an IPX5 rating, it can handle a little splash of bad weather.

Check Price on Amazon

While Aukey’s EP-T31 True Wireless Earbuds are loaded with high-end features, you don’t have to worry about paying a premium price.

Mpow MBits S True Bluetooth Earbuds

Credit: Amazon

• 6 Hours Per Charge with a Total of 35 Hours with Case
• IPX8 Water Resistance
• CVC 8.0 Noise Cancellation

Mpow has been making a name for itself on Amazon as one of the leading providers of affordable earphones. While their prices are generally the lowest among competitors, they don’t cut corners when it comes to features. The MBits S Earbuds outshine the AirPods in several aspects. Starting with playtime, these headphones offer an advertised 25% more battery life than Apple’s earbuds at 6 hours per charge (or a total of 35 hours with the charging case).

Check Price on Amazon

Since people also frequently use earbuds for communication, this device features CVC 8.0 noise cancellation technology to give you crystal clear calls. Other cool features include auto pairing, quick charge, mono or stereo use and an IPX8 rating (meaning they can be submerged in water).

Lenovo True Wireless Earbuds

Credit: Amazon

• 4 Hours Per Charge with a Total of 10 Hours with Case
• IPX5 Waterproof
• Superior Sound with 5.8mm Bio-Diaphragm Drivers

While tons of quality earbuds come from little-known companies, Lenovo is one brand that many tech afficianados hold dear. Enter its True Wireless Earbuds, which offer a remarkably similar experience to AirPods for less than a quarter of the price.

Check Price on Amazon

Of course, you lose a few features by paying under $50 for a pair of earbuds. In this case, the battery life per charge falls slightly short of AirPods at 4 hours, and the case only offers one additional charge. With this said, the case is one of the lightest and smallest options out there, even when the earbuds are inside. They also feature universal compatibility so you can connect to any iOS or Android smartphone, tablet, computer and more.

JBL Tune 125TWS True Wireless In-Ear Headphones

Credit: Amazon

• 8 Hours Per Charge with a Total of 32 Hours with Case
• Dual Connect for Mono or Stereo Use
• Fast Pair Enabled by Google

JBL is one of the oldest audio manufacturers out there dating all the way back to 1946, so you can be certain it knows a little something about good sound. For the 125TWS, JBL has infused its headphones with Pure Bass for those who enjoy a chest-thumping listening experience. The battery life of these earbuds rates at the top of this list with an advertised 8 hours per charge and another 24 hours from the case. This device also features Dual Connect capabilities that give you the freedom to use one or both earbuds for calls and music.

Check Price on Amazon

This is one of the pricier alternatives to the AirPods, but it has been very well-received as indicated by the “Amazon’s Choice” banner. Even at full price, they’re only $1 more than the all-time-low price for AirPods with Charging Case.

Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Wireless Earbuds

Credit: Amazon

• 7 Hours Per Charge with a Total of 28 Hours with Case
• HearID Technology to Create Custom EQ Settings
• CVC 8.0 Noise Reduction Technology

The Liberty Air 2 Wireless Earbuds have a number of features that match or even beat out some aspects of the Apple AirPods. Starting with the battery life, you can enjoy an advertised 7 hours of playtime on a single charge with a total of 28 hours via the charging case (AirPods claim 5 and 24 hours, respectively). You can charge the device via USB-C but it also can be juiced up wirelessly if you already have strategically-placed charging pucks around your home or office.
One of the most common gripes with AirPods is their fit—the included ear tips either slide perfectly into your ears, or they don’t. This won’t be as much of an issue with the Liberty Air 2 as they come with five sets of ear tips. The combination of a more secure fit, diamond-inspired drivers and HearID technology make for a more immersive listening experience.

Check Price on Amazon

The Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Wireless Earbuds used to sell for $99.99 on Amazon. But this year, the price has become even more affordable at just $80. If you’re okay with buying refurbished to keep a little more money in your wallet, you can also purchase these headphones Renewed for $55.99 from Amazon. You can also wait to see if they drop to $69.99 like they did back in December.

Xmythorig Ultimate True Wireless Earbuds

Credit: Amazon

• 4.5 Hours Per Charge with a Total of 110 Hours with Case
• IPX7 Waterproof
• Charging Case is also a Power Bank

For Xmyth’s Ultimate True Wireless Earbud, the charging case is definitely the biggest highlight.
While the 4.5 hours of playtime is similar to the AirPods, the case actually holds a 3300 mAh battery that can provide a total of 25 charges. That’s a whopping 110 hours of battery life and can pretty much last you the entire week. If that isn’t impressive enough, the charging case can also double as a power bank for your phone. The case also features an LED indicator that gives you an actual number value on the battery life so you don’t have to wonder just how much juice you have left.

Check Price on Amazon

The Xmythorig Ultimate True Wireless Earbuds retail at Amazon for a penny shy of $60. But for a limited time, you can clip a 20% coupon to bring it down its already discounted price to $35.99, about a third of what discounted AirPods would cost you.

Boltune Upgraded Wireless Earbuds

Credit: Amazon

• 4 Hours Per Charge with a Total of 40 Hours with Case
• IPX8 Water Resistance
• Upgraded Bluetooth 5.2 and CVC 8.0 Noise Reduction

The Boltune Upgraded Wireless Earbuds offer 6 hours of playtime per charge with a total of 40 hours with the case. With USB-C quick charging, you can get the charging case up to full capacity in just about 90 minutes.
With Bluetooth 5.2, pairing the earbuds to your phone is just as quick as AirPods and you can rely on strong connectivity up to 50 feet away from your device. The secure fit provided from three sets of ear tips combined with an IPX8 water resistance rating also make these earbuds a much better option for exercise than Apple’s AirPods.

Check Price on Amazon

The Boltune Upgraded Wireless Earbuds are a great bang for your buck and a very popular alternative to Apple’s earbuds. They have nearly 35,000 reviews with a rating of 4.5 out of 5. If you want to add some color to your life and opt for something other than the black model, the other options will be slightly more at around $34.19 each.

TOZO NC9 Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds

Credit: Amazon

• 8 Hours Per Charge with a Total of 32 Hours with Case
• Dual Noise-Cancelling Microphones
• Active Noise Cancellation and Transparent Mode

Active Noise Cancellation is not available on the regular AirPods but is one of the premium features of the AirPods Pro. But the $200 price tag of top tier AirPods make the TOZO NC9 ANC Wireless Earbuds very enticing at $59.99.
The NC9 features a hybrid 3-layer Active Noise Cancellation. The first layer relies on the secure seal of the ear tips which can prevent 90% of the noise from entering your ears. Then the external mics counter the sound from your environment while internal mics focus on filtering any noise inside the ear canal. The device also features a Transparent Mode. This allows you to toggle the sound of the outside world so you don’t have to take the earbuds out to talk to someone or hear announcements.

Check Price on Amazon

These ANC wireless earbuds offer an experience similar to the AirPods Pro but for a third of the price at $59.99.

Otium Wireless Sport Earbuds

Credit: Amazon

• 5 Hours Per Charge with a Total of 130 Hours with Case
• IPX8 Waterproof
• Charge Case Doubles as a Power Bank

Music and exercise usually go hand in hand. Unfortunately, the design of the Apple AirPods are not the most workout-friendly. So if you like to go hard at the gym and easy on the wallet, then the Otium Wireless Sport Earbuds are worth a look.
These earbuds feature ear tips to keep them in and earhooks to keep them on during the most rigorous exercises. With an IPX8 water resistance rating, these earbuds can endure those high intensity, sweat-induced sessions just as long as you can. You have full control of your music and phone calls right on the device so there is no need to ever pull out your phone. While the playtime is similar to AirPods’ 5 hours, a 2600 mAh charging case offers a total battery life of 130 hours. The case can also be used as a power bank so you can keep the tunes playing on both your earbuds and your phone.

Check Price on Amazon

The Otium Wireless Sport Earbuds have a 4.3 out of 5 stars on Amazon.

For more deals on AirPods alternatives, be sure to check out our Headphone Category page. If you want to stay tuned for discounts on specific earbuds, you can also set up a Deal Alert to get notified of its next sale.
UP NEXT: 

• Deals to Look Out For from the 2021 REI Anniversary Sale
• Where to Find the Best Apple Watch Deals and Discounts
• Review: Alienware’s 38-inch Curved Gaming Monitor Is a Spectacular Viewing Experience