The 5 Best AirPods Alternatives - Winter 2024: Reviews (2024)

The 5 Best AirPods Alternatives - Winter 2024: Reviews (1)

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With the Apple AirPods' design becoming so iconic in the past few years, many companies have started to imitate their look and shape. However, most third-party knockoffs are among some of the worst in-ears you can buy, soyou're better off sticking to headphones fromreputable brands that mimicthe AirPods' design language andstill perform well. While our recommendations don'tlook identical to the AirPods, they all deliver solid performance and manyhave the familiar 'stem' design you might be looking for.Some even rival Apple's premium buds, although you may pay a highercost for them.

We've tested over 240pairs of Bluetooth earbuds and in-ears, and these areour top picks for the best alternatives to Apple's AirPods. Check our recommendations for the overallbest wireless earbuds for iPhone, thebest true wireless earbuds, and thebest wireless Bluetooth earbuds under $100we've tested.


  1. Best AirPods Alternative

    Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Truly Wireless 52

    The 5 Best AirPods Alternatives - Winter 2024: Reviews (7)

    Neutral Sound

    7.3

    Commute/Travel

    8.3

    Sports/Fitness

    8.4

    Office

    7.5

    Wireless Gaming

    5.7

    Wired Gaming

    5.5

    Phone Calls

    6.2

    Type Earbuds

    Enclosure Closed-Back

    Wireless Truly Wireless

    Transducer Dynamic

    Noise Cancelling Yes

    Mic Yes

    See all our test results

    The best alternative to AirPods we've tested are the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Truly Wireless. These premium buds rival the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) Truly Wireless and have a wide variety of features to help you get the most out of them. Like the Pro, they have a spatial audio feature via their companion app to help create a more immersive and dimensional listening experience. They also offer better active noise cancellation (ANC) and can reduce a wide range of sounds, like rumbly bus engines and ambient chatter, very well.

    Out of the box, these well-built buds have a bass-heavy sound that delivers thump and rumble to audio. If you prefer a different sound, the app has a graphic EQ and presets to help you fine-tune their sound to your liking. With their ANC on, they last seven hours continuously, and their carrying case supplies an additional three charges. Their comfortable fit also ensures you can wear them for long periods without experiencing fatigue. Unfortunately, their integrated mic has difficulty separating speech from background noise, so if you need to make an important call, it's best to do so from a quiet space.

    See our review

  2. Best Upper Mid-Range AirPods Alternative

    Nothing Ear (2) Truly Wireless 14

    The 5 Best AirPods Alternatives - Winter 2024: Reviews (13)

    Commute/Travel

    7.7

    Sports/Fitness

    8.2

    Office

    7.3

    Wireless Gaming

    5.9

    Wired Gaming

    5.8

    Phone Calls

    7.2

    Type In-ear

    Enclosure Closed-Back

    Wireless Truly Wireless

    Transducer Dynamic

    Noise Cancelling Yes

    Mic Yes

    See all our test results

    The best AirPods Pro alternative we've tested in the upper mid-range price point are the Nothing Ear (2) Truly Wireless. These earbuds have a stem design similar to AirPods' and even come in white if you also like the look of Apple earbuds. More importantly, they have a well-balanced sound profile, so your audio has the right amount of rumble and body, while instruments and voices are clear and bright-sounding. Unlike AirPods, they offer an in-app EQ and presets for sound customization. There's also a feature meant to customize the sound based on the shape of your ears.

    These earbuds have an ANC feature, but it doesn't match our top pick's, nor the AirPods' noise isolation performance. However, it's still good at blocking sounds like background chit-chat or an A/C unit and isolates you from some lower-pitched noise like rumbling engines. The buds have a comfortable fit and a premium feel. They're rated IP55 for dust and water resistance and are stable enough to stay in place for workouts. Their continuous battery life of 5.6 hours isn't great, but they come with a case with about four additional charges.

    See our review

  3. Best Mid-Range AirPods Alternative

    Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC Truly Wireless 39

    The 5 Best AirPods Alternatives - Winter 2024: Reviews (19)

    Neutral Sound

    7.0

    Commute/Travel

    8.2

    Sports/Fitness

    8.2

    Office

    7.5

    Wireless Gaming

    5.7

    Wired Gaming

    5.5

    Phone Calls

    6.8

    Type In-ear

    Enclosure Closed-Back

    Wireless Truly Wireless

    Transducer Dynamic

    Noise Cancelling Yes

    Mic Yes

    See all our test results

    If you're looking for the best AirPods Pro clone in the mid-range, check out the Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC Truly Wireless. These comfortable, well-built earbuds are available in several different color schemes, including white. They're a great choice for on-the-go use thanks to their portable design and adaptive ANC feature, which does remarkably well for the price. You can also use their Transparency Mode to stay aware of your surroundings, like when walking down a busy city street. They're even rated IPX4 for resistance against water splashes.

    Out-of-the-box, these headphones have a bass-heavy sound that brings out all the thump and rumble in your favorite tunes. It's ideal if you listen to a lot of bass-heavy genres like EDM and hip-hop, though fans of a more neutral sound will prefer the performance of the most premium Nothing Ear (2) Truly Wireless. Still, these headphones come with a graphic EQ and presets to help switch up their sound, which is a nice touch, especially since Apple doesn't offer EQ or sound customization with their AirPods. Plus, you can listen for up to nine hours without interruption, and their charging case gives you four extra recharges when you're out and about.

    See our review

  4. Best Lower Mid-Range AirPods Alternative

    Anker SoundCore Life P3 Truly Wireless 1

    The 5 Best AirPods Alternatives - Winter 2024: Reviews (25)

    Neutral Sound

    7.1

    Commute/Travel

    8.0

    Sports/Fitness

    8.2

    Office

    7.4

    Wireless Gaming

    5.8

    Wired Gaming

    5.7

    Phone Calls

    6.9

    Type In-ear

    Enclosure Closed-Back

    Wireless Truly Wireless

    Transducer Dynamic

    Noise Cancelling Yes

    Mic Yes

    See all our test results

    The Anker SoundCore Life P3 Truly Wireless are another great wallet-friendly pick. They're just as comfortable as the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) Truly Wireless, with a similar control scheme and battery performance. They also have a more bass-heavy sound profile, which will please fans of EDM and hip-hop, and their app comes with a graphic EQ and presets to fine-tune your audio. While these lower-cost in-ears have great internals, you'll mainly feel the reduced price point in real-life experience. They feel more plasticky and less premium. The case's lid is also extremely flimsy and feels like it could break if dropped while open. Plus, its battery performance isn't as impressive as what you get with the Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC Truly Wireless.

    These headphones don't offer as much noise cancellation, either. While their ANC is still excellent, the AirPods block out more of the rumble from bus and plane engines, making them more suitable for commuting. Naturally, they also have better compatibility with the Apple ecosystem, allowing for faster pairing and access to software like Apple Music's Spatial Audio. With this in mind, the Anker are a great pick if you want the same performance as the AirPods but don't care about premium features.

    See our review

  5. Best Budget AirPods Alternative

    Skullcandy Dime 3 True Wireless 7

    The 5 Best AirPods Alternatives - Winter 2024: Reviews (31)

    Neutral Sound

    7.5

    Commute/Travel

    7.5

    Sports/Fitness

    8.1

    Office

    7.0

    Wireless Gaming

    5.2

    Wired Gaming

    5.1

    Phone Calls

    6.3

    Type In-ear

    Enclosure Closed-Back

    Wireless Truly Wireless

    Transducer Dynamic

    Noise Cancelling No

    Mic Yes

    See all our test results

    Consider the Skullcandy Dime 3 True Wireless if you're on a tight budget. At this price, most manufacturers cut down on extra features. That said, these buds not only offer a very balanced and neutral sound out of the box, but they have a couple of EQ presets built-in, so you can still adjust their sound. Unlike AirPods, they also support multi-device pairing, so you can connect them to your PC and smartphone simultaneously. Their continuous battery life of over eight hours will get you from point A to B, but there are two additional charges in their carrying case.

    Beyond the features mentioned above, they have an otherwise simple design. They're well-built but aren't as comfortable as AirPods, as their deep fit can put pressure on your ear. If comfort is a top priority, it's worth considering the Anker Soundcore P25i/P20i True Wireless instead. They rest well in the ear and are lightweight, so you can wear them for long listening sessions without becoming fatigued. However, they don't support multi-device pairing and sound less neutral out of the box.

    See our review

Recent Updates

  1. Jan 04, 2024: We've replaced the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II Truly Wireless with the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Truly Wireless and the Skullcandy Dime 2 True Wireless with the Skullcandy Dime 3 True Wireless as both replacements offer a better performance than their predecessors. We've also removed the Anker Soundcore Life P2 Truly Wireless from Notable Mentions as they aren't available.

  2. Oct 30, 2023: The JBL Live Pro+ are no longer widely available, so we've replaced them with the Nothing Ear (2) Truly Wireless as the 'Best Upper Mid-Range' pick. TheAnker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC Truly Wireless were added as the 'Best Mid-Range' pick.

  3. Sep 01, 2023: Made minor updates and checked that the products are in stock.

  4. Jul 11, 2023: Removed some products that are out of stock. Replaced the Anker SoundCore Liberty Air 2 Truly Wireless with the Skullcandy Dime 2 True Wireless, and the EarFun Air Pro 2 True Wireless 2021 with the Nothing Ear (2) Truly Wireless.

  5. May 15, 2023: Removed the EarFun Air Pro True Wireless from the Notable Mentions since they're discontinued.

All Reviews

Our recommendations aboveare what we think are currently the best AirPods clones thatwe've tested. We factor inthe price (a cheaper option wins over pricier a one if the difference isn't worth it), feedback from our visitors, and availability (nothing that's too hard to findor out of stock everywhere).

If you would like to choose foryourself, here is the list of all our truly wireless earbuds. Be careful not togetcaught up in the details.There are no perfectheadphones. Personal taste, preference, and listening habits will matter more in your selection.

The 5 Best AirPods Alternatives - Winter 2024: Reviews (2024)
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