The AirPods line is filled with some excellent headphones — there is a pair for anyone and everyone, with each use case considered. There are, however, some key things that might put people off, like the price, and the style. If you don’t want white earbuds, for example, then you could be stuck when you’re looking at AirPods.
Not only that, but even the Best AirPods Black Friday deals come in at a higher price than their competitors, leaving you with a large bill if you want to pick up some new headphones for your brand-new iPhone 15 Pro. Thankfully you needn’t worry too much about spending loads on a pair of new headphones: There are some great options out there that perform like AirPods, but don’t cost as much. Here are some of my favorite alternatives to Apple's most popular headphones, all in for some of the best Apple Black Friday deals.
AirPods Pro 2
The AirPods Pro 2 are an epic pair of noise-cancelling in-ear headphones, but they have their weaknesses. To some, they sound a little too neutral, with no focus on dynamism or fun — if this is your main complaint, then boy, do I have the option for you. Want something a little cheaper?
We’ve got you covered with some excellent noise-canceling earbuds. Don’t get too confused with the USB-C and Lightning models — we’re finding the latter becoming harder to find, and all these alternatives use the USB-C standard.
AirPods 2
The AirPods 2 are the budget offering in the AirPods line, yet they usually cost just over $100. If you don’t mind about the lack of Spatial Audio or Noise Canceling with AirPods 2, then there are some excellent alternatives out there that cost less, sound better, or offer more features for a similar price.
AirPods 3
The AirPods 3 are the weird middle child of the line, without ANC but with Spatial Audio. If you want Spatial Audio at this price then you’ll struggle for an alternative, but:
1. You’re better off without it
2. You can save money with headphones that sound better
Here are a couple of options that you should consider.
AirPods Max
The AirPods Max are the big tasty ones, that come in a lovely metallic sheen. They’re also mighty expensive, coming in at a hefty price no matter how you look at it. Thankfully, you don’t need to spend loads for something like the AirPods Max — or you can spend more and get something even better.
