With great battery life, the option of a wireless charging case and hands-free "Hey Siri" functionality, you can see why true wireless earbuds like the Apple AirPods are so popular.
But if you want an AirPods alternative, then what are the best pairs on the market? If you're looking for a sporty pair, or a cheaper one, or one that delivers outstanding sound quality, this is the page for you.
Our team of expert reviewers has tested every product here so you can be confident that all these recommendations have the What Hi-Fi? seal of approval. On this page we've restricted AirPods to the in-ear variety but we do also have a page dedicated to the very best AirPods Max alternatives should you want over-ear headphones.
How to choose the best AirPods alternatives for you
Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
Firstly, you need to decide which AirPods you want an alternative for. Is it the affordable, entry-level AirPods (2019) or the more recent AirPods 3? Or, perhaps you want a pair of AirPods Pro 2 alternatives that bring active noise-cancelling to the party?
Are you someone who's already immersed in the Apple ecosystem but who doesn't want to be tied down when it comes to your headphones choice? Or, perhaps you're an Android user, who simply likes the idea of having AirPods-rivalling features in their pair of wireless in-ears.
Obviously, you'll need to settle on a budget when considering AirPods alternatives. The good news here is that there are some great cheap options at the budget end of the market and there are also more premium alternatives should your budget be able to accommodate.
You'll also want to compare battery life to make sure the earbuds you're considering can cope with the length of your commute as well as longer listening sessions.
You can now get plenty of bang for your buck where the best cheap wireless earbuds are concerned, and given Apple products all tend to demand a slight price premium, there are some great bargains to be had.
As you'll see on the list below, they're as competitive on battery life and features as they are on sound quality so you should easily be able to find a pair from the models we've tested and placed on this list that stacks up well.
All these pairs come with a charging case for topping up battery life, while physical buttons and touch surface controls also make an appearance. What's more, some of the best wireless earbuds listed below also just happen to be some of the best noise-cancelling earbuds around.
With the new WF-1000XM4, Sony's managed to build on the huge success of the WF-1000XM3 (below) and produce a sensational pair of AirPods alternatives.
There's dynamics and detail in spades and it's a balanced performance, with taut, precise bass notes and refined, sophisticated vocals. You can't help but be carried away by their sense of musicality.
Those who prioritise battery life in their AirPods alternatives should find the eight hours promised by the Sonys more than sufficient. The wireless charging case also extends this by a further 16 hours.
The Sonys are comfortable to wear too, with touch-sensitive controls and ear tips that provide excellent noise isolation. Combine this with brilliant noise cancelling courtesy of Sony's Integrated Processor V1 and the WF-1000XM4 are difficult to fault.
IPX4 water resistance is included, as are clever features such as Quick Attention and Speak-To-Chat which both allow you to have a conversation without removing the earbuds. If you buy one pair of AirPods alternatives this year, make it the WF-1000XM4.
Read the full review: Sony WF-1000XM4
Panasonic isn't a brand that immediately springs to mind when you think of the best AirPods alternatives. But perhaps it should be. The RZ-S500W are the company's first foray into the market and they're sensational performers for the money.
Specs are thorough, with noise-cancelling tech, an Ambient Mode, twin mics for voice calls, and battery life that totals 19.5 hours (6.5hrs from the buds and 13hrs from the charging case). A 15-minute USB-C quick-charge can deliver 70 minutes of playback. The touch controls on each bud are responsive and intuitive, allowing you to control your music and switch between noise-cancelling modes with zero fuss.
You also get five sizes of ear tips to help with fit. We found this a little hit and miss, so we'd definitely experiment and consider mixing the sizes if it means getting a more secure fit.
Both noise-cancelling and sound quality are excellent. There's plenty of agility through the low end and loads of texture across the frequencies. Music sounds clear and there's a great deal of refinement on show, which is to be welcomed at this price level. To sum up, these Panasonic AirPods alternatives are superb for the money.
Read the full review: Panasonic RZ-S500W
Think of Sony's WF-C500 wireless earbuds as a no-frills version of the WF-1000XM4 found further up this page. They deliver a lot of what makes those wireless earbuds a success without cutting too many corners. And it's this that also places them among the best cheap AirPods alternatives.
They're good for running and sports, thanks to their IPX4 rating, while you also get ‘fast pair’ connectivity with Android devices and ‘swift pair’ with Windows 10 PCs.
The sound is nicely balanced, there's loads of mid-range detail on show and it's presented in a cohesive and musical package.
Battery life is 10 hours from the buds themselves, which should be plenty for most, and the case provides another 10 hours so the total battery life can be bettered by some rivals. But, if you're after a great sub-£100 pair of earbuds, that can take on the AirPods at their own game, the Sony's WF-C500 should be on your shortlist.
Read the full Sony WF-C500 review
The Melomania 1 Plus have some big shoes to fill given the popularity of the original Melomanias (which you'll find further down this list). But we're glad to say that the new version of those AirPods alternatives hits the spot.
They boast app support, customisable EQ settings and both white and black colour options. Like the originals, the real selling point is battery life. The 1 Plus will keep you entertained for an impressive nine hours off a single charge. Throw in an additional four charges from the carry case, and that makes 45 hours of total run time. There's no noise-cancelling onboard, but that's a small price to pay at this level.
The Melomanias deliver an open and powerful musical performance. They sound clear and more dynamic than the original Melomanias and there's a smidgen more detail too. If you want an affordable and accomplished pair of AirPods alternatives the 1 Plus should be one of the pairs you consider.
Read the full Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 Plus review
Like the Sonys at number one in this list, the QC Earbuds II are a rival for the AirPods Pro 2. They provide a comfortable fit and lots of features. Bluetooth 5.3 is a big bonus, and the Bose app allows you to alter the amount of noise-cancelling on offer via a number of customisable presets.
Speaking of noise-cancelling, the Bose are at the top of their game and even beat the AirPods Pro 2. They can automatically adjust the amount of ANC on offer so your music isn’t drowned out by particularly loud noises and the effect is deeply impressive. As for sound, it's balanced and neutral and overflowing with fine detail which again, during our testing, just gave them the edge over the AirPods Pro 2.
It's a shame there's no support for high-quality wireless audio codecs such as LDAC or aptX HD, nor is there wireless charging or Bluetooth multipoint. But we don't think this is the end of the world when you consider that these classy buds set new benchmarks in ANC and sound quality at the money.
Read the full Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II review
iPhone users have got multiple models of AirPods to consider, but what about Android smartphone owners? We'd point them in the direction of the Pixel Buds A-Series, the latest AirPods alternatives to be launched by the search giant and their best effort to date.
They're light and comfortable, and while noise cancelling is off the menu, they do a good job of isolating you. Your colour choices are either white or 'Dark Olive' and the earbuds also boast IPX4 water resistance so you can use them for general exercise and running.
The five-hour battery life isn't exactly class-leading but should be enough for most people. You also get another 20 or so from the carry case. Pairing Pixel Buds A-Series is extremely simple, especially if you're using an Android smartphone or tablet that boasts the Fast Pair feature.
Come music time, there's a lot to like about the Pixel Buds thanks to their approachable, balanced sound. It doesn't favour any part of the sonic spectrum which can't always be said for AirPods alternatives at this level. They're well-rounded performers and available at a great price.
Read the full Google Pixel Buds A-Series review
Entering their third generation here, Sennheiser's Momentum True Wireless earbuds have always been a great AirPods alternative. The noise-cancelling earbuds remain among the best-in-class and bona fide AirPods Pro rivals with brilliant audio, and a long spec sheet that includes great battery life (28 hours), aptX Adaptive Bluetooth codec support and in-app personalisation features. Oh, and they're cheaper than the Momentum True Wireless 2 (below) when they initially launched.
They're nice and comfortable, deliver one of the most mature, expansive and refined performances on the market. Their noise-cancelling is more than a match for the AirPods Pro, too.
Building on an already winning recipe with an improved feature set, decent step up in performance and acceptable price tag, the Momentum True Wireless 3 are a great option if you're in the market for a premium AirPods alternative.
Read the full Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 review
Historically, the vast majority of Bose's noise-cancelling headphones have been on- and over-ear designs, but the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds are up there with the very best AirPods alternatives. The newer QC Earbuds II are higher up this list but we're also including the originals because there are some tempting discounts to be had.
The Bose are lightweight and we have no issues listening for a hours at a time. For the average commute or exercise session (the QuietComforts are both sweat and weather-resistant) they are great to live with and they feel like a quality product too.
Battery life is six hours from a single charge, with the wireless charging case supplying an extra two charges, making 18 hours in total – decent, but by no means class-leading. Being able to customise some features and controls, and adjust the excellent noise-cancellation in the companion app, enhances ease of use. Touch controls for volume are the icing on the cake.
The sense of enthusiasm and excitement conveyed by these AirPods alternatives is highly infectious. There’s power, poise and a fantastic sense of dynamism. Bass notes sound full-bodied, go deep and the QuietComforts squeeze out lots of detail.
All in all, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds are great all-rounders, capable of impressive musicality and topped off with excellent noise cancelling. A little long in the tooth, but still a fine AirPods Pro 2 alternative.
Read the full review: Bose QuietComfort Earbuds
JBL is a heavy hitter when it comes to true wireless sports earbuds, and given the AirPods can be hit and miss for exercise, you might want to consider the Reflect Flows as an alternative option.
These true wireless buds are very good indeed, especially if you want a bass-heavy sound for the gym without resorting to cans. (Because let's be honest, you have to be pretty ripped to pull off cans in the gym.)
But there's more to the sound than just bass. Even complex songs retain a sense of distance between instruments so proceedings never become too muddied. It's an impressive showing, especially for a sporty pair.
The 10-hour battery life (or 30 with the case) means you've no excuse to finish that 5k run or even a marathon for that matter. In fact, with the carry case in your pocket, you'd have enough juice to complete an Ironman, providing you're up to it.
Whether you're a weekend warrior or hardcore fitness fanatic, the Reflect Flows will see you through your routine.
Read the full review: JBL Reflect Flow
Earfun isn't one of the first brands that spring to mind when researching AirPods alternatives, but the Earfun Airs could change that. These buds are ridiculously cheap and they sound wonderfully cheerful too!
Noise isolation is excellent (noise-cancelling isn't available at this price point) and these attractive earbuds feel comfy too. They're IPX7 certified (i.e. waterproof), support virtual assistants and include Qi wireless charging if you own a suitable charger.
Battery life is seven hours from the buds and a further 28 hours from the charging case. Amazingly it all feels fairly premium too. The Bluetooth 5.0 connection is solid and stable and for the money, calls sound clear, and the earbuds offer an energetic and spacious sound.
If you’re after something fun-sounding and a cheap pair of AirPods alternatives, the Earfun Airs are just the ticket.
Read the full review: Earfun Air review
Earfun builds on the success of its Earfun Air (above) by cramming even more features into a new ‘Pro’ variant, the main addition being active noise cancellation. There is now a 10mm driver and three mics per earpiece, too. But, considering the claims on the spec sheet, the price remains jaw-droppingly low.]
They're a solid proposition for the money: they fit securely, connect easily, have reliable controls and feature basic but effective noise-cancelling profiles – for just a small premium on the Air model. There’s also USB-C charging and wearer detection, plus the sound is pretty decent for the money – well-balanced, relatively transparent, taut and full through the bass, and musically pleasing overall. We haven't come across anything at this level that does everything these Earfuns do, as well as they do it.
Read the full review: Earfun Air Pro
Yes, you can get wireless earbuds not geared towards sport that, for a similar price, deliver more detail and dynamic subtlety (look further up this list for inspiration). But, unlike these JBLs, they won’t have the finely-honed ergonomics or rugged design that's required to be hailed as ideal fitness buddies. And the only AirPods that come close in this regard are the AirPods Pro.
Within the context of wireless earbuds for exercise, the Reflect Flow Pro deliver across the board. They're waterproof, lightweight, comfortable and come with multiple ear tip fin options. They boast touch controls and even offer an AirPods-esque 'Find My Buds' feature. Battery life is a very decent 10 hours (or eight with ANC on) while the wireless charging case stores an extra 20 hours. They also produce a lively, detailed sound that makes them easy to recommend over their Apple equivalent.
Read the full review: JBL Reflect Flow Pro
How we test AirPods alternatives
We test AirPods alternatives just like we test any pair of wireless earbuds. Before we put them in place we'll also experiment with any tips and check out how comfortable they are to wear.
We'll also start with a full charge and see how accurate battery life claims are and just how it's drained during day-to-day use.
Although we have dedicated testing facilities in London, Reading and Bath, the bulk of our wireless earbuds testing happens outside those facilities, whether that's on the street or in our busy office.
It's only when nailing down the finer details of audio quality, we head for quieter environments where we compare the AirPods alternatives we're testing to price-comparable models. This gives us the chance to come to solid conclusions and peg each pair on sound quality.
For ANC testing we venture outside to put those noise-cancelling algorithms through their paces and we also test the call quality of the earbuds at this stage too.
All our review verdicts are agreed upon by the team rather than an individual reviewer to eliminate any personal preference and to make sure we're being as thorough as possible, too. There's no input from PR companies or our sales team when it comes to the verdict, with What Hi-Fi? proud of having delivered honest, unbiased reviews for decades.
