The best AirPods alternatives 2025: get more bang for your buck

While AirPods are the default for most iPhone users, the fact of the matter is that the true wireless market has matured to a point where you have your pick of the litter. There is a vast market of viable alternatives to the AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 to match your needs and budget. Our audio experts at SoundGuys have been reviewing wireless earbuds, including all AirPod models, for over a decade. We independently test each set of earbuds in our testing lab. We also use the earbuds in a variety of environments, including working out, at the office, and while commuting, to see how the earbuds hold up in real-world use.

After testing and reviewing hundreds of wireless earbuds, we’ve come up with a list of the best AirPods alternatives. Some of these options, such as the Creative Aurvana Ace 2, offer better sound quality than AirPods. Other options, such as the Beats Fit Pro, provide a more secure fit than AirPods, which makes them better for working out. Save your money on expensive AirPods, and get one of these great high-performing earbuds instead.

The Quick Answer

For a quick guide to the best AirPods alternatives, check out our top picks below. Each has a link to our full review, where you can view all our testing data.

The best for most people:

The best for audiophiles:

The best for runners:

The best for travel:

The best under $100:

The best value:

Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks

Best AirPods alternative for most people: Nothing Ear

The Nothing Ear have a similar shape and feel as the AirPods Pro, making them a good alternative. The Nothing Ear scored well in our sound quality tests, plus they have a great custom equalizer to tweak the sound. The feature-packed app is available on both iOS and Android. If you want performance-packed earbuds that don’t break the bank, you should consider the Nothing Ear. These earbuds can keep up with the best options from Apple, Bose, and Sony, but at about half the price.

Read our full Nothing Ear review

Best sound quality alternative: Creative Aurvana Ace 2

If you’re looking for top-notch sound quality in wireless earbuds, the Creative Aurvana Ace 2 should be on your radar. Featuring an impressive xMEMS driver system, these earbuds deliver exceptional audio, with the added benefit of sound customization through the Creative app. Plus, with aptX Lossless support, they offer a compelling option for audiophiles seeking high-fidelity listening on the go. The Creative Aurvana Ace 2 are designed for audiophiles who demand superior sound quality from their wireless earbuds. That said, they are still cheaper than buying AirPods Pro 2.

Read our full Creative Aurvana Ace 2 review

Best workout earbuds: Beats Fit Pro

The Beats Fit Pro offers seamless usability with both Android and iPhone, showing that Apple-owned Beats is aiming to attract a broader audience—and it’s working. With a secure fit, thanks to the ear tip fit test and multiple ear tip options, these earbuds live up to their name. The sound quality will satisfy most athletes, but the Fit Pro performs just as well in an office setting as it does in the gym.

iPhone users seeking compact workout earbuds that fit securely and adapt to any setting should consider the Beats Fit Pro. With the H1 chip, iPhone owners can easily access Siri, enjoy personalized Spatial Audio, and more. While Android users are left out of some features, the Beats Fit Pro still work well on Android. Athletes of all kinds will appreciate what the Fit Pro brings to the table, from its stable ear wing design to the punchy bass that adds energy to any workout.

Read our full Beats Fit Pro review

Best earbuds for travel: Sony WF-C710N

The Sony WF-C710N stand out as the best AirPods alternative for travel thanks to their excellent ANC performance at a mid-range price point. In our testing, these earbuds blocked up to 30dB of low-frequency noise with ANC enabled and offered impressive passive isolation even before activating the noise cancelling. They’re comfortable enough to wear on long flights, though I did find the fit a bit loose during intense movement. Despite the absence of advanced Bluetooth codecs like LDAC or aptX, the WF-C710N deliver a balanced sound signature that’s highly customizable via Sony’s app, with standout clarity in the mids and a strong overall MDAQS sound quality rating of 4.8. Battery life is solid too, with over nine hours on a charge and more than 30 hours total with the case.

While they lack some of the premium polish and features of higher-end earbuds like the WF-1000XM5, the WF-C710N still offer a lot: decent mic performance, IPX4 water resistance, multipoint Bluetooth, and excellent value at $119.99. You’ll get full app support, adjustable EQ, and Sony 360 Reality Audio compatibility, though support for spatial audio services is still limited. I wouldn’t recommend them for workouts due to the less secure fit, but if you’re looking for travel earbuds that balance comfort, sound quality, and powerful ANC at a fraction of the price of the AirPods Pro, the Sony WF-C710N are an easy recommendation.

Read our full Sony WF-C710N review

Best bang for your buck: Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro

The Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro are strong contenders for the best affordable noise-canceling option, offering excellent performance for the price. With an IPX4 rating, solid battery life, and effective ANC, they deliver great value. While they might not be ideal for running, they’re a reliable choice for most everyday activities. If you’re seeking budget-friendly noise-canceling earbuds, these are definitely worth considering.

Savvy shoppers who aren’t swayed by big-name brands will appreciate the features and performance of the Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC. These earbuds are a great option for students and budget-conscious users seeking noise cancelation at a reasonable price. Audio enthusiasts will find plenty to explore with the extensive customization options in the companion app, while bass lovers will enjoy the default tuning and bass-heavy EQ presets.

Read our full Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC review

Best value pick: CMF Buds 2 Plus

The CMF Buds 2 Plus are our top pick for value-driven shoppers, packing premium features into a $69 package. In our testing, these earbuds deliver detailed, balanced sound with a strong MDAQS score of 4.8, including near-perfect timbre and respectable distortion control. The addition of personalized sound profiles means users can tailor the sound to their hearing, and the result is a clean, spacious listening experience that excels across genres. With LDAC support, IP55 water resistance, dual device pairing, and adaptive ANC, they rival earbuds that cost twice as much. Battery life is another strong suit, lasting over 10 hours per charge and nearly 60 hours total with the case.

Still, this upgrade isn’t without caveats. Most notably, CMF ditched the beloved Smart Dial from the Buds Pro 2 in favor of a cosmetic lanyard knob, making the “Plus” feel a bit like a downgrade in usability. While touch controls remain customizable, the lack of physical volume and playback dials is a clear miss for fans of the previous model. That said, for anyone new to the CMF ecosystem—or just looking for the best sub-$100 wireless earbuds—the Buds 2 Plus offer exceptional value. They sound fantastic, handle noise well, and check nearly every box without breaking the bank.

Read our full CMF Buds 2 Plus review

Should you get the AirPods Pro or AirPods Max instead of the AirPods?

Despite the fact that it’s the obvious step up in the AirPods family, we chose not to highlight the AirPods Pro or AirPods Pro 2. They don’t offer the same sound quality or battery life upgrades as some of the other picks here, though they do outperform the AirPods 4. Additionally, these products have much more to offer Apple users than Android users. To be sure, the Pro is an excellent set of true wireless earphones. We figure that if you want AirPods, you’ll get AirPods — this list is for alternatives, not confirming a predetermined outcome. There’s a separate one for AirPods Pro alternatives.

The Apple AirPods Max is a niche product solely based on its cost-prohibitive price. After taxes, these headphones cost $549, and the features are limited to Apple devices. That said, Apple packed plenty of advanced hardware into its debut headphones, including Spatial Audio and a convenient H1 chip. At release, these cans also scored the highest in raw noise canceling performance we’ve ever seen, and they have incredible sound quality.

How we choose the best AirPods alternatives

We strive to provide our readers with practical and reliable picks for our best lists and understand that audio is both an objective and subjective experience. The former is why we champion our in-house testing, which we subject as many products to as possible, and the latter explains why we cover as much as possible about a particular product for its respective review. You can also read about the scoring philosophy that we apply to every review.

Why you should trust SoundGuys

We work relentlessly to better understand the world of audio. Individually, each of us has multiple years of tracking the audio industry, affording us as a team a diversified skill set that we use to make the research side of consumer audio less intimidating for our readers. We hand-test hundreds of earbuds, headphones, and speakers every year. Every product mentioned on this best list has been through our comprehensive testing lab, and has been used in the real-world by our editorial team.

Regardless of what you end up purchasing, if you end up purchasing anything at all, none of our writers may benefit from picking one product over another. At the end of the day, our goal is for you to be happy and walk away more informed.

Frequently asked questions about true wireless earbuds