Our Product Testers Swear by These AirPods Alternatives

We updated this article in January 2023 to add more information about each featured product. To our original top-rated products, selected by the Good Housekeeping Institute, we updated picks to reflect the most recent and improved models.

If you’re an iPhone user, there’s no denying that AirPods are an easy and convenient way to quickly steaming music or hop on a phone call while on the go, but they’re not always the cheapest or most comfortable choice out there. Whether you’re looking for wireless earbuds with a bit more cushioning or you’ve made the switch over to Android, our pros have pulled together the best AirPod alternatives on the market. While some of these earbuds may feature ANC (active noise cancellation) to block out loud noises, others are better suited for athletic activity. We even feature cheap AirPod alternatives if your budget is tight, as well as options for audiophiles seeking exceptional sound quality.

At the Good Housekeeping Institute, our engineers and analysts test audio equipment ranging from soundbars to outdoor speakers and smart speakers. To assess the best wireless earbuds, we’ve evaluated dozens of pairs over the years for fit and comfort, ease of use and pairing, audio performance, noise-canceling capabilities, portability and more. The picks below include our favorite AirPods alternatives in 2023, whether you’re looking for crystal clear sound, impressive noise canceling or a pair you can rely on during heavy sweat sessions at the gym.

Our top picks:

After our top picks, continue reading to learn more about what to look for when shopping for AirPods alternatives.

Sony

amazon.com

$278.00

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For a truly wireless headphone experience that checks off all of the marks including effective noise cancellation, impressive battery life and easy pairing, these buds are it. Sleeker and more compact than the previous model and now boasting an IPX4 water-resistance rating, the higher price tag is worth every penny. The silicone ear-tips provide a great fit, with tips ranging from extra small to large, making these wireless earbuds suitable for any activity level.

Our tech experts touted the fantastic sound quality and battery life (in road tests they worked a whole workday on a single charge), and they loved the cool quick charge feature that can give up to an hour of playback with just five minutes of charging. There is a built-in mic for hands-free calls and smart features like wearing detection, adaptive sound control that adjusts to your environment and a speak-to-chat feature that automatically reduces your music's volume during a conversation. Though the touch controls take a bit of getting used to, these earbuds come enabled with Alexa voice control and there's robust functionality within the app itself.

Skullcandy

amazon.com

$22.99

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It doesn't get more affordable than these true wireless earbuds from Skullcandy, which pack a lot of features for the price like a noise-isolating fit, water resistance and control buttons on each earbud. While we haven’t evaluated this model in the lab yet, we can’t wait to test the earbud’s built-in Tile finding technology that should help you locate your earbuds if they slip out of your ears. Though we wish the single-charge battery life was longer than 3.5 hours, we like that you’ll get up to 12 hours with the case. Also included with the small, compact case are three earbud tips so you can ensure you’re getting the right fit.

EarFun

amazon.com

$49.99

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If you're looking for a great pair of true wireless earbuds at a budget-friendly price, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better set. These combine impressive audio quality and noise isolation capabilities with good battery life. If you want true noise-canceling capabilities and have a few extra pennies to spare, we also recommend the EarFun Air Pro 2 model. Just know that whichever pair you choose, you won't suffer from other common limitations of inexpensive sets like poor connectivity.

In our tests, we were able to get the claimed seven hours of battery life plus a full day extra with the charging case at mid-level volume. We liked that you could charge via handy USB-C or wirelessly, something often reserved for more expensive headphones. You can effortlessly control the volume, music or answer calls with intuitive taps for complete autonomy. Bonus: These are rated IPX7 indicating that they are quite water- and sweat-resistant, so go ahead and get your workout on.

Beats

amazon.com

$199.95

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Apple's AirPods are not the only buds that work seamlessly with iPhones. These totally wireless earphones by Beats are powered by the Apple H1 headphone chip, adding some of the best technology out there. Enjoy hands-free voice assistance from our friend, Siri, and intuitive touch controls with just a tap.

These earbuds come with four sizes of ear tips to get your perfect fit and hook around the ear, so you won't lose them easily. But best of all, they come with a fantastic battery life (nine hours of playback time and more than 24 hours with the charging case). The IPX4 rating means these are great for tough workouts and even though we categorized these Beats for iPhone users, rest assured that these are also compatible with Android. Win-win. Unfortunately, these don't feature noise-cancellation so if that's a must, consider the Beats Fit Pro Earbuds instead, Good Housekeeping's 2023 Fitness Awards winner.

Bose

amazon.com

$299.00

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Bose claims these earbuds are home to the "world's best noise cancellation," and we may have to agree. In our testing of Bose's first-generation QuietComfort earbuds, all external noise was blocked out due to the impressive active noise-canceling tech, and that was coupled with the expected impressive Bose sound quality. This latest generation continues to feature powerful noise-canceling tech, but it takes it one step further by customizing sound performance to your ear canal. Though the single-charge battery life could be a little better than 6 hours, Bose did improve the total battery life when coupled with the charging case (increasing it from 18 to 24 hours). There's also a handy 20-minute quick charge feature when running low.

Our pros love that these second-gen buds have an improved, compact design over their predecessor (they're 30 percent smaller!), and we expect these to be just as comfy and lightweight when we test them in our lab. The pair comes with three sizes of silicone buds to choose from, so you can get a good fit. They also have an IPX4 rating, which means they've been tested to be sweat and weather-resistant. Touch controls are relatively simple, just tap or double-tap for different functions.

Sennheiser

amazon.com

$189.39

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These quality true wireless earbuds sound great, feel great and last all day. Although they come with a hefty price tag, you do get what you pay for. Based on tests of the previous generation, the sound is truly amazing, and this latest model comes with adaptive noise canceling that's meant to effectively adjust the level of noise canceling based on your environment. Sennheiser claims that battery life is seven hours (+21 with the charging case), and our road tests proved that to be true.

These earbuds come with an IPX4 rating for sweat resistance and because they are lightweight they're quite comfy when working out. We recommend downloading the app first to help with pairing (IOS and Android), and then you can use the touch controls on the earbuds themselves for playback, voice assistant capabilities and phone calls. The touch controls will likely take some getting used to, but once you do, you'll be rocking out in no time. The charging case is a bit bulkier than others but stylish nonetheless.

Jabra

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$149.99

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For all of the multi-taskers out there looking for an AirPods alternative to use while heading to the office or on zooms, calls and more, the Jabra Elite 7 Pro is the pair for you. Like the beloved Jabra Elite 75t, these feature multipoint technology that allows for multi-device pairing, so you can seamlessly switch between your devices (like a phone and computer). Jabra also had a good thing going with the Elite 65t, but with each iteration, the brand manages to improve by adding noise-canceling and better voice-calling performance over time.

When tested, these buds produced powerful audio for music and terrific sound quality while on calls, thanks to enhanced microphones (two in each bud) plus a voice sensor. During testing, the Media & Tech Lab liked the earbuds' hear-through feature, which proved useful when commuting to the office, and they found the button controls on each earbud super intuitive. On top of fitting securely in the ear and blocking out a lot of external noise, these are easy to use right out of the box, but the accompanying app lets you personalize the sound for a perfect tune each time. And with a long battery life of eight hours on a single charge or 30 with the charging case, you can go from work to the gym to a quick call with grandma with no issues. These have an IP57 rating, adding even more protection from both dust and water, perfect for poolside tunes.

Bose

amazon.com

$129.00

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This 2023 Good Housekeeping Fitness Award winner is perfect whether you need a pair of earbuds for running, shooting hoops or riding your Peloton, thanks to a sweat-resistant IPX4 rating. Each pair comes with three sizes of silicone tips designed to help them stay put, reduce noise and offer a more comfortable fit. In our tests, we were impressed by the sound quality, which featured an even tonal sound and powerful bass.

The Media and Tech Lab and consumer testers found that the earbuds were lightweight and didn't budge throughout multiple workouts. Unlike other earbuds, the fit was comfortable and secure, though they did find it took some wiggling and getting used to the buds at first. Though we wish battery life was better than five hours alone, or 15 hours with the charging case, we like how these have touch controls so you can quickly adjust the volume or skip to the next song.

Google

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$69.99

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Google has released a more affordable generation of its Pixel buds that continues to impress us like previous models. Fully wireless, the Pixel A-Series buds come with hands-free Google Assistant voice controls, translate, wireless charging and are IPX4-rated so that they can withstand your sweatiest workouts. In Lab tests, we noticed enhanced sound quality and seamless pairing with Android devices.

Battery life could be better; we noted that they lasted about five hours of playback time and 2.5 hours of talk time. But, with the case handy you can get up to 24 hours. Unlike the previous Pixel buds, Google did tradeoff wireless charging for a reduced price. The A-Series does, however, still come with three ear tip sizes and a stabilizer arc to help create a secure fit. If you are an Android user, love to say "Hey, Google," and need a pair of wireless buds, then these are for you. (But don't worry — they work with iOS too!)

Samsung

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$219.99

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Aside from the unique bean-shaped design that pops right in your ear with a secure but non-sealed fit, these buds sound great and feel great. Moderately priced around the same as regular AirPods, they also feature wireless charging and active noise cancelation to block out external sounds. Our pros love that they come with an intelligent conversation mode that automatically lowers the volume and turns off ANC when you start speaking to someone - like when you're ordering a coffee.

If you have a Samsung smartphone, these buds will allow optimal audio quality, voice assistance and connection stability. But they are compatible with any Android or iOS device. Samsung claims that the battery will last up to an impressive 29 hours with ANC turned off and paired with the cute, compact charging case that will fit easily into your pocket. We also love that these are super water resistant with an IPX7 rating so you can go ahead and run outside in the rain without fretting.

Amazon

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$119.99

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If you live in an Amazon-friendly smart home, these Echo Buds are super affordable and integrate flawlessly with Alexa. Our testers found the fit was fairly comfortable and secure, especially with four tips provided as well as two wings and an ear tip fit test in the app to help ensure the earbud stays put. Though isolation or sound quality isn't quite as impressive as with other earbuds, one tester noted that calls received from the earbuds were crystal clear.

On top of an IPX4 rating, we love that tap controls are intuitive and easy to use and that you can ask Alexa to play music or make a call in the way you would ask Siri. And of course, the Amazon app is a breeze to use and it's always nice to have all your devices organized in one spot.

EarFun

amazon.com

$79.99

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We already touted EarFun in this roundup for being a great value, and for just a few bucks more, you upgrade to a pair with active noise cancellation and what the brand refers to as a Dual Noise Sensor, which helps reduces ambient sound. But, if you need to hear your barista call your name or horns honking at you, these buds come with transparency mode to let some noise in.

According to the manufacturer, one charge will let you play nine hours of playback or seven hours if in active noise cancellation mode. EarFun also claims that the quick charging case extends the battery life to 32 hours. These moderately-priced buds have six built-in microphones for solid call quality. You'll also love the intuitive tap controls for playback, answering calls and volume without having to touch your connected phone or computer. They also have an IPX5 rating, meaning they can withstand some sweat and water, and you can get a secure fit from the three tip sizes provided.

• OS support: Android/iOS
• Battery life: 7-9 hours (single charge) or 32 hours (with charging case)
• Noise-canceling: Yes
• IP rating: IPX5

Sony

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$178.00

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While these earbuds aren't noise-canceling by any means, if you're looking for a pair of AirPod alternatives that you can leave in all day and forget about, Sony's latest LinkBuds are made for you. In testing, the Lab found the sound quality impeccably clear and even though they were trickier than average to get in, once they're in, they're in. You can switch from talking to your colleague one second to listening to music another, without having to take out an earbud or fumble to pause your music. For certain users, it can be a joy to stay connected to their surrounding environment while working or on the go, and these let you do just that.

Unlike other earbuds, these feature a wide tap area so you don't have to tap the bud itself to adjust the volume or switch songs. Tapping next to your ear takes some getting used to, but you can customize everything to your liking in Sony's app, including the speak-to-chat feature, equalizer, adaptive volume control and more. Battery life could be better with 5.5 hours on a single charge or up to 17.5 hours with the charging case, but a quick 10-minute charge gets you up to 90 minutes of playback. Though they're not for everyone, the LinkBuds are a distinct wireless earbud for anyone with a busy lifestyle.

• OS support: Android/iOS
• Battery life: 5.5 hours (single charge) or 17.5 hours (with charging case)
• Noise-canceling: No
• IP rating: IPX4

Soundcore

amazon.com

$23.98

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If you are looking for quality buds that you can use for important work calls or just chatting with distant friends, then go with the Liberty Air 2. For earbuds under $100, these have one of the best microphone systems around, thanks to the four built-in mics, diamond-inspired drivers and cVc 8.0 noise reduction technology. SoundCore claims that environmental noises are reduced by 60% while 95% of your voice is retained.

Make hands-free calls with just a tap and use the accompanying app to streamline your settings. They come with five silicone tips sizes to get a secure fit and are equipped with wireless charging. They come with an IPX5 rating, which means they are sweat- and water-resistant. In our tests, calls were clear and free from static and the battery lasted almost 7.5 hours with one charge (28 hours with the case). We had no issues pairing, and the 10-minute quick-charge feature extended the battery for two more hours.

• OS support: Android/iOS
• Battery life: 7 hours (single charge) or 28 hours (with charging case)
• Noise-canceling: No
• IP rating: IPX5

Jaybird

amazon.com

$169.99

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Whether you are running around town, heading to the gym or in and out of meetings, carpools or Zooms, these earbuds are ideal for people on the go. Lightweight with an ergonomic design, these true wireless headphones fit our testers securely and we were impressed by the sound quality. These are especially great for an intense workout because, thanks to their waterproof rating of IPX7, these headphones can get nice and sweaty, and it won't affect the playback.

We road-tested them for our fitness awards, and they held up to weeks of intense and varied workouts. Battery life is ok (six hours alone or 16 hours with charging case), and the charging case itself is compact and lightweight, so it's easy to stash in your pocket on the way to a workout or on the run. You won't find noise-canceling or transparency mode, but you will get a hefty bass and vibrant sound, superb fit and touch control with or without the accompanying iOS or Android app.

• OS support: Android/iOS
• Battery life: 6 hours (single charge) or 16 hours (with charging case)
• Noise-canceling: No
• IP rating: IPX7