Diehard Apple fans often have a strong tendency to stay within the brand’s ecosystem when it comes to purchasing and owning a variety of electronic gadgets and accessories. If you have an iPhone, chances are high that you also have or plan to acquire a pair of AirPods — which are arguably an excellent choice in headphones — to go with it. However, if you’re still unsure about whether or not AirPods are the way to go, you should do your due diligence and see what other options are out there.
To ensure that you’re happy with the headphones you’ll end up getting for your iPhone, it’s worth going to a store in person, playing certain songs on your top headphone picks, and evaluating them for overall sound quality, among other factors. Alternatively, you can also go through some of the highly rated non-Apple earbuds online, focusing on tried and true brands that have been proven to seamlessly work with iPhones just as well as AirPods. To help you get started, below are some AirPods alternatives for you to consider. These recommendations are based on personal experience as well as customer and professional reviews.
Beats Fit Pro
Rizky Ade Jonathan/Shutterstock
If you don’t want to venture too far from Apple-land, you can check out offerings from Beats by Dre, which was acquired by Apple in 2014. One of the best AirPods substitutes we’ve personally tested is Beats Fit Pro, which you can buy on Amazon for $179.99. There it’s hailed as a best-selling product with a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars and over 34,000 customer reviews. It has a lot of features that the first version of the AirPods Pro has, namely Apple’s H1 chip, spatial audio, and the ease of switching between listening modes, to name a few. Its wingtips provide a more comfortable and secure fit that’s suitable for long wear and even rigorous workouts. It’s also one of our picks for best noise cancelling earbuds in 2023, in case you need headphones to drown out distracting background noise. Another added perk is the fact that it comes in a variety of colorways, which is a bit of a departure from the AirPods’ basic white.
If you want another option from Beats by Dre, Powerbeats Pro is also worth looking into. While it doesn’t have full-on noise cancellation, it does a pretty good enough job isolating a bit of ambient sound. Instead of wingtips, you have earhooks that keep the earphones in place and could even be a more secure option for some. It’s currently discounted on Amazon for $179.95.
Soundcore by Anker P20i
Soundcore
If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly pair of earphones to get instead of AirPods, start your search with Soundcore by Anker P20i, which is now affordably priced at $24.99 on Amazon. Apart from its incredibly low price, one of the upsides to picking the P20i is how easy it is to set up as well as its fast-charging capabilities that gain you back two hours of playback after only ten minutes on the charger. It also has an IPX5 waterproof rating, convenient touch controls, and a lightweight charging case that comes with a lanyard for additional portability.
Although these earphones don’t have noise-cancelling features, many customers are happy with the bass quality. They also like that they can customize their listening experience even further through the Soundcore app, where there are 22 different equalizer presets to choose from as well as the option to tweak the earphones’ touch controls.
JBL Vibe Beam
JBL
Another pair of affordable earbuds you can use with an iPhone worth checking out is JBL Vibe Beam. Currently priced at $49.95 on Amazon, it’s also well-reviewed on the shopping platform by more than 3,000 customers for having excellent bass levels, being user-friendly, and being comfortable to wear for long periods of time. Battery life is quite standard at eight hours per charge, but it shouldn’t be a problem, thanks to its durable charging case that can easily fit in your pocket.
Like the P20i, Vibe Beam also doesn’t have noise-cancelling capabilities. However, it does have a couple of sound modes that allow you to listen while maintaining a level of situational awareness. You can also tweak how much of your own voice you hear while you’re on a phone call via the VoiceAware function. Furthermore, you can also access additional features, the equalizer, and other customization options through the earphones’ companion app.
Jabra Elite 10
Jabra
Athletic iPhone users who want earphones that can withstand running and other vigorous workouts ought to look into a pair of Jabra Elite 10. Although a bit pricier than the second and third generation AirPods — on Amazon, it’s currently discounted at $199.99 — it’s a good alternative to those considering a pair of AirPods Pro.
Some of its many notable features include Dolby Atmos spatial sound, advanced active noise cancellation, six microphones built in for clearer calls even in noisy surroundings, and Bluetooth multipoint, making it easy to connect the earphones to two devices at once for a more seamless transition.
A number of its reviews on Amazon agree that it’s one of the most comfortable earbuds they’ve ever used, which is a huge plus. It comes in several colors, so you can find one that fits your design aesthetic. To date, the Elite 10 is reportedly Jabra’s most advanced pair available, so if you’re curious about how the brand compares to Apple’s own AirPods Pro, go for it.
Tozo T6
Tozo
Another AirPods alternative that could be a good pick for someone who enjoys the regular sweat session is Tozo T6. Compared to the Jabra Elite 10, the T6 is incredibly affordable at the discounted price of $20.99 on Amazon for the classic pair, and it’s $23.98 for the upgraded 2023 version. The main selling point is that it’s lightweight, and the earbuds are comfortable to wear for long periods of time. The pair also has an IPX8 water resistance rating, which means you can go for a run in light rain and not worry about damaging your earbuds.
The accompanying Tozo app gives you the ability to customize the equalizer settings, either manually or by using one of the 16 convenient presets that are programmed to different music styles. Considering the super low price point, it’s not surprising that the T6 doesn’t really have true noise-cancelling abilities. However, if you’re not super particular about fancy earbud features and just want something that is tried and tested to last, the T6 wireless earbuds are a great entry-level pick.