Accessories
Best AirPods Alternatives: 8 Best True Wireless Earbuds 2019
Here are the best AirPods alternatives that offer a better fit, sweatproof and water resistant features, on ear controls and a cheaper price. Forget the cable and pick up some of the best true wireless earbuds that you can buy in 2019. If you can’t spend $159 to $199 for AirPods or AirPods 2 and are OK living without wireless charging or Hey Siri support, you can pick up some great AirPods alternatives for less.
Some of these options also use Bluetooth 5.0 and some come with ear tips to customize the fit more than AirPods. There are also some options with Google Assistant and Alexa support.
We also have a great option if you care more about audio quality and one to look at if you want to block out ambient noise more than the AirPods can. Most of these AirPods 2 alternatives don’t feature a wireless charging case, but you can still get more battery life on a single charge using the included carry case.
We’re focusing on in ear headphones that don’t use wires to connect the two earbuds and that you can use with iPhone, Android, Mac or Windows. Here are the best AirPods alternatives to buy in 2019;
- Jabra Elite 65t – $169.99
- JayBird Run XT – $179.99
- PowerBeats Pro – $249.95
- Jabra Elite Sport True Wireless Earbuds – $195.95
- Sony WF-SP700N Noise Cancelling EarBuds – $178.00
- Bose SoundSport Free – $199.00
- Samsung Galaxy Buds – $129.99
- Anker Soundcore Liberty Air – $79.99
Thankfully there are a lot of great options that include different fits, features and that work with a variety of devices. You can also save with one of these options that is half the price of AirPods 2. We’re skipping a lot of the super cheap true wireless earbuds because you often run into more issues with connectivity, which is frustrating and can take you out of a workout.
Here’s more on why each of these AirPods alternatives are the best true wireless earbuds you can buy in 2019.
Jabra Elite 65t – $169.99
The best AirPods alternative you can buy is the Jabra Elite 65T.
The Jabra Elite 65t headphones are the best true wireless earbuds you can buy outside of the AirPods. They offer great sound quality, amazing voice call quality and many eartips so you get a perfect fit.
You can use the app to customize the music EQ, choose to use Google Assistant, Siri or Alexa and set up the Hearthrough feature that lets you listen to what’s going on around you without taking the headphones out. This is a great way to block out distractions at work or the gym and still easily hear your surroundings when working outside. Check out the demo at Jabra.
Pros: 5 Hours Battery Life + 10 Hours In Case. Can Use Just Right Earbud if You Want, Water Resistant.
Cons: Controls Can Be Finicky, Case Tough to Open with One Hand
Buy Jabra Elite 65t at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, eBay & Verizon
JayBird Run XT – $179.99
A nice, secure AirPods alternative from Jaybird.
The JayBird Run XT true wireless earbuds are a great waterproof and sweatproof option that delivers great sound and a good, secure fit thanks to a variety of ear tip options and fins that remind us of why we were first drawn to JayBird.
You can use the app to set up a custom EQ, charge in the included case for more battery life and summon a personal assistant using on-ear controls.
Pros: 4 Hours Battery Life + 8 Hours In Case. Great Sound and Fit, Waterproof & Sweatproof.
Cons: Frustrating Control Options, Lower Battery Life than Competition
Buy JayBird Run XT at Amazon, Best Buy & eBay
PowerBeats Pro – $249.95
Apple’s PowerBeats Pro are a great AirPods alternative focused on working out.
Apple makes one of the best AirPods alternatives you can buy. It’s under the Beats name and it takes PowerBeats3 to the next level with a true wireless earbud solution that retains the hooks and isolated fit to deliver the bass that Beats are known for.
These are sweat and water resistant earbuds and offer 9 hours of battery life with a single charge and a fast charge option that gives you 90 minutes of battery life in 5 minutes of charging.
The PowerBeats Pro are also the only other option that offer hands free access to Siri through the Hey Siri command.
Pros: 9 Hours Battery Life + 24 Hours In Case, Hey Siri support. Secure fit, Waterproof & Sweatproof.
Cons: Pricey Compared to Competition
Reserve PowerBeats Pro at Apple & Best Buy
Jabra Elite Sport True Wireless Earbuds – $195.95
This great option from Jabra can track your heart rate and fitness.
Do you want your AirPods alternative to be your best workout buddy with fitness tracking? The Jabra Elite Sport True Wireless Earbuds include a heart rate sensor that can track your workouts in the Jabra app or that you can link up to apps like Endomondo, RunKeeper, RunTastic and others. The Jabra app can give you in ear coaching while you workout.
You get good sound quality, with a nice variety of fit options. You also get the Hear Through feature that lets you decide how much ambient noise to let in, so you can still hear what’s happening on an outdoor run.
Pros: 4.5 Hours Battery Life + 13 Hours In Case. Customizable Fit, Fitness Tracking Built-in, Waterproof & Sweatproof.
Cons: Bulkier Than Other Alternatives, No Alexa Support
Buy Jabra Elite Sport at Amazon & eBay
Sony WF-SP700N Noise Cancelling EarBuds – $178.00
Sony’s AirPods alternative includes noise cancelling.
The Sony WF-SP700N may have the oddest name on the list, but they pack in a feature you rarely find on wireless earbuds — noise cancelling. That’s right, these small earbuds include noise cancelling to help you tune out what’s around you.
Sony makes these splashproof and you can even enable an extra bass mode if you prefer some extra punch to your music.
Pros: 3 Hours Battery Life + 9 Hours In Case. Sweat proof and splash proof. Noise Cancelling, Ambient Noise Mode & Extra Bass Mode
Cons: Lower Battery Life Than Competition, Lag When Watching Video on Android.
Buy Sony WF-SP700N at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart & eBay
Bose SoundSport Free – $199.00
Colorful options are available with this Bose AirPods alternative.
Bose offers a range of great looking color options on their truly wireless headphones. These are sweat and water resistant and you get three different sets of ear tips to keep them securely in your ears.
NFC pairing makes it easy to connect to your Android phone, and you can connect to other Bluetooth devices using pairing mode.
Pros: 5 Hours Battery Life + 10 Hours In Case. Sweatproof. Great Fit Options.
Cons: Big carrying case, Call Audio only on Right Earbud.
Buy Bose SoundSport Free at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Verizon & eBay
Samsung Galaxy Buds – $129.99
The best AirPods alternative if you own a Samsung.
If you have a Samsung phone, or you want a very integrated experience with a wireless charging case, the Galaxy Buds are a great choice.
You get very good sound quality and an ambient aware option to quickly let in noise so you can hear someone talking or an announcement without taking them out of your ears. This works with Android and iOS.
Pros: 6 Hours Battery Life + 13 Hours In Case. Wireless Charging Case, Ambient Sound Mode, Water Resistant.
Cons: Not as Water Resistant as Competition.
Buy Samsung Galaxy Buds at Amazon, Verizon & eBay
Anker Soundcore Liberty Air – $79.99
The cheapest AirPods alternative you should buy.
The Anker Soundcore Liberty Air true wireless headphones are the cheapest AirPods alternative worth buying. You get good sound quality and a stable connection as well as a battery charging case.
You can control functions with taps on the right earbud and a tap on the left will start your voice assistant.
Pros: 5 Hours Battery Life + 15 Hours In Case. Sweatproof and Water Resistant. Good Connectivity Despite Budget Price.
Cons: Cheaper build quality. Don’t Fit in Case With Memory Foam Tips, Charges with Micro USB.
