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Best Apple AirPods alternatives in 2021: budget to premium
What should you know about the best best alternative to Airpods? They feature the same functionality as Apple earbuds having 5 hours of listening time, Bluetooth 5.0, deep bass, and clear vocals. TREBLAB, Sony, Klipsch, and many other wireless models are exactly about that.
The point is - you don’t have to overpay to get that great usability, comfortable fit, and high-quality sound. And if it’s about a chic look, there are way more options to look outstanding with a lower price tag!
Best
TREBLAB X5
Best AirPods alternative
Unrivaled Sound Quality And Range
TREBLAB X5 use expandable silicone-tips to reduce outside noise so they can deliver clear, crisp stereo-quality sound thanks to the advanced 8.2mm drivers.
Long-Lasting Battery For Your Busy Lifestyle
X5 truly wireless earbuds can last for over 35-Hours with the portable charging case that can recharge them up to 4x with charging time taking only 2H.
We’ve made a list of the headphones like Airpods from the perspective of:
- Sound quality
- Comfort
- Battery life
- Microphone quality
- Charging case’s size
- Presentation
Plus, we’ll reveal one more crucial thing to consider when all benchmarks are ticked in your mental check-list. So, you’ll definitely end up with a clear idea about your ideal pair of Apple AirPods alternatives.
Now, let’s take a closer look.
TREBLAB X5 Earphones - maybe the best Airpods alternative
The TREBLAB X5 wireless headphones is one of the flagship products of the brand and a favorite item amongst athletes, fitness coaches, and gardeners.
These earphones have a fantastic sound quality thanks to high-end beryllium drivers and reliable passive noise cancellation. They block out external noise and let people enjoy pure music. This is one of the reasons why airlines’ employees use them instead of regular earplugs.
When opening the box, the first impression you have is “Oh! I have something elite and very high-end in my hands!” The feeling is true. The presentation on these earbuds is very nice. You can tell TREBLAB takes pride in how it presents the products.
The charging case has a matte finish to it. Such a worthy best alternative to Apple AirPods if feeling epic is what you’re after.
TREBLAB takes pride in how it presents the products.
| TREBLAB X5 | Apple AirPods | |
| Sound |
|
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| Comfort |
|
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| Battery life | 6 hours of battery life | 5 hours of battery life |
| Microphone quality | Built-in mic for calls phone - no distinguishing between actually calling by phone or with earbuds | Good phone call quality |
| Charging case | Like a pack of gum (68 x 50 x 22 mm) | Super small and portable (44.3 x 21.3 x 53.5 mm) |
| Wireless range | 10 meters | 10 meters |
| Water resistance | IPX4 rating allows water splashing and sweat | Not water resistant |
To sum up, when sorting through characteristics, you can see that the TREBLAB X5 provide as great if not better sound quality and more options for a comfort fit.
Moreover, they are designed to anticipate the conditions when people use earbuds. That’s why a manufacturer does a great job of making them water and sweat resistant. Unlike the AirPods.
Also, when it comes to battery life, you can always have your six hours of seamless playtime, while the AirPods promise only five hours.
7 Best AirPods Alternatives
We’ve also included other options for you to find a decent Apple EarPods alternative. Check them out.
- Signature True HD sound with deep bass
- Crisp vocals
- Adjustable and portable
- 6 hours of battery life
- Premium design
- great alternative to Airpods
- IPX4
- Need to turn both earbuds on separately
Premium sound quality and snug fit. Convenient for active sports. running, working out, work and home routines, as well as yoga and home exercising
Sony WF-1000XM3
Amazon price - $228
- Excellent noise-cancellation
- Attractive look
- Impressive musicality
- Portable
- good airpods alternative for iphone
- No volume controls
- Not recommended for sports
JLab JBuds Air Executive
Amazon price - $49
- AAC support, which is great for iPhone users
- Stemmed design
- IP55 rating (dust and water)
- Noise isolation
- one of the best wireless earbuds like airpods
- Not comfortable with ear-tips
- No aptX
Samsung Galaxy Buds
Amazon price - $127.99
- 6.53 hours of constant playback
- AKG-tuned drivers for a clear sound
- Touch controls
- Compact construction
- bluetooth earbuds like Airpods
- No aptX support
- IPX2 water-resistance
- Samsung-friendly
Klipsch T5 True Wireless
Amazon price - $199
- Refined sound
- Balanced highs
- 8 hours of battery life
- Uncomfortable due to deep fit
- Do not support aptX HD or LDAC
- No shockproof bag
Anker Soundcore Liberty Air Earbuds
Amazon price - $80
- Robust build
- Graphene drivers for prime sound
- Dual microphones
- Noise-canceling technology
- Rare connection issues
- 2.5 hours of playtime
- Touch controls happen to switch on accidentally
Cambridge Audio Melomania 1
Amazon price - $129.95
- Detailed sound
- 9 hours of playtime
- IPX5 water resistant
- Pale design
- Might be uncomfortable
Sony WF-1000XM3
Type: truly wireless, in-ear | Weight: 8.5g each | Battery life (on-board): 6 hours | Battery life (charging case): 18 hours | Wireless signal range: 30 feet | Bluetooth: 5.0
These earphones are not the best choice for the gym, while seeming ideal for blocking work-related noise. They are not sweat resistant. When it comes to sound quality, these are better than the AirPods for sure because they feature Active noise cancellation. As for alternatives for Apple EarPods, they certainly pack a punch.
+ Pros:
- Active noise-cancellation
- Best-looking true wireless headphones
- Impressive musicality
- Portable
- Cons:
- No volume controls
- Not recommended for sports
- Not sweat resistant
- Call performance
JLab JBuds Air Executive
Type: truly wireless, in-ear | Weight: 5.5g (earbud); 61g (case) | Battery life 4.5 hours | Waterproof: IP55 | Bluetooth: 5.0
These can be dubbed ‘Earbuds like AirPods’ due to the full optimization for iPhones. The controls and touch panels are comprehensive. You can toggle Be Aware mode, adjust volumes, manage playback controls, answer calls. Excellent for commuting, but not suitable for working out, these wireless earbuds are still good for their price.
+ Pros:
- AAC support, which is great for iPhone users
- Stemmed design
- IP55 rating (dust and water)
- Noise isolation
- Cons:
- Comfort
- No aptX
Samsung Galaxy Buds
Type: truly wireless, in-ear | Weight: 5.7g (earbud) | Battery life 6.5 hours | Waterproof: IPX2 | Bluetooth: 5.0
These headphones are AirPods alternative for Android which unquestionably stands out with the price and a better fit. Samsung Galaxy Buds do a greater job at reducing background noise. The audio quality is perfect when you use them with compatible Samsung devices. Unfortunately, IPX2 does not allow too much sweat or water on them.
+ Pros:
- 6.53 hours of constant playtime
- AKG-tuned drivers for a clear sound
- Touch controls
- Compact construction
- Cons:
- No aptX support
- IPX2 water-resistance
- Samsung-friendly
Klipsch T5 True Wireless
Design: closed | Weight: 5.7g (earbud) | Battery life: 8 hours | Bluetooth: 5.0
These earbuds are not cheap AirPods alternative at all. But they are absolutely worth every penny for a killer sound quality, for microphones for phone calls, and battery life. But, they are not intuitive when it comes to pairing - you have to press the button three times on the right earbud. It might be confusing when the device meantime asks to connect to both earbuds. However, it’s a major win for the audiophiles looking for solid battery life or awesome wireless performance.
+ Pros:
- Refined sound
- Balanced highs
- 8 hours of battery life
- Cons:
- Uncomfortable due to deep fit
- Do not support aptx HD or LDAC
- No shockproof bag
Anker Soundcore Liberty Air Earbuds
Among earbuds similar to AirPods, these take their place fairly. They are suitable for wearing at the gym because they're a bit more isolating than AirPods. Touch controls help manage calls, playback and meantime might cause discomfort by accidental pressing.
+ Pros:
- Robust build
- Graphene drivers deliver prime sound quality
- Dual microphones
- Noise-canceling technology
- Cons:
- Random connection dropouts
- 2.5 hour of playtime (individual)
- Touch controls happen to switch on accidentally
Cambridge Audio Melomania 1
Acoustic design: Closed | Noise-canceling: No | Weight: 9.2g | Battery life (on-board): 9 hours | Bluetooth: 5.0
Cambridge got a reputation in Hi-Fi electronics. Obviously, good sound quality would be a signature feature of headphones. Yet, a fit might seem difficult for some because of light protruding.
+ Pros:
- Detailed sound
- 9 hours of playtime
- IPX5 water resistant
- Cons:
- Pale design
- Might be uncomfortable
Bose SoundSport Free
Acoustic design: - | Noise-canceling: No | Weight: - | Battery life (on-board): 5 hours | Battery life (charging case): 15 hours | Bluetooth: 4.1
Bose SoundSport Free are flat-out worthy of attention. Although you will hear your surroundings, deep bass and intense sound can compensate for this inconvenience. The downside is they might drop out from the ears. But it’s individual.
+ Pros:
- Powerful sound
- Deep bass
- Balanced tonality
- Cons:
- Might drop out often
- Not noise-cancelling
- Connectivity issues
To make a smart purchase, you should define your essential needs when looking for wireless earbuds like AirPods. Then, while surveying models, prioritize them over those extra features the earbuds provide. That way, you will pick a pair that will be perfectly suitable for you and serve you for long.
Define your essential needs and prioritize them when surveying wireless earbuds.
We examined top 8 Apple competitors that go toe-to-toe with the AirPods. Your final choice depends on what exactly you expect from the alternative, in the first place.
The referred headphones will definitely satisfy your needs for:
- Listening only high-quality sound with no noise intervention
- Having seamless connection for hours
- Feeling comfortable and empowered
- Looking high-end and trendy
- Keeping your healthy lifestyle
- Making work routine more fun and pleasant at price points that work with any budget.
Finally, there’s one more factor you should know that can influence your buying decision process.
FAQ
What is a cheaper alternative to AirPods?
It is important to understand that when choosing cheaper alternatives for Airpods you should not look for replicas. It is better to pay attention to headphones in a similar form factor, with similar characteristics and a large number of high reviews on Amazon. For example, the Treblab X5 with a rating of 4.2 and more than 500 reviews. Plus, they're only $69.97.
What is the best alternative to AirPods?
Treblab X5 is a great alternative to AirPods. It will give you the most natural music experience at less than $70 per earphone. Sony WF-1000XM3 is also a great choice for people looking for wireless buds that offer ANC and battery life up to 24 hours with a carrying case.
Do fake AirPods still work?
Yes, fake AirPods work. They look almost the same as the original but their quality is far worse than the real AirPods. It’s not surprising that they are known to cause problems like lack of volume control, cutting off midsong occasionally by accidentally pressing the volume button, and sealing quite poorly to reduce external noise; all these make them less attractive for purchase too. If you want to buy fake AirPods instead of original ones due to budget constraints, we suggest you... just don't do this.
Best cheap AirPod alternatives - one more thing to factor in
Have you ever wondered how much the relationship with the brand costs? Is it actually possible to get into the relationship with the brand? What does it mean?
At TREBLAB, when purchasing the product, you get a relationship with the brand. It means your opinion matters.
Here’s a quick overview of how TREBLAB makes sure you’ll love the headphones. We do the following:
- Analyze customers’ feedback on already existing products.
- Survey customers’ likes and dislikes in competitors’ products.
- Factor in any piece of information we get from customers to make a list of characteristics to be included in a new product.
- Keep super high manufacturing standards of quality.
- Rigorously inspect each and every product (straight from the oven :).
Therefore, on every single stage of the process, we keep the customer in mind.
