Best AirPods alternatives on Amazon in 2023

With a price of $159, whilst Apple’s truly wireless earbuds, the AirPods have become one of the bestselling earphones of all-time since their launch in 2016. They are still pretty pricey for what they are. When they were first released, they were the only true wireless headphones on the market, and users all around the world marveled at how freeing Apple’s smash-hit was.

Now the industry has caught up, and even with a 2019 refresh, the AirPods haven’t made many more leaps in sound and build quality barring the addition of wireless charging and increased battery life. Now, in 2021, there are hundreds of alternative true wireless earbuds that match, if not “beat” the sound quality of the AirPods, and some are mere fractions of the price of Apple’s offering.

It can be quite difficult to select the right product from the thousands of options available on Amazon. That’s why we at NewTech21 have compiled this list of the best true wireless earbuds on Amazon for 2023.

1. TaoTronics SoundLiberty 97 True Wireless Earbuds with Active Noise Cancellation

Pros:

• Great sound quality
• Great value
• Bluetooth 5.0
• USB C

Cons:

• Fiddly controls

First up, we have one of the most loved brands in the affordable true wireless headphone industry: TaoTronics. Their latest 2021 powerhouse is the SoundLiberty 97 earbuds. These convenient buds fit snuggly in your ear, and unlike AirPods, there are no stems stick out. These can easily hide under your hair or hat for inconspicuous listening. 

 Unlike the AirPods, these earbuds include active noise cancellation, using the in-built microphone to cancel out any background noise to provide an immersive and isolating listening experience. If you were to stick to Team Apple, you would have to shell out up to $249 for the AirPods Pro to get active noise cancellation, so the fact we can get this on a [price] product is simply astounding. 

With a battery life of to 9 hours of continuous playback, these earbuds can easily last a whole day, and using the included charging case gives you extra 20 hours with the charging case, ensuring you’re grooving with your favorite music for days at a time before plugging your case in.

Like the AirPods, these earphones use role switching technology to recognize and switch earbuds depending on which you have in your ear. This allows you to use each bud independently without harming the functionality of the product.

As this product is IPX8-certified water resistance: listen uninterrupted, no matter when running or dancing, sweat and rain with these earbuds, and you can even clean these bad boys under a tap.

That brings us to sound quality, TaoTronics’ star feature: simply put, these earphones sound incredible. They beat the Beats, Sony’s, and Creatives double or triple the price. For instance, one Amazon reviewer writes:

“This is my 4th purchase of the Taotronics brand. Having used various brands like Sony and Creative, I have found TT to be my choice well priced and good quality earphones.”

With an average rating of 4.6 stars out of 5, customers absolutely adore the TaoTronics SoundLiberty 97. One delighted customer writes in their five-star review:

“As for Sound, I was already happy with the predecessor Soundliberty 79 – yet these have a richer, more natural and appreciable sound quality. These Soundliberty 97 buds are not only comfy in my ears – they form a tight seal that blocks out more outside noise than any other bud I’ve tried to date.”

With the price of $.... (Product detail is unavailable temporarily), TaoTronics offers some fantastic performance at an affordable price. I would argue these destroy the AirPods, and for under half of the price, the SoundLiberty 97’s are a no-brainer.

2. Anker SoundCore Life P2

Pros:

• Good sound quality
• Great build

Cons:

• Stem
• Micro-USB A
• Button not well thought out

The second choice on this list is from the Chinese technology giant Anker. The Soundcore Life P2 matches the sound quality and convivence of Apple’s AirPods at under half of the price.

Each earbud has two microphones housed in the stem and paired with beamforming noise reduction and CVC (Clear Voice Capture) 8.0 technology; your voice will sound loud and clear, perfect for making calls by phone and internet calls. The days of “sorry, I didn’t catch that” are over with this great microphone array.

The graphene drivers produce a wider soundstage with exceptional accuracy and clarity, with Anker’s propriety BassUp technology conducting real-time analysis and enhances the bass frequencies to add powerful sonic punch. This results in a powerful and crisp sound signature with a wide soundstage for earbuds. Customers won’t be disappointed with the sound quality of the Life P2’s. 

A single charge gives you a full 7 hours of listening, while the charging case can extend that to an astonishing 40 hours. If you’re in a hurry, simply charge the charging case for 10 minutes and get up to 1 hour of playtime, perfect for ensuring you’re all geared up for a short run. 

With an average rating of 4.3 stars out of 5, Amazon customers love the sound quality and great value of the Anker SoundCore Life P2. One five-star review states:

“I’ve been enjoying these earbuds for almost two days straight. Both music and podcasts sound great, and the mics have been solid. I used them for work calls and the people I’ve asked have said that I sounded clear.

I think I hit the sweet spot in terms price vs. earbud battery, case battery, IPX waterproof rating, cVc noise cancelling, and quality of microphones. The big con that I didn’t foresee was that physical buttons on truely wireless earbuds can be kind of painful. The positioning and the stiff click on these buttons is such that pressing them requires jamming the earbuds deeper into your ear.”

With a list price of $32.98, these earbuds are considerably cheaper than AirPods and sound just as great. If you’re looking for quality true wireless buds, you should consider Anker SoundCore Life P2.

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3. SOUNDPEATS Q True Wireless Earphones Bluetooth 5.0

Pros:

• Good sound quality
• USB C
• Active noise cancellation

Cons:

• Large case
• No in-ear detection

With a large 10mm driver, these true wireless earbuds provide superior sound quality at an affordable price. The SoundPEATS Q wireless earbuds support wireless charging if you own a Qi wireless charging pad for easy charging. 

Barring that, whilst alternatives use the inferior Micro-USB connector, the SoundPEATS’ case charges by USB-C quick charge in 2 hours to ensure you’re all juiced up for the day. Alone, the earbuds have a battery life of 7 hours of continuous playback. 

With the latest Bluetooth 5.0 transmission, SoundPEATS Q wireless earbuds provide a seamless connection without any interruptions in use. The quad microphone array, with two built-in dual mics in each earbud, maximize the call performance, ensuring your voice is loud and clear. One microphone is for capturing your voice in the best way, and the other is for reducing the ambient noise around you. That’s active ambient noise reduction!

With an average rating of 4.6 stars out of 5, Amazon reviewers love these earbuds. One customer writes: 

“Talking quality was very good. Especially when in a vehicle, or walking outside. On the receiving end, I was told I was loud and clear without any distortions.

Overall, for the price, these are great. I would buy these as gifts for friends and family. Soundpeats Q, I would call these as successors for Soundpeats True Buds which were budget alternative for Gen1 AirPods.” 

Priced at $39.99, these buds represent some insane value for money. If you’re looking for good but affordable true wireless earphones, the SoundPEATS are an excellent choice and well worth some consideration.

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4. AUKEY True Wireless Earbuds, Bluetooth 5 Headphones in Ear with Charging Case

Pros:

• Small and Compact Case
• Comfortable
• Good sound quality

Cons:

• Tricky touch controls
• Can get loose at times

Another fantastic budget AirPods alternative from another Chinese tech accessory giant, this time from AUKEY. The AUKEY-EP-T21 resembles the AirPods but with a matte black design and an in-ear seal bud.

Experience crisp, high-fidelity sound with the 7mm drivers, whilst the MEMS microphone technology enables surprisingly clear conversations on these compact buds, perfect for business calls through phone and internet audio. 

You can use either earbud independently, allowing you to hear your surroundings whilst listening to music simultaneously. Use of the touch controls allows you to manage audio playback & calls with the multi-function touch panel and microphone on each earbud. 

Whilst we love to see touch controls, the control scheme can get a bit confusing. Triple tap to get voice assistant, but double-tap to play and pause. Some users may find themselves accidentally activating your voice assistant when trying to pause or rejecting a call by accident. It may take some time to get used to using these touch controls. 

With an average rating of 4.3 stars out of 5, Amazon reviewers love the value of this product. One reviewer writes: 

“I have been in need of a new pair of bluetooth earbuds for a while. I was pleasantly surprised to find this affordable pair by Aukey.

I also have Aukey charging cables and Aukey bluetooth transmitter for my car that I bought months ago. I find their products to be extremely high quality for such an affordable price. I’ve become a fan of this brand over the last few months!” 

With a list price of $.... (Product detail is unavailable temporarily), the AUKEY-EP-T21 is a fantastic choice if you’re looking for an affordable set of wireless earbuds from a reputable manufacturer.

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