Photo of Samsung Galaxy Buds, a wireless headphone alternative to AirPods
Samsung

6 best wireless AirPods earbuds alternatives for iPhone users

When you don't want to buy into the hype, but still want quality earbuds here are six options to consider

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AirPods are Apple's standard wireless earbuds, but you don't have to use the company's devices, even if you have an iPhone. The following six are excellent options. Some are more expensive that the original AirPods (which have come down in price since the release of the AirPods Pro) but they each make a solid alternative, some a far more less expensive alternative, that Apple's signature device.

Sony WF-10000XM3

Sony WF-10000XM3 earbuds

The Sony WF-10000XM3 earbuds have true active noise cancelling inside.

Sony

The Sony WF-10000XM3 are a very stylish alternative. {riced at $179.99, they're a tad more expensive than the AirPods, but you get six hours of battery life on one charge, plus true active noise cancelling. That's a feature that's only available on the AirPods Pro, which will cost you $249 — $90 more than the standard AirPods. These are compact looking devices that fit very neatly in the ear as well.

Jabra Elite Active 75t

Jabra Elite Active 75t

The Jabra Elite Active 75t are stylish, with a compact design

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The Jabra Elite Active 75t are an excellent alternative to the AirPods — in fact they're an excellent alternative to the AirPods Pro. At $199.99, they're more than Apple's standard earbuds but come with some features that put them in Pro territory including an excellent fit, a very stylish, compact design and great noise cancelling as well. They also connect quickly — very quickly — to smart assistants, and you can customize the sound in the Jabra app for speech and music, even boosting bass and treble.

Nuraloop wireless

NuraLoop

The NuraLoop earphones have 16 hours of battery life

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At $199, the NuraLoop wireless are one of the more expensive options on the list, but they're also a cross between an earbud and a headphone, primarily because of the wire between them. That wire though is something to consider if you're someone who consistently loses their earbuds while out and about, as the wire ensure they stay connected, and probably around your neck. Plus you get a personalized sound system, active noise cancelling, and 16 hours of battery charge — that's more than three times the amount you'll get from your AirPods.

1More Stylish True

1More Stylish

1More Stylish earbuds won an award for their design

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Another compact-styled set of earbuds, the 1More Stylish wireless devices are lightweight, and even won a design award for their look. You can pick these up in several colors including black, mint green, pink and yellow and they're priced at a very friendly $79.99 right now. The earbuds give 6.5 hours of charge, and a rapid charge feature will five you three hours in just 15 minutes. Plus these have little fins that work around the ear to give them a better fit.

Samsung Galaxy Buds+

Samsung Galaxy Buds+

The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ have 11 hours of battery life

Samsung

The newest of Samsung's wireless earbuds, the Galaxy Buds+ are priced at $149.99, about $9 less than Apple's standard AirPods. We reviewed the original Galaxy Buds in 2019, an excellent option which are still available at just $109.99. But the new Galaxy Buds+ boost battery life from six to 11 hours, add an extra outer mic on each earbuds, and now have a woofer and tweeter on them as well. All of this comes without changing the weight or dimensions of the earbuds.

Skullcandy Indy Fuel

Skullcandy Indy Fuel

The Skullcandy Indy Fuel have Tile trackers inside to help locate them if lost

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Skullcandy's Indy Fuel almost mirror the design of Apple's AirPods, with the stem that falls down from the earbuds as well. They include active noise cancelling, three EQ modes to tailor the sound to podcasts, music or movies, and also include Tile tracking, an excellent feature for anyone who has a tendency to lose their earbuds on the road. You also get about six hours of play time on each earbud, but you can rapid charge them in 10 minutes for two hours of battery life. At $99.99, they're a solid budget alternative to Apple's own earbuds.

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