Apple’s AirPods wi-fi headphones supply an iconic look, distinctive comfort, and robust audio high quality. They arrive with a premium price ticket, nonetheless, so it’s necessary to buy round for a very good deal… or discover a bunch of tech consultants who’ll do that for you. That’s the place we are available in.
On this article, we spherical up the most effective AirPods reductions and offers that can assist you lower your expenses. We’ve received the most effective costs on the 4th-gen AirPods, the 2nd-gen AirPods Professional with USB-C, and the premium AirPods Max over-ear headphones which Apple has up to date to make use of USB-C fairly than Lightning.
Under you’ll discover hyperlinks to the most effective offers out there proper now. You’ll discover extra detailed recommendation and value comparisons for every mannequin additional down.
There’s an Amazon sale from 25 March at which we might even see some reductions, actually there are already some Early Spring Offers to be discovered. See: Amazon Spring Sale U.Okay. and Amazon Spring Sale U.S.
We don’t are inclined to see large AirPods reductions within the U.K., however there are some small financial savings available right here and there.
If it doesn’t must be Apple AirPods take a look on the finest earbuds we’ve reviewed, which incorporates the most effective offers on these fashions. We even have a round-up of the finest wired headphones and a comparability of over-ear headphones learn our comparability of AirPods Max vs different over-ear headphones.
Latest and imminent modifications to the AirPods vary
Before you purchase, observe the next:
AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with ANC had been launched in September 2024. The AirPods 4 begin at $129/£129 with the ANC mannequin costing $179/£179. With this in thoughts don’t purchase the AirPods 3 or AirPods 2 in the event that they aren’t significantly cheaper than $129/£129.
The AirPods Max with Lightning had been discontinued in favor of the AirPods Max with USB-C. On this case for those who do see the older fashions on sale they’re price shopping for at a very good low cost.
The AirPods Professional are sometimes on sale as they’re more likely to be up to date in 2025. They’re nonetheless a very good buy and lately gained the power to work as listening to aids due to a software program replace.
You possibly can test the automated value comparability tables beneath to see if any retailers have dropped their costs since we final up to date this text.
How a lot do AirPods value?
Some modifications had been introduced at Apple’s September 2024 occasion, so ensure you’re updated with the most recent costs:
- AirPods Max (2024): $549 / £499 (value dropped from £549 to £499 in September 2023)
- AirPods Professional with USB-C (2nd gen, 2023): $249 / £229
- AirPods 4: $129 / £129
- AirPods 4 (with ANC): $179 / £179
Discontinued:
- Third-gen AirPods with Lightning (2021): was $169 / £169
- Third-gen AirPods with MagSafe (2021): was $179 / £179
- 2nd-gen AirPods (2019): was $129 / £129
It’s best to by no means pay greater than the costs above: we’ve seen unscrupulous retailers declare the MSRP/RRP is increased and work out ‘financial savings’ based mostly on that.
Keep in mind to take supply and postage charges into consideration when evaluating offers; we embody it in our checklist of costs however most retailers received’t add it till you’re on the checkout. And be careful for offers that appear too good to be true, however end up to haven’t any inventory. We see this loads.
Good AirPods offers are uncommon and have a tendency to not final lengthy. If you happen to see one (and also you’re positive the provider is legit: look it up on TrustPilot for those who’ve not purchased from there earlier than), seize it.
Greatest new AirPods offers
Apple sells two units of primary (non-Professional) AirPods, each launched on the 2024 Glowtime occasion: the 4th-gen mannequin with energetic noise cancellation, and the 4th-gen mannequin with out. Greatest Purchase is price a search for some worthwhile financial savings within the U.S., whereas U.Okay. clients can save a bit of cash throughout the vary.
You should buy the 4th-gen AirPods instantly from Apple, however you’ll discover the most effective costs elsewhere within the automated tables beneath.
AirPods (4th gen, 2024, with ANC) offers
These exchange the AirPods (Third technology) and have a redesigned, smaller USB-C case that works with wi-fi charging and now has Discover My performance, with a built-in speaker for finding the gadget. They characteristic energetic noise cancellation, beforehand discovered solely on the AirPods Professional and Max, and sport Apple’s H2 chip, which was launched within the 2022 AirPods Professional and improves audio high quality.
MSRP: $179/£179
AirPods (4th gen, 2024, without ANC) offers
Whereas the ANC AirPods 4 exchange the Third-gen AirPods, these exchange the 2nd-gen AirPods. They characteristic many of the options of the higher-priced mannequin with the principle exception of Lively Noise Cancelation, Transparency Mode, and Adaptive Audio.
MSRP: $129/£129
Greatest AirPods Professional offers
The 2nd-gen model of the AirPods Professional was launched in September 2022. Fairly than introduce the third technology in 2023, Apple as a substitute tweaked them to help USB-C for charging (together with charging by way of the iPhone 15) The Lightning fashions have now been discontinued, however will probably be out there from different retailers for some time; ensure you’re getting the precise mannequin you need.
AirPods Professional (2nd gen, 2023, USB-C) offers
That is the 2023 model with USB-C charging. It’s also possible to use an iPhone 15 to cost the case.
MSRP: $249
Greatest AirPods Max offers
The AirPods Max, Apple’s wi-fi over-ear headphones, are available for purchase instantly from Apple for $549 / £499 (they had been £549 within the U.K. earlier than September 2023 when Apple dropped the worth to £499).
Greatest AirPods Max (2024, USB-C) offers
The AirPods Max haven’t precisely been up to date for 2024, past a BrandNew set of colours and USB-C as a substitute of Lightning. These are nonetheless successfully the identical because the 2020 fashions. It might nonetheless be attainable to purchase outdated fashions within the authentic colours for a while so now we have included the most effective costs for the older mannequin within the discontinued part of this text.
Discover the most recent costs in our automated desk embedded beneath.
MSRP: $549/£499
Discontinued AirPods offers
One solution to choose up a extremely whole lot will be to purchase discontinued AirPods which are sometimes the primary to be discounted.
AirPods (Third gen, 2021, MagSafe) offers
Apple up to date the ultra-popular AirPods in October 2021, after a wait of greater than two and a half years. They had been finally discontinued in September 2024. Get all the data you want in our AirPods 3 overview.
MSRP was: $179 / £179 (DISCONTINUED)
AirPods (Third gen, 2021, Lightning) offers
There was additionally a less expensive model of the AirPods Third technology with a case that needs to be charged by way of Lightning, fairly than wirelessly.
MSRP was: $169 / £169 (DISCONTINUED)
AirPods (2nd gen, 2019) offers
This older model of the AirPods was bought by Apple till September 2024 and should be discovered at different retailers. Word that this model of the AirPods comes with a Lightning charging case that must be plugged in, versus the wi-fi MagSafe charging case.
Examine the automated desk beneath for the most recent offers.
MSRP was: $129 / £129 (DISCONTINUED)
AirPods Professional (2nd gen, 2022, Lightning) offers
That is the older model with a Lightning port for charging the case. You should still discover them on sale.
MSRP was $249 / £249 (DISCONTINUED)
AirPods Max (2020, Lightning) offers
That is the older model of the unique AirPods Max got here in several colours and featured Lightning (fairly then USB-C within the newer fashions). You should still discover them on sale.
MSRP was: $549/£499
For an in-depth take a look at your choices right here, learn The place to purchase AirPods Max.
Different methods to avoid wasting: AirPods Bundle offers
The easiest way to get a very good value on AirPods could also be to bundle them with a telephone, though that is primarily a possibility within the U.K.
Cellphone community Three affords a wide range of bundles that embody the AirPods. Go to the corporate’s equipment web page to browse the most effective choices for you.
Vodafone and O2 aren’t at the moment bundling the AirPods with their iPhone plans, though O2 sells the 2021 AirPods, the early-2019 AirPods and the 2022 AirPods Professional on their very own.
Whichever bundle you go for, bear in mind to test for those who’re getting the AirPods Professional, the early-2019 AirPods (generally referred to as the second gen or AirPods 2) or the brand new 2021 AirPods (third-gen or AirPods 3). If you happen to’re getting the AirPods Professional, discover out in the event that they embody the brand new MagSafe charging case.
AirPods shopping for recommendation
Questioning if a pair of AirPods is best for you? We’ve got a information to the Greatest AirPods, and you might learn AirPods Professional vs AirPods to learn how the fashions examine, however let’s rapidly talk about the professionals and cons.
Apple has launched numerous AirPods variations, a number of of that are nonetheless on sale:
- 2016: 1st-gen AirPods, discontinued
- 2019: 2nd-gen AirPods, discontinued
- 2019: 1st-gen AirPods Professional, discontinued
- 2021: Third-gen AirPods, Lightning and Magsafe variants, discontinued
- 2022 & 2023: 2nd-gen AirPods Professional, Lightning and USB-C variants
- 2020 & 2024: AirPods Max
All 4 non-Max fashions are wi-fi, sitting in your ears and in principle staying there by snugness of match alone. Some great benefits of this are clear–they permit you to go operating or work out without worrying about snagging the cables–however they could fall out when you choose up the tempo. Our expertise, nonetheless, is that the AirPods are among the many finest earbuds round on this regard.
The AirPods Professional supply a snugger match than the others as a result of they’ve a alternative of versatile ear ideas and are literally in a position to inform you whether or not you’ve chosen the proper tip or not.
Sound high quality is first rate however not distinctive on the unique and early-2019 fashions; the 2021 Third gen AirPods had been higher, whereas the AirPods Professional are a step above thanks partially to their higher match and implementation of energetic noise cancellation. What AirPods constantly do higher than non-Apple headphones is coordinate with different Apple merchandise, due to the W1 chip (within the 2016 mannequin) and H1 chip (2019 and 2021) which makes pairing with an iPhone a breeze.
Battery-wise, most non-Max AirPods will final round 5 hours, however that’s not the tip of the story: they arrive with a bit of charging case with its personal bigger battery, so you possibly can pop them again in for a fast cost. The case ought to supply one other 24 hours (give or take) earlier than it’ll require charging. The 2021 AirPods, nonetheless, supply extra on this division, with claimed figures of six hours out of the case and 30 hours in complete. We’ve received some recommendation on getting higher AirPods battery life.
Apple’s 2nd gen AirPods can reply to Hey Siri instructions, cost wirelessly for those who go for the Wi-fi Charging Case, and supply extra discuss time than the originals. These options are saved within the 2021 Third-generation fashions, with Spatial Audio and Adaptive EQ added to the combination. The 4th technology AirPods arrived in 2024 and add ANC to the combination.
The AirPods Max are over-ear headphones and basically a totally totally different product to the remainder of the AirPods vary. They’re much more costly and a very totally different proposition to the opposite AirPods. Audio high quality is virtually universally thought-about to be distinctive, however it’s debatable whether or not it’s distinctive sufficient to justify that premium price ticket. And lots of reviewers have identified that the case is oddly designed, provided that the one a part of the headphones that it doesn’t defend–the mesh headband–is the one which’s most weak to break. The AirPods Max are an interesting prospect, however, might not be sensible for many budgets.
For extra detailed recommendation and ideas on the most effective options to Apple’s three cheaper AirPods fashions, learn our guides to the Greatest wi-fi earbuds and the finest wired headphones.
