Best Apple AirPods and wireless earbud deals 2023

Looking for a cheap deal on a set of Apple AirPods? We’ve rounded up some of the best offers in the sales, along with cheaper alternatives that are worth considering. 

Thanks to being truly wireless earbuds, Apple AirPods are both compact and save you from the daily untangling of wires. However, even when discounted they're not exactly cheap. If you're willing to look elsewhere, there are plenty of wireless earbuds from rival manufacturers that often get bigger discounts and still perform well.

We've scoured the market for the best Apple Airpods deals and the best deals on alternatives. All performed well in our lab tests, but be sure to check our headphone reviews before purchasing.

We reveal the best headphones for all budgets, based on our tough independent tests.

Best deals on Apple AirPods and alternatives for May 2023

Our pick: Sennheiser CX Plus (typical price - £130)

• Truly wireless, in-ear headphones
• Active noise cancelling
• IPX4 rating, which means they are splash resistant

We like:  Good battery life 

We don't like: Some may find them a bit tight in the ears

These truly wireless in-ear headphones from Sennheiser have built-in active noise-cancelling at a competitive price. Typically, you'd expect to pay around £130 for these headphones, but they are currently being heavily discounted.

But, crucially, do they sound good? Read our full Sennheiser CX Plus review to find out.

Best Apple AirPods deals

Apple AirPods 2021 (typical price - £189)

• Wireless earbuds
• Designed for Apple iOS and Android devices (basic functions work on Android devices)
• Six hours claimed battery life

We like: Detailed sound with good bass

We don’t like: A bit difficult to maintain phone conversations when in busy surroundings

The third-generation (and latest) Apple AirPods have decent bass and deliver clear frequencies for music lovers.

Get our full, expert opinion on them in our Apple AirPods (2021) review.

Apple AirPods Pro 2022 (typical price - £249)

• Truly wireless headphones (in-ear with flexible eartips)
• Active noise cancelling
• IPX4 rating for water resistance

We like: Very comfortable, Minimal sound leakage

We didn’t like: Limited functionality on Android devices

The AirPods Pro 2 (2022) have changeable silicone eartips and a redesigned MagSafe charging case (this supports both Qi and MagSafe wireless charging). Additionally, these headphones now come packed with an additional silicone eartip size; along with the small, medium and large sizes, there is now the extra-small size.

But check out our full Apple AirPods Pro (2022) review first before you commit to buy.

Best deals on Apple AirPods alternatives under £100

Panasonic RZ-S500WE-K (typical price - £110)

• Truly wireless, in-ear headphones
• Noise cancelling
• Water resistant

We like: Good battery life for truly wireless headphones

We don't like: Not as comfortable as some pairs we’ve seen 

These headphones feature active noise-cancelling technology, which aims to reduce the volume of unwanted background sounds such as traffic, train or plane noise. They are also water resistant (IPX4), so they should survive splashes and light rain, but they are not fully waterproof.

But crucially how do they sound and is the noise cancelling effective?

Read our full Panasonic RZ-S500WE-K review to see if these headphones measure up to your expectations.

Best deals on Apple AirPods alternatives over £100

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EQ (typical price - £149)

• Truly wireless, in-ear headphones
• Active noise cancelling
• Splash resistant

We like: Sound doesn’t leak

We don't like: Variable comfort

B&O’s truly wireless in-ear headphones offer adaptive active noise-cancelling. Multiple microphones outside and inside the headphones work to counter or block external noise for the best listening experience, even when the environment changes. There are touch controls on both ear pieces which you can use to play or pause tracks, adjust volume, select the level of noise cancellation, and accept and reject calls.

But do they sound excellent and are they the best option for you? Read our our full B&O Beoplay EQ review to find out.

They're currently available for £110 in Robert Dyas, but also check out the prices at other stockists below.

Bose Sport Earbuds (typical price - £149)

• Truly wireless, in-ear headphones
• Three different sizes of Bose's ‘StayHear Max’ eartips
• Waterproof

We like: Secure fit for your workout 

We don't like: Companion Bose Music app a bit superfluous

Truly wireless in-ear headphones, these are aimed at sports and exercise enthusiasts, and are compatible with Bluetooth devices including those running Apple iOS and Android. Their IPX4 rating for water resistance means they won’t be bothered by sweat or if you get caught in a shower of rain, but they’re not fully waterproof – so not suitable for use during aquatic sports where they would get very wet or fully immersed in water.

But what's the sound like and are they right for you? Read our our full Bose Sport Earbuds review to find out more.

They're currently available for £100 in John Lewis, but also check out the prices at other stockists below.

Honor Earbuds 3 Pro, typical price £170

• Truly wireless, in-ear headphones
• Active noise cancelling
• Compact charging case

We like: Lightweight, comfortable, good call quality

We don't like: Limited app, no equaliser or tone adjustment options

These truly wireless, in-ear headphones produce detailed sound so you can really enjoy your music. They're also comfy and come with plenty of features.

Read our our full Honor Earbuds 3 Pro review to find out more.

Normally around £170, they are currently available with a significant discount.

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds, typical price £249

• Truly wireless headphones 
• Active noise cancelling
• IPX4 water resistant

We like: Well built, easy to use

We don't like: Bose Music app is quite limited

These truly wireless in-ear headphones have built-in active noise cancelling and are compatible with Bluetooth devices running on Apple iOS or Android. They’re compatible with Siri and Google Assistant voice-control systems and come with three different sizes of eartip. Their IPX4 rating for water resistance means they can cope with rain, but they're not fully waterproof.

Will these headphones meet all your requirements? Find out in our expert Bose QuietComfort Earbuds review.

How we select the best headphone deals

Be aware that not all price cuts are as good as they seem. Even if a retailer promotes a big price cut, it doesn’t guarantee that you won’t find the headphones cheaper elsewhere, or that the pair is good enough to justify even a rock-bottom price.

We only feature deals on headphones that score well in our tests, though they’re not all Best Buys. You can make sure that the headphones you have your eye on deliver where it matters to you – be that sound quality, comfort, ease of use or battery life – by clicking on the links to our full reviews.

Looking for more deals this March? We've rounded up the best offers in the Amazon Spring Sale 2023.

Apple Store headphones deals

Apple headphones, such as the AirPods, are very popular, but the Apple Store is usually not the place to go if you’re looking for the best price, as Apple rarely cuts its prices when selling direct. 

You’d be better off keeping an eye on big tech retailers such as Amazon and Currys PC World. These often offer considerable savings over the recommended retail price of Apple products to tempt your custom their way.

Click on the links below to head to these key retailers’ dedicated AirPods pages and see what they have to offer right now:

• Amazon AirPods page
• Currys PC World AirPods page

Amazon headphones deals

Amazon can be a great place to compare prices and snap up a bargain on headphones from big name brands such as Bose, Sennheiser or Sony – and it offers some particularly good deals around Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday and other promotional periods. 

What to watch out for

Search for headphones on Amazon.co.uk and you’ll also find loads of very cheap pairs for sale, including many brands you’ve probably never heard of – names that crop up regularly include Anker, Mpow and Enacfire. Many of them will have hundreds, or even thousands, of positive reviews. 

If you’re tempted by the low prices of lesser-known brands, proceed with caution. Just because you haven’t heard of a brand doesn’t automatically make the headphones a bad buy, and we’ve found some great cheap headphones in our testing. However, we’ve also found many that have disappointed our lab experts, despite the apparently endless number of rave reviews.

Which? investigations repeatedly show that product reviews on online marketplaces such as Amazon can’t always be trusted, and a huge numbers of positive reviews for budget-priced products is something to be sceptical about.

The only way to make fully considered comparisons is to check out our headphone reviews. There are so many pairs on Amazon we don’t test them all, but we do review some of the most popular models from brands that regularly feature in Amazon's bestsellers charts, such as Anker and Enacfire.

Argos headphones deals

Argos is a popular place to buy small consumer electronics such as headphones. The retailer often has handy outlets in larger Sainsbury’s stores too.  

Argos often has good deals on individual headphones, so it can be worth checking the Argos website on occasion to see what new pairs it's promoting heavily.

Argos also has a clearance section. It’s worth keeping an eye on, as clearance deals at Argos are often genuine discounts on stock that it’s trying to get rid of. 

What to watch out for

Be wary of headphones marked with a ‘WOW’; Argos uses this to pull your attention to a product (often its own-brand Bush range), and it doesn’t always mean that the headphones are a good deal. 

Also watch for ‘Great new price’ labels, as that is no guarantee the price is better than the old one.

Currys headphones deals and ‘clearance’ sales

While Currys can offer some genuinely great headphone deals on its dedicated clearance deals page, it’s worth scrutinising the small print.

What to watch out for

Many Currys deals aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. The retailer sometimes puts headphones on sale at an inflated price, before suddenly dropping the price to a more appropriate level just a few weeks later. This can make the saving seem bigger than it actually is – and doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t find the same headphones cheaper elsewhere.   

The ‘clearance’ page at certain times of year is packed with headphones. However, whatever the term ‘clearance’ might suggest, discounts on these models can be very small or, in some cases, nothing at all. Currys may want to shift stock, but it doesn’t guarantee it’s a good deal.

Are headphone recycling and trade-in schemes a good deal?

Some headphone manufacturers such as Jabra also offer trade-in schemes for the headphones, where you send back your current pair for a discount on a newer model, and they responsibly recycle your old pair.

This can be a good way to get an even better deal on your new pair of headphones, although the manufacturer’s discount will often be on the standard retail price rather than any lower price commonly offered by other retailers, so the discount can seem larger than it actually is.

Alternatively, you can recycle your old headphones along with other small electrical items.

Head over to our best headphones guide to find more about how to buy the ideal pair of headphones for you.