Take a look at the best AirPods alternatives to the original Apple AirPods & AirPods Pro.
Find yourself the best alternative in all price ranges that’s:
- Great for calls
- Has good ANC
- Superb comfort
We test and review headphones based on an independent 9-point methodology. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
Here’s a quick comparison:
| Rating | Price | Connection | Noise cancelling | Battery life | Water resistance | More info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
EarFun Air Pro 3
Best overall
 |
4.3
|
Under $80
|
Bluetooth 5.3
|
 
|
8h + 36h in case (USB-C & Qi wireless charging)
|
IPX5
|
|
|
SoundPEATS Air4 Pro
Alternative best
 
|
4.7
|
Under $90
|
Bluetooth 5.3
|
|
4h + 22h in case (USB-C)
|
IPX4
|
|
|
3.9
|
Under $200
|
Bluetooth 5.0
|
|
7h + 21h in case (USB-C & Qi wireless charging)
|
IPX4
|
||
|
4.2
|
Under $70
|
Bluetooth 5.0
|
|
9h + 23h in case (USB-C & Qi wireless charging)
|
IP55
|
||
|
SoundPEATS Air3 Deluxe HS
Best cheap
 
|
4.3
|
Under $50
|
Bluetooth 5.2
|
 
|
6h + 15h in case (USB-C)
|
IPX4
|
Fake AirPods exist for a couple of reasons. First, as they resemble one of the most popular true wireless earbuds on the market, they draw the attention from potential buyers.
Secondly, AirPods, especially the AirPods Pro model, are ergonomically designed. Copying that can actually benefit a customer since it makes the end product much more comfortable.
While most fake AirPods are just plain copies without substance, some AirPods lookalike are worth checking out.
Here’s a list of the best fake AirPods you can find. You can get some compelling options for a fraction of the price of the original ones.
Note that all the models on this list aren’t complete AirPods and AirPods Pro clones since those are illegal to sell.
What Makes Earbuds “Fake AirPods”?
For earbuds to be considered fake AirPods, they have to share design similarities with the original.
Some earbuds blatantly copy the AirPods design right down to every detail. On the other hand, other “fake AirPods” aren’t an intentional copy, as they only share some similarities.
Generally, earbuds considered an AirPods fake have:
- They have an elongated stem. This design (at least in true wireless earbuds) was introduced by Apple and widely mocked at first. Later on, it has become an iconic AirPods feature. A long stem pushes the microphone closer to your mouth, making voice calls clearer.
- Have sideways firing speakers. Normally, earphones had front-firing speakers, but ever since Apple changed the design, many earphones followed. The design makes sense since it forces the sound more directly into the ear canal.
- Earbuds are true wireless. We only consider true wireless AirPods lookalikes as possible contenders for this guide. Since they’re trying to mimic TWS AirPods models from Apple, you won’t see any wired earbuds in here. Only wireless earbuds with a Bluetooth feature.
- They have active noise cancellation. The AirPods Pro were the first Apple earbuds with ANC. It quickly became one of the top features of the AirPods Pro. Therefore, the fake AirPods Pro alternatives also need to have ANC.
5 Best Fake AirPods
1. EarFun Air Pro 3
BEST FAKE AIRPODS ON THE MARKET
The new model boasts an improved version of active noise cancelling performance and all the features for under $100.
Connection:
Bluetooth 5.3
Driver size:
11mm wool composite dynamic
Frequency range:
n/a
- Natural sound (after EQ)
- Comfortable & lightweight design
- Customization via companion app
- Bluetooth 5.3, LC3 codec, & multipoint
- Excellent battery life of over 8 hours per charge
- Effective active noise cancellation & ambient sound mode
- Not stable enough for sports activities
- Background hiss when in ANC mode
Hear the EarFun Air Pro 3 A/B Sound Test:
Packed with a good-quality dynamic driver, the Air Pro 3 can sound lively, fun, and detailed, especially after tweaking the sound quality in the EarFun Audio app (you can find our custom EQ in the full review).
Apart from EQ, the app lets you customize controls on both sides, update firmware, and enable Game Mode, reducing the latency to 55 milliseconds.
Earbuds also excel at ambient sound mode and active noise cancelling, beating the best performers under $100 and almost matching premium offers from Sony and Apple.
Design-wise, earbuds offer a familiar shape that sits comfortably in your ears for hours. On the other hand, ear tips sit too shallow to provide a sufficiently stable fit for sports.
To ensure you don’t need to worry about batteries, the Air Pro 3 last more than 8 hours on a single charge (with ANC).
See the related guide: Best noise-cancelling headphones
2. SoundPEATS Air4 Pro
ALTERNATIVE TO THE BEST FAKE AIRPODS
AirPod alternatives with an excellent sound and a unique set of features based on their design.
Connection:
Bluetooth 5.3
Driver size:
13mm dynamic
Frequency range:
n/a
- Fantastically natural sound for the price (after EQ)
- Comfortable & surprisingly stable fit, even for sports
- Robust Bluetooth connection with multipoint
- Strong active noise cancelling performance…
- …but below average passive noise isolation
- Subpar battery life of only 4 hours (with ANC)
Hear the SoundPEATS Air4 Pro A/B Sound Test:
SoundPEATS Air4 Pro are an excellent affordable alternative to the AirPods Pro due to their incredibly natural tuning, especially after fiddling with in-app’s custom EQ. Buds even support aptX Lossless.
Furthermore, both models are comfortable to wear for hours. Air4 Pro even edges out the AirPods Pro by providing a more stable fit for sports. Both are sweatproof with an IPX4 rating.
At $80, active noise cancellation is equally effective as Sony WF-1000XM4. The ambient sound mode also works really naturally, so you don’t need to remove the earbuds when talking to someone.
Like AirPods, the Air4 Pro also support multipoint, allowing you to connect to two devices simultaneously and switch between them automatically.
Earbuds manage to play your music for up to 4 hours on a single charge (with ANC). You get another 22 hours inside the USB-C and fast charging case.
If you want something closer to the Apple AirPods 3 alternative, check the SoundPEATS Air4 model.
3. JBL Live Pro+
Among the best fake AirPods Pro that you can lay your hand on. They’re such a gem for a lower price.
Connection:
Bluetooth 5.0
Driver size:
11m
Frequency range:
20-20.000Hz
- Great sound quality (after EQ)
- Comfortable and stable fit
- Feature-rich companion app
- Compact charging case
- Good battery life with fast & Qi charging
- Responsive touch controls
- App experience could be better
- Manually selecting custom EQ after every pairing is frustrating
Hear the JBL Live Pro+ A/B Sound Test:
Compared to other fake AirPods lookalikes, the Live Pro+ sound the best. They have a decently faithful sound to the original audio, with only some minor bass boost and elevation in the upper midrange.
Still, some might find them a bit piercing and sibilant. Thankfully, earbuds come with the JBL app, which includes a custom equalizer.
Like Apple AirPods Pro, they share a similar design and ergonomic shape that nicely contours your outer ear, providing comfort for long listening sessions.
Furthermore, Live Pro+ have active noise cancellation and transparency mode. While neither feature works as well as the ones from Apple, they can prove helpful if you ever need them.
Earbuds have a stable Bluetooth connection, no audio lag when watching videos or playing video games, and even support multipoint.
The long battery life is overall better than what Apple offers. You get around 7 hours of juice per single charge, with another 21 hours inside the charging case. The latter supports Qi wireless charging.
Check related guides:
4. Skullcandy Indy ANC
Fun-sounding fake AirPods alternative with decent ANC.
Connection:
Bluetooth 5.0
Driver size:
12mm
Frequency range:
20-20.000Hz
- Pretty good sound quality (after some tweaks)
- Very comfortable and suitable for sports
- Decent active noise cancellation performance
- Great passive noise isolation
- Tile integration
- Microphone quality could be better
- Mediocre ambient sound mode
- ANC heavily impacts battery duration
Hear the Skullcandy Indy ANC A/B Sound Test:
Best true wireless earbuds from Skullcandy have a fun, loud sound with plenty of low-end and sparkle up top.
Technically, there’s nothing to write home about, but with prices coming down, they’re an exciting pair to check out.
Earbuds are the biggest on this list. However, they provide a very comfortable fit. And with minimal weight and comfy ear tips, you barely feel them during use.
For extra stability, Skullcandy Indy ANC use ear wings, making them suitable for light workouts. Furthermore, an IP55 rating ensures they don’t get damaged by sweat and dust.
On top of 5.5 hours in earbuds, there are an additional 14 hours inside the case, which can charge wirelessly. The app lets you see the battery percentage in each bud.
5. SoundPEATS Air3 Deluxe HS
BEST CHEAP FAKE AIRPODS
Affordable yet great fake AirPods alternative with all the relevant features.
SoundPEATS Air3 Deluxe HS review
Connection:
Bluetooth 5.2
Driver size:
14.2mm dynamic
Frequency range:
20-40.000Hz
- Clear sound with natural midrange (after EQ tweaks)
- Good battery life for classic earphones, with 6 hours per charge
- Good call quality, especially in quieter environments
- Light & comfortable to wear during long listening sessions
- Wide selection of features & an app at a budget price
- Poor passive noise isolation & sound leakage
- Below average Bluetooth indoor range of 35 feet (at best)
Hear the SoundPEATS Air3 Deluxe HS A/B Sound Test:
Surprisingly full-sounding true wireless earbuds with a classic design that even comes with a fully customizable equalizer. Moreso, the sound quality is cleaner than the Apple AirPods 3.
Speaking about the app, it offers a few useful features such as auto play/pause, Adaptive EQ, and Game mode.
The latter is perfect for competitive mobile gamers who don’t tolerate any audio latency. Furthermore, earbuds support Bluetooth 5.2 and LDAC Bluetooth codec.
The battery life of 6 hours and 8 minutes is excellent for this form factor, giving you an easy full day of use.
On top of that, earbuds provide a very comfortable fit and offer an IPX4 rating, which protects them from sweat and light rain.
Honorable Mentions
TaoTronics Soundliberty P10 PRO
Cheap AirPods alternatives with decent active noise cancellation and Ambient mode performance in true wireless earbuds.
On top of that, you can also rely on amazing battery life (9.5 hours per charge) and high water protection (an IPX8 rating).
TaoTronics Soundliberty 92
Another one of the affordable alternatives with excellent durability and clear sound.
Thanks to a small dip at the stem, they better grab your ears, ensuring slightly better stability than the original AirPods.
Aukey EP-N5
AirPod alternative with an extremely bassy overall sound signature. Despite that, they’re suitable for different genres, from hip-hop to rock.
They’re comfortable to wear for the entire day, with a decent noise cancellation that removes most of the low-end hum.
Learn how to keep your earbuds from falling out.
What to Expect from Top Fake AirPods?
If you call something “fake,” it gives it a negative connotation. In the case of the latest fake AirPods, that’s only half true.
Most fake AirPods on Amazon or other stores are truly terrible. However, if you choose one of the models from above, your experience will be quite different.
- Lower price
You can get some fake AirPods for half the price of the real ones, if not even cheaper.
- Ergonomic design
The best thing about AirPods replicas is that they also copy a rather comfortable design of the original ones.
- Better cross-platform support
Apple’s AirPods are known to work much better for iOS than Android users. There’re no such discrepancies with fake AirPods as they work equally well with both operating systems.
- Same sound quality or better
Authentic Apple AirPods have good but not excellent sound quality. On the other hand, if you pick carefully, you can get fake AirPods with surprisingly high-quality sound.
- Lower quality build
Budget knockoff AirPods are usually so cheap because they use low-quality plastic. The latter starts deteriorating much quicker. Of course, that doesn’t apply to all fake AirPods.
How to Tell Fake AirPods From the Real Ones?
If you weren’t convinced by our list and you still want to buy the real Apple AirPods, you have to be careful about fake AirPod replicas.
While most fakes look fake right off the bat (extremely low price, weird product images), some can look almost exactly the same.
That’s why you have to be vigilant and check every detail before making a purchase. Especially if you aren’t buying from an official retailer.
- Always check the price. Apple doesn’t like dropping their products on sale. Therefore, be aware of massive sales and temptingly low prices.
- Check product description and images. Fake products may use broken English in their descriptions, and present the product with images that look poorly photoshopped.
- Check the product’s serial number. If you already have the product in possession, check your coverage on the official Apple website. There, you’ll see if your product is genuine and if it’s still in warranty.
Sometimes you can spot an AirPods clone by examining the packaging. Most times it’s cheaply made, the brochure inside looks nothing like the official one, and the included charging cable isn’t as meticulously wrapped.
However, since some fake products can be so well-made (even having the H1 chip to fool your device into thinking the product is genuine), checking the serial number is the best thing to do.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Are fake AirPods any good?
Not even the best AirPods Pro clone is good. It only recreates the design but cheaps out on materials, sound quality, and premium features.
On the other hand, AirPods lookalikes can perform quite well and are worth checking out. Some even have a decent noise cancellation feature.
Are fake AirPods better than real AirPods?
Many fake AirPods can actually outperform original ones in some areas, like sound quality or even call quality.
However, genuine AirPods still offer greater support for iOS and have better-performing features, such as active noise cancellation and Transparency mode.
From a childhood fascination with sound, Peter’s passion has evolved into a relentless pursuit of the finest headphones. He’s an audio expert with over 5 years of experience in testing both audiophile and consumer-grade headphones. Quote: “After many years, I can confidently tell which headphones are good and which are terrible.” Find his honest opinion in his reviews.
