These are the best earbuds if you don’t want to spend AirPods money — and they're on sale

Rudie Obias
·7 min read

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Anker earbuds
Great sound at a fraction of the cost of Airpods. (Photo: Anker)

Been lusting after a pair of Apple AirPods, but not quite ready to part with a small fortune to have them? We hear you. And we come bearing good news: You don’t have to break the bank to get all the goodness you crave in wireless earbuds: excellent audio, great noise reduction, an ultra-long battery life, ear comfort, wireless charging, and even an adorable case. Ladies and gentlemen, may we introduce the Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2—premium wireless earbuds that hit all the right notes.

The Internet is going wild for these AirPod alternatives that just happen to be on sale right now for just $41 — or the lowest price ever — at Amazon. Plus, if you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $25 or more.)

$41 $50 at Amazon

Audio quality & battery life

Anker’s Soundcore line of audio gear is known for accuracy and clarity at an affordable price. Reviewers back this up: “What can I say but WOW!” one shopper gleefully shared. “The sound is great and works well with any genre of music. The battery life really makes these worth it if you're a commuter. Not only that, the mic quality is right on the heels of the performance of AirPods. Great value for my dollar for sure.”

In fact, when it comes to battery life, Anker earbuds beat out AirPods, lasting 4 hours longer than the competitor — a whopping 28 hours.

While AirPods might make sense for Apple phone users because they seamlessly pair with the iPhone, they don’t justify their cost for Android users (no seamless pairing there). So the Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Wireless Earbuds are a natural if you’re among the 48 percent of smartphone owners who use an Android.

Customizable

Shoppers also gush about the option to customize their Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Wireless Earbuds. It’s pretty impressive: Anker’s HearID technology tests your hearing and ear shape for the best possible audio and fit, and you can use the Soundcore app (for Android and iOS) for personalized touch navigation.

“These earbuds exceed my expectations.” shared a pleased Amazon reviewer. “The hearing test when setting up was great since I have hearing loss in my left ear. Now I hear my audiobooks perfectly. The sound quality is exceptional.”

Anker earbuds outside of case
These Anker earbuds are just as cool in white as they are in black (pictured). (Photo: Anker)

About noise reduction

These earbuds feature noise-reduction technology that diminishes background sounds by up to 60 percent. Anker achieves this with two microphones built-in to each earbud; on phone calls, this can help make your voice clearer and crisper to the person on the other end. The Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Wireless Earbuds do not feature active noise-canceling, so they won’t completely block out ambient noise. But they reduce background noise to near-silence, so they’re a significant help on work-from-home calls or video conferences.

“The sound quality is amazing. I could not contain my stupid grin when I first put them on,” said another satisfied shopper, who also remarked on the excellent fit: “The earbuds come with an assortment of sizes of ear pieces....You can run, workout, and even sweat, these babies are locked in place.”

Bottom line

The Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Wireless Earbuds deliver more bang for the buck, in terms of battery life, audio quality, wireless charging and sleek design—compared to pricier models like Apple AirPods (which start at $100), or Samsung Galaxy Buds+ (starting at $165). If you’re looking for a great pair of wireless earbuds that won’t cost an arm and a leg, you’ve found them right here.

$41 $50 at Amazon

The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.

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