Apple’s AirPods wireless headphones offer an iconic look, exceptional convenience, and strong audio quality. They come with a premium price tag, however, so it’s important to shop around for a good deal… or find a bunch of tech experts who’ll do this for you. That’s where we come in.
In this article, we round up the best AirPods discounts and bundle deals to help you save money. We’ve got the best prices on the 3rd-gen AirPods that were released in October 2021, the 2nd-gen AirPods Pro that launched in September 2022 as well as the updated 2nd-gen AirPods Pro with USB-C that launched in September 2023, and the premium AirPods Max over-ear headphones from 2020. We’ve also got bargain deals on some older models, such as the early-2019 second-gen AirPods, where stock is still available.
Here are quick links to the best deals; you’ll find more detailed advice and price comparisons for each model further down.
U.S.
- Amazon, AirPods (2nd gen): $99 ($30 off, MSRP $129)
- Amazon, AirPods (3rd gen, wired case): $149 ($20 off, MSRP $169)
- Amazon, AirPods Pro (2nd gen, USB-C): $189 ($60 off, MSRP $249)
- Amazon, AirPods Max: $529 ($20 off, MSRP $549)
U.K.
- eBuyer, AirPods (3rd gen, MagSafe case): £171.64 (£7.36 off, RRP £179)
Right now we aren’t seeing many deals in the U.K.; there were some moderate savings to be had shortly before Christmas but most of these have now disappeared. In fact, we’d advise readers to hold off on buying a set of AirPods, if that’s an option, until decent discounts come back.
How much do AirPods cost?
Some changes were announced at Apple’s September 2023 launch event, so make sure you’re up to date with the latest prices.
- AirPods Max: $549 / £499 (was £549)
- 2nd-gen AirPods Pro with USB-C (2023): $249 / £229 (2nd-gen AirPods Pro with Lightning was $249 / £239)
- 3rd-gen AirPods with Lightning (2021): $169 / £169 (was £179)
- 3rd-gen AirPods with MagSafe (2021): $179 / £179 (was £189)
- 2nd-gen AirPods (2019): $129 / £129 (was £139)
You should never pay more than the price above: we’ve seen unscrupulous retailers claim the MSRP/RRP is higher and work out ‘savings’ based on that.
Remember to take delivery and postage fees into account when evaluating deals; we include it in our list of prices but most retailers won’t add it until you’re at the checkout. And watch out for deals that seem too good to be true, but turn out to have no stock. We see this a lot.
Good AirPods deals are rare and tend not to last long. If you see one (and you’re sure the supplier is legit: look it up on TrustPilot if you’ve not bought from there before), grab it.
Best AirPods deals
Apple sells two sets of basic AirPods: the 3rd-gen model introduced in 2021 and the 2nd-gen model from 2019. Best Buy is worth a look for some worthwhile savings in the U.S., while U.K. customers can save a little money across the range. The 1st-gen AirPods have long been discontinued.
You can buy direct from Apple, but you’ll find the best prices elsewhere in the automated tables below.
AirPods (3rd gen, 2021, MagSafe) deals
Apple updated the ultra-popular AirPods in October 2021, after a wait of more than two and a half years. The new models feature a more Pro-like design and a MagSafe-compatible charging case; they also have improved battery life and water resistance, and support for Spatial Audio. Get all the info you need in our AirPods 3 review.
MSRP: $179 / £179 (was £189 in the U.K. prior to September 2023)
AirPods (3rd gen, 2021, Lightning) deals
There is also a cheaper version of the AirPods 3rd generation with a case that has to be charged via Lightning, rather than wirelessly.
MSRP: $169 / £169 (was £179 in the U.K. until September 2023)
$224.99
AirPods (2nd gen, 2019) deals
Apple still sells the older version of the AirPods. Note that this version of the AirPods comes with an Lightning charging case that needs to be plugged in, as opposed to the wireless MagSafe charging case. (You can buy a wireless charging case separately, however.)
Check the automated table below for any deals that have popped up since we last updated this article.
MSRP: $129 / £129 (U.K. price was £139 prior to September 2023)
Best AirPods Pro deals
The AirPods Pro came out in 2019, but a 2nd-gen version was released in September 2022. Rather than introduce the third generation in 2023, Apple instead tweaked the 2nd gen AirPods Pro in 2023 to support USB-C for charging (including charging via the iPhone 15) For a while both the Lightning and USB-C powered AirPods Pro will be on sale, so be sure to make sure you are getting the model you want. The comparison tables below gather the lowest prices on the AirPods Pro 1st and 2nd gen Lightning and 2nd gen USB-C, so you can be sure not to miss out on any appealing deals.
AirPods Pro (2nd gen, 2023, USB-C) deals
This is the 2023 version with USB-C charging. You can also use an iPhone 15 to charge the case.
MSRP: $249 / £229
$317.99
AirPods Pro (2nd gen, 2022, Lightning) deals
This is the older version with a Lightning port for charging the case. You may still find them on sale.
MSRP was $249 / £249
AirPods Pro (1st gen, 2019) deals
You may still find the original AirPods Pro on sale at a discount–make sure you factor in if they are refurbished before you decide it’s a good discount. But stock is starting to run short. If you don’t see a price-comparison table below, that means there are no deals at all in your region.
MSRP was $249 / £239
Best AirPods Max deals
Right now, the AirPods Max are available to buy directly from Apple for $549 / £499 (they were £549 in the U.K. before September 2023).
Find the latest prices in our automated table embedded below. For some time now, we’ve been seeing third-party retailers undercut Apple by a significant margin.
$779.99
For an in-depth look at your options here, read Where to buy AirPods Max.
Other ways to save: AirPods Bundle deals
The best way to get a good price on AirPods may be to bundle them with a phone, although this is mainly an option in the U.K.
Phone network Three offers a variety of bundles that include the AirPods. Visit the company’s accessorie