When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more
Apple AirPods are on sale now ahead of Black Friday.
Antonio Villas-Boas/Business Insider
Apple AirPods and AirPods Pro remain Black Friday favorites because they are among the top wireless earbuds you can buy. They look sleek and produce great audio quality, but their seamless connectivity with iPhones, iPads, and Macs sets them apart from the competition. They are expensive when regularly priced, but you can find both models on sale during Black Friday.
The new AirPods Pro with USB-C charging, at almost $60 off from Amazon, is discounted to its lowest sale price. Offering the best sound quality of any Apple earbuds, the AirPods Pro has active noise cancellation (ANC) to block out background sounds and supports lossless audio. In addition to USB-C, the case can also recharge via wireless, MagSafe, and Apple Watch chargers.
If you want to save even more and don’t need ANC, the standard AirPods is just $80 — which is only $10 more than the lowest they’ve ever dropped to. Note that this is the second-generation model, which has an older design and uses Lightning for charging. Nonetheless, it’s still a great pair of no-fuss earbuds that work well with Apple devices.
Read more about both models in our AirPods Pro review and AirPods 2 review.
If you’re looking for over-ear headphones rather than earbuds, Apple’s premium AirPods Max are also discounted by $100 at Amazon. AirPods Max offer great sound, ANC, and up to 20 hours of battery on a single charge. While the normal $550 price usually makes them less appealing than options like the Bose QuietComfort, the Black Friday deal provides better value for those committed to the Apple ecosystem.
Because AirPods always go on sale during the year, you should never pay full price. However, you’ll see the best AirPods deals during Black Friday, so now is a good time to get a pair if they’re on your wish list.
For more top discounts on other products, check out our guide to the best Black Friday deals as well as all of the best Amazon Black Friday deals.
More tech deals
Best Buy: Take $50 off Meta Quest 2
Amazon: Save $80 on Bose Quiet Comfort Wireless earbuds
Best Buy: Take $750 off a 46-inch LG OLED 4K TV
Amazon: Save $30 on Ring Video Doorbell
Which AirPods should I buy?
If you’re torn between which AirPods to buy, know that each is designed with a different user in mind. The second-generation AirPods Pro offer an excellent balance of performance, price, and comfort for most people, and they include premium features like active noise cancelation, adaptive sound, spatial audio, and water/sweat resistance. These perks help make them our overall pick for the best AirPods you can buy.
However, for the more budget-minded, the standard second-generation AirPods are still worthwhile. They deliver the same effortless connectivity with iPhones and offer solid sound quality. However, in exchange for their lower price, they’re missing ANC, water resistance, and spatial audio support.
Apple also sells a midrange AirPods model, the AirPods (third-gen), which typically cost about $40 more than the second-gen model. The third-gen AirPods add water resistance and spatial audio but are still missing ANC. You can learn more about them in our third-gen AirPods review.
Finally, buyers who prefer an over-ear headphone design instead of earbuds, should consider the AirPods Max. These high-end headphones deliver premium sound quality, comfort, and battery life. Check out our AirPods Max review for more details.