Best cheap AirPods deals and sales for May 2024

If you know where to look, you can often score discounts on Apple’s ever-popular AirPods. Since Apple launched the third-gen AirPods at the end of 2021, we’ve seen the starting price of the second-gen, entry-level model consistently dip below $100. And now that the second-gen AirPods Pro have been on the market for over a year, we’re also seeing their price fall more often, too. We’re even seeing great deals land on the updated AirPods Pro with USB-C.

Here, we’ve curated the best deals currently available on each model, including the entry-level AirPods, the AirPods Pro, the third-gen AirPods, and the AirPods Max.

In 2021, Apple lowered the list price of the second-gen AirPods — now the entry-level model — from $159 to $129. It now only sells the model with a wired charging case, however, which charges via a standard Lightning cable. Despite their age, we found that the easy-to-use, second-gen AirPods still offer great wireless performance and reliable battery life, making them a great pick if you can live without a wireless charging case.

For Black Friday, Apple’s most affordable pair of earbuds dropped to an all-time low of $69 ($60 off) at numerous retailers. Right now, however, the second-gen earbuds are only on sale with a Lightning charging case for $89 ($49 off) at Amazon and Walmart. The model with the wireless charging case, meanwhile, is on sale at Adorama for $119.99 ($30 off).

Read our AirPods (second-gen) review.

With support for the company’s MagSafe technology and an asking price of $179, Apple’s third-gen AirPods are often considered the middle child in Apple’s current AirPods lineup. The shorter stems make for a more subtle design, too, while improved sound and features like sweat and water resistance, support for spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, and improved battery life render them a nice improvement over the last-gen model.

In 2022, Apple quietly introduced a new, slightly cheaper option of the third-gen AirPods that comes with a Lightning-only charging case, which is currently only available at Amazon and B&H Photo for $161.99 ($8 off). That’s a far cry from their all-time low of $139.99, however, which is why recommend picking up the earbuds with a MagSafe charging case for just $8 more at B&H Photo. You can also pick up the MagSafe option at Costco for $159.99 ($20 off), assuming you’re already a member.

Read our AirPods (third-gen) review.

In 2022, Apple announced the second-gen AirPods Pro, which feature a similar build to the first-gen model but offer better noise cancellation, swipe-based controls, and an extra-small pair of swappable silicone ear tips for smaller ears. Apple followed them up last year with a minor refresh, one that features a USB-C charging case and an upgraded IP54 rating for water and dust resistance. The newest model also supports lossless audio when used with Apple’s new Vision Pro headset.

You can currently buy the updated AirPods Pro for $189.99 ($60 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target. Although that’s $10 shy of the all-time low we saw at the end of April, it’s still one of their better prices to date.

Read our hands-on impressions of the AirPods Pro with USB-C.

The AirPods Max aren’t the iconic in-ears that have become synonymous with the AirPods name. They’re large and luxurious, comprised of aluminum, steel, and mesh fabric that remains comfortable during extended listening sessions. They also sport excellent noise cancellation, Apple’s spatial audio feature, and expansive, balanced sound, even if they lag behind some of their peers when it comes to bass response. They’re not the best noise-canceling headphones for most people — blame the sticker price — but it’s hard to find a pair of Bluetooth headphones that sound better and feature more intuitive controls.

Woot and other retailers have discounted the AirPods Max as low as $409 in the past. Right now, though, the best you can do is $519 ($30 off) at Amazon, and B&H Photo.

Read our AirPods Max review.