AirPods Prime Day deals — best sales I recommend now

AirPods Pro 2 with deal tag
(Image credit: Future)

Amazon Prime Day deals are almost here and I'm already seeing some great discounts on Apple's popular AirPods headphones. 

AirPods are continually ranked among the top models in our best headphones and best wireless earbuds buying guides for their balance of performance, comfort and value for money at their full MSRP. So, you can rest assured you'll be getting Apple's top-flight user experience, features and performance for less if you know where to look.  

Amazon has confirmed that it will hold its 48-hour Prime Big Deal Days starting on October 10, and our price checks with rival online retailers shows that it has the strongest AirPods deals around right now. Make sure to follow our Prime Day deals coverage now through October 11 to keep track of all the best sales.

For more Apple discounts, follow our guide to the best iPad deals and Apple Watch deals. And for deals on all Apple gear, check out our best Apple deals and Apple Store coupons coverage.

5 best Apple AirPods deals right now

Apple AirPods 2: was $129 now $99
The AirPods 2 may have been around since 2019, but they are still very capable wireless earbuds. There's no ANC, but you get solid audio performance and up to 5 hours of playback time. The standard lightning charging case gives up to 24 hours of additional charge, and a 15-minute quick charge nets 3 hours of listening time. Hey Siri voice control handles your every command, and adds up to a great deal for you.
Price check: $99 @ Walmart | $99 @ Best Buy

Apple AirPods 2: was $129 now $99
The AirPods 2 may have been around since 2019, but they are still very capable wireless earbuds. There's no ANC, but you get solid audio performance and up to 5 hours of playback time. The standard lightning charging case gives up to 24 hours of additional charge, and a 15-minute quick charge nets 3 hours of listening time. Hey Siri voice control handles your every command, and adds up to a great deal for you.
Price check: $99 @ Walmart | $99 @ Best Buy

AirPods 3 (2021): was $179 now $149 @ AmazonPrice check: $149 @ Walmart | $149 @ Best Buy

AirPods 3 (2021): was $179 now $149 @ Amazon
The AirPods 3 offer Spatial Audio, which creates immersive listening experiences for music-listening, movie-watching, and more. They're also IPX4 sweat and water resistant, a feature that was previously exclusive to the AirPods Pro. In our Apple AirPods 3 review, we said they offer fantastic sound with results that give the AirPods Pro a run for its money, though remember they lack ANC and Transparency Mode. 
Price check: $149 @ Walmart | $149 @ Best Buy

AirPods Pro 2 (2022): was $249 now $199 @ AmazonPrice check: $229 @ B&H Photo

AirPods Pro 2 (2022): was $249 now $199 @ Amazon
The AirPods Pro 2 with Lightning port pack Apple's H2 chip to provide 2x more noise cancelation than the original Pro. They also offer Apple's new Adaptive Audio features via iOS 17, and personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking. In our AirPods Pro 2 review, we said they take everything we loved about the original AirPods Pro taken to the next level. 
Price check: $229 @ B&H Photo

AirPods Pro 2 (2023): was $249 now $199 @ AmazonPrice check: $249 @ B&H Photo

AirPods Pro 2 (2023): was $249 now $199 @ Amazon The updated 2023 AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C looks identical to the Lightning version and packs the same Apple H2 chip to provide 2x more noise cancelation than the original Pro. They also offer Apple's new Adaptive Audio features via iOS 17, and personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking. Price check: $249 @ B&H Photo

Apple AirPods Max: was $549 now $479 @ Amazon Price check: $539 @ Walmart

Apple AirPods Max: was $549 now $479 @ Amazon The AirPods Max are Apple's premium headphones. They feature large ear cushions, a digital crown, active noise cancellation, and Spatial Audio. The latter feature uses head tracking to offer a surround sound experience.
Price check: $539 @ Walmart

Which AirPods should you get?

The Editor's Choice second-gen AirPods (2019) are great for most Apple fans. They're the best cheap AirPods you can get and use Apple's H1 chip to rapidly connect to your Apple devices. They also feature hands-free Siri. That’s right, instead of having to tap out your Siri requests on those long, thin AirPods stems, you can simply say "Hey Siri," and launch the ubiquitous digital assistant.

The pricier AirPods Pro offer the same features as the AirPods, but add water/sweat resistance and noise cancellation to the mix. They also sport a new design that's more modern than the AirPods 2. They come with different sized ear tips to create a custom fit that's perfect for your ears.

We've worn our AirPods Pro 2 for everything from running to high intensity interval training. We've also worn them in the rain and while sweating through a burpee workout. The buds remain sturdy in our ear and they sound great. They also feature a transparency mode that's good for runners and other pedestrians who want to keep track of their surroundings while listening to music. 

Make sure to check out our AirPods 3 vs. AirPods Pro comparison for a side-by-side look at both earbuds. And check out our AirPods Pro 2 review to see what we think of Apple's new buds.

Lee Dunkley
Audio Editor

As a former editor of the U.K.'s Hi-Fi Choice magazine, Lee is passionate about all kinds of audio tech and has been providing sound advice to enable consumers to make informed buying decisions since he joined Which? magazine as a product tester in the 1990s. Lee covers all things audio for Tom's Guide, including headphones, wireless speakers and soundbars and loves to connect and share the mindfulness benefits that listening to music in the very best quality can bring.