Big discounts on Apple products aren’t common, but with the year’s biggest sales event coming up, it could be time to save. In this guide, we’ll be offering you tips and advice on how to bag bargain AirPods during Black Friday 2021.
Since the removal of the headphone jack from iPhones – and most Android phones – wireless earbuds have become a must-have piece of kit. For Apple fans, it has to be AirPods, but for some less partisan earbuds users, the AirPods are still the earbud of choice.
Whatever your reasons for wanting a pair of AirPods, the sad truth is that they’re expensive. So, any and all Black Friday discounts on second-generation AirPods, or AirPods Pro, would be very welcome for those would-be AirPods buyers. As a result, we’re doing our best in this guide to hunt down the latest and greatest AirPods deals and signpost the best places and ways for you to make savings on a pair of Apple’s earbuds.
For those of you hoping to pick up AirPods in the seasonal sales, one other interesting factor may come into play. Apple did not announce new AirPods at their September event, even though many commentators expected them to. We’re still expecting some new AirPods relatively soon, and several leaks have suggested they’re on the way. With that in mind – and thanks to the fact that the AirPods and AirPods Pro are now older products anyway – we may be more likely to see the current offerings discounted this Black Friday.
AirPods were the third most popular item by search during Black Friday 2020 and the most popular item in terms of site traffic, according to figures from SEMrush. So bear in mind that getting them for a discount is competitive!
Read on for tips and tricks, a review of last year’s deals, a note on what to expect this year and much more. We’re also serving up the best AirPods deals available right now.
When’s the best time to buy AirPods? Should you wait for Black Friday?
There are currently some tempting AirPods deals that might prevent some buyers from waiting until Black Friday arrives. Right now, Amazon is offering 20% off AirPods Pro and – oddly – 21% off AirPods. Take a look at the latest deals on both below.
Latest deals
Latest deals
So, the question is, will prices drop even further? We wouldn’t be surprised to see even bigger AirPods price drops as Black Friday arrives because they are such a popular product, but there are no guarantees.
If you want earbuds but might be open to a non-Apple version, then take a look at our best earbuds deals page for a comprehensive list of the best buds deals right now.
AirPods vs AirPods Pro
Right now, second-generation AirPods or AirPods Pro are the only earbuds available for purchase from Apple. However, an upcoming event could change that, with the company set to announce new products next week.
For those wanting to pick up AirPods now, though, what are the key differences between the second-gen AirPods and the AirPods Pro?
Firstly, the price. The Pro buds come in around £100 more expensive than the standard AirPods. This is largely because of their active noise cancellation, but other key differences include a closer in-ear fit. That’s much better if you’re planning to use them in the gym or during activity, but they can become uncomfortable after a long period of use. The standard AirPods are more comfortable for long periods of listening.
Within the bracket of second-gen AirPods, there are actually two slightly different types available. If you’re on a limited budget and simply want a pair of earbuds that work perfectly with an iPhone, the Apple AirPods (with wired charging case) will serve you well. If you want the bonus of charging the case wirelessly, you can pay a little extra for the Apple AirPods (with wireless charging case).
The cheaper AirPods with a wired charging case were the single product to accrue the most website traffic during Black Friday 2020, according to SEMrush.
If you want the full lowdown on which is best for you, take a look at our Apple AirPods vs AirPods Pro breakdown.
How to get a good AirPods deal on Black Friday
The first and most important piece of advice we can give you to help you make savings on Black Friday is this – shop around! Retailers will be fiercely competitive in order to win your custom, as each one tries to attract attention to their site.
Take a look at the links below for our guides on all the biggest retailers and categories this Black Friday.
- John Lewis Black Friday deals
- Amazon Black Friday deals
- Argos Black Friday deals
- Samsung Black Friday deals
- Black Friday TV deals
- Black Friday soundbar deals
- Black Friday earbuds deals
- Black Friday Apple Watch deals
- Black Friday smartwatch deals
- Nintendo Switch Black Friday deals
So, shopping around is crucial, but what other tips and tricks can help you find a Black Friday bargain? Take a look at our guide below.
- Start with Amazon. Yes, you must shop around for the best deals, but Amazon is often the best place to start. Because so many retailers list products on the site, and because of the sheer scale of Amazon’s offering, the site often offers the best prices on consumer tech. Make sure to check the Amazon price against other retailers, though.
- Use price tracking tools like camelcamelcamel.com to double-check Amazon deals. These are a great way to double-check that a “bargain” is the real deal. The tool shows the historic prices of any item listed on Amazon, so you can see if the price represents a new low or just a regular discount.
- Check social media. Because of the huge appeal of Black Friday, many retailers will tease deals on social media. So keep an eye out for the latest discounts.
- Sign up for newsletters. Tech and deals newsletters can be great signposts for the biggest Black Friday savings. Try our newsletter, which you can sign up for below.
When can you expect to see AirPods on sale for Black Friday?
Apple AirPods are an eye-catching product to discount, so they’re not likely to be on sale until the big day, November 26th. Remember also that sales are likely to continue right through to the 29th – Cyber Monday 2021 – stock allowing.
However, it’s always the case that one or two products that wouldn’t necessarily be expected to have their prices slashed early do. This is generally another competitive measure, as retailers try to stand out from the crowd. That means it’s worth keeping your eyes peeled before Black Friday itself, or at least re-visiting this page, which we’ll be updating with the latest deals.
Black Friday AirPods deals: what offers were there last year?
Last year AO offered up an Apple AirPods price drop – down from £137 to £125. It’s wasn’t the biggest discount ever, but it’s notoriously hard to get big discounts on AirPods. That said, the savings available right now (listed earlier) are much better.
Ultimately, thanks to the imminent release of a new set of AirPods – though this is far from confirmed – it seems likely that there will be much better AirPods discounts this year during Black Friday than there were last year. Heck – there already are. So, stay tuned, and we’ll keep this page updated with the lowest prices. Take a look below for AirPods and AirPods Pro prices right now.
Latest deals
Latest deals
Looking for more affordable tech? Read our guides to the best budget smartphones, best budget tablets, best budget wireless earbuds and best budget smartwatches.
Want to see more from Apple? Take a look at our iPhone 13 review or iPhone 13 Pro review.