Getting AirPods Cheap: Black Friday, Christmas, or Any Other Time?

Amazon's October sale beat last year's Black Friday on AirPods Pro 3. On Oct 7, 2026, during Prime Big Deal Days, Amazon had them at $179, which is $40 under the $219.99 that Amazon, Best Buy and Walmart charged as Black Friday sales opened in 2025. If you're deciding whether to hold out for the holidays, the dates and the model matter more than the name of the sale.

Black Friday is usually a good time to buy AirPods at a retailer, but it isn't always the cheapest moment. In 2025, older models such as AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 dropped about 38% to 47% around Black Friday, while the newest model, AirPods Pro 3, dropped about 12%. AirPods Pro 3 then hit $199 on Dec 11, 2025 and $179 on Oct 7, 2026, both below its Black Friday price.

The Short Answer: Black Friday Is Good, Not Always Best

Here is how the sale calendar falls this year. For the wider picture, see when Apple prices are lowest, Black Friday or Christmas.

• Prime Big Deal Days (Oct 6 to 7): Already over. AirPods Pro 3 reached $179 at Amazon, down from Apple's $249 list price (28% off).
• Black Friday (Friday, Nov 27): The day after Thanksgiving, which lands on Thursday, Nov 26 this year.
• Cyber Monday (Monday, Nov 30): The Monday after Black Friday. Last year it brought the lowest AirPods Max price reported to that point.
• December, up to Christmas (Friday, Dec 25): Fewer headline sales, but each of the last two Decembers produced an AirPods price below Black Friday.

What Last Year's Black Friday Really Looked Like

The biggest Black Friday discounts in 2025 went to AirPods that were already a generation or two old. Here are the reported lows against Apple's list price at the time (percent off is worked out from those two prices):

Model	Apple list price	2025 Black Friday / Cyber Monday low	Off list	Retailer
AirPods 4	$129	$69 to $79.99	38% to 47%	Amazon
AirPods 4 with ANC	$179	$99	45%	Amazon
AirPods Pro 2	$249	$139	44%	Walmart
AirPods Pro 3	$249	$219.99	12%	Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart
AirPods Max (USB-C)	$549	$399	27%	Amazon

MacRumors reported the $79.99 AirPods 4 price on Nov 21, 2025; the $69 figure rests on a single price-history record. Reports on AirPods Pro 3 range from $199 to $219.99, so read it as about $200 to $220.

Apple itself didn't cut AirPods prices for Black Friday 2025. It handed out Apple Gift Cards with a purchase instead: $25 with AirPods 4 or AirPods 4 with ANC, $50 with AirPods Pro 3 and $75 with AirPods Max. This means the Black Friday deals on Apple AirPods came from retailers such as Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy and Target, not from Apple's own store.

Black Friday vs. Early October: How Much Does Waiting Save?

Waiting from October to Black Friday tends to save a little, not a lot. Third-party price-tracking data covering 22 AirPods products from 2020 to 2026 puts Black Friday about 4.2% below the same product's early-October price on average. On a $249 pair, that's about $10.

Two real examples show how small, or even backward, the gap can be:

• AirPods Pro 2 in 2024: about $168 on Prime Day, then about $154 on Black Friday. Waiting saved around $14.
• AirPods Pro 3, 2025 to 2026: $219.99 as Black Friday 2025 sales began, then $179 at Amazon on Oct 7, 2026. The October price came in $40 lower.

If the price in front of you is at or near last year's Black Friday low, buying now is a reasonable call. The same logic applies to cheap Apple products in general, and to a cheap MacBook around the holidays.

Christmas and December: Are Deals Thinner?

There is no rule that AirPods prices rise in December, and the last two Decembers each produced a price below Black Friday. Demand is high: a 2022 Statista survey found headphones and earbuds were the most wanted tech gift, with 61 million US adults planning to buy them. When a lot of people want the same pair, a deal can sell through or end early, as it did when AirPods ran out nearly everywhere in December 2017 and AirPods Pro were scarce at Apple, Amazon and Target on Nov 26, 2019. Recent years went the other way:

• AirPods 4 with ANC: $165 on Black Friday 2024, then $139 on Dec 4 to 5, 2024.
• AirPods Pro 3: $219.99 as Black Friday 2025 sales began, then $199 at Amazon on Dec 11, 2025.

Nobody can tell you what December 2026 will bring. If you need a pair under the tree on Dec 25, check each seller's own holiday order-by date before you wait.

Newest Models Get the Smallest Cuts

The newest AirPods get the smallest discounts, and the model that was just replaced gets the biggest ones. Last year, AirPods 4, AirPods 4 with ANC and AirPods Pro 2 dropped roughly 38% to 47% at their Black Friday lows, while AirPods Pro 3, then a couple of months old, dropped about 12%. Third-party price data shows the same pattern over several years: a new model's first few months rarely bring real discounts.

This year, that role has moved. Apple announced AirPods 5 on Sept 9, 2026, and they went on sale Sept 18, starting at $129 ($149 with a Wireless Charging Case). Apple's AirPods page now lists AirPods 5, AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods Max 2. That makes AirPods 4 the model to watch, since it's now closeout stock at third-party retailers. Phones follow a similar pattern, as shown in how older iPhones get cheaper when a new one launches.

Earlier-Generation AirPods: What You Give Up

Older AirPods still play your audio well; what you give up is features, a newer case and often battery health. Here is what each earlier generation leaves out, per Apple's comparison pages:

• AirPods (2nd Generation): No Spatial Audio, no noise cancellation, and a Lightning charging case.
• AirPods (3rd Generation): Spatial Audio, but no active noise cancellation.
• AirPods Pro (1st Generation): Active noise cancellation and Transparency mode, with a Lightning-based case.

AirPods Pro 3 add the H2 chip, an IP57 rating and up to 8 hours with noise cancellation on, per Apple's tech specs. Apple keeps all three older models on its current firmware list (checked Oct 23, 2026).

The bigger question with an older pair is the battery. Battery wear is like the sole on a running shoe: the top can look new while the part that does the work has worn thin. Apple's one-year limited warranty doesn't cover batteries that wear down through normal use, and AppleCare+ for Headphones covers battery service once capacity falls below 80%. Buy as-is from a private seller and the battery's condition is a guess, with no seller warranty if it turns out worse. Our guide on whether refurbished AirPods are safe covers hygiene and battery checks in more detail.

Certified Pre-Owned AirPods: The Any-Day Price

A Plug Certified pair from the certified pre-owned AirPods collection gives you a lower price on any day of the year, not just during a sale weekend. Plug's AirPods are independently inspected for battery capacity, audio output, microphone function, and pairing reliability, as part of Plug's 90+ Point Inspection. Every pair carries a 12-Month Plug Warranty and 30-day returns, with free shipping on US orders.

Here are Plug's starting prices, read from the live AirPods collection on Oct 23, 2026 (prices move, so check the day's price):

• AirPods (4th Generation): from $89.99
• AirPods Pro (3rd Generation): from $179.99
• AirPods Max (USB-C): from $379.99
• AirPods Max (Lightning): from $359.99

Plug's AirPods Pro 3 starting price is about what Amazon charged for a new pair during Prime Big Deal Days, and last year's Black Friday deal on AirPods 4 went lower than Plug's. What Plug adds is a price that doesn't end on a Monday night, a pair someone has already tested, and Plug's warranty behind it.

Cheap, Not Fake: How to Check a Pair Before You Pay

The quickest check on a cheap pair is the serial number, though a match is only a first screen. Here is how to run it:

1. Find the serial number. On an iPhone with the AirPods connected, go to Settings > Bluetooth and tap the "i" next to the AirPods. It's also printed on the underside of the charging case lid and on the box.
2. Check it with Apple. Enter it at checkcoverage.apple.com and see whether Apple recognizes the model.
3. Review all three. The serial in Settings, on the case and on the box should match.
4. Watch for updates. Genuine AirPods get firmware updates automatically while they charge near a connected Apple device.

Counterfeiters can copy a genuine serial number, so a valid result doesn't prove a pair is real. A seller who tests the pair and backs it with a warranty covers what a serial check can't.

Giving AirPods This Year: Which Pair for Whom

The right gift pair depends on how the person listens, and the cheapest pair is usually the older model of what they need. Here is a short gift guide:

• The Everyday Listener: AirPods 5, or closeout AirPods 4 for less.
• The Commuter: AirPods Pro 3 or AirPods 4 with ANC, for noise cancellation on a loud train.
• The Over-Ear Fan: Apple AirPods Max, the only over-ear pair in the lineup.
• The Backup or Gym Pair: AirPods 2 or AirPods 3, if losing one wouldn't ruin anyone's week. Buy from a seller who tests the battery.

Whichever pair you pick, check the price on the day you buy. If you're unsure which one fits, this guide to choosing your AirPods model walks through the differences.

Buy Now or Wait? A Plain Rule

Buy when the price matches last year's low for that model; wait only when the model is old enough to get deep cuts and you have time to spare. Here is the rule in practice:

• If you need them by Dec 25: Buy when a price reaches last year's low, and check the seller's holiday cutoff.
• If the model is the newest one (AirPods 5 right now): Waiting rarely pays much. Its first holiday tends to bring the smallest cut.
• If the model was just replaced (AirPods 4 right now): Black Friday and Cyber Monday are worth watching, since last year's replaced models dropped the most.
• If you'd rather not track sales at all: A Plug Certified pair is there at its listed price on any day, with a 12-Month Plug Warranty behind it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best time to buy AirPods?

Black Friday through Cyber Monday is usually close to the year's low, but three other windows compete. Third-party price data names the July and October Prime events, the weeks after a new model is announced, and back-to-school season in August and September. AirPods Pro 3 hit $169 on June 22, 2026 in one price tracker's records.

What was the price of AirPods Pro on Black Friday?

It depends on the year. Back in 2023, Black Friday put the earlier Pro model at about $169. Amazon's late-November 2024 low was $153.99, and by early December 2024 the price had climbed back to about $169. That climb is why a Black Friday price on a model you want is worth taking.

Will AirPods Max be cheaper on Black Friday?

Possibly, but the model has changed. Apple launched AirPods Max 2 in March 2026 at $549, and AppleInsider reported up to $120 off them during the October 2026 Prime event. If a listing doesn't say AirPods Max 2, check the model name before you compare its price to anything else.

Why is the AirPods 4 so cheap?

Apple no longer lists it in the current lineup, and it was always Apple's lower-priced line. AirPods 4 use an open fit rather than the sealed ear tips of AirPods Pro, and only the ANC version has noise cancellation. Both versions charge over USB-C. If you want a sealed fit and stronger noise cancellation, AirPods Pro are the step up.

Are fake AirPods okay?

No. Fakes can sound worse and lack genuine Find My, so a lost earbud or case can't be located the way a real one can. The cheapest ones can also carry battery and charging-circuit risks. If a price looks far below every known retailer, that is reason enough to walk away.