How long do AirPods last?
About two to three years of daily use, as the batteries wear. Apple charges £49 for battery service and AppleCare+ costs £14.99 a year. Cost per year by model.
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How long do AirPods last?
AirPods last about two to three years of regular use before the battery life becomes a nuisance: BGR puts the average lifespan at 2 to 3 years and names battery degradation as the main issue. The earbuds keep working after that, and Apple's UK estimate for out-of-warranty battery service is £49.
The AirPods 5cost £119.00 on Amazon UK at the time of writing (October 2026), which works out at £39.67 a year over three years. Apple's one-year Limited Warranty excludes batteries that wear from normal use, so cover past year one comes from AppleCare+. The ranked list is in Best wireless earbuds UK 2026.
| Situation | Option | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Battery noticeably shorter, out of warranty | Apple battery service | £49 (Apple estimate) |
| Battery below 80%, with AppleCare+ | Apple battery service | No extra charge |
| Dropped or soaked, with AppleCare+ | Accidental damage repair | £25 excess |
| Lost one AirPod (AirPods 4 or AirPods 5) | Replacement earbud | £69 (Apple estimate) |
| Lost one AirPod (AirPods Pro 3) | Replacement earbud | £79 (Apple estimate) |
| Cheap AirPods 4 worn out | Replace the pair | £98.61 on Amazon UK |
How long do AirPods last on one charge?
New AirPods last 4 to 8 hours per charge on Apple's figures, with the AirPods Pro 3 longest at 8 hours with ANC on. Apple ties free battery service under AppleCare+ to capacity below 80%, so the last column shows the listening time at that point if it falls in line with capacity.
| Model | Per charge | With case | At 80% capacity | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AirPods 4 | 5 h | 30 h | 4 h | £98.61 |
| AirPods 4 with ANC | 4 h ANC on (5 h off) | 20 h ANC on | 3.2 h | £129.00 |
| AirPods 5 | 4 h ANC on (6 h off) | 20 h ANC on | 3.2 h | £119.00 |
| AirPods Pro 3 | 8 h ANC on | 24 h ANC on | 6.4 h | £200.00 |
A worn pair of AirPods 5 at 80% capacity gives about 3.2 hours with ANC on, short of a long train journey, while worn AirPods Pro 3 still give about 6.4 hours. Apple's test notes for the AirPods 5 and AirPods Pro 3 run each test until the first AirPod stops, so the weaker earbud sets the limit. Battery wear works the same way in phones; the parallel decision is in Should I replace my phone battery or buy new?.
What do AirPods cost per year?
AirPods cost £32.87 to £100.00 a year over BGR's two-to-three year lifespan, on Amazon UK prices at the time of writing (October 2026). The cheapest AirPods 4 cost least per year, and the AirPods Pro 3 cost most but make a £49 battery service the best value.
| Model | Price | Per year over 2 years | Per year over 3 years | £49 battery service as share of price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AirPods 4 | £98.61 | £49.31 | £32.87 | 49.7% |
| AirPods 4 with ANC | £129.00 | £64.50 | £43.00 | 38.0% |
| AirPods 5 | £119.00 | £59.50 | £39.67 | 41.2% |
| AirPods Pro 3 | £200.00 | £100.00 | £66.67 | 24.5% |
The last column decides whether to repair. A £49 battery service is half the price of new AirPods 4, but a quarter of the price of new AirPods Pro 3. Phones follow the same arithmetic over a longer life, as How long do phones last? shows.
Should you replace the battery or buy new AirPods?
Battery service beats buying new for both the AirPods 5 and the AirPods Pro 3 over four years. Compare Electronic costed three ways to own each model for four years, using Amazon UK prices, Apple's £49 service estimate and AppleCare+ for Headphones at £14.99 a year for AirPods 5 and £19.99 a year for AirPods Pro 3.
| Plan | AirPods 5 total | AirPods 5 per year | AirPods Pro 3 total | AirPods Pro 3 per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buy once, one £49 battery service | £168.00 | £42.00 | £249.00 | £62.25 |
| Replace with a new pair after 2 years | £238.00 | £59.50 | £400.00 | £100.00 |
| AppleCare+ for all 4 years | £178.96 | £44.74 | £279.96 | £69.99 |
One paid battery service is the cheapest plan for both models: £42.00 a year for the AirPods 5 and £62.25 for the AirPods Pro 3. AppleCare+ costs £2.74 a year more on the AirPods 5 and £7.74 more on the AirPods Pro 3, and adds unlimited accidental damage repairs at a £25 excess and express replacement. A buyer who drops or soaks earbuds recovers the difference after one accident: Apple's UK estimate for a damaged AirPods Pro 3 earbud is £79 out of warranty, against the £25 excess. AppleCare+ for Headphones does not cover loss.
Which AirPods should you buy to last?
The AirPods 5 are the AirPods to buy for most iPhone owners, at £119.00 on Amazon UK at the time of writing (October 2026). Apple rates them at 4 hours per charge with ANC on, 6 hours with it off and 20 hours with the case, and they carry the same £49 battery service estimate as the AirPods Pro 3.
AirPods 5 specifications (Apple)
- Chip: Apple H2
- Noise control: Active Noise Cancellation, Adaptive Audio, Transparency
- Battery: 4 hours per charge with ANC on, 6 hours with noise control off
- With case: up to 20 hours with ANC on
- Audio: Personalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking
- Bluetooth: 5.3
- Weight: 4.3 g per earbud
- Case: USB-C charging
The AirPods 5 cost £10 less than the AirPods 4 with ANC and match their 4 hours per charge with noise cancelling on. The compromise is the case: the standard AirPods 5 case charges over USB-C only, and the version with a wireless charging case costs £139.00 on Amazon UK. Heavy users who fly or commute for hours should step up to the AirPods Pro 3.
AirPods 5 - pros and cons
Where to buy
Check price
Three alternatives cover the lowest price, an older ANC model and the longest battery, at Amazon UK prices on 11 October 2026.
Also consider
Radar · 0-100 scores
- AirPods 5
- AirPods 4
- AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation
- AirPods Pro 3
Verdict
AirPods last about two to three years before the battery wears, and one £49 battery service is the cheapest way to stretch them to four. The AirPods 5 at £119.00 are the pick at £42.00 a year over four years with one service, and the AirPods Pro 3 at £200.00 are the model most worth repairing. Android owners should read Are AirPods worth it with Android? first, and the ranked list is in Best wireless earbuds UK 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How long do AirPods last before the battery wears out?
About two to three years of regular use. BGR puts the average AirPods lifespan at 2 to 3 years and names battery degradation as the main issue. Apple does not publish a lifespan, but AppleCare+ replaces the battery free once capacity drops below 80%. The AirPods 5 cost £119.00 on Amazon UK at the time of writing (October 2026).
How much does an AirPods battery replacement cost in the UK?
Apple's UK estimate for out-of-warranty battery service is £49 for the AirPods 4, AirPods 5 and AirPods Pro 3, and £75 for AirPods Max. Apple says it inspects the AirPods to set the final fee. With AppleCare+, the battery is replaced at no extra charge once its capacity drops below 80% of the original.
Is AppleCare+ worth it for AirPods?
For heavy users, yes. AppleCare+ for Headphones costs £14.99 a year for AirPods 5 and £19.99 a year for AirPods Pro 3 on Apple's UK site, covers battery replacement below 80% capacity and charges a £25 excess for accidental damage. Two years of cover for AirPods 5 cost £29.98, less than one £49 out-of-warranty battery service.
How much does Apple charge for a lost AirPod?
Apple's UK estimate for a lost AirPod, left or right, is £69 for the AirPods 4 and AirPods 5 and £79 for the AirPods Pro 3. A lost charging case costs £69 to £79 for the AirPods 5, depending on the case, and £89 for the AirPods Pro 3. A full new pair of AirPods 4 costs £98.61 on Amazon UK in October 2026.
How long do AirPods last on one charge?
Apple rates the AirPods Pro 3 at up to 8 hours per charge with noise cancelling on, the AirPods 5 at 4 hours with it on and 6 hours with it off, and the AirPods 4 at 5 hours. With the case, the AirPods Pro 3 reach 24 hours with ANC on and the AirPods 5 reach 20 hours, according to Apple.
Do AirPods Pro last longer than regular AirPods?
Per charge, yes: Apple rates the AirPods Pro 3 at 8 hours with ANC on against 4 hours for the AirPods 5. Over the years, Apple publishes no difference, and both carry the same £49 battery service estimate. Battery service is 24.5% of the £200.00 Amazon UK price of the AirPods Pro 3, so servicing them makes more sense than servicing cheaper AirPods.