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Prices checked October 2026Not tested in handNo paid rankingsHow we pick
You give up: Soundcore rates 10 hours per charge against the Solo Buds' 18, and its page doesn't list Find My.
Short answer: The closest cheaper alternative to the Beats Solo Buds is the Soundcore P30i, about $50 instead of $80 (save 38%). What you give up: Soundcore rates 10 hours per charge against the Solo Buds' 18, and its page doesn't list Find My. The cheapest is the JLab Go Air Pop at about $25. Prices checked October 2026.
Why it's a good swap Adds noise cancelling and a transparency mode, which Solo Buds lack, and the case holds extra charges and doubles as a phone stand.
You give up: Soundcore rates 10 hours per charge against the Solo Buds' 18, and its page doesn't list Find My.
Why it's a good swap 8+ hours per charge, 32+ hours with the case, and IPX4-rated earbuds for a third of the price.
You give up: SBC is the only codec JLab lists, and the case charges through a built-in USB-A cable.
Why it's a good swap Multipoint, a Stay-Aware mode and built-in Tile tracking, with 20 hours in total from the buds and case.
You give up: 8 hours in the buds, and Skullcandy calls them sweat and water resistant without giving a rating.
Why it's a good swap Multipoint, Google Fast Pair and Find My Device, plus an IPX4 rating; SoundGuys says Solo Buds have no water rating.
You give up: 8 hours in the buds against the Solo Buds' 18, and tracking is Google's Find My Device rather than Apple's Find My.
Typical US prices, checked October 2026. Not live prices; check the listing before you buy.
Looking for a cheaper alternative to the Beats Solo Buds? It usually sells for about $80. Here are 4 cheaper swaps from $25: the Soundcore P30i is the closest match from another brand and the JLab Go Air Pop is the cheapest at about $25. Each one says what you give up for the lower price.
| Option | Type | Typical price | You save | What you give up | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beats Solo Buds | The original | $80 | – | – | View ↗ |
| JLab Go Air Pop | Budget pick | $25 | $55 (69%) | SBC is the only codec JLab lists, and the case charges through a built-in USB-A cable. | View ↗ |
| Skullcandy Dime 3 | Budget pick | $35 | $45 (56%) | 8 hours in the buds, and Skullcandy calls them sweat and water resistant without giving a rating. | View ↗ |
| Soundcore P30i | Close match | $50 | $30 (38%) | Soundcore rates 10 hours per charge against the Solo Buds' 18, and its page doesn't list Find My. | View ↗ |
| Skullcandy Dime 360 | Close match | $50 | $30 (38%) | 8 hours in the buds against the Solo Buds' 18, and tracking is Google's Find My Device rather than Apple's Find My. | View ↗ |
Typical US prices from retailer listings and price trackers, checked October 2026. They are not live Amazon prices and may have changed, so check the listing before you buy.
The JLab Go Air Pop, at about $25 (69% less). 8+ hours per charge, 32+ hours with the case, and IPX4-rated earbuds for a third of the price. The catch: SBC is the only codec JLab lists, and the case charges through a built-in USB-A cable.
The Soundcore P30i, at about $50 (38% less). Adds noise cancelling and a transparency mode, which Solo Buds lack, and the case holds extra charges and doubles as a phone stand. The catch: Soundcore rates 10 hours per charge against the Solo Buds' 18, and its page doesn't list Find My.
Yes. Beats says Solo Buds don't have noise cancelling. The Soundcore P30i ($49.99) has adaptive noise cancelling and a transparency mode, but Soundcore rates it for 10 hours per charge against the Solo Buds' 18.
No. SoundGuys says the case doesn't have a battery to recharge the earbuds on the go. Beats rates the earbuds for up to 18 hours on their own. The Skullcandy Dime 360 ($49.99) and JLab Go Air Pop ($25) cases add about 20 and 24 more hours.
SoundGuys says Solo Buds aren't rated for sweat, water or dust. The Skullcandy Dime 360 ($49.99) and JLab Go Air Pop ($25) earbuds are rated IPX4, and Skullcandy calls the Dime 3 ($34.99) sweat and water resistant without giving a rating.
Each swap links to amazon.com. Prices are typical US prices checked October 2026 and change often, so check the listing before you buy.
Every swap is a product sold in the US that does the main job of the original. Close match is another brand with similar features, Same brand, cheaper is an older, smaller or renewed model from the same maker, and Budget pick is the cheapest thing that still does the job. On each page, Closest match is the close match nearest the original in price, and Lowest price is the cheapest swap. We compare published specs, retailer listings and reviews; we don't test products ourselves.
A cheaper product is cheaper for a reason. Each swap says what you give up, like weaker noise cancelling, a smaller screen or a shorter warranty, so you can decide if the savings are worth it.
Prices are typical US prices from retailer listings and price trackers, last checked October 2026. They are not live Amazon prices, which change often. When a price couldn't be confirmed, the page says “Check price on Amazon” instead of showing a number.
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