Have you ever been on the hunt for the perfect Bluetooth speaker that doesn’t empty your wallet? I’ve been there too. I remember scouring the internet, trying to find a speaker that could deliver quality sound for my weekend gatherings and solo chill sessions, all without breaking the bank. I’m glad to share the knowledge I’ve gained on what makes a fantastic Bluetooth speaker with you after traveling the world. We’ll examine the most affordable Bluetooth speakers on the market right now in this guide. From speakers that fit snugly in your travel bag to those that fill your room with crystal-clear sound, I’ve tested and compiled a list that covers it all. Come along with me as we discover the world of affordable and excellent Bluetooth speakers. I guarantee you’ll find something here that’s perfect for you and your budget, no matter whether you’re a music aficionado or just looking for a handy audio solution.
Key Consideration to Choose the Best Budget Bluetooth Speaker
When choosing a Bluetooth speaker, you need to consider how and for what purpose you plan on using the speaker. Whether it’s for outdoor or indoor applications? How portable and sturdy is the speaker? What kind of audio do you prefer?
Size and Power: First, you must check the size and power output of the speaker to see if it’s suitable for your use. If you plan to take your speaker on trips, consider looking for a compact speaker with good power output for quality audio.
You should also consider the speaker’s battery life to ensure it doesn’t power off during an important event or trip.
Portability: If you are more likely to take a speaker on outdoor trips or parties, you must look for a portable option. One that’s easy to carry has a built-in handle or strap to carry the speaker and has a smaller size with amazing audio output.
Dust and Water Resistance: A versatile speaker should be dust and water-resistant. So, while purchasing one, don’t forget to cross-check its dust and water resistance capabilities.
Durability: You might not want your speaker to collapse as you drop it accidentally on the ground. So, while purchasing a Bluetooth speaker, it’s best to check the material quality and durability to ensure that it can sustain accidental drops without collapsing.
Audio Quality: When purchasing a Bluetooth speaker, sound quality is a crucial consideration. If you mostly use your speaker for personal use and in small rooms, you may opt for speakers with a lower power output for smaller rooms. However, you may need a loud one for larger gatherings.
In addition, the sound signature also plays a great role in this selection process. If you’re a person who prefers clear, loud, and punchy bass, you’ll have to choose one that has a similar sound signature.
Features: You should also look for additional features that the speaker offers, like connectivity options, the companion app, whether it allows you to daisy chain speakers, hand-free calling, and built-in power banks to charge the phone and other devices.
Best Budget Bluetooth Speakers
JBL Clip 4
With a small size, lightweight, and integrated carabiner, JBL Clip 4 is an amazing choice of budget-friendly Bluetooth speaker. It has a rugged design with an IP67 rating, making it dust and water-resistant.
In addition, it is durable and made of quality aluminum and silicon back, with a mesh covering the sound drivers from damage. This speaker doesn’t support the Partyboost feature for daisy chain speakers.
With Bluetooth 5.1 it provides a stable connection and better connectivity range. The battery life is about 10 hours for continuous playtime, and it has an auto-off feature that turns the speaker off after 20 minutes of activity.
JBL Clip 4 delivers quality audio and a reasonably wide soundstage. With a frequency response of 100Hz to 20 KHz, it can deliver quite an impressive mids and treble; however, the bass may sometimes lack clarity.
Pros
- Small, lightweight with a carabiner for ultra-portability.
- Rugged design and IP67 rating (dust and water-resistant).
- Bluetooth 5.1
- Auto-turn-off feature for power saving.
- Great sonic audio signature.
Cons
- It doesn’t have a built-in microphone for answering calls and pairing with voice assistants.
- It doesn’t have a companion app for partyboost, equalizer functions, and downloading firmware updates.
JBL Flip 6
JBL Flip 6 is an amazing choice of budget-friendly Bluetooth speaker. It has a durable design with a mesh covering protecting the sound drivers. The material of the speaker body is durable, making it immune to accidental drops. It comes in 9 different colors.
This speaker is IP67 certified, making it resistant to water and dust and suitable for outdoor application. It has Bluetooth 5.1, a better and more stable connectivity range. It is a highly portable option with a 12 hours battery life, a weight of only ½ kg, and an integrated strap.
In addition, this speaker also has a companion app that provides an equalizer function to adjust the bass, mids, and treble as desired. In terms of audio quality, the speaker delivers deep and punchy bass, clear and crisp mids, and trebles for its size.
With the companion app of this speaker, you can daisy chain your speaker with other speakers with partyboost through the partyboost feature. It comes with a USB-C port and a USB-C cable.
Pros
- Highly portable for its small size, lightweight and built-in strap.
- IP67 rating for dust and water resistance.
- It has a companion app to support Equalizer and Partyboost functions.
- Available in 9 different colors.
- USB-C port
Cons
- It doesn’t have a microphone option
- Doesn’t support Voice assistants.
Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
Another amazing budget-friendly Bluetooth speaker is Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3. With a 360-degree sound delivery, this speaker has a dynamic and detailed sound profile with deep and impressive bass for its size. It has an IP67 rating making it immune to dust and water. It can sustain 30 minutes of water submersion without damage.
The speaker also has a boost button to restrict the bass and play louder during mid-range frequencies. It also has a battery life of 14 hours and Bluetooth 5.2 for excellent connection and range.
Pros
- Small size, lightweight, and portable design.
- Durable and sturdy, it can sustain a drop from about 5 feet.
- Dust and water-resistant IP67 rating.
- Boost button for clear and loud mid and high-range frequencies.
- Bluetooth 5.2
- Can form Stereo pair with other Wonderboom 3.
Cons
- It uses a Micro-USB port for charging, which is outdated.
- Doesn’t have a companion app.
JBL Charge 5
JBL Charge 5 is one of the most compact Bluetooth speakers on the market, boasting amazing sound quality, good battery life, and several other features. With a smaller size, lightweight, and IP67 rating (dust and water resistance), this speaker is an amazing choice for outdoor use. The compact size makes it easier for you to carry this Bluetooth speaker anywhere.
In addition, it comes with a companion app that allows the user to use the partyboost feature to daisy chain other Partyboost compatible speakers for simultaneous audio playback in multiple rooms. It also offers Voice Assistant feature for hands-free voice controls.
The speaker has an amazing battery life of 20 hours, which makes it suitable for long road trips and outdoor parties, where you can play audio without worrying about the speaker turning off. Furthermore, the speaker also has a built-in power bank that allows user to charge their smartphones using a USB-C port.
Pro
- Small size, compact design, and long battery life of 20 hours.
- USB-C Charging port.
- Water and dust resistance (IP67 rating).
- Companion app for Partyboost mode.
- Voice Assistant integration.
- Bluetooth 5.1
- Built-in power bank for charging smartphone.
Cons
- Doesn’t have an AUX jack.
- The app doesn’t have an Equalizer function to adjust bass, mids, and trebles.
- Slow charging and the voice may distort at high volume.
W-King X-10
Another choice of budget-friendly speaker with just the right size and a detachable strap makes it easier to carry from place to place. In addition, the W-King X-10 has a great audio delivery with a powerful and deep bass because of the three bass radiators.
Alongside the impressive bass, this speaker has two tweeters and an advanced DSP chip to deliver clearer mid and high-frequency audio with zero distortion. It also has diverse connectivity options, including Bluetooth, AUX, and TF cards.
Furthermore, this speaker has an IPX6 rating, meaning it’s waterproof, making it best for outdoor use. It also has an incredible battery life of 42 hours with a built-in power bank to charge other devices. It also has two Equalizer modes and a shockproof build, which makes it best for rough handling.
Additionally, the speaker offers a built-in microphone for hands-free calling and compatibility with voice assistants.
Pros
- Compact and sturdy design with IPX6 rating.
- Deep powerful bass and impressive mid and high-frequency audio delivery with zero distortion.
- Impressive battery life of 42 hours.
- Built-in microphone for hands-free calling and voice control.
- Dual equalizer function.
- Highly portable, has a built-in strap for easy handling, and shockproof.
Cons
- Not dust-resistant
JBL Go 3
It’s a small and compact speaker with a rugged build that comes in multiple colors. It comes with a USB-C cable for charging. Alongside its durable design, it also has an IP67 rating, which means it can be submerged in water for 30 minutes and has complete dust resistance making it suitable for outdoor use.
It has an integrated handle, which you can use to carry the speaker anywhere easily. The battery life is just 5 hours with a 3 hours charging time. In addition, this speaker also has quite a loud volume for its size. It has no companion app, depriving it of Equalizer and Partyboost features.
Pros
- Small and compact design and rugged build.
- IP67 rating (dust and water resistance).
- USB-C cable for Charging.
- Loud volume, clear and crisp mids, and trebles.
Cons
- No companion app for Equalizer and Partyboost features.
- No built-in Microphone.
- Low battery life.
Anker Soundcore 3
This speaker can deliver a 360-degree audio impact with two back-to-back neodymium drivers. In addition, it also has LED lights for a light show during the audio playback. Furthermore, these lights can be customized to 5 different lightening modes, which makes a small party worthwhile.
It has an IPX7 rating, which means the speaker can survive 30 minutes of submersion in water without any damage. This feature makes it best for pool parties or beaches. It has a 24-hour-long battery life, Bluetooth 4.2, with a connectivity range of upto 20 meters.
In general, Anker Soundcore delivers good audio but sometimes lacks clarity in deep bass, crisp mids, and high-frequency audio.
Pros
- Amazing battery life and LED light show.
- IPX7 rating.
- 360-degree audio playback.
Cons
- No dust resistance.
- The audio lacks clarity.
- Lacks diverse connectivity options.
- Doesn’t have a built-in microphone.
Tribit Stormbox Micro 2
Weighing only 6.9 ounces, the compact Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 is an incredibly durable option for people who need a portable speaker. It has a hard plastic body with a silicon back which protects against minor and accidental drops.
It also has 8-hour long battery life and an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, which makes it suitable for outdoor use. And don’t be fooled by its small size. It can produce quite a decent sound signature with a deep and clear bass. It also has a built-in power bank, allowing you to charge your smartphone or other devices through a USB-C port.
Finally, this speaker comes with a strap, which allows you to tightly fix the speaker with a bag or any other hook and also has a built-in Microphone and supports Voice Assistants.
Pros
- Smaller size and lightweight for better portability
- An IP67 rating for dust and water resistance making it suitable for outdoor application.
- It has a built-in power bank for charging devices.
- Built-in microphone and Voice assistance.
- Good audio with clear bass.
- Budget-friendly ($54 at Amazon)
Cons
- Short battery life for longer use.
- No companion app
Conclusion
As you go out to purchase a budget-friendly Bluetooth Speaker, you must bear in mind that the Best Budget-friendly Bluetooth speaker would be a perfect balance of quality audio, durable material, size, and other features. So, while choosing one you must keep the key considerations in mind.
You might not always be fortunate to land a good budget-friendly speaker. However, choosing one from the aforementioned list won’t make you regret it. Finally, you may also wait for sales and discounted prices on your favorite speakers to make the best out of the deal.
I’m Shaun Conroy, an audiophile & founder of HiFi Audios. Holding a Bachelor’s in Sound Engineering, I bring deep expertise in audio devices and offer insights & recommendations to fellow enthusiasts.
