Best budget Bluetooth speakers 2024: top models tried and tested by our experts

Best budget Bluetooth speakers: the quick list

Bluetooth speakers have always been a great addition to any music lover's arsenal, offering a convenient and portable solution to your on-the-go sonic needs – little wonder they've grown into some of the most popular audio products on the market today. 

Possibly the best thing about Bluetooth speakers is that they aren't particularly expensive. Listed are our favourite budget models, all of which hover around or below the £100 / $100 / AU$200 mark and have been put through their paces across various locations, use cases and purposes during our reviews.

The choice of models now available in the Bluetooth market is massive, and much like wireless earbuds, there are plenty of poor or cheaply-made models that are trying to muscle in on the market. Thanks to hands-on and comparative testing for every one of the budget Bluetooth speakers below from our expert What Hi-Fi? team, you can be sure you'll find the perfect portable speaker at the perfect price.

Read more about our testing process here, or keep scrolling to see the best cheap Bluetooth speakers that we'd highly recommend.

Written by
Harry McKerrell headshot
Written by
Harry McKerrell

I'm a staff writer who has listened to and reviewed dozens of products during my time at What Hi-Fi?. I love a great Bluetooth speaker, especially those budget models that offer fast, hassle-free audio for the everyday consumer. I've had hands-on experience with every speaker on the list below, putting them through their paces to ensure you know exactly which one to choose. Good sound quality, durability, waterproofness, ample battery life and seamless connectivity – we've assessed them all to put you fully in the picture before buying. Most of all, we've picked models that give you proper value for money, because there's no point in offering products that, while admittedly cheap, don't pass muster when it comes to performance.

The quick list

The best budget Bluetooth speaker overall

JBL Flip 6 being held in front of a bush

The JBL Flip 6 is the best overall budget Bluetooth speaker: it's a durable, clear, punchy speaker you can pick up on the cheap. (Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)
The best budget speaker overall, JBL continues an inspired run of form with the talented Flip 6

Specifications

Power : 30W
Bluetooth : Yes (5.1)
Battery Life : 12 hours
Features : Waterproof (IP67), PartyBoost
Connections : USB-C for charging
App : No
Dimensions (hwd): 17.8 x 6.8 x 7.2cm
Weight : 544g
Finishes : 9 (pink, blue, green, teal, white, camo, red, grey, black)

Reasons to buy

+
Improved clarity and sonic precision
+
Punchy bass for size
+
Useful equaliser feature

Reasons to avoid

-
More critical of recording and source quality

For true value for money, the JBL Flip 6 is still king of the ring. Given that the older Flip 5 (see below) is a past What Hi-Fi? Award winner, there was plenty of expectation for the sixth generation of JBL's immensely popular portable, yet the US brand knocked it out of the park once again. 

While there might have been a little pressure for JBL to rework the entire line, the Flip 6 looks and sounds so good that it simply doesn't seem logical to do so. There's a little extra durability here thanks to an IP67 water and dustproof rating (compared to the waterproof-only IPX7 Flip 5) as well as additional space within its trademark zealous and musical presentation. 

We love the dynamic, cohesive sound of the Flip 6, although if you want more from the midrange and less from the treble, you can now tweak it thanks to a new EQ feature in the app, thus adding significant value. For a nominal price hike over the launch price of the Flip 5, there’s certainly more detail here, too.

Overall, the Flip 6 is another five-star performer, built to the highest standard and focused on delivering a hugely enjoyable sonic experience for a meagre outlay. Tracks are presented cleanly, cohesively and with barely any audible muddling, and while the Flip 6's new sonic prowess means that it can be slightly critical of overly harsh recordings, most of the time it works as a great companion to the music being played.

Enthusiastic, dynamic and full of fun, the Flip 6 is our go-to budget Bluetooth speaker.

Read our full JBL Flip 6 review

The best cheap budget Bluetooth speaker

Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 on a wooden surface

In terms of sound-per-pound, Tribit's Stormbox Micro 2 delivers a masterclass in affordability. (Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)
One of the best bang-for-your-buck speakers on the market today.

Specifications

Power : 10W
Bluetooth : Yes (5.3)
Battery Life : 12 hours
Features : Waterproof (IP67)
Connections : USB-C for charging
App : Yes
Dimensions (hwd): 9.98 x 9.98 x 4.29cm
Weight : 315g
Finishes : 1 (black)

Reasons to buy

+
Enjoyable sound for the size
+
Superb portable design
+
Loads of extra features

Reasons to avoid

-
Can sound unwieldy at higher volumes
-
Only one colour choice

It may not look like much, but if you want a backpack-friendly Bluetooth speaker that won’t break the bank, Tribit Audio’s Stormbox Micro 2 is one of the best cheap models we’ve tested yet. 

The small-form-factor sequel to the original Stormbox Micro doesn’t have the 360-degree grill design of many of its rivals such as the dinky UE Wonderboom 3, but during our review we found it to be well-made, easy to use and a solid performer over time. The Micro 2's woven finish design is pretty much the same as its predecessor, yet it has small design upgrades, improved battery life and better audio quality over its predecessor.

We easily coaxed 12 hours of listening out of a single charge, whereas the unit's IP67 rating allowed us to use it in the bathroom/shower/kitchen without issue or damage. As a candidate for outdoor use then, the Stormbox Micro 2 certainly has the requisite credentials.  

Audio, meanwhile, is bigger, punchier and louder than you’d expect from such a small unit, keeping up with tricky rhythms and upbeat tempos while also bringing out vocals with personality and nuance. Our listening tests showed the midrange in particular is dealt with in a much more appealing manner than practically anything else we’ve seen at this budget price point.

The Micro 2 can suffer from a little distortion at louder volumes, but realistically you’ll have to pay more and invest in either a JBL Flip 6 or Wonderboom 3 to get much better overall sound.  

Read our full Tribit Audio Stormbox Micro 2 review

The best smart budget Bluetooth speaker

Echo Dot on a wooden shelf with some books

Amazon's 5th Gen Echo Dot sounds expansive and sports great Alexa integration, all wrapped up in a neat, compact design.  (Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)
The best cheap smart speaker, the Echo Dot is small, affordable and versatile.

Specifications

Power: N/A
Bluetooth: Yes
Connections : Wi-fi
Features: Alexa inbuilt, on-surface touch controls, smart device control
Battery life: N/A (mains-powered)
Dimesions (hwd): 10 x 10 x 8.9cm
Weight: 340g
Finishes: 3 (Charcoal, Deep Sea Blue, Glacier White)

Reasons to buy

+
Impressively expansive sound
+
Great Alexa integration
+
Pleasing, understated aesthetic

Reasons to avoid

-
Sound distortion at the higher ranges
-
Very Amazon-focused

Let's be clear that the Echo Dot isn't a traditional Bluetooth speaker – it isn't portable and does require a plugged-in connection to the wall to work. That said, you can use Bluetooth to connect your smartphone or tablet to the Echo Dot, especially if you want to play music, qualifying it as a Bluetooth speaker, and a smart one at that.

And what a good speaker it is too. The Echo Dot (5th Generation) earns its place here thanks to its all-round excellence, solid sound and hugely attractive price tag, and while it may be cheap, nothing about the Dot feels cut-price. Alexa voice control, meanwhile, is getting smarter by the minute, so filled to the brim with skills and knowledge that it's frankly getting a little scary. The Dot's cybernetic assistant is more helpful than ever before, stuffed with so many tricks and quirks that you'll often find yourself falling into the trap of speaking to Alexa as though "she" were a real person.

What's most impressive is how far the audio has come. We weren't that keen on the sound of Amazon's early Echo models, but continual improvement and refinement ensure that the company's “best-sounding Echo Dot yet” lives up to its billing thanks to a sound that feels surprisingly weighty, listenable and far-reaching.

For value and versatility, this Echo Dot is immensely tough to beat. 

Read our full Amazon Echo Dot (5th Generation) review

The best waterproof budget Bluetooth speaker

Pink Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 on a shelf

The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 has a much larger sound than you'd expect. (Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)
Friendly and dynamic, the Wonderboom 3 is a colourful alternative with a weighty sound and good battery life.

Specifications

Power : N/A
Bluetoooth : Yes (5.2)
Battery Life: 14 hours
Features : 360-degree sound, Waterproof (IP67), stereo mode, outdoor boost
Connections: Micro USB for charging
App: No
Dimensions (hwd): 10.4 x 9.5 x 9.5cm
Weight : 420g
Finishes : 6 (white, pink, blue, black, green, lavender)

Reasons to buy

+
Cohesive, enjoyable presentation
+
More dynamic, detailed sound 
+
Excellent portable, waterproof design
+
Easy to use 

Reasons to avoid

-
Still uses outdated micro USB
-
Newer rivals have more nuanced, engaging sound 

If nothing else, there aren't many small-form Bluetooth speakers that look as good as Ultimate Ears' third iteration of the Wonderboom. Following up the five-star Wonderboom 2, the impressive threequel looks resplendent in our review sample's pink and lime green colourway, not a combination we ever thought we'd be endorsing so enthusiastically. (Other colour combinations are available, too).

Sonically, the Wonderboom 3 is a competent performer, and while this four-star sequel hasn't quite matched the heights of its fantastic predecessor, its strong waterproofing / dust-proofing (IP67) and ability to float in water make it a solid candidate for withstanding off-the-wall pool parties and muddy outdoor adventures. Those adventures should go on for a while, too, as battery life has been extended to 14 hours and a full charge takes around 2.6 hours to obtain.

Despite its size, the Wonderboom 3 remains a powerful, enjoyable listen. The bass is impressive given how small it is, and there's an exciting sense of dynamics on display. You also get a ‘boost’ button on the underside of the unit as a rollover feature from the Wonderboom 2, which emphasises the midrange when playing music outdoors – a handy attribute when you're on the move. 

Fierce rivals at this price offer greater subtlety when it comes to detail and dynamics (see the Flip 6) and we wish there was just a bit more natural warmth and nuance to the Wonderboom 3's performance to gain that fifth star. There’s still no built-in mic or app - still, the Wonderboom 3 remains a very likeable, easy-to-use, and affordable Bluetooth speaker that often enjoys a significant discount during sales events.

Read our full Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 review

The best portable budget Bluetooth speaker

JBL Go 3 next to party food on a food cooler

The JBL Go 3 is super tiny and super cheap, but it sounds good for its restrictions – but we'd love a much longer battery life. (Image credit: JBL)
Want to go as small and cheap as possible? JBL’s soap-sized speaker sounds surprisingly good.

Specifications

Power : 4W
Bluetooth : Yes (5.1)
Battery Life : Up to 5 hours
Features : Waterproof (IP67)
Connections : USB-C for charging
App : No
Dimensions (hwd): 8.8 x 7.5 x 4.1cm
Weight : 210g
Finishes : 8 (white, green, blue & pink, blue, red, black, pink, camo)

Reasons to buy

+
Sensible treble and fuller bass
+
More volume
+
Super portable

Reasons to avoid

-
Poor battery life
-
Not very durable finish
-
No app support

If tiny and cost-effective are your watchwords when looking for a Bluetooth speaker, you've arrived at the right place. The diminutive, soap-on-a-rope style Go 3 features Bluetooth 5.1 plus a maximum power output of 4.2W, and given how small it is, those are rather decent specs.

It doesn't have the best battery life compared to rivals (just five hours on a single charge, taking 2.5 hours to charge up to full) – but that's a compromise you make at this level. Besides that, there's much to celebrate about the pocketable Go 3. The extra power and overhauled design of JBL's smallest speaker has resulted in serious sonic strides, so much so that we awarded it five stars in the sound department during testing. For anyone looking for a portable model that will give far more oomph and musicality than playing from your phone's tinny speakers, the Go 3 actually makes a great deal of sense.

It's also an aesthetically pleasing unit, even if it isn't as rugged and durable as JBL's best portables. Best of all, it currently costs around £30 with discounts, and it's ideal for cheap and cheerful stocking fillers for kids and adults alike.

If you're after the absolute least you can spend while getting a decent sound, the Go 3 is a great portable option, although it's worth bearing in mind that its successor was unveiled at the start of January, so it may be usurped before long.

Read our full JBL Go 3 review

Top Tip
Harry McKerrell headshot
Top Tip
Harry McKerrell

While we'd rarely discourage a person from going out right now and grabbing a product from this list, we'd advise a little caution regarding a few of the JBL models. If price matters to you, bear in mind there are plenty of new JBLs arriving soon, including a new Go 4 with improved battery and new features like Auracast streaming, so you might be better off holding out until the new cohort lands in stores. That way, you can either pick up one of the newer generation units or capitalise on the price drop enjoyed by the outgoing models.

The best-value budget Bluetooth speaker

JBL Flip 5 sitting in some grass

JBL's older Flip 5 remains an excellent all-around Bluetooth speaker with strong bass and great acoustics. (Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)
It's getting on a bit, but the Flip 5 boasts no-frills quality for exceptional value.

Specifications

Power : 20W
Bluetooth : Yes (4.2)
Battery Life : 12 hours
Features : Waterproof (IPX7), PartyBoost
Connections : USB-C for charging
App : Yes
Dimensions (hwd): 7.4 x 18.1 x 6.9cm
Weight : 540g
Finishes : 9 (pink, blue, green, teal, white, camo, red, grey, black)

Reasons to buy

+
Solid bass and timing
+
Great sense of acoustics
+
PartyBoost stereo pairing

Reasons to avoid

-
No aux-in or microphone
-
Not Connect+ compatible
-
Basic app

Just because the Flip 6 is here, doesn't mean the Flip 5 has automatically become redundant. If all you want is a portable Bluetooth speaker that sounds as good as you can currently get for under £100 ($100 / AU$119), you’ll be hard-pressed to better the fantastic Flip 5. And considering that its days are numbered as time wears on and 2024 hopefully brings a next-gen Flip 7 into the world, bargains and discounts currently abound.  

This isn't a speaker that feels out of date, though. The Flip 5 shows its worth by edging in under the £100 / $100 mark (discounts only take this further), boasting a hard IPX7 rating, 12 hours of battery life and a handy USB-C charging port that takes it from flat to fully juiced in just 2.5 hours. A PartyBoost button also helps you pair two PartyBoost-enabled speakers to create a stereo pair, or else link over 100 PartyBoost-compatible speakers in mono. 

The real reason we love the JBL Flip 5, though, is the sound. The audio is impressively weighty and agile, with a good bass punch and a real sense of openness and texture. Assuming you don't mind the lack of an aux-in port or inbuilt microphone, you'll almost certainly be wowed by this speaker's sonic chops. A superb performer that will be missed when it finally departs this mortal coil.

Read our full JBL Flip 5 review

Also consider

JBL Charge 5: Possibly one of our favourite portable speakers in recent times, the Charge 5 is still scooping Awards thanks to its clear, open soundstage, supreme build quality and exceptional value. Prices are creeping down, too, so while it's slightly too costly to make its way onto the main list, the Charge 5 has to be recommended for anyone happy to spend a little extra to get a lot more speaker.  

Audio Pro Addon C3: Even though its initial RRP takes it well beyond what you'd consider "budget", Audio Pro has a wonderful tendency to discount its wireless speakers considerably throughout the year. Currently hovering around the £160 / $160 mark, the C3 is a former Award-winner that combines portability, multi-room skills, and a more mature and subtle sound quality than you'd expect from your standard Bluetooth speaker.

Ultimate Ears Boom 3: This five-star portable boasts the sort of punchy, loud and upbeat sound for which the likeable brand has become well known. It's not as musically nuanced or balanced as the comparative JBL Flip 6, but will appeal to anyone looking for a slim, portable speaker that gives your tunes some kick. Spicy.

How to choose the best budget Bluetooth speaker for you

Aside from something that sounds good for the money, we advise a durable design and waterproofing at this end of the market. IPX7 and IP67 (the latter meaning that on top of waterproofing, the speaker is IP-rated against dust ingress) are good numbers to look out for – and we have listed each speaker's rating. For the best portable Bluetooth speakers on a budget, these factors are essential, especially if you'll be using the speaker outdoors, on to go, or in the kitchen.

If portability is a key factor, the budget Bluetooth speakers we've recommended here are small enough to fit in a coat pocket or big enough to fill a room with serious sound. It's imperative that you also check the dimensions before clicking "buy" so you know exactly what you're getting for your needs.

Whether you want full-on portability or a speaker to move occasionally from your bedroom to the kitchen, you're sure to find something here that you – and your current budget – can truly enjoy.

How we test Bluetooth speakers

At What Hi-Fi?, we independently review hundreds of products every year, including the latest budget Bluetooth speakers hitting the market from JBL, Bose, Bang & Olufsen, Ultimate Ears and other renowned brands, plus propositions from lesser-known brands that catch our eye. So how do we come to our review verdicts – and most importantly, why should you trust them?

We have state-of-the-art testing facilities in the UK where our dedicated team of expert reviewers (who have more than 100 years of collective experience in reviewing, testing and writing about consumer electronics) thoroughly tests every product that comes our way. Of course, with portability a priority for budget Bluetooth speakers, we make sure we spend several days putting the product through its paces in real-life, on-the-fly environments at home and in the garden (and dunk them in the kitchen sink when they're waterproof, too).

We have price-appropriate competitors and class leaders (often our benchmark What Hi-Fi? Award winners) constantly on hand to compare and contrast every product we review with similarly priced ones, and we take considerable time to ensure every aspect of a Bluetooth speaker is tested thoroughly, from its performance to its battery life to how well it can withstand most weather conditions.

Of course, sound quality is a priority here, even at budget prices, so we make sure you're getting the most out of your money. We test every speaker with a broad range of music, from pop to 90s grunge to classical and everything in between. 

All verdicts are agreed upon by the team as a whole rather than a single reviewer, helping to ensure consistency and avoid individual subjectivity.

You can read more about how we test and review products on What Hi-Fi? here.

FAQ

What's the difference between wireless and Bluetooth speakers?

Bluetooth speakers are wireless in the sense that they don't need wires to connect to their audio source, instead using the Bluetooth streaming protocol to get connected. Nevertheless, Bluetooth speakers don't necessarily also support wi-fi, a necessary feature of what we would term "wireless speakers". A wireless speaker can connect to audio sources via the internet (your home wi-fi, for instance) – via something like Apple AirPlay or Google Chromecast, whether or not it also has Bluetooth.

While this will all hinge on the kit you're using and your wi-fi's limitations, transmitting audio via wi-fi rather than Bluetooth comes with certain advantages: wi-fi's signal range is less limited than Bluetooth, generally facilitates better sound and can usually transmit higher-quality audio. The standard Bluetooth codecs (AAC and SBC) aren't widely capable of transmitting CD-quality files (or higher), and even the most high-end codecs like aptX are lossy.

That said, Bluetooth-only speakers are generally more portable, as they don't rely on an internet connection or being plugged into the mains, and they're often more affordable than their wi-fi-enabled counterparts.

Why are JBL speakers so popular right now?

It's true, JBL does seem to be doing exceptional work in the portable speaker space at the moment. The Charge 5, Charge 5 Wi-Fi, Flip 5, Flip 6 and Xtreme 3 have all earned five-star ratings (and a few Awards, too) over the past few years, and that's before we even mention those models that have garnered very respectable four-star hauls. 

The truth is, we can't think of a brand right now that offers the sort of value for money as JBL. Almost every member of its ever-expanding speaker family blends rugged durability with sonic clout and prowess, resulting in models that are tough, dependable and unparalleled in terms of their audio capabilities. They also go heavy on features, offering benefits such as PartyBoost chaining and extensive app support for a more personalised, flexible experience.  

That's not to say that we'd only recommend JBL models - far from it - but rather, they're something of a safe bet. JBL is on a roll, and there's no harm in taking advantage of that hot streak if you want a consummate performer at a great price.

Recent updates

  • March 2024: Added an 'also consider' section (above) to give readers more choice and a top tip to help readers make more informed buying decisions. 
  • November 2023: What Hi-Fi? Award winners labelled after the 2023 Awards Best Buys and Product of the Year announcements.

MORE: 

JBL Flip 6 vs Flip 5: which Bluetooth speaker is better?

Best Bluetooth speakers: portable speakers for every budget

For an alternative to Bluetooth, here are the best wireless speakers

JBL Flip 7: the 5 things we want from JBL's next portable Bluetooth speaker

Harry McKerrell
Staff writer

Harry McKerrell is a staff writer at What Hi-Fi?. He studied law and history at university before working as a freelance journalist covering TV and gaming for numerous platforms both online and in print. When not at work he can be found playing hockey, practising the piano or forcing himself to go long-distance running.

  • simonali
    I somehow managed to grab a JBL Xtreme 2 for £149 a while back from Argoose. Presumably it was a mis-price as the offer didn't last very long. Great sound.
    Reply