The best portable Bluetooth speakers for 2024

Check out our full review of the JBL Charge 5.

Who it's for:

The JBL Charge 5 is the ultimate all-rounder, offering great sound quality with deep-but-balanced bass and an impressively long battery life (up to 20 hours at a time!) for a reasonable price.

Why we picked this:

The JBL Flip speakers tend to be the most popular options from the brand, but here's why we love the Charge 5. For starters, its name refers to this speaker's ability to charge other mobile devices (via USB-A) even when it's playing music, making it a fantastic travel companion.

The Charge 5 has an IP67 rating, meaning a waterproof and dust-proof design that's perfect for taking to the beach or to a pool party. As a bonus, it also comes in a rainbow of fun colors — grab two of them and enable their PartyBoost feature to bump your tunes throughout multiple rooms or spaces. And of course, this speaker wouldn't make our list if it didn't sound good. As Mashable contributor RJ Andersen wrote, "It’s rich, dynamic, and surprisingly clear with a decent bass that fills the room without overpowering the rest of the audio."

Check out our review of the previous version of this speaker, the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2.

Who it's for:

The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 is a powerhouse for its size and price. It’s the perfect size for traveling — you can easily stick it in your bag without it taking up any real space — and it's rugged enough to endure the normal bumps and bruises that an active lifestyle brings with it.

Why we picked this:

You can drop this small speaker from heights of up to five feet without worrying about destroying it. It’s also waterproof and floats if you drop it in water, and features a healthy 14 hours of battery life.

But the mark of a good speaker isn’t just how portable it is. What matters most is the sound — and again, the Wonderboom 3 performs, though it lacks the clear, deep bass of some larger speakers. All in all though, it has excellent sound for its size, providing stereo sound in a small package. We just wish it had a companion app with adjustable EQ, but for under $100 (this speaker often goes on sale), we'd say what you are getting with the Wonderboom 3 is well worth it.

Who it's for:

Bose has made a name with its speakers and headphones, and the Bose SoundLink Revolve II only helps its good reputation. For folks who are willing to pay a bit more, but want a surround sound speaker experience for listening in the house or for backyard BBQs, this speaker has you covered.

Why we picked this:

This sleekly designed speaker is portable and offers true 360-degree surround sound, making for a great listening experience. It can be paired with a second speaker for stereo sound or integrated into a Bose audio system. 

The speaker is easy to use and features a built-in mic that can be used to take phone calls or use your phone’s smart assistant. It also features a good battery life of 13 hours, though its charging cradle ($29.99) must be purchased separately. 

Who it's for:

Some people want a Bluetooth speaker that's first and foremost a way to listen to music, and some people want a better audio experience than other run-of-the-mill smart speakers might be able to manage. If you fall in the later group, we recommend the Sonos Move.

Why we picked this:

This durable, battery-powered speaker is a great Bluetooth speaker for your home, especially if you want one you can move around with you — say, from the pool area to your office to the dining room. It's also strong enough to take the occasional drop or bump.

While it is portable, this speaker might not be the easiest to travel with over long distances due to its weight and bulky size. The battery lasts up to 11 hours and comes with a charging base. You can also recharge it with a USB-C charger. 

This speaker is simple to set up, can be controlled through the Sonos app, and can switch from WiFi to Bluetooth streaming when needed. It’s also weather-resistant and able to stand up to humidity, rain, snow, dust, sun rays, and salt. 

Who it's for:

There are portable speakers, and there are speakers that are truly built to be on the move with you. The JBL Clip 4 isn't just small and easy to carry around, but easy to clip on just about anything, from a backpack to a belt loop.

Why we picked this:

This is the ultimate portable speaker small enough to slip into basically any bag, but also gives you a backup plan with the built-in carabiner. Even though you're getting maximum portability, you're still getting 10 hours of battery life and an IP67-rated water- and dust-proof speaker that can be taken along on most adventures. When we tested this speaker, we found that it reached an impressive volume, but the sound profile can get a bit muddled the higher the volume gets. Still, for a speaker that's this easy to take along, only $70 (and frequently on sale), it still left us impressed.

Who it's for:

Looking for a compact speaker to take up as little space as possible on your desk? Maybe you want one you can literally slip into your pocket. The JBL Go 2 is exactly that, and if you don't want to use it as a Bluetooth speaker all the time, it still has a 3.5mm audio jack (unlike most newer Bluetooth speakers these days).

Why we picked this:

Admittedly, the JBL Go 2 is a little on the older side, coming out in 2018. However, we still think it's one of the best mini Bluetooth speakers, especially for those looking for an option that's easy on the budget. The sound quality is decent, especially for just under $40 (and often lower, if you can find it on sale), the volume is impressive, and the price is pretty unbeatable. Sure, you might have to charge it more often than a speaker twice its price, but we think the money saved evens the scale plenty.