Best cheap Bluetooth speakers under $50

Music is a social experience, which is why cheap Bluetooth speakers are exploding in popularity. Every party needs music, but you don’t have to spend a fortune on speakers to set the tone because the cheap Bluetooth speakers market is booming.

Editor’s note: this list was edited on December 21, 2022, to include the JBL Clip 4 and Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen) in the Best list, to add the TOZO PA1 as a highlight pick, and to add the Anker Soundcore 3, JBL Clip 3, Philips S3505, Sony SRS-XB13, Tribit StormBox Micro, and UE Wonderboom 3 to the Notable mentions.

The Anker SoundCore Flare Mini is the best cheap Bluetooth speaker

The Anker SoundCore Flare line of Bluetooth speakers are best known for the combination of design and solid sound quality, with different models catering to different price brackets. The Mini variant is Anker’s lowest-priced offering, and it provides loud sound in a compact form.

With its two 5W back-to-back neodymium drivers, the Flare Mini delivers 360˚ sound for an immersive music listening experience. An IPX7 rating ensures that the party won’t stop, even if the speaker is out in the rain, or taking a leisurely 30-minute dip in the pool. Extra features include a modest 12-hour battery life, Bluetooth 4.2 support (connection range of up to 20 meters), and the ability to pair two Flare Mini speakers together.

Although the Flare Mini lacks clarity, the overall sound is very good for such a cheap speaker: amplified bass and low-midrange frequencies make the sound engaging and perfect for a pool party. For less than $50, it’s hard to find another Bluetooth speaker that can compare with the Flare Mini.

For a simple home solution, check out the Creative Stage Air

If you’re looking for an inexpensive Bluetooth speaker, chances are it’s going to be small and portable similar to the other options on this list. However, that doesn’t always have to be the case. Case in point: the Creative Stage Air.

While this speaker isn’t nearly the size of the some of the other soundbars we’ve tested, you still get a lot of speaker for not a lot of money. It’s not the best option for building your dream home theater system, but it’s a perfectly fine under-monitor speaker that makes listening to music, watching videos, or playing games that much more enjoyable.

Like most speakers of this price, the Creative Stage Air has fairly limited features so don’t expect to plug in HDMI and optical cables from your gaming console. For that, you should check out our list for best soundbars. The Creative Stage Air keeps it simple, supporting Bluetooth 4.2 with the SBC codec and 3.5mm input. It has a few annoying quirks, like automatically turning off to save power after 15 minutes of non-usage, but overall it’s a solid option for the price, even if it’s a bit older.

Always on the move? Bring the JBL Clip 4

The JBL Clip 4 comes from a lineage of other successful portable speakers, the JBL Clip 2 and later, the still quite good, JBL Clip 3. Improving on a tried and true concept, the JBL Clip 4 has an IP67 rating, improved carabiner, and a whole new design. Whereas the previous iteration has no dust resistance, this one can hang at the beach in the sand.

Weighing 240g The Clip 4 also features a 10 hour battery life, charged via USB-C (as opposed to microUSB on the Clip 3). Unlike the Clip 3, JBL ditched the 3.5mm line in on the Clip 4, which is annoying for some, but lossless audio is not going to make or break your sound quality on this kind of speaker, so Bluetooth is fine.

Sound quality is good enough for a hike, picnic, or even for the shower. Just don’t expect it to get loud enough to power your backyard BBQ like the UE Hyperboom. Clarity and bass response aren’t great, but it gets the job done well enough. The same can be said for the microphone quality: it works, but you’re better off using your smartphone. Keep in mind it’s more of a rough and ready, attach to your bike, or sing along in the shower type speaker.

Do you prioritize durability? Make room for the JBL GO 3

The JBL GO 3 is durable. Not only is it IP67-rated, making it fully waterproof, but it’s also dust and shockproof. The main downside we observed with this speaker is that it doesn’t float, so you can keep it near the bathtub or the swimming pool, but you probably don’t want to put it in the water.

The JBL GO 3 is a great companion for day-long summer excursions because its battery lasts over 10 hours on a single charge. In terms of sound, the GO 3 isn’t the highest quality, but it isn’t meant to be. It produces pretty loud volumes considering its size, and lets vocals come through clearly enough to hear the lyrics you want to sing along to.

The JBL GO 3 is pretty no-frills and is unfortunately not compatible with the JBL Portable app, but it has onboard controls to adjust volume and media playback. The speaker is made of a fabric covering and fits in the palm of your hand. It’s a great option for a speaker under $50.

If you have a smart home, get the Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen)

The smart home is more relevant than ever, and companies are running with even the most ridiculous Internet of Things (IoT) product ideas. Anyone with multiple smart home devices, say a few Philips Hue lightbulbs or a smart fridge, will benefit from the hands-free voice controls of the new Echo Dot (5th Gen).

Alexa has over 50,000 skills that users can command to make life presumably more convenient. From adjusting your thermostat to locking your doors, the Echo Dot will hopefully make your life a little more streamlined. The latest Amazon Echo Dot is admittedly similar to the previous edition, so if you have the Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen) (though it’s less money at on the product’s website), don’t bother updating.

The new Echo Dot still uses a slightly larger 1.73-inch speaker than in its predecessor. It’s a fairly directional speaker, but the rudimentary in-app equalizer can help out so at low and moderate volumes it’s not bad sounding. Unlike every other selection on the list, this one must remain plugged into a power supply, but it does have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. If you’re not sure about smart homes, the entry fee here is pretty low to try it out.

Utility is stylish with TOZO PA1

Perhaps not winning any awards for best looks TOZO has loaded the TOZO PA1 with an impressive list of specs for well under $50, making it a great outlier candidate. Firstly, the IPX7 rating means it’s virtually waterproof. Dedicated buttons on the top save you from reaching for your device to alter playback or even EQ (although there’s an app too). The built in mic means you can answer calls without disconnecting, and 12 hours of battery life is perfectly good for most folks. Finally, it’s portable enough to chuck in your backpack.

Best cheap Bluetooth speakers: Notable mentions

• Anker Soundcore 3: This IPX7 rated speaker has an (albeit narrow) stereo configuration with an impressive 24 hours of battery life on tap. It’s compatible with other Anker Soundcore speakers for party modes, and the app has an equalizer to boot. Find it for $50.99 at Anker.
• Anker Soundcore Flare 2: Gain all the features of the Flare Mini, but with more powerful drivers, Soundcore app control, dual LED halo lighting, and better sound quality at a price tag slightly above $50, at $49.99 at Amazon.
• JBL Clip 3: Although, the Clip 4 has replaced it, the JBL Clip 3 is cheaper at $44.95 at Amazon. It also has a 3.5mm input missing from the new version, and a longer lasting battery. The build and design is different, and the carabiner feels less robust. Even so, find one on sale and it may be worth the savings.
• Philips S3505 Wireless Bluetooth Speaker: In a décor friendly casing the S3505 Bluetooth speaker has an IPX7 rating, a small size with a handle, a built in mic for phone calls, buttons on the front face, and it charges via USB-C. The battery lasts 10 hours which isn’t terrible, but perhaps not the best. Still it’s quite a package for the price of $39.88 at Amazon.
• Sony SRS-XB13: The “XB” in the product’s name stands for Extra Bass, delivering a powerful low-end in a compact form factor. An IP67 rating also ensures that the party will go on for 16 hours, no matter where you take this speaker. Occasionally, you can nab it for under $50 at $58 at Amazon.
• Tribit StormBox Micro: For the entry fee of $49.99 at Amazon this one is set to compete with the JBL Clip series, by sporting the same IP67 rating, and a small form factory you can attach to a bike.
• Tribit XSound Go: This speaker provides 24 hours of playback, is IPX7-rated, and can easily fit in a bag or purse, and goes for the reasonable price of $29.59 at Amazon.
• UE Wonderboom 3: This speaker isn’t quite under $50—it’s $79.99 at Amazon. However, it is a handy little speaker with an IP67 rating and a loud sound. Its battery life is 14 hours, plus you can pair it with a second one, and it floats if your pool party gets rowdy.

What you should know about cheap Bluetooth speakers

Plenty of these speakers are water-resistant, so here’s a quick rundown of Ingress Protection (IP) ratings and what they mean to your specific model. IP ratings denote the dust and water resistance of a particular product. Oftentimes, a product will be rated something like IPX4 and the X is just a placeholder for what would be a dust-resistance rating. For a product to withstand full submersion, it must be at least IPX7 or higher.

How we chose the best Bluetooth speakers under $50

A simple search on Amazon yields hundreds of options from a myriad of manufacturers, and that’s just for cheap Bluetooth speakers. So, how do you know what to choose? Well, you can do a ton of research and gather up the best options, which is exactly what we did.

After ordering a bunch of the top options we narrowed it down to a few of the products we already reviewed and know to be good. Nothing here is going to make it into the MoMA, but for less than $50 it doesn’t need to. These cheap Bluetooth speakers just need to be functional and better than average, which these are and do.

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Frequently asked questions about cheap Bluetooth speakers under $50