Tech Talk

Finding the best Bluetooth speaker is a surefire way to ensure that you can play your favorite music when you're swimming in the pool or out on a camping trip with friends. Bluetooth speakers are compatible with practically every mobile device around, and will make sure that as long as your phone, tablet, or laptop is around, your music will be loud! There are so many options available, that it can be difficult to choose the best option for your needs. Thankfully, we've done the research and have identified what we feel are the best Bluetooth speakers for a variety of use cases. Hopefully, your Bluetooth speaker is on this list! If not, it's time to buy one!

Best Bluetooth Speakers of 2020 at a glance

1. Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 — Best Overall: Balances sound, portability, and durability
2. JBL Charge 4 — Upgrade Pick: Better sound and battery life
3. Anker Soundcore 2 — Best Battery Life: Rated for full 24 hours of battery life
4. Tribit MaxSound Plus — Best Value: Great battery life, great sound, and a great price
5. Marshall Stanmore II — Best Premium: Premium style, premium sound… premium price
6. Bose SoundLink Revolve+ — Best sound in a portable, rugged Bluetooth speaker
7. V-Moda Remix — Best looking speaker in a rugged case
8. Sony SRS-XB12 — Best great grab and go speaker
9. Bose SoundLink Micro — Best speaker that attaches to your bike
10. Tronsmart Force — Best Rugged Speaker: Can withstand a four-story drop!

What are the best Bluetooth speakers?

Our overall favorite Bluetooth speaker is the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 due to its sound quality, extreme portability, great battery, and excellent water resistance. Plus, it comes in at a reasonable price. It has just about everything you would want in a speaker.

If you're looking for a more premium alternative, the JBL Charge 4 is an upgrade in every regard. It boasts almost a full-day battery life, USB-A, and USB-C ports, and bigger speakers for more sound.

Finally, if you're a price-sensitive shopper (and let's face it, who isn't these days), we can't recommend the Anker Soundcore 2 highly enough. Its battery can last a full 24 hours, it's water-resistant, and it sounds great. Plus, it's half as expensive as our first pick!

Best Bluetooth Speakers:

• 1. Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
• 2. JBL Charge 4
• 3. Anker Soundcore 2
• 4. Tribit MaxSound Plus
• 5. Marshall Stanmore II
• 6. Bose SoundLink Revolve+
• 7. V-Moda Remix
• 8. Sony SRS-XB12
• 9. Bose SoundLink Micro
• 10. Tronsmart Force

1. Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2: Best Overall Bluetooth Speaker

Top Features: 360-degree sound, boost mode, 13-hour battery life, IP67 water and dust rating, great price for the features, can make a stereo pair

Pros:

• Fantastic audio for its size
• IP67 water and dust resistance
• Affordable
• Good battery life
• Can make a stereo pair

Cons:

• Micro-USB charging
• Distorts a bit at max volume
• No Party Up feature

Ultimate Ears proves that speakers don't have to be expensive to be good. The Wonderboom 2 gets shockingly loud for its size, and sounds excellent for just about every type of music, from pop to rock and jazz. The Wonderboom 2 also has omnidirectional sound, making it great for parties. It comes in multiple flashy colors, and you can pair it up with another speaker — although you can only pair it with another Wonderboom 2 speaker.

It's also IP67-certified, meaning it's resistant to dust and submersion — in fact, half of the photos you'll find online of the Wonderboom 2 feature the speaker floating in pools. As a bonus, the Wonderboom 2 is durable, rated to withstand drops from up to 5 feet, and lasts for up to 13 hours between each charge. Not bad at all for a speaker of this size.

2. JBL Charge 4: Best Upgrade Bluetooth Speaker

Top Features: Can connect to two smartphones at a time, 20-hour battery life, can connect to more than 100 JBL connect+ speakers, IPX7 waterproof

Pros:

• Charges via USB-C
• Loud, punchy audio
• Long battery life
• Charges phones and other devices
• Can connect to two smartphones

Cons:

• A bit bulky and heavy
• No microphone for calls

JBL is another instantly recognizable name in speakers, and the Charge 4 is a large, bulky speaker with deep bass and 20 hours of battery life. Its namesake feature is its ability to share that battery — the Charge 4 has a USB-A port next to its USB-C charging port that can be used to share power from is 7,500mAh battery to charge your phone while you listen to music.

Like many of the other speakers on this list, it's also water-resistant, bearing IPX7 certification (so long as you keep the rubber gaskets closed). If you're throwing an all-day pool party or going out on the water during a camping trip, this is easily one of your best options, since it nearly eliminates the need to buy and carry a separate battery pack.

3. Anker Soundcore 2: Best Bluetooth Speaker Battery Life

Top Features: Strong bass performance, 24-hour battery life, IPX7 weather resistance, great price, stereo pairing with other Soundcore speakers

Pros:

• IPX7 water resistance
• Stereo pairing with other Soundcores
• Fantastic battery life
• Extremely affordable speaker

Cons:

• Lacking in bass
• Not as loud as other speakers

There isn't much to complain about with the Anker Soundcore 2. For a fraction of the price of other Bluetooth speakers, Anker's latest packs respectable sound and all-day battery life into a small, rugged chassis. The Soundcore 2 is waterproof and rated to last for a full 24 hours. Of course, you'd hope Anker of all brands would be able to provide good battery life.

Unfortunately, the Soundcore 2 is significantly lacking in bass, which can have a significant impact on specific genres of music, and it's a bit quiet compared to other speakers on this list. Still, for the price it commands, it's a great little speaker available in a few color options, and you can even buy more than one and pair them together for surround sound audio.

4. Tribit Max Sound Plus: Best Value Bluetooth Speaker

Top Features: Advanced amplifier modules, XBass technology, IPX7 waterproofing, 20-hour battery life, 100-foot range

Pros:

• All-day battery life
• IPX7 water and dust resistance
• Extremely affordable
• Xbass technology

Cons:

• The attached lanyard can be small
• Charges via micro-USB rather than USB-C

The Tribit MaxSound Plus is another inexpensive speaker with long-lasting battery life and IPX7 water resistance. This portable powerhouse gives you 20 hours of battery life and an impressive range of up to 100 feet, so you don't have to keep the device close to you or your phone to keep the tunes blasting.

There are two 12W drivers with Tribit's proprietary Xbass technology for booming sound at the push of a button, along with Texas Instruments amplifier modules and audio processing technology. The speaker sports a lanyard rope for carrying, and a rubber flap that covers the headphone jack and Micro-USB charging port to keep everything waterproof. If you're on a tight budget, it's hard to go wrong with the MaxSound Plus.

5. Marshall Stanmore II: Best Premium Bluetooth Speaker

Top Features: Classic styling, in-depth app controls, 3.5mm audio jack, 30-foot range

Pros:

• Phenomenal sound quality
• Stylized like a guitar amplifier
• Apt-X certified
• Supports Bluetooth, aux, and RCA

Cons:

• Very expensive
• Large and heavy for a Bluetooth speaker

Marshall took its decades of guitar amplifier prowess and built a fantastic Bluetooth speaker in the Stanmore II. It's stylized like a Marshall combo amp, with a few knobs at the top for adjusting volume, as well as bass and treble, and you can quickly switch between Bluetooth, auxiliary input, and even RCA.

The Stanmore II is much larger than most of the other speakers on this list, but it fits perfectly in any musician or music lover's home and sounds as good as you'd expect a Marshall product to. You can further adjust the sound via the accompanying app, but by default, it has well-defined bass and holds up well, even at loud volumes — it is a Marshall amp, after all. Well, sort of.

6. Bose Soundlink Revolve: Best Sounding Bluetooth Speaker

Top Features: Premium 360-degree sound, built-in microphone, 16-hour battery life, IPx4 water-resistance, can pair two for stereo mode

Pros:

• Sleek aluminum design
• Bose reputation
• IPX4 splash-proof
• Handle up top for easy transport
• Great battery life
• Omnidirectional audio

Cons:

• Expensive
• Charges over Micro-USB

Bose's SoundLink Revolve+ is similar to some of the other speakers on this list in that it offers omnidirectional audio and several onboard controls. Still, it sounds better than just about any other speaker we've used, with a clearer high end and punchier bass that Bose is known for. The aluminum unibody design is pretty slick, too — but it's only IPX4 splash resistant, rather than IP67 like other speakers on this list.

The SoundLink's most significant disadvantage is its price, which is almost twice as much as something like the JBL Charge 4. Still, that could be worth it for audiophiles and fans of Bose's legendary sound signature. It also has long battery life, coming in at around 16 hours per charge, and the handle at the top makes it easy to pick up and carry around once the party moves locations.

7. V-Moda Remix: Best-Looking Bluetooth Speaker

Top Features: Award-winning sound, 10-hour battery life, 3.5 mm audio jack, built-in VAMP headphone amplifier

Pros:

• Gorgeous design with customizable build materials
• USB-C charging
• Built-in headphone amplifier
• Booming bass

Cons:

• No water resistance
• Middling battery life

V-Moda is typically known for its high-end headphones, but the V-Moda Remix impresses with a unique, stunning design and modern appointments like USB-C. It's a bit on the larger side, but that's partially because the Remix features a built-in headphone amplifier, allowing you to connect high-impedance headphones.

The design is comprised of a hexagonal speaker grill enclosed in your choice of either aluminum or vegan leather. It's one of the best-looking speakers around, and the audio lives up to V-Moda's reputation with responsive highs and mids and loud, thumping bass. Unfortunately, the Remix isn't water-resistant like a lot of the other options on this list and only has about half the battery life with a rating of 10 hours.

8. Sony SRS-XB12: Grab and Go Bluetooth Speaker

Top Features: Big sound from a small package, IP67 water, and dust resistance, can connect two for stereo pair, 16-hour battery life

Pros:

• Surprisingly loud, crisp audio
• Long battery life
• Small, portable form factor
• IPX7 water and dust resistance

Cons:

• Micro-USB, rather than USB-C
• Charges slowly

The XB12 is a relatively new Bluetooth speaker from Sony with a soft touch rubber body that's both water-resistant and able to take a beating. It fits in the palm of your hand, and gets surprisingly loud and clean, with even reasonably balanced bass despite its small stature.

Like other speakers in this list, the Sony XB12 uses the aging Micro-USB connector for charging and comes in a small assortment of eye-catching colors with matching wrist/carrying straps. It lasts up to 16 hours per charge, though it takes several hours to reach a full charge. With a solid build quality and a rugged exterior, there's a lot to love about the XB12 at a competitive price.

9. Bose SoundLink Micro: Best Bluetooth Speaker for Biking

Top Features: Perfectly portable for bikes, bags, or backpacks, IPX7 water-resistant, 6-hour battery life, can connect two for stereo pair, built-in microphone

Pros:

• Built-in microphone for voice assistants
• Small, portable design
• IPX7 water resistance
• Good audio quality

Cons:

• Poor battery life
• Lacking in bass

If the SoundLink Revolve+ is out of your price range, the Bose SoundLink Micro is a smaller speaker for about half the price that's both water-resistant and shockproof. It's available in a few striking colors and offers clean, distortion-free sound at a moderate volume — though the small size means it's a bit lacking in bass. You can take it with you on the go thanks to the strap, which allows you to attach it to your backpack or bike.

The biggest disadvantage of the SoundLink Micro is its battery life. At only 6 hours, this is far from the longest-lasting speaker we've seen, but your neighbors will likely appreciate the hard limit on loud music. The SoundLink Micro also has built-in microphones, which allow you to carry out calls and even talk to Google Assistant or Siri when connected to your phone.

10. Tronsmart Force: Toughest Bluetooth Speaker

Top Features: Virtually indestructible, IPX7 water-resistant, 15-hour battery life, microSD card slot, connect two for stereo pair

Pros:

• IPX7 water resistance
• 15-hour battery
• NFC pairing
• USB-C charging
• Almost 100-foot range

Cons:

• Battery life could be better
• Buttons are difficult to see

Having a waterproof Bluetooth speaker is excellent, and being lucky enough to find one that can take the occasional drop is even better. What about a speaker that can survive a four-story plummet to its (near) death from a hotel balcony into a pool? If you're looking for that level of toughness, then look no further than the Tronsmart Force Bluetooth speaker.

This is the kind of speaker you can feel comfortable bringing with you on your next pool party or beach vacation, but it is equally at home in the home. It pairs quickly and easily to your devices via NFC, and even though the battery life isn't as long as we'd like, you can charge it efficiently via its USB-C charging port. It's so versatile that many people even use it as a shower speaker.

Bottom line

When it comes to portable Bluetooth speakers, you need to consider a few features in your product, including battery life, sound quality, and element resistance. The portability means you're going to want to take it places that might be dangerous to electronics, so you're going to want a speaker that's built to take on the go.

There's no shortage of Bluetooth speakers to choose from, but if we were buying one, we'd go for the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2. The speaker sounds fantastic for what it costs, and offers excellent value for your money. While there are more specialized options that prioritize things like longer battery life or better sound, the Wonderboom 2 is the most well-rounded speaker, offering loud, punchy sound, water resistance, and excellent battery life.

Bluetooth Speaker FAQs

This article is meant to serve as a comprehensive buying guide for the best Bluetooth speakers on the market right now at different price points and different use cases. In addition to all of the information provided above, we know that you still may have questions about Bluetooth Speakers. Hopefully, we'll be able to address all of your questions below. We tackle why you should buy a Bluetooth speaker, how to pick the best Bluetooth speaker for you, and what other Bluetooth speaker options are available.

🤔 Why should you buy a portable Bluetooth speaker?

The easiest way to upgrade the sound on your phone or tablet is to pair it with a Bluetooth speaker. The standard is ubiquitous, with every phone, tablet, and notebook featuring Bluetooth connectivity. While some of the options listed above feature Bluetooth 4.0 and several others are based on Bluetooth 4.2, you won't notice any difference when it comes to connecting your phone or tablet to any of the picks we've outlined.

Bluetooth speakers have come a long way in the last five years, with even budget options offering excellent sound quality these days. They're ideal for listening to music or your favorite podcasts at home or near the pool. You don't have to worry about range either, with all of the options mentioned above delivering rock-solid connectivity up to 50 feet. There are several on the list that goes up to 100 feet or beyond, with Ultimate Ears leading the charge in this particular area.

One of the main reasons for going with a Bluetooth speaker is that you don't need to worry about wires, and there's no specialized hardware required to connect to one. Portability is also a primary factor here, as it's easy to carry most of the picks we've listed above in your bag.

📻 How to pick the best Bluetooth speaker for you

With a seemingly unending selection of Bluetooth speakers, it can be challenging to decide where to start. These devices vary wildly by price, by design, by feature set, by sound quality, and more. Before you decide on a Bluetooth speaker, here are some factors to consider:

1. Indoors or outdoors?

While many of the Bluetooth speakers on this list can function equally well both inside and out, some are tuned to work better in one environment over the other.

For example, the Marshall Stanmore II or V-Moda Remix are both fantastic additions to your living room or office, but you probably don't want to leave them outside for hours at a time. Alternatively, something like the Tronsmart Force or Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 is outstanding for outdoor use, but if you're primarily going to be listening inside, you can probably find better options.

2. Price

Bluetooth speaker pricing runs the gamut from bargains buys to premium audiophile halo products. Generally speaking, the more you spend, the more features are included, and the better the speaker(s) sounds. But that doesn't mean that you can't find a good balance of features for a good value. True, one of our absolute favorite speakers (of any kind) is the Bose SoundLink Revolve+, but just about any offering from JBL or Ultimate Ears should make most ears happy.

3. Size matters

Get your mind out of the gutter; I'm talking speaker size here. If you want something portable for a mountain bike ride or commute, then you're not going to want to get anything much larger than the Bose SoundLink Micro or Sony SRS-XB12. However, if you're going to host an epic BBQ or dance party, the much larger Bose SoundLink Revolve+ or Marshall Stanmore II might be more fitting.

4. Battery life and charging capacity

If you're taking your Bluetooth speaker away from a steady power source, you want to be sure that it can last the duration you need it to. And you don't want to have to carry a phone, a Bluetooth speaker, AND a battery pack if you don't have to.

Generally speaking, the larger the speaker, the larger the battery, but that's not always the case. Just look at our pick for Toughest Speaker, the Tronsmart Force. It tops out at about 15 hours, where similarly-sized speakers can get five to 10 hours more per charge.

Don't forget that we have several guides for different kinds of Bluetooth speakers, including ranking them by affordability, outdoor usage, and interoperability with smart voice assistants.

Best Bluetooth Speakers under $50 Best Bluetooth Speakers under $100 Best Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker for Outdoors Best Bluetooth Speakers to Pair with Amazon Echo Input

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

Hayato Huseman is a recovering trade show addict and video editor for Android Central based out of Indianapolis. He can mostly be found complaining about the cold and enthusing about prog metal on Twitter at @hayatohuseman.

Daniel Bader is the Managing Editor of Android Central. As he's writing this, a mountain of old Android phones is about to fall on his head, but his Great Dane will protect him. He drinks way too much coffee and sleeps too little. He wonders if there's a correlation.

Jeramy Johnson is proud to help Keep Austin Weird and loves hiking in the hill country of central Texas with a breakfast taco in each hand. When he's not writing about smart home gadgets and wearables, he's defending his relationship with his smart voice assistants to his family. You can follow him on Twitter at @jeramyutgw.