Best Bluetooth speakers under $100 in 2023

UE Wonderboom 2 lifestyle alt
(Image credit: Android Central)

You don't need to spend a lot of money to get a great Bluetooth speaker, so we've rounded up what we believe are some of the best Bluetooth speakers under $100 to help save you money. So whether you're looking to pick up a speaker to listen to music, play your favorite podcasts by the pool, or stream music from your phone, there are plenty of great affordable options available. Our top pick would be the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 for versatility and excellent sound quality. 

Save on these great-sounding speakers

Why you can trust Android Central Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 3 colors promo

(Image credit: Ultimate Ears)

Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 3

The best budget Bluetooth speaker around

Reasons to buy

+
IP67 dust and water resistance
+
Great sound quality
+
13-hour battery life
+
360-degree sound

Reasons to avoid

-
Charges over outdated Micro-USB
-
No adjustable EQ
-
No Party Up feature

The Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 2 previously held the title of best Bluetooth speaker under $100, but it has since been supplanted by its successor. The WONDERBOOM 3 still features IP67 water resistance, astonishingly great sound quality, but adds 14 hours of battery life. The speaker also has multi-directional sound, and you can even pair two speakers together to create a stereo effect (although you can only pair it with other Wonderboom speakers).

The versatility here makes the WONDERBOOM 3 stand out from the pack. You can take it to the pool without worrying about water getting into the innards as long as the Micro-USB port is covered, and you can even submerge it in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes without any issues.

The design is rugged enough — it's rated to withstand tumbles from 5 feet — so you don't have to worry about long-term durability issues. While the WONDERBOOM 2 and WONDERBOOM 3 look strikingly similar, the latter is now made from a "two-tone fabric" comprising more than 30% recycled plastic. All of this was done without making sacrifices to the durability and water resistance rating.

Klipsch Groove lifestyle

(Image credit: Klipsch)

Klipsch Groove

Outstanding sound with the latest tech

Reasons to buy

+
Powerful driver and radiators
+
Splash resistance (IPX4)
+
Compact design

Reasons to avoid

-
Micro-USB charging
-
8-hour battery life

The Klipsch Groove has been around for quite a while, but it's still one of the best Bluetooth speakers under $100, especially if you want big sound in a small package. Klipsch is one of the titans of the audio industry, and the Groove is a great example of why.

With the Groove, you'll enjoy many of the basic features you would expect to find on any Bluetooth speaker. This includes all of the media playback and hardware controls on the top of the speaker.  It also offers an IPX4 splash resistance rating, so while it might not be the best speaker for a pool party, it'll be able to withstand a bit of rain if you take it camping. 

Battery life leaves a lot to be desired, as the Groove only lasts for eight hours. But considering that this compact and lightweight speaker is powered by dual bass radiators and a 3-inch driver, it's more than enough to use if you want to sit back and enjoy your favorite music.

Sony SRS-XB23 Bluetooth Speaker

(Image credit: Sony)

Sony SRS-XB23 Portable Wireless Speaker

Big sound in a portable package

Reasons to buy

+
Lightweight and compact design
+
Doubles as a speakerphone
+
Durable construction
+
IP67 Water-resistance

Reasons to avoid

-
Average battery life
-
Does not deliver 360-degree audio

Sony might not be as well-known for its Bluetooth speakers as the others on this list, but the SRS-XB23 is rather impressive. It offers a lightweight and compact design, to go along with its IP67 water and dust resistance. You'll also enjoy USB-C charging via the port found on the back, but battery life is rather middling, coming in at just 12 hours. 

Compared to previous Bluetooth speakers from Sony, the company has implemented its "X-Balanced Speaker Unit" in order to provide better audio quality. But you won't enjoy 360-degree audio thanks to the front-firing speaker system. Nevertheless, you can go from listening to music at home to tying it to your bag in a jiffy, thanks to the detachable wrist strap. 

The speaker comes in five colors — black, Coral Red, light blue, Olive Green, and taupe — and it can be paired with up to 100 speakers with Party Connect. It also doubles as a speakerphone to make so you can keep your hands free while on a conference call. 

Tribit Xsound Mega Lifestyle

(Image credit: Source: Tribit)

Tribit XSound Mega Portable Speaker

The ideal Bluetooth speaker for parties

Reasons to buy

+
Top button makes it easy to change the EQ
+
LED lighting is adjustable and fun
+
Doubles as a portable 8,000mAh battery
+
IPX7 water resistance

Reasons to avoid

-
Doesn't offer 360-degree sound
-
Heavier than it looks

With the Tribit XSound Mega Portable Speaker, you're getting one of the best speakers to take with you to a party. A ring of lights surrounds the 30W bass-heavy drivers, which can be synced to provide a pretty awesome experience. Tribit also knows that you might not always be taking this with you to a party, so there's a hardware button on the top to switch between the three different EQ modes.

Battery life is the name of the game here, and Tribit's latest speaker doesn't disappoint. Thanks to the 8,000mAh battery, you'll get up to 20 hours of music on a single charge while also taking advantage of fast charging via either the USB-C or USB-A port on the back. But the XSound Mega takes things a step further as it also doubles as a portable charger to keep your phone topped up.

Despite its design, the XSound Mega is not actually a speaker that offers 360-degrees of sound. That's something that many might be looking for in an outdoor speaker, but you still won't be disappointed if you pick one of these up.

JBL Flip 5 lifestyle

(Image credit: JBL)

JBL Flip 5

A great option for the road

Reasons to buy

+
Rugged design
+
IPX7 water resistance
+
Google Assistant integration
+
Can connect to devices simultaneously

Reasons to avoid

-
Google Assistant is not voice-activated
-
12 hours of playback is a bit shorter than others

JBL is one of the most recognized players in this segment, and the Flip series continues to be a best-seller for its rugged design and versatility. The Flip 5 may not be the latest in the series, but it still offers plenty. Thanks to its 8W drivers, it sounds great, and you get IPX7 water resistance, making it ideal for the pool.

The 3,000 mAh battery delivers 12 hours of music playback from a full charge, and you can pair the Charge 5 with other JBL speakers via Connect+. You can connect two devices to the speaker simultaneously, and you can invoke the Google Assistant with the press of a button. If you already have a JBL product with Connect+ tech, the Flip 5 is an easy sell.

Tronsmart Bang Mini Lifestyle

(Image credit: Tronsmart)

Tronsmart Bang Mini

Full sound in a unique package

Reasons to buy

+
IPX6 rating
+
15-hour battery life
+
Bluetooth 5.3
+
Two customizable LED modes

Reasons to avoid

-
Can only pair a maximum of two speakers
-
Breathing light only works in standby mode

Tronsmart makes some of the most durable and fun-looking portable Bluetooth speakers on the market today. Right off the bat, the Bang Mini speaker provides 50W of sound with dual woofers, dual mid tweeters, and a total of three passive radiators. It's also water resistant thanks to IPX6 rating, and Tronsmart has designed the Bang Mini to float back to the top of the water if the speaker gets submerged.

This is also one of the few speakers under $100 that includes Bluetooth 5.3, which provides a faster and more reliable connection. To help get the battery going, there are two different customizable LED modes that you can tinker with. However, the downside here is that the "Breathing" mode is only available when the Bang Mini is on standby.

You can also go so far as to pair two Bang Mini speakers together if you're looking to fill the room with your favorite playlist. And unlike some of the other speakers on this list, you can finally ditch the microUSB cable, thanks to the USB-C charging port found on the back. 

LG XBOOM GO Speaker PL5 lifestyle

(Image credit: LG)

LG XBOOM Go Speaker PL5

Great sound in a modest package

Reasons to buy

+
Outstanding sound
+
IPX5 rating
+
18-hour battery life
+
USB-C charging
+
Works with Google Assistant

Reasons to avoid

-
No wireless charging support

If your primary consideration for an affordable Bluetooth speaker is sound quality, look no further than the LG XBOOM Go Speaker PL5. The speaker offers outstanding sound from a relatively modest package, all thanks to the audio tuning provided by Meridian Technology. LG has also implemented Sound Boost which can transform your listening experience with a press of a button.

Like some of the Ultimate Ears speakers, you can pair the PL5 with up to 100 other LG XBOOM Go speakers, and you can expect it to last quite a long time with its 24 hours of battery life. It's also the perfect device to take with you to the beach, the lake, or the pool, thanks to its IPX5 rating that gives it outstanding resistance to the elements. Unlike many speakers on this list, the PL5 charges via USB-C cable, but it does not support wireless charging.

Anker Soundcore Motion Boom lifestyle

(Image credit: Soundcore)

Anker Soundcore Motion Boom

All the frills at a low cost.

Reasons to buy

+
Customizable EQ
+
IPX7 water resistance
+
24 hours of battery life
+
Bluetooth 5.0
+
Doubles as a portable charger

Reasons to avoid

-
Lacks 3.5mm audio jack

While Anker is easily a fan favorite when it comes to the best chargers, the company has been expanding into other categories. This includes the Soundcore lineup of products, which includes everything from Bluetooth speakers to some of the best wireless earbuds

The Anker Soundcore Motion Boom is one of those speakers that may look a bit boring, but it's easily one of the best Bluetooth speakers available. Along with the boombox-like design, the Motion Boom makes it easy to customize the EQ with the accompanying app on your phone. 

Something else that really helps the Motion Boom stand out from the crowd is the battery life. This speaker is rated to last for up to 24 hours on a single charge but actually doubles as a portable power bank, complete with Anker's PowerIQ charging technology. This ensures that whatever phone you are using charges as fast as possible, without needing to worry about it being overcharged.

Best Bluetooth speaker under $100: Plenty of great picks to choose from

Ultimately, choosing the right Bluetooth speaker comes down to what you're looking for. There's no shortage of great products in this category, and it is up to you to decide if you want the latest connectivity, water-resistance, or the best sound quality.

If we had to choose one, it would be the Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 3. This speaker is a fantastic option for listening in the shower or at the pool, and the sound quality combined with the form factor and rugged design makes it the best choice in the affordable Bluetooth space. But if you're looking for an even cheaper option, you can always consider the best Bluetooth speakers under $50.

Jeramy Johnson
Editor-in-chief

Jeramy is the Editor-in-Chief of Android Central. He is proud to help *Keep Austin Weird* and loves hiking in the hill country of central Texas with a breakfast taco in each hand. You can follow him on Twitter at @jeramyutgw.