۶ Best Bluetooth Speakers Under $100 in 2023
Bluetooth speakers are a great way to listen to your favorite music, podcasts, or other audio content on the go or at home. They come in various sizes, styles, and price points, so it can be tough to choose one. If you’re looking for a high-quality speaker that won’t break the bank, you’re in luck! In this post, we’ll be highlighting the best Bluetooth speakers under $100 that you can buy right now.
From portable designs that are perfect for outdoor adventures to sleek and stylish options that look great in any home, there’s something for everyone on this list. So, whether you’re looking for a speaker to take to the beach or have a house party with, we have you covered.
But before we get to our list,
Now, let’s get to our top-rated Bluetooth speakers for under $100.
۱. Best Cheap Bluetooth Speaker: Oontz Angle 3 Ultra
- Weight: 1.۰۶ lbs | Power output: 14W
- Battery life: 20 hours | Weather-proofing: IPX7
- Connectivity: BT 5.0, AUX
If you’re tight on budget or not willing to spend anything more than a good meal’s value on your Bluetooth speaker, this is the speaker to get. It’s IPX7 rated, meaning it’s completely waterproof and rain-resistant. The dual drivers combine with a passive radiator, outputting up to 14 watts of peak power. The claimed battery life of 20 hours with a weight of just over 1lb makes it a great travel companion.
The Angle 3 Ultra features Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, offering stable connections up to 100 feet. You can also use an AUX cable to connect via its built-in 3.5mm port. While the design is nothing to write home about, the angled speaker shape does help in the sound feeling more direct to anyone sitting in front of the speaker.
You can’t expect speakers in this price and size bracket to blow your mind away. But for what it’s worth, this speaker can easily get you in the mood with its booming bass and ample loudness. This speaker has over 40,000 reviews on Amazon, and most users praise its loud, punchy audio performance and its sturdy build quality. You can even connect two of these speakers for a stereo effect.
That being said, if you’re not into bass-heavy music, the audio quality might feel too boomy for you. It’s not meant to accurately reproduce the highs and vocals; the details might feel lacking for trained ears. All said and done, this is still one of the cheapest Bluetooth speakers you can buy with a room-filling sound.
- Pros: BT 5.0, loud sound, waterproof
- Cons: Might sound too boomy, not dustproof
۲. Best Mini Bluetooth Speaker Under $100: Sony SRS-XB13
- Weight: 0.۷۵ lbs | Power output: 5W
- Battery life: 16 hours | Weather-proofing: IP67
- Connectivity: BT 4.2
Don’t let this speaker’s size and ‘۵ watts’ output spec fool you. The XB13 uses its downward-facing passive radiator to deliver unexpectedly good bass levels even with its tiny size. It’s a great-sounding speaker with ample loudness, dust and water resistance rating, and up to 16 hours of battery life. Plus, the fact that it weighs just lower than 1lb makes it a superb speaker for outdoor activities like hiking and cycling.
The Sony SRS-XB13 still uses old Bluetooth 4.2 technology, which offers only up to 30 feet of connectivity, and it doesn’t come with an AUX port either. While it has a rubberized exterior, its plastic build is prone to scuffs and scratches. Thankfully, Sony has included a handy strap with the speaker that makes it super easy to mount it to backpacks or bicycle handles.
Coming to the sound output, it features an upward-firing speaker and a passive radiator opening towards the bottom. This design results in some good low-end thump, especially when the speaker is kept on a flat surface. However, the upward-firing speaker means that even while sitting right beside the speaker, the sound is firing away from you.
Due to this, the speaker feels less loud than it is, although you can connect two of these to add more weight to your music. The best JBL speaker at this price, JBL Clip 4, offers slightly better loudness, although it can’t match the XB13 in terms of bass output.
- Pros: Impressive bass for its size, dust- and water-proof
- Cons: Old BT 4.2, the sound output is directional, no AUX
۳. Best Bluetooth Speaker With Lights: DOSS SoundBox Pro+
- Weight: 1.۷۸ lbs | Power output: 24W
- Battery life: 15 hours | Weather-proofing: IPX5
- Connectivity: BT 4.2, AUX, TF card
If you’re looking for a Bluetooth speaker that also helps add to the mood of the party, Doss SoundBox Pro+ delivers impressive sound along with providing a full-on light show. It comes with dual full-range drivers, flanked by two passive radiators, combing to give a total output of 24 watts. There’s an LED light strip around the rim and two LEDs inside the speakers that can sync to your music or flash in several different patterns.
This speaker comes in a rubberized case build but is only certified against water splashes and isn’t waterproof. It’s available in three colors, and you can connect two such speakers to get true stereo output and much louder sound.
Talking about sound, the 24-watt power output makes it one of the best Bluetooth speakers under $75. Most user reviews talk about how loud and clean this speaker sounds with an impressive amount of bass. The speaker doesn’t distort its output even at higher volumes, which is great for parties.
Along with Bluetooth, you can also use this speaker via an AUX cable or the built-in card slot to play offline music from a memory card. While Doss claims a battery life of up to 15 hours with this speaker, most reviews point to 10-12 hours of music playback in real-life scenarios. Further, you’ll have to use the micro-USB port to charge this battery which is a shame; a Type-C port would have been better.
- Pros: Loud sound, LED lights, multiple inputs
- Cons: Old BT 4.2, not waterproof, micro-USB port
۴. Best Portable Bluetooth Speaker Under $100: UE Wonderboom 3
- Weight: 0.۹۳ lbs | Power output: 10W
- Battery life: 14 hours | Weather-proofing: IP67
- Connectivity: BT 5.2
The UE Wonderboom 3 offers strong sound quality and durability in a compact size. It features Bluetooth 5.2 technology for reliable connectivity and offers up to 14 hours of playback on a single charge. This is the first speaker on our list to offer a 360-degree sound. It is available in some lovely colors and can be controlled using voice assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
This speaker is the perfect companion for your travels and showers alike, thanks to its lightweight, cylindrical, rugged design that is dust- and water-proof and even floats on water. It comes with a stretchy loop to help it cling to things, although the inclusion of an outdated micro-USB port is a bummer.
For a speaker of its size, the Wonderboom 3 delivers a surprisingly well-balanced sound with an impressive amount of bass. It features dual drivers that help give this speaker a 360-degree sound, meaning it sounds equally impressive from all directions. A dedicated ‘outdoor mode’ button at the bottom adds even more low-end thump to its performance, although it somewhat messes up with the sound profile.
UE claims this speaker can last up to 14 hours on a single charge, which is great for an outdoor Bluetooth speaker. Connecting two such speakers to deliver even better sound output is also possible. The folks over at Tom’s Guide called it one of the best-rounded Bluetooth speakers for under $100. Just remember that if portability isn’t paramount for you, you can get much bigger and louder speakers at this price.
- Pros: Sounds fantastic, portable design, waterproof
- Cons: Micro-USB port, much bigger speakers available at this price
۵. Top-Rated Bluetooth Speaker for $100: Tribit StormBox Pro
- Weight: 2.۶۴ lbs | Power output: 40W
- Battery life: 24 hours | Weather-proofing: IP67
- Connectivity: BT 5.3
The Tribit StormBox Pro offers a portable design and delivers high-quality sound. It is water- and dust-resistant, making it ideal for outdoor use. The speaker has a built-in microphone for taking calls, uses the latest BT 5.3 for reliable connectivity, and can offer up to 24 hours of continuous playback. In addition, the StormBox Pro has a built-in power bank, allowing you to charge your devices on the go.
The StormBox Pro features a lantern-like design with an easy-to-carry handle up top. It’s covered in a waterproof fabric exterior with an IP67 rating, meaning you can take it to pool parties and more. There’s no AUX port here for wired playback, but you get a USB port for charging your phones on the go.
It’s the biggest speaker on our list so far, which also shows in its sound output. With two tweeters, two passive radiators, and a dedicated 3-inch woofer, this speaker can output up to 40 watts of power. Most user reviews love how loud and detailed this speaker sounds without getting distorted at high volumes.
It delivers 360-degree sound, and you can connect two of these speakers for a stereo pairing. The low-end thump isn’t too great by default, although it has an XBass mode to pump up the bass. Overall, for its great build and clean sound, no wonder it’s one of the top-rated Bluetooth speakers under $100.
- Pros: Great sound, long battery life, waterproof.
- Cons: No AUX, not too bass-forward.
۶. Loudest Bluetooth Speaker for $100: W-King T9-2
- Weight: 9.۲۸ lbs | Power output: 80W
- Battery life: 24 hours | Weather-proofing: NA
- Connectivity: BT 5.0, AUX, TF Card, USB Playback
If you’re looking for a speaker that can take care of an entire party on its own, our last pick is what you need. The T9-2 is a party boombox that can pump out a whopping 100 watts of peak power and features 7-colored light rings that can put up a dynamic light show in sync with the music. It has a long-lasting battery rated for up to 24 hours of playback and offers multiple connectivity options like AUX, a memory card, or a USB stick.
It uses the latest Bluetooth 5 technology for wireless connectivity and can even connect with another speaker to enable stereo playback. It features two 4-inch woofers, two 1.2-inch tweeters, and a dedicated Bass Reflex Tube, delivering superb loudness and ultra-deep bass with low distortions.
In terms of design, it features a vertical standing tower design. It weighs around 10 pounds and is about 18 inches in height, meaning it’s still portable, but you can’t carry it around in your bags. There’s no IP rating here, which is a bummer as even light rainfall or water splashes might harm it.
A 24-hour rated battery means it can easily keep the party going all night long, although using the light effects will affect battery life. Originally priced much higher, it’s generally on sale for about $100. While not the most travel-friendly or portable, it’s the best party speaker for $100, with more than 5,000 positive reviews.
- Pros: Loudest sound, Light show, multiple inputs
- Cons: No IP rating, might be too big for travel
FAQs About Bluetooth Speakers Under $100
The IP rating is a standard used to classify the level of protection an enclosure provides against solid particles and water ingress. The first digit indicates protection against solid particles and the second indicates protection against water. For example, an IPX7 rating means the device is protected against temporary immersion in water but has no protection against dust. Generally, for outdoor speakers, an IPX4 rating is good to have.
While technically, the sound quality is better on more expensive speakers, it is possible to find speakers under $100 that offer loud, room-filling sound. Look for speakers with passive radiators and more than 10 watts of power output. Newer brands like Tribit and W-King might offer better spec’d speakers at a lower price than legacy brands like JBL and Sony, so you can always try them.
Sound quality depends on various factors, such as the speaker’s size, price, and intended use. A wide frequency range (e.g., 20Hz-20kHz) can help ensure that the speaker can reproduce a wide range of sounds, from deep bass to high treble. Speakers may have different ‘sound signatures’ or tonal characteristics, which can affect their sound too. For example, Sony and Tribit speakers have a “bass-heavy” sound signature, while others like JBL and Marshall may be more balanced across the frequency spectrum.
Good Price, Great Sound
There are a wide variety of Bluetooth speakers under $100 available on the market that offer a wide range of features and sound quality. By considering factors such as battery life, waterproofing, sound signature, and design, you can find a budget-friendly speaker that meets your needs and fits your style.
