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Head-to-head · Best Portable Bluetooth Speakers Under $100

JBL Clip 5 vs Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 4

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

JBL Clip 5 comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.1 vs 3.8). The gap is mostly about Hikers, cyclists and commuters who want the easiest speaker to clip onto a bag or belt for personal, on-the-go listening. — read the strengths below before deciding.

JBL Clip 5
Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Portable Bluetooth Speakers Under $100
JBL Clip 5
3 sources1 derived$69.95as of Aug 1

The JBL Clip 5 is the best ultra-portable clip-on speaker under $100, with a built-in carabiner that makes it the easiest speaker here to take anywhere. It adds a customizable 5-band EQ, IP67 durability, Bluetooth 5.3 and around 12 hours of battery, all in a package that weighs almost nothing. It won't fill a room or deliver deep bass, but as a personal, attach-to-anything speaker it's the class leader.

Strengths
  • — Genuinely useful built-in carabiner clips it to a bag, belt loop or branch
  • — Decent clarity and customizable 5-band EQ via the JBL Portable app
  • — IP67 waterproof and dustproof despite its tiny size
Watch-outs
  • — Sound gets crowded if you push the volume too high
  • — Limited bass and room-filling power given its size
  • — No speakerphone or aux input
$69.95 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →
Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 4
Ranked #4 in Best Portable Bluetooth Speakers Under $100
Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 4
3 sources1 derived$69.99as of Aug 1

The Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 4 is the most rugged, take-anywhere speaker under $100, combining an IP67 rating with a floating, drop-proof body and omnidirectional 360-degree sound. It's punchy for its size and now charges over USB-C, which makes it a natural companion for a hike, pool or shower. The downsides are that it's only a small step up from the Wonderboom 3 and still lacks app support, but as a grab-and-go durable speaker it's hard to beat.

Strengths
  • — Genuinely durable: IP67 dust- and waterproof rating plus a drop-proof, floating design
  • — Omnidirectional 360-degree sound that stays consistent no matter how it's placed
  • — Surprisingly punchy bass and Outdoor Boost mode for open spaces
Watch-outs
  • — Only a modest upgrade over the Wonderboom 3
  • — Still not supported by the Ultimate Ears companion app, so no EQ
  • — Not powerful enough to fill a large room or big backyard
$69.99 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →

Derived means the reviewer published no score, so one was inferred from their written verdict. Everything else is a number the publisher printed. How we rank.

How they stack up

JBL Clip 5

The JBL Clip 5 is the most portable speaker in this group thanks to its integrated carabiner, which neither the JBL Flip 6, Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4, Sony SRS-XB100 nor Anker Soundcore 2 offers in the same clip-and-go form. It shares the IP67 durability of the Flip 6 and Wonderboom 4 but in a far smaller body, trading their fuller sound and volume for unmatched attach-anywhere convenience and JBL's customizable app EQ.

Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 4

The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 is the durability champion of this group, matching the JBL Flip 6's IP67 rating but adding a floating, drop-proof design and omnidirectional 360-degree output the Flip 6's forward-firing drivers don't offer. It's more rugged and more pocketable than the Flip 6 but pushes less volume, and like the Sony SRS-XB100 and Anker Soundcore 2 it's aimed at personal and small-group listening rather than filling a space.

Specs side-by-side

SpecJBL Clip 5Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 4
Power Output7W RMS—
Battery LifeUp to 12 hoursUp to 14 hours
WaterproofingIP67 (waterproof + dustproof)IP67 (waterproof + dustproof), floats
Bluetooth5.35.2
App EQJBL Portable (5-band EQ)—
MountingIntegrated carabiner—
ChargingUSB-CUSB-C
DriversSingle full-range driverDual drivers + dual passive radiators (360-degree)
Wattage7W—
Range—Up to 131 ft (40 m)
Modes—Outdoor Boost, Podcast mode
Weight—424 g
← See the full ranking of best portable bluetooth speakers under $100