Finding the right soundbar can be tough if you're on a tight budget. There aren't many models under $100 anymore, though some do drop below that mark when on sale. While budget bars usually skip premium features and advanced connectivity, they are still a solid step up from your TV's built-in speakers. Whether you're watching shows or streaming music, these affordable options can deliver good value for the price.
We've tested over 225 soundbars, and here are our recommendations. You can also check out our recommendations for the best soundbars, the best Dolby Atmos soundbars, and the best small soundbars.
Quick Look
Our recommendations are built upon our thorough testing and rigorous reviews. Every soundbar we evaluate goes through multiple testing stages with different teams to ensure accurate, authentic results. No cherry-picked units or data.
Curious how we've tested over 200 soundbars (and counting)? Look at our How We Test Soundbars article for a behind-the-scenes look at our lab and process.
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Best Soundbar Under $100
The best soundbar under $100 we've tested is the Hisense HS2100. While the price is technically just a touch above the $100 mark, the extra couple of dollars makes all the difference, especially if you're looking to upgrade from your TV's speakers. This bar also has a compact subwoofer, bringing plenty of punch and boom to your audio. Dialogue and instruments sound natural but lack brilliance. Luckily, a couple of EQ presets are available to help you get the best sound from your setup.
Since this bar has a 2.1 configuration, it has to downmix surround formats like Dolby Digital into stereo. Unfortunately, the resulting sound isn't the most immersive or dimensional, which can be especially disappointing if you love watching movies, but it's also an expected trade-off at this price point. This bar can get loud, but there's some compression at regular and high volume, which affects the quality of your audio. On the upside, it has ARC and Optical ports, both of which support Dolby Digital and DTS, which are commonly available when streaming or using Blu-rays. You can also connect your smartphone to this bar via Bluetooth to play music.
If a few bucks will make or break your budget, consider the Sony HT-S100F. This bar is often found under $100 (although its price also fluctuates above that), but it doesn't have a subwoofer, so your audio lacks thumpy, boomy bass, and this model doesn't support the DTS format. It has less compression at max volume, so you'll get clear sound if you like to crank up the tunes. If you can increase the spending budget for your soundbar, check out our recommendations for the best soundbars under $200 to get more features.
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Best Small Soundbar Under $100
If you have a tight living room space, consider the Roku Streambar. Unlike the Hisense HS2100, it's a standalone bar, but it boasts an even smaller footprint, so it takes up less space in your living room. At less than 14 inches in width, you can easily slide this budget-friendly soundbar into the space beneath your television screen. Plus, it has a premium build for the price, which is a nice touch for design-conscious shoppers. With built-in access to Roku's media streamer, the bar lets you organize all your favorite streaming services into one easy-to-use interface. Again, its price fluctuates around the $100 mark, so you may have to spend a little more than this article's cutoff if you don't want to wait for a sale. But it's a good deal in a compact format.
If you're on a stricter budget, opt for the Roku Streambar SE. This soundbar is another small, standalone model, and its compact size means it's easy to integrate into your setup. While it lacks Dolby Digital support and compresses much more at max volume, it can be had at a lower price point, making it an enticing proposition if you lack the space for a larger bar.
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Best Soundbar For Bass Under $100
Want lots of thump and rumble? Love to feel the power in the bass? The truth is that most soundbars in this price range can't bring the deep, cinematic rumble of more premium models on the market. Still, some options are available even for those shopping on a budget. The Creative Stage is the best of the bunch since this soundbar comes with a dedicated subwoofer to improve its low-frequency extension. As a result, you'll notice more punch and warmth in genres like EDM and hip-hop than with other budget models like the Roku Streambar.
At less than 22 inches in width, this soundbar is another great choice for a smaller living room or the space underneath your computer monitor. Its build quality isn't the best, though, and it doesn't support many audio formats. Unlike the Hisense HS2100, this bar is designed only for 2.0 PCM content, which is disappointing if you want to take advantage of other options like Dolby Digital or DTS.
Notable Mentions
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TCL S55H:
The TCL S55H is a 2.1 soundbar with a separate subwoofer. The inclusion of Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual:X support is compelling for the price point. However, the cost of the soundbar pushes the budget more than that of the Hisense HS2100.
See our review -
TCL S45H:
The TCL S45H is a standalone 2.0 soundbar that offers features like Dolby Atmos compatibility and a room correction tool at a lower price point than the Hisense HS2100. While the absence of a dedicated sub means it lacks some low-end oomph compared to the Hisense, its compact standalone form will lend itself to setups where space is tight.
See our review
Recent Updates
Sep 23, 2025:
We've removed the Hisense HS214 from our Notable Mentions as it's out of stock, but we haven't changed our main picks.
Mar 14, 2025:
We've edited this text for clarity but haven't changed our picks.
Dec 18, 2024:
We've added the TCL S45H as a Notable Mention due to its Atmos compatibility at a low price point. Given that the Roku Streambar is sometimes above $100, we've added a mention of the Roku Streambar SE as a more budget-minded option. Otherwise, we've made minor changes to the text.
Aug 27, 2024: This article has been updated to remove the TCL Alto 6 due to its unavailability. The TCL S55H has been added as a Notable Mention for its support of various audio formats, but we haven't tested it yet.
May 27, 2024: This article's picks have been checked for stock and accuracy with only minor text edits.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the top soundbars under $100 for most people. We factor in the price (a cheaper soundbar wins over a pricier one if the difference isn't worth it), feedback from our visitors, and availability (no soundbars that are difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere).
If you would like to do the work of choosing yourself, here is the list of all our reviews of soundbars under $100. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. While no soundbar is perfect, these outperform built-in TV speakers, and most soundbars are great enough to please almost everyone. The differences are often not noticeable unless you look for them.