The 3 Best Soundbars Under $100 - Fall 2024

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 make all the difference, especially if you're looking to upgrade from your TV's speakers. This bar 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. 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, but it lacks 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.

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. It can occasionally retail for more than our $100 price point, but you may still find a good deal.

If you're on a strict budget, you can opt for the LG SK1 instead. This soundbar is another small, standalone model, and while it's a touch wider than the Roku, it's still quite easy to integrate into your setup. It has far fewer features than the Roku, so you don't get access to a media streamer, and there's no dialogue enhancement tool. Plus, there's no HDMI ARC port to help reduce the number of cables in your setup. If you plan to connect your bar to a TV over Optical, it's still a fair choice, with a small, compact design and a solid sound quality that makes for a noticeable upgrade over your existing TV speakers.

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 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. Compared to 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.