The 6 Best Bluetooth Speakers Under $50 - Spring 2021 Reviews

The best Bluetooth speaker under $50 that we've tested is the Sony SRS-XB12. It's very well built and is rated IP67 for dust and water resistance, though we don't currently test for this. Its small, lightweight design along with its carrying strap makes it exceptionally portable, which makes it a good fit to take outdoors with you.

While it doesn't get very loud, it has little compression artifacts at max volume, so your audio should sound mostly clean when listening to music at louder volumes. Its soundstage is very good, which also allows your audio to be clear from most angles. Also, it has a balanced mid-range which makes it a good choice for dialogue-centric content like audiobooks and podcasts.
 
Like most small speakers, it also struggles to reproduce low-bass, and it doesn't have an EQ you can use to adjust its sound, which may disappoint fans of bass-heavy genres like EDM. While it can support voice assistants when paired to your smartphone, its performance isn't great. It's also important to note that it sometimes retails for a little more than our budget price point of $50. That said, if you're looking for a cheap and versatile speaker, the Sony is still a great choice.

The best Bluetooth speaker under $50 for voice assistants that we've tested is the Amazon Echo Dot Gen 4. It has Alexa built-in, which can hear you even if you're far away or in a noisy room. There's also a mute mic button if you want Alexa to stop listening to you.

It has a balanced mid-range, so it can reproduce vocals and lead instruments clearly, though higher frequencies may sound dull or veiled due to its underemphasized treble range. There are also bass and treble adjustments in its companion app, which lets you customize its sound to your liking. It has impressive directivity thanks to its 360-design, so it has a wide and immersive soundstage. Its Bluetooth range is superb, so it can play audio from connected devices even if they're far away.

Unfortunately, it has to be plugged in to be used, so it's not very portable. It also doesn't get very loud, though its companion app has a Party Mode feature that lets you pair multiple speakers to amplify the sound. If you're looking for an affordable option with an amazing voice assistant, this is a suitable choice.

The JBL GO 3 is the best portable Bluetooth speaker under $50 that we've tested. Thanks to its small and lightweight design, it's outstandingly portable. You can also attach it to your bag using its built-in strap, so you can take it on the go.

It has a well-balanced mid-range, so it can reproduce vocals and lead instruments clearly. While it can't get very loud, it doesn't have much compression at max volume, so its audio production remains clean and pure. It also comes with an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, though we don't currently test for this. It's suitable for watching videos since it has low latency with iOS and Android devices, although some apps compensate differently for this.

However, it isn't compatible with voice assistants, even those on your smartphone. Also, its battery only lasts around five hours on a single charge, though this may be okay for shorter listening sessions. If you're looking for an incredibly portable speaker with Bluetooth capabilities, this is worth considering.