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

The best Bluetooth speaker under $50 that we've tested is the Anker Soundcore 3. This remarkably portable speaker comes with a carrying cord you can attach to its side, making it easy to take with you when you're on the go. It's decently built, with an IPX7 rating for water resistance, though we don't test this.

It has a well-balanced mid-range making it suitable for listening to dialogue-heavy content like podcasts. Though it struggles to reproduce a thumpy and rumbling low-bass, you can adjust its sound thanks to the graphic EQ and presets available on its Soundcore companion app. Also, its 13-hour battery life makes it suitable for long listening sessions, though this can vary depending on your usage habits.

Unfortunately, though it supports voice assistants from your phone, its performance isn't very good. It also doesn't get very loud and has compression artifacts at max volume that can affect the clarity of your audio during louder listening sessions. However, if you're looking for a versatile speaker for under $50, it's still a solid choice.

The Amazon Echo Dot Gen 4 is the best Bluetooth speaker under $50 that we've tested. This small spherical speaker has Alexa built-in and does an excellent job of understanding your commands when you're far from the speaker or in noisy environments. You can also mute the speaker's mic when you no longer want the assistant to listen to you.

Its balanced mid-range ensures vocals and lead instruments sound clear and present in the mix. However, the underemphasized treble range can make higher-pitched voices and instruments sound dull at times. Fortunately, its Amazon Alexa app features bass and treble adjustments, so you can tweak the speaker's sound to better suit your preferences. Thanks to its 360-degree design, this speaker also has great directivity, resulting in an open and natural-sounding soundstage.

Unfortunately, it isn't very portable and needs to remain connected to a power source in order for it to work due to its wired design. It also can't get very loud, and there's some compression at max volume that may affect the clarity of your audio during louder listening sessions. That said, it's a great choice if you're looking for a more affordable speaker that offers outstanding voice assistant support.

The Sony SRS-XB12 is the best portable Bluetooth speaker under $50 that we've tested. This lightweight speaker comes with a detachable carrying strap, making it easy to take it with you when you're on the move. It's also rated IP67 for dust and water resistance, though we don't currently test for this.

It has a fairly well-balanced mid-range so the vocals and lead instruments in your audio should sound clean and present in the mix. This makes it a suitable choice for listening to dialogue-centric audio like audiobooks and podcasts. It also has outstanding directivity, so its soundstage is perceived as open and spacious. That said, its price tends to fluctuate and sometimes retails above our $50 price point.

Unfortunately, it has to downmix stereo content to mono which doesn't sound as immersive. It also struggles to reproduce low-bass and doesn't have any sound customization features you can use to adjust its sound to suit your preferences. However, if you're looking for a good portable speaker for under $50, it's still a solid choice.