If you're looking for an affordable Bluetooth speaker, it may seem like you need to make sacrifices in quality. However, you can find some options for under $50 that still deliver a good sound performance. Although most tend to be smaller and simple in design, many offer at least a few extra features. Whether you want something with a portable design, voice assistant capabilities, or sound customization features, you can likely find a Bluetooth speaker within your budget that suits your needs.
We've tested over 110 speakers, and below are our recommendations for the best Bluetooth speakers for under $50. If you want to see more options, check out our picks for the best cheap speakers, the best Bluetooth speakers, and the best portable Bluetooth speakers.
The best Bluetooth speaker under $50 we've tested is the Anker Soundcore 3. This budget-friendly Bluetooth speaker boasts a portable design that's ideal for bringing your favorite tunes wherever you go. With a small and lightweight design, you can easily carry it in one hand or use the included carrying strap to attach it to your bag. If you want to take it to your backyard, rest assured that the IP67 rating for dust and water resistance keeps it safe from light exposure to the elements.
Since this speaker lasts for over thirteen hours on a single charge, you can listen to your music all day without interruption. It boasts a clear and accurate sound right out of the box, but bass lovers can always add more punch to the mix, thanks to the graphic EQ available in the Soundcore app. It supports Anker's PartyCast feature, so you can pair it with other compatible speakers to boost audio throughout your room. For an affordable price, you get a lot of bang for your buck with this device.
If you're looking for a speaker with a 360-degree design, the Sony SRS-XB13 is worth a look. It's another budget-friendly model with a great sound quality, and while its price can fluctuate to a little more than $50, you might be able to snag it with a good deal. For the price, it offers a really stellar performance, thanks to its all-around design. Set it right in the center of the action and enjoy a clear and even sound all throughout your room. It's great for picnics in the park or dinner back at home, and its portable design ensures that you can take it with you wherever you want to go.
In fact, this small and portable Bluetooth speaker is designed to carry in one hand. It has a built-in carrying strap as well, which is handy if you want to clip it onto your bag, and it's even rated IP67 for dust and water resistance. The metal grille on top helps protect the drivers inside, too, which is a cool touch. It's even available in lots of different colors, and it boasts a battery life of over eleven hours. It doesn't have any sound customization features like the Anker Soundcore 3, but with an even sound out-of-the-box, you may find that you don't need them. It's a great pick to immerse yourself in your favorite tunes, without breaking the bank.
If you're looking for a more compact alternative to help you bring your favorite tunes on the go, check out the JBL GO 3. It's a smaller and more lightweight alternative to the Sony SRS-XB13 that's ideal for on-the-go use, so you can bring it with you from room to room in your home or take it with you on your next outdoor adventure. Its built-in hook lets you clip the device onto your bag or backpack, and its sturdy design helps it withstand regular wear and tear. It's even rated IP67 for dust and water resistance, which is great if you plan to take it outdoors.
This speaker is available in different color variants to suit your style, and for the price, it offers a solid sound quality. Dialogue is clearly reproduced, making it a solid pick for podcasts, and voices and lead instruments in your favorite songs are accurate and detailed, too. Compared to the Sony, though, it lacks a 360-degree design, so the soundstage is more narrow and directional. Still, it's a great value pick for your next trip outdoors.
If you like blasting your favorite songs at max volume, check out the DOSS SoundBox Plus. Despite its budget-friendly price, this speaker can get loud, so you don't have any issues filling larger, more open spaces with sound. Use it at your next party, or take it outside to the backyard— as you crank up the volume, there isn't a lot of compression, so audio reproduction remains clean and pure. Plus, the RGB lights around its drivers bring some extra excitement to your next party, and you can even control their colors and patterns to your liking, which is nice.
For the price, it's a pretty good choice for listening to music, too, as voices and lead instruments reproduce with clarity and detail. Unfortunately, unlike the Anker Soundcore 3, you can't customize its performance. It's battery-powered, so you can still bring it with you on the go, but it's a little bigger than the Anker and the JBL GO 3, so it's not quite as portable. That said, if you want a simple tool to blast music at your next big event, it's a great choice that won't break the bank.
May 10, 2023: Added the Sony SRS-XB13 as the 'Best 360-Degree Speaker Under $50' pick.
Mar 13, 2023: Product picks are still valid. Minor updates to the text for clarity.
Jan 12, 2023: Replaced the JBL Clip 4 with the JBL GO 3 as the Clip's price rose above $50.
Nov 14, 2022: No changes in product picks after verifying their accuracy and availability.
Sep 15, 2022: Added the JBL Clip 4 as the 'Best Compact Bluetooth Speaker Under $50'. Also added the Anker Soundcore 2 and the Sony SRS-XB13 to the Notable Mentions.
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best speakers under $50 for most people. We factor in the price (a cheaper speaker wins over a pricier one if the difference isn't worth it), feedback from our visitors, and availability (no speakers that are difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere).
If you'd like to do the work of choosing yourself, here's the list of all our Bluetooth speaker reviews under $50. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. While no speaker is perfect for every use, most are good enough to please almost everyone, and the differences are often not noticeable unless you really look for them.