The JBL Clip 5 is the next generation of the JBL Clip 4. This popular portable speaker is easily identifiable by its signature carabiner 'clip' that helps it tag along with any activities you have lined up. This iteration promises a redesigned, wider carabiner hook, Bluetooth multipoint connectivity, and AuraCast support for easy pairing with other compatible JBL speakers. It's rated IP67 for protection against water submersion and dust damage, ensuring it'll perform come rain or shine.
Our Verdict
The JBL Clip 5 is acceptable for music. Its small form factor means that it can't deliver much in terms of low-bass, but it compensates with a boost in the high-bass that helps bring out kicks and basslines. The mid and treble ranges are quite well-balanced, though, so vocals and speech are reproduced accurately; plus, there's a graphic EQ and presets in the app to help tweak the sound. While it can't playback stereo content, it has outstanding directivity, so you don't need to worry about your positioning around the speaker. That said, it can't get very loud and there's significant bass-range compression as you crank up the volume.
- Bluetooth multipoint with up to two devices.
- Outstanding directivity.
- Extremely lightweight and portable.
- Just six hours of battery life at higher volumes.
- Can't get very loud.
- Can't play stereo content. Must downmix to mono.
The JBL Clip 5 is disappointing for videos and movies. While its reasonably low latency with iOS and Android devices might tempt you to pair it with a phone while watching YouTube videos it shouldn't be used for much more than that. It lacks the requisite bass response for intense movie sequences, though its balanced mid-range reproduces dialogue clearly. While it can't playback stereo content without downmixing to mono, it has excellent directivity, meaning it sounds consistent regardless of the listening angle.
- Bluetooth multipoint with up to two devices.
- Outstanding directivity.
- Just six hours of battery life at higher volumes.
- Can't get very loud.
- Can't play stereo content. Must downmix to mono.
The JBL Clip 5 is good for podcasts. It reproduces mid-range frequencies accurately, reproducing your favorite host's voices with detail and clarity. While it can't get very loud without compressing, most of the compression is in the bass range (below where speech is reproduced), and you can always clip it on your person so the audio follows you around. This is aided by its outstanding directivity, which ensures consistent audio delivery regardless of the listening angle.
- IP67 rated against dust and water damage.
- Bluetooth multipoint with up to two devices.
- Outstanding directivity.
- Extremely lightweight and portable.
- Just six hours of battery life at higher volumes.
- Can't get very loud.
The JBL Clip 5 doesn't feature support for voice assistants of any kind.
The JBL Clip 5 is decent for outdoor use. It's immensely portable and lightweight, plus its IP67 rating for protection against dust and water damage makes it a good fit to brave the elements on a camping trip. That said, its battery life isn't the best at just over six hours, though you can extend it by using the Playtime Boost feature or keeping the volume on the lower side. It's not the loudest speaker by any means, but can keep you company while you're trekking around, aided by its excellent directivity.
- IP67 rated against dust and water damage.
- Outstanding directivity.
- Extremely lightweight and portable.
- Just six hours of battery life at higher volumes.
- Can't get very loud.
- Can't play stereo content. Must downmix to mono.
Changelog
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Updated Feb 05, 2026:
We added a reference to the Bose SoundLink Micro (2nd Gen) in the Portability box.
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Updated Jan 30, 2026:
The Build Quality box was updated to mention the JBL Grip.
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Updated May 09, 2025:
We updated the binaural recordings in the Raw Frequency Response section of this review.
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Updated May 07, 2025:
We referenced the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 in the Voice Assistant box.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The JBL Clip 5 is the next generation of the JBL Clip 4. It's available in quite a few color variants, including 'Red,' 'Purple,' 'Blue,' 'Black,' 'White,' 'Pink,' 'Sand,' 'Black and Orange' and 'Squad (camo).' You can see our unit's label here. If you encounter another variant of this speaker, please let us know in the forums, and we'll update our review.
Popular Speaker Comparisons
Following in the footsteps of the JBL Clip 4, the fifth generation of the Clip introduces quite a few upgrades in performance and features that make it a more attractive buying choice. While the new iteration keeps the same IP67 rating and carabiner hook design, it adds handy features like Bluetooth multipoint connectivity, a companion app (with graphic EQ and presets), and AuraCast support (for easy pairing with other compatible JBL speakers). That said, it doesn't get very loud, and its six-hour battery life leaves something to be desired. The JBL Xtreme 4 trades off size and portability in favor of a louder, more balanced sound and an impressive 27 hours of battery life.
See also our recommendations for the best portable Bluetooth speakers, the best Bluetooth speakers under $100, and the best golf cart speakers.
Both the JBL Go 4 and JBL Clip 5 are very portable IP67-rated speakers with app support and Auracast. Which is better depends on how you want to use them because The Go 4 is a bit smaller and easier to pocket, but the carabiner on the Clip 5 offers a secure attachment to bags. The Go 4 can also float and its battery life is a bit longer. That said, the Clip 5 has a more consistent sound across angles and a bit better bass extension. It compresses audio more at high volumes than the Go 4, though.
The JBL Clip 5 is the next generation of the JBL Clip 4 and comes with a host of improvements while maintaining the formula that has made the Clip series popular. Both speakers are well-built, extremely portable, and IP67-rated. With the new generation, the distinctive carabiner hook has been redesigned to be wider and easier to clip onto things. JBL have also added Bluetooth multi-device pairing, as well as companion app compatibility, so you can tweak the sound via a graphic EQ and presets. The newer version also has a more balanced sound and can get louder, though it compresses more at max volume. For these reasons, it's well worth picking up the Clip 5 over the Clip 4, regardless of your preferred usage.
The JBL Clip 5 and the Bose SoundLink Micro are both extremely portable speakers with small footprints. They have different mechanisms to fasten themselves onto bags or bikes, with the JBL sporting a carabiner while the Bose features a strap on the back. Their differences extend beyond this, however, as the JBL has a more balanced sound, which can be tuned via a graphic EQ and presets, and it can get louder, too. That said, the Bose can be a more versatile option as it features a longer continuous battery life and voice assistant capabilities when paired with a compatible Siri or Google Assistant device.
The JBL Clip 5 and the Bose SoundLink Micro (2nd Gen) are both small, portable Bluetooth speakers that you can easily toss in a bag or coat pocket. Both speakers sound fairly similar, with little bass and a balanced mid-range. The Bose lasts a little longer, but the JBL gets louder. The choice probably comes down to use case: the JBL's defining feature is its large, built-in carabiner-style clip. That makes it easy to clip onto bags and ropes, but also means it takes up more pocket space than the compact Bose. If you still can't decide, pick whichever you can find cheaper. It's usually the JBL.
Test Results
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