1. Quick list
2. Our top pick
3. Best for outdoors
4. Best for Alexa use
5. Best for the beach
6. Best audio range
7. Best battery life
8. Buying advice
Bluetooth speakers can deliver slabs of awesome sound, but for seriously powerful audio delivery, expect to pay a hefty price tag for the privilege. But if you're on a budget and are on the lookout for a brand spanking new Bluetooth speaker under $100/£100, then myself and the Louder team have picked out a selection of our favourites.
The selection below offer brilliant value for money, come in a variety of colour variations and deliver quality audio that'll shine if you're at home on the sofa, at an outdoor party or even if you're at the beach for the day with friends and family. All are below $100/£100 and perform well above what you might expect within this price range.
Along with bringing the list below, I've also included some expert buying advice and answered some of the most frequently asked questions for those looking to save money while still looking for a quality Bluetooth speaker - all to ensure you make the right buying choice for your situation.
Don't forget that November 29 this year will be Black Friday and I'll be covering loads of Black Friday music deals and all the best Black Friday Marshall speakers and headphones deals.
Paul has spent the past eight years testing and writing about gadgets and technology for the likes of Louder, T3 and TechRadar. He might not have the wealth or the looks of Tony Stark, but when it comes to knowing about the latest cool kit, Paul would surely give Iron-Man a run for his money. As for his musical leanings, Paul likes everything from Weyes Blood to Nirvana. If it's got a good melody, he's on board with it.
Quick list
EarFun products might be a bit under the radar, but for the price and performance of their Uboom, they're out top pick. There's 360-degree sound, voice assistance and it pumps out 2 x 12 watts of audio. The battery life of 16 hours is also decent, as is the ability to hook up two Ubooms for a wall of sound.
The third generation of the Wonderboom Bluetooth speaker can belt out some serious noise thanks to its Big Bass functionality - and if you're looking for something small but portable for outdoor use, this speaker is worth serious consideration. They also come in a variety of colours.
Amazon have a range of smart speakers - and their Echo devices are among the cheapest and best around. Music from this fifth generation is great for the price and with Alexa voice assistance built in, you don't even have to move off the sofa to play your tunes, check out the weather forecast or find out the latest sports scores.
Boasting one of the highest waterproof ratings of IPX7, the TriBit Stormbox is perfect for slinging in a backpack for a day at the beach. Thankfully, it also sounds the business thanks to 2 x 12 watts of audio delivery, while the battery life of up to 20 hours means you can party deep into the evening.
The pocket-size JBL Go is an ideal choice if you're after a wee speaker that rocks pretty hard. It has an awesome wireless range of 69m/226ft and decent bass-filled sound. There are loads of colour and pattern variations, although battery life doesn't match some of the competition.
Anker are doing some pretty nifty things in the speaker world and we really like their Soundcore 3. Design wise, it might be a little 'vanilla' but with up to 24 hours of battery life, an IPX7 waterproof rating and top audio delivery, for the price it's definitely worth a closer look.
Our top pick
✅ Buy if you want an all-round great speaker: It's feature rich with decent battery life and top audio.
❌ Avoid if you want a splash of colour: It's hard to pick fault here, but a range of colour variations would be welcome.
EarFun might sound like an odd name, but its little UBOOM speaker is dynamite. Aesthetically similar to the 2nd Generation Amazon Echo, this portable powerhouse belies its price tag with an impressive list of features, including 2 x 12 watts of power, 360-degree sound, voice assistance, a built-in mic for hands-free calls, DSP processing and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity.
It's perfect for music lovers on the move, too, offering up to 16 hours of battery, protection against water and sweat, and a dedicated outdoor mode that ups the volume so that you can hear your music over those ambient noises. Connect two UBOOMs together and you can even experience true wireless stereo – at this price, you can afford to.
Best for outdoors
✅ Buy if you want a top outdoor speaker: The Wonderboom 3 doesn't take long to charge and delivers a satisfying audio punch. Perfect for the outdoors.
❌ Avoid if you want sleek design: Colourful and distinctive it may be, but the bright design might not be for everyone.
This is the third generation of the popular Ultimate Ears Bluetooth speakers and it's definitely worth a closer look if you're in the market for an inexpensive, portable speaker that does indoors and outdoors.
For its diminutive size, this little sound box is a real head turner, pumping out a generous amount of volume - and that's complimented with 360 degree audio and its Big Bass functionality - just activate Outdoor Boost and you'll get even more oomph, helping to drown out your next door neighbour's unruly kids.
Speaking of taking it outdoors, the Wonderboom 3 offers up to 14 hours of battery life – an hour more than the Wonderboom 2. It also has an IP67 rating meaning it's waterproof, dustproof - and it can float and stay submerged in a meter of water for 30 minutes making it pool party perfect.
Best for Alexa use
✅ Buy if voice control is important: All Amazon speakers have Alexa voice functionality, but the price here makes this a great option.
❌ Avoid if you want an outdoor speaker: The Echo Dot is designed for indoor use only, so bear that in mind before buying.
There's a reason why the Amazon Echo (5th Generation) sells like hot cakes – it's brilliant. Not only does it look snazzy with its spherical form factor and colourful glowing rings, it's a treat for the ears, too, filling the room with precise, meaty sound. Whether you want to stream music from your device via Bluetooth, or subscribe to Amazon Music Unlimited and ask Alexa to play something from its 100 million track database, you'll be in your element.
As the Amazon Echo (5th Generation) runs on mains power only, it can't be taken to the beach or park, and that'll obviously be a major washout for some. But if you're looking for something that'll blast out the tunes while you unload the dishwasher, this glorious globe is hard to beat.
Best for the beach
✅ Buy if you need a reliable outdoor option: With excellent weather protection, you can take this with you no matter where you go.
❌ Avoid if you want more wireless range: With only 20 meters of audio range, there are better options available.
Playing tunes on the beach is one of life's great pleasures, but you'll need to make sure you have a speaker that can cope. The TriBit Stormbox is a perfect candidate for the job, offering brilliant battery life, protection from sand and sea water, and a diminutive form factor that means you can easily stuff it inside your towel bag. It doesn't sound bad either, pumping out 2 x 12 watts of immersive audio to ensure that fellow bathers can hear your summer playlist, too.
That is, unless your phone or tablet is more than 20 metres away from the speaker, at which point you can expect the Stormbox's Bluetooth 4.2 connection to give up the ghost. Yes, the wireless range is a little disappointing, but on the whole the spec sheet is fantastic for such a small fee.
Best audio range
✅ Buy if you want massive audio range: The JBL Go 3 doesn't only look great, but it has an audio range of 9 metres / 226ft.
❌ Avoid if you want better battery life: You'll only get up to 5 hours of battery life from a full charge, which is a bit disappointing.
Sometimes, a song comes on that just makes you want to let it all go. We're talking Sweet Child O' Mine, Don't Stop Believin', Black Dog... If you're the kind of person who can't resist such temptations, then you're going to want a Bluetooth speaker that allows you to strut your stuff from dining room to downstairs loo, and back again. As its name suggests, the JBL Go 3 is that speaker, offering a mammoth 69 metres / 226 feet of wireless range to ensure that your signal won't fade out while you're channelling your inner rock god.
OK, so this device isn't going to win any awards for battery life, offering just five hours of play time. But at least it only takes two and a half hours to recharge it to its full capacity, at which point you can strap on your air guitar and do it all again.
Best battery life
✅ Buy if battery life is important: With up to 24 hours from a full charge, the Soundcore 3 is a long-lasting option.
❌ Avoid if you want more power and range: While battery life is top notch, power and range are weak compared to some of the competition.
While the design of the Anker Soundcore 3 doesn't exactly blow us away (those symbol-shaped controls on the top of the device are a bit childish for our liking), and other speakers on this list offer more power and better wireless range, this brick-shaped boom box has a lot going for it. Twenty-four hours of battery life will ensure that the party continues well into the next day, while IPX7 weatherproofing will enable it to carry on playing even if the heavens open.
Best of all, with a pair of pure titanium diaphragm drivers tucked away under the bonnet, the Soundcore 3 delivers the kind of stereo sound quality that you might expect from a speaker costing three times this price. An ideal option for music lovers and money savers everywhere.
Buying advice
Getting a Bluetooth speaker for under $100/£100 is obviously pretty cool, but it'll mean nothing if the speaker in question doesn't do the things you want or need it to. So don't part with your hard-earned cash until you've checked for the following:
Do speakers under $100/£100 run on battery power?
If you're planning on listening to music at the seaside or local park, you'll need a speaker with a built-in battery - something most of the speakers on our list have. Obviously, the more battery life a speaker offers, the better – anything over eight hours can be considered very decent – and also look for something that doesn't take an age to recharge. Mains-powered speakers are a great option, but in general, these tend to more expensive and above $100/£100.
How portable are speakers under $100/£100?
No one is going to want to take a Bluetooth speaker on a outdoor jaunt if it's heavy, unwieldy and therefore impossible to carry. So, if you want music on the move, make sure the device you've been eyeing up is light enough to carry around. A carry handle can be useful, but it shouldn't be a deal breaker. Many speakers under $100/£100 are a great size and rugged enough to be chucked in a backpack.
Are speakers under $100/£100 loud enough?
Some cheap Bluetooth speakers struggle to hit decent volume levels, but the one's above all cut the mustard when it comes to delivering audio power at noisy events such as a party or a barbecue. Look for something with decent wattage and check if the speaker has an 'outdoor' setting that boosts the volume to help drown out al fresco racket. Some also come with bass boost functionality to help elevate the beats.
Are speakers under $100/£100 waterproof?
If you're heading outside and are planning on blasting out a few tunes, you're likely to face a whole range of adverse weather conditions, so make sure that your speaker is adequately protected by checking the product's IP rating. All the products in the list above offer some form of weatherproofing, but some are more robust than others. Find out more about what the different weatherproof ratings mean so you can see at a glance if your chosen speaker is watertight and dust proof.
Do speakers under $100/£100 have a good wireless range?
Wireless range refers to the maximum distance your phone, tablet or laptop can be from your Bluetooth speaker before the signal starts to go awry. So, if you're planning to strut around the house and garden doing your best Angus Young impersonation, you might want a speaker that's up to the task. Happily, all the products in this guide offer good wireless range – especially the JBL Go 3, which is good for around 69 metres/226 feet!
Related guides
You can trust Louder Our experienced team has worked for some of the biggest brands in music. From testing headphones to reviewing albums, our experts aim to create reviews you can trust. Find out more about how we review.
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- Best outdoor speakers: Sound systems that'll rock the outside world
