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The best Bluetooth speakers under $200
If you are looking for a great wireless, portable party speaker that doesn’t cost more than $200, you’ve come to the right place.
October 1, 2025
Dave is a lifelong musician with over 20 years of experience performing, recording and touring. When he’s not bringing his real world, hands on audio experience to SoundGuys, you’ll find him rehearsing with his progressive metal band Neck of the Woods, quoting endless movie lines and biking around Vancouver’s seawall.
You don’t need to spend a fortune to get a great Bluetooth speaker. Whether you’re heading to the beach, setting up a backyard BBQ, or just want something solid for your living room, plenty of speakers under $200 offer impressive sound, durable builds, and all-day battery life. In fact, many of the models we’ve tested in this range punch well above their price point—with balanced audio, smart features, and water resistance that make them easy to recommend.
In this list, we’ve rounded up the best Bluetooth speakers under $200 based on our lab testing and real-world use. From bass-heavy party speakers to compact options that fit in your backpack, there’s something here for every kind of listener. Let’s break down which ones actually deliver on their promises, and which ones fall flat.
Compare table
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- Compare tableProductVotes
- 23 total votes23 total votes
$100
7.7
8.0
4.5
9.0
9.0
- 21 total votes21 total votes
$140
7.7
8.0
4.3
9.0
9.0
- 7 total votes7 total votes
$168
7.0
7.0
6.0
9.0
6.0
- 6 total votes6 total votes
$160
6.9
7.0
4.5
8.0
8.0
- 5 total votes5 total votes
$80
6.8
8.0
0.0
9.0
9.0
- 6 total votes6 total votes
$170
6.8
8.0
0.0
9.0
9.0
- 6 total votes6 total votes
$130
6.7
7.5
0.0
9.5
9.0
- 13 total votes13 total votes
$50
6.7
8.0
0.0
9.0
8.5
- 3 total votes3 total votes
$130
6.7
7.0
5.3
8.0
6.0
- 4 total votes4 total votes
$140
6.6
8.5
0.0
7.5
8.5
- 20 total votes20 total votes
$130
6.6
8.5
0.0
8.0
8.0
- 9 total votes9 total votes
$150
6.4
7.0
0.0
9.0
9.0
Product chart
The chart above compares our top Bluetooth speaker picks based on price and performance.
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Which feature matters most to you in a Bluetooth speaker?
Best overall pick: JBL Flip 7
We picked JBL Flip 7 as our best overall speaker for its blend of rugged portability and useful features, including an IP68 rating and a one-meter drop-proof design. It brings Bluetooth 5.4, a 7-band customizable EQ in the JBL Portable app, and support for audio over USB — including lossless playback from compatible services — which is unusual in a compact mono speaker. In our battery testing the Flip 7 managed 6 hours and 16 minutes at 80dB, so it’s convenient for daytime outings but falls short of some claims. Our MDAQS charts add context: the Flip 7 posts an overall score of 2.8 with a distortion score of 3.5 and a timbre score of 3.0, reflecting clean reproduction for its size despite limited immersiveness. It also earned Best Value, Best Sound Quality, and Best for iPhone users recognition for that combination of durability, app EQ, and USB lossless support.Sourced from JBL Flip 7 review: Same Flip, more features – SoundGuys.
Best for Android users pick: JBL Charge 6
We recommend JBL Charge 6 as the best pick for Android users thanks to Bluetooth 5.4 support, the JBL Portable app’s 7-band EQ, and a rugged, travel-friendly build with a detachable handle. The Charge 6 upgrades to an IP68 rating and beefed-up bumpers around its passive radiators, making it durable for outdoor use. It also supports audio over USB for lossless playback and retains the Charge series’ USB-C in/out capability so you can still charge a phone in the field. In our standardized battery testing the Charge 6 lasted 13 hours and 15 minutes at 80dB, which is practical for a day out though below JBL’s advertised runtime. The speaker offers good low-end strength and the option to pair another Charge 6 for stereo playback when you need more output.Sourced from JBL Charge 6 review: Did the best just get better? – SoundGuys.
Our verdict
Between the two top picks, the Flip 7 is our go-to for compact, highly portable outdoor listening with IP68 water and dust protection, app-based EQ, and USB lossless support, while the Charge 6 leans more toward stable, higher-output use with a handle, stronger low end, and longer real-world battery life. In the context of speakers within this under-$200 portable speakers category, the Flip 7 favors packability and modern connectivity, and the Charge 6 favors sturdiness and sustained playback.
If you want a budget party boombox, the EarFun UBOOM X delivers 80W stereo output, RGB lights, IP67 protection, a 10-band EQ and even a 3.5mm jack, though it’s heavier at about 4.15 kg and scores modestly on MDAQS in stock form. The compact JBL Clip 5 is ideal for solo adventures with its carabiner, IP67 rating and 5-band EQ, while the Anker Soundcore Motion X500 brings a three-driver layout, upward-firing driver, LDAC/AAC support and a 9-band EQ for fuller home-or-outdoor sound. For rugged lake or saltwater use, the Soundcore Boom 3i stands out with IP68 saltwater resistance, float-ready balance, 50W output and a 9-band EQ plus party lights and the unique “Buzz Clean” feature. Overall, pick the Flip 7 for lightweight, feature-packed portability, the Charge 6 for a more durable, higher-output companion, and consider the other models if you need higher output, extreme ruggedness, or extreme portability in this speakers category.
To gather information about how well each of the earbuds and headphones work, we subject each product to a number of objective tests. We use a Bruel & Kjaer 5128 acoustic measurement system to test headphones and earbuds in our SoundGuys lab. The ear canal of the artificial head was created by averaging and smoothing 3D models of individual ear canal features from the MRI scans of 40 different people.
We perform the following testing to determine the best headphones and best earbuds:
- We run sequences to determine the best fit of the headphones, and if there are any manufacturing issues with the product.
- We measure the headphones’ performance and compare the frequency response to our industry-validated SoundGuys Headphone Preference Curve to give context to readers.
- To rate sound quality, we use the Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Scores (MDAQS) algorithm from HEAD acoustics. These are virtual mean opinion scores as calculated by a powerful machine learning model based on the input of real listeners.
- We play several samples of shaped noise over loudspeakers to test noise canceling and record with our artificial head. We take samples with ANC on, ANC off, and with the headphones off the head. After subtracting the appropriate curves from each other, we can see how well the headphones block out noise.
- To evaluate microphone quality, we play pre-recorded spoken Harvard sentences from a calibrated artificial mouth in our test chamber, either with or without simulated background noises, simulated reverberant spaces, or artificial wind.
- To measure battery life, we play back music through the headphones or earbuds peaking at 75dB(SPL), a safe and realistic listening level.
In addition to objective testing, our team of audio experts uses each of the headphones and earbuds to evaluate the experience of using the product. By wearing the headphones in day-to-day use, we evaluate the comfort, noting any pain points. We also make sure to try out each of the features that the headphones have to offer, such as using the equalizer in the companion app.
Using a combination of subjective and objective testing, we score each product. To learn more about how we evaluate headphones and earbuds, check out our in-depth explainer on how we test.
Here at SoundGuys, we’ve been testing audio products for over a decade. Our team comprises audio product experts who have tested hundreds of different headphones, earbuds, and speakers. Moreover, our team comes from diverse backgrounds and a wealth of expertise, including audio engineering, film production, journalism, podcasting, music production, and even touring musicians.
Everything we recommend results from our objective measurements and great subjective experiences. Ultimately, we want you to enjoy your purchase or, at the very least, leave our site with a little more knowledge about the inner workings of audio. To see why you can trust us with your purchase decision, make sure to check out our ethics policy.
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