Table of Contents
Wireless speakers are everywhere these days. The wealth of offerings can seem daunting: big, small, portable, expensive, cheap, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi. With music almost always available at our beck and call, a good speaker is a sound investment for getting the most from our favorite tunes. PCMag has been reviewing wireless speakers for as long as they've been available and has tested hundreds of sizes and styles to select the options below. Want to listen on the cheap via your computer? Check out the Creative Pebble Pro. Would you rather relax poolside with a waterproof speaker? The Beats Pill is easy to swallow. All of our recommendations suit different listening needs, so be sure to read each one. And the buying guide below our top picks covers everything you need to know about the different types of wireless speakers to determine which one is right for you.
Our Top Tested Picks
Fluance Ri71
Bottom Line
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The Fluance Ri71 speakers offer excellent sound quality and lots of connectivity options at a competitive price, making them easy to recommend to anyone who wants high-quality stereo audio.
Pros
- Brilliant audio with weighty low-end
- Flexible connectivity
- High-end Bluetooth codec support
- Can be paired with a subwoofer
Cons
- No USB or optical inputs
Creative Pebble Pro
Bottom Line
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
Creative's Pebble Pro speakers offer fun lighting effects and surprisingly robust sound with real stereo separation for well under $100.
Pros
- Good audio performance with wide stereo image
- Angled drivers for better audio delivery
- Built-in RGB lighting
- Support for 3.5mm, Bluetooth, and USB-C playback
- Affordable
Cons
- Limited Bluetooth codec support
- Separate adapter needed to plug directly into wall outlet
Amazon Echo Dot Max
Bottom Line
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The Amazon Echo Dot Max is a feature-packed $100 smart speaker that replaces the standard Echo with balanced, room-filling sound, robust smart home connectivity, and Alexa+ support.
Pros
- Big, balanced sound for the size
- Lots of connectivity features
- Supports multiple smart home hub standards
- Instant Alexa+ access
Cons
- Not as powerful as its predecessor
Apple HomePod (2nd Generation, 2023)
Bottom Line
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
Apple's second-generation HomePod carries over the elegant design from the original, but improves the audio and smart home experiences to better compete with speakers from Amazon and Google.
Pros
- Rich bass response and clear highs
- Room-sensing audio
- Strong mic clarity
- HomeKit and Matter support
- Temperature and humidity sensors
Cons
- Expensive
- No user-customizable EQ
- Matter setup issues in testing
Google Home Speaker
Bottom Line
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The Google Home Speaker marks a real leap forward for the company's smart home lineup, combining more natural Gemini-powered intelligence with strong sound quality.
Pros
- Balanced, powerful sound for its size
- Versatile AI can help with many tasks
- Gemini responds fluidly to natural commands
- Works as a Matter hub
Cons
- Some Gemini features are paywalled
- Microphones can miss commands
Sony ULT Field 7
Bottom Line
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
Sony's rugged ULT Field 7 speaker delivers deep bass at high volumes and has inputs for karaoke, making it an excellent choice for parties, whether they're indoors or outside.
Pros
- Exceptionally powerful audio with thunderous bass
- Dustproof and waterproof design
- Guitar and mic inputs for karaoke
- Built-in LED lights
Cons
- Expensive
- Lackluster companion app
Tribit StormBox Mini+
Bottom Line
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
It’s no hi-fi stereo, but the Tribit StormBox Mini+ portable Bluetooth speaker provides balanced sound with thumpy bass in a compact footprint at a price that’s hard to argue with.
Pros
- Loud, punchy sound
- Stereo audio
- Compact and lightweight
- Long-lasting battery
- Fun lighting
Cons
- Distorts at high volumes
- Mediocre microphone
Beats Pill (2024)
Bottom Line
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The durable, feature-rich, and stylish Beats Pill speaker delivers impressive bass for its size and costs much less than the original.
Pros
- Bright sound with rich bass
- Attractive design
- Dustproof and waterproof
- Flexible USB-C port
- Apple and Google Find My support
- Seamless iOS compatibility
Cons
- No adjustable EQ
Sonos Era 300
Bottom Line
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The Dolby Atmos-compatible Era 300 delivers room-filling spatial audio on its own, or it can be easily integrated with other Sonos speakers for a truly theater-like experience.
Pros
- Room-filling sound with strong bass depth and bright highs
- Supports Dolby Atmos
- Works with Alexa and Sonos voice commands
- Terrific companion app with room analysis and adjustable EQ
- Wide support for music streaming services
Cons
- Expensive
- No Google Assistant or Cast support
Sony ULT Tower 10
Bottom Line
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
If you have the space and budget for it, Sony's ULT Tower 10 speaker can be the life of the party thanks to its enormous sound, multiple input options, wireless mic for karaoke, and customizable light show.
Pros
- Incredibly loud
- House-shaking bass
- Multiple wired inputs
- Includes wireless mic
- Supports AAC and LDAC codecs
Cons
- Expensive
- Exceptionally large and heavy
- Not waterproof
JBL 104-BT
Bottom Line
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
JBL's 104-BT speakers are a good starting point for your mixing station or computer, offering relatively balanced audio and impressive connectivity at an affordable price.
Pros
- Pleasing overall sound
- Versatile connectivity
- Easy to set up and use
- Good value
Cons
- Little sub-bass
- No subwoofer output
Bose SoundLink Plus
Bottom Line
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The Bose SoundLink Plus is a high-end portable speaker with a stylish and rugged design, good sound quality, and support for a wide range of Bluetooth codecs, but it falls a bit short on bass.
Pros
- Premium materials and build quality
- Pleasing mids and highs
- Dust and waterproof design
- Good Bluetooth codec support
Cons
- Lacks low bass response
- Basic app and EQ
Best Early Prime Day Bluetooth and Wireless Speaker Deals This Week*
- Echo Dot 5th Gen Smart Speaker (2022 Release, Charcoal) — $39 ($79) Save $40.00
- Echo Spot Smart Speaker With Alexa (2024 Release, Black) — $54 ($109) Save $55.00
- JBL Flip 5 Portable Waterproof Wireless Bluetooth Speaker — $89 ($99) Save $10.00
- Ultimate Ears Miniroll Ultra-Portable Waterproof S... — $49 ($79) Save $30.00
- Beats Pill Wireless Portable Bluetooth Speaker (Matte Black) — $99 ($149) Save $50.00
- Marshall Emberton II Portable Bluetooth Speaker — $144 ($179) Save $35.90
- Soundcore Boom 2 Portable Waterproof Outdoor Speaker (Black) — $99 ($129) Save $30.00
- Get the Best Prices On Speakers — Download Our Free Price Comparison Tool $0
- RELATED:
- Best Cheap Bluetooth Speakers
- Best Computer Speakers
- Best Outdoor Speakers
- Best Smart Speakers
EDITORS' NOTE
July 28, 2026: For this update, we removed the Google Nest Audio Speaker in favor of the Google Home Speaker. Our remaining picks have been vetted for currency and availability. Since the last update, we've reviewed several Bluetooth and wireless speakers for possible inclusion in this and other roundups.
- Brilliant audio with weighty low-end
- Flexible connectivity
- High-end Bluetooth codec support
- Can be paired with a subwoofer
- No USB or optical inputs
The Fluance Ri71 computer speakers hit all the right notes, thanks to their balance of style, sound, features, and connectivity. These Editors' Choice winners produce detailed audio, pack HDMI ARC and high-quality Bluetooth connections, and support an optional subwoofer—all at a reasonable price.
If you're looking for audiophile-quality sound in a pair of speakers that easily fit on a desk, the Ri71 from Fluance is our top recommendation.
- Good audio performance with wide stereo image
- Angled drivers for better audio delivery
- Built-in RGB lighting
- Support for 3.5mm, Bluetooth, and USB-C playback
- Affordable
- Limited Bluetooth codec support
- Separate adapter needed to plug directly into wall outlet
Creative's Pebble Pro speakers offer fun lighting effects and surprisingly robust sound with real stereo separation for well under $100. We like the wired and wireless playback options, the youthful design, the clean audio, and physical volume knob for quick adjustments.
The Creative Pebble Pro is an affordable and flexible pair of speakers for your computer that provide far more value than their low price would suggest.
- Big, balanced sound for the size
- Lots of connectivity features
- Supports multiple smart home hub standards
- Instant Alexa+ access
- Not as powerful as its predecessor
The new-for-2025 Amazon Echo Dot Max is currently the best value speaker for Alexa+ users who want to listen to audio within the Amazon ecosystem. Beyond the basic weather reports and Amazon Prime Music playback you might expect, the Echo can access Apple Music, Spotify, or SiriusXM—as well as control various smart home devices (including those that use the Zigbee standard) because of the speaker’s built-in hub. You also get Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and Amazon Sidewalk with LE Audio. And, for a speaker this size, the Echo Dot Max delivers respectable bass thump.
If hands-free Alexa+ AI control is your top priority in a speaker, this is the one for you—it offers solid audio, the ability to control multiple smart home devices, and seamless integration within the Amazon ecosystem.
- Rich bass response and clear highs
- Room-sensing audio
- Strong mic clarity
- HomeKit and Matter support
- Temperature and humidity sensors
- Expensive
- No user-customizable EQ
- Matter setup issues in testing
Apple's newest HomePod looks just as good as the original and sounds even better. It also has some premium features that help justify its high price, including temperature and humidity sensors, seamless compatibility with the Apple TV 4K, support for both Apple HomeKit and Matter smart home devices, and the ability to adjust its sound signature based on the room its in.
As you might expect, the second-generation HomePod makes the most sense if you already have lots of other Apple products or use HomeKit-compatible smart home devices.
- Balanced, powerful sound for its size
- Versatile AI can help with many tasks
- Gemini responds fluidly to natural commands
- Works as a Matter hub
- Some Gemini features are paywalled
- Microphones can miss commands
The Google Home Speaker is the first brand-new smart speaker from Google in years, and it was worth the wait. We like its balanced, powerful sound, its ability to serve as a Matter Hub, and its new, smaller shape. Of course, it lets you interact with Gemini AI, which responds quickly and naturally, and it remains a great platform for streaming audio.
If you're looking for a speaker that features dedicated, hands-free Gemini functionality, the affordable Google Home Speaker gets our vote. Its voice recognition is solid, as Gemini excels at natural language recognition. The audio sounds crisp and clear, plus it can get fairly loud.
- Exceptionally powerful audio with thunderous bass
- Dustproof and waterproof design
- Guitar and mic inputs for karaoke
- Built-in LED lights
- Expensive
- Lackluster companion app
Sony's ULT Field 7 is a semi-rugged outdoor powerhouse. This boombox pushes crisp highs, deep bass, and includes a built-in LED light show to adding some color to your nighttime gatherings. Advanced features include multiple wired and wireless inputs, including lossless Bluetooth codecs for high-quality playback. Add in the guitar and mic inputs and IP67 rating for protection against dust and water, and you have a flexible Bluetooth speaker that goes anywhere and does almost anything.
Whether you want to fill your home, backyard, or local park with some bass thump, the ULT Field 7 has the power and high-end features to get it done.
- Loud, punchy sound
- Stereo audio
- Compact and lightweight
- Long-lasting battery
- Fun lighting
- Distorts at high volumes
- Mediocre microphone
This softball-sized speaker packs a surprising punch for its size. It offers stereo sound, wireless pairing, AAC and SBC codec support, and a user-adjustable EQ. Other things we like are its 12-hour battery life, party lights, and of course, it's small and portable design.
You can hardly go wrong with the Tribit StormBox Mini+. For less than $50, it's practically an impulse buy for anyone who needs or wants a speaker that goes anywhere, survives anything, and sounds good.
- Bright sound with rich bass
- Attractive design
- Dustproof and waterproof
- Flexible USB-C port
- Apple and Google Find My support
- Seamless iOS compatibility
- No adjustable EQ
The Beats Pill produces bright sound with rich bass and has an attractive design with a dustproof and waterproof enclosure that comes in multiple colors. iPhone owners will enjoy built-in software controls and advanced tools like USB-C wired playback push high-quality audio that's crisp and full of bass. Moreover, it supports both the Apple and Google Find My Device networks so you can find it if it's lost.
Anyone who wants a good-sounding speaker packaged in an appealing design with strong battery life and flexible playback options should pick Beats' latest Pill.
- Room-filling sound with strong bass depth and bright highs
- Supports Dolby Atmos
- Works with Alexa and Sonos voice commands
- Terrific companion app with room analysis and adjustable EQ
- Wide support for music streaming services
- Expensive
- No Google Assistant or Cast support
Sonos' latest high-end standalone speaker, the Era 300, features a unique pinched-capsule design and six drivers that project a huge sound field—it even supports Dolby Atmos spatial audio. Additionally, Amazon Alexa support means you can control it with your voice.
The Era 300 fits right in with other Sonos products as part of a whole-home sound system, and you can pair it with a second identical model for more powerful stereo or surround sound. It's a centerpiece speaker for any living room where you want immersive audio.
- Incredibly loud
- House-shaking bass
- Multiple wired inputs
- Includes wireless mic
- Supports AAC and LDAC codecs
- Expensive
- Exceptionally large and heavy
- Not waterproof
The Sony ULT Tower 10 is a massive speaker that pushes extreme bass and incredible volume levels for filling large spaces—whether indoors or out—with a massive wall of sound. A litany of advanced features include mic and guitar inputs, a customizable light show with a dedicated app, multiple wired and wireless connection options, and support for high-quality Bluetooth playback. It's the biggest, loudest speaker PCMag has tested.
The Tower is well named. It is the ultimate backyard party machine thanks to its wide variety of features and incredible volume. If you're throwing a big party that needs big music, this is the speaker for you.
- Pleasing overall sound
- Versatile connectivity
- Easy to set up and use
- Good value
- Little sub-bass
- No subwoofer output
A true bookshelf speaker set allows you to create a sweet spot for listening in your living room. This system from JBL has Bluetooth and multiple wired connections for your stereo gear. Each 104-BT speaker employs a 4.5-inch woofer and a 0.75-inch tweeter driven by a class-D amplifier that delivers 30 watts of peak power per speaker. They also include rear-firing bass reflex ports, generous cabling, and front-mounted controls for easily dialing in the volume or switching sources.
The JBL 104-BT speakers are for those looking to augment their computer audio or living room setup with rich sound. They offer good stereo separation, pleasing highs and mids, and connectivity to a variety of audio sources, such as phones, computers, and record players.
- Premium materials and build quality
- Pleasing mids and highs
- Dust and waterproof design
- Good Bluetooth codec support
- Lacks low bass response
- Basic app and EQ
In classic Bose fashion, the SoundLink Plus sounds excellent, offering surprisingly good audio for its size, with plenty of detail in the high end. It's a handsome speaker available in several colors, featuring a rugged and waterproof design that makes it well-suited for use at home, in the backyard, at the park, or on the beach. It also offers good battery life and solid support for Bluetooth codecs.
If you're looking for a durable and portable Bluetooth Speaker with excellent sound quality, and you don't expect or need support for multi-room audio, it's hard to go wrong with the Bose.
The Best Bluetooth and Wireless Speakers for 2026 Compare Specs
Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Speaker: Which Is Better?
Bluetooth is the most common wireless music streaming standard, but it isn't the only one. Bluetooth works point-to-point: You pair a transmitter (your phone or computer) with a receiver (your speaker) to play music. It's direct, (mostly) easy to set up, and lets you stream fairly high-quality music.
Bluetooth generally can't facilitate multiroom setups by itself, though an app can help you configure some speakers in stereo pairs. Others can create a wireless mesh network among multiple speakers for multiroom audio. However, the result isn't quite as high-fidelity or as powerful as Wi-Fi multiroom audio.
Wi-Fi audio includes standards like Apple AirPlay and Google Cast, along with various manufacturers' Wi-Fi streaming platforms. Wi-Fi can handle more bandwidth than Bluetooth, so it supports higher-fidelity audio. It can also integrate into your home network, so you can easily play audio from any device on your network without pairing anything.
The trade-off is that Wi-Fi music systems require a Wi-Fi network; you can't use them as a portable speaker with your smartphone like you can with Bluetooth models (though many offer Bluetooth pairing as a backup). The different Wi-Fi standards also mean various services might not be available to stream over a given speaker, though this is less of a problem than it has been in the past because of AirPlay, Google Cast, and Sonos' lengthy lists of supported third-party services.
Which Is the Best Multiroom Audio System?
If you want sound throughout your home, you need more than one speaker. Instead of juggling Bluetooth pairing with each one or physically carrying a speaker from room to room, a multiroom sound system is the way to go. Fortunately, it's easier than ever to manage multiple speakers at once and control playback from one or more sound sources.
Sonos speakers tap into the Sonos app to let you access any or all speakers connected to your home network and play music from dozens of different streaming sources, as well as local storage.
AirPlay is Apple's multiroom audio solution. There aren't any first-party AirPlay speakers besides the Apple HomePod and HomePod Mini, but many other Wi-Fi speakers, including Sonos products, support AirPlay. They let you easily stream from your Apple device at better quality than Bluetooth, but if you're an Android user, you won't find much utility in them.
Google Cast is Google's answer to AirPlay and works similarly. Google Home/Nest devices support Google Cast, as do many Wi-Fi speakers and soundbars. You can incorporate any Google Cast speaker into your Google Home setup and create room-based groupings in the same app as your Google Assistant speakers and smart home devices (if you use Google Home for that).
You can also group and arrange the most recent Amazon Alexa/Echo speakers. Like Chromecast, setting up multiroom Echo audio happens through the same app as your voice assistant and smart home devices, only it's all Alexa instead of Google.
Finally, some Bluetooth speakers support linking, chaining, and mesh networks. These usually aren't as complex or robust as Wi-Fi multiroom systems, but they can be a worthy alternative to streaming music on your home network.
What Are the Different Types of Speakers?
Besides the type of wireless connection, you also need to decide on the speaker style you want. Smaller, battery-powered speakers (usually Bluetooth) are useful because you can take them anywhere, but they don't get particularly loud. Larger speakers generally offer fuller sound and richer bass, but they are typically more expensive and less portable.
Besides single speakers, you can also find stereo setups designed for desktop computers and home theater speaker systems, such as soundbars. These are obviously not portable, but if you want a centerpiece sound system for your living room or office, they're likely your best choice.
Which Portable Speaker Sounds the Best?
For a speaker to be portable, it needs to be both small and light enough to carry easily and run on a built-in battery. Of course, "small" and "light" are relative; tiny speakers with carabiners let you clip them to your backpack and take them on hikes, while much bigger, heavier models might be reasonable to use only from room to room in your home. Most Bluetooth speakers are portable, but that's not a rule by any means. Of course, larger speakers tend to sound better than smaller speakers, but they also aren't as easy to carry around.
Since Wi-Fi speakers rely on a separate network to enable multi-speaker and multi-room audio playback, they're rarely portable. After all, portability doesn't matter if you need an active connection to your home's hotspot. There are exceptions, though: Wi-Fi speakers can still be portable if they have batteries and, ideally, can create an ad hoc Wi-Fi network with your phone.
Which Speaker Is Best for Outdoors?
Some rugged speakers can handle splashes, dunks, drops, and gunk. If you try that with others on this list, however, you will end up with an expensive brick. Look for speakers with IP ratings and guarantees of water and shock resistance if you want to carry them around to the beach, the lake, the slopes, or the trail. Our guide to IP ratings explains what those numbers mean, so you can determine whether your speaker can handle a dunk in the pool or only some light splashing.
For more, see our list of the best outdoor speakers.
What Is the Best Bluetooth Speaker for Sound Quality?
Unless portability is at the top of your priority list, sound quality is paramount. Plenty of speakers don't offer much in the way of features but produce top-notch audio. Big bass isn't for everyone, but unless your speaker is downright tiny, it should accurately reproduce low frequencies without distortion at high volumes. Clarity is more important than sheer power, and a balanced, clean sound should be your goal. If you want a sound system that can drive a whole party instead of just fill a small room, keep the speaker's size in mind; generally, the bigger a speaker is, the louder it can get without compromising sound quality.
Recent versions of Bluetooth (5.0 and up) can transmit high-quality audio, though Wi-Fi still has the edge purely because of available bandwidth. If you want to listen to lossless music on services like Tidal, you should probably go with the latter.
If you want to get the most out of your Bluetooth speaker, check what Bluetooth codecs it supports. Our guide to Bluetooth codecs goes into more detail, but SBC is the most common and lowest-quality codec for music. If you value audio quality, look for one that supports higher-quality codecs such as AAC or LDAC. We detail this information in each of our reviews.
Do You Need a Smart Speaker?
Voice assistants like Amazon Alexa, Apple Siri, and Google Assistant let you tell your speaker what to play, but they also provide weather forecasts, sports scores, unit conversions, and even language translations. They generally support third-party skills that let you do anything from ordering pizza to playing trivia games, too. If you have other smart home devices, you might even be able to control them with your voice.
Voice assistant speakers have one universal requirement: Wi-Fi. They can't find your music, answer your questions, or control your smart home devices without a consistent internet connection. These speakers can still be portable and even offer Bluetooth connectivity when you're away from your network, but those features aren't guaranteed. The most prominent first-party voice assistant speakers, like the Amazon Echo and the Google Nest, don't have batteries and are primarily meant for in-home use.
For more, see our picks for the best smart speakers.
Which Is the Best Bluetooth Speaker for the Price?
Tons of speakers are available at nearly every budget level. Don't assume, however, that the most money always buys the best overall product. Generally speaking, higher-end models do sound better, but sometimes they lack the features you might expect for the price. The trick is to get the best sound, along with the features you want, at a price you can afford. And, of course, if you want to know about all of those things, you can read our reviews of each speaker.
The easiest way to get the best price is to shop around online. If you do a little bargain hunting, you can often find discounts. Don't be afraid to look for speakers similar to those on this list, either; many of the options here have worthwhile predecessors you can now find for much less. We've also rounded up our favorite Bluetooth speakers for under $100.
For more, see all our latest speaker reviews. And if you want to cut the cord without waking the neighbors, check out our favorite wireless headphones.
