Whether it’s a party, a hike, or a movie marathon with friends and loved ones, nothing beats a set of portable speakers with good sound quality and decent battery life.
Luckily for us, there are tons of Bluetooth speakers under $200 in the market right now, and just like a pair of durable outdoorsy earbuds, these wireless speakers don’t fail to deliver well-balanced sound regardless of whether you are playing music or watching a movie in the rain or snow.
In this article, I’ll go over seven of the best Bluetooth speakers under $200 and cover important specs such as the overall sound quality, playback time, Bluetooth connectivity, protection against the environment, and many more.
| Best Bluetooth Speaker Under $200 For Movie NightsSee On Amazon |  | Bose Sound Link Revolve II | See On Amazon |
| Best Bluetooth Speaker Under $200 For The Great OutdoorsSee On Amazon |  | Bose Soundlink Flex | See On Amazon |
| Most Compact Bluetooth Speaker Under $200See On Amazon |  | Bose SoundLink Color II | See On Amazon |
| Best Bluetooth Speakers Under $200 With Long Battery LifeSee On Amazon |  | JBL Charge 5 | See On Amazon |
| Best Wireless Speakers Under $200 OverallSee On Amazon |  | Sonos Roam | See On Amazon |
If you’re looking for the best wireless Bluetooth speaker with an impressive battery and 360° audio coverage, the Bose SoundLink Revolve II will be right up your alley. These wireless speakers are the best option to liven up a house party if you don’t have a karaoke because of their incredible range, high volume, and long playback time.
Specs
What’s In The Box?
The Bose SoundLink Revolve II is a solid mid-range speaker that goes a tad bit overboard with its specs and pricing. (It’s slightly higher than the $200 mark but I couldn’t resist.) Nevertheless, this portable Bluetooth speaker, with its lantern-like design — minus the handle — looks amazing and gives off a very premium vibe.
This Bose SoundLink Revolve Bluspeaker needs to be placed vertically upright, with the controls at the top and the 360° aluminum speaker grille at the bottom. At the base, there’s a Micro-USB charging port and a 3.5mm aux input. (You can also use it as a wired speaker for playing music.)
On the underside of the base, there’s a charging contact meant to be used with a dedicated charging “cradle.” Unfortunately, this charging dock doesn’t come included in the basic bundle and needs to be purchased separately.
Considering the build quality of these Bose Soundlink Bluetooth speakers: it’s pretty impressive. The 360° wireless speaker is protected by an aluminum grille and the rest of the body is covered with silicone and plastic.
The device feels sturdy enough to handle the advertised IP55 rating. However, there are no covers for the Micro-USB port, and 3.5mm stereo in port, so users should be cautious when using it around the pool area.
The controls are pretty decent and everything that needs to be controlled in this portable Bluetooth speaker can be controlled easily. There are buttons for volume control, a dedicated button to answer calls, pause and skip tracks, a button for Bluetooth pairing, checking the battery, and even activating voice assistants.
However, when it comes to portability, these Bose Soundlink wireless speakers are sort of a mid-ranger. I wouldn’t say it is the best portable, but I wouldn’t say it is the least either. The vertical lantern shape is perfect for setting it down on a table or the floor but, the lack of a handle (the Revolve II+ has a woven handle) and casual IP55 rating doesn’t make it fit for the great outdoors.
All things considered, you’ll be using these as portable speakers strictly for indoor activities; most of the time. Also, don’t forget that you can couple these with another Bose SoundLink Bluetooth speaker and set up a great pair of party speakers with full stereo capabilities.
IP67 water-resistant rating, 8+ hours of battery, easy-to-carry design, and fairly decent sound quality, the Bose Soundlink Flex portable Bluetooth speaker is an amazing Bluetooth-compatible outdoor speaker for all you hikers and picnickers.
Specs
What’s In The Box?
If you’re looking for the Best Bluetooth speakers under $200 that will be able to endure your active outdoor lifestyle and play music at the same time, then look no further. These SoundLink Flex portable Bluetooth speakers are the best at providing impressive audio quality on a sleek and easy-to-handle design.
The most outstanding feature of this portable Bluetooth speaker is the hardy and durable build quality. The water resistance is rated at IPX7, making it submersible for up to 1-meter depth. In a sense, it can even replace your showerproof headphones.
On top of that, this Bluetooth speaker is very sturdy and has a decent impact rating to resist damage from accidental drops, bumps, and scratches. (Don’t drop it off a cliff though)
It is also very easy to set up because of the rectangular shape that allows users to prop it up horizontally or let it lie on its back. The built-in strap is very sturdy and can be hooked to a carabiner for transportation as you keep the music playing.
The controls on this bad boy are also pretty decent. There are volume control buttons, a power button, a Bluetooth connection button, and a multifunction button that manages calls, audio tracks, and voice assistants.
The battery life of this device is pretty okay, it advertises 12 hours but unfortunately, in practical use-cases, many users were only able to squeeze out 8 hours of continuous playback while taking 3 hours to charge back up to 100%.
Considering the audio quality: it’s pretty decent. These Bluetooth speakers cover most of the highs, mids, and lows of the frequency range without major issues. Therefore, considering the price and its impressive durability features: I’d say this is a fair deal for an outdoor person.
If all those bulky and weird-looking speaker designs don’t seem to catch your eye (or your budget) then you’ve got the option to go for the most compact and better-sounding Bluetooth speaker under $200: the Bose SoundLink Color II.
Specs
What’s In The Box?
These SoundLink Color II speakers are pretty nifty. They don’t have fancy designs or impressive Wi-Fi/Bluetooth integrations, but what it does have: impressive battery life, decent audio reproduction, and an affordable price tag, all rolled up in a compact design.
The overall aesthetics of this little speaker is pretty minimalistic. It’s shaped like a square and is meant to be placed vertically. There’s a layer of silicone encasing the speaker grilles and the rest of the body.
The speaker is very compact and will easily fit in most backpacks. However, the IPX4 rating and lack of built-in straps or handles make it less ideal for the outdoors.
The controls are very elaborate and quite surprising, especially when considering the competition and smaller form factor. Users can change volume, skip tracks, switch between Bluetooth devices/aux, and do many more.
On a final note, the battery of this device is also pretty spot-on. With average use, it will be able to squeeze out around 9 hours of continuous playback time.
The JBL Charge 5 is an amazing all-rounder, it’s got decent audio quality, IP67 protection rating, decent controls, and impressive build quality. However, its primary selling point is the ridiculous 14+ hours of battery life.
Specs
What’s In The Box?
The JBL Charge 5 is a noteworthy successor to its previous version: The JBL Charge 4 as this device consists of many improvements.
For starters, this portable speaker is slightly smaller and can only be placed horizontally on its base. There are various LED indicators for power, battery, and when Bluetooth devices are connected.
The build quality is very impressive and this JBL Charge 5 is one of the best speakers for use in an outdoor environment due to its IP67 rating and brass-made passive radiators on the side.
There’s no need to worry about the USB Type-A and C ports because they can be tucked away inside a special sealing compartment which prevents dust and water from getting inside. (As long as you don’t forget to close them up after charging.)
Speaking of which, the Type-A port is a life-saver as it allows users to charge their phones or other devices from the speaker itself. The battery typically lasts around 14+ hours of continuous playback time and requires approximately 4 hours to charge via USB-C.
In my opinion, the larger battery capacity and reverse charging features help to cancel out the concerns about the longer charging time. This speaker also saves power by switching off automatically when it has been inactive for a significant amount of time.
By the way, if you’re on the lookout for a good pair of Bluetooth helmet headsets, for biking or skiing, check out our article on the Best Bluetooth Helmet Speakers.
Unfortunately, the control scheme on many Bluetooth speakers such as these is pretty basic. Since they do not have an in-built microphone, users won’t be able to answer phone calls, issue voice commands, or interact with a virtual assistant. The only available controls are to power the device, pair with Bluetooth enabled-devices, change the volume, and play/pause music. (There is no option to skip tracks)
In terms of sound quality, I would say that the JBL Charge 5 has been fairly average and on par with most of the other speakers on this list. So despite being one of the best Bluetooth speakers under $200, it doesn’t have ground-breaking audio or an acceptable enough soundstage.
The frequency response is pretty mid-range but with the help of the JBL portable mobile application, users can customize the equalizer and easily set up a custom sound profile.
The great thing about the Roam Sonos is the number of features it brings to the table which encompasses: a relatively impressive sound system, IP rating, and 5+ hours of battery life. It’s perfect for the outdoors and when placed in a room, it will adapt using its automatic Trueplay technology.
Specs
What’s In The Box?
The Roam Sonos is an amazing portable speaker that is ideal for use both indoors and outdoors because of its design and great sound quality.
This wireless speaker offers perfect coverage even while sitting horizontally or vertically. On top of that, the build quality on this bad boy is pretty impressive and feels very sturdy. The speaker grilles (which cover the majority of the body) are made from durable plastic and the sides are made of silicone.
The IK rating and IP67 rating make this the perfect speaker in terms of durability. It’s dust-proof, submersible for up to 1m depth, and will resist small accidental drops.
The controls on this speaker are quite alright. Other than the ability to answer phone calls, it’s got everything else you could need from a Bluetooth speaker’s control panel. Whether it’s volume control, switching tracks, swapping between other Roam speakers, and many more. On top of that, there are audible chimes that play when reaching maximum volume.
In terms of sound quality, these speakers have a relatively neutral frequency response and a slightly impressive soundstage. They aren’t particularly impressive overall, but considering most of the speakers on our list, the Roam Sonos speaker definitely has a slight edge over the competition.
Speaking of slight edges, the Bluetooth 5.0, integrated Wi-Fi, in-built Alexa, and Google Assistant are some of the most welcome additions that are not very commonly found in the competition.
So look out people, it’s time to learn how to set up a soundbar, as Roam already provides a lot of smart devices that use Wi-Fi/Bluetooth to coordinate with each other and provide an immersive surround sound experience.
Before heading out to the product reviews, it’s best to get an idea of the specifications and features you will need to look out for when picking out a great portable speaker. So in this brief section, I’ll cover some basic information on several key aspects relating to Bluetooth speakers under $200.
There’s no denying that a Bluetooth speaker with less than an 8 hour battery life, especially in this price range, is not worth it. Therefore, when picking out a decent Bluetooth speaker for your outdoor adventures or parties, never settle for anything with less than 8 hours of continuous playback time.
Some brands, even the most well-known ones tend to exaggerate the battery life, so don’t forget to google their actual battery performance and also read some reviews on Amazon before commiting to a device.
Also, you need to know about the charging time. Even though many brands don’t advertise their charging times, I recommend you get to know about it so you can charge them and prepare them for use in advance. But if charging is a bit of a hassle for you, especially when you are outdoors, I suggest that you get a solar Bluetooth speaker.
A more important aspect, if you’re enjoying the outdoors, is to consider a Bluetooth speaker with a higher IP rating.
If you want your Bluetooth speaker to be fully waterproof and dustproof, always go for a speaker with an IP67 rating which is also the minimum IP rating for ATV waterproof speakers.
These speakers can be submersible for up to 1m (3.28ft) for 30 minutes without any issues. Avoid IPX4 and IP55 ratings for the outdoors and restrict them for indoor activities such as parties and movie nights.
Most of the speakers on this list (and many you will come across online) have different hardware connectivity ports.
Most of them include the bare essentials, which is just a Micro-USB or Type-C port for charging while some devices will offer a stereo input port, (3.5mm or 1/8″ TRS) SD card slot or USB port to load music from. Also, a few devices will also support reverse charging for your phones, so don’t forget to consider these ports before committing.
Howevever, most of these additions will be unnecessary, most of the time, except the charging port. Make sure you have the correct charging cable for your device as some speakers still rely on Micro-USB and haven’t moved over to USB Type-C just yet.
Also, take note that these Bluetooth speakers are not for Karaoke, so if ever you need a reliable Karaoke speaker for your gatherings, you can check out our article about that.
Another small detail that will save you time and effort is the controls provided on the Bluetooth speaker.
Unfortunately, not all brands and models have the same set of Bluetooth controls and even though modern technology has developed electric cars and reusable rockets, some Bluetooth speakers (even ones that deliver original high-quality sound from well-known brands) still fail to include a fully-fledged control scheme. Some devices will be missing the ability to change volume or skip tracks. (or both) So don’t forget to research the controls on the Bluetooth speaker you wish to purchase.
Also, another small thing you need to look for is the presence of an in-built microphone. Almost half of the Bluetooth speakers on this niche do not include a mic. So if issuing voice commands and answering phone calls is important, then you should keep an eye out for this as well.
Last but not least, since these are portable Bluetooth speakers we’re talking about, many of them come with handles or loops so you can easily carry them around.
An extra handle or loop on your Bluetooth speakers (instead of being a single black box) can be a game-changer if you’re listening to music on the move. You can easily carry them around on yourself or strap them to a backpack
There are lots of Bluetooth speakers out on the market, and finding the perfect ones with a higher IP rating, better build quality, and decent audio can be difficult. Hopefully, with the help of this article, users will have some examples.
Fortunately, people don’t need to resort to generic brands because there are a wide variety of solutions provided by the best brands such as JBL and Bose, even when it’s under the “tame” price point of $200 but if you have more budget, we also have here Bluetooth speakers under $500.