These sit in different size classes, so this is not a straight ranking comparison. The Bose SoundLink Plus ranks #25 of 83 large speakers by sound quality at $269; the Bose Portable Smart Speaker ranks #65 of 145 medium speakers by sound quality at $399.
Why pick the Bose SoundLink Plus: IP67 rated, IP67 water/dustproof. The tradeoff: Boosted thuddy bass, but not as deep as the SoundLink Flex and you should probably just buy one of those instead if you want a Bose.
Why pick the Bose Portable Smart Speaker: Both Alexa and Google Assistant are built in, and RTINGS rates its microphones as excellent at hearing commands from far away or in a noisy room. The catch: RTINGS found the out of the box tuning boomy and says it doesn’t get very loud; the app’s bass and treble sliders help, and SoundGuys recommended cutting bass by 10 to 20 steps to balance it.
Buy the Bose SoundLink Plus ($269) for a large speaker; the Bose Portable Smart Speaker ($399) suits a medium speaker instead.
If battery life is a priority, the Bose SoundLink Plus is rated for 20 hours versus 12 hours for the Bose Portable Smart Speaker.
If water resistance matters to you, the Bose SoundLink Plus at IP67 (brief submersion) holds up far better than the Bose Portable Smart Speaker at IPX4 (splashing).
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Bose SoundLink Plus | Bose Portable Smart Speaker | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $269.00 | $399.00 |
| Ranked | #25 of 83 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #65 of 145 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Bose Music) |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes (far-field mic array, mic mute button) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX4 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) | Yes (Bose Music multi-room, SimpleSync, AirPlay 2) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| TWS | Yes | - |
| Weight | 3.3 lbs (1.5 kg) | 2.3 lbs (1.06 kg) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC |
| EQ | No | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Pointing up |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 9.1” x 3.9” x 3.4” (231 x 99 x 86 mm) | 7.6” x 4.7” x 4.1” (192 x 119 x 104 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Drivers | 1x 2.5” (63.5mm) woofer + 1x ~0.78” (20mm) tweeter + 4x passive radiators | 1x high-excursion driver with 360-degree deflector + 3x passive radiators |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) | No |
| Wi-Fi | - | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | - | Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant |
| Streaming Services | - | AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, Pandora, SiriusXM, TuneIn |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More top alternatives to Bose SoundLink Plus:
- Bose SoundLink Plus vs Vifa Helsinki
- Bose SoundLink Plus vs JBL Xtreme 5
- Bose SoundLink Plus vs Tribit Stormbox Lava
- Bose SoundLink Plus vs Brane X
- Bose SoundLink Plus vs Minirig 4 with subwoofer
Prices on this page were last checked September 26, 2026 at 11:14 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
The Two Speakers In Full
Bose SoundLink Plus: $269.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: IP67 rated, IP67 water/dustproof. Close to 20 hour battery life. Vibrant sound with booming bass, clean mids. Bluetooth 5.4 with good range. Premium tactile grille, smooth silicone. Quality build at $269.
Cons: Boosted thuddy bass, but not as deep as the SoundLink Flex and you should probably just buy one of those instead if you want a Bose.
Full Bose SoundLink Plus review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 9.1” x 3.9” x 3.4” (231 x 99 x 86 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 2.5” (63.5mm) woofer + 1x ~0.78” (20mm) tweeter + 4x passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 3.3 lbs (1.5 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Bose SoundLink Plus vs onn Portable FM Boombox
- Bose SoundLink Plus vs Bogasing S8 Pro Max
- Bose SoundLink Plus vs Soundcore Motion X500
- Bose SoundLink Plus vs Teufel Rockster Cross
- Bose SoundLink Plus vs Sonos Move 2
- Bose SoundLink Plus vs Teufel Rockster Cross 2
- Bose SoundLink Plus vs Soundcore Rave Neo 2
- Bose SoundLink Plus vs Sonos Move
- See all 79 comparisons
Bose Portable Smart Speaker: $399.00 Bose eBay
Pros: Both Alexa and Google Assistant are built in, and RTINGS rates its microphones as excellent at hearing commands from far away or in a noisy room. It works as a Wi-Fi speaker at home (AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect) and as a Bluetooth speaker away from Wi-Fi, weighs about 1 kg with a carry handle, and is IPX4 splash resistant. SoundGuys measured 13 hours 6 minutes of playback at 75 dB, beating Bose’s 12 hour claim, and found the bass impressive for its size, especially near a wall or corner. Its 360 degree design spreads sound evenly around a room.
Cons: RTINGS found the out of the box tuning boomy and says it doesn’t get very loud; the app’s bass and treble sliders help, and SoundGuys recommended cutting bass by 10 to 20 steps to balance it. Pushed to full volume, Tom’s Guide heard unbalanced sound and Pocket-lint found the bass struggling and turning incoherent. RTINGS measured only about 5 hours of battery in its own test. It is mono, has no aux input (the USB-C port only charges), uses Bluetooth 4.2, and the Bose Music app supports a limited list of streaming services. IPX4 covers splashes only, not submersion or dust.
Full Bose Portable Smart Speaker review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Bose Music) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field mic array, mic mute button) |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.6” x 4.7” x 4.1” (192 x 119 x 104 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Drivers | 1x high-excursion driver with 360-degree deflector + 3x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Music multi-room, SimpleSync, AirPlay 2) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, Pandora, SiriusXM, TuneIn |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant |
| Weight | 2.3 lbs (1.06 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Bose Portable Smart Speaker vs Beats Pill 2024
- Bose Portable Smart Speaker vs Sony ULT Field 3
- Bose Portable Smart Speaker vs Sonos Roam 2
- Bose Portable Smart Speaker vs Sonos Play
- Bose Portable Smart Speaker vs JBL Grip
- Bose Portable Smart Speaker vs Bose Soundlink Revolve+ II
- Bose Portable Smart Speaker vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Bose Portable Smart Speaker vs Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen
- See all 36 comparisons