Short answer: the Bose SoundLink Plus for better sound quality, the Zealot S97 for the lower price. The Bose SoundLink Plus ranks #22 of 77 large speakers at $199.99. The Zealot S97 ranks #46 at $65.86, $134.13 cheaper.
What the Bose SoundLink Plus offers: 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. Watch for: 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.
What the Zealot S97 offers: There is nothing else for $48 with that deep of bass and a reasonable tuning Watch for: Doesn’t get very loud compared to other speakers in this class. Short battery life. Pretty heavy. Many say the S67 has deeper bass, but also gets more distorted
Buy the Bose SoundLink Plus if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Zealot S97 if the price matters more than sound quality.
If battery life is a priority, the Bose SoundLink Plus is rated for 20 hours versus 12 hours for the Zealot S97.
Specifications Side By Side
| Bose SoundLink Plus | Zealot S97 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199.99 | $65.86 with coupon YZZL10 |
| Ranked | #22 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #46 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built in Microphone | No | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX6 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) | Yes (PartyAdd up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | Yes (USB-A + USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Weight | 3.3 lbs / 1.5 kg | 7.3 lbs / 3.3 kg |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| EQ | No | 3 EQ presets |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.2 |
| Dimensions | 9.1" x 3.9" x 3.4" (231 x 99 x 86 mm) | 12.6" x 7.3" x 5.9" (321 x 185 x 151 mm) |
| Output Power | Specs not published by manufacturer | 80W |
| Drivers | 1x 2.5" (63.5mm) woofer + 1x ~0.78" (20mm) tweeter + 4x passive radiators | 2x 76mm (3") woofers + 2x 38mm tweeters + 2x passive radiators |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| MicroSD Playback | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
A few more comparisons worth a look in the same class:
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 4 vs Sony SRS-XG300
- Soundcore Select Pro vs Teufel Rockster Cross
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 4 vs Bogasing S8 Pro
- Marshall Stockwell 2 vs Zealot S97
- Zealot S97 vs JBL Xtreme
Prices on this page were last checked August 27, 2026 at 10:09 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.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Bose SoundLink Plus: $199.99 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 |
| Output Power | Specs not published by manufacturer |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 3.3 lbs / 1.5 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Bose SoundLink Plus vs Teufel Rockster Cross
- Bose SoundLink Plus vs Soundcore Motion X500
- Bose SoundLink Plus vs Soundcore Rave Neo 2
- Bose SoundLink Plus vs Soundcore Motion X600
- Bose SoundLink Plus vs Sonos Move 2
- Bose SoundLink Plus vs JBL Xtreme 3
- Bose SoundLink Plus vs Bose SoundLink Max
- Bose SoundLink Plus vs Sonos Move
- See all 40 comparisons
Zealot S97: $65.86 with coupon YZZL10 Aliexpress eBay
Pros: There is nothing else for $48 with that deep of bass and a reasonable tuning
Cons: Doesn’t get very loud compared to other speakers in this class. Short battery life. Pretty heavy. Many say the S67 has deeper bass, but also gets more distorted
Full Zealot S97 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 12.6" x 7.3" x 5.9" (321 x 185 x 151 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 76mm (3") woofers + 2x 38mm tweeters + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | 3 EQ presets |
| IP Rating | IPX6 |
| MicroSD Playback | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 80W |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyAdd up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A + USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 7.3 lbs / 3.3 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons