JBL Charge 4 vs Grip: Which Is Better? (2026)

Q: Which is better, the JBL Charge 4 or the JBL Grip?

Short answer: the JBL Charge 6, if you are buying new. The JBL Charge 4 ranks higher than the JBL Grip (#63 vs #99 of 175 medium speakers) but is discontinued; its replacement, the JBL Charge 6, is rated 4.2/5 at $119.95 and is still sold new.

Q: Should I buy the JBL Charge 4 or the JBL Grip?

Buy the JBL Charge 6, the replacement for the discontinued JBL Charge 4; it is rated higher for sound quality than the JBL Grip.

Short answer: the JBL Charge 6, if you are buying new. The JBL Charge 4 ranks higher than the JBL Grip (#63 vs #99 of 175 medium speakers) but is discontinued; its replacement, the JBL Charge 6, is rated 4.2/5 at $119.95 and is still sold new.

JBL Charge 4 vs JBL Grip

The JBL Charge 4 is the better-sounding, deeper-bass choice. Doubles as a power bank for charging phones/tablets. Its bass reaches about 54Hz before falling 10dB, against 68Hz for the JBL Grip. It is rated for 20 hours of battery against 14 for the JBL Grip. It keeps a wired aux input, which the JBL Grip lacks. Watch for: 1 Oval driver.

The JBL Grip is the lighter choice. Ambient light on the back with settable themes. At 0.8 lbs (385 g) it weighs much less than the JBL Charge 4 at 2.1 lbs (960 g). It has an adjustable EQ, which the JBL Charge 4 lacks. Watch for: Lacking deeper bass, definitely the worst of the JBL line until you get to the smaller clip.

Buy the JBL Charge 6, the replacement for the discontinued JBL Charge 4; it is rated higher for sound quality than the JBL Grip.

Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.

Check JBL Charge 4 price at Amazon ($94.99) →Check JBL Grip price at Amazon ($99.95) →

Specifications Side By Side

	JBL Charge 4	JBL Grip
Price	$94.99 Discontinued	$99.95
Ranked	#63 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers	#99 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers
Aux Input	Yes	No
Bass Extension (-10dB)	54Hz	~68Hz
Battery Life	20 hours (Manufacturer specified)	14 hours (Manufacturer specified)
Bluetooth Latency	330ms	-
Maximum SPL	99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews)	-
Party Mode	Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers)	Yes (Auracast)
Power Bank	Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A)	-
Stereo	No	No
Omnidirectional	No	No
TWS	No	Yes
Weight	2.1 lbs (960 g)	0.8 lbs (385 g)
Bluetooth	Yes	Yes
Bluetooth Version	4.2	5.4
Drivers	1x 51x89mm fullrange	1x 43x80mm fullrange
Dimensions	8.7” x 3.7” x 3.7” (220 x 95 x 93 mm)	2.5” x 6” x 2.6” (64 x 152 x 65 mm)
Frequency Response	60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified)	70Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified)
Amplifier Power	30W RMS	16W
IP Rating	IPX7	IP68
Digital Aux Input	No	Yes (USB-C)
Bluetooth Codecs	SBC	SBC
App	Yes	Yes
EQ	No	Yes (7 band)
Power Input	USB-C	USB-C
Strap	No	Yes (strap)
Lights	-	Yes

Check JBL Charge 4 price at Amazon ($94.99) →Check JBL Grip price at Amazon ($99.95) →

How JBL Charge 4 compares with other leading options:

Prices on this page were last checked October 12, 2026 at 4:13 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

JBL Charge 4: $94.99 Discontinued Amazon $94.99 eBay

Newer model: the JBL Charge 6, ranked higher, rated 4.2/5, released Mar 2025.

Older models: the JBL Charge 3 (ranked lower, rated 3.2/5) and the JBL Charge 2 (ranked lower, rated 3.2/5). See every JBL Charge generation.

Pros: Doubles as a power bank for charging phones/tablets. IPX7 rated and floats. ~20 hour battery life; wirelessly links with 100+ JBL Connect+ speakers. Measured bass extension of 54Hz (-10dB).

Cons: Not stereo. 1 Oval driver. Boosted bass, top a little rolled off, warm sound. Not as loud as a JBL Charge 3. Discontinued.

Full JBL Charge 4 review and specifications →

Released	Oct 2018 (8 years ago)
Amplifier Power	30W RMS
App	Yes
Aux Input	Yes
Bass Extension (-10dB)	54Hz
Battery Life	20 hours (Manufacturer specified)
Bluetooth	Yes
Bluetooth Codecs	SBC
Bluetooth Latency	330ms
Bluetooth Version	4.2
Digital Aux Input	No
Dimensions	8.7” x 3.7” x 3.7” (220 x 95 x 93 mm)
Drivers	1x 51x89mm fullrange
EQ	No
Frequency Response	60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified)
IP Rating	IPX7
Maximum SPL	99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews)
Omnidirectional	No
Party Mode	Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers)
Power Bank	Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A)
Power Input	USB-C
Stereo	No
Strap	No
TWS	No
Weight	2.1 lbs (960 g)

Check current price at Amazon ($94.99) →Search eBay for JBL Charge 4 →

JBL Grip: $99.95 Amazon $99.95 B&H Photo Video eBay

Pros: Ambient light on the back with settable themes. Measured bass extension of ~68Hz (-10dB).

Cons: Lacking deeper bass, definitely the worst of the JBL line until you get to the smaller clip. Not as much clarity as higher ranked speakers, rolled off highs and wavy midrange

Setup: EQ from Oluv in his post can help it a bit but still isn’t very neutral

Full JBL Grip review and specifications →

Released	Sep 2025 (1 year ago)
Amplifier Power	16W
App	Yes
Aux Input	No
Bass Extension (-10dB)	~68Hz
Battery Life	14 hours (Manufacturer specified)
Bluetooth	Yes
Bluetooth Codecs	SBC
Bluetooth Version	5.4
Digital Aux Input	Yes (USB-C)
Dimensions	2.5” x 6” x 2.6” (64 x 152 x 65 mm)
Drivers	1x 43x80mm fullrange
EQ	Yes (7 band)
Frequency Response	70Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified)
IP Rating	IP68
Lights	Yes
Omnidirectional	No
Party Mode	Yes (Auracast)
Power Input	USB-C
Stereo	No
Strap	Yes (strap)
TWS	Yes
Weight	0.8 lbs (385 g)

Check current price at Amazon ($99.95) →Check current price at B&H Photo Video →Search eBay for JBL Grip →

Specifications Side By Side

Related Speaker Comparisons

The Two Speakers In Full

JBL Charge 4: $94.99 Discontinued Amazon $94.99 eBay

JBL Grip: $99.95 Amazon $99.95 B&H Photo Video eBay