Short answer: the JBL Charge 6. It ranks #11 of 134 medium speakers at $149.95; the JBL Charge 5 Wifi ranks #25 and costs $250, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
On the JBL Charge 5 Wifi side: Has Wifi. The catch: Not stereo.
The case for the JBL Charge 6: Seems more neutral than the Charge 5. Flatter frequency response through the mids and treble as the Charge 5 was quite rolled off up high. Set against that: Still some boosted bass by default.
Buy the JBL Charge 5 Wifi if the price matters more than the ranking. Buy the JBL Charge 6 if the ranking matters more than the price.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 5 Wifi | JBL Charge 6 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $250 | $149.95 |
| Ranked | #25 of 134 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #11 of 134 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | Yes (7 band) |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes | Yes |
| Stereo | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs / 1000 g | 2.2 lbs / 990 g |
| Wifi | Yes | - |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.4 |
| Dimensions | 8.8" x 3.8" x 3.7" (223 x 97 x 94 mm) | 9.0" x 3.9" x 3.7" (228.8 x 98.5 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 56Hz - 20kHz (-6dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP68 |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Alexa Multi-Room Music | - |
| Output Power | 40W | 45W |
| Built in Microphone | Yes (dual microphones) | No |
| Max Volume | 99dB | 102dB |
| Digital Aux Input | - | Yes (USB-C) |
| USB Audio | - | Yes |
The Two Speakers In Full
JBL Charge 5 Wifi: $250 Amazon
Pros: Has Wifi. Sounds exactly the same as the non-Wifi version
Cons: Not stereo. Warm sound. Shouty upper mids. Boosted bass. Slightly rolled off treble. Overly expensive. No party mode on the wifi version
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes (dual microphones) |
| Dimensions | 8.8" x 3.8" x 3.7" (223 x 97 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 99dB |
| Output Power | 40W |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Alexa Multi-Room Music |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs / 1000 g |
| Wifi | Yes |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Bogasing M4
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Bogasing G4
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Wisetiger P3
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Miatone Boompro
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Minirig 4
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Soundcore Motion+
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Soundcore Motion 300
- See all 13 comparisons
- Links
JBL Charge 6: $149.95 Amazon Bhphotovideo
Pros: Seems more neutral than the Charge 5. Flatter frequency response through the mids and treble as the Charge 5 was quite rolled off up high. Use this EQ from Joy/Oluv and turn down the lowest bass slider for the best sound quality. Oluv has even more paid EQs specifically for the GG and TL models indoors and outdoors here
Cons: Still some boosted bass by default. Mids are recessed. Bright above 2khz. Quite a V shaped frequency response.
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 9.0" x 3.9" x 3.7" (228.8 x 98.5 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (7 band) |
| Frequency Response | 56Hz - 20kHz (-6dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP68 |
| Max Volume | 102dB |
| Output Power | 45W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Audio | Yes |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs / 990 g |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- JOY‘s 🎧3D🔈Audio-Show: JBL Charge 6 vs JBL Xtreme 4 - outdoor test
- JOY‘s 🎧3D🔈Audio-Show: JBL Charge 6 vs SoundCore Boom 2 - David vs Goliath
- JOY‘s 🎧3D🔈Audio-Show: JBL Charge 6 vs JBL Xtreme 4 - basstest (bigger=better?)
- JOY‘s 🎧3D🔈Audio-Show: JBL Charge 6, Xtreme 4 & Earfun UBoom X - taking sound to the top
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 6 or the JBL Charge 5? don’t go home till you watch this!
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Xtreme 4 vs Flip 7 vs Charge 6 – The ULTIMATE JBL Speaker Showdown!
- Oluv Patreon: Marshall Middleton II - better with EQ?
- Oluv Patreon: An evening with the “best portable speakers”?
- Oluv Patreon: Bose Soundlink Plus vs JBL Charge 6 - fight!
- Mateusz Cholewa: JBL Charge 6 🎶👌Unboxing 📦vs Jbl Charge 5 Short Test Audio i Hz.
- GYMCADDY: JBL Charge 6 Review - Worth Upgrading Even If You Have The JBL Charge 5
- Oluv Patreon: JBL Charge 6 - good or bad?
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: JBL, Bose, B&O, Sonos, Earfun, SoundCore… which portable speaker sounds best?
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Links
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Product prices and availability were last checked August 9, 2026 at 6:57 AM UTC 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.