Short answer: the JBL Charge 5 Wifi. It ranks #29 of 175 medium speakers by sound quality (rated 4.0/5) at $139.95 and is still sold new; the JBL Flip 5 ranks #81 (rated 3.3/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used. The JBL Flip 5’s replacement, the JBL Flip 7, is rated 4.2/5 at $89.95.
The JBL Charge 5 Wifi is the better-sounding, deeper-bass choice. Sounds exactly the same as the non-Wifi version. Its bass reaches about 53Hz before falling 10dB, against 59Hz for the JBL Flip 5. It is rated for 20 hours of battery against 12 for the JBL Flip 5. It supports AAC Bluetooth, which the JBL Flip 5 lacks. Watch for: Shouty upper mids.
The JBL Flip 5 is the lighter option. Compact and light (1.1 lb) with a carry lanyard. At 1.2 lbs (540 g) it weighs much less than the JBL Charge 5 Wifi at 2.2 lbs (1 kg). It links with other speakers (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers), which the JBL Charge 5 Wifi cannot. The tradeoff: Boosted upper bass.
Buy the JBL Charge 5 Wifi. It is rated higher for sound quality and still sold new, while the JBL Flip 5 is discontinued.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 5 Wifi | JBL Flip 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $139.95 | $64.97 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #29 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #81 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz | 59Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | Yes (via JBL app, sunsetted in 2024) |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) | - |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs (1000 g) | 1.2 lbs (540 g) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | - |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 97 x 94 mm) | 7.1” x 2.7” x 2.9” (181 x 69 x 74 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter | 1x 44x80mm fullrange |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX7 |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Alexa Multi-Room Music | - |
| Amplifier Power | 40W | 20W RMS |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (dual microphones) | No |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (Manufacturer specified) | 92dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | No | Yes (lanyard) |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 200ms |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for JBL Charge 5 Wifi:
- EarFun Uboom L vs JBL Charge 5 Wifi
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Soundcore Motion 300
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Soundcore Motion+
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs JBL Charge 5 Wifi
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Minirig 4
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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
The Two Speakers In Full
JBL Charge 5 Wifi: $139.95 Amazon $139.95 eBay
Same family: the JBL Charge 5 (smaller model, ranked lower, rated 4/5). See every JBL Charge generation.
Pros: Has Wifi. Sounds exactly the same as the non-Wifi version. Measured bass extension of 53Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not stereo. Warm sound. Shouty upper mids. Boosted bass. Slightly rolled off treble. Overly expensive. No party mode on the wifi version
Full JBL Charge 5 Wifi review and specifications →
| Released | May 2023 (3 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 40W |
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (dual microphones) |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| 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 |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Alexa Multi-Room Music |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs (1000 g) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Bogasing M4
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs JBL Charge 5
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Bogasing G4
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Soundcore Boom 3i
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Harman Kardon Luna
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Harman Kardon Luna 2
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Cleer Audio Scene
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Tribit Maxsound Plus
- See all 144 comparisons
JBL Flip 5: $64.97 Discontinued Amazon $64.97 eBay
Newer model: the JBL Flip 7, ranked higher, rated 4.2/5, released Mar 2025.
Older model: the JBL Flip 4 (ranked lower, rated 3.3/5). See every JBL Flip generation.
Pros: Compact and light (1.1 lb) with a carry lanyard. Charges via USB-C, topping off in about 2.5 hours. IP67 rated. Measured bass extension of 59Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not stereo. Boosted upper bass. Piercing sound when turned up. Peaky lower treble at higher volumes. Discontinued.
Full JBL Flip 5 review and specifications →
| Released | Jul 2019 (7 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 20W RMS |
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 59Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 200ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.1” x 2.7” x 2.9” (181 x 69 x 74 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 44x80mm fullrange |
| EQ | Yes (via JBL app, sunsetted in 2024) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Maximum SPL | 92dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (lanyard) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs (540 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: UE Wonderboom 2 review and sound test - vs Flip 5 - Flip 4 More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony XB23 vs JBL Flip 5 v Tribit Maxsound Plus
- Alan Ross Reviews: Marshall Emberton vs JBL Flip 5 & Soundcore Boost - true stereophonic 🤓
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Pro - two versions compared - was it broken? 🤔
- Alan Ross Reviews: Beoplay A1 Denon 250bt JBL Flip 5 Anker Flare 2
- DLX Willington: JBL Flip 5 vs Flip 4 :Sound Battle: Almost to the size of the JBL Charge 3? More from DLXWillington →
- Techder Audios: #JBL Flip 5 VS #JBL Flip Essential "IMPRESSIVE COMPARISON!?" More from techderaudios →
- GYMCADDY: JBL Flip 7 Review - Is It Worth Upgrading Over The JBL Flip 6 Or Flip 5? More from GYMCADDY →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons