Short answer: the JBL Charge 5 Wifi. It ranks #29 of 182 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 4.0/5, at $139.95. The JBL Flip Essential 2 ranks #80, rated 3.3/5, at $85.90, $54.05 cheaper, a saving that is not big enough to make up the sound-quality gap.
The JBL Charge 5 Wifi is the better-sounding, longer-running option. A rugged waterproof speaker with punchy, warm sound plus Wi-Fi streaming over AirPlay and Chromecast, long battery life and a phone charging port. It is rated for 20 hours of battery against 10 for the JBL Flip Essential 2. It supports AAC Bluetooth, which the JBL Flip Essential 2 lacks. It has an adjustable EQ, which the JBL Flip Essential 2 lacks. Watch for: Shouty upper mids.
The JBL Flip Essential 2 is the lighter choice. A compact, affordable waterproof speaker that gets fairly loud for its size and connects to two phones at once. At 1.1 lbs (520 g) it weighs much less than the JBL Charge 5 Wifi at 2.2 lbs (1 kg). The tradeoff: There is no tweeter, and side by side comparisons found it does not sound as good as the JBL Flip 6, with less bass; its bass stops growing above about 70% volume, so turning it up mostly adds loudness, not weight.
Buy the JBL Charge 5 Wifi. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $54.05 you would save on the JBL Flip Essential 2 does not close the gap.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Prices on this page were last checked November 14, 2026 at 6:17 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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Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 5 Wifi | JBL Flip Essential 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $139.95 | $85.90 |
| Ranked | #29 of 182 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #80 of 182 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | No |
| Party Mode | No | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) | No |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs (1000 g) | 1.1 lbs (520 g) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | - |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.1 |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 97 x 94 mm) | 6.9” x 2.7” x 2.8” (175 x 68 x 70 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter | 1x 44x80mm racetrack fullrange + 2x passive radiators |
| 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) | - |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | No | - |
Where the Ratings Come From
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi: reviews by GYMCADDY.
- JBL Flip Essential 2: reviews by Speaker Fan, Angelicaaudio and AudioTribe.
This comparison is generated from the ratings, specifications and measurements on each product’s own page, and it updates when that data changes. How we rank explains how each rating is decided.
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