Short answer: the JBL Charge Essential. It ranks #68 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $73.99; the JBL Grip ranks #75 and costs $99.95, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
What the JBL Charge Essential offers: Doubles as a power bank. IPX7 rated. Supports true wireless stereo pairing with a second Charge Essential. Watch for: Less clarity than the Flip 4, highs rolled off. An overpriced rebranded Charge 3 for people who want stereo sound.
What the JBL Grip offers: Ambient light on the back with settable themes Watch for: 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
Buy the JBL Charge Essential. It ranks higher for sound quality than the JBL Grip and costs less, which settles it without a real tradeoff to make.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge Essential | JBL Grip | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $73.99 | $99.95 |
| Ranked | #68 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #75 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | No | Yes (7 band) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) | - |
| Power Input | Micro USB | - |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs / 770 g | 0.8 lbs / 385 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 | 5.4 |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange | 1x 43x80mm fullrange |
| Dimensions | 8.4" x 3.5" x 3.4" (213 x 89 x 87 mm) | 2.5" x 6" x 2.6" (64 x 152 x 65 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 70Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Output Power | 20W RMS | 16W |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP68 |
| Digital Aux Input | No | Yes (USB-C) |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | ~68Hz |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC |
| TWS | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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- Klipsch Nashville vs JBL Charge 3
- JBL Charge 2 vs Tribit Xsound Surf
- JBL Charge 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Mini
- Sony XB23 vs JBL Charge Essential
- JBL Charge Essential vs Ultimate Ears Roll 2
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
JBL Charge Essential: $73.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: Doubles as a power bank. IPX7 rated. Supports true wireless stereo pairing with a second Charge Essential.
Cons: Less clarity than the Flip 4, highs rolled off. An overpriced rebranded Charge 3 for people who want stereo sound.
Full JBL Charge Essential review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.4" x 3.5" x 3.4" (213 x 89 x 87 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 20W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs / 770 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Flossy Carter: JBL Charge 5 vs JBL Charge 4 vs JBL Charge Essential More from FlossyCarter →
- Techder Audios: JBL EXTREME 3 VS JBL CHARGE ESSENTIAL More from techderaudios →
- The Tech Files: JBL CHARGE ESSENTIAL VS CHARGE ESSENTIAL 2 COMPARATIVO AMBIENTE EXTERNO
- Reddit Search for JBL Charge Essential Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Charge Essential vs JBL Charge 3
- JBL Charge Essential vs JBL Charge 2
- JBL Charge Essential vs JBL Flip Essential
- JBL Charge Essential vs Klipsch Nashville
- JBL Charge Essential vs Sonos Roam 2
- JBL Charge Essential vs Sony XB23
- JBL Charge Essential vs Sonos Roam
- JBL Charge Essential vs JBL Flip 4
- See all 74 comparisons
JBL Grip: $99.95 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: Ambient light on the back with settable themes
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 →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~68Hz |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| 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 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 16W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs / 385 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons