Short answer: the Hopestar H54, if you are buying new, though neither ranks well in its class. The JBL Clip ranks higher than it (#37 vs #40 of 49 small speakers, 2.7/5 vs 2.6/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the Hopestar H54 is still sold new at $59.99. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 49 small speakers, so if sound quality matters, consider the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 instead, ranked #1 at $49.99.
What the JBL Clip does well: Very compact and light (5.3 oz) with an integrated carabiner. The catch: Quite a lack of bass.
What the Hopestar H54 does well: IPX7 waterproof, 5W output, 5-hour battery life, MicroSD card support, TWS pairing, AUX input, Bluetooth 5.0, built-in microphone, compact 500g design. The catch: Bright treble, not much bass, harsh mids.
Buy the Hopestar H54, since the JBL Clip is discontinued and only worth hunting down used.
If water resistance matters to you, the Hopestar H54 at IPX7 (brief submersion) holds up far better than the JBL Clip at no water resistance.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Clip | Hopestar H54 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $50 Discontinued | $59.99 |
| Ranked | #37 of 49 in Small Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #40 of 49 in Small Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | No | No |
| Aux Input | Yes (integrated 3.5mm cable) | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~95Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 5 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 5 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | No | No |
| Party Mode | No | No |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Power Input | AC Wall Wart | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | Pointing up |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| Weight | 0.3 lbs (158 g) | 1.1 lbs (500 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| IP Rating | None | IPX7 |
| Amplifier Power | 7W RMS | 5W |
| Dimensions | 5.4” x 3.8” x 1.8” (137.2 x 96.5 x 45.7 mm) (Clip 3, original JBL Clip dimensions not available) | 5.5” x 4.7” x 2.8” (140 x 120 x 70 mm) |
| Drivers | 1.57” (40mm) driver | 52mm |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | Yes (built-in carabiner) | - |
| MicroSD Playback | - | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.0 |
| Frequency Response | - | 80Hz - 15kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More top alternatives to JBL Clip:
- Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 vs JBL Clip
- Soundcore Boom Go 3i vs JBL Clip
- Minirig Mini 2 vs JBL Clip
- Tribit Stormbox Micro vs JBL Clip
- Tribit Stormbox Micro 3 vs JBL Clip
Prices on this page were last checked September 30, 2026 at 2:57 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 Clip: $50 Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the JBL Clip 5, ranked higher, rated 3.4/5.
Pros: Very compact and light (5.3 oz) with an integrated carabiner. Has its own built-in 3.5mm aux cable, so you don’t need to carry one separately. Measured bass extension of ~95Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Quite a lack of bass. Mids are a little hollow. Discontinued.
Full JBL Clip review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 7W RMS |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes (integrated 3.5mm cable) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~95Hz |
| Battery Life | 5 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 5.4” x 3.8” x 1.8” (137.2 x 96.5 x 45.7 mm) (Clip 3, original JBL Clip dimensions not available) |
| Drivers | 1.57” (40mm) driver |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC Wall Wart |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (built-in carabiner) |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 0.3 lbs (158 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- No independent measurement review is linked for this model; it is ranked from hands-on listening and comparison against similarly priced speakers.
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Hopestar H54: $59.99 Hopestar eBay
Pros: IPX7 waterproof, 5W output, 5-hour battery life, MicroSD card support, TWS pairing, AUX input, Bluetooth 5.0, built-in microphone, compact 500g design
Cons: Bright treble, not much bass, harsh mids
Full Hopestar H54 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 5W |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 5 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 5.5” x 4.7” x 2.8” (140 x 120 x 70 mm) |
| Drivers | 52mm |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 80Hz - 15kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| MicroSD Playback | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.1 lbs (500 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons