Short answer: the JBL Flip 5. It ranks #62 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $64.97; the Bose SoundLink Color II ranks #98 and costs $107.15, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the JBL Flip 5 offers: Compact and light (1.1 lb) with a carry lanyard. Charges via USB-C, topping off in about 2.5 hours. IP67 rated. Watch for: Not stereo. Boosted upper bass. Piercing sound when turned up. Peaky lower treble at higher volumes.
What the Bose SoundLink Color II offers: Soft-touch rubber coating is comfortable to hold and tough enough for bumps and scrapes. IPX4 splashproof. Supports multipoint pairing to two devices at once. Watch for: Boosted bass on Color II. Not as deep of bass as other models. Lacking midrange detail. Rolled off treble
Buy the JBL Flip 5. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Bose SoundLink Color II and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If water resistance matters to you, the JBL Flip 5 at IPX7 (brief submersion) holds up far better than the Bose SoundLink Color II at IPX4 (splashing).
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Flip 5 | Bose SoundLink Color II | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $64.97 Discontinued | $107.15 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #62 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #98 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 59Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 200ms | - |
| Max Volume | 92dB | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs / 540 g | 1.3 lbs / 600 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 4.2 |
| Drivers | 1x 44x80mm fullrange | 2x 40mm full-range drivers |
| Dimensions | 7.1" x 2.7" x 2.9" (181 x 69 x 74 mm) | 5.2" x 5" x 2.2" (132 x 127 x 56 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Output Power | 20W RMS | - |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | - |
| Built in Microphone | No | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (via JBL app, sunsetted in 2024) | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX4 |
| Discontinued | Yes | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | - | Yes |
| App | - | Yes (Bose Connect) |
| Stereo | - | Yes |
| Power Input | - | Micro USB |
| Power Bank | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
Other pairings from the same speaker class worth checking:
- JBL Flip 4 vs Sony XB23
- JBL Flip 4 vs Ultimate Ears Roll 2
- JBL Flip 4 vs JBL Grip
- JBL Flip 5 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs JBL Flip 5
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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
The Two Speakers In Full
JBL Flip 5: $64.97 Discontinued Amazon eBay
Pros: Compact and light (1.1 lb) with a carry lanyard. Charges via USB-C, topping off in about 2.5 hours. IP67 rated.
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 →
| Aux Input | No |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 59Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| 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) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 1x 44x80mm fullrange |
| EQ | Yes (via JBL app, sunsetted in 2024) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Max Volume | 92dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 20W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs / 540 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Beoplay A1 Denon 250bt JBL Flip 5 Anker Flare 2 More from alanrossreviews →
- DLX Willington: JBL Flip 5 vs Flip 4 :Sound Battle: Almost to the size of the JBL Charge 3? More from DLXWillington →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony XB23 vs JBL Flip 5 v Tribit Maxsound Plus
- Techder Audios: #JBL Flip 5 VS #JBL Flip Essential “IMPRESSIVE COMPARISON!?” More from techderaudios →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Marshall Emberton vs JBL Flip 5 & Soundcore Boost - true stereophonic 🤓
- Reddit Search for JBL Flip 5 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Bose SoundLink Color II: $107.15 Discontinued Amazon eBay
Pros: Soft-touch rubber coating is comfortable to hold and tough enough for bumps and scrapes. IPX4 splashproof. Supports multipoint pairing to two devices at once.
Cons: Boosted bass on Color II. Not as deep of bass as other models. Lacking midrange detail. Rolled off treble. Discontinued.
Full Bose SoundLink Color II review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Bose Connect) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 5.2" x 5" x 2.2" (132 x 127 x 56 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm full-range drivers |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 600 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Marshall Emberton III
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Marshall Emberton II
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Yamaha True X Speaker 1A
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Cabasse Swell
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Sony SRS-XB20
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Tribit Stormbox
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Teufel Rockster Go
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Sony SRS-XE300
- See all 74 comparisons