Short answer: the JBL Flip 6. It ranks #13 of 179 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 4.2/5, at $79.95; the Bose Portable Smart Speaker ranks #75, rated 3.4/5, and costs $399, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
The JBL Flip 6 is the better-sounding, lighter option. A small, rugged speaker with very neutral sound for its size, an excellent choice for most people. At 1.2 lbs (544 g) it weighs much less than the Bose Portable Smart Speaker at 2.3 lbs (1.06 kg). It is rated IP67 against IPX4 for the Bose Portable Smart Speaker. Watch for: Some slight upper mids emphasis.
Why pick the Bose Portable Smart Speaker: A smart speaker with Alexa and Google Assistant built in that streams over Wi-Fi at home and Bluetooth on the go. The tradeoff: RTINGS found the out of the box tuning boomy and says it doesn’t get very loud; the app’s bass and treble sliders help, and SoundGuys recommended cutting bass by 10 to 20 steps to balance it.
Buy the JBL Flip 6. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Bose Portable Smart Speaker and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Prices on this page were last checked November 11, 2026 at 3:26 AM 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 Flip 6 | Bose Portable Smart Speaker | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $79.95 | $399.00 |
| Ranked | #13 of 179 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #75 of 179 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Bose Music) |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes (far-field mic array, mic mute button) |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX4 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 116ms | - |
| Maximum SPL | 98dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Bose Music multi-room, SimpleSync, AirPlay 2) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Pointing up |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs (544 g) | 2.3 lbs (1.06 kg) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 6.9” x 2.7” x 2.8” (176 x 68 x 72 mm) | 7.6” x 4.7” x 4.1” (192 x 119 x 104 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Drivers | 44mm x 80mm woofer, 16mm tweeter | 1x high-excursion driver with 360-degree deflector + 3x passive radiators |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Amplifier Power | 30W | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) | No |
| Wi-Fi | - | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | - | Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant |
| Streaming Services | - | AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, Pandora, SiriusXM, TuneIn |
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