Short answer: the Sonos Play. It ranks #56 of 177 medium speakers by sound quality (rated 3.5/5) at $299 and is still sold new; the JBL Flip Essential ranks #89 (rated 3.2/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used. The JBL Flip Essential’s replacement, the JBL Flip Essential 3 SE, is rated 3.6/5 at $115.53.
The JBL Flip Essential is the lighter choice. A light, simple waterproof speaker with an aux input, good for travel and casual listening. At 1 lbs (471 g) it weighs much less than the Sonos Play at 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg). Watch for: Bass is lighter than the JBL Flip 5 and the 80Hz claimed low-frequency limit means it cannot deliver real low-end weight.
The Sonos Play is the longer-running option. A Wi-Fi and Bluetooth portable with wide stereo sound, a long lasting swappable battery, waterproofing and full Sonos multiroom support. It is rated for 24 hours of battery against 10 for the JBL Flip Essential. It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the JBL Flip Essential. It charges over USB-C rather than Micro USB. The catch: Bass distorts noticeably on bass-heavy tracks at default settings, and the distortion persists even after enabling Trueplay tuning and manually pulling bass back in the app.
Buy the Sonos Play. It is rated higher for sound quality and still sold new, while the JBL Flip Essential is discontinued.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
A light, simple waterproof speaker with an aux input, good for travel and casual listening.
A Wi-Fi and Bluetooth portable with wide stereo sound, a long lasting swappable battery, waterproofing and full Sonos multiroom support.
Prices on this page were last checked October 31, 2026 at 7:11 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 Flip Essential | Sonos Play | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $130 Discontinued | $299.00 |
| Ranked | #89 of 177 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #56 of 177 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | No | No |
| Party Mode | No | No |
| Weight | / 1 lbs (471 g) | 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 | 5.3 |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm fullrange | mid-woofer, 2x angled tweeters |
| Dimensions | 6.7” x 2.5” x 2.5” (169 x 64 x 64 mm) | 7.6” x 4.4” x 3” (192.3 x 112.5 x 76.7 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 80Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Amplifier Power | 16W RMS | - |
| Aux Input | Yes (3.5mm) | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| Power Input | Micro USB | USB-C |
| Voice Assistants | - | Amazon Alexa (Sonos Voice Control also built in) |
| Power Bank | - | No |
| Wi-Fi | - | Yes |
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