Short answer: the JBL Go 5, which is cheaper and ranks higher. At $39.95 it undercuts the JBL Clip by $10.05 and ranks #26 of 49 against #37. The Go 5 adds IP68 protection, though it is still overpriced and not very different from the Go 4 besides the lights; the Clip is very compact and light at 5.3 oz with a carabiner, but has quite a lack of bass.
The Clip is the original 2013 model and is long discontinued, so it only turns up used. If you are replacing one, the Go 5 is the nearer modern equivalent in size, though JBL’s own Clip 5 is the direct successor.
Water and battery are where the years show. The Go 5 is rated IP68, dustproof and fine if dropped in a pool, while the Clip has no water resistance at all. JBL rates the Go 5 for 8 hours, 10 with Playtime Boost, against 5 hours for the Clip, and the Go 5 charges over USB-C.
Pairing and control moved on too. The Go 5 adds AirTouch stereo pairing, Auracast for linking more speakers, and a 7-band EQ in the JBL app. The Clip has none of these.
Where the Clip still wins: it is lighter at 0.3 lbs (158 g) against 0.5 lbs (230 g), its carabiner clips straight onto a bag where the Go 5 only has a loop, it has a speakerphone microphone the Go 5 lacks, and its built-in 3.5 mm cable plugs into any analog source. The Go 5’s only wired input is USB-C digital audio.
Neither has much bass. The Clip falls off sharply below about 95 Hz, and JBL rates the Go 5 only down to 100 Hz. If deeper sound matters at this size, the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 goes louder and deeper for a little more money.
Buy the JBL Go 5. It is rated higher for sound quality and still sold new, while the JBL Clip is discontinued.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Go 5 | JBL Clip | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $39.95 | $50 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #26 of 49 in Small Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #37 of 49 in Small Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Battery Life | 8 hours, 10 with Playtime Boost (Manufacturer specified) | 5 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes | No |
| IP Rating | IP68 | None |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | No |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | AC Wall Wart |
| Stereo | Yes (AirTouch tap-to-pair) | No |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | Pointing up |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Weight | 0.5 lbs (230 g) | 0.3 lbs (158 g) |
| Aux Input | No | Yes (integrated 3.5mm cable) |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 6.0 | - |
| Frequency Response | 100Hz - 19kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Dimensions | 4” x 3” x 1.7” (101 x 77 x 43 mm) | 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) |
| Charging Time | 3 hours | - |
| Drivers | 45mm | 1.57” (40mm) driver |
| Amplifier Power | 4.8W | 7W RMS |
| Lights | Yes | - |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) | Yes (built-in carabiner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | ~95Hz |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for JBL Go 5:
- JBL Go 5 vs Tribit Stormbox Micro 2
- JBL Go 5 vs Soundcore Boom Go 3i
- JBL Go 5 vs Minirig Mini 2
- JBL Go 5 vs Minirig Mini
- JBL Go 5 vs Tribit Stormbox Micro
Prices on this page were last checked October 2, 2026 at 10:18 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 Go 5: $39.95 Amazon eBay
Older models: the JBL Go 4 (ranked lower, rated 3.2/5) and the JBL Go 3 (ranked lower, rated 3.2/5).
Pros: IP68 rating, up from the Go 4’s IP67. AirTouch tap-to-pair stereo linking. 7-band custom app EQ, up from the Go 4’s 5-band. USB-C wired audio input.
Cons: Still overpriced for what it delivers, not very different from the Go 4 besides the lights. Still lacking bass and not very clear overall. Mono downmixing produces an audible growling artifact, the same issue noted on the JBL Charge 6. Falls well short of similarly priced rivals like the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2. Weak off-axis dispersion and an uneven, upper-mid-heavy tonal balance. Doesn’t get meaningfully louder at max volume, just harsher.
Full JBL Go 5 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 4.8W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 8 hours, 10 with Playtime Boost (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 |
| Bluetooth Version | 6.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Charging Time | 3 hours |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 4” x 3” x 1.7” (101 x 77 x 43 mm) |
| Drivers | 45mm |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 100Hz - 19kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP68 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes (AirTouch tap-to-pair) |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.5 lbs (230 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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