Short answer: the Sonos Play. It ranks #51 of 145 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 3.5/5, at $299; the Bose Portable Smart Speaker ranks #65, rated 3.4/5, and costs $399, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
The case for the Sonos Play: Genuinely wide, clean stereo dispersion off-axis thanks to the two angled tweeters, holding up from the side far better than most portables. Watch for: 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.
Why pick the Bose Portable Smart Speaker: Both Alexa and Google Assistant are built in, and RTINGS rates its microphones as excellent at hearing commands from far away or in a noisy room. 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 Sonos Play. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Bose Portable Smart Speaker and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
If battery life is a priority, the Sonos Play is rated for 24 hours versus 12 hours for the Bose Portable Smart Speaker.
There is a real gap in water resistance: the Sonos Play at IP67 (brief submersion) against the Bose Portable Smart Speaker, which has IPX4 (splashing).
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sonos Play | Bose Portable Smart Speaker | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $299.00 | $399.00 |
| Ranked | #51 of 145 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #65 of 145 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Bose Music) |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 4.2 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes (far-field mic array, mic mute button) |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa (Sonos Voice Control also built in) | Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant |
| Dimensions | 7.6” x 4.4” x 3” (192.3 x 112.5 x 76.7 mm) | 7.6” x 4.7” x 4.1” (192 x 119 x 104 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Drivers | mid-woofer, 2x angled tweeters | 1x high-excursion driver with 360-degree deflector + 3x passive radiators |
| EQ | No | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX4 |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Bose Music multi-room, SimpleSync, AirPlay 2) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Pointing up |
| TWS | Yes | - |
| Weight | 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg) | 2.3 lbs (1.06 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Strap | - | No |
| Streaming Services | - | AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, Pandora, SiriusXM, TuneIn |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More top alternatives to Sonos Play:
- Earfun Uboom L vs Sonos Play
- Sonos Play vs Soundcore Motion 300
- Minirig 4 vs Sonos Play
- B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen vs Sonos Play
- Sonos Play vs JBL Charge 6
Prices on this page were last checked September 26, 2026 at 11:14 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
Sonos Play: $299.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: Genuinely wide, clean stereo dispersion off-axis thanks to the two angled tweeters, holding up from the side far better than most portables. Loudness processing keeps it sounding full-bodied at low volume. 24-hour user-replaceable battery with an included wireless charging base, IP67 waterproof and dustproof, and full Sonos WiFi multi-room with AirPlay 2 on top of Bluetooth 5.3.
Cons: 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. Sounds boxy and short on clarity next to cheaper competitors.
Full Sonos Play review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.6” x 4.4” x 3” (192.3 x 112.5 x 76.7 mm) |
| Drivers | mid-woofer, 2x angled tweeters |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa (Sonos Voice Control also built in) |
| Weight | 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Bose Portable Smart Speaker: $399.00 Bose eBay
Pros: Both Alexa and Google Assistant are built in, and RTINGS rates its microphones as excellent at hearing commands from far away or in a noisy room. It works as a Wi-Fi speaker at home (AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect) and as a Bluetooth speaker away from Wi-Fi, weighs about 1 kg with a carry handle, and is IPX4 splash resistant. SoundGuys measured 13 hours 6 minutes of playback at 75 dB, beating Bose’s 12 hour claim, and found the bass impressive for its size, especially near a wall or corner. Its 360 degree design spreads sound evenly around a room.
Cons: 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. Pushed to full volume, Tom’s Guide heard unbalanced sound and Pocket-lint found the bass struggling and turning incoherent. RTINGS measured only about 5 hours of battery in its own test. It is mono, has no aux input (the USB-C port only charges), uses Bluetooth 4.2, and the Bose Music app supports a limited list of streaming services. IPX4 covers splashes only, not submersion or dust.
Full Bose Portable Smart Speaker review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Bose Music) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field mic array, mic mute button) |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.6” x 4.7” x 4.1” (192 x 119 x 104 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Drivers | 1x high-excursion driver with 360-degree deflector + 3x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Music multi-room, SimpleSync, AirPlay 2) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, Pandora, SiriusXM, TuneIn |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant |
| Weight | 2.3 lbs (1.06 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Bose Portable Smart Speaker vs Beats Pill 2024
- Bose Portable Smart Speaker vs Sony ULT Field 3
- Bose Portable Smart Speaker vs Sonos Roam 2
- Bose Portable Smart Speaker vs JBL Grip
- Bose Portable Smart Speaker vs Bose Soundlink Revolve+ II
- Bose Portable Smart Speaker vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Bose Portable Smart Speaker vs Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen
- Bose Portable Smart Speaker vs Tribit Xsound Plus 2
- See all 36 comparisons