Short answer: the Soundcore Glow. It ranks #43 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $80; the JBL Flip Essential ranks #66 and costs $130, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the Soundcore Glow offers: Nice light show. Treble boosted 7db. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear. Watch for: Bass falls off quickly at louder volumes, leaving mostly treble; distortion on bass-heavy tracks at full volume. Light effects and bass-boost noticeably shorten battery life. USB-C port doesn’t support power-bank charging.
What the JBL Flip Essential offers: Aux input for wired sources. IPX7 rated. Genuinely portable at under a pound; a cheaper, more basic alternative to the Flip 5. Watch for: Less bass than a Flip 5.
Buy the Soundcore Glow. It ranks higher for sound quality than the JBL Flip Essential and costs less, which settles it without a real tradeoff to make.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the Soundcore Glow is rated for 18 hours, the JBL Flip Essential only 10 hours.
Specifications Side By Side
| Soundcore Glow | JBL Flip Essential | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $80 | $130 |
| Ranked | #43 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #66 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 54Hz | - |
| Max Volume | 100dB | - |
| Stereo | No | - |
| Omnidirectional | Yes | No |
| App | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | No | Yes (3.5mm) |
| Battery Life | 18 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 4.1 |
| Dimensions | 11.4" x 4.7" x 4.3" (290 x 120 x 110 mm) | 6.7" x 2.5" x 2.5" (169 x 64 x 64 mm) |
| Drivers | 63.5mm full-range driver + 2x passive radiators | 2x 40mm fullrange |
| EQ | Yes | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX7 |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast up to 100 speakers) | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | - |
| TWS | Yes | - |
| Weight | 1.8 lbs / 800 g | / 1 lbs / 471 g |
| Output Power | 30W | 16W RMS |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Frequency Response | - | 80Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built in Microphone | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
A few more comparisons worth a look in the same class:
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs JBL Charge 3
- JBL Flip 7 vs JBL Charge 3
- Beats Pill 2024 vs JBL Charge 3
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Soundcore Glow
- JBL Flip Essential vs JBL Charge 3
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.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Soundcore Glow: $80 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: Nice light show. Treble boosted 7db. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Cons: Bass falls off quickly at louder volumes, leaving mostly treble; distortion on bass-heavy tracks at full volume. Light effects and bass-boost noticeably shorten battery life. USB-C port doesn’t support power-bank charging.
Full Soundcore Glow review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 54Hz |
| Battery Life | 18 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 11.4" x 4.7" x 4.3" (290 x 120 x 110 mm) |
| Drivers | 63.5mm full-range driver + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 100dB |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Output Power | 30W |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.8 lbs / 800 g |
- Links
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JBL Flip Essential: $130 eBay
Pros: Aux input for wired sources. IPX7 rated. Genuinely portable at under a pound; a cheaper, more basic alternative to the Flip 5.
Cons: Less bass than a Flip 5.
Full JBL Flip Essential review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes (3.5mm) |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.7" x 2.5" x 2.5" (169 x 64 x 64 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm fullrange |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 80Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 16W RMS |
| Party Mode | No |
| Weight | / 1 lbs / 471 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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