Short answer: the Soundcore Motion 100. It ranks #39 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $47; the JBL Charge Essential ranks #68 and costs $73.99, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the Soundcore Motion 100 offers: Use Oluv’s EQ for the flattest response Watch for: Not very deep bass, slight distortion. Real-world battery falls well short of the 12-hour claim at higher volumes (closer to 4 hours at max). Charging takes about 5 hours; no charge-out for other devices.
What the JBL Charge Essential offers: Doubles as a power bank. IPX7 rated. Supports true wireless stereo pairing with a second Charge Essential. Watch for: Less clarity than the Flip 4, highs rolled off. An overpriced rebranded Charge 3 for people who want stereo sound.
Buy the Soundcore Motion 100. It ranks higher for sound quality than the JBL Charge Essential and costs less, which settles it without a real tradeoff to make.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the JBL Charge Essential is rated for 20 hours, the Soundcore Motion 100 only 12 hours.
Specifications Side By Side
| Soundcore Motion 100 | JBL Charge Essential | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $47 | $73.99 |
| Ranked | #39 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #68 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | No | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 65Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX7 |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Power Input | USB-C | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes | - |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, LDAC, SBC | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 4.1 |
| Dimensions | 7.5" x 3.1" x 2.4" (190 x 80 x 60 mm) | 8.4" x 3.5" x 3.4" (213 x 89 x 87 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators | 2x 50mm fullrange |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 575 g | 1.7 lbs / 770 g |
| Output Power | 20W | 20W RMS |
| Built in Microphone | No | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Party Mode | - | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
A few more comparisons worth a look in the same class:
- Tribit Stormbox Pro vs Tribit Xsound Go
- Tribit Stormbox Pro vs Soundcore 2
- Tribit Stormbox Pro vs Tribit Stormbox Mini+
- Soundcore 3/Soundcore Select 2 vs JBL Charge Essential
- Soundcore Motion 100 vs JBL Flip 4
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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
The Two Speakers In Full
Soundcore Motion 100: $47 Amazon eBay
Pros: Use Oluv’s EQ for the flattest response
Cons: Not very deep bass, slight distortion. Real-world battery falls well short of the 12-hour claim at higher volumes (closer to 4 hours at max). Charging takes about 5 hours; no charge-out for other devices.
Full Soundcore Motion 100 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 65Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, LDAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.5" x 3.1" x 2.4" (190 x 80 x 60 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 20W |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 575 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Soundcore Motion 100 vs Tribit Stormbox Pro
- Soundcore Motion 100 vs Xiaomi Sound Outdoor
- Soundcore Motion 100 vs JBL Pulse 5
- Soundcore Motion 100 vs Soundcore Glow
- Soundcore Motion 100 vs JBL Charge Essential 2
- Soundcore Motion 100 vs Bose Soundlink Flex
- Soundcore Motion 100 vs W-King D320
- Soundcore Motion 100 vs Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen
- See all 73 comparisons
JBL Charge Essential: $73.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: Doubles as a power bank. IPX7 rated. Supports true wireless stereo pairing with a second Charge Essential.
Cons: Less clarity than the Flip 4, highs rolled off. An overpriced rebranded Charge 3 for people who want stereo sound.
Full JBL Charge Essential review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.4" x 3.5" x 3.4" (213 x 89 x 87 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 20W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs / 770 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Flossy Carter: JBL Charge 5 vs JBL Charge 4 vs JBL Charge Essential More from FlossyCarter →
- Techder Audios: JBL EXTREME 3 VS JBL CHARGE ESSENTIAL More from techderaudios →
- The Tech Files: JBL CHARGE ESSENTIAL VS CHARGE ESSENTIAL 2 COMPARATIVO AMBIENTE EXTERNO
- Reddit Search for JBL Charge Essential Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Charge Essential vs JBL Charge 3
- JBL Charge Essential vs JBL Charge 2
- JBL Charge Essential vs JBL Flip Essential
- JBL Charge Essential vs Klipsch Nashville
- JBL Charge Essential vs Sonos Roam 2
- JBL Charge Essential vs Sony XB23
- JBL Charge Essential vs Sonos Roam
- JBL Charge Essential vs JBL Flip 4
- See all 74 comparisons