If you’re looking for the best portable Bluetooth speaker for travel, you’ve come to the right place! This list includes a speaker for every kind of traveler, from the everpresent podcast listener to the head-nodding hip-hop head. Before diving into the list, let’s review a few things to look out for in a small speaker.
Though not always the most important for audiophiles, size is likely the most paramount feature when it comes to travel. The smaller the speaker, the easier it is to bring on your next trip without upsetting the applecart inside your travel backpack, rolling luggage, or crossbody sling. Every Bluetooth speaker on this list will work for some sort of travel; whether it works for you will depend on what kind of traveler you are and what features you find most important.
Although a small footprint is vital for portability, it typically hurts sound quality and, more specifically, bass. As modern speaker technology has improved, it’s gotten better at providing crisp highs (the part you sing along to) and dense lows (the part you shake your booty to) in a small package. However, the old thought process still holds: the bigger the speaker, the louder it can be. While this isn’t always the case, you’ll find it is generally true on this list.
In addition to how big or small a speaker is and how solid the sound quality is, battery life will play an important role in choosing the best portable Bluetooth speaker for your next trip. Smaller speakers are easier to bring but often don’t last as long. However, you can use the space you save to bring a charger to ensure you can stay juiced up all day, weekend, or week.
Disclaimer: Please do not listen to any Bluetooth speakers on this list in public when it’s not appropriate. Please do not try to have a dance party in your hostel's common room at one in the morning. If you can’t use it responsibly, don’t use it at all!
Why You Should Trust Us
Since 2017, we’ve had our hands on thousands of travel products, from backpacks to tech accessories. In addition to our firm understanding of what makes a carry on work for a trip to Peru, we can help you pick what gear to put inside it, too. Our reviewers test hundreds of pieces of gear every year, including dozens of pieces of tech, like Bluetooth speakers. We aren’t audio experts, but we understand what makes a piece of tech work well for travel and strive to find the best options that balance sound quality with packability.
How We Tested It
Test 1: We tested sound quality while listening to songs with a lot of bass, those with significant treble, and while enjoying podcasts to ensure that our sound quality rating was measured and accurate.
Test 2:We tested how well each speaker handled songs with a lot of bass and how that affected other aspects of the songs we were listening to.
Let’s plug into some tunes!
The JBL Clip 5 is a popular speaker for everyday use and travel because of the clip integrated into the design (and in the product’s name, duh). Essentially, this is a small speaker with a large carabiner-style clip already attached, making it easy to connect to your backpack, sling strap, or PALS attachment loops. It adds significant size to the speaker overall; however, we think the addition is worth it.
Compared to smaller JBL speakers and other models in general, we found the bass to be substantial. We rated the sound quality a 6 out of 10, which isn’t anything to write home about but works well enough for listening to music or a podcast on the beach or while pregaming with friends before going to the bar. It won’t melt your face off, but it’ll get the job done. The highs get muddy at elevated volumes because of how substantial the bass is, but they sound crisp at most other levels. In addition to adequate performance, the speaker has an IP67 rating, which enables you to use it without worrying about dust, sand, rain, or spills.
Why We Like It- It features a built-in clip to make it easier to bring it along
- The bass thumps pretty well for such a small speaker
- The attached clip adds a lot of size to the speaker’s footprint
- At high volumes with a lot of bass, the high notes get muddy
The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 is larger than we thought it would be after seeing photos online compared to when we got it in hand—but don’t let that deter you! One of the selling points is that there’s an EQ setting for podcasts, which is handy for people who struggle to hear voices when using smaller Bluetooth speakers. It isn’t revolutionary, but this feature isn’t often available on speakers in this price range (and size).
The bass isn’t top-notch; however, we’d describe it as just enough to notice, which is solid for a small Bluetooth speaker. We rated the sound quality a 7 out of 10, which is good for this list. We were impressed that the highs survived when we turned the speaker up, even with the bass we mentioned earlier. The speaker has a loop, which is handy for attaching it to things, and is equipped with an IP67 rating, ensuring you can get down and dirty with this thing while you’re getting down and dirty to your tunes. Plus, Ultimate Ears describes the rating as “awe-inspiring,” so be prepared to have your awe-inspired!
Why We Like It- It has a setting for podcasts
- The sound quality is quite good
- For its size, it feels as if it should be louder
- The round design is hard to pocket
The JBL Go 4 is small and incredibly portable, which is the draw of this speaker. It’s similar in design and build quality to other JBL speakers and looks like the popular Clip line we’ve reviewed. It’ll fit into the palm of your hand, pocket, or sling without much fuss. However, that tiny size comes at a cost.
Due to the size, the bass isn’t very solid, and the sound quality feels as if it’s coming from a small speaker, which, in fairness, it is. The highs survive at high volume levels, but, as we mentioned, there isn’t much bass to muddy them up. We ranked the sound quality a 6.5 out of 10, which is nothing to scoff at, but audiophiles need not buy this one. In addition to being small enough to pack nearly anywhere, the speaker has an IP67 rating, so you don’t have to worry about sand or inclement weather, and the attached loop makes it easy to connect to a carabiner for on-the-go listening.
Why We Like It- It fits almost anywhere
- The loop enables you to attach it to things
- For the price, the sound quality is suboptimal
- The bass isn’t much to write home about
This speaker is a bit of an outlier because of its size. Honestly, we almost didn’t include it on this list because of it. However, after internal discussions, we decided that the sound quality, volume, and price make it one of the best in its category for the kinds of travel we envisioned using it for. What kind of travel is that? We wouldn’t recommend throwing this in your personal item-sized bag (though it would fit), and it would even take up a lot of space in a carry on backpack. Still, this speaker shines inside carry on or checked rolling luggage, on a road trip, or at home with friends. It’s a great speaker to use daily, and you can take it on trips that allow for more space and where party vibes are a priority. We love it for that.
The bass is excellent, which isn’t something that we were able to say very often when testing the speakers on this list, and we rated the overall sound quality an 8 out of 10. The highs are almost untouched by the bass, even at louder volumes. If you’re listening to something with hard-hitting bass, you may experience some meddling between the mids and the lows, but overall, we’re happy with it. This speaker is loud enough to fill the entire Pack Hacker office, which is certainly larger than your hotel room and probably bigger than the living area of your Airbnb. Plus, the speaker has an IPX7 rating and a loop for attaching it to things.
Why We Like It- The bass is spectacular for a smaller Bluetooth speaker
- We find the sound quality better than most other options on this list
- It’s quite large, making it challenging to bring on some trips
- It isn’t the most budget-friendly speaker on this list
The Outdoor Tech Bolt Magnetic Water Resistant Bluetooth Speaker is something we haven’t seen on many other models—a magnet. Whether it’s a fridge or a steel beam, you can place the speaker at an adequate height to ensure the music or podcast you’re listening to doesn’t get blocked by obstructions. This might sound like a gimmick, but we’ve enjoyed using it. You’re almost always around metal objects, so finding a place to put the speaker is easy. Sometimes, the magnet won’t be as helpful—like while you’re lounging in the sand at the beach—but you can still set it on the flat side like a standard speaker.
In testing, we noted that the bass was substantial, even when listening to thumping songs. The sound quality rated a 7 out of 10. The highs survive the bass, which is often an issue for portable Bluetooth speakers. It does feel like it should be louder for its weight; however, some of that mass is likely due to the magnet. Still, we’re happy with the quality, bass, and functionality of the Outdoor Tech Bolt Magnetic Water Resistant Bluetooth Speaker. Plus, it has an IPX6 rating and a loop to hang the speaker onto things when there’s no metal around.
Why We Like It- The magnet makes it easy to attach to things
- The bass and sound quality are quite good for a travel speaker
- The magnet adds a lot of weight
- When not utilizing the magnet, the speaker can only face up
At Pack Hacker, we’re more meat and potatoes than flashy; however, the MUZEN Wild Go Bluetooth Speaker’s design is worth commending. It has actual buttons and knobs, which is incredibly rare for modern Bluetooth speakers. We’re used to seeing somewhat hard-to-find and press buttons, which are sleek but not always the easiest to use. The MUZEN Wild Go Bluetooth Speaker is a blast from the past with modern amenities. The speaker is palmable, too, so you can easily carry it around or stow it in your pocket or sling.
Bass is almost nonexistent, but we didn’t expect much from such a small speaker. The sound quality scores a 5.5 out of 10, which isn’t great; however, that’s compared to bigger and better speakers, which might not be totally fair. Still, the highs survive louder volumes on thumping songs, even if the bass leaves something to be desired. The speaker has an IPX5 rating, too, so spills and rain aren’t a problem. Though it isn’t the best performer, its size and neat style make it worth looking at.
Why We Like It- It has physical knobs and dials instead of buttons
- It’s small enough to fit into your pocket
- The sound quality and bass are substandard compared to some models on this list
- You have to purchase the lanyard separately
When scouring the internet for travel gear, we try to find items you can use for multiple things. Typically, this comes in the form of a packable jacket you can use as a pillow on the plane or a travel backpack that’s comfortable enough to be used as a daypack; however, in the case of the Tribit StormBox Micro 2 Portable Speaker, we’ve got a Bluetooth speaker that functions as a battery bank in a pinch. The speaker has a 4,700 mAh battery, which isn’t massive but will offer some extra juice if your phone is low and you need to get directions home or an Uber. It shouldn’t replace your 20,000 mAh battery bank; however, the Tribit StormBox Micro 2 Portable Speaker isn’t a bad switch if you use a small battery bank for emergencies.
The bass from the speaker is substantial, and we scored the sound quality a 7 out of 10 for all sorts of music. The highs survive and pair nicely with the bass, which isn’t always the case for speakers of this size. For its weight, we feel that the speaker should be a bit louder; however, the quality and density of the noise are commendable. The speaker will fit into a large coat pocket and has a small attachment strap, which won’t work for larger points of contact; however, it comes in handy and integrates nicely into the speaker’s design.
Why We Like It- It doubles as a battery bank in a pinch
- The highs survive, even when the bass is thumping
- It feels as if it should be louder for its weight
- The attachment strap has limited uses
Hopefully, you’ve found a speaker that’ll meet your needs, whether you want table-thumping bass or pocketability. Remember, use it with respect for everyone around you!