Best Bluetooth speakers for iPhone, iPad, and Mac 2024

Best Bluetooth Speakers: Quick Menu

When you want to listen to your music without the restriction of a pair of headphones, you'll soon find that your phone speakers just don't cut the mustard. Enter: The Bluetooth speaker. They wireless take a music signal and then pump it into the world around you in the form of sound waves, to make some cool, cool tunes. The trick, of course, is to find the Bluetooth speaker that fits exactly what you want.

So you want a portable speaker, one you can lug to parties and the park? Or do you want a massive, immovable beast that pumps out the best-sounding music you've ever heard? beyond even that you have to take into consideration the size of the room you want to use it in, the decor...

There's a whole lot you need to think about, so we've simplified matters and made it at least easier to find the best options out there. All you need do is read through our list, and then work out which speaker is the best for you.

A picture of Tammy Rogers
Tammy Rogers

Audiophile and Bluetooth speaker expert

I’ve been listening to high-fidelity music for longer than I care to admit, and I’ve reviewed all the speakers on this list. I’ve been lucky enough to have early looks at the Sonos Era 300, and even some of the most expensive audiophile headphones you’ve ever seen.

Quick list

Our favorite

Motion X600

(Image credit: Tammy Rogers/ iMore)

Reasons to buy

+
Excellent Spatial Audio
+
Looks great
+
Sounds brilliant

Reasons to avoid

-
No lossless playback

The Soundcore Motion X600 is a brilliant Bluetooth speaker. It's not the cheapest, but it comes with some great features that you'll not even find on speakers more expensive. It's got 50W of output, giving it plenty of volume headroom, and its multiple drivers lend it impressive soundstage and sonic capability.

One of those drivers is a small upwards-facing driver, found under a small grill on the top of the speaker. It allows for Spatial Audio – something that not many other Bluetooth speakers can do. It's pretty good as well, easily filling a room with sound and music that while not on the same level as something like the HomePod 2 or Sonos's Era 300, is still super solid.

I particularly like the way that the speaker looks, with its retro look sitting well on almost every shelf. I particularly like the handle across the top – it's a sturdy strip of metal, with a rubberized surface underneath to make it easier to hold. At $200, it's again not the cheapest, but the speaker you get for the money is an excellent piece of kit.

Best budget

JBL Flip 6 in the grass

(Image credit: Tammy Rogers/ iMore)

Reasons to buy

+
Well priced
+
Sounds pretty good
+
Small and rugged

Reasons to avoid

-
Distorts at high volume
-
Very reliant on the bass
-
Not sure you’d want to trust the lanyard with its weight

The JBL Flip 6 is an excellent little speaker for the price – especially when you remember that you can pick one up for under $100. It looks super cool, with its dual bass radiators on either side and slick, fabric-covered chassis. That chassis hides some impressive internals as well.

It's capable of some pretty good sound replication, with rich bass, present mids, and crisp highs. When spending this much, you can't expect the sound to rival something like a HomePod 2, but it will easily fill a small campsite with some solid-sounding tunes. We found that turning it to full volume left a slight amount of distortion – although if you're listening to it outside, you're unlikely to notice.

throwing one around isn't going to worry you at all, with its relatively low price and rugged build giving you a sense of confidence in the little speaker. If you want to strap it to your bag, however, it might be worth looking at a beefier strap – the one that comes in the box feels a little weak.

Best for the Home

Sonos Era 300 on a side board

(Image credit: Tammy Rogers/ iMore)

Reasons to buy

+
It looks brilliant
+
Very rich, pleasing sound
+
Impressive Spatial audio playback

Reasons to avoid

-
Expensive
-
That rich sound might be a little too rich for some
-
App isn’t spectacular

The Sonos Era 300 isn't primarily a Bluetooth speaker – it's a wifi connected smart speaker, and a very, very good one at that. It sounds phenomenal, and looks the part too. There's a reason that we gave it five stars, after all.

Bluetooth-wise, there's a small button on the back at the bottom of the speaker that you press to enter pairing mode, so that you can connect your phone without having to go through the app or AirPlay. If you do, you'll be treated to excellent sound quality, with plenty of low-end, lovely fat mids, and some detailed highs.

If you want to use some of the cooler features of the speaker, such as Spatial Audio and hi-res support, then you'll want to either use the Sonos app, or AirPlay. Both work well, and are super easy to use. Whichever you choose, however, you're in for a treat. At $450 it's more expensive than a HomePod 2 – but it is far, far better.

Best small & rugged

Beosound Explore Bluetooth speaker on branch in a forest

(Image credit: Tammy Rogers/ iMore)

Reasons to buy

+
It’s super sturdy and premium
+
Restrained but pleasant sound profile
+
Incredible battery life

Reasons to avoid

-
Could be bassier
-
Not great Hi-res audio format support

If you want something that's compact, super luxurious, and that sounds really good, then the Bang & Olufsen Beosound explore is the way to go. Made of aluminum and looking a little like a very posh beer can, the Bang & Olufsen Beosound explore is a great option if you want to feel a little more high-class on your next outdoor expedition.

It sounds good, although bass heads will want to look elsewhere. The aluminum shell adds a super rugged feeling to the speaker, and its price is uncommonly not super high as you might expect from a Bang & Olufsen product. We loved the little speaker – although we wish it could have gone a little louder.

The best sounding

Naim Mu-So front grille

(Image credit: Tammy Rogers/ iMore)

Reasons to buy

+
Sounds incredible
+
Looks like a sculpture
+
That control on top is exquisite

Reasons to avoid

-
The remote controller doesn’t match the system's look and feel
-
Very expensive

The Naim Mu-So is a beast. A beast that costs $1599 – and while it's worth every cent of that lofty price tag, it's still an expensive option. It's also not strictly just a Bluetooth speaker, with AirPlay and wifi connection. The Bluetooth connection on board works well, however, and its sound quality is enrapturing.

You can even plug it into your TV so that it acts like a very expensive soundbar, and there's an aux in on the back that you can plug other pieces of kit in as well – so you're not short of ways to get connected.

We loved the Mu-So – although we are not blind to that price. If you're looking for the best of the best, then you've got it here. Just make sure that you can afford it.


Which is the best Bluetooth speaker for you?

Motion Boom Plus

(Image credit: Tammy Rogers/ iMore)

As always, it depends entirely on what you’re looking for. If you want something a little less expensive, then the JBL Flip 6 is an excellent choice. It’s only $100, and it sounds good to boot. It’s small enough to fit into a bag, and the battery life is long enough to last for a hike.

If you want something truly rugged, then you’re going to want to take a look at the Bang & Olufsen. It’s a super premium-feeling aluminum speaker that sounds excellent, and its carabiner will clip to your backpack super easily. It could be a little louder, but it’s the perfect companion for a short camping trip.

Need the loudest speaker you can lay your hands on? The Soundcore Motion Boom Plus is your go-to. It’s light so that you can take it out and about, but it packs a sonic wallop with some truly ridiculous volume. Its battery life is super solid as well, and the handle makes carrying it around super easy. Don’t expect HiFi, but it’s a monster of a portable speaker.

Want the best of the best sound quality – the Naim Mu-So. It’s massive, it’s expensive, drop-dead gorgeous, and crucially sounds like you’re being sung to by angels. The price is more than justified by its incredible looks and sound – and it’s also a little smarter than most of the other Bluetooth speakers on the list.

Q&A

What is AirPlay?

Some of the speakers support AirPlay, a method of connecting with an Apple device. That includes phones, Macs, and iPads – so you’ll be able to easily connect your Apple devices to the speaker. It’s also capable of pumping out more impressive sound quality, thanks to its reliance on WiFi rather than Bluetooth.

For more information about AirPlay, check out our AirPlay guide.

What’s the difference between wireless and Bluetooth speakers?

Mostly the connection method. A Bluetooth speaker uses, obviously, Bluetooth to connect to your device and play music. A wireless speaker may use a different form of connection – that could be WiFi, AirPlay, Chromecast, or another form of wireless connection. These speakers require a wifi connection.

How do we test?

We take great pride in our testing of sound equipment. Our audio experts test everything that comes over their desks vigorously, playing a range of different genres and styles. If we're not a fan of the way something sounds, we'll tell you.

We also recognise thats there's more to it than just sound quality – so we also test compatibility, battery life, and other aspects of each speaker. We love audio – and we want to help you find the best speaker for you.

Tammy Rogers
Senior Staff Writer

As iMore's Senior Staff writer, Tammy uses her background in audio and Masters in screenwriting to pen engaging product reviews and informative buying guides. The resident audiophile (or audio weirdo), she's got an eye for detail and a love of top-quality sound. Apple is her bread and butter, with attention on HomeKit and Apple iPhone and Mac hardware. You won't find her far away from a keyboard even outside of working at iMore – in her spare time, she spends her free time writing feature-length and TV screenplays. Also known to enjoy driving digital cars around virtual circuits, to varying degrees of success. Just don't ask her about AirPods Max - you probably won't like her answer.