Sonos Move vs Sonos One: Which should you buy?

Sonos One on a table
Sonos One on a table (Image credit: Sonos)

Declaring a winner between the Sonos Move vs the Sonos One really comes down to whether or not you need a truly portable speaker or not. The Sonos Move is the only game in town when it comes to portability with its rechargeable battery that lasts up to 11 hours, so if you want your tunes on-the-go, then the Move is the right choice.

However, the smaller Sonos One is the best Sonos speaker for those who just want to great sounding audio for inside the home at an affordable price. The One has just about everything, AirPlay 2 support, whole-home audio, stereo pairing, and voice controls through Alexa and the Google Assistant.

Sonos Move vs Sonos One: The same but different

Even though both the Move and One are designed for different use cases, they are similar when it comes to the connected features. Both speakers support whole-home audio, which keeps the music in-sync across speakers and different rooms, plus AirPlay 2, which can add in other non-Sonos speakers into the mix. Both speakers also sport two Class-D amplifiers, plus a single tweeter and mid-woofer for great sound that is automatically tuned depending on the environment that they are in.

Sonos Move vs Sonos One: Let's break it down

Sonos Move in an outdoor setting

Sonos Move in an outdoor setting (Image credit: Sonos)

Where things differ, though, is that the Move is truly built-for-portability, and the One is meant for a more traditional, indoor setting. The Move includes a 36WH rechargeable battery inside that can keep it up and running for 11 hours between charges, plus it has IP56 weather resistance.

The Move can go anywhere that your travels take you, including out by the pool, or even as a temporary surround speaker for home theater on your next movie night. The one, while light and small, needs to be plugged-in constantly, but it does come with a bonus of not having to remember to charge it.

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Header Cell - Column 0 Sonos MoveSonos One
Size9.44-inch x 6.29-inch x 4.96-inch6.36-inch x 4.69-inch x 4.69-inch
Weight4.08lbs6.61lbs
FinishesWhite, BlackWhite, Black
Weather ResistanceYes (IP56)No
Voice ControlYes (Alexa, Google Assistant)Yes (Alexa, Google Assistant)
AirPlay 2YesYes
Wi-FiYesYes
BluetoothYesNo
Built-in BatteryYes (11 hours)No
Drop ResistantYesNo
EthernetNoYes
PowerUSB-CAC adapter
Amplifiers2 (Class-D)2 (Class-D)
Tweeters11
Mid-Woofers11
Wall MountableNoYes

Sonos Move vs Sonos One: Which should you buy?

Sonos one

Sonos one (Image credit: iMore)

As you can see, both speakers are indeed quite similar, so the choice ultimately comes down to price and portability. If you need a Sonos speaker that can tag along on your next camping trip, or just spend some time on the patio, the Move is a clear choice. The Move also comes with the bonus of being the only Sonos speaker that works with Bluetooth, so friends and family can stream their libraries to it with ease.

If the price is a concern and you want the most bang for the buck, then go with the Sonos One. The small size still allows you to move it from room to room inside of the home, plus it has the same amount of amplifiers, tweeters, and mid-woofers as the Move. While it may lack an integrated battery, the One makes up for it with an Ethernet port for rooms with spotty Wi-Fi, and for the price, you can buy two for the price of a single Move.

Christopher Close

Christopher spends most of his time writing and dreaming about all things HomeKit and the Home app. Whether it is installing smart light switches, testing the latest door locks, or automating his households daily routines, Christopher has done it all.