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Prices checked October 2026Not tested in handNo paid rankingsHow we pick
You give up: Bose rates it for 12 hours against the Pill's 24, it has no microphones for calls, and Bose says it sinks.
Short answer: The closest cheaper alternative to the Beats Pill is the Bose SoundLink Micro (2nd Gen), about $129 instead of $150 (save 14%). What you give up: Bose rates it for 12 hours against the Pill's 24, it has no microphones for calls, and Bose says it sinks. The cheapest is the Anker Soundcore 2 at about $46. Prices checked October 2026.
Why it's a good swap A pocket-size Bose speaker with the same IP67 dust and water rating and a strap for bags and bikes.
You give up: Bose rates it for 12 hours against the Pill's 24, it has no microphones for calls, and Bose says it sinks.
Why it's a good swap Up to 24 hours of playtime like the Pill, IPX7 water protection and 12W from dual drivers.
You give up: IPX7 has no dust rating, unlike the Pill's IP67, and there's no speakerphone, Find My or USB-C audio listed.
Why it's a good swap IP67 like the Pill, and UE says it floats, with 360-degree sound and an Outdoor Boost mode.
You give up: Rated for 14 hours of playtime, well short of the Pill's 24.
Why it's a good swap Matches the Pill's 24-hour rating, with IP68 protection, a 1 m drop rating and a power bank that can top up a phone.
You give up: A smaller 15W palm-size speaker, and Soundcore's page lists no speakerphone or Find My, which the Pill has.
Typical US prices, checked October 2026. Not live prices; check the listing before you buy.
Looking for a cheaper alternative to the Beats Pill? It usually sells for about $150. Here are 4 cheaper swaps from $46: the Bose SoundLink Micro (2nd Gen) is the closest match from another brand and the Anker Soundcore 2 is the cheapest at about $46. Each one says what you give up for the lower price.
The Beats Pill is worth it if you want one speaker that also takes calls, plays lossless audio over USB-C and can top up your phone. Beats rates it for up to 24 hours with IP67 dust and water resistance, lists a speakerphone, Find My on iPhone or Find My Device on Android, and USB-C audio, and puts its weight at 24 oz (680 g). Expert Reviews found its sound detailed and energetic but noted it has no adjustable EQ and no Bluetooth multipoint.
The Bose SoundLink Micro (2nd Gen) ($129) suits someone who wants a small strap-on speaker with an adjustable EQ in the Bose app and does not need calls or the Pill's 24-hour rating. The Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 4 ($80) is the pick for the pool or beach, since UE says it floats and is drop-tested from 5 feet, and the Soundcore Boom Go 3i ($80) fits campers who want an IP68 speaker that doubles as a power bank. The Anker Soundcore 2 ($46) is for indoor or backyard listening where a 24-hour rating matters more than dust protection.
Compared on their own pages: iPhone 17 alternatives
| Option | Type | Typical price | You save | What you give up | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beats Pill | The original | $150 | – | – | View ↗ |
| Anker Soundcore 2 | Budget pick | $46 | $104 (69%) | IPX7 has no dust rating, unlike the Pill's IP67, and there's no speakerphone, Find My or USB-C audio listed. | View ↗ |
| Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 4 | Close match | $80 | $70 (47%) | Rated for 14 hours of playtime, well short of the Pill's 24. | View ↗ |
| Soundcore Boom Go 3i | Close match | $80 | $70 (47%) | A smaller 15W palm-size speaker, and Soundcore's page lists no speakerphone or Find My, which the Pill has. | View ↗ |
| Bose SoundLink Micro (2nd Gen) | Close match | $129 | $21 (14%) | Bose rates it for 12 hours against the Pill's 24, it has no microphones for calls, and Bose says it sinks. | View ↗ |
Typical US prices from retailer listings and price trackers, checked October 2026. They are not live Amazon prices and may have changed, so check the listing before you buy.
The Anker Soundcore 2, at about $46 (69% less). Up to 24 hours of playtime like the Pill, IPX7 water protection and 12W from dual drivers. The catch: IPX7 has no dust rating, unlike the Pill's IP67, and there's no speakerphone, Find My or USB-C audio listed.
The Bose SoundLink Micro (2nd Gen), at about $129 (14% less). A pocket-size Bose speaker with the same IP67 dust and water rating and a strap for bags and bikes. The catch: Bose rates it for 12 hours against the Pill's 24, it has no microphones for calls, and Bose says it sinks.
The Bose SoundLink Micro (2nd Gen) ($129) shares the Pill's IP67 rating in a smaller, strap-on body, but Bose rates it for 12 hours against the Pill's 24 and it can't take calls. For the same 24-hour battery rating, the Soundcore Boom Go 3i ($79.99) is IP68 rated.
Ultimate Ears says the WONDERBOOM 4 ($79.99) floats, and it's IP67 rated like the Pill. Bose says the SoundLink Micro (2nd Gen) sinks. Beats doesn't say the Pill floats.
Beats says the Pill can take calls and reach your voice assistant. Bose says the SoundLink Micro (2nd Gen) has no microphones, so it can't, and Soundcore's pages for the Boom Go 3i and Soundcore 2 don't list speakerphone calls.
Yes. Beats says you can charge your phone directly from the Pill using a USB-C cable, and a USB-C to USB-C cable comes in the box. Among the swaps, Soundcore says the Boom Go 3i doubles as a power bank, while Bose says the SoundLink Micro (2nd Gen) cannot charge other devices because its USB-C port is charge-in only.
Expert Reviews found no adjustable EQ or EQ presets on the Pill, and noted the Beats app on Android offers only a few settings. Bose lets you adjust bass, mid and treble for the SoundLink Micro (2nd Gen) in the Bose app, Gizmodo describes it as a three-band EQ, and Ultimate Ears added a Podcast EQ mode to the WONDERBOOM 4.
Beats says two Pills can play together in Amplify Mode or split left and right in Stereo Mode. Bose offers Stereo Mode with two SoundLink Micro (2nd Gen) speakers, UE says one source can stream to two WONDERBOOM 4 speakers but not to WONDERBOOM 1 or 2, and Soundcore pairs two Boom Go 3i units in TWS mode.
Each swap links to amazon.com. Prices are typical US prices checked October 2026 and change often, so check the listing before you buy.
Every swap is a product sold in the US that does the main job of the original. Close match is another brand with similar features, Same brand, cheaper is an older, smaller or renewed model from the same maker, and Budget pick is the cheapest thing that still does the job. On each page, Closest match is the close match nearest the original in price, and Lowest price is the cheapest swap. We compare published specs, retailer listings and reviews; we don't test products ourselves.
A cheaper product is cheaper for a reason. Each swap says what you give up, like weaker noise cancelling, a smaller screen or a shorter warranty, so you can decide if the savings are worth it.
Prices are typical US prices from retailer listings and price trackers, last checked October 2026. They are not live Amazon prices, which change often. When a price couldn't be confirmed, the page says “Check price on Amazon” instead of showing a number.
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