# UE | BOOM vs JBL Portable

UE | BOOM and JBL Portable both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 48% of UE | BOOM's written reviews are positive against 39% of JBL Portable's. JBL Portable's advantage is chart position (#30 vs #146) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for UE | BOOM against 4.7 for JBL Portable. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 61K and 63K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 48% of UE | BOOM's written reviews are positive against 39% of JBL Portable's.

UE | BOOM ships an update every 2 months, JBL Portable every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on October 27, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | UE | BOOM | JBL Portable |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (61K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ue-boom/id632344648/reviews)** | [4.7 (63K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jbl-portable/id994041762/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 61K | **63K** |
| Positive reviews | **47.5% of reviews** | 39.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #146 | **#30** |
| Size | 213 MB | 159 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Logitech Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/332300071) | [Harman International Industries](https://appshunter.io/developer/419840205) |

## What reviewers say

### UE | BOOM

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ue-boom/id632344648)

**Currently charting:** #146 Top Free · Music (US App Store)

Enhance your audio experience with this app designed to control and customize compatible wireless speakers. Connect multiple speakers for synchronized playback, adjust sound profiles, and manage speaker settings remotely. Stay updated with the latest features through seamless software updates.

**Highlights:** Connect up to 150 speakers with PartyUp, Customizable EQ and sound control, Remote power on/off and speaker management, Personalize speaker name and presets, Update speaker software with new features

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Exceptional sound quality
- 🚀 Portable and waterproof
- 🚀 Ability to connect multiple speakers
- 👍 Great battery life
- 👍 Easy to use app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues with the app
- 🐛 Unreliable party up feature
- 🐛 App crashes and disconnects
- 🔋 Battery drains quickly when not in use
- 🔋 Charging issues

**Reported bugs**

- App unable to recognize or connect to speakers
- Inaccurate battery level reporting
- Remote power on/off feature not working
- Firmware update process is unreliable

**Requested features**

- Add Spotify support for one-touch playlists
- Implement dark mode in the app
- Allow custom EQ settings to be saved
- Add support for Wonderboom speakers


### JBL Portable

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jbl-portable/id994041762)

**Currently charting:** #30 Top Free · Music (US App Store)

Enhance your JBL portable speaker experience with this app. Connect, control, and personalize your audio device to amplify sound, create a party atmosphere, or receive software updates and support.

**Highlights:** Connect to compatible JBL speakers, Stereo and Party modes, Personalize speaker settings, Control speaker functions, Software updates, Product support

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Customizable sound settings
- 🚀 Reliable Bluetooth connectivity
- 💡 Useful battery life indicator
- 👍 Sleek and durable design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent connection issues
- 🐛 Unreliable stereo pairing
- 🐛 Slow app performance
- 🐛 Inconsistent firmware updates
- 🔋 Poor battery life

**Reported bugs**

- App unable to detect connected speakers
- Stereo mode disconnects unexpectedly
- Firmware update process causes speaker issues
- Equalizer settings not saving properly
- Party Boost feature unreliable

**Requested features**

- Add remote power on/off
- Improve stereo mode stability
- Expand EQ customization options
- Provide better battery life reporting
- Support for older speaker models


## Frequently asked questions

### Is UE | BOOM free?

UE | BOOM is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is JBL Portable free?

JBL Portable is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, UE | BOOM or JBL Portable?

UE | BOOM is rated higher. UE | BOOM averages 4.8 out of 5 from 61K ratings, while JBL Portable averages 4.7 from 63K ratings.

### Do UE | BOOM or JBL Portable have ads?

Neither UE | BOOM nor JBL Portable shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, UE | BOOM or JBL Portable?

UE | BOOM ships an update every 2 months, and JBL Portable every 5 weeks. Most recently, UE | BOOM was updated on October 27, 2026 and JBL Portable on October 27, 2026.

### Which is more popular, UE | BOOM or JBL Portable?

UE | BOOM currently peaks at #146 in the App Store charts, and JBL Portable at #30. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*