Which Sonos Portable Speaker Should You Buy?

Sonos now makes three portable speakers. Here’s how they’re different.

Three Sonos wireless speakers in blue, green, and white on a wooden table near a window.

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By Tucker Bowe

Published March 27, 2026

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Updated March 27, 2026

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Sonos now sells three different portable speakers: the Roam 2 ($179), the Play ($299) and the Move 2 ($499). If you’re looking to buy one and wondering what the actual differences (and similarities) are, here’s what you need to know.

Three Sonos speakers in green, white, and blue placed on wooden porch steps next to a green watering can. — Sonos’s three portable speakers (from smallest to largest): the Roam 2, Play and Move 2.

All Sonos’s portable speakers have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity; they can work as a traditional portable Bluetooth speaker or, when connected to Wi-Fi, be grouped with other Sonos speakers in a multi-room speaker system.

They all support AirPlay 2 and are compatible with two voice assistants: Amazon Alexa and Sonos Voice Control. They all have Automatic TruePlay, which automatically tunes them to sound best for the space they’re in.

Yet, whereas the Roam 2 is without a doubt the most affordable and most portable of the three, both the Play and Move 2 sound better and have a few features and capabilities that their smaller sibling lacks.

Editor’s note: Sonos has discontinued the original Move, Roam and Roam SL.

Sonos’s Current Portable Speakers

Three Sonos speakers stacked outdoors: a blue cylindrical speaker on top, a large green cylindrical speaker in the middle, and a smaller white oval speaker at the bottom. — The Roam 2 and Move 2 come in more colors than just black or white. But we’re guessing Sonos will eventually introduce new options for the Play, too.

Three cylindrical wireless speakers in blue, green, and white, placed side by side on a wooden table. — The Move 2 has a built-in handle, while the Play has a strap accessory.

The Goldilocks

White Sonos wireless speaker with rounded edges and control buttons on top.

Sonos Play

Specs

Size	2.7 pounds
Water-Resistance	IP67
Voice Assistant	Yes (Alexa, Sonos Voice Control)
Battery Life	Up to 24 hours

Pros

It has all the same features and capabilities as the Move 2
It's just as durable as the Roam 2
The perfect size for a home portable speaker
Comes with the charging dock

Cons

Only comes in two colors, black or white
Doesn't sound as good as the Move 2
No support for Google Assistant

$299 at Sonos

Release date: March 2026

The Play is the middle child of Sonos’s portable speaker lineup. In my opinion, it’s the best choice for most people. That’s because it takes all the best features and abilities of the Move 2 and the Roam 2 and combines them into one super portable speaker.

The Play has the exact same features as the Move 2, literally. It can be used as a power bank to charge your other devices. Its USB-C port supports line-in audio, so (with Sonos’s special line-in adapter) you can hook the Play up to a turntable or computer. It even comes with the docking station so that it feels more like a home speaker.

White Sonos wireless speaker placed on the armrest of a dark outdoor chair with grass in the background. — The Play is basically the perfect combination of the Roam 2 and Move 2.

Unlike the Roam 2, the Play can play true stereo sound (instead of just mono) thanks to dual-angled tweeters. And it has the same “up to 24 hour” life of the Move.

But where the Move is big and heavy, the Play weighs less than three pounds and thus is much easier to carry around the home. And it’s also just as durable as the Roam 2 (with an IP67 rating), making it just as rugged of a portable Bluetooth speaker, too.

For those looking for the perfect blend of size, price and features, the Play is probably the best fit for you.

White cylindrical wireless speaker on a wooden shelf with vinyl records and a record player nearby. — Just like with the Move 2, the Play supports line-in audio so you can use it as wired speaker for your turntable.

The Flagship

Sonos Move 2

Specs

Size	6.6 pounds
Water-Resistance	IP56
Voice Assistant	Yes (Alexa, Sonos Voice Control)
Battery Life	Up to 24 hours

Pros

The all-day battery life is the killer feature
Stereo sound is a big upgrade
It's more versatile (with more features) than the Roam 2
New look, controls and now comes in an olive color
Comes with charging dock

Cons

It's heavy and expensive
No Google Assistant is a buzzkill, again

$399 at Sonos

$499 (20% off)
$399 at Amazon

$499 (20% off)

Release date: September 2023

The Move 2 is an upgraded version of Sonos’s 2019-released Move. It’s pretty much the same size and works very similarly, but the Move 2 has been upgraded in several key ways.

It has an extra tweeter and can play true stereo sound (instead of just mono). It has over double the battery life. It supports USB-C line-in so that, when used with Sonos’s special adapter, you can connect the Move 2 directly to an analog source such as a turntable or CD player.

Two Sonos speakers, one white and one green, placed on a kitchen countertop near a window and electrical outlet. — The Move 2 and Play both come with the charging base, which makes them feel more like home speakers than the Roam 2.

The Move 2 also supports reverse charging, meaning you can use its USB-C port and a USB-C cable to charge other devices — like your smartphone.

Plus, the Move 2 has a more refined look and new controls (similar to Sonos’s newer Era speakers), and it comes in a new olive finish as well as the traditional white or black.

The only real downside of the Move 2 is that it’s expensive and heavy; at almost seven pounds, you start feeling its weight when moving it from room to room in your house.

The Ultraportable

Sonos Roam 2

Specs

Size	0.95 pounds
Water-Resistance	IP67
Voice Assistant	Yes (Alexa, Sonos Voice Control)
Battery Life	Up to 10 hours

Pros

Much more affordable than the Move 2
Super portable, less than 1 pound
Works as a smart speaker
Available in more colors, including green, orange and blue

Cons

The wireless charger is sold separately
Smaller size means it can't match the Move 2 or Play in sound quality
No Google Assistant is a buzzkill

$139 at Amazon

$179 (22% off)
$139 at Sonos

$179 (22% off)

Release date: June 2024

The second-generation Roam is basically identical to the original Roam in almost every way. It’s the same size, making it the smallest and most portable speaker that Sonos sells. Like its predecessor, the Roam 2 has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, so you can use it in or outside the home. And it comes in several different finishes, including olive, wave (light blue) and sunset (orange).

The biggest difference is that the Roam 2 has a dedicated pairing button to make the setup process easier — it’s a much-welcome improvement. Unfortunately, like all of Sonos’s most recent smart speakers, the Roam 2 lacks support for Google Assistant. Also, Sonos has fixed the battery issue that was common in the original Roam.

Two Sonos speakers, one white and one blue, placed on a wooden shelf with a black metal frame. — The Play’s charging base comes in the box. For the Roam 2, the wireless charging base costs $49 extra.

Pro tip: Aside from the extra button on the back, an easy way to tell the difference between the Roam 2 and Roam is that the “Sonos” logo is the same color as the speaker on the Roam 2, while the logo is always white on the Roam.

Another big downside is that, unlike with the Move 2 and Play, Sonos doesn’t include a wireless charging base in the box. Instead, it sells it separately (for an extra $49). And you’re really going to want it for the Roam 2 to feel more like a home speaker, in my opinion.