Creative Muvo Free clip-on speaker review

I’m always looking for a budget-friendly portable speaker to bring while I’m traveling, hiking, or even sitting at home working. Creative Technology recently debuted its Muvo Free clip-on speaker which matches my only two requirements: cheap and portable. The $26 (€25) speaker is so small it can quite literally fit in the palm of your hand. The clip-on speaker easily attaches to any backpack or bag, which is an absolute must when on an outdoor adventure. The speaker can pair with multiple Bluetooth devices at once, is water-resistant, and has a built-in mic.

Of course, at $26, the speaker doesn’t compete with rivals such as Bose or JBL, but overall, it’s not a bad deal. If you’re in the market for an affordable new speaker to start the new year, here’s my full review of the Muvo Free clip-on speaker.

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Price, availability, and specs

Although Creative Technology sells many of its products on Amazon, the Muvo Free clip-on speaker can only be bought on its website. The clip-on wireless speaker costs $26 (€25) and can be shipped to most European countries, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

What I liked about the Muvo Free Clip-on Speaker

Good size and battery life — for the price

The biggest reason I’d recommend this speaker is its price and size. The sound quality is just okay, but for the price, I would say you get more than what you pay for. The palm size of the speaker is by far its most significant advantage — I’ve always been a fan of the JBL clip-on speaker for hiking and other outdoor activities, but even the compact size of the JBL can still be a nuisance as it’s not the lightest.

The speaker only weighs 84 grams and comes with a wristband, so you can easily tie it around your hand or bag while on the go. You may not be able to fill a room with booming sound, but if you’re only using the speaker for personal use while you’re out, the sound is loud enough. I took the speaker to a small holiday celebration with a couple of my friends, and I was more than happy with the volume of the speaker.

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Another major perk of the Muvo Free clip-on speaker is its battery life. After only an hour of charging, the Muvo Free can last up to nine hours. I used the speaker for four hours straight while working, and it still had enough battery the next day for me to use it at my friend’s house.

What I didn’t like about the Muvo Free Clip-on Speaker

You get what you pay for

Although I am a huge fan of the below $50 price tag, you get what you pay for. I’ve owned several smaller speakers from JBL and Bose in the past, but this was my first from Creative. Despite the smaller size of both the JBL and Bose speakers, the sound quality didn’t waiver.

However, the Creative speaker does feel like you sacrifice quality for a more compact size. I played music and podcasts on the speaker, and both times, the voices sounded distorted and muffled. When listening to music, the drums and bass were overpowering the singer, making it near impossible to have a crystal clear listening experience. Listening to podcasts on the Muvo Free was better, but nothing compared to other portable speakers I’ve owned.

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Overall, the Creative Muvo-Free clip-on speaker definitely feels cheap. There aren’t buttons to skip or go back to a song, a feature which I think would step up the game for those using the speaker while hiking or biking and don’t have quick access to their phones. The clip on the back of the speaker is also a bit flimsy and feels like it could easily break.

Should you buy the Creative Muvo Free clip-on speaker?

It depends on what you are looking for in a speaker. For its price, I would say it’s definitely worth it. The speaker is lightweight, easily portable, and has an impressive battery life, which you don’t normally get in the $26 price range. I’ve really enjoyed the sleek, compact design and plan on bringing it on upcoming trips where I’m limited to a personal item.

However, if you’re searching for a durable speaker to have for a long time and to use at social gatherings with crowds of over three people, I would shop elsewhere. The JBL Clip 4 is a much better alternative and costs roughly the same amount; right now, you can buy it on Amazon for $49. A more expensive but still comparable alternative is the Bose Soundlink Micro Bluetooth Speaker.

JBL Clip 4

$50 $80 Save $30

Muvo Free Clip-on Speaker

Creative Technology’s Muvo Free clip-on speaker is a lightweight, portable speaker which can easily clip on to any bag. While it doesn’t compare to its competitors such as JBL or Bose, for the low price, it’s worth it. 

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