The Sonos Bridge and Boost are both WiFi extenders designed to help your Sonos system operate better by eliminating interference and boosting signal. The Boost is the most current version, and the Bridge is basically obsolete.
I’m Donovan, a musician, engineer, producer, and all-around audio enthusiast. I have set up many home studios and theaters over the years and have experience working with Sonos speakers. I’ve researched the difference between the Boost and Bridge.
This post will compare and contrast the Sonos Bridge versus the Sonos Boost. I’ll provide you with some important background information on each device to help you understand why you may or may not want to use one.
Let’s get after it.
Contents
Key Takeaways
- The Sonos Boost and Sonos Bridge are essentially the same type of device – wireless extenders.
- The Sonos Boost is the current version of the extender, and it works much better than the Bridge. The Bridge is now essentially obsolete, and even Sonos recommends that you don’t use it.
- The Boost performs much better than the Bridge for boosting WiFi signal and eliminating interference to help your Sonos system work better.
- If you are currently using a Sonos bridge, you should stop and either upgrade to a Boost or a new WiFi router.
Sonos Bridge vs Sonos Boost
| Sonos Boost | Sonos Bridge | |
| Purpose | Wireless Extender/Dedicated Wireless Network | Wireless Extender/Dedicated Wireless Network |
| Performance | Newer, current version offered by Sonos with much better performance than Bridge | Older model that doesn’t perform nearly as well as the Boost. Newer WiFi router is better |
| Cost | Not too expensive | Pretty cheap but not recommended for purchase |
| Availability | Readily available from Sonos site or online | Discontinued and only available by resellers |
If you are wondering about the difference between the Sonos Boost and Bridge, you’ve come to the right place. The table above gives you a quick side-by-side comparison of the two devices, but I’ll break things down even more in the following sections.
To sum up, the Sonos Boost and Bridge are both WiFi extenders designed to help boost signal and eliminate interference. They can help your Sonos system work much better by creating a dedicated WiFi network.
But the Sonos Boost is the more current and better-performing option of the two, and it’s the updated version of the Bridge. The Boost has a different name but functions the same as the Bridge did, only much better.
The Bridge is discontinued, and Sonos no longer sells or supports the device. You should not buy a Sonos Bridge, even if you find one for sale online or anywhere else. It won’t help you out any better than a modern WiFi router would.
Let’s break things down a little more in-depth to understand better what these devices do and why you might want to get the Sonos Boost.
Sonos Bridge vs Sonos Boost: Similarities
The similarities between the Bridge and the Boost are easily apparent, as they are technically the same type of device. Both are WiFi extenders designed to boost your Sonos system’s performance by reducing interference and increasing signal.
They aren’t WiFi extenders in a traditional sense because they don’t extend the range of your WiFi router for other devices to connect to. Instead, the sole purpose of the Boost and Bridge is to enhance the WiFi connectivity to your Sonos system.
The devices come with built-in antennas and other tech that will search and connect to your WiFi network from the router in your home or wherever the system is set up. Then it will create a dedicated WiFi network for the rest of your speakers to connect to.
The idea behind both the Bridge and the Boost is to help improve Sonos performance if you are dealing with a weak WiFi signal. Since Sonos speakers rely on WiFi to perform, you need a reliable connection for everything to work properly.
If you have solid WiFi throughout your listening room or home, you likely don’t need these devices because your Sonos system should function just fine without them.
The Boost and the Bridge are pretty much the same device. The Boost is just the more modern and better-performing option. If you need a better WiFi connection for your Sonos system, you need the Boost.
Even though you can still find the Bridge for sale online, there’s no reason to buy it. I’ll break that down more soon, but just keep in mind that it’s an obsolete device.
Sonos Bridge vs Sonos Boost: Differences
Now let’s dive into the differences between the Bridge and the Boost. Even though they are different versions of the same device, it’s worth exploring these differences to help you better understand when you might want to use one.
The most significant difference comes down to performance. The Boost offers much better performance at its intended task than the Bridge, and it’s not even close. You’ll get as much as 50% better WiFi with the Boost.
The Boost was designed to replace the Bridge. Sonos doesn’t even offer the Bridge for sale anymore because it’s essentially an obsolete device. You can still get it from resellers, but I’ll explain why you should avoid that shortly.
Think of the Sonos Boost as a new laptop and the Bridge as an old desktop from the early 2000s. Both computers could technically do similar tasks, but no one would want to deal with the poor performance of the 20-year-old desktop compared to the new laptop.
There is also a big difference in the cost of the Boost versus the Bridge. This is important to touch on because you might be lured to purchase the Bridge because it costs about one-third as much as the Boost.
But don’t be tricked by the price tag! Buying an obsolete device is a waste of money, even if you get a good deal. Sonos has directly stated that anyone using the Bridge should stop because modern WiFi routers do a better job at the task than the Sonos device does.
The Boost is still relatively affordable, and you can get it for just under $100. You might be able to find it on sale for slightly less than that, but this average price should be doable for most people who have a Sonos system.
Availability is the next factor to look at with the difference between the two. You can still purchase the Boost and the Bridge easily online. But you won’t find the Bridge in any store because it has been discontinued.
Some resellers and auction sites will still sell you the Sonos Bridge. A quick search will reveal that it is available on eBay and in some similar locations. But don’t buy it! There is no reason to spend your money on a discontinued device that doesn’t work that well.
The Sonos Boost is readily available directly from Sonos or from other electronics sites or stores. You can order one online and get it delivered to your door quickly or you should be able to find it at a physical store if that’s how you prefer to shop.
Do You Need a Sonos Boost?
Now that you understand the main similarities and differences between these two devices, you are probably wondering if you need a Sonos Boost or not. I won’t even touch on the question for the Bridge because you do not need one for the reasons already mentioned.
I know many audiophiles who will stop at nothing to get the best gear and equipment to help achieve improved audio quality. And some of you reading this might assume that improving the connection to your Sonos system will achieve this.
But not everyone who uses Sonos speakers will need or want the Boost. You really only need it if you have a weak WiFi connection or are dealing with related issues like your Sonos speakers not connecting to one another correctly.
Many modern WiFi routers provide plenty of signal and a strong connection to power your Sonos system as designed. If you aren’t experiencing any issues with the system, you don’t need to get the Boost or any other type of signal extender.
If you are having issues with your Sonos system and think it’s because of a weak WiFi connection, then the Boost will help you resolve the problem. By creating a dedicated WiFi network, the Boost will keep your signal strong and your system working.
You don’t need to get the Boost just because you have Sonos speakers. You might think having extra signal will be useful, but it will be redundant and unnecessary if you already have good WiFi.
Some situations where you might want or need to get the Boost include if you have an extensive Sonos speaker system set up or live in a large house. Both of these situations could benefit from having a strong signal throughout your listening room or home.
You can quickly check the WiFi signal around your home by walking into various rooms with a WiFi-connected device. Check the signal as you move around, either by looking at bars of signal or attempting to load a web page.
If you have a Sonos system with more than five speakers, you’ll likely benefit from getting the Boost. It will ensure that you keep your speakers connected to one another and help prevent lag and interference, which will disrupt your listening experience.
There isn’t an exact definition of a large house, but I think if you live in a home with more than two stories, you’ll likely want the Boost to help get your Sonos system dialed in. Your WiFi likely won’t be strong in every corner of the house you have speakers set up in.
But if you have a smaller home or are only using a few Sonos speakers, you don’t really need the Boost. Your system should work fine with your regular WiFi router because this will have plenty of signal to reach around the house or listening room.
Final Thoughts
Even though the Sonos Bridge and Sonos Boost were built to serve the same purpose, the Boost is the more modern and better-performing option. The Bridge has been discontinued, so you should not purchase it, even if you see it for sale with a low price tag.
The Sonos Boost can help improve the WiFi signal to your Sonos system and come in very useful if you have a large home or are using many Sonos speakers at once. But you don’t need this device if you live in a small house with a small Sonos system.
How many Sonos speakers do you have in your current setup? Have you ever used the Boost or Bridge to improve your signal? Let me know in the comments below.
