Best Theragun Alternative in 2021 (10 Options for Any Budget)

This affordable alternative offers the best balance of price and performance

When you’re looking for a Theragun alternative, the likelihood is you want something that costs less but doesn’t skimp on power and features.

If that sounds about right:

You may have just met your match in PlayMakar’s Wireless Percussion Massager.

Boasting an impressive set of features, for an extremely competitive price, this product is a viable proposition and won’t break the bank.

In fact, in comparison to the top of the range Theragun, it delivers over 10% more percussions per minute (PPM). This should provide more than enough power for your treatment, with plenty in reserve.

That’s not all.

With PlayMakar’s gun massager you get the exact same number of attachments as the Theragun PRO without the high price tag.

It can last a maximum of three hours when fully charged, outperforming the Prime, Elite and mini, but not matching up to the five hours offered by the PRO.

You’ll find it’s one of the lightest devices we’ve reviewed (just a fraction heavier than the super light Taotronics gun) — as the last thing you want after a tiring workout, is to lift another heavy weight!

Plus it’s made from a really tactile material, with an ergonomic handle that makes it easy to grip and control.

So where does it fall short?

Its 10mm stroke depth isn’t as deep as the 16mm stroke of a Theragun.

You also won’t have the same control over the intensity (Prime, Elite and PRO models offer a customizable speed range), though you do get a respectable five settings.

Then there’s the rotating arm of the PRO. Plus the Therabody app to customize your treatment, something that PlayMakar (and other competitors) don’t match up to.

It’s open to debate whether an app driven massage gun is beneficial, for some products and scenarios we actually find apps a hindrance. Who wants to look down at a screen when they’re massaging a sore back!?

Remember it is a great price, ships in a custom designed carry case and has a digital screen to control your settings which is a bonus.

PlayMakar’s aim is to break down barriers and make pro tools available to the masses, yet they’re still a firm favorite with a number of professional athletes.

If you’re really looking to take your training to the next level or for a gift for a fitness fanatic, you may want to consider investing in a trio of performance and recovery-enhancing tools, with the full PlayMakar Game Ready Kit – click here to find out more.

The most powerful massager on our list with clever technology to improve your treatment

Another device with performance to rival Theragun is the Hypervolt 2 Pro, delivering more percussions per minute (2400 vs 2700).

With a stroke depth of 14mm, it’s worth mentioning that it doesn’t penetrate quite as deep into the muscles (though you’re not likely to notice much difference between 14mm and 16mm). You also don’t get the same flexibility over the intensity.

Of all the devices we’ve looked at it’s the heaviest, though with so much power it could be worth the compromise.

A unique (and very handy) feature of the Hypervolt 2 Pro is the built in pressure sensors.

On the head you can see a visual representation of the pressure and distribution of your massage. By using the lights as your guide you’re able to make your treatment more accurate.

You should also know that it’s the only device on this list that pairs with an app like a Theragun!

Using Bluetooth the massage gun links with the Hyperice app. You can use it to follow guided routines from top athletes and automatically adjust your speed.

The Hypervolt 2 Pro ships with five attachments:

That’s one more attachment than the Elite, and one less than the PRO.

Each attachment has been carefully created to target different areas, with bullet, fork and flat shapes.

Just like the Theragun devices it’s so easy to switch the attachments, helping you get more from your treatment in the least amount of time.

Fans who owned the original (and massively successful) Hypervolt model, loved how with the new Pro they got all the same features but with extra power.

The only criticism appeared to be that it doesn’t ship with a carrying case, though you can buy one separately — plus it does ship with a pouch to store your attachments.

The truest contender for the top of the range Theragun PRO

Of all the alternatives we’ve included in this article, this massage gun from Compex is the most serious contender for the Theragun PRO.

It meets the PRO on stroke depth and attachments.

In fact, the attachments are pretty similar to a Theragun. Plus you get the large ball that we raved about in our review of the PRO, but isn’t included with the 4th generation devices.

You’ll get the adjustable arm, a handy dial to switch between settings, plus more power to work with than every gun in the Theragun range.

It matches up to the Elite on no-stall force, handling up to 40lbs of applied pressure (falling short of the 60lbs offered with the PRO).

One additional little perk is that the Compex gun ships with a travel adapter. Theragun offers a version of this for their devices but it is an added cost.

Battery life is where the Compex Fixx 2.0 can’t quite match up to the PRO.

You do get the two swappable batteries for convenience, ideal for not running out of power mid-treatment.

However in total you only get 180 minutes of battery life, 120 minutes less than the PRO.

Cost-wise, it’s one of the most expensive alternatives in this roundup.

The MSRP isn’t actually that much different to the higher priced Theragun massagers, falling between the price of the PRO and Elite. But that’s because it’s carrying the Compex name.

Compex, like Theragun, is a trusted brand, more commonly known for their range of TENS and EMS units.

Why choose one massage head when you can have the versatility of two!

One accessory we love in the current Theragun range is the duo adapter that you can purchase separately.

It allows you to add two attachments to your device at one time, to enjoy twice the treatment, twice as fast!

Fishda’s Double Massage Head Fascia Gun allows you to do exactly that without the pricey accessory.

In terms of power it offers more than every Theragun in the range, but is seriously lacking when it comes to stroke depth.

Compared to a Theragun that powers 16mm into your muscles, the Fishda massager only manages 6.5mm.

This means you won’t get the same level of deep tissue massage, despite having more power in the bank.

However if you want a lighter touch then this might be the one for you.

It’s light to hold, similar in weight to the Theragun mini, and gives you four different speed settings to play with the intensity (one more than the mini).

The Fishda Double Massage Head Gun is small too, similar in size to a smartphone, so it wouldn’t take up too much space in your gym bag.

Many remarked on how quiet it was — it’s certainly one of the quietest devices on this list.

They were also impressed by how efficient they could be with their treatment, particularly those looking for solutions for neck pain. One head worked on the left of the neck, the other on the right!

Goes deeper into the muscle than a Theragun (and every other alternative on the list!)

While Theragun devices go 16mm into the muscle, TimTam’s Power Massager Pro promises to go much deeper (4mm more to be precise).

At 20mm it goes deeper than any of the other percussion massagers we’ve included in this article, without comprising on power. In fact, it offers well over 10% more percussions per minute than all the Theragun devices.

With such a great stroke depth you’d expect it to be heavy and loud:

But it weighs just 2lbs, making it easy to hold and control.

And is it loud?

Well, it clocks in at a whisper quiet 10dB (on its lowest speed), making it the quietest Theragun alternative on our shortlist.

It can also handle up to 75lbs of applied force without stalling, more than the 60lbs offered by the Theragun PRO (though 60lbs is still plenty!).

With a one touch trigger it’s really easy to experience all the benefits of a percussion massage.

It ships with three attachments, including two that offer something a little different to others on the market.

First there’s a heated tip, so you can drive heat deep into the muscle tissue. Then there’s a vibrating tip that adds another layer to your treatment.

Plus it offers a 175° rotating arm for hard to reach places, a feature only offered on the PRO.

In terms of battery life it doesn’t meet the life of the Theragun range, lasting just 60 minutes when fully charged.

Price-wise it’s on a par with the higher ticket massagers like the Elite, so it is one of the more expensive alternatives.

Owners of the TimTam Power Massager Pro loved the relief from pain they experienced, describing it as a true deep tissue massage.

Those looking for a pain management solution raved about the heated tip, feeling like it made pounding percussion therapy a little more soothing.

The best (but slightly noisy) budget option with lots of power!

If you’re looking to spend around $100-$200 on a percussion massage gun then the Vybe Pro is a solid substitute to a Theragun.

The product manufacturers describe it as ‘not quiet, but powerful’, and it certainly is, delivering an incredible 1000 MORE percussions per minute than a Theragun.

You of course won’t have the same control over that power with the Vybe, but you do still get nine different speed settings.

Amazingly it ships with eight attachments, more than any other tool on the list, including three metal heads for a harder massage.

Like the Prime, Elite and mini it doesn’t have the adjustable arm, or offer the stroke depth of a Theragun (just 12mm vs. 16mm).

It also can’t take as much applied force as the higher priced Theragun models like the PRO and the Elite without stalling.

The Vybe does outperform every model except the PRO though on battery life, going for 180 minutes when fully charged.

The cost is low, and includes a smart case to store your device, which is ideal if you’re someone that’s always on the go.

There’s no doubt that Theragun products are of a superior quality and that’s reflected in the price.

However overwhelmingly reviewers of the product felt that the range of features and power provided made it real bang for the buck.

Offering the best battery life, it just keeps on going…

Battery life is important, particularly if you’re looking for a percussive massager you can just throw in your bag for before or after a workout.

This TaoTronics massage gun promises up to 10 hours of battery life when fully charged, considerably more than the Theragun (and many other) competitors.

It’s seriously good value for money too, achieving more percussions per minute than all the Theragun models, for a much lower price.

At 12mm it falls short for stroke depth and no-stall force at 33lbs (more than the Prime and mini, less than the Elite and PRO), though you do get 20 speed settings.

We should mention here that we personally think any more than five speed settings on a massage gun is overkill.

There’s not enough difference between the individual increments and it can be annoying to move up and down through them all.

The TaoTronics massage gun does ship with as many attachments as the Theragun PRO, including two different shaped bullet heads, helping you target joints and trigger points.

Users commented on how easy it was to operate, with a simple screen and buttons to move between intensities.

However, one thing shoppers mentioned more than anything was how light it was!

1.6lbs to be precise, making it one of the lightest tools on our list. This makes it ideal for people who might struggle to hold their massager for long periods of time.

The TaoTronics Massage Gun ships in a custom designed storage and travel case, which is a great added extra for such an affordable price.

Those reviewing the product loved how easy it was to use and felt it offered good value for money.

Most importantly though, they were impressed with how it helped to relieve aches and pains, improve their range of motion and boost their circulation.

Powerful things come in small (under $100) packages!

After testing the Theragun mini for a number of months we could certainly see the appeal of such a compact percussion massage gun.

However at nearly $200 it is still a fairly big investment.

Introducing the Naipo Mini Massage Gun – a powerful tool at less than half the price!

It would be unfair to compare the Naipo gun to the higher-priced tools in the Theragun range, however when you stack up the spec next to the Theragun mini it is a strong contender.

You get more power (PPM), better battery life and greater control over the intensity for a start.

Plus unlike the mini that has one fixed head, you get four unique attachments to give you the flexibility to treat different areas.

Stroke depth is where the Naipo massager is lacking, penetrating just 6mm into your muscle tissue, half the depth of the Theragun mini.

So despite it having more power the massage won’t feel as intense as it would with the Theragun device.

Regardless, people highly rated this massager, loving the small and compact design — it weighs less than 1lb.

They felt it really packed a punch, and was a great introduction to percussion massage therapy.

The most attractive alternative on the shortlist

Take one look at this shortlist and you’ll notice a pattern.

Most of the tools are black and have that strong industrial look that is synonymous with the massage gun market.

The Lyric Therapeutic Massager offers something a little different.

It has a stylish and contemporary look, sitting on a charging station that wouldn’t look out of place in any modern home.

You won’t get the power of a Theragun device, but it isn’t designed to pound your muscles. It’s a rhythmic massager that will deliver a gentler experience.

The creator describes it as using “vibroacoustic frequencies to stimulate the nervous system”, so it will likely feel more like a vibration massage than a percussion treatment.

Available in a number of different colors, you get four attachments including a small and larger ball.

Tasteful packaging also makes it a great gift for someone living with pain, or just a fully fledged health nut.

The device even solves one of the big challenges with gun massagers, how to treat your back pain with ease!

It ships with a long-reach extension handle that you can add to the bottom of your massager and use to comfortably apply pressure to your back.

Another great feature is the fact that it’s Wi-Fi enabled. Use the touchscreen to select your treatment and explore new therapies.

Software updates will also bring new routines to try and allow you to customize your treatment more effectively.

Comparing it to the Theragun range, and the other alternatives on this list, you simply won’t get the power.

But if you want a device that looks good and offers you the versatility to treat different ideas of your body, then you get that with The Lyric.

The Theragun mini has met its match in this like for like competitor

The aforementioned Naipo Mini Massage Gun is perfect if you want an entry level mini massager.

Yet if you want the strength of a Theragun in a smaller package then the Hypervolt Go really delivers.

With more power than its competitor, it delivers 3200 percussions per minute compared to the 2400 offered by the Theragun.

The stroke depth isn’t as deep, 10mm vs 12mm, however you do get two different heads to play around with. Remember though both Theragun and Hypervolt attachments can be purchased separately, so don’t solely base your decision on the number of heads.

What about battery life?

Well, they both clock in at 150 minutes of usage so that won’t help you make your decision.

Price-wise you’ll pay a similar price for the Theragun mini as you will for the Hypervolt Go – so which one do you choose?

As mentioned, in terms of spec, they’re pretty similar, with each just nudging ahead of the other in different areas.

It might come down to the grip you prefer.

You grip the Hypervolt Go like a traditional massage tool, with the Theragun mini designed to fit snugly into your hand.

Hypervolt’s Go could be easier to maneuver when treating your back for example, but the Theragun mini is easier to just pick up and use day to day without fiddling with any attachments (plus the mini looks better in our opinion!).

In summary on this device, you really can’t go wrong with either. Decide what’s most important to you (by using our handy guide below) and you’re sure to make the right choice.