Theragun Alternatives: Best Budget Massage Guns for 2024

Introduction

Soreness and pain can be distracting and limiting in day-to-day life. If it’s something you struggle with regularly, going to a masseuse each time you have aches can be pricey. With a good massage gun, you can relieve your stress and pain at home. But you don’t have to spend as much as you would with a Theragun massager as there are plenty of cheaper options that are still great quality.

Testing Affordable Massage Guns

I put my muscles on the line to find out which of these affordable massage guns are worth your time. I started with the most affordable models from premium and popular massage gun brands Hyperice and Therabody, then I worked my way down to the most inexpensive off-brand massagers I could find. In the end, I tried to get a good sampling of what’s out there, with an eye toward products priced $100 or less.

Best Small and Light Massage Gun: Naipo Deep Tissue Massager

Naipo’s massager is the lightest and most compact model in the group, with a small but comfortable grip and more percussive force than you’d expect. Other pluses include five speed settings and four different massage heads. Naipo doesn’t provide a carrying case, which is a bit disappointing. But my only real complaint is that it’s on the noisy side, at least compared with the other “minis” in the roundup, the Recoverfun and Sportneer. I’ve seen various coupon or code deals that bring the price down on this massager, so you should definitely get it when it’s on sale.

Recommended with Reservations: Therabody Mini

The triangular Mini exerts an impressive amount of force for its size, but the shape makes it hard to hold comfortably. What’s more, Therabody provides only one attachment, a ball head; other models here come with at least two, if not four or even six — for a lower price. Even at the lowest of its three speeds, the Mini feels stronger than a lot of the other guns I tried. In fact, anyone looking for just a light, relaxing massage might find it a little too powerful. While I’d be glad to have this on hand for deep-tissue relief, it’s hard to recommend otherwise. There are too many other models with more features and lower prices.

Best (and Only) Dual-Head Massage Gun: Fishda Double Massage Head Fascia Gun (Update: Currently Unavailable)

You know the old saying: Two heads are better than one. But is that true of massage guns? I thought Fishda’s Frankenstein was just a gimmick, but damn if it doesn’t deliver twice the muscle-punching goodness. For big areas like thighs and glutes, I genuinely enjoyed this “bigger” massage. Fortunately, it’s not twice as loud as other guns; in fact, it’s surprisingly quiet. It also has a relatively compact shape. But there’s some heft to it: At 1.7 pounds it weighs more than any other gun in its size class. Expect arm fatigue to set in a bit sooner with this one. Available in three colors, the Recoverfun Mini is among my favorite massagers in the group. Although it’s heavier than Naipo’s similarly compact model, with a metal barrel that feels a little cold until it warms up, it’s also surprisingly quiet. The gun offers four speed settings and the “big four” attachments: ball, bullet, fork, and flat. You also get a drawstring carrying case.

Source: Theragun Alternatives: Best Budget Massage Guns for 2024 – CNET