It’s been a stressful couple of years, hasn’t it? Between the commodification of disinterested apes being sold as art to everyone turning cooking into a game of life hacks, I think we can all use a tiny little bit of relaxation.
Sadly, it’s not so easy to hop onto a plane headed for Bali and have a masseuse rub away all our woes.
Therabody offers an alternative that might, dare I say, be even better than that. The brand has become one of the most recognizable massage gun producers in the world.
Table of Contents
About Therabody
Dr. Jason Wersland created a prototype massage gun in 2009 while searching for an ailment for his chronic back pain.
Rather than keep his advancements to himself, Wersland decided to share his invention so that his chiropractic clients could receive aid even when they weren’t in his care.
Therabody has improved by leaps and bounds over the past decade, releasing new products and reinventing older models. Two of their most popular items are the Theragun Prime and the Theragun Elite.
You’re probably wondering what distinguishes these products from one another besides their names. That’s what I’m here to do in this Theragun Prime vs Elite. You’ll learn about how similar these two items are, and what little tricks they can pull.
This article will cover the technology behind each product, who they’re best suited for, what customers think of them, and how much you can expect to pay for each.
What To Consider
Target audience
Since the Theragun Prime and the Theragun Elite have different costs, you should consider which product is better suited for you. Yes, this company does have you in mind.
Although both massage guns can serve similar purposes their variance in regards to capabilities and prices means that you may reap more rewards out of one versus the other.
Purpose
The different features and capabilities of each massage gun I cover in this Theragun Prime vs Elite review dictate their purpose.
Obviously, both are meant to relieve pain and tension, but to what degree they can do that depends on factors like stall force and battery life.
If you’re looking for a quick answer then the Theragun Prime is a solid option if you want a simplified massage gun whereas the Theragun Elite is better designed for a deeper massage.
Technology
Therabody is a company that has put a lot of time and effort into their products. They’ve crafted portable massage machines that won’t result in your neighbors filing noise complaints.
What’s even better is that neither the Theragun Prime nor the Theragun Elite compromise massaging power for volume.
Both of them feature Therabody’s QX65 Motor with QuietForce Technology that dampens sound while maximizing comfort.
Durability and warranties
Therabody’s massage guns are built to withstand journeys through the tightest of muscles and the most stubborn of knots.
However, if something goes awry due to manufacturing, the brand has a 1-year warranty. This warranty covers both the items in this Theragun Prime vs Elite review.
Accessibility
Massage guns have proliferated over the past few years to both Therabody’s and customers’ benefit. You can find both of these items in online retailers and major sports stores.
Theragun Prime vs Elite: Who Are They For?
The Theragun Prime and Theragun Elite share plenty of features that widen their target audience.
I’ll cover these features deeper in the next section of this Theragun Prime vs Elite review, but the point I’m making is that both products hit the same consumer base.
These items are suited for people who need to relieve muscular tension and stress without getting up from the couch.
Are they the best products for solving deep tissue problems that could potentially immobilize you years down the line? No, but they’re not aiming to be.
These items are designed to soothe tight muscles and alleviate soreness. And after the past two years, I’m pretty sure everyone could use a bit of soothing.
Theragun Prime vs Elite: Design and Durability
I’ll start this portion of my Theragun Prime vs Elite review by covering what the two items have in common. One could say that they’re like a pair of fraternal twins; they come from the same mother but one of them was the wild child while the other organized Halo 2 LAN parties.
You’ll be spoiled by the Theragun Prime and the Theragun Elite’s best common features:
- A battery that lasts 120 minutes
- The company’s silent but powerful QX65 Motor with QuietForce Technology, which provides a quiet yet deep massage
- An ergonomic handle that allows you to massage your body from various angles
- Can connect to the Theragun app via Bluetooth
- Wide range of massage speeds
Now that you know what you’ll get from either product, I’ll dissect the differences between the two.
The Theragun Elite comes in three different colors. You can pick a red model, a black model, or a white model. Its stall force caps out at 40 pounds. This item also has an OLED display screen and 5 attachable massage heads.
Its brother, the Theragun Prime only comes in black and has a maximum stall force of 30 pounds. Instead of an OLED screen, this product has an LED display screen. It has its own set of attachable massage heads, but it only has 4 as opposed to the Theragun Elite’s 5.
The lesser stall force means that the Theragun Prime cannot generate as much power as the Theragun Elite. This isn’t an issue if you’re looking for a surface-level massage but could be a problem if you want something deeper.
The Theragun Prime cannot penetrate as deeply as the Theragun Elite, meaning that the latter is better for relieving muscular tension.
Besides the differences in stall force, attachable heads, and display screen, these two items are virtually identical in terms of design.
Both have five built-in speeds, 1,750 PPM, 1,900 PPM, 2,100 PPM, 2,200 PPM, and 2,400 PPM, meaning the difference in massage comes down to how much force they can apply.
Theragun Prime vs Elite: Extras
Just like how everyone has room for dessert after a buffet, everybody wants something extra with their products. In this Theragun Prime vs Elite review section, I’ll touch upon what extra goodies each item has.
For starters, both massage guns come with these attachable heads:
- Standard ball head
- Damper head
- Thumb head
- Cone head
These attachments alter the angles at which you can use your Theragun massage instrument. They vary in terms of softness, so when you combine them with the different speeds of the machines you can personalize your massage to suit your needs.
The Theragun Elite comes with an additional head, the wedge, that the Theragun Prime does not. Additionally, you can charge the Theragun Elite without having to screw around with cables because you can charge its battery wirelessly.
The Theragun Elite’s OLED screen provides users more functionality than the Theragun Prime’s LED screen. The former’s smart screen unlocks various targeted massages for specific muscle groups.
You can store these massages as presets onto the Theragun Elite, meaning you can flick it on to your desired setting in no time. The screen also tells you how much force the gun is shooting into your muscles. This removes the need to “feel” how much pressure your muscles need.
In a nutshell, the Theragun Elite has everything the Theragun Prime has and more. Whether those extras are worth their price tag is something you’ll find out next.
Theragun Prime vs Elite: Price & Value
After glancing at what each massage gun does and doesn’t do, what they have and don’t have, and whether they’re tantric or not, it’s time to talk about their prices. This morsel of my Theragun Prime vs Elite review will look at how much these items cost.
The Theragun Prime retails for $299 while the Theragun Elite is $399. Both items have financing plans too.
The Theragun Elite’s larger price tag can be justified by how you intend to use it. If you’re searching for a massage gun to mindlessly jolt your system after a hard day of work then it’s probably not worth leaping for that item.
However, if you’re trying to optimize your recovery or have any nagging injuries that you want to remedy by yourself, then the Theragun Elite justifies its price with its wider set of features.
Theragun Prime vs Elite: What Do Customers Think?
No head-to-head comparison would be complete without asking for unsolicited advice from total strangers, right?
However, I will not be asking random pedestrians on the street what their favorite massage guns are in this portion of my Theragun Prime vs Elite review.
Instead, I’ll take into account customers’ thoughts from across the internet to present a balanced and honest take on both items.
Let’s begin with each product’s aggregate customer score on the Therabody website.
The Theragun Prime holds a 4.9/5 stars average rating from more than 190 pieces of customer feedback whereas the Theragun Elite has a 4.9/5 stars average rating from more than 280 reviews.
So, they both have high scores, but the Theragun Elite is more popular. It was especially popular amongst current and former athletes. High school football players, beer league soccer players, and even collegiate athletes all praised this massage gun.
Users commented on how this product’s added power allowed it to get deep into their muscles and relieve tension. Many compared it favorably to Therabody’s other products.
Commenters also highlighted how in-depth the massage options were. One customer wrote, “Great application with programs that allow you to learn how to apply the right pressure and weight.”
That’s not to say that people didn’t hold the Theragun Prime in high regard. On the contrary, many purchasers only had good things to say about it. This 5/5 stars review tells it all:
“Love the speed and strength of my Theragun! It’s not too noisy. The Bluetooth connection to the app is incredible! The app directions are super helpful and I’ve felt better than I have in a long time each day. I have been crossfitting 5-7 days a week and theragunning before and after for fun and because it feels so good.”
Fans loved how easy it was to warm up their muscles before a workout or relieve some stress at the end of the day thanks to the Theragun Prime’s simple design. One customer called the item a “life changer,” then went on to say,
“Very effective and easy to use. High quality workmanship. I have been suffering from back pain for a year. I exercise regularly, go for massage, do stretching exercises … but this tool helped. I feel really much, much better! Thank you!”
For a more comprehensive assessment of customer opinion, I also consulted with other websites for this Theragun Prime vs Elite review. Here are the scores for the Theragun Prime across other review hubs:
- 4.7/5 stars from more than 590 customer reviews on Best Buy’s website
- 4.8/5 stars from more than 3,000 customer reviews on Amazon
- 4.7/5 stars from more than 65 customer reviews on Sportchek’s website
The few negative reviews touched upon how you needed the Therabody app in order to use the Theragun Prime.
Let’s see if people felt the same way about the Theragun Elite by looking at its average customer scores:
- 4.6/5 stars from more than 930 customer reviews on Best Buy’s website
- 4.6/5 stars from more than 2,900 customer reviews on Amazon
- 4.3/5 stars from more than 90 customer reviews on Sportchek’s website
Customer criticism focused on the fact that Therabody didn’t do much to help customers who were dealing with manufacturing issues. They reported battery lives that were shorter than what was advertised.
It’s important to remember that most customers were pleased with their Therabody item and that only a few experienced any defects.
Granted, you should approach this purchase with a grain of salt given that some customers felt that Therabody didn’t handle the situation adequately.
Speaking of salt, most Theragun purchasers were not salty about their experiences. In fact, the majority of them were happy with either the Theragun Elite or the Theragun Prime.
Theragun Prime vs Elite: Promotions & Discounts
If you’re looking at Therabody’s other items then I have some good news for you.
The company is currently running a promotion on their Therabody RecoveryAir products. One of those offers is a bundle that includes the Theragun Pro.
This bundle includes the Therabody RecoveryAir PRO System and the Theragun Pro for $1,598. Usually, this package costs $1,898.
Theragun Prime vs Elite: Shipping & Returns
It’s important to consider what your options are in the event that you don’t want a massage.
Maybe you thought you wanted one but, in reality, the necessary path for you to walk is one towards salvation, cultivated by mindfulness that can’t be achieved through commercial products.
If you’re trying to renounce the material world but you have an unopened massage gun then you ought to know how to get your money back. While researching for this Theragun Prime vs Elite review, I found that Therabody has a 30-day return policy.
You must send your device back along with its original packaging and receipt in order to receive a refund.
With regards to shipping, Therabody ships to multiple countries across the globe. They have a map on their website which shows which nations are eligible to receive their products.
Most of their shipping times are calculated at the item checkout page. Thankfully they do provide a rough estimate for customers based in the United States.
Therabody orders take around 2 to 3 business days to go through processing in their warehouse, then another 4 to 6 business days to reach their destinations.
Who Will You Shop With?
At the end of the day, you can’t go wrong with either of these massage guns. The verdict of this Theragun Prime vs Elite review is that they both have a place in most people’s households.
The biggest difference between these two massage assistants is their respective prices. You will be getting more features with the Theragun Elite as it’s designed to take care of deeper issues.
It has a higher stall force, comes with more attachable heads, and its OLED display grants you more freedom and provides more user feedback.
But before assuming that those qualities make it the better product you should ask yourself whether you need them all. The Theragun Prime does nearly the same things as its more powerful brethren but for almost $100 less.
I’m not saying that one is better than the other, I’m just spilling the beans on what separates one pot of chili from the other.
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