The 7 Best Massage Guns, Based On Months Of Testing

While training for an ultramarathon, I put 13 of the best massage guns to the test over a two-month period to see which ones succeeded most at alleviating soreness, stiffness and pain. Of all the massage guns I tried, the Therabody Theragun Elite provided the best massage experience overall, with the Hyperice Hypervolt 2 Pro following closely behind. I also selected five other standout models based on their overall value, size and battery life.

For what it’s worth, I finished the race without any trouble, and I give some credit to these massage guns for getting me across the finish line. The following is a list of all the winners from my testing process:

Realistically, not everyone needs or wants a massage gun, but for athletes or those recovering from an injury, it can be a helpful piece of gear. That’s why I tested a broad lineup of the most popular massage guns and evaluated each by their speed, amplitude, ergonomics and variety of attachments to find the best options for specific needs. As with any medical device, check with a doctor to make sure a massage gun is right for you and your needs before using one. For more recommendations on recovery devices, check out our guides to the best neck massagers and massage guns on Amazon.

Though I was initially skeptical of the Theragun Elite, its design made it stand out as the best massage gun overall in my tests. When I pulled the massager from its hard-shell carrying case for the first time, I puzzled over the triangular handle and its hefty bulk. As I began to use it, I realized the shape made it easy to grip the gun in different positions, especially compared to other full-size massage guns I tried. And because the Elite is heavy compared to competitors at 2.2 pounds, the handle’s unique shape reduced arm strain better than other full-size options, even after using it for prolonged periods of time.

The Elite has five speeds and a 16-millimeter amplitude, which is the distance traveled by the massage gun head as it moves back and forth; and the Elite has the highest amplitude among the models I tested. When the time came to work through bigger, thicker muscle groups on my legs, that amplitude was a welcome feature. The small OLED display offered the best visual experience of any massage gun I tested; the design made it easy to review the speed and applied force settings. What’s more, I could easily change the speed by cycling up or down with a button located conveniently on the handle, so I never had to reposition my hand or body to manage speeds or massaging modes as I did with some other massagers.

Therabody pairs the Elite with five attachments—a dampener, standard ball, thumb, cone and wedge—that are made from a forgiving, closed-cell foam that’s softer and more malleable than the hard plastic attachments on other massagers I tested. If it were possible, I’d use these attachment heads on massage guns from competing brands. While many other attachments looked similar, these had the best feel—I never really found another set quite like them. Each attachment targets a specific region or feature of your body, so you’ll rarely find yourself with a stubborn pain point that this gun can’t reach. From head to toe, it provided the best combination of massage and user experience compared to the competition. Needless to say, my muscles were happy.

Of course, a massage gun this expensive comes with a laundry list of features, some of which are harder to access than others. But because the Theragun Elite is Bluetooth enabled, you can pair it with your phone and control its functions through the Therabody app. It only took a minute to download the app and establish a connection, and once I did, it was easy to customize the gun’s speed, cycle through guided programs and take advantage of its many features, all from the app. I imagine this will come in handy as you learn the ropes, but you’ll probably use it a lot less once you understand the ins and outs of the massager.

At $399 (when it isn’t on sale), the Theragun Elite’s high price tag is tough to ignore. Still, it may be worth the investment for the best massage gun you can get. And because it sits in the middle of Therabody’s lineup of triangular massage guns, you can drop down to the Prime model (if you want to spend a little less) or upgrade to the Pro (for more features). The Elite model represents the best value among these three Therabody massage guns: It has handy features, like a stall force meter and built-in preset massages, that aren’t found on the Prime, but it skips others, like the Pro’s visually guided routines and the ability to actually control the device through the app, which feel unnecessary.

Long-term testing notes: Therabody has released three new Theraguns in recent months, including the Sense at $299 and the Relief at $149, but I still love the Elite for its well-rounded set of features. The battery holds a charge as you might expect and the percussive force feels as powerful as ever, and best of all, the price of this massager has dropped on Amazon over time. At the time of writing, Therabody still lists it for $399 but you can pick it up for $309 on Amazon, which brings it down to almost the same price as the entry-level Theragun Prime.

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Hyperice and Therabody are the top names in this space, which might explain why the Hyperice Hypervolt 2 Pro looks a lot like the Theragun Elite’s little sibling, at least on paper. To be sure, Hyperice’s top-of-the-line massage gun is powerful, and it delivers a satisfying, consistent massage every time, with features that match the Elite, like five speed settings and five attachment heads. But it doesn’t quite beat the Theragun Elite to the finish line—it weighs half a pound more and doesn’t come with a carrying case. Hyperice also doesn’t list the Hypervolt 2’s amplitude, so I couldn’t compare amplitude on this massager to others I tested.

The Hypervolt 2 Pro looks like a traditional massage gun and offers a predictable, solid experience across the board. The gun is ergonomic, although it’s definitely a bit heavier in-hand than the Elite, and the build quality is superb. Power comes courtesy of a battery pack in the handle; to recharge it, you press a small button to eject the battery like a gun magazine. You could theoretically pick up a second battery to keep the percussive relief going for hours. I imagine this feature comes in handy if you own a gym or manage a team of athletes who will be using a massage gun frequently, but most of us probably don’t need a spare battery. “The Hyperice is a really nice [massage gun], in that it’s definitely good quality, but I don’t feel like it’s ridiculous to suggest that someone buys it,” notes Dr. Chloe Costigan. “I feel really good about people actually spending money on it, too.”

The one disappointment I can’t overlook is the lack of a carrying case. This happens to be Hyperice’s top-of-the-line massage gun, yet they couldn’t even ship it with a case? It’s a bit frustrating, as is the fact that you can’t easily turn the speed dial on the back of the massager with one hand.

Ultimately, the Hypervolt 2 Pro isn’t quite as capable as the Elite, but it’s still a solid investment. And at $329, it’s just a little cheaper than the Elite if you’re looking to save.

Long-term testing notes: Like the Theragun Elite, the Hypervolt 2 Pro is still a solid massage gun. It starts up every time, holds a charge and works out sore muscles with ease. I picked up a spare battery to swap them in seconds if one dies, and while I don’t often need the additional juice, it’s convenient to have on hand. Ultimately, I’d still reach for the Theragun Elite, especially now that you can find it on sale for $309 at the time of writing.

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I wasn’t familiar with Ekrin Athletics before this project began, but I walked away singing the Ekrin Athletics B37’s praises as a practical, full-size massage gun that does everything well and costs only $230.

With five speed settings and four attachment heads, the B37 tips the scales at 2.2 pounds, but its angled handle balances that we