Theragun Alternatives: Best Budget Massage Guns for 2024 [CNET]

August 21, 2024 James Bricknell

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James Bricknell Senior Editor

James has been writing about technology for years but has loved it since the early 90s. While his main areas of expertise are maker tools — 3D printers, vinyl cutters, paper printers, and laser cutters — he also loves to play board games and tabletop RPGs.

Expertise 3D printers, maker tools such as Cricut style vinyl cutters and laser cutters, and traditional paper printers Credentials

6 years working professionally in the 3D printing space / 4 years testing consumer electronics for large websites.

$129 at Amazon

Best massage gun for serious muscle relief

Hyperice Hypervolt Go

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$28 at Walmart

Best small and light massage gun

Naipo Deep Tissue Massager

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$149 at Amazon

Powerful, but hard to love

Therabody Theragun Mini

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See at Amazon

Best quiet mini massage gun

Recoverfun Mini (Update: Out of stock)

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See at Amazon

Best (and only) dual-head massage gun

Fishda Double Massage Head Fascia Gun (Update: Out of stock)

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Whether you’re regularly hitting the gym, getting older, or are overworked, you know what it’s like to be sore at the end of the day. A massage can help in such situations, but if you don’t have the time to visit a spa, getting one in the comforts of your home isn’t too difficult, thanks to massage guns.

Massage guns use a percussion technique to help relieve stress and pain in your sore muscles within a few minutes and aren’t that difficult to use. They come in many shapes and sizes — from full-size guns that look like hair dryers to mini ones that are easy to store — and are usually more than capable of easing some of your pain. One model I tested even has an odd, triangular body, while another incorporates two heads.

I tried to get a good sampling of what’s out there by putting my muscles on the line — with an eye toward cheaper massage guns priced $100 or less. I started with the most affordable models from Hyperice and Therabody, the premium and popular massage gun brands. Then, I worked my way down to the most inexpensive off-brand and budget-friendly massage guns I could find.

Here is a shortlist of the best budget massage guns available in 2024.