Whether you experience tight muscles from working out or neck pain and stiffness from sitting at a desk, using a massage gun daily can be helpful. These powerful devices use percussive therapy—a repetitive, rhythmic pulse—to improve flexibility, reduce musculoskeletal soreness and pain, and more. However, the rapid relief often comes with a hefty price tag, particularly when considering popular name brands. The good news is that you don’t have to spend over $500 for a high-quality massage gun.
To find the best budget massage guns, we tested 50 top-selling massage guns at home, using them before working out, after working out, and as needed. We also consulted physical therapists to learn more about how to safely use a massage gun and which key features set the best options apart from the rest. Then, we evaluated each product for its effectiveness, comfort, ease of use, stall force, portability, and value.
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Includes a visual guide
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Easy single-button operation
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Lightweight, quiet, and easily portable
Key Specs
Noise: 40-55 decibels | Stall Force: 45 pounds | Weight: 1.5 pounds | Speed Settings: 5 levels (up to 3,200 revolutions per minute) | Attachments: 5 (ball, bullet, fork head, flat head, air cushion head) | Battery Life: Up to 2 hours | Our Overall Rating: 4.8/5
Who It’s For
Best for regular exercisers, and athletes of all levels looking for simple relief and recovery.
Why We Love It
Bob and Brad’s C2 Massage Gun packs plenty of recovery power in a lightweight and portable design. At only 1.5 pounds, it doesn’t cause hand fatigue or strain when using it for a long time. And it’s easily portable, thanks to the included carrying case that also fits the five massage head attachments. We also like that this massage gun includes a handy visual guide showing which attachments are best for which muscle groups, so you can target the relaxation and recovery you need most.
We found the motor to be very quiet, even at the highest setting. And we like the single-button operation, which keeps the device simple and uncomplicated to use. The five settings, from gentle to intense, were the perfect range of intensity levels to handle all of our muscle needs. This massage gun did a good job at relieving our muscle soreness and even increasing our range of motion, providing great value for all that you get.
Potential Flaws
- We liked the lightweight design and ergonomic handle of this massage gun, but we wish the handle had a little more padding on it for more comfort.
Most Valuable Insight
“I like how small and portable this massage gun is while still being powerful enough to help with muscle recovery.” —Stacey W., Verywell Fit product tester
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Key Specs
Noise: 55-65 decibels | Stall Force: About 25 pounds | Weight: 1.5 pounds | Speed Settings: 3 levels | Attachments: 2 (flat, bullet) | Battery Life: Up to 3 hours | Our Overall Rating: 4.7/5
Who It’s For
Best for those who want a portable, powerful, and lightweight Theragun alternative that provides similar relief to the name brand.
Why We Love It
When you think of massage guns, the popular Theragun models may be what comes to mind. But if you’re not looking to shell out hundreds of dollars for a name brand, Hyperice’s Hypervolt Go 2 Massage Gun offers similar relief in a portable, budget-friendly package. We love how effective this massage gun is at loosening the sore and tight muscles in our calves and shoulders. Plus, we feel more flexible and relaxed after just 10 minutes of using it, which helps us remain consistent with our CrossFit and marathon training.
It’s lightweight and convenient to carry—we like to throw this compact device in our favorite gym bag for easy on-the-go use. We like that it comes with two classic attachments that are intuitive and easy to swap out quickly. We use the flat attachment for larger muscle groups, like hamstrings and quads, and the bullet attachment for areas in our arms and shoulders. We found its battery life lasted even longer than advertised—we only had to charge it twice over one month of using it multiple times weekly before and after working out.
Potential Flaws
- This massage gun was louder than we expected, but wasn’t loud enough to interfere with our relaxing experience.
- Because it’s so easily portable, it would be nice if this came with its own carrying case.
Most Valuable Insight
“I feel very relaxed after using this massage gun. It’s also small and easy to use. There are two head attachments that twist off and are very comfortable. One is flat, and the other is shaped like a bullet. These two attachments work perfectly at reaching muscles in my entire body.” —Mike N., Verywell Fit product tester
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Key Specs
Noise: 40-50 decibels | Stall Force: Not listed | Weight: 1.8 pounds | Speed Settings: 7 levels (up to 3,200 revolutions per minute) | Attachments: 10 (round, flat, Y-shaped, fork, elbow, thumb, air cushion, bulge, shovel, convex) | Battery Life: Up to 6 hours | Our Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Who It’s For
Best for anyone looking for a quiet massage gun with an exceptional battery life that can easily be purchased on Amazon.
Why We Love It
TOLOCO’s Massage Gun is the total package—powerful, effective, easy to maneuver, and completely customizable. Plus, it’s available on Amazon (often on sale), making it easy and convenient to purchase. During testing, this easy-to-use device delivered intense relief. We were impressed by how lightweight it felt despite its heavy-duty, durable design. And we love that it comes with a carrying case for easy portability and storage for all 10 attachments.
We love that this massage gun offers seven speed settings—one of the widest ranges on our list. Because we’re sensitive to intense vibrations, we really appreciate that its lower settings offer mild and soothing relief. We also found it to be quiet and true to its claim of an impressive six-hour battery life. We highly recommend this pick if you’re looking for the best massage gun on Amazon.
Potential Flaws
- While the different attachments allow for great customization, it can be a bit confusing to decide which one to use. There is a guide, but we wish that it was more detailed.
Most Valuable Insight
“It’s very easy to apply pressure with this massage gun. It’s really lightweight, so it’s easy to maneuver. And I’m impressed with its range of intensity. Its lower settings are really mild and soothing, and its higher settings are nice and intense, without causing the gun to vibrate too much.” —Autumn R., Verywell Fit product tester
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Key Specs
Noise: 40 decibels | Stall Force: 18 pounds | Weight: 0.7 pounds | Speed Settings: 3 levels (1,800-2,800 revolutions per minute) | Attachments: 4 (ball, U-shaped, bullet, flat head) | Battery Life: Up to 7 hours | Our Overall Rating: 4.2/5
Who It’s For
Best for those sensitive to intense pressure who want a very lightweight, easily portable massage gun that provides targeted relief.
Why We Love It
Renpho’s Lite Massage Gun weighs less than 1 pound and is about the same size as an iPhone, making it the most portable option on our list. When we took it on a plane while traveling across the country, we loved that it didn’t feel like it added any weight to our carry-on bag and fit nicely in a pouch. Its lightweight, compact design allows us to comfortably hold the device for longer periods and easily deliver treatment to small, targeted areas.
We love that it has four attachments and an impressive seven-hour battery life. We like using its ball attachment to provide broader pressure, while its bullet attachment works nicely for targeting smaller areas. Plus, we love that its pressure remains consistently strong and effective regardless of how often we use it.
Potential Flaws
- To relieve tension, we had to use this device on its highest setting, which is still relatively low compared to other products on our list. It’s a great entry-level pick, but you’ll want something more powerful if you’re dealing with moderate or intense tension or pain.
- While its heat therapy feels relaxing, we found that it doesn’t do much for tension or pain because the area on the massage gun that emits the heat is so small.
Most Valuable Insight
“I love how lightweight it is! Holding it for a long period of time is no issue at all, which is great when I want a longer massage time. It truly is the lightest option and doesn’t cause any fatigue in my arms during any extended use.” —Melissa C., Verywell Fit product tester
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Key Specs
Noise: 55 decibels | Stall Force: 50 pounds | Weight: 0.78 pounds | Speed Settings: 4 levels (up to 3,000 revolutions per minute) | Attachments: 4 (claw, cone, ball, flat) | Battery Life: Up to 3 hours | Our Overall Rating: 4.8/5
Who It’s For
Best for users who want a budget-friendly mini massage gun that features heat to aid in muscle relaxation and recovery.
Why We Love It
In addition to the compact, ultra-portable design of Renpho’s Mini Thermal Massage Gun, it features a heat-conducting steel head for warm, deep tissue tension relief. The device heats to 114 degrees Fahrenheight in under a minute to provide rapid relief or to loosen muscles before a workout. And since it weighs under a pound and includes a hard-shell carrying case, it can easily be tossed into your gym bag or overnight bag. During our test, we found it surprisingly quiet and powerful for such a small device.
This massage gun has four intensity levels, four silicone head casings, and one-button control for versatile and easy use. The silicone sleeves come in four color options, offer a non-slip grip, and are interchangeable and customizable. We appreciate the 10-minute auto timer, which enables us to focus on a specific area without needing to time it manually. It also features a pause button, allowing us to easily adjust the position or grip. We really like how powerful this massage gun felt for its size and think it’s a great value.
Potential Flaws
- We noticed a strong chemical smell from the silicone covers on this device. It faded a bit during our test period, but was still noticeable throughout the test.
- While this massage gun has a long battery life when used in 10-minute increments, we would appreciate a wall adapter for charging.
Most Valuable Insight
“The Renpho Mini Thermal Massage Gun delivers serious force for something so compact. It’s surprisingly powerful and easily hits deep tissue. There’s a built-in 10-minute shutoff, which I like—it lets me focus on a specific area without needing to time it.” —Ray Y., Verywell Fit product tester
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Key Specs
Noise: 45 decibels | Stall Force: 50 pounds | Weight: 1.9 pounds | Speed Settings: 6 levels (1,800-2,600 revolutions per minute) | Attachments: 6 (bullet, flat, air cushion, ball, shovel, U-shaped) | Battery Life: Up to 4 hours | Our Overall Rating: 4.8/5
Who It’s For
Best for those who want a powerful, high-quality budget massage gun with versatile attachments.
Why We Love It
Renpho’s Power Massage Gun features six attachments, providing versatile treatments for multiple muscle groups. Thanks to its powerful force and user-friendly design, this massage gun effectively relieves our tight and sore hamstrings, quads, and glutes. We love that it’s lightweight and easy to hold for longer periods while targeting hard-to-reach areas, especially on our back. Using this massage gun in our routine even helps us perform better during weekly workouts, including challenging spin classes.
We appreciate that the attachments are intuitive enough to use without us having to consult the manual. And its stall force remains consistently strong and powerful. Adding to its impressive value, it comes with a carrying case, has six speed settings, and offers up to four hours of battery life.
Potential Flaws
- This massage gun is larger than others on our list. It didn’t fit in the small gym bag we typically carry; however, it did fit in our gym locker, which we appreciate.
Most Valuable Insight
“I consistently use this massage gun on my hamstrings, quads, and glutes before my weekly spin class and notice that I can push for higher resistance with less struggle. I also use it to relieve my general upper-body and back soreness, and I feel like it alleviates that pain. Plus, it holds its charge for a long time.” —Kimberly S., Verywell Fit product tester
Budget Massage Guns We Also Tested
We tested 50 budget massage guns, but only six impressed us enough to make our final list of recommendations. Although we liked some of these massage guns’ features, they ultimately didn’t meet our rigorous testing requirements to be selected as top picks.
- Vybe’s Pro Muscle Massage Gun is budget-friendly, but we found that it’s too heavy, clunky, and large to use and maneuver comfortably.
- Wahl’s Deep Tissue Massage Gun is the most budget-friendly massage gun we tested, but it’s relatively loud and heavy. Plus, it has to be plugged in while you use it, making it less convenient.
What to Look for When Shopping for Budget Massage Guns
- Noise: It’s often true that the more powerful the massage gun, the louder it will be. A loud massage gun may bother you and those around you during sessions. When choosing a massage gun, it’s important to check the noise level, often measured in decibels. Quieter options usually hover around 32 decibels on the lowest speed setting.
- Stall Force: Stall force is the amount of pressure you can apply with a massage gun before its motor stops, says physical therapist Monica Saliu, PT, DPT. The average massage gun often offers a stall force of 30 to 60 pounds. Mid- and high-tier options tend to have a higher stall force, while more budget-friendly options usually fall between 20 and 50 pounds. If you’re looking for a deeper, more powerful treatment, you may want to choose an option with a higher stall force.
- Maneuverability: A massage gun that is heavy or lacks an ergonomic handle may be uncomfortable to use. When purchasing a massage gun, look at its weight—it should ideally be less than 4 pounds for optimal comfort.
- Customization: Choose a massage gun with interchangeable attachments and adjustable speed settings to customize your experience. Depending on the sensitivity and size of the muscle group you’re working on, you’ll want to adjust your treatment accordingly. A lower speed setting is best for sore, small, and sensitive areas, while a higher level will help to relieve deep muscle tension and knots, says Saliu.
- Battery Life: Whether heading to the gym or taking a long trip, battery life is especially important if you plan to take your massage gun on the go. As you shop, check the manufacturer’s website—the battery life is often listed in the description or specifications. A good budget massage gun will have a battery life of two to six hours.
- Price: Massage guns generally cost between $50 and $600. Higher-priced options may have more power, greater customizability, and better durability. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find a high-quality, budget-friendly massage gun that offers powerful relief. They just may not have as many features as their higher-priced counterparts.
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How We Tested the Budget Massage Guns
To find the best budget massage guns, we spent months testing 50 options, using them before working out, after working out, and as needed. When testing massage guns, we evaluate each option based on the following key criteria.
- Effectiveness: When evaluating effectiveness, we note how we feel after using the massage gun on various muscle groups and whether it successfully relieves tightness and soreness. We also pay attention to how using it impacts us pre- and post-workout. We prioritize budget massage guns that effectively alleviate tight and sore muscles, increase our range of motion pre-workout, and help prevent muscle fatigue and soreness post-workout.
- Comfort: When evaluating comfort, we ask ourselves if the massage gun feels lightweight and easy to hold. Do we experience any cramps while holding it? Are we able to comfortably hold it for extended periods? Does it provide a relaxing, feel-good, and quiet experience?
- Ease of Use: During testing, we note if the massage gun’s settings and attachments are user-friendly and intuitive. Are the settings suitable for gentle to more intense massages? Do the attachments help access hard-to-reach spots?
- Stall Force: When examining stall force, we ask whether its pressure weakens during longer sessions or remains consistent. Is it powerful enough for deep tissue therapy? Does it feel painful?
- Portability: When evaluating portability, we note if the budget massage gun comes with a carrying case. Is there a place to store all of its attachments? Is it easy and convenient to take on the go? Does it feel lightweight and easy to carry?
- Value: To determine value, we don’t check the massage gun’s price until after we evaluate it in all other key categories. Is it priced fairly? Would we only buy it on sale? Would we recommend it to friends and family members? We prioritize budget massage guns whose quality exceeds their value.
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Our Experts
We consulted experts at each stage of our research, testing, and reporting process. The following experts helped us understand the key features to look for in high-quality options and how to use them properly and safely. Although we make our product selections independently, expert input helps inform our decisions.
- Monica Saliu, PT, DPT, physical therapist, co-founder, and clinical director at Tribeca Physical Therapy
- Theresa Marko, PT, DPT, MS, board-certified orthopedic physical therapist, certified early intervention specialist, and owner and founder of Marko Physical Therapy
Frequently Asked Questions
What is stall force?
Stall force is the amount of pressure you can apply before the massage gun’s motor stalls, says Saliu. It typically ranges from 30 to 60 pounds. If you want a deeper, more intense treatment, you’ll want to opt for a massage gun with a high stall force. For more relaxed relief, a massage gun with a lower stall force will still provide a soothing release.
How much should I spend on a massage gun?
How much you spend on a massage gun is really up to personal preference. Massage guns can cost upwards of $600; however, there are plenty of budget-friendly, high-quality options that provide similar relief and cost a fraction of the price.
Is it worth getting a massage gun?
Whether you’re super active, sit at a desk all day, or fall somewhere in between, you can probably benefit from using a massage gun or another massage tool. These powerful devices deliver percussion and vibration to the soft tissue, making the fascia (thin, connective tissues that hold the body’s structures in place) more pliable and hydrated, says Saliu. This can help alleviate pain, soreness, and tension, and improve range of motion and mobility.
Can you overuse a massage gun?
Yes, you can overuse a massage gun, says Saliu. If you press down too hard or focus on one area for too long, it can cause bruising or trauma to the tissue. At a maximum frequency of three times per day, you should begin by using the massage gun for 20 to 30 seconds in one area and work your way up to no more than two minutes on one muscle group, she says.
Why Trust Verywell Fit
Gabrielle Applebury, MA, LMFT, is a licensed marriage and family therapist and the associate editor for Verywell Fit. Whether focusing on workout gear, apparel, or other products, she’s dedicated to providing recommendations based on thorough research and testing. For this article, Gabrielle looked over the test results to help compile our top picks.
Additional reporting contributed by Jennifer Zeltwanger, ACSM-EP
Jennifer Zeltwanger, ACSM-EP, has worked at Verywell Fit since 2022 and is currently a writer for the brand. As a certified exercise physiologist and avid runner, she specializes in testing fitness and recovery gear, including walking sandals, ankle support shoes, massage guns, and more. She uses her fitness experience and expertise to recommend only the best products to Verywell Fit readers.
