Neck, ear or handheld?
Three ways to reach the same nerve. The choice is mostly about which one you will still be using in six weeks.
Ships worldwide. 30-day money-back guarantee. 2-year warranty.
The short answer
Consumer vagus nerve stimulators come in three shapes, and they reach the nerve in two different places.
Neck bands — Holtrow Pulse, Pulsetto — sit on the collarbones and target the cervical branch. They are hands-free, which is the single biggest factor in whether the habit lasts. They are also the bulkiest.
Handheld units — Truvaga — are held against the same spot on the neck. Precise and easy to travel with, but a session means standing still doing nothing else.
Ear clips — Nurosym — target the auricular branch instead. This is the route with the most published clinical work behind it, and the most expensive.
If you are choosing on the likelihood of still using it in two months, choose hands-free. That is the case for a neck band, and it is why Holtrow makes one.
The three form factors
Prices read off each brand's own site on 8 August 2026.
| Holtrow Pulse — neck | Pulsetto Lite — neck | Truvaga 350 — handheld | Nurosym — ear | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $99.90 | $269 | $325 | €700 |
| How it's worn | Neck, hands-free | Neck, hands-free | Handheld, held to the neck | Ear clip |
| Subscription | None | App Premium $15/mo or $139/yr | None | None |
| Conductive gel | In the box | Gel Box sold separately, $51 | Electrode spray included | Earpiece electrode included |
| Session limit | None | None | 350 sessions, then replaced | None |
| Phone required | No — two buttons and a remote | App-guided | No | No |
| Warranty | 2 years | 2 years | Not published | 2 years, 6 months on the earpiece |
| Money-back window | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days |
All figures in the table above are in US dollars unless marked otherwise. Prices read from each brand's own website on 8 August 2026 and rounded to the listed figure. Nurosym is priced in euros. Prices in this category move often, and most of these brands run frequent promotions — check the current figure before you decide.
What each shape is actually good at
There is no overall winner here — there is a winner per person.
Questions people actually ask
Is neck or ear stimulation more effective?
Published research covers transcutaneous stimulation at both the cervical branch, at the neck, and the auricular branch, at the ear. Neither has been established as simply better for general wellbeing use. Comfort and consistency tend to matter more than the site.
Which is best for daily use?
A neck band, for most people, because it leaves both hands free. The device you will actually use every day beats the one that is theoretically better and lives in a drawer.
Do all of them need gel?
All of them need some conductive medium — gel, spray or a prepared electrode. Holtrow includes gel in the box; some brands sell it separately.
What is the cheapest neck-worn one?
Holtrow Pulse at $99.90. The next is Pulsetto Lite at $269.
Are any of these FDA-cleared?
Holtrow Pulse is not — it is a wellness device certified to CE, FCC and RoHS. Regulatory status varies by brand and by market, and it is worth checking directly with any brand whose claims matter to your decision.
Can I try one and return it?
Every brand in this comparison publishes a 30-day money-back window. Holtrow's is 30 nights with no restocking fee.
Keep reading
The one you'll still be using in six weeks.
That's the only specification that ends up mattering. $99.90, hands-free, gel included.
Holtrow Pulse is a non-invasive wellness device, not a medical device. It is not FDA-cleared and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Do not use it if you are pregnant, or have epilepsy, a pacemaker or other implanted electronic device, or a heart condition — speak to a doctor first. Research findings described on this page come from published studies of vagus nerve stimulation in general; they are not results measured with this device. Pulsetto, Truvaga, gammaCore, Nurosym, Apollo and Sensate are trademarks of their respective owners. Holtrow is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by any of them. Competitor prices are the brands' own published list prices, read on 8 August 2026, and change frequently — check before you buy.