Science-backed. Non-invasive. Effective.
Physical device · 82 × 50 × 14 mm · 62 g · runs without a phone
Clips to the cymba conchae of the left ear, the vagus nerve's only cutaneous territory. Delivers 20-minute sessions at 0.5 to 5 mA. The app logs your HRV before and after each one.
Free shipping · 30-day money-back guarantee
FCC and CE certified general wellness device. Not FDA-cleared to diagnose or treat any condition. Not for use with a pacemaker, implanted cardiac device or cochlear implant. Read the contraindications before you buy.
The vagus nerve runs from the brainstem to the gut, almost all of it out of reach. There is one exception: the auricular branch, which supplies a patch of skin inside the outer ear. The cymba conchae is the densest part of that patch, and it is where taVNS studies place their electrodes.
That is the whole argument for the ear. You are not stimulating through neck muscle and hoping for the best. The V2 clip holds a contact on the one square centimetre of skin the vagus nerve actually serves.
The clip runs at 25 Hz with a 250 µs pulse width, the parameters most commonly used in published taVNS protocols.
Everything you would need to compare this against another device, in one table.
| Stimulation type | Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) |
|---|---|
| Site | Cymba conchae, left ear |
| Waveform | Biphasic, charge-balanced |
| Frequency | 25 Hz (adjustable 1 to 30 Hz) |
| Pulse width | 250 µs |
| Intensity | 0.5 to 5.0 mA in 0.1 mA steps |
| Session length | 5 · 10 · 20 · 30 min |
| Battery | 700 mAh · about 14 twenty-minute sessions per charge |
|---|---|
| Charging | USB-C, 2 h full charge |
| Weight | 62 g control unit · 9 g clip |
| Dimensions | 82 × 50 × 14 mm |
| Electrodes | Reusable silver-coated silicone, replace every 90 sessions |
| App | iOS 15+, Android 10+ · works offline · no account required |
| Certification | FCC certified · CE certified · general wellness device, not FDA-cleared. Full status |
REPLACE every row above with the verified figure from the engineering sheet. Wrong specs cost more in returns than they earn in traffic.
Vagustim V2, standard configuration. One box, no subscription.
The V2 Complete Bundle adds twelve months of electrodes, a travel case and a second clip. Both configurations run the same device and the same programs.
Runs sessions without a phone.
Holds the electrode on site.
Reusable, about 90 sessions.
1 m, braided.
Placement, levels, contraindications.
Preloaded on the device. You can also build your own in the app.
Lower frequency, longer ramp. Run it 60 to 90 minutes before you intend to sleep, rather than in bed.
The short one for a bad afternoon. Most people use this one most often.
Same time daily, for people who want a consistent series in the HRV log rather than scattered sessions.
Stimulation with a 5.5 breath per minute pacer. Optional, and the one with the clearest immediate HRV effect.
This sits above the reviews on purpose. It is cheaper for both of us than a return.
If you are managing a diagnosed condition, ask the clinician who treats it before adding taVNS. We are happy to send them our clinician summary.
By modality, before you get to brands.
| Vagustim V2 | Neck wearable | Handheld neck unit | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stimulation site | Cymba conchae. Vagal skin territory | Through neck tissue toward the cervical vagus | Through neck tissue, held by hand |
| Hands free | Yes | Yes | No. Held for the full session |
| HRV recorded per session | Before and after, stored locally | Not typically | Not typically |
| Subscription to use | None | Varies by brand | Some models sell refill periods |
| Adjustable parameters | Frequency, pulse width, intensity, duration | Usually intensity only | Usually intensity only |
| Price | $399 | $270 to $500 | $500 and up |
Category descriptions, not named products. See the full comparison for brand-level specifications with sources and a last-checked date.
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Placeholder review. Photo reviews earn the most here. A real ear with the clip on answers the "how does it actually sit" question better than any copy can.
No. Vagustim V2 is FCC certified and CE certified, and it is sold as a general wellness device. It has not been cleared or approved by the FDA to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any condition. That is true of most non-invasive vagus nerve stimulators sold direct to consumers. If a product page claims otherwise, ask for the clearance number and check it in the FDA database.
An implanted VNS is a surgical device wired directly to the cervical vagus nerve, prescribed for specific diagnoses. Vagustim sits on the skin of your ear and reaches the auricular branch instead. Different dose, different regulatory class, different purpose.
The left ear. Most taVNS research uses the left side, on the reasoning that the right vagus has a larger role in cardiac conduction. The V2 clip is shaped for the left cymba conchae.
Effects during a session (a settling feeling, slower breathing) are usually immediate for people who feel anything at all. Changes in your HRV log across sessions take a few weeks of consistent use to read as a trend rather than noise. Some people notice nothing. That is why the guarantee runs 30 days.
The hardware is related. Both deliver small pulsed currents through surface electrodes. The difference is the target and the waveform. A TENS unit is placed over muscle or a painful area. Vagustim is shaped for a specific nerve branch at a specific site, at the pulse widths and frequencies used in taVNS studies.
General wellness devices are usually not eligible without a Letter of Medical Necessity from your clinician. We supply an itemised receipt with every order so you can submit one if your plan allows it.
Electrodes are the only consumable, roughly every 90 sessions, sold in pairs. There is no subscription and no feature behind a paywall.
Send it back within 30 days. We pay return shipping, we do not require the original packaging, and we refund the full amount including the original shipping. The returns policy in full.
Run a session most days for a month and read your own HRV log. If it has not earned its place, we pay the postage back.