The 5 Best Budget Massage Guns, According to Fitness Editors

Best Overall Budget Massage Gun

Therabody TheraGun Relief

ProsExcellent overall ease of useRelatively quiteSimple one button touchUSB-C chargingConsOnly has three attachmentsThree percussion settings is less than idealSome reviewers wished for a deeper percussive experienceWhen it comes to percussion massage guns, there’s one brand you can always trust — Therabody, the true OGs in the industry. With their patented triangular design, TheraGuns are able to hit every muscle and angle, which can be limited to other brands with their singular handle design. While some of the pro-level models do get a bit pricey, their Relief model is a fraction of the cost for that everyday comfort and massage everyone can benefit from.

Lightweight and easy to hold, the Relief offers three different head attachments to help target different parts of the body. It has a simple ‘one-button design’ for ease of use and three-speed settings that provide distraction-free muscle stimulation, while the LED indicators help indicate which speed setting it is currently set to. This is our favorite budget massage gun to alleviate physical stress and provide relief that’s great for daily wear and tear or post-workout recovery — it’s quite literally relief at the touch of a button.

Battery Life120 minutesSpeed Settings3Attachments3Weight1.37 lbs.Noise LevelMedium-lowBest Multiple Attachments Massage Gun

TOLOCO Massage Gun

ProsBest bang for your buck10 different head attachments covers every need7 levels of percussionConsMassage Gun loses battery longevity over timeOnline reviewers mention lack of ideal Customer ServiceSome feel the gun gets louder over time when in useSometimes, more truly is better, and when it comes to different attachments for your budget massage gun, having ample possibilities can ensure that no knot goes unrelieved. The best percussion gun to accomplish this is the wallet-friendly TOLOCO. With 10 different massage heads, this allows you to use the gun wherever pain relief is needed — from a softer round head that can be used closer around the bones to a deep penetrating forkhead that can get pro-level depth in your denser muscles, this gun does it all.

To take the different attachments to the next level, TOLOCO upped their game with 7 different levels of percussion, allowing you to get the most out of each session. With an impressive run time of up to 6 hours of use, a mere 1.8 lbs, and relatively quiet operational noise, this budget massage gun has everything you need in an ultra-affordable package.

Battery LifeUp to 6 hoursSpeed Settings7Attachments10Weight1.8 lbs.Noise LevelHighBest Quiet-Performing Massage Gun

Hyperice Hypervolt Go 2

ProsTSA-approved carry onGood battery lifeSemi-compactWhisper quietConsOnly 2 head attachmentsSome reviewers question its durabilityTends to have charging issues over timeThe problem with so many other affordable massage guns tends to be the level of noise they produce while in use. Part of using a massage gun is the stress-relieving benefits it provides; however, when some brands sound like a mini jackhammer, it causes users to experience stress. What you need is a quiet, smooth-functioning massage gun. What you need is the Hypervolt Go 2.

Thanks to its QuietGlide technology, you can ‘use it, don’t hear it.’ Its compact design makes it easy to hold and use and allows it to be easily added to any backpack or bag (yes, it is TSA-approved). But don’t let its quiet massage sessions and compact design fool you — its powerful brushless high-torque 40w motor gets the job done. With ample battery life to boot, this is one budget massage gun any gym bag would love to hold.

Battery Life3 hoursSpeed Settings3Attachments2Weight1.5 lbs.Noise LevelQuietAdvertisement – Continue Reading Below

Best Massage Gun for Traveling

Therabody TheraGun Mini 2nd Generation

ProsUltra lightweight at 1 lbs.QuietCompact and travel approvedConsNot as powerful as full-size modelsBattery power is less than idealAs with most modern men, life is typically lived on the go. Just because you’re commuting to and from work, taking to the skies for travel, or getting to and from the gym doesn’t mean you need to let your recovery suffer. The Mini from TheraGun is your new travel companion. It’s scaled-down size and lightweight design make it practical to chuck in any carry-on, fanny pack, or gym/work bag, so you can take it anywhere, anytime.

Despite its smaller stature, this massage gun’s performance stands out, delivering a powerful massage experience that’s comparable to its larger counterparts. It weighs less than 1.5 pounds, has 150 minutes of battery life, three different speed settings, and three attachment heads, so you’re not missing out on much that bigger models may offer. That being said, the power and depth offered by the Mini is plenty for most people to reap the benefits of percussion therapy, all in the palm of your hand.

Battery Life150 minutesSpeed Settings3Attachments3Weight1 lbs.Noise LevelQuietBest Massage Gun to Target the Back

FVZ Extension Handle Massage Gun

ProsEasily target back muscles by yourself5 levels of percussion powerQuick charge timeConsExtended handle can get annoyingNot travel friendly Button location may make it hard to useSome reviewers question longevity Massage guns are excellent self-releasing tools that work well right up until it’s time to work some relief into your back. Then it becomes a contest to who is flexible enough to work one of the most needed areas of release — your back. Unless you have a significant other, friend, or family member, this can be an issue. Enter the FVZ extension handle massage gun.

Their uniquely designed massage gun has a much longer than usual handle (overall product length is 13.6 inches), while the true beauty of this gun lies in its genius 120-degree angle, which allows you to hit your upper and lower traps and thoracic region with ease.

With ample battery life and 4 different head attachments. excellent percussion depth with 5 different settings, you may find yourself grabbing this one sooner rather than later.

Battery LifeUp to 3.75 hoursSpeed Settings5Attacments4Weight1.76 lbs.Noise LevelMediumHow to Use a Percussion Massage Gun

You don’t want to spend hours up hours using your massage gun. Instead, you’ll want to spend 90-120 seconds on any given muscle group, floating the gun across that area, according to Samuel. “Aim to follow the direction of the muscle fibers. That means running your gun across your chest, from the center toward you shoulder, instead of running it up and down your chest.”

But be mindful not to run your massage gun across joints; you want to keep it focused on the soft tissue only.

“And don’t try to aggressively drive the gun deep into the muscle, expecting more ‘relief.’ Using a massage gun shouldn’t hurt,” explains Samuel.

Want to learn more about how to use one of these buzzy tools? Check out our how-to-use massage guns guide for instructions on best practices before, during, and after workouts.

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Can a Massage Gun Really Aid Muscle Recovery?

Massage guns have gained a lot of popularity in recent years as a tool for muscle recovery, but do they really work? The blunt answer is they can. But it all depends on how, when, and where you use them.

These massagers offer rapid, percussive strokes designed to penetrate muscle tissue, stimulate blood flow, and help break up adhesions. The research on the effectiveness of massage guns for muscle recovery is promising but still limited.

A study published in the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research found that using a massage gun on the quadriceps muscles after exercise resulted in a significant reduction in muscle soreness and an increase in muscle flexibility compared to a control group. Another study found that using a massage gun after exercise improved blood flow to the muscles and reduced muscle fatigue.

So, they can help with muscle soreness with correct use but shouldn’t be used as a replacement for other recovery methods such as rest, proper nutrition, active stretching and dynamic mobility work.

How to Target Hard-to-Reach Areas with a Percussion Massage Gun

We asked Sanchez how folks can get to those hard-to-reach areas with their massage guns. Here’s his take:

“Massage guns mainly target superficial muscles, making it hard to isolate deeper musculature. Therefore, yes, the location of muscles can impact the effectiveness of this modality.

There are various types of massage guns out there, if you’re in the market for one make sure to do proper research. I think it’s safe to say the majority of people can reach the front side of their bodies using a massage gun, but you’ll need decent shoulder mobility if you’re looking to target the mid and low back. That’s when you’d want to get a massage gun that is more ergonomic or can be adjusted

.If mobility is a limiting factor, you may consider trading the massage gun for a lacrosse ball for pinpoint contact. Sometimes, you might just be better off asking a friend, what’s the saying…I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine?”

Why You Can Trust Us

At Men’s Health, we take great pride in providing our readers with reliable and trustworthy product recommendations. We believe that our readers deserve the best, which is why we always make sure to conduct thorough research and testing before making any recommendations. For this story, we spent hours researching and testing the best budget massage guns online. We also interviewed experts, including physical therapists Vinh Pham and Renato Sanchez.

Our writers and editors are also experts in their own right, using their informed opinions to select products and ensuring that our content is of the highest quality. Our product recommendations are purely editorial, and while we may receive free products to test and review, we only recommend the products we are most impressed by. We never let retailers or public relations contacts dictate our content or product coverage, which is why you can trust us to provide you with reliable and unbiased product recommendations.

Charles Thorp is the Fitness and Commerce Editor at Men’s Health, where he shares the best product recommendations in gym equipment, recovery tools, supplements, and more. Following an early life in athletics, Charles became a NASM-certified trainer and began writing programs alongside the most respected coaches in the world.  

Since entering the world of fitness content, Charles has had the opportunity to learn from and train alongside high performance individuals from the NFL, UFC, NBA, Formula 1, CrossFit, US Olympics, and Navy SEALs. When he’s not writing about training programs or gear, he can be seen at the gym or in the wild, putting them to the test.