Theragun mini vs Elite

In this Theragun mini vs Elite review, we will compare Therabody’s small, yet surprisingly powerful mini massage gun with one of its bigger brothers.

Is the Theragun mini, which is also used by athletes including professional golfer Collin Morikawa and tennis superstar Maria Sharapova, enough for your needs? Or are you better off investing in the Theragun Elite?

This side-by-side comparison will help you find out.

Comparison: Theragun mini vs Elite

Amplitude

Although the 12 mm amplitude of the Theragun mini doesn’t come close to the 16 mm of the Theragun Elite, it is among the best of all small massage guns and enough to give you a percussive massage experience.

Force

With a stall force of 20 lbs, the Theragun mini is also one of the most powerful small massage guns on the market. The bigger Theragun Elite can deal with up to 40 lbs before stalling, making it twice as powerful.

Frequency & Speed Levels

All Therabody massage guns of the 4th generation can generate from 1,750 up to 2,400 percussions per minute (ppm). But while you are limited to three speed levels with the Theragun mini, its three bigger brothers all come with five different levels.

Connectivity

Additionally, the Theragun Prime, Elite, and PRO are all able to connect to your smartphone via Bluetooth. The Therabody app can then control your massager for you, allowing you to follow the recovery routines created by health experts and professional athletes.

Battery

Due to its higher stall force and connectivity feature, the Theragun Elite loses out to the Theragun mini with a battery life of around 2 hours compared to 2.5 hours. But with a session not taking more than a few minutes, both devices should get you through several days on one charge.

Noise

Therabody made significant improvements to the brushless motors inside their handheld massagers. At around 65 decibels (dB), both devices are only a bit louder than an electric toothbrush and can therefore also be used at the office or gym.

Attachments & Accessoires

Focusing on portability, the Theragun mini includes just one massage head that is best suited for smaller muscle groups like your neck, shoulders, and forearms.

The Theragun Elite offers a lot more options with a total of five interchangeable attachments:

• Cone: Used mostly for pinpoint muscle treatment, including the hands and feet
• Dampener: Used mostly for tender or bony areas. Perfect for overall use
• Standard Ball: Perfect for overall use on large and small muscle groups
• Thumb: Used mostly for trigger points and the lower back
• Wedge: Perfect for shoulder blades and IT bands

Both devices come with a case that protects them during transport and in the case of the Theragun Elite, allow you to keep the massage gun, attachments, and charger in one place.

Weight & Dimensions

The Theragun mini is obviously the lighter and smaller device of the two. But at just 2.2 lbs, even the bigger Theragun Elite is lightweight enough for you to take it to the gym or on a trip.

Conclusion: Theragun mini vs Elite

The Theragun mini was created with portability in mind. Despite its small size and low weight, it has an amplitude of 12 mm and a stall force of 20 lbs, making it one of the best small massage guns on the market.

It is ideal for you if you are looking for a relaxing massage on the go. Even professional athletes including the PGA Tour’s Collin Morikawa and tennis superstar Maria Sharapova use it to sweep across their muscles while they are on the green or on the court.

But if you are looking for a professional-grade percussive therapy device with serious power and lots of ways to customize the massage experience to your specific needs, the Theragun Elite is obviously the better choice for you.

Therabody managed to keep the maximum noise level of the device at just 65 dB and also give it a respectable battery life of 2 hours, enough for several recovery sessions. And with its unique form, it allows you to target hard-to-reach areas even when you are treating yourself.

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Find out how the Theragun mini compares to Therabody’s entry-level device Theragun Prime in our comparison Theragun mini vs Prime.