No. Most people feel a mild tingling, and many feel almost nothing. The intensity is adjustable across 15 levels using the joystick. The included Comfort Care paste further reduces skin sensation. Most users settle on a level well below the discomfort threshold.

Vagus Nerve Stimulators

Q: What if it doesn't work for me?

45-day money-back guarantee. Use it every day, and if it isn't working for you, return it for a full refund.

Q: Is there a subscription?

No. One-time purchase. The device works out of the box. Optional additional protocols ($29 each), replacement clips, and paste are available but not required.

Q: Who should NOT use this device?

Do not use if you have a pacemaker or other electronic medical implant. If you are pregnant or have a heart condition, consult your doctor first.

Q: Is this a medical device?

It meets CE, FCC, and IEC 60601-1 safety standards and is manufactured under ISO 13485 quality management. It is a wellness device designed to support your parasympathetic nervous system. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor.

Q: How quickly will I notice a difference?

Some people report a calming effect during their first session. For lasting improvements, we recommend consistent daily use for 4-6 weeks before evaluating. This matches the timeframes in clinical research. The effects tend to build -- several reviewers describe cumulative benefits.

Most people choose Buddy: current-controlled precision for a nightly routine. Prefer wireless, or want to try it first? We make those too.

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Stimulators

Three devices, one goal: better vagal tone. Most people start with Buddy.

Most chosen

Vagal Buddy tVNS

Stimulators

★★★★★

(50 reviews)

At-home vagus nerve stimulation without limits. Buddy is a current-controlled auricular tVNS device with wireless charging, so you can charge…

45-Day Money Back

View Product

Vagal Oh! Wireless tVNS

Stimulators

★★★★★

(11 reviews)

Wireless transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS). Compact, rechargeable, and ready to use out of the box. In stock. Ships from…

45-Day Money Back
HSA/FSA Accepted
Wireless Freedom

View Product

Sale

tENS Vagal Boost - At-Home Vagus Nerve Stimulation Device

Sale

★★★★☆

(10 reviews)

Vagus nerve stimulation for $59. Plug into your phone, clip to your ear, and feel the difference. Six built-in stimulation…

45-Day Money Back
Boost In Stock

View Product

How to Choose a Vagus Nerve Stimulator

Your vagus nerve is the longest nerve in your body, connecting your brain to your heart, lungs, and gut. It regulates the balance between your sympathetic ("fight or flight") and parasympathetic ("rest and digest") nervous systems. When vagal tone is strong, these systems work in balance. When it declines (from stress, ageing, illness, or inactivity), sleep suffers, stress accumulates, digestion slows, and recovery takes longer.

Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) activates the vagus nerve non-invasively through a branch that surfaces in the ear. Over 200 published papers have explored its effects on autonomic function, and the technique has been studied in clinical settings for more than two decades.

Not all vagus nerve stimulators work the same way. The most important distinction is how the device controls its output. Current-controlled devices (tVNS) measure your skin's impedance in real time and adjust the voltage to deliver a constant current to the nerve. Voltage-controlled devices (tENS) apply a fixed voltage, meaning the current fluctuates as skin conditions change. Since the therapeutic effect depends on the current reaching the nerve, current-controlled stimulation provides a more consistent and reproducible dose. This is why the majority of published clinical tVNS research uses current-controlled protocols.

Other factors worth considering include whether the device requires conductive gel (an ongoing cost and inconvenience), whether it needs a subscription or app to function, and whether it targets the ear or the neck. Auricular (ear-based) stimulation targets the tragus, which has the most direct vagal pathway to the brainstem and is supported by the widest body of published research.

Vagal offers three devices at different price points. Vagal Buddy ($349) and Vagal Oh! ($499) both use current-controlled stimulation via the EverSteady platform. Vagal Boost ($59) uses voltage-controlled stimulation and is an affordable entry point for people new to vagus nerve stimulation. All three stimulate through the ear, need no gel and have no subscription. Each also comes with a 45-day money-back guarantee.

Interactive 3D

See what happens in your tragus

Follow one pulse from a Vagal ear clip, across the skin and cartilage of your tragus, to the nerve endings that feel it, which in many people include a branch of the vagus nerve. Slice the ear open, turn the pulse up and see why gel matters.

The clip
The slice
The pulse
The tingle
The skin

Explore it in 3D

A 3D ear wearing the white Vagal clip on the tragus, beside a cut through the tragus with current flowing between the two pads

Drag, slice, pulse

Research Edition tVNS

Research-grade neuromodulation with current control, BLE, and data export. Education discounts available.

Voltage vs Current Control: Why It Matters Visual Guide

Understand why clinical-grade stimulators use current-controlled technology, and what it means for your results.

Which Vagal is right for you?

Most people choose Buddy. If you need it wireless, or just want to try stimulation first, we make those too.

Feature	Most chosenVagal Buddy tVNS~~$399~~ $349	Wireless and discreetVagal Oh!$499	Try it firstVagal Boost~~$159~~ $59
Best for	A nightly routine. The device most owners choose.	Wearing it while you move about. No screen, no cable.	Trying stimulation on a small budget.
Stimulation	Current-controlled (EverSteady). The dose you set is the dose delivered.	Current-controlled (EverSteady)	Voltage-controlled. Output varies with skin conditions.
Controls	Screen and joystick on the device, plus the app	App only	Three buttons
Programmes	Three Tones on the device, swap any via the app	Tones via the app	Six fixed modes
Works with Vagal Tones	Yes	Yes	No
Power	4+ hours per charge, and charges during a session on its wireless pad	About 60 minutes per charge	No battery. Runs from a phone, laptop or power bank (not Samsung phones)
Money-back guarantee	45 days	45 days	45 days
	Choose Buddy	View Oh!	View Boost

Running a study? Buddy upgrades to the Research Edition. See the research setup.

Accessories & Replacements

Replacement clips and cables for your device

Vagal Ear Clip

Clips & Cables

The Vagal Ear Clip is a compact tragus electrode with titanium contacts that sit right where they need to for…

In Stock Next Day Shipping

View Details

Vagal tENS Ear Clips

Clips & Cables

★★★☆☆

(31 reviews)

Three clips so you always have a fresh one ready. The original dual-electrode vagus nerve ear clip -- the design…

In Stock Next Day Shipping

View Details

tVNS Charging Cable

Clips & Cables

★★★★☆

(1 reviews)

The official USB charging cable for Vagal tVNS Stimulator and Vagal Buddy. USB to 2.5mm connector -- the only cable…

In Stock Next Day Shipping

View Details

Find Your Perfect Device 2-minute quiz - science-backed recommendation

Buying Vagal

Straight answers to the questions people ask before they buy.

Where can I buy Vagal?

Vagal devices are sold online only, and the best place to buy is direct from vagal.com. Every Vagal stimulator bought there comes with our 45-day money-back guarantee, a 2-year warranty and support from the team that makes it.

How much does it cost?

Vagal Buddy costs $349 (usually $399), Vagal Oh! $499 and Vagal Boost $59 (usually $159, US and UK only). Each is a one-time purchase with no subscription, and prices show in US dollars, pounds or euros depending on where you are.

Is there anything cheaper?

Yes. Vagal Boost, at $59 (usually $159), is our lowest-cost way to try vagus nerve stimulation. It plugs into most phones (not Samsung) and is sold in the US and UK. Elsewhere, Vagal Buddy at $349 (usually $399) is our most affordable option. In the US, paying with HSA or FSA funds lowers the real cost further.

How can I pay?

All major credit and debit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay and Google Pay. In the US you can also pay with an HSA or FSA card: how to use HSA and FSA funds.

Do you ship to my country?

We ship to most countries, and people in more than 40 countries use Vagal. Shipping is free to the US, UK, Canada and Australia, and a flat delivery charge shown at checkout applies elsewhere. US orders ship from Reno, Nevada, and orders placed before 1pm Pacific on working days usually ship the same day.

Do you sell refurbished or used units?

No. Every Vagal device is sold new, with our full warranty. We do not sell refurbished, used or returned units.

Questions and honest answers

Can I use tVNS if I have an arrhythmia or other heart condition?

Ask your cardiologist first. The vagus nerve directly influences heart rate and rhythm (that connection is part of how tVNS works), so if you have an arrhythmia such as atrial fibrillation, bradycardia, or tachycardia, or any other diagnosed heart condition, get individual advice from the doctor who knows your heart before using any vagus nerve stimulation device.

Do not use tVNS at all if you have a pacemaker, implanted defibrillator (ICD), or any other electronic medical implant. And if you ever notice palpitations or a change in your heart rhythm while using tVNS, stop and speak to your doctor.

If your cardiologist has questions, our support team is happy to provide clinical documentation and research references. Our devices are consumer wellness products and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, including heart rhythm disorders.

What if it doesn't work for me?

Is there a subscription?

Who should NOT use this device?

Is this a medical device?

Why does Buddy cost more than Boost?

Because it does more of what matters. Buddy is current-controlled: EverSteady checks your skin's impedance 50,000 times a second and adjusts every pulse, so the dose you set is the dose that reaches the nerve. Boost is voltage-controlled, so its output drifts as your skin changes.

Buddy also has its own battery (4+ hours) and EverCharge wireless charging, so it can charge during a session. It has a screen and joystick, loads Vagal Tones over Bluetooth, takes over-the-air firmware updates, uses titanium electrodes, and carries a two-year warranty. Used nightly, it works out at under $1 a day over the first year, and it is HSA/FSA eligible.

Boost is a good way to find out what stimulation feels like. Buddy is the device most owners choose to keep using.

How quickly will I notice a difference?

Does it hurt?

What is Vagal Buddy?

Buddy is our second-generation handheld vagus nerve stimulator, and the device most of our customers choose. It clips to the tragus of your ear and delivers gentle, current-controlled micro-pulses to the auricular branch of the vagus nerve, which helps your body shift into its rest-and-recover mode.

Sessions take 15 minutes and Buddy stops on its own. It holds three Tones at a time and connects over Bluetooth to the companion app (Vagal Tones on iOS, Vagally Better on Android) for more. It charges wirelessly, including during a session. See Buddy.

Can subjects use the device at home for longitudinal studies?

Yes. The Research Edition supports at-home use with pre-programmed protocols. Finite-use mode allows you to limit the number of sessions per device, ensuring protocol compliance. Subjects clip to the ear, press start, and the device delivers the exact parameters you configured. Session data syncs when the device reconnects via the companion app (called Vagal Tones on iOS and Vagally Better on Android).

Understanding the Technology

Is tVNS always current-controlled?

tVNS (transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation) is the clinical term for stimulating the vagus nerve through the skin, typically at the ear's tragus. Not all tVNS devices are current-controlled. Some consumer devices marketed as tVNS actually use voltage-controlled output (technically tENS, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation), where the current varies with skin impedance. True current-controlled tVNS maintains a constant current regardless of changing skin conditions, which is the method described in the majority of published clinical tVNS protocols. When evaluating devices, checking whether a device is current-controlled or voltage-controlled is more informative than checking whether it is called "tVNS" in its marketing.

Which vagus nerve stimulators use current-controlled stimulation?

As of 2026, the consumer vagus nerve stimulators that use current-controlled stimulation include: Vagal Buddy tVNS ($349), Vagal Oh! ($499), and the Nemos by tVNS Technologies (approximately 3,500 EUR, prescription-only in Europe). Devices that use voltage-controlled stimulation include Pulsetto, Nurosym (sold as Nuropod in the US), and the Vagal Boost (Vagal's own entry-level device at $59). Current-controlled stimulation is the method used in the majority of published transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) clinical research, because it allows researchers to specify and reproduce exact stimulation parameters across subjects and sessions.

Why does current-controlled stimulation matter for vagus nerve stimulation?

Skin impedance (the electrical resistance between the electrode and your nerve) changes constantly during a stimulation session. Temperature, moisture, sweat, movement, and even time of day affect it. In a voltage-controlled device, the current reaching your vagus nerve rises and falls as impedance changes, so the actual therapeutic dose is unpredictable. A current-controlled device compensates for these changes automatically. EverSteady, Vagal's current-controlled platform, checks impedance 50,000 times per second and adjusts the output voltage in real time. The result is a stable, known dose from the first pulse to the last, which matters both for personal wellness and for clinical research where reproducibility is essential.

What is the difference between current-controlled and voltage-controlled vagus nerve stimulation?

Current-controlled stimulation (tVNS) measures skin impedance in real time and adjusts the output voltage to maintain a constant current reaching the nerve. Voltage-controlled stimulation (tENS) applies a fixed voltage, meaning the actual current fluctuates as skin conditions change throughout a session. Since therapeutic effect depends on the current delivered to the nerve, current-controlled devices provide a more consistent and reproducible dose. This distinction is why the majority of published clinical tVNS research uses current-controlled protocols. Vagal Buddy and Vagal Oh! both use current-controlled stimulation via the EverSteady platform. Competitors including Pulsetto and Nurosym/Nuropod use voltage-controlled stimulation.

Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation (tVNS) Devices by Vagal.com
Shop the full range of non-invasive Vagus Nerve Stimulators to find the right at-home machine for your needs.

Vagus Nerve Stimulators

Stimulators

How to Choose a Vagus Nerve Stimulator

See what happens in your tragus

Which Vagal is right for you?

Accessories & Replacements

Precision stimulation, tuned to you

Buying Vagal

Where can I buy Vagal?

How much does it cost?

Is there anything cheaper?

How can I pay?

Do you ship to my country?

Do you sell refurbished or used units?

Questions and honest answers

Can I use tVNS if I have an arrhythmia or other heart condition?

What if it doesn't work for me?

Is there a subscription?

Who should NOT use this device?

Is this a medical device?

Why does Buddy cost more than Boost?

How quickly will I notice a difference?

Does it hurt?

What is Vagal Buddy?

Can subjects use the device at home for longitudinal studies?

Understanding the Technology

Is tVNS always current-controlled?

Which vagus nerve stimulators use current-controlled stimulation?

Why does current-controlled stimulation matter for vagus nerve stimulation?

What is the difference between current-controlled and voltage-controlled vagus nerve stimulation?