Theragun Prime Plus vs Mini 2nd Gen: Which to Pick?
Naila Syifa
Updated October 2024
Theragun Prime Plus is the latest addition to the Theragun massage gun lineup, offering powerful percussive massage with added therapy capabilities. While Theragun Mini (2nd Gen) is an older model, it remains the smallest and lightest model in the lineup, an appealing option for those seeking a highly portable massage device.
If you're torn apart between the Theragun Prime Plus and the Mini 2nd Gen, you're in the right place! We will compare both massage guns across a few aspects to help you determine which one to pick.
Key Takeaways
Both have simple, no-display designs with Bluetooth connectivity and app integration, but Theragun Mini is two times lighter and has more moderate power compared to Theragun Prime Plus with more intense massage and expandable therapy capabilities.
Theragun Prime Plus
Versatile & Expandable
Powerful massage combined with heat and optional cold and vibration therapy for more comprehensive recovery
Theragun Mini (2nd Gen)
The Smallest & Lightest Yet
Theragun power, packed into an ultra-portable package with simple operation
#1 Price
Theragun Prime Plus
At US$399, Theragun Prime Plus is two times the price of Theragun Mini, which costs just US$199. That's a quite huge price gap!
At such a price, Theragun Prime Plus includes 4 attachments, a USB-C charging cable, a travel pouch, QuietForce Technology oil for keeping the massage gun operating quietly and effectively, as well as routine cards for recommended therapy instructions.
Meanwhile, Theragun Mini comes with just 3 attachments, a USB-A to USB-C charging cable, and a compact soft case.
If you're on a budget, then the Theragun Mini is the more recommended option. But read more to find out what the extra $200 gets you with the Theragun Prime Plus.
#2 Design
Theragun Mini (2nd Gen)
Theragun Prime Plus mimics the simple design of Theragun Prime, featuring a multi-grip triangular handle, buttons, and LED indicators. The grip has a textured surface for non-slip handling and is made of impact-resistant materials, providing a durable and sturdy build.
While the Prime Plus is quite lightweight at 0.88 kg, the Theragun Mini is two times lighter at 0.45 kg, making it an even more portable option. It also boasts a more compact triangle design with single-button operation, making it an even more convenient choice for on-the-go use.
What I personally like about the Theragun Mini is the variety of color options it comes in – black, white, and desert rose – allowing you to choose the one that best suits your style. Meanwhile, the Prime Plus only comes in black.
Theragun Prime Plus' strengths in terms of design lie in its attachment. The Prime Plus comes included with 4 attachments – Standard Ball, Dampener, Wedge, and Heat – and is compatible with additional attachments sold separately – Thumb, Micro-Point, Cold, and Vibration.
Meanwhile, Theragun Mini only offers 3 attachments and has no additional attachments available for purchase. The 3 attachments included are a Standard Ball, Dampener, and Thumb.
Read also: Theragun Attachments Guide
#3 Features
Theragun Mini (2nd Gen)
Theragun Prime Plus is among the powerful models in the Theragun lineup, delivering up to 40 pounds of force and with 16 mm amplitude, making it perfect for intense, deep tissue massage.
Theragun Mini is less powerful with 12 mm amplitude and 20 pounds of maximum stall force, but it is still a decent performance for its size and can effectively relieve sore muscles.
What primarily gives the Prime Plus the edge over the Mini is its added therapy capabilities. With the included heat attachment, the Prime Plus can provide heated percussive massage or standalone heat therapy with 3 heat levels, which can help relax muscles and accelerate recovery.
When additional attachments are used, Theragun Prime Plus can also offer cold therapy, which can help reduce inflammation and promote faster recovery, and vibration therapy, which can treat sensitive joints and muscles.
Theragun Prime Plus
One more additional feature that the Prime Plus offers is travel lock, which prevents the device from accidentally turning on during transport. As a portable device meant for on-the-go use, it is unfortunate that the Theragun Mini does not have a travel lock feature.
One common feature that both the Prime Plus and Mini offer is Bluetooth connectivity to the Therabody app, which allows for remote adjustment of the device's settings, access to a library of guided massage routines, and more.
The Therabody app also allows for speed customization, and I think it is particularly useful for Theragun Mini. Without the app, Theragun Mini only supports 3 speed levels as compared to Prime Plus with 5 speeds. However, when connected to the Therabody app, we can adjust the speed to anywhere between 1750-2400 PPM for both models.
#4 Battery
Theragun Mini (2nd Gen)
Theragun Prime Plus boasts an impressive 150-minute battery life, allowing for extended massage sessions without the need for frequent recharging. In contrast, the Theragun Mini has a more modest 120-minute battery life, which may be sufficient for shorter, on-the-go massages but may require more frequent charging for longer, more intensive use.
Theragun Prime Plus vs Mini
Final Thoughts
Theragun Prime Plus
If you prioritize advanced therapy capabilities beyond just percussive massage, as well as flexibility for a wide range of attachments, Theragun Prime Plus is the more comprehensive option. However, if portability and affordability are your main concerns, you will not be losing out too much by going with the Theragun Mini. Consider your priorities and intended use case when making the decision between the two.
If you like to read more about massage guns, check out our other relevant guides here:
Theragun Prime Plus vs Prime (5th Gen)
Theragun Prime Plus vs PRO Plus (6th Gen)
Theragun Prime Plus vs PRO (5th Gen)
Theragun Prime Plus vs Elite (5th Gen)
Theragun Prime Plus vs Sense
Theragun Prime Plus vs Relief
Theragun Prime Plus vs Hypervolt 2 Pro
Author
Naila Syifa
Naila has spent over 1,800 hours researching, exploring, and writing about the latest trends in technology, consumer electronics, and smart home gadgets.
Don't miss out on tech
Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on the latest tech trends and guides on the best gadgets around.
