Truvaga vs. Apollo Neuro: Handheld vs. Always-On
Truvaga Plus is a handheld device you hold to your neck for a few minutes at a time. Apollo Neuro is a wearable you put on once and leave on all day. That difference, not the vagus nerve science, is what should decide your purchase.
Executive Briefing
Bottom Line: Truvaga suits a scheduled reset between meetings. Apollo Neuro suits continuous background regulation through the day.
2026 Check: Truvaga's maker states its technology activated the vagus nerve in 90% of participants in a clinical study — a company claim, not independently verified, with no sample size given on the page.
Access: Apollo Neuro: WZ Executive Protocol.
What Truvaga's Own Evidence Actually Says
Truvaga's site states: "the Truvaga technology successfully stimulated the vagus nerve in 90% of participants." That's the exact wording. It gives no sample size and no study period for that specific figure.
The page separately cites Nonis et al. 2017 (Cephalalgia), a real peer-reviewed study on non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation generally. The page does not explicitly state that the 90% figure comes from that paper. Treat the two as adjacent, not as one confirmed chain.
Truvaga Plus, the consumer device, has no identified FDA clearance for a disease indication. electroCore's gammaCore, a separate prescription device, holds its own FDA clearances — don't conflate the two products.
"FDA-registered" is not "FDA-cleared." Truvaga Plus is the former. Its maker's other device, gammaCore, holds the latter — for a different product.
A Day With Each Device
Truvaga Plus vs. Apollo Neuro — A Day Compared
| Time | Truvaga Plus | Apollo Neuro |
|---|---|---|
| 7:00am | Not in use | Already on, worn overnight or from waking |
| 9:00am, before first call | 2-minute handheld session at the neck | Running continuously, no action needed |
| During a 3-hour negotiation | Cannot use mid-session; visible if attempted | Active the entire time, concealed at the ankle |
| Between back-to-back meetings | Another short handheld session, if there's a private moment | No interruption needed |
| Evening | Optional wind-down session | Still running, or removed for the night |
Apollo Neuro efficacy figures circulated elsewhere online could not be independently verified against a published RCT. Truvaga figure per company statement, not independently replicated.
Which One Fits a Board Day
A handheld device needs a private moment to use. A packed executive calendar doesn't always provide one.
Apollo Neuro's case for continuous wear is structural, not just a marketing preference: once it's on, it requires nothing else from you between meetings.
Frequently Asked Questions
We found no FDA 510(k) clearance for Truvaga Plus for a disease indication.
Its maker, electroCore, holds separate FDA clearances for a different, prescription-only device, gammaCore, which is not the same product.
Truvaga's own site states its technology stimulated the vagus nerve in 90% of participants in a clinical study, without stating a sample size for that figure on the page.
Truvaga Plus is handheld and used in short sessions, typically before or between meetings, not worn continuously like Apollo Neuro.
Editorial Integrity
Truvaga is not a Westchester Zen affiliate partner; this comparison is editorially independent. Apollo Neuro affiliate links are disclosed per FTC guidelines.
Full policy at disclosures.