I tested the new Pulsetto Fit X – is it really an upgrade?

A few years ago, Pulsetto made headlines with an unusual idea: a wearable that sits around your neck and uses vagus nerve stimulation to help you feel calmer. The company said it may help with stress, anxiety, poor sleep, and trouble focusing.

Naturally, people got curious. Since then, millions have tried Pulsetto, including members of the Cybernews team. We tested Pulsetto FIT and Pulsetto Lite before and came away with good impressions.

So, when the company decided to improve its technology and release its new vagus nerve stimulator, Pulsetto Fit X, I was excited to get my hands on it. Naturally, I started asking questions. Is the new version better? If you already own a Pulsetto, should you upgrade? And if you’ve never tried one, is Fit X a good place to start?

If you have the same questions, you have come to the right place. And that’s because I will share what I have found out, including the good, the not-so-good, and whether it can really bring calm to our increasingly chaotic lives.

Technology behind Pulsetto Fit X

Pulsetto is a non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation device that wraps around your neck and sends gentle electrical pulses to your vagus nerve. You can think of it like a modern choker, but it does more than just look stylish.

Its main goal is to stimulate the vagus nerve and potentially help your body feel calmer and more relaxed. This idea is linked to the parasympathetic nervous system, often described as the ‘rest and digest’ side of your nervous system. Interest in this kind of stimulation has been growing as more at-home devices become available.

But before we share our experience testing it and digging deeper into research, let’s look at Pulsetto Fit X's main features.

Rating	4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Price	$399.00
Battery life	12 days
Technology	Sends electrical pulses
Mobile app integration	Yes
Placement	Neck
Benefits	May help with stress, anxiety, poor sleep, and trouble focusing.

Visit Pulsetto

Pros and cons of Pulsetto Fit X

New approach: Stress Fitness

With its new devices, Pulsetto is taking a slightly different approach to stress. The company suggests that just as regular exercise strengthens your muscles, practicing recovery could help your nervous system handle stress better.

They call this concept Stress Fitness. The main idea is not only to help you feel calm during a session but also to support your body in returning to a calm state more easily after stress.

Can you actually train your nervous system?

This is where things start to get interesting. Yes, the nervous system can adapt to training. We already know this from exercise research. Regular endurance, coordination, and mixed exercise routines may improve autonomic control by increasing resting heart rate variability (HRV).

Strength training may also improve the nervous system. Studies show that repeated strength training may affect the neural pathways that control movement, which means the nervous system can adapt with practice.

And if you browse the internet, you might find people saying that good sleep, nutrition, meditation, yoga, and other healthy habits may support the nervous system.

But what about non-invasive transcutaneous cervical vagus nerve stimulation (tcVNS)? Well, we can't say the same just yet.

Some studies have found that tcVNS may change certain measures of autonomic activity and reduce some of the body's physical responses to stress. Still, there isn't enough research to say that repeated stimulation can actually ‘train’ the nervous system to be more resilient over time.

So, can devices like Pulsetto really train your nervous system? Right now, we don't have a clear answer. It's an interesting idea, but it needs more research.

Main benefits of Pulsetto

Pulsetto is a tcVNS device that sits around your neck and delivers gentle electrical pulses through the skin. It may stimulate the vagus nerve and encourage a calmer response to stress.

Research into tcVNS is still developing. Some studies have reported potential benefits for stress management, mood, sleep quality, and even auditory and visual performance.

Pulsetto has started building its own research base, too. A small peer-reviewed study published in 2025 found that a single Pulsetto session increased alpha brain-wave activity, often linked to a calmer mental state. The study also reported potential effects on blood pressure regulation.

Pulsetto Fit X new features

Pulsetto really wasn't messing around when it came to updating its device. After testing Pulsetto Lite and Pulsetto Fit, I was really interested to see what improvements the company would make.

So, when I got the new Pulsetto Fit X, I was impressed with some changes they made. Here are some that I think deserve your attention:

More intensity levels

If you’ve tried older Pulsetto devices, you’ll remember they didn’t have 15 intensity levels. For example, when I tried Pulsetto Lite, the app only let me pick from nine levels.

Fit X changes that. Once you connect it to the Pulsetto app, you can choose from 15 stimulation levels. This gives you more flexibility to find what feels best. If you’re sensitive, you can stick to the lower levels. If level nine wasn’t strong enough before, you can now go higher.

Offline mode

If your Wi-Fi goes out and you’re out of mobile data, older Pulsetto devices won’t work until you're back online.

That’s changed with Fit X. Now, you can use the device even without an internet connection. Just turn on your Fit X, open the app, and pick the stimulation mode you want. It’s a small update, but it makes the device much more convenient.

Improved battery life

Pulsetto’s battery life was already solid. You could usually get about a week of use with Lite, depending on how often and how long you used it.

Fit X seems even better, as it can last up to 12 days on a single charge, according to the company. So I wanted to see whether that's true. I used my Pulsetto Fit X roughly three times a day for 10 minutes each time, which adds up to 30 minutes a day.

When I used it like this, the battery life was actually quite good and lasted as long as the company’s 12-day estimate. Keep in mind, this is just my experience. Your results might be a bit different depending on how much you use it and which intensity levels you pick.

Changes in design

Design is always a bit personal, but I really like what Pulsetto did with the Fit X. The biggest improvement for me is the softer cushion at the back of the neck, which makes it more comfortable.

The electrodes are also slightly bigger, which I feel helps spread the sensation more evenly across your neck.

There is only one thing I noticed that was a bit frustrating. You need to use a bit of pressure to widen the neckband. The first time, I wondered if I was doing it right because it didn’t move as easily as I expected. It’s a bit like headphones that need a little extra force to adjust. Once you get used to it, it’s not an issue. Just don’t hesitate to press a bit when adjusting.

Improved app experience

As soon as you connect Pulsetto Fit X and choose a stimulation mode, the new app design is really pleasant.

I really like the moving green and black background because it feels calming during a session. It’s even more relaxing when you use it with the breathing exercises, since the background gives you something peaceful to focus on while you breathe.

However, the breathing exercises are only available with a membership, so you’ll need a subscription to access them.

Check out Pulsetto Fit X

Stress resilience score

If you already have a Pulsetto, you might have seen a new feature in the app that came out in April. It’s called Stress Resilience and is included with the membership.

Basically, the app calculates this score (0–100) using your HRV, Stress Score, Sleep Score, wearable data, and how you use Pulsetto. You won’t see your score right away, though. The app needs about a week of data before it shows your first result. After that, you can keep an eye on your score and check out simple charts to see how your resilience changes over time.

After my first week, my Resilience Score was 50. That number made me realize I should pay more attention to how I handle stress every day. I started thinking more about my habits and what affects the way I feel.

My experience with Pulsetto Fit X

The first mode I tried on Pulsetto Fit X was Sleep, mostly because I opened the box at the end of the day and figured it was a good time. And over the next few weeks, I tested the device thoroughly so I could share my tips and tricks using it. Here are a few things I noticed.

Like with other Pulsetto models, I quickly realized that finding the right spot on your neck is key. The session should feel comfortable and relaxing, not irritating. If I placed the device a bit off, I felt a tingling sensation in my chin.

However, the bigger challenge for me was movement. If I moved too much, I sometimes felt a strange muscle-twitching sensation. That can be distracting when you're trying to relax.

My tip is to start with a lower intensity and see how your body responds. You can always increase it later. If you notice tingling when you move, try adjusting the position before turning up the intensity.

Did I notice any improvements?

This one is hard to measure. It's not always clear if you're less stressed or sleeping better, especially after just a few weeks.

What I did notice was that using Pulsetto helped me focus more on relaxing. I wasn't on my phone or watching TV. I just sat and paid attention to the session. This was even easier when I added the breathing exercises.

And for people who enjoy meditation, there's also a feature for that. I just personally prefer silence, so I didn’t try it as much.

How are the higher intensity levels?

Earlier, I mentioned that Pulsetto Lite only went up to level nine. With Fit X, you can go all the way to 15.

To be honest, I couldn't handle anything close to level 15. I tried, but the stimulation was too strong for me, so I took the device off right away.

However, I wanted to see if other people would feel the same. So I had the Cybernews team try it, and some of them were fine with the higher levels.

So, I guess my main point here is that it really depends on your personal sensitivity. If higher intensity doesn't feel good, there's no need to push it.

Who should avoid it?

Pulsetto says the device may cause mild side effects, including discomfort, irritation or redness in the area of use, mild localized pain, toothache, muscle twitching, migraine, dizziness, tingling, and a pins-and-needles sensation. These effects are usually temporary and disappear after the stimulation stops.

But because Pulsetto uses electrical stimulation around the neck, it is not suitable for everyone. If you have any of the following conditions or devices, check with your doctor before using it:

• Have a pacemaker, cochlear implant, or other active implanted electronic device
• Have metal implants in the head, neck, or heart
• Are pregnant
• Have a history of heart arrhythmias
• Have sleep apnea
• Are underaged

Final thoughts: should you upgrade your Pulsetto?

In my opinion, it’s worth thinking about. The new design, improved app, offline mode, and other updates make Fit X feel more refined than older versions.

And if you’re new to tcVNS, Fit X gives you the latest Pulsetto technology, so you probably won’t feel the need to upgrade again soon. Still, if you don’t care about extra features, a simpler Pulsetto might be enough.

And does it actually work? Well, Pulsetto helped me feel calmer at times, especially before bed. It’s not a miracle solution, but I found it helpful for managing stress, especially when I used it with breathing exercises and other relaxation methods.

FAQ