Want to learn to drop into a hyper-focused flow state on command? To tame stress without losing your edge?
To stay centered and maintain your composure in the most unruly environments?
Heart rate variability (HRV) training gives you control over subconscious roadblocks. Real-time biofeedback coaching keeps you performing at your peak. Only then can you shift into the brain state of elite performance.
Or maybe you just want to better understand how your heart rate fluctuates throughout the day.
Either way, I researched the top-rated and recommended heart rate variability tracking devices so that you don’t have to. In this review, I’ll share everything you should know to pick your best HRV training system.
The Best HRV Monitors & Biofeedback Systems of 2023
Best Overall: HeartMath InnerBalance
Best Technology: Lief Therapeutics
Best Value: HeartMath emWave2
How to Choose the Right Heart Rate Variability Wearable
Each wearable in this list is backed by large contingents of raving fans. Your ideal choice depends on your lifestyle:
- Budget
- Phone type
- Preferred device form
- Expected use case
To make comparison easier, I’ll break down the following for each device:
Since it will come up…
ANT+ is an old wireless protocol commonly used in wearables before BlueTooth. Few modern phones support it, so you’ll need to either:
- Buy an adapter for your ANT+ device
- Choose a more modern device
Before we get started, there’s one final thing you must know.
HRV Monitoring vs HRV Biofeedback Training
Devices fall into two distinct categories. Based upon how they work.
- Passive
- Active
HRV monitoring is more popular, but it doesn’t work as well (passive). HRV trainers are far more effective (active). In other words:
- HRV monitors show you the past.
- HRV trainers show you the present.
This tiny detail makes a serious difference.
Training shows you in real-time how lifestyle habits (breathing, moving, thinking, etc) impact your HRV scores. Only trainers help you spot the cause and effect so that you can visualize and unlearn bad habits.
That’s what makes these the next generation of HRV monitors. I listed the best of each category separately below.
Top HRV Biofeedback Trainers (Active)
HeartMath InnerBalance
Overview
Specialty: Value
Sensor type: Ear
Data transmission: Bluetooth or Lightning cable
App compatibility: HeartMath app
Water resistant: No
Battery: Rechargeable, 80-hours of usage (Bluetooth model)
For many years, HeartMath’s emWave 2 has been the best HRV device. Now, HeartMath has released another upgrade that is InnerBalance. It features the same high-tech sensors, but with two advantages: portability and price.
Instead of a built-in breath and heart rate gauge, InnerBalance displays the information on your phone. Which is a double-edged sword. The device is more compact, but requires a phone connection.
They offer both a Bluetooth and a wired version of the product.
If you’re new to active HRV biofeedback training or want the best value, this is your product. It’s even used by NASA, Kaiser, Intel, Stanford, and medical researchers everywhere.
Lief Therapeutics
Overview
Specialty: Continuous HRV & personal coaching
Sensor type: Adhesive patch
Data transmission: Bluetooth
App compatibility: Lief app
Water resistant: No
Battery: Rechargeable, 1-6 days depending on usage
Lief Therapeutics is a newcomer that’s rapidly becoming the choice of clinicians, researchers, coaches, and health professionals. Lief is one of the few companies whose products use true HRV biofeedback.
But instead of a cumbersome wearable or wired sensors, Lief gathers data via sensors embedded into minimalist adhesive patches. These sensors can hide under clothing and provide continuous medical-grade ECG monitoring.
Unlike other devices, Lief logs HRV trends throughout the day and vibrates in real-time to help you discover and reverse triggers. They’re also the only company to offer personal HRV coaches that help turn your data into value.
Use the exclusive coupon code URBAN for 15% off.
HeartMath EmWave2
Overview
Specialty: Standalone unit
Sensor type: Ear
Data transmission: Wifi, USB
App compatibility: Not required. Windows & Mac apps available.
Water resistant: No
Battery: Rechargeable lithium-ion
EmWave2 is a state-of-the-art HRV at an affordable price. It generates clear feedback via color and tone. It has a breathing coach built-in that automatically tracks your sessions and provides feedback along the way.
Difference levels continue to challenge you as you improve. Perfect for getting into the zone, falling asleep quickly, or before stressful meetings. Until October 2022, for many years this was the best overall device. Granted, it’s also still the best value device you can get today.
If that’s not enough, emWave2 is scientifically validated by decades of research and thousands of glowing customer reviews.
EliteHRV CorSense
Overview
Specialty: Portable
Sensor type: Finger sensor
Data transmission: Bluetooth LE
App compatibility: Most popular apps
Water resistant: No
Battery: Rechargeable, 6 months of use
CorSense is a product built by the folks at EliteHRV (who make one of the original and most widely used HRV tracking apps). I used EliteHRV for two years as I tested different devices and wanted to keep all my data in one place.
CorSense is basically a convenient mini finger clamp. Like the others, it can capture live biofeedback as well as resting HRV measurements. Their claim to fame is that their HRV accuracy is equivalent to that of hospital-grade 5-lead EKG.
Unfortunately, as of 2022, the CorSense is nno longer available. The next best monitor compatible with EliteHRV is the Polar H10 mentioned a few sections below.
Hanu Health (B2B)
Overview
Specialty: Accurate & continuous HRV
Sensor type: Chest strap
Data transmission: BlueTooth
App compatibility: iOS, Android (planned)
Water resistant: Yes
Battery: CR2025, lasts 400-hours
Hanu Health was the result of a collaboration between tech entrepreneur V. Chris Holbrook and heart rate variability biofeedback expert Dr. Jay T Wiles. These two combined forces to introduce the latest and continuous HRV system on Earth.
Hanu is the only system I’ve come across that actually helps you translate your scores into actionable steps to improve. It’s an all-in-one platform, with built-in assessments as well as training sessions customized to your physiology.
Their platform currently utilizes the Polar H10 chest strap (listed below). Hanu’s app, however, unlocks it to provide continuous, around-the-clock HRV measurements. In addition to HRV, it measures heart rate, respiratory rate, and more.
In 2024, however, Hanu Health is now only offered to businesses and not individual consumers. Business owners and employers looking to have better insights on their team’s stress and biofeedback can still benefit greatly from this technology.
This Hanu Health HRV system review article details my experience. If you’re planning to use Hanu Health for your company, my review covers the Hanu HRV operating system, benefits, and more.
Click the button below to join the wait list.
Top HRV Monitors (Passive)
4iiii Innovations Viiiiva V100 Heart Rate Monitor
Overview
Specialty: Price
Sensor type: Chest strap
Data transmission: Bluetooth, ANT+
App compatibility: Most popular apps
Water resistant: IP67
Battery: Coin cell battery, lasts 200 hours
The Viiiiva is a no-frills, passive chest heart rate monitor usually used during workouts. It’s budget-friendly, light, and has internal memory. You can go for a run and leave your phone at home knowing the V100 will capture your workout to its internal storage.
The V100 falls into the category of previous generation monitors. Thus it is ANT+ compatible and runs on removable batteries. It’s also IP67 dust and water-resistant.
WHOOP
Overview
Specialty: All-in-One
Sensor type: Wrist strap
Data transmission: Bluetooth
App compatibility: Most popular apps
Waterproof: Yes
Battery: Rechargeable, 5-day life.
WHOOP is possibly the most advanced wearable company around in 2021. Their “Locker” webpage is a hub for the latest high-performance research. Their HRV algorithm is more advanced than other passive monitors.
One study found that after 4 months WHOOP members increased HRV by an average of 8 milliseconds.
WHOOP’s primary product, the “Strap 3.0” is lightweight, waterproof, and accurate. It uses your personalized baseline along with a 3-axis accelerometer to capture profoundly accurate heart rate data.
The problem? As of this writing, the only option for purchase is actually rental. The device itself is free with a membership commitment. If you’re okay with that, WHOOP could be a perfect choice.
Biostrap HRM
Overview
Specialty: Fitness
Sensor type: Chest strap
Data transmission: Bluetooth 4.0, ANT+
App compatibility: Most popular apps
Waterproof: Yes
Battery: Coin cell battery, lasts 300 hours
The biggest newcomer on the advanced wearable scene. Biostrap’s flagship is their brand new “EVO” product. It’s poised to dethrone Oura as the best biohacking wearable on the market. If you’re looking for an all-in-one wearable, it’s hard to beat.
Otherwise, the Biostrap HRM has all the HRV monitoring features of their premium product at a fraction of the cost.
What sets Biostrap’s HRM apart from the others is the useful customer support, the aesthetics of the device, its reported reliability, their polished app, and likely the algorithm that processes your HRV data.
Polar H10 Heart Rate Sensor
Overview
Specialty: Gold-standard
Sensor type: Chest strap
Data transmission: Bluetooth LE, ANT+
App compatibility: Most popular apps
Waterproof: Yes
Battery: Coin cell battery, lasts 400 hours
Polar is the oldest name in heart rate monitoring. Even today, several of their products are common. Their H10 model is the most accurate they offer and the choice of many professional athletes.
It’s waterproof up to 30 meters, has a basic internal memory for storing workouts, and a long 400-hour battery life.
The device is decently accurate and compatible with third-party apps. But at the same time, it’s more finicky and less reliable than other HRMs.
Popular biohacking YouTuber Siim Land recommended this for tracking cardio.
This is only one of his recommendations when I asked him for top biohacking expert advice you can start implementing yourself.
Polar H9 Bluetooth Heart Rate Sensor
Overview
Specialty: Beginner HRM
Sensor type: Chest strap
Data transmission: Bluetooth LE, ANT+
App compatibility: Most popular apps
Waterproof: Yes
Battery: Coin cell battery, lasts 400 hours
With the Polar H9, you get basic heart rate monitoring. This is their newest and most affordable model. Compared to the H10, the H9 is cheaper because it lacks internal storage and the strap is made of lower quality material. Users also report that you must login to use the Polar app.
If you’re unsure whether you’ll actually use HRM, this could be a good device.
Oura Ring
Overview
Specialty: Minimalist
Sensor type: Finger
Data transmission: Bluetooth LE
App compatibility: Most popular apps
Waterproof: Yes
Battery: Rechargeable, 5-7 day life.
Oura is a household name among biohackers. One of the first wearables to track HRV during sleep, Oura recently updated their software to allow on-demand HRV tracking through a feature called “Moment”. Oura’s known for its robust and highly accurate HRV algorithm. The rechargeable battery easily lasts five days on a single charge.
It’s waterproof, has Bluetooth, and airplane mode. I’ve used my Oura Ring for about three years and have been able to spot trends in lifestyle actions and HRV.
If you’re looking for the most sensors and data crammed into the smallest device, nothing compares to the Oura Ring.
Choosing The Best Heart Rate Variability Device
The time between heartbeats contains a trove of information. HRV data is among the first and easiest (of 43+ biomarkers) self-quantification data new biohackers collect.
Picking up these subtle cues for HRV training takes today’s finest gear. There are two types of HRV devices, and your optimal choice depends on your goal:
- Active biofeedback
- Passive monitoring
If you just want basic data on your heart rate throughout the day, a passive monitor suffices. For that, I’d go with the Biostrap HRM.
Deep insight, however, takes next-generation technology. Active biofeedback gives you real-time coaching to crush stress while maximizing focus, attention, cognition, idea generation, and general brainpower. For most people, around-the-clock HRV measurement gives the most insight. Hanu Health is the top choice.
But nothing has more scientific validation than the old HeartMath emWave2.
Or you can go completely old-school. With enough meditation, you can train yourself to enter the same state of optimal performance. I’m impatient. I’d prefer to use technology to shave 40 years off that learning curve.
What’s your favorite HRV biofeedback device?
Hi,
Which device do you recommend if one absolutely wants to read HRV parameters during sleep as well?
Hi Marcel, great question. I’m not sure of any devices that do a great job capturing HRV in real-time throughout both the day and night. Perhaps the Apple Watch will integrate that soon. I personally wear the Hanu for the daytime and Oura ring at night. Then I get HRV from both. Biostrap and WHOOP also do a good job of capturing data at night.
Hello, is the upper arm, finger, lower arm, good places to monitor HRV? Where is the best?
Hey Mark,
The best places to measure HRV (from best to worst):
You haven’t included the Biostrap wristband. Do you think it’s clearly inferior to the chest strap or other options for tracking passive HRV?
Hey Chris. For HRV, yes. Wrist-based measurements are usually less accurate due to the proximity to bone in the wrist. Although I do like the Biostrap wrist band too, it’s just not quite as accurate for HRV. It’s certainly not bad though and I thoroughly reviewed Biostrap a while back.
Hi Nick, I’m surprised you haven’t included Firstbeat Life and their bodyguard 3 device in your review. They have one of the longest research history behind their algorithm with continuous HRV monitoring, app connected via Bluetooth, Health coaches, totally affordable too. A finish company, check them out.
Hi Timea, thanks for commenting and pointing them out! I will have to check out Firstbeat Life’s bodyguard 3 system. Do you use this one?
CorSense is no longer available.
Thanks for letting me know! I will update the article
Hi, I want to monitor my HRV 24 hours in a day to understand my stress level changes. Also I want to see its graph/chart/diagram in mobile app. What gears should I choose? What app?
Should I wait for Oura Ring Gen3?
Hey Alex. The only real device I’ve found with continuous HRV monitoring is Lief. Not sure that the Oura 3 will deliver on that promise. Plus, the new model will have a monthly subscription.
Haha
Knowing your HRV will give you data but not the clue to improving it. Meditation will… and patience is also the key 😉
True! The experimentation is up to you. Sleep, meditation, relaxation, certain forms of breathwork, singing, humming, cold exposure – lots of options.