By the Kegel Trainers editorial team · Updated November 8, 2026
General information, not medical advice. Check with a doctor or pelvic health physiotherapist before starting, especially if you are pregnant, recently gave birth or had surgery, have pelvic pain, or have a pacemaker.
The short answer
Work out which kind of leak you have, because devices are cleared for different ones. Perifit Care and Care+ are FDA-cleared for stress, mild-to-moderate urge and mixed incontinence in adult women. Elitone is cleared for stress incontinence, and a separate Elitone URGE model for urge incontinence. Whatever you choose, supervised pelvic floor training for at least 3 months is the recommended first treatment, and a clinician should check what is causing your leaks.
Which kind of leak?
- Stress incontinence: leaks when pressure rises: coughing, sneezing, laughing, lifting or exercise. Pelvic floor training has the strongest evidence here.
- Urge incontinence (overactive bladder): a sudden, strong need to go, sometimes with leaks before you get there. NICE advises against routinely using electrical stimulation for overactive bladder.
- Mixed: both. NICE recommends the same first-line training as for stress incontinence.
The Mayo Clinic notes kegels are less helpful for large stress leaks and for overflow incontinence (when the bladder does not empty properly). Several devices list a history of urinary retention as a reason not to use them.
What each device is cleared for
| Device | FDA clearance covers | How you get it |
|---|---|---|
| Perifit Care / Care+ | Stress, mild-to-moderate urge and mixed incontinence in adult women | Over the counter |
| Elitone | Stress incontinence in women | No prescription needed |
| Elitone URGE | Urge incontinence in women | From Elidah |
| Yarlap | Two 510(k) clearances; the maker markets it for stress, urge and mixed incontinence | Over the counter |
| Leva | Stress, mixed and mild-to-moderate urge incontinence, and chronic fecal incontinence | Prescription only |
From the FDA's 510(k) database and each maker's site, November 8, 2026. kGoal, Emy, KegelSmart 2 and Elvie are sold as exercise or wellness products and we found no FDA clearance for them. See FDA-cleared kegel trainers.
Trainers cleared for incontinence
Prices from each maker's US store.
Perifit Care
Insertable biofeedback trainer · Best for: Most women starting out
Covers all three, for adult women, over the counter.
An app-connected trainer you insert with its tail left outside. Sensors measure how hard you squeeze and pick up changes in abdominal pressure, and the free app turns your exercises into games with live feedback. FDA-cleared (K221476) for stress, mild-to-moderate urge and mixed urinary incontinence in adult women.
- FDA-cleared for over-the-counter use
- No charging: the battery is built to last for years
- Free app with no subscription
- Drawback: Larger insert than Care+ (8.3 × 3.1 cm)
- Type
- Insertable, with app
- Feedback
- Squeeze and pressure sensors
- App
- Free, iOS and Android
- FDA status
- Cleared (K221476)
- Warranty
- 5 years on the battery
- Returns
- 100-day trial
Elitone
External electrical stimulation · Best for: Stress leaks, without inserting anything
External stimulation, nothing inserted.
A wearable that works from the outside. A thin adhesive GelPad goes near the pubic bone, and electrical stimulation contracts your pelvic floor during a 20-minute session you can do under your clothes. Nothing is inserted and there is no app. FDA-cleared (K183585) for stress urinary incontinence in women, without a prescription.
- Nothing to insert: the pad sits on the skin
- An option if you struggle to do a kegel on your own
- HSA/FSA eligible, per the maker
- Drawback: GelPads are an ongoing cost ($33 for 5)
- Type
- External, nothing inserted
- Feedback
- None: it stimulates the muscles
- App
- No app
- FDA status
- Cleared (K183585)
- Warranty
- Not stated
- Returns
- 60 days
Perifit Care+
Insertable biofeedback trainer · Best for: Comfort and more varied workouts
Same clearance as Perifit Care, in a smaller flexible probe.
A smaller, flexible version of Perifit Care that adds a motion sensor, so the app can run exercises in different positions and fitness-style routines. Same free app, same 100-day trial. FDA-cleared (K231780) for the same incontinence uses as Perifit Care.
- Smaller, flexible insert (6.3 × 2.7 cm)
- Motion sensor for exercises in different positions
- FDA-cleared for over-the-counter use
- Drawback: Costs $40 more than Perifit Care
- Type
- Insertable, with app
- Feedback
- Squeeze, pressure and motion
- App
- Free, iOS and Android
- FDA status
- Cleared (K231780)
- Warranty
- 5 years on the battery
- Returns
- 100-day trial
Side-by-side comparison
Details from each maker's own store and the FDA's 510(k) database, checked on the date shown on each card.
Perifit Care
- Type
- Insertable, with app
- Feedback
- Squeeze and pressure sensors
- App
- Free, iOS and Android
- FDA status
- Cleared (K221476)
- Warranty
- 5 years on the battery
- Returns
- 100-day trial
Elitone
- Type
- External, nothing inserted
- Feedback
- None: it stimulates the muscles
- App
- No app
- FDA status
- Cleared (K183585)
- Warranty
- Not stated
- Returns
- 60 days
Perifit Care+
- Type
- Insertable, with app
- Feedback
- Squeeze, pressure and motion
- App
- Free, iOS and Android
- FDA status
- Cleared (K231780)
- Warranty
- 5 years on the battery
- Returns
- 100-day trial
| Trainer | Type | Feedback | App | FDA status | Warranty | Returns | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Insertable, with app | Squeeze and pressure sensors | Free, iOS and Android | Cleared (K221476) | 5 years on the battery | 100-day trial | $119.20 |
|
|
External, nothing inserted | None: it stimulates the muscles | No app | Cleared (K183585) | Not stated | 60 days | $399 |
|
|
Insertable, with app | Squeeze, pressure and motion | Free, iOS and Android | Cleared (K231780) | 5 years on the battery | 100-day trial | $159.20 |
Biofeedback or stimulation?
With a biofeedback trainer such as Perifit you do the squeezing and the app shows you how well you are doing. That suits people who can contract the muscles but want to do it correctly and consistently. With stimulation such as Elitone, electrical pulses make the muscles contract for you. NICE suggests considering stimulation or biofeedback for women who cannot actively contract their pelvic floor muscles. Our Perifit vs Elitone comparison goes into the differences.
See a clinician first if
- Your leaks started suddenly, are getting worse, or come with pain, burning or blood in your urine.
- You feel a bulge or something coming down (possible prolapse). NICE recommends supervised training for at least 16 weeks for early prolapse, and Perifit says not to use its trainer with moderate to severe prolapse that has not been assessed.
- You are pregnant, gave birth in the last 6 weeks, or had recent surgery.
- You have trouble emptying your bladder.
In the UK a GP can refer you to an NHS continence service, and sometimes you can refer yourself. In the US, ask your doctor about a pelvic floor physical therapist.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best kegel trainer for incontinence?
Do kegel trainers help with overactive bladder?
How long before a kegel trainer helps with leaks?
Not sure which trainer fits you?
Our main comparison lines up every device by how it gives feedback, whether it needs an app, its FDA status and its price.
Compare all kegel trainers