Disclaimer: None of the information in this article constitutes medical advice. All statements are merely the opinion of the writer(s). We recommend that patients follow their doctor’s guidance in regard to anti-anxiety measures.

The Chill Pill is a physical, handheld device used for stress relief. Its manufacturer claims that by using it, you can “say goodbye to tension and discover a natural solution for managing stress.”

But is the Chill Pill proven to reduce stress levels? How does the device actually work? What was our experience testing it during high stress? And is it better or worse than other popular stress-relief devices like Apollo Neuro?

In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the tech backing the Chill Pill to give our take on whether or not it’s likely to be effective for stress relief.

We'll also share our honest thoughts purchasing and testing the device in a high-stress situation, discuss the risk of side effects, and compare Chill Pill to other popular stress-relief devices to pick our winners (and losers).

Key takeaways:

• Mechanism of action is not clearly explained
• We tried Chill Pill and found it uncomfortable
• We do not currently recommend Chill Pill

Is Chill Pill Proven to Work?

Chill Pill doesn’t appear to have been studied in any clinical trials, so we’ll have to evaluate its potential efficacy based on how the manufacturer describes the device.

Unfortunately, the manufacturer of this device provides very little information in regard to the mechanism of action.

On the “How it Works” section of the Chill Pill website, the brand describes its technology as a "breakthrough signal pattern":

When we initially published this article, the brand described the mechanism of action as "pressure point stimulation."

Pressure point stimulation has been studied in some clinical trials.

A meta-study published in the Acupuncture in Medicine journal analyzed the effectiveness of acupressure for anxiety and found that the treatment provided “immediate relief.”

As we documented in our review of BeActive Plus, acupressure is also clinically shown to reduce pain scores.

The issue is that Chill Pill fails to explain the type and location of pressure points that are stimulated, and at what force.

Just because some acupressure methods can relieve anxiety, does not mean that all pressure point stimulation methods will. We're also concerned about the company changing its explanation of how the device works.

Essentially, we consider Chill Pill to be potentially effective, but because the brand fails to clearly explain how their device works, it seems illogical to purchase.

We Tested Chill Pill

As the author of this article, I wanted to try Chill Pill myself to share whether or not it worked for me.

I don't have daily anxiety, but I do have a (mild) fear of heights, so I hiked up a local mountain and its viewing tower to test whether or not Chill Pill reduced my anxiety:

I don't experience a full panic when I'm confronted with a steep drop; typically just some "butterflies" and adrenaline. I still experienced mild anxiety while using the device, so I'd say it didn't work for me.

Chill Pill is ergonomic and fits perfectly in my hand (even during a hike), so no complaints there.

The electrical pulses are highly irritating and uncomfortable to me, even at the lowest setting. I was also surprised by how frequent they were (around 3-4x per second at my count). The level of discomfort caused by the device may be worth it to people with severe anxiety (if the device works for them), but it would not be worth it for my mild situational anxiety, even if it was effective.

The manual states that Chill Pill takes many uses to be optimally effective, but I don't plan to use it more than once due to the discomfort.

Overall, I would rate Chill Pill 3/10.

Does Chill Pill Cause Side Effects?

Since the Chill Pill doesn’t appear to have been studied in any clinical trials, we can’t say for certain whether or not it will cause side effects. 

However, given that it’s a hardware device and is not ingested, we consider the risk of side effects to be very low.

It’s hard to imagine how using this device could cause side effects, although perhaps if it’s manufactured incorrectly it could apply too much pressure and cause pain.

We haven’t seen any customer reports of side effects online, and there is currently no mention of side effects on the brand’s website.

Chill Pill vs. Popular Stress-Relief Devices

Here's how Chill Pill compares to other popular stress-relief treatments in terms of potential effectiveness and safety, in our opinion:

Apollo Neuro

This device is clinically shown to positively modulate physical and mental health.

We can't find clinical trials directly proving it effective for anxiety, but the proposed mechanism of action and the secondary clinical backing give us more trust in this brand than Chill Pill.

Winner: Apollo Neuro

Mindbloom

This service connects anxious and depressed patients to licensed ketamine therapy providers.

While ketamine therapy can have profoundly positive effects in some cases, there are relatively high risks (both physically and mentally), as we documented in our Mindbloom review article.

Chill Pill is much safer for individuals with mild-to-moderate anxiety in our opinion.

Winner: Chill Pill

CalmiGo

Clinically shown to significantly reduce stress levels; greater clinical backing than Chill Pill with similar safety profile.

Winner: CalmiGo

Our Clean Mood Support Picks

Cornbread CBD Lotion is our topical stress reliever pick.

CBD is clinically shown to be absorbed through the skin, and was shown in a 2020 medical review to be a "promising" natural treatment for anxiety disorders.

Pique Japanese Sencha Green Tea is our ingestible stress reliever pick.

Green tea was shown in a 2017 clinical trial to significantly reduce stress levels, and has been used to promote mental and physical wellness for centuries.

Both of the products recommended in this section are free of ingredients that we consider to be unhealthy.

Chill Pill Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Drug-free
• May relieve stress
• Unlikely to cause side effects
• Affordable

Cons:

• Doesn't appear to be clinically tested
• Unclear mechanism of action
• We tested it and found it ineffective
• We tested it and found it uncomfortable

Conclusion

Chill Pill does a very poor job at specifically describing the science behind their product, and thus we have no reason to believe that it works.

Not only does Chill Pill not appear to be clinically tested, the manufacturer doesn’t even clearly explain the mechanism of action of the device.

The brand’s website states that Chill Pill uses a “breakthrough signal pattern” to relieve anxiety, and previously described the mechanism of action as involving "pressure points."

But without providing more information about what force is applied and which pressure points are targeted, consumers are left without enough information to make an informed purchase decision.

We do not currently recommend Chill Pill for these reasons. We don’t consider it likely to be harmful or cause side effects, we just think it’s a waste of money.

We tested Chill Pill and found it to be ineffective for anxiety relief in a high-pressure situation, and to be uncomfortable.

We consider Apollo Neuro and CalmiGo to be better options than Chill Pill, but we consider Chill Pill to be a safer option for anxiety than Mindbloom.