Kegelia vs Perifit: Kegel exercise app or biofeedback device?

Perifit and Kegelia are both apps for pelvic floor training, built on very different mechanics. Perifit pairs its app with an insertable biofeedback device that measures your contraction directly; Kegelia shows the movement on-screen, up and in, with no device at all. We make Kegelia, so we'll be upfront about what Perifit does that we don't, then explain where we're different.

iPhone (iOS only for now)

The short version

Perifit is an FDA-cleared biofeedback device, priced around $150, with an app layered on top: insert the probe, and the app turns your actual muscle contraction into a game you can watch in real time. Kegelia is a free-to-start app with no device, and it shows something different. Perifit shows what your muscle just did; Kegelia shows what the movement should look like, a jellyfish whose bell draws up and in on the lift and opens on the release, with a haptic on every lift. That needs nothing but your phone, so it works for men and women, takes one minute, and in Secret Mode fits at a desk or in line.

Measuring the muscle vs showing the movement, point by point.
	Kegelia	Perifit
How it guides the lift	Shows the direction: the jellyfish's bell draws up and in on the lift and opens on the release, with a haptic on every lift.	Turns your measured contraction into games in real time.
Where you can practice	Anywhere: in Secret Mode only the jellyfish shows on screen, so a session at a desk or in line looks like meditation.	Somewhere private: the probe is inserted for every session.
Who it works for	Women and men, in one app, with no device.	Women: the probe is designed for vaginal insertion.
Measurement	Measures nothing: the jellyfish is a model of the movement, not a reading of your muscle.	Force sensors measure the strength of your contraction and send it to the app in real time.
Assessment limits	It cannot confirm a contraction happened, verify your technique, or give biofeedback. Not a medical device.	Two FDA 510(k) clearances. Its FAQ says it is not designed to treat vaginismus or vulvodynia.
Cost basis	Free to start, no time limit. A subscription unlocks the longer sessions and higher levels.	A one-off device purchase. Perifit sells it in two models.
Setup	Download, choose one, three or five minutes, and start. No questionnaire. iPhone only, iOS 26.0 or later.	Insert the probe and connect over Bluetooth. No charging. iPhone, iPad or Android, with location services on.
Purpose	Built for doing the exercise regularly, in a discreet minute, with no hardware to buy.	Cleared to treat stress, mild-moderate urge and mixed urinary incontinence in women, through exercise.
Perifit facts checked 22 September 2026 against FDA 510(k) summaries K221476 and K231780 and the Perifit FAQ.

What Perifit does well

Perifit measures your muscle; Kegelia shows the movement. That's the core difference, and it's a real advantage for Perifit in one specific way: with a probe reading actual muscle contraction, you get direct confirmation you're engaging the right muscle, which no app without a sensor, Kegelia included, can give you. It's an FDA-cleared medical device. For someone who wants confirmed biofeedback and doesn't mind an upfront device cost and insertion, that's a legitimate reason to choose Perifit.

Where Kegelia is different

Kegelia doesn't measure your contraction; it shows the movement you're aiming for, and we say that plainly rather than implying biofeedback we don't have. That model is the point: the jellyfish's bell draws up and in on every lift, the way the pelvic floor should move and the opposite of bearing down, and opens fully on the release, with a haptic on each lift, so the target movement is in front of you on every rep. What Kegelia doesn't require is the rest of the Perifit setup: no device to buy, no probe to insert, and no private room. It works with your phone alone, which is why Secret Mode can keep it private in plain view: the controls disappear, the jellyfish stays, and to anyone glancing over it looks like meditation. A session can be one minute, stopping early still counts, and there are no streaks to defend. It's also built for anyone: Perifit's probe is designed for vaginal insertion, so it's women-only by anatomy; Kegelia's on-screen movement and haptics work the same way for men and women.

Which should you choose?

If direct biofeedback and an FDA-cleared device matter more to you than price or discretion, Perifit is the one that measures. If you want to start today, for free, with the target movement shown on every rep, nothing to insert, and nothing to explain if someone glances at your screen, Kegelia is built for that. Some people use both: a probe session occasionally, a guided practice daily. See how Kegelia compares to Elvie.

One exception applies to both: if your trouble is pelvic pain, tightness, or muscles that won't let go after a squeeze, rather than weakness, neither a guided app nor a biofeedback trainer is the place to start. See a pelvic floor physiotherapist first; for a tight floor the work is learning to release, not squeezing more.

FAQ

What is the difference between Perifit and Kegelia?

Perifit uses an insertable device to measure your pelvic floor contraction directly and turns it into biofeedback games; Kegelia uses no device and shows the movement on screen, with haptics, without measuring the muscle itself.

Is Perifit more accurate than a Kegel exercise app?

For confirming that you're engaging the right muscle, yes: a sensor reading actual contraction is more precise than a visual guide. Kegelia's jellyfish shows the movement; it doesn't measure your muscle, and we don't claim otherwise. What Kegelia actually does.

Do you need to buy a device to use Kegelia?

No. The Kegelia app works on its own, with no hardware; Perifit requires purchasing its device, priced around $150.

Can men use Perifit or Kegelia?

Perifit's device is designed for vaginal insertion, so it's built for women. The Kegelia app works the same way for men and women, with nothing to insert. Kegel exercises for men.

Is Perifit or Kegelia more discreet?

Kegelia: Secret Mode shows only the jellyfish on your phone screen, with no device to insert or store. Perifit's device setup isn't built for that kind of discretion. How Kegelia stays private.

Try the calm, device-free one.