Electroencephalography (EEG) is a technique with over a hundred years of history, and while it was originally used more strictly in the fields of psychology, medicine, and neuroscience, it is widely used today in gaming, human-computer-interaction, neuromarketing, simulations, and beyond.

Due to this increased use and demand of high-quality EEG devices, there are now numerous companies that are able to cater to the specific needs of EEG users. Each offers something unique for the consumer – whether it’s the number of channels, a stationary or portable device, the predefined metrics offered, or of course the price.

As with many devices (and most things in life): you get what you pay for. Many of the devices at the upper ends of the pricing range are particularly advanced, research-grade devices that provide incredible sensitivity, with a large number of sensors too. Part of the trade-off is that it takes longer to collect and analyze the data, but whatever your need are – it’s always good to talk to the experts first.

This is why we have set out the range of prices you are likely to find when searching for the EEG headset that is perfectly suited to your needs. The specific prices can be hard to pin down, as some are not public, or can be subject to academic discounts, and can fluctuate with changing currency prices, amongst other reasons.

Making a choice between devices is of course best done with an expert at hand, and we are always available if you want to discuss your needs. Below you will find the price range of headsets from some of the leading manufacturers.

Lower Price Range ($99 – $1,000)

The lower end of this list also, unsurprisingly, starts with the lowest amount of electrodes. Companies like NeuroSky and Muse promise neurofeedback solutions to help improve meditation and sleep, although the research potential of such devices is ultimately limited by this.

Emotiv offers 5 and 14 channel solutions, with built-in metrics to enhance understanding of the respondent’s mental state. Currently, research with Emotiv comes with an additional cost-per-usage, which can add to the total price of use. Emotiv’s devices are also wireless, giving the possibility of more free movement to the respondent.

The OpenBCI device can be ordered as “print-it-yourself” – allowing you to 3D print the headset (and is also compatible with regular headcaps too). The organisation is committed to open-access and cost-effective solutions to EEG, giving expanded options for how to approach investigations of the brain.

NeuroSky (1 channel)

Muse (4 channels)

Emotiv (pay-per-use + 5 or 14 channels)

OpenBCI (8 – 16 channels)

Middle Price Range ($1,000 – $25,000)

As we move up the price range, so too does the number of available electrodes for each device, and other perks to the hardware units. All of the systems within this range are research-grade, although the exact nature of your research will determine which unit is best for you.

Several of the companies (ABM, ANT Neuro, Cognionics, G.tec, mBrainTrain, Neuroelectrics, and Wearable Sensing) offer wireless solutions at this range, enabling data collection to occur with increased mobility (and increased comfort too). Additionally, the ability to collect EEG data without conductive gel is offered by ANT Neuro, Cognionics, G.tec, Neuroelectrics, and Wearable Sensing, meaning that the time to data collection is reduced.

There are a wide range of options at this price range, with up to 64 channels offered, partial or fully flexible systems, headcaps, and fixed units. In ABM’s case, the unit comes with well-researched and widely validated metrics that can provide quick and valuable insight into the cognitive function and mental state of the respondent.

The depth of information required, flexibility, and comfort of the respondent are all part of the equation that can be solved by these headsets, but of course individual needs will dictate the exact choice.

Upper Price Range ($25,000+)

A huge number of electrode channels are available at this price range, starting at 32 with Brain Product’s ActiCHamp, and continuing up to 160, or even 256 channels with BioSemi. This quantity of electrodes allows an extremely high resolution when detecting brain signals.

ANT Neuro offers wireless solutions up to 64 channels, and can work without conductive gel up to 256 electrodes. At such a high density, the channel number can be split, allowing up to four mobile systems with 256 channels.

These systems represent the highest-grade EEG devices currently available, and a price tag inevitably comes with this. Again, the aims of your research or work may or may not require such a system – if you are unsure, it is always recommended to speak with colleagues in the field, other experts, or the manufacturers themselves in order to get the full picture about what exactly their systems offer.

Other Companies

There are of course other EEG hardware companies that are not feature on this list. We have also reached out to EGI, Compumedics Neuroscan, and Mitsar, and will update if and when we receive information about their pricing.

iMotions natively integrates several of the above devices into a platform that can synchronize EEG data with a plentiful amount of other sensors, from eye tracking, to facial expression analysis, to GSR and beyond. This makes it the ideal platform for collecting and analyzing data from multiple sources.

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about some of the different types of EEG hardware that are available and feel inspired to use EEG in your own research or work. If you’d like to learn more about EEG, then download our free guide below, or contact us to get more detailed information about purchasing an EEG headset.