Intake vs Breathewave

Q: What is the difference between Intake and Breathewave?

They use opposite mechanisms. Intake is external: a band over the nose with magnetic clips held by single-use adhesive tabs, the only magnetic product on the market. Breathewave is internal: it sits inside the nostrils with no magnets and no adhesive, and comes in S/M/L. Intake works from outside; Breathewave works from within.

Q: How much do Intake and Breathewave cost?

Intake's starter kit is $39.95 for a 15-count of adhesive tabs and is FSA/HSA eligible; the band is reusable while the tabs are consumable. Breathewave's starter is $50 and includes S/M/L sizes plus three cases, fully reusable with no consumables. Breathewave costs more upfront but has no ongoing tab cost.

Q: Did either one stop snoring in testing?

No. Both improved nasal airflow in hands-on testing, but neither fully solved snoring, a reminder that dilators only help when the obstruction is in the nose, not the soft palate, tongue, or from sleep apnea. They are aids, not cures, and not treatments for obstructive sleep apnea.

Q: Which is more comfortable, Intake or Breathewave?

Intake was more comfortable to wear all night in testing. Breathewave's appeal is that nothing sticks to your face, but the in-nose feel was uncomfortable through the night. Intake's downside is the fiddly single-use adhesive tabs rather than the wear itself.

Two dilators we actually wore overnight, on opposite ends of the design spectrum: Intake's magnetic clips that work from outside the nose, and Breathewave's in-nose dilator with nothing stuck to your face. Here's what testing both revealed.

Our team Updated June 16, 2026 ~6 min read

The short answer

These work by opposite mechanisms. Intake is a magnetic external dilator, a band with magnetic clips held by single-use adhesive tabs ($39.95). Breathewave is an internal in-nose dilator with no magnets or adhesive ($50). Both improved our airflow; neither fully stopped our snoring. Intake scored 6.3/10 and was easier to tolerate all night. Breathewave scored 6.0/10, its no-face-stickies pitch is great, but the in-nose feel was the dealbreaker.

★ Easier to live with

Intake Breathing

Hands-on 6.3 / 10

Magnetic external dilator. The strongest open of the strips and externals we tested, and comfortable to wear overnight. The catch: the single-use adhesive tabs are fiddly, and it didn't fully stop our snoring. $39.95 starter, FSA/HSA eligible.

Great idea, hard to wear

Breathewave

Hands-on 6.0 / 10

Internal in-nose dilator, no magnets, no adhesive, S/M/L. Improved airflow and keeps your face clear of stickies, but the in-nose feel was uncomfortable all night, and at $50 it's the priciest. The dealbreaker was comfort, not concept.

Side by side

From wearing both, not from spec sheets alone.

What matters	Intake Breathing	Breathewave
Type	Magnetic EXTERNAL dilator	Internal (in-nose) dilator
How it works	Band over nose + magnetic clips held by adhesive tabs	Sits inside the nostrils, props the valve open
Magnets / adhesive	Magnetic clips + single-use adhesive tabs	None, nothing stuck to your face
Airflow open	Strong, the best of the externals we tested	Noticeable improvement
Comfort overnight	Easier to tolerate all night	In-nose feel was uncomfortable, the dealbreaker
Stopped snoring?	Reduced, not eliminated	Reduced, not eliminated
Sizing	One band + tabs	S/M/L + 3 cases
Reusability	Reusable band, consumable tabs	Fully reusable, no consumables
Price	$39.95 starter (15-ct) · FSA/HSA	$50 starter
Hands-on score	6.3 / 10	6.0 / 10
Best for	People who want a strong open without anything inside the nose	People who hate face-stickies and can tolerate an in-nose feel

What testing both actually showed

The headline from wearing both: they solve the same problem from opposite directions, and the right one comes down to which trade-off you can live with. Intake pulls the nostrils open from outside with magnetic clips, so there's nothing in your nose, but you're managing fiddly single-use adhesive tabs every night. Breathewave flips that: no tabs, no magnets, nothing on your face, but you've got a dilator seated inside your nostrils, and for us that feel never stopped being noticeable.

Both genuinely improved airflow. Neither fully stopped our snoring, which tracks with how these devices work, they help when the obstruction is in the nose, not when it's the soft palate, the tongue, or sleep apnea. If a dilator opens your nose and you still snore, the cause is probably somewhere a dilator can't reach.

Intake came out ahead (6.3 vs 6.0) almost entirely on tolerability: we could keep it in all night, where Breathewave's in-nose feel kept pulling our attention. If face-stickies are your hard no and you can get used to something inside your nostrils, Breathewave's concept is the better fit, and the $50 buys S/M/L sizing to dial in comfort. Read the full Intake Breathing review and Breathewave review for the detailed scorecards.

Scores reflect our hands-on testing as of June 2026, not clinical airflow measurement, and your nose is not our nose. Neither product treats obstructive sleep apnea. If you gasp, choke, or stop breathing during sleep, see a doctor.

FAQ

Is Intake or Breathewave better?

From hands-on testing, Intake edged it (6.3/10 vs 6.0/10), mostly because it was easier to tolerate all night. Both improved airflow and neither fully stopped our snoring. Intake's catch is fiddly adhesive tabs; Breathewave's is an uncomfortable in-nose feel.

What is the difference between Intake and Breathewave?

Opposite mechanisms. Intake is external, a band with magnetic clips held by single-use adhesive tabs, the only magnetic product on the market. Breathewave is internal, it sits inside the nostrils with no magnets and no adhesive, in S/M/L. One works from outside, the other from within.

How much do Intake and Breathewave cost?

Intake's starter is $39.95 for a 15-count of adhesive tabs and is FSA/HSA eligible; the band is reusable, the tabs are consumable. Breathewave's starter is $50 with S/M/L sizes plus three cases, fully reusable with no consumables. Breathewave costs more upfront but has no ongoing tab cost.

Did either one stop snoring in testing?

No. Both improved nasal airflow but neither fully solved snoring, a reminder that dilators only help when the obstruction is in the nose, not the soft palate, tongue, or from sleep apnea. They're aids, not cures, and not treatments for OSA.

Which is more comfortable, Intake or Breathewave?

Intake, for all-night wear. Breathewave's appeal is that nothing sticks to your face, but the in-nose feel was uncomfortable through the night. Intake's downside is the fiddly single-use adhesive tabs rather than the wear itself.

More dilator comparisons: the full best nasal dilators guide and the top internal options in Mute vs Turbine vs Silent Mammoth. Or see the full ranking.