Apollo Neuroscience reviews and discussion

TLDR: The best product ever made for insomniacs; an insanely expensive knick-knack for everyone else. I use my Apollo neuro for hours a day. I adore it. The Sleep Smart Vibes setting has been the single biggest non-pharmaceutical improvement in my insomnia. This little device is a lifesaver. Specifically the Smart Vibes sleep mode that links with my Oura ring that helps me stay asleep at night. The change in my sleep with and without it is measurable. This thing is basically getting me through veterinary school. I have had mine for 2.5 years, and it has been impressively sturdy. I didn’t think it would last this long, honestly. I would replace it at the drop of a hat, though. I even placed a pre-order for the next generation device the hour it was available. I am still waiting patiently for that to arrive, and hope my current device can be resilient until then. So, if I’m obsessed with this, then why only 4 stars? It is the price and the marketing. I paid about $250 initially for this. I knew that the smart-sleep assistant mode was still in beta testing when I bought my device. Months later they announced it was launching to the public. I had been happy with it in those months, but not in love. The new mode came with a catch, though. The new smart settings would only work if you have an Oura ring. I was actually already thinking about getting one at the time, so I took the plunge and bought the ring for $350. I was looking forward to launch day, when we were hit with another caveat — the smart mode would require a yearly subscription to operate too, which was $80 for the first year. There were no subscriptions before this. I had already spent $350 more than I thought I was going to so I could access a feature I thought was included in my $250 initial purchase. I still clicked purchase immediately. Yet, I was starting to be annoyed with what felt like a bait and switch of features, with an ever-rising cost. Since this time, they have also launched a feature where you can use your phone instead of the wearable. For an extra $90 a year. I haven’t tried that feature yet, even with the promise of a free trial. I don’t have a need for it. But, it could be a good way for someone to see if they might like buying the wearable without the commitment. Between my initial purchase, preorder, subscriptions, Oura ring, and replacement parts I have spent about $1250 in 2.5 years to have this device function in the way I want. That’s a grand more than I thought I was getting into! However, it has been worth every penny because of the sleep it saves me. I have probably saved that much in coffee alone. But, most people who may enjoy this device shouldn’t be spending this much - or maybe even more as the costs keep piling on. The only people I can actually recommend this product to are those who are as desperate for sleep as I am. There are other features of the device that I like and use (specifically for anxiety and depression), but I wouldn’t pay this price for them. The other reason the Apollo Neuro isn’t my most-recommended purchase is that their marketing email setting are frustrating. There is no way to opt out of receiving sale notices from them — or, even worse, sale notices from their partner brands! I don’t want to know about any of that. I want to know about new features and when new research is published. But, I have to live with a pile of emails I don’t want just for the few I do.