The main red light therapy bed brands sold to businesses are LightStim, NovoTHOR, TheraLight, Prism Light Pod, Spectra Red Light, Mito Red Light, Vital Red Light and Superhuman Light. Public prices run from $24,995 to about $96,000, and one brand is quote only. The table below compares them on country, bed name, wavelengths and price, using only what each maker or its authorized dealer publishes.
Cross-brand comparison table
| Brand | Bed or pod | Country | Wavelengths (nm) | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LightStim | LED Bed (Core, Pro) | US (Irvine, CA) | 630, 660, 855, 940 | $55,000 | FDA cleared for muscle and joint pain and related uses; Pro for high-volume commercial, 5-year warranty; standard outlet |
| THOR Photomedicine | NovoTHOR, NovoTHOR XL | UK, with US operations | 660, 850 | Quote only | Maker says cleared or approved in 30+ countries; 2.4 kW at 220–240 V; 5-year warranty |
| TheraLight (Aspen) | 360i, 360, FIT | US | 633, 810, 850, 940 | 360i $94,997 (authorized dealer) | Four independently controlled wavelengths; 360i lists 165 mW/cm², 45,000 LEDs, PEMF, 220 V 30 A |
| Prism Light Pod | Prism Light Pod | US (Englewood, CO) | 630, 660, 850 | $95,995 (authorized retailer) | 17,000+ LEDs; 100 mW/cm²; 110 V; retailer lists $10,000 extra for delivery and install |
| Spectra Red Light | S7 Series (other series available) | US | 630, 660, 670, 810, 830, 850, 980 | From $64,990 | 28–32 mW/cm² at 0 in by lab spectrometer; brand says “FDA Class II Cleared” |
| Mito Red Light | MitoRECHARGE Bed | US (Scottsdale, AZ) | 630, 660, 810, 850 | $27,995 | 95 mW/cm² at 18 in (top), 90 at 0 in (bottom); 110/120 V 20 A; Class II FDA registration; 3-year warranty |
| Vital Red Light | Vital Bed | US (Boca Raton, FL) | 480, 590, 630, 660, 670, 810, 830, 850, 1060 | $24,995 | Top panel over bed; 150–210 mW/cm² at 16–24 in; site states “FDA Cleared”; 5-year warranty |
| Superhuman Light | R1 | — | 630, 660, 810, 850, 940 | $29,900 | Clamshell, front and back at once; ≈100 mW/cm² at acrylic surface; 208–240 V 40 A; 2-year warranty; docs with quote |
Two products often listed with beds are not beds: Celluma DELUX (a flexible full-body LED pad) and the MitoPOD (a $1,699 home mat). Tanning brands also sell UV-free red light units. Ergoline, for example, offers a red-only “Pure Beauty” program in some hybrid tanning units.
How to compare specs honestly
Spec sheets are marketing documents. The same bed can be described with numbers that differ by a factor of two or more. Here is how to read them.
1. Irradiance only means something with a distance
Irradiance is light power per area, in mW/cm². It falls quickly as distance grows. Look at how the brands in the table report it:
- Spectra: 28–32 mW/cm² at 0 inches.
- Mito: 95 mW/cm² at 18 inches for the top half, 90 at 0 inches for the bottom.
- Vital: 150–210 mW/cm² at 16–24 inches.
- Superhuman Light R1: about 100 mW/cm² at the acrylic surface.
- TheraLight 360i: 165 mW/cm², distance not given on the dealer page.
These cannot be ranked against each other as written. Ask each vendor for a reading at the guest’s actual position, which for a clamshell bed is roughly the acrylic surface, and for a panel-over-bed design is the stated treatment distance.
2. Ask what the reading was taken with
Cheap solar power meters are built for sunlight. They tend to over-read narrow LED bands. A calibrated spectroradiometer is more accurate. Panel makers show the gap clearly. Mito lists more than 160 mW/cm² on a consumer meter and more than 73 mW/cm² on a spectroradiometer for the same panel at 6 inches. Rouge lists 164 and 90. Spectra says its bed figure was “measured with lab certified spectrometer”, which partly explains why its number looks low.
Rule of thumb: if a brand gives one irradiance number with no tool and no distance, treat it as a marketing figure.
3. More wavelengths is not the same as better
Wavelength counts range from two (NovoTHOR) to nine (Vital). The most studied bands in photobiomodulation research are red around 630–670 nm and near-infrared around 810–850 nm. Some beds add blue (480 nm), amber (590 nm) or longer infrared (940–1060 nm). Ask what share of the LEDs each wavelength gets. Mito, for example, publishes an even 25% split across its four bands. A band with a small share of LEDs adds little light. See our wavelengths guide.
4. LED counts are not comparable
LED counts range from 2,000 (Vital) to 45,000 (TheraLight 360i). Power per LED varies a lot, from small chips to 5 W LEDs. Total output and irradiance at the guest matter more than the count.
5. Check the FDA wording word by word
- Cleared means the FDA reviewed a 510(k) for a specific indication. LightStim states this for muscle and joint pain and circulation.
- Registered or listed means the maker told the FDA the device and facility exist. It is not a review of effectiveness.
- Class II is a risk class, not a quality badge.
Search the maker name in the FDA 510(k) database and read the indication. Our medical grade guide explains why “medical grade” has no official definition.
6. Compare full installed cost
Sticker price is not the full cost. One retailer lists Prism delivery, installation and training at $10,000 extra. Some beds need a 220–240 V circuit. Warranties range from 1 year to 5 years plus lifetime LEDs. Ask every vendor for a written quote that includes delivery, installation, training, warranty and electrical requirements.
Where the Superhuman Light R1 sits
The R1 is in the commercial entry price band, next to MitoRECHARGE and Vital, and well below the premium pods.
- Price: $29,900, or about $620 a month on a 60-month lease (OAC). Delivery, installation, commissioning, half-day training, eyewear and a 2-year parts and labour warranty are included.
- Design: clamshell, front and back treated at once, which is closer to the premium pods than to panel-over-bed designs.
- Wavelengths: five, at 630, 660, 810, 850 and 940 nm, from about 36,000 LEDs. Continuous and pulsed modes.
- Irradiance: about 100 mW/cm² at the acrylic surface, with an independent measurement supplied with the quote.
- Power: 208–240 V single-phase, dedicated 40 A circuit, about 5.5 kW. This is a heavier electrical requirement than the 110 V beds.
- Regulatory: we do not claim FDA clearance for the R1. Regulatory and electrical documentation comes with the written quote. If you need an FDA-cleared pain indication for your marketing, a cleared bed such as LightStim is the better fit.
More Superhuman models are on the way.
Superhuman Light R1
Full-body red light, built for a full day of bookings.
- Format
- Full-body bed
- Wavelengths
- 5 · 630–940 nm
- Session
- 10–20 min
- Power
- 240 V · 40 A
Questions to send every brand
- What is the irradiance at the guest’s position, and what instrument measured it? Can I see the report?
- What share of LEDs is each wavelength?
- Is the device FDA cleared? If yes, what is the 510(k) number and indication?
- What electrical supply does it need (voltage, amps, dedicated circuit)?
- What does the quote include: delivery, installation, training, warranty length, LED coverage?
- How long does a full-body session take, and does the guest need to turn over?
For the business case, see our cost guide and ranking by use case.
Sources
- LightStim LED Bed: https://lightstim.com/products/lightstim-led-bed
- NovoTHOR: https://www.novothor.com/
- NovoTHOR technology and specs: https://www.novothor.com/technology/
- TheraLight (Aspen): https://aspenlivewell.com/theralight/
- TheraLight 360i, authorized dealer: https://davincimedicalusa.com/products/theralight-360i-whole-body-red-light-therapy-bed
- Prism Light Pod: https://prismlightpod.com/prism-light-pod/
- Prism Light Pod, authorized retailer listing: https://www.rehabmart.com/product/prism-light-pod-red-light-therapy-bed-51726.html
- Spectra Red Light: https://www.spectraredlight.com/
- Spectra S7 Series: https://www.spectraredlight.com/spectra-s7-series/
- MitoRECHARGE Bed: https://mitoredforbusiness.com/products/mitoredlightbed
- MitoPOD: https://mitoredlight.com/products/mito-red-light-therapy-pod
- Mito Red Light MitoPRO X (meter vs spectroradiometer): https://mitoredlight.com/products/mitopro-x-series
- Rouge Pro G4 (meter vs spectrometer): https://rouge.care/products/rouge-pro-g4-bundle-1
- Vital Bed: https://vitalredlight.com/products/vital-bed
- Celluma DELUX: https://www.celluma.com/products/celluma-delux
- Ergoline Vitality Balance: https://ergoline.de/en/products/vitality-balance/
- FDA 510(k) database: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfpmn/pmn.cfm
