Elvie Pump Review: Elvie vs. Willow
This article may contain affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Learn more about affiliate links.
So you're trying to decide between the Elvie and the Willow. Fair. They're two of the best-known wearable breast pumps out there, they both cost a lot, and they both promise you can pump hands-free without being tethered to a wall. I tested the original Elvie Pump back when I was breastfeeding and pumping for my second baby. By then I'd already spent plenty of time with the Willow, so I got to compare the two pretty directly.
Short version: the Elvie is convenient, easy to put on and SO quiet, but the app, the output estimates and how long I had to pump all fell a little short for me. Spoiler alert, I'm team Willow (at least when I'm the one paying). But if your insurance covers an Elvie, it's a really solid pump, and I'll explain why below. Both brands have also come out with newer models since I tested these, so there's a quick section near the end on what's changed.
Quick note: I either already had these pumps at home or bought them with my own money. There's no agenda here, just my honest thoughts to help you figure out which pump fits you and your life.
In this article:
How a wearable pump is different from a traditional pump
Key features of the Elvie pump
What I liked about the Elvie pump (pros)
2. The app lets you control the pump
3. It works, no doubt about it
5. It's smaller and easier to put on
1. The app's estimates were way off
2. Letdown mode wasn't actually helpful (for me)
3. I had to pump longer than with the Willow
4. There are a lot of parts to clean
Elvie vs Willow: which wearable pump should you choose?
Why I'd pick the Willow if I'm paying out of pocket
If you can't justify the price of either one
Elvie pump at a glance
The Elvie Pump is a double electric breast pump that's completely wearable. Each pump sits inside your bra and holds everything it needs, so there are no wires, no cords, no tubing...nada. It fits right into a regular stretchy nursing bra. That means no separate pumping bra and no bottles hanging off your boobs.
How a wearable pump is different from a traditional pump
If you've never used a traditional pump, the difference is kind of a big deal. A traditional pump is usually plugged into the wall, and you're attached to it by two tubes that lead to flanges and collection bottles on each breast. You're basically stuck in one spot until you're done. A wearable like the Elvie lets you pump hands-free and actually move around, and it's way more discreet.
When I tested it, the Elvie and the Willow were really the two big names in wearable pumps. There are a lot more options now, but these two are still the comparison a ton of people are trying to make.
Key features of the Elvie pump
Completely hands-free: no wires, cords or tubes, and it fits inside a regular nursing bra (this one was my go-to)
App control: the pump connects to an app where you can control it and track your sessions (more on the app below)
Very quiet: easily the quietest pump I've tried
Easy to assemble and use: there wasn't much of a learning curve at all
Two pumping modes: a letdown (stimulation) mode and an expression mode
Adjustable suction: seven intensity levels, which you can change from the app
Single or double Elvie?
You can buy the Elvie as a single or a double. Yes, the single is cheaper, but I can't think of a good reason for most people to get it. Pumping both sides at once saves time, and one study found it actually removed more milk than pumping one side and then the other. (The obvious exception is if you're feeding your baby on one side while you pump the other.)
What I liked about the Elvie pump (pros)
I want to be upfront that I'm judging these pros and cons mostly against the Willow. I'd already gotten to know the Willow really well as a wearable pump. And if you're stuck choosing between the two, that's probably the comparison you actually care about.
1. It's SUPER quiet
I love how quiet this pump is. It's by far the quietest pump I've ever used, and I have used a LOT of pumps. You can barely hear it when it's running, which makes pumping with it really discreet.
2. The app lets you control the pump
I don't love the Elvie app overall (more on that in the cons), but it does have some genuinely good features. My favorite is that you can control the pump right from the app, so you can turn the suction up or down or pause without touching the pump itself. The buttons on the pump work too. The Willow I used only showed my settings in its app, so any adjustments had to happen ON the pump.
Like the Willow, the Elvie app also keeps a log of your past sessions with times and amounts, which is really nice for tracking your output. In my opinion it does one thing better than the Willow: you can edit the logged amounts if the app's estimate was off. That meant my pumping history was actually accurate.
3. It works, no doubt about it
The Elvie emptied me just as well as the Willow did, HOWEVER there was an "initiation period" lol. The first few times I used it, I was like...why am I only pumping THIS much?? But after a few days my body got used to the pump and my output was fine. The Elvie definitely works.
4. No bags to keep buying
When I tested them, the Elvie and the Willow cost about the same. But the Elvie still worked out cheaper over time, because it comes with all the parts you need and you don't have to keep buying bags. I really liked not having one more thing to restock.
5. It's smaller and easier to put on
The Elvie is a lot smaller than the Willow and easier to put on, so it's a little more discreet and there's less of a learning curve. Here's what stood out to me:
It took me way less time to get the Elvie on and pumping.
I could actually see whether my nipple was lined up correctly while putting it on.
I never got malfunction alerts. Sometimes the Willow wouldn't even start pumping because of some weird malfunction, and I'd have to take it off and put it back on. That never happened with the Elvie, which is a huge pro.
And if you're not sure your flange size is right in the first place, I have a quick video on flange sizing.
Elvie pump drawbacks (cons)
1. The app's estimates were way off
Even with those good features, I'm NOT a fan of the Elvie app overall, and I liked the Willow's app much better. My biggest issue is how it estimates how much you've pumped. For me it was always off by at least 1 to 3 ounces, and always on the low side. That really starts to mess with your head. And if you're dealing with low milk supply, seeing a smaller number than you actually pumped can absolutely kill your confidence. Personally, I'd rather it not estimate at all and just let me enter the real amount at the end.
2. Letdown mode wasn't actually helpful (for me)
Yes, the Elvie has a letdown mode and the Willow I used didn't. Buuut it still ends up on the cons list, because I couldn't tell when my flow had slowed down enough to switch back into letdown mode. You can't see inside the pump while you're pumping, and the app only gives you an estimate, so I had no idea whether milk was still flowing or had slowed way down. With the Willow, at least I could watch my numbers slow in real time. I can see how this feature would be great if you're REALLY in tune with your letdowns and just know when you need it. For me, it was kind of pointless.
3. I had to pump longer than with the Willow
My output was basically the same with both pumps, but I spent less time pumping with the Willow. With the Elvie, I couldn't really tell when I was empty, so I'd just pump for 16 to 20 minutes and hope that was enough. With the Willow, I usually stopped around 11 to 12 minutes. I'd be curious whether stopping the Elvie at the same point would give me the same output, but you just don't know, and that's frustrating.
4. There are a lot of parts to clean
It's not a ton of parts, but the Elvie had more to wash than the Willow I used (unless you were using Willow's reusable container). That said, those parts might be worth it from a sustainability and budget standpoint. The Willow's disposable bag inserts created a LOT more waste, they weren't cheap, and you had to make sure you always had them on hand.
5. Suction
If you've pumped before and you're used to really strong suction, you might not love the Elvie. In my experience, the wearables I used just weren't quite as strong. If suction is your top priority, I can't say enough good things about the Motif Luna. It's a traditional pump with strong suction, and I think it's a great all-around pump.
Elvie vs Willow: which wearable pump should you choose?
If you've read this far, my pick is pretty obvious: I recommend the Willow over the Elvie. All around, I liked the Willow's features better. For me, it had better suction, it let me pump faster, and the technology was better. The app was easier to use, and the estimates were far more accurate.
Why I'd pick the Willow if I'm paying out of pocket
If I'm spending hundreds of dollars of my OWN money on a pump, I need it to have all the bells and whistles, especially on the tech side. And that's where the Willow delivered for me. Being able to see how much you've pumped in real time, while it's happening, is so nice.
When the Elvie makes sense
HOWEVER. If you have your heart set on a wearable pump and your insurance will cover an Elvie, I'd tell you to go for it. It has real advantages over a standard pump: it's easy to use, it's super quiet, and it's effective at getting milk out. Most health insurance plans are required to cover a breast pump, but your plan gets to set rules about which type you get, so whether a wearable is covered really depends on your plan. Check with your insurance company or a breast pump supplier like Aeroflow to see which models you qualify for. Breast pumps are also generally eligible for HSA and FSA funds.
But if you're paying entirely out of pocket, the Willow was the better choice of the two models I tested.
If you can't justify the price of either one
And if you just can't justify spending that much on a pump (I DON'T BLAME YOU), Freemie collection cups are worth a look. They're a wearable collection system that works with a lot of standard pumps. So you can turn the pump your insurance covers into a more hands-free, portable setup. You can grab them here.
What's changed with newer Elvie and Willow models
I tested the original Elvie Pump and an older Willow that used disposable bags. Both brands have released newer pumps since then, and I haven't tested any of them, so this is just a quick rundown of what's out there now:
Elvie Stride and Stride 2: Elvie launched the Stride in 2021 with US insurance coverage in mind. Unlike the original Elvie Pump, the cups sit in your bra and connect with tubing to a small motor that clips to your waistband or goes in your pocket. The Stride 2 came out in 2024 with softer silicone cups and fewer parts to wash.
Willow Go and Willow 360: both fit completely in your bra. The Go collects milk in reusable containers, and the 360 works with either Willow's milk bags or reusable containers.
Willow Sync: released in 2025, it's an in-bra pump that runs both cups off one motor, and it's offered through insurance.
And one more plot twist: Willow acquired Elvie's business in 2025, after Elvie went into administration in the UK, so these two rivals are now under the same company.
Everything I said above is based on the models I actually used. Features have changed since then, so check each brand's current specs before you decide. And if you want help figuring out what to actually look for in a pump (including sizing), I talked through all of it with an exclusive pumper and lactation counselor on my podcast.
More breast pump reviews and resources
If you're still weighing your options, these might help:
If your pump is going on your baby registry, my free Baby Registry Guide can help you figure out the rest of it. And for everything else in your feeding setup, my Breastfeeding Essentials list on Amazon has it all in one place.
Whatever you end up choosing, I hope this makes the decision a little easier. And I hope your pump's app is nicer to you about your output than mine was.
~Liesel
