SAINT® vs TMS: What's the Difference?

Standard (traditional) TMS delivers one stimulation session per day, five days a week, for about six weeks — roughly 36 sessions total. The coil is positioned using a scalp measurement (often the “5.5 cm rule” or motor-threshold-based positioning), which is a population average, not a personalized target.

SAINT® (Stanford Accelerated Intelligent Neuromodulation Therapy) compresses the course into five consecutive days: ten 10-minute sessions a day with 50-minute breaks, for 50 sessions total. Before treatment, each patient has a brain MRI (a functional MRI, or fMRI). FDA-cleared targeting software uses the scan's functional-connectivity data to pick the exact spot to stimulate for that person — a personalized target, not a population average.

SAINT® is delivered on the Magnus Neuromodulation System and only by providers listed on Magnus Medical's official provider locator. Standard TMS is available on a variety of FDA-cleared TMS devices at many clinics.

The table below compares standard TMS, 5-day “accelerated TMS” programs that are not SAINT®, and SAINT® side by side. The key takeaway: the schedule can be copied, but the personalized MRI target, the FDA-cleared software, and the published results cannot.

See the full SAINT\u00ae vs lower-cost \u201caccelerated TMS\u201d comparison.

A 5-day, 10-sessions-a-day schedule does not make a treatment SAINT®. SAINT® is defined by three elements: the Magnus Neuromodulation System, a brain MRI with FDA-cleared targeting software that personalizes the target from your own functional-connectivity data, and delivery by a provider listed on Magnus Medical's official provider locator.

Some 5-day programs use scalp or head measurements (for example the “BEAM F3” method) instead of a brain MRI. They may copy the schedule, but they don't use the FDA-cleared targeting software or the Magnus device, and their own providers describe them as off-label and untested in the SAINT® clinical trials.

Learn more in our detailed SAINT\u00ae vs accelerated TMS comparison.

No head-to-head trial has compared SAINT® and standard TMS directly, so no one can claim one is universally “better.” What we can say: SAINT® offers a faster five-day schedule and a stimulation target personalized from your own brain MRI. Standard TMS has a larger evidence base built over 20+ years and broader insurance coverage.

In the 2022 double-blind, sham-controlled randomized trial, 79% of the active-treatment group reached remission (Cole et al., Am J Psychiatry 2022;179(2):132–141). Individual results vary, and no outcome is guaranteed. Suitability depends on your diagnosis, treatment history, and safety screening — your psychiatrist determines which is right for you.

Check whether SAINT\u00ae is a fit for you: Am I a Candidate?.

Yes. Every SAINT® patient has a brain MRI before treatment. Software uses the scan's functional-connectivity data to pick the exact spot to stimulate for that person. A clinic that offers a 5-day course without a brain scan isn't delivering SAINT®.

Learn more: Does SAINT\u00ae require an MRI?

Standard TMS is broadly covered by commercial insurance, Medicare, and the VA when criteria are met. SAINT® coverage is currently limited and decided case by case through prior authorization. We verify your benefits for free — we never say “covered by insurance” about SAINT® because coverage varies by plan. Self-pay is available, and SAINT® at Neuro Wellness starts at $25,000 for the full five-day course, including the brain MRI and all 50 sessions.

See full pricing and what's included: SAINT\u00ae TMS Cost.

Both SAINT® and standard TMS are cleared for adults with major depressive disorder who have not improved on prior antidepressant medication. Eligibility requires a psychiatric evaluation and safety screening. People with non-removable magnetic-sensitive metal in or near the head, implanted devices, or who cannot safely have an MRI (required for SAINT®) are generally not candidates. Your psychiatrist determines which may be appropriate.

Neither treatment is universally “better.” SAINT® may suit patients who cannot commit to six weeks or who want a target personalized from their own brain MRI. Standard TMS may suit patients whose insurance covers it or who prefer a larger evidence base. Neuro Wellness offers both. Individual results vary, and no outcome is guaranteed. Discuss with your psychiatrist which is right for you.

To request a consultation, contact our team or call 954-827-9793.