Guide
Heated Tobacco (IQOS & Co.) vs Vape: the Difference Explained Simply
Stephan Müller · iVape editorial team, Swiss law & market focus
May 2, 2026 · Updated October 9, 2026 · 6 min read
"Isn't an IQOS the same thing as a vape?" We hear this question a lot. The short answer: no. Heated tobacco devices and e-cigarettes look alike and get lumped together in everyday use, but they work in fundamentally different ways. Here is the neutral comparison.
Since October 2026 iVape also carries heated tobacco: IQOS ILUMA with TEREA sticks and REJO with TOZE sticks. This guide remains a neutral comparison.
The core technical difference
In the heated tobacco device (IQOS, glo, Ploom and Co.), real tobacco in the form of small sticks is heated, but not burned. This creates a nicotine-containing aerosol from real tobacco. The stick is thrown away after a session, and the tobacco flavour is a given.
With a vape, no tobacco is used. Instead, a liquid made of propylene glycol, glycerine, flavourings and (optionally) nicotine is vaporised. There is no tobacco in the device, and the flavour ranges from fruit through menthol to dessert.
| Heated tobacco (e.g. IQOS) | Vape / e-cigarette | |
|---|---|---|
| What is heated | real tobacco (sticks) | liquid (no tobacco) |
| Nicotine source | from the tobacco | from the liquid (0 mg also possible) |
| Flavour | tobacco-led | very wide choice of flavours |
| Consumable part | tobacco stick | liquid / pod / refill bottle |
| Smell | tobacco-like, more discreet than a cigarette | depends on the flavour, no tobacco smell |
Handling in everyday use
With a heated tobacco device you put a stick into the device, you have a limited session (usually around a dozen puffs or a few minutes), after which the stick is done. The device often needs a short recharge between sessions.
With a vape, by contrast, you draw on it whenever and for as long as you like. A disposable vape is ready to use straight away and is disposed of once used up. A pod system you recharge and only swap the pod, which is more flexible over time and produces less waste.
What does each system cost?
Exact prices depend on the model and on usage, but the cost logic is clear. With a heated tobacco device you keep paying for tobacco sticks, much like cigarettes by the pack. With a vape, the system decides: disposable vapes are cheap per device but the most expensive per puff; refillable pod and hybrid systems cost more once for the device, after which you only pay for liquid or pods and come out much cheaper per puff.
Heated tobacco prices in Switzerland (iVape, October 2026)
| Product | Price |
|---|---|
| TEREA sticks for IQOS ILUMA, carton of 10 × 20 | CHF 88.00 (CHF 8.80 per pack) |
| TOZE sticks for REJO, pack of 20 | CHF 5.90 |
| IQOS ILUMA i ONE kit | CHF 39.00 |
| IQOS ILUMA i kit | CHF 59.00 |
| REJO HS40 device | CHF 29.90 |
At one pack a day, TEREA comes to roughly CHF 260 a month, about the same as cigarettes. The best-known heated tobacco devices in Switzerland are the IQOS ILUMA models from Philip Morris, followed by glo and Ploom. REJO is a cheaper alternative with its own TOZE sticks.
How this adds up over a month is something we worked through in the guide "What does vaping cost in Switzerland".
Which system for which user?
This is not a "better or worse" question, but one of preference:
- Anyone looking for the real tobacco flavour who likes set sessions will tend towards heated tobacco.
- Anyone who wants flavour variety, a free choice of puff length or even a nicotine-free option is better served by the vape.
If you want to move away from smoking anyway and are thinking about switching, our switching guide "Vaping instead of smoking" will help you choose the device and strength.
In short
- Heated tobacco devices heat real tobacco (sticks), vapes vaporise liquid without tobacco.
- Heated tobacco tastes tobacco-led, vapes offer many flavours and also 0 mg options.
- Cost logic: ongoing stick costs with the heated tobacco device; with the vape the system decides (disposables more expensive per puff, refillable systems cheaper).
- iVape carries both: vapes and heated tobacco such as IQOS ILUMA.
Many products contain nicotine (up to 20 mg/ml); nicotine is highly addictive. Sold only to adults aged 18 and over. Not a substitute for medical advice.
Frequently asked questions
- Is an IQOS the same thing as a vape?
- No. A heated tobacco device such as the IQOS, glo or Ploom heats real tobacco in the form of sticks without burning it. A vape vaporises a liquid made of propylene glycol, glycerine, flavourings and optionally nicotine, with no tobacco at all.
- Where does the nicotine come from in heated tobacco and in a vape?
- In a heated tobacco device the nicotine comes from the tobacco stick. In a vape it comes from the liquid, which is also available completely nicotine-free (0 mg).
- How do heated tobacco and vapes differ in everyday use?
- With a heated tobacco device you insert a stick and get a limited session, usually around a dozen puffs or a few minutes, and the device often needs a short recharge in between. A vape you draw on whenever and for as long as you like.
- Which is cheaper: heated tobacco or a vape?
- With heated tobacco you keep paying for tobacco sticks, much like cigarettes by the pack. With a vape the system decides: disposables are cheap per device but the most expensive per puff, refillable pod and hybrid systems cost more once and are much cheaper per puff afterwards.
- Does iVape also sell heated tobacco devices like the IQOS?
- Yes, since October 2026. iVape carries the IQOS ILUMA and REJO HS40 devices plus the matching TEREA and TOZE sticks. This comparison stays neutral, the right system depends on your preferences.
