Guide
Heated Tobacco (IQOS & Co.) vs Vape: the Difference Explained Simply
Stephan Müller · iVape editorial team, Swiss law & market focus
May 2, 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.
To be transparent: iVape sells no heated tobacco devices. This guide only explains the difference, it is not a buying recommendation for the IQOS or similar devices.
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.
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 only vapes, no heated tobacco devices.
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.
