Quick verdict

Respire wins for physical retail access, very large paired bundles and published chemical-safety testing. On The Nose Co. is our overall winner for shoppers who want a central-slit mouth-tape option, clear and black purpose-led nasal strips, a dedicated magnetic system and deeper suitability education. Both offer a formal 30-day first-order or return-request pathway, subject to their respective conditions.

Commercial-interest disclosure: On The Nose Co. publishes this article and sells the products compared, so it has a direct commercial interest in the outcome. Respire did not sponsor, approve, review or contribute to this page. Respire names and trademarks are used only for comparison; no affiliation or endorsement is implied.

This is really two comparisons. An external nose strip supports the sides of the nose while worn. Mouth tape encourages the lips to stay together. They are not interchangeable, and buying them in a bundle does not make mouth taping suitable for every sleeper.

How we compared the brands

We checked both brands’ Australian product, bundle, policy, test and education pages on 10 August 2026. We separated verifiable specifications from member surveys and broader health claims, then checked peer-reviewed evidence for mouth occlusion and external nasal dilators.

ComparedProduct formats, quantities, prices, bundles, subscriptions, guarantees, retail access, materials testing, safety information, education and research.

Not performedNo adhesive, skin, airflow, beard, overnight sleep, snoring or head-to-head product testing was performed by this article.

Evidence ruleBrand-reported surveys are identified as surveys. General research is not presented as proof that either specific product delivers the same result.

Respire and On The Nose Co. compared

What Respire does especially well

Respire has built a clear sleep-routine offer. Its Australian range combines nose strips, breathable full-coverage “Sleep Strips,” breathing drops and bundles from one month to a year. Customers who already know they want both adhesive products can buy paired quantities and containers without assembling separate packs.

It also has a genuine retail advantage. Respire provides a store locator and its 30-pack nose strips are listed through Priceline Australia. That suits someone who wants to see local availability or purchase through a familiar pharmacy retailer.

Respire’s strongest trust feature is its third-party test-results page. The brand says it tests for PFAS, heavy metals and BPA using an ISO 17025-certified laboratory with very low detection limits. This is chemical-safety evidence about tested materials; it does not prove improved sleep, reduced snoring or superior airflow.

What On The Nose Co. does especially well

On The Nose Co. provides more nasal-support choice. Its sleep and snoring strips and running and sport strips make use-case selection straightforward. Clear conventional strips suit people wanting a discreet or sensitive-skin-oriented choice, while black woven strips suit users prioritising stronger hold and visibility.

The magnetic nasal strip system adds a different format: a reusable external bridge attaches to fresh adhesive tabs, with refills available separately. Respire’s reviewed Australian core range does not offer an equivalent dedicated magnetic pathway.

For lip closure, On The Nose Co.’s mouth tape uses a central slit rather than Respire’s large full-coverage shape. A slit can feel less restrictive and provides a deliberate opening, but it is not a guarantee of safety and does not remove the need for comfortable nasal airflow.

Claim audit: what is actually supported?

Respire’s nose-strip page uses several figures: “up to 30% more oxygen,” “up to 50% increase in instant airflow” and an 83% member-reported result combining nasal airflow with energy or sleep quality. These are different outcomes and should not be blended into one clinical conclusion.

Evidence ladder

How much confidence should a shopper place in each type of statement?

Verified feature

Respire publishes third-party chemical-safety testing. Both brands publish product formats, quantities and policies. These are the strongest directly checkable facts in this comparison.

Member survey

Respire reports that 83% of members noticed instant nasal-airflow improvement and a general increase in energy or sleep quality. The product page does not clearly display the survey sample, recruitment, questionnaire or control group.

Not established

No public head-to-head clinical trial shows Respire delivers more airflow, better sleep or stronger adhesion than On The Nose Co. Percentages on either brand’s marketing should not be assumed to transfer to every user.

External nasal-dilator research supports the basic mechanism: strips can widen the nasal valve area and reduce nasal resistance for some people. A review of external nasal dilators summarises those mechanical effects. However, “more nasal airflow” is not the same as “more oxygen” in the air or a guaranteed increase in whole-body oxygen uptake.

For sport, a 2021 systematic review and meta-analysis found no significant overall improvement in VO₂max, heart rate or perceived exertion among healthy participants. A strip may still improve nasal comfort without creating measurable performance gains.

Mouth tape: full coverage versus a central slit

Respire wins for shoppers who actively want a broad, breathable full-coverage fabric and beard-friendly positioning. On The Nose Co. wins for those who prefer a smaller central breathing slit as part of the standard design. Neither design has been directly shown to be safer or more effective than the other in a peer-reviewed comparative trial.

The wider evidence remains limited. A 2025 systematic review of mouth taping found only 10 eligible studies involving 233 patients, with mixed designs and results. Several studies excluded people with nasal obstruction—the very users for whom closing the mouth may create the greatest concern.

Breathable fabric or a central slit is a design feature, not proof that an unsuitable user can tape safely. Mouth tape should never be used to bypass persistent congestion or replace assessment for suspected sleep apnoea.

Bundles, subscriptions and real nightly cost

Respire makes longer bundles a major part of its offer. Its Australian bundle page displayed two-, three-, six- and 12-month paired supplies. At the time checked, a three-month bundle showed 90 sleep strips, 90 nose strips and two containers for AU$172, while promotional overlays displayed other temporary offers. Prices and inclusions should be verified immediately before purchase.

On The Nose Co.’s standard nose-strip and mouth-tape bundle is a simpler one-month trial: 30 conventional nose strips and 30 slit mouth tapes, with longer options available. This reduces the first commitment for someone who has not yet established that both adhesives suit their skin and routine.

Respire subscriptions can be paused or cancelled for future orders, but its formal terms say products already dispatched—or a current billing period already processed—are generally not refundable except as required by Australian Consumer Law. Judge recurring offers on the billed frequency, cancellation cut-off and amount of product you will realistically use.

Useful cost formula: delivered price ÷ number of nights both products are comfortably used. A heavily discounted six-month bundle is not better value if the tape format, adhesive or nasal lift does not suit you after one week.

Returns and consumer protection

Respire’s formal Australian refund policy provides a 30-day risk-free trial for a first order placed through its website. It says items should be returned in original condition, allowing reasonable trial use, and that damaged or excessively opened products may receive a replacement or credit—or be declined—subject to Australian Consumer Law.

On The Nose Co.’s refund policy says return requests must be submitted within 30 days of delivery. The exact eligibility, exclusions, process and return address should be checked before sending anything. Both policies operate alongside rights that cannot be excluded under Australian Consumer Law.

Round-by-round verdict

Which brand should you choose?

How to test a paired routine cautiously

1. Begin with the nasal strip alone. Confirm that nasal breathing is comfortable while awake and during a short rest.
2. Patch test each adhesive separately. Do not introduce two new skin-contact products on the same night.
3. Try mouth tape while awake and upright. Practise removing it immediately before considering sleep use.
4. Use neither over irritated skin. Stop for pain, blistering, broken skin, swelling or persistent redness.
5. Avoid risky nights. Do not mouth tape with congestion, nausea, alcohol, sedatives or unreliable nasal airflow.
6. Watch for clinical warning signs. Gasping, witnessed pauses, severe snoring and daytime sleepiness need professional assessment.

A nose strip does not automatically make mouth tape appropriate. It may support the front of the nasal airway, but it cannot exclude deeper obstruction, severe allergy swelling, a significant structural issue or sleep-disordered breathing.

Our final recommendation

Respire is a credible Australian competitor with real strengths. Its retail availability, dedicated chemical-safety testing and extensive paired bundles are meaningful—not cosmetic—advantages. A buyer who prefers full lip coverage and already wants months of nose strips plus sleep strips may reasonably choose Respire.

On The Nose Co. wins the complete comparison overall. It offers the more varied nasal pathway: clear and black conventional strips for distinct routines, plus a reusable magnetic bridge and refill system. The slit mouth tape provides a different design choice, while the On The Nose Co. Breathing Academy, Interactive Breathing Lab™ and Knowledge Centre give shoppers more help deciding whether and how to use the products.

The correct choice may reverse for an individual. Product fit, adhesive tolerance, facial hair, comfort with coverage and the cause of breathing difficulty matter more than the logo. Neither brand should be treated as a substitute for medical assessment.

Start with the format—not the biggest discount

Test nasal comfort first, choose a mouth-tape design you can remove confidently and build the routine only if both products suit you.

Explore the sleep bundleCompare magnetic support

Frequently asked questions

Is Respire better than On The Nose Co.?

Respire wins for Priceline availability, large sleep bundles and public chemical-safety testing. On The Nose Co. wins overall for conventional and magnetic nasal options, slit mouth tape, purpose-led product pages and deeper education. No direct clinical trial compares them.

What is the difference between Respire and On The Nose Co. nose strips?

Both sell 30-pack conventional external strips. On The Nose Co. adds clear and black purpose-led choices plus a reusable magnetic system, while Respire focuses its main conventional strip across sleep, congestion and activity.

Which mouth tape covers more of the lips?

Respire’s breathable Sleep Strip uses a large full-coverage format. On The Nose Co. uses a central-slit design. More coverage is not automatically better; comfort, removal confidence, nasal airflow and individual suitability are more important.

Does Respire mouth tape have a breathing slit?

Respire describes breathable fabric that allows airflow, but its compared format is a broad full-coverage strip rather than the defined central slit used by On The Nose Co. Breathability does not remove mouth-taping precautions.

Are Respire nose strips clinically proven to increase oxygen by 50%?

Respire uses varying “up to” airflow and oxygen wording. General studies support reduced nasal resistance from external dilators, but we did not find a public peer-reviewed Respire-versus-On The Nose Co. trial proving a 50% oxygen-uptake advantage.

What does Respire’s third-party testing prove?

It supports the reported absence or low detection of selected substances such as PFAS, heavy metals and BPA in tested materials. It is useful safety information, but it does not prove better airflow, sleep, snoring or athletic performance.

Can either brand stop snoring?

Either nose strip may help some snoring influenced by nasal resistance, and mouth tape may reduce mouth opening for a suitable user. Neither can guarantee silence or treat obstructive sleep apnoea. Gasping, pauses or marked sleepiness require assessment.

Which brand has the better money-back guarantee?

Both publish a 30-day pathway with conditions. Respire’s trial applies to the first order placed through its website; On The Nose Co. asks for return requests within 30 days of delivery. Read the live policy before purchasing or returning.

Can I buy Respire in Australian stores?

Yes. Respire provides an official store locator and its 30-pack nose strips are listed by Priceline Australia. Availability can differ by location, so confirm stock before travelling.

Should I buy a one-month or long-term bundle first?

A one-month supply is generally the lower-commitment choice when you have not tested the adhesive, lift or mouth-tape design. Longer bundles may reduce nightly cost only when both products remain comfortable and useful for you.

Sources checked

1. Respire Nose Strips Australia — pack, mechanism, claims, survey and subscription details.
2. Respire Sleep Strips Australia — format, quantities and product positioning.
3. Respire Test Results — third-party chemical-safety testing.
4. Respire Bundles — displayed Australian bundle quantities and prices.
5. Respire Refund Policy and Subscription Terms.
6. Priceline Australia Respire listing — retail availability.
7. On The Nose Co. Sleep Nose Strips, Sport Nose Strips and Magnetic Nasal Strips.
8. On The Nose Co. Mouth Tape and Sleep Bundle.
9. On The Nose Co. Refund Policy.
10. External nasal dilators: definition, background and current uses.
11. 2021 systematic review of external nasal dilators in sport.
12. 2025 systematic review of mouth taping.

Products, promotions, prices and policies can change. This comparison reflects public information visible on 10 August 2026. Research involving other external dilators or taping materials establishes general context only; it does not prove either compared brand is superior.

Medical disclaimer: This article provides general education and product-comparison information only. Nose strips and mouth tape do not diagnose or treat obstructive sleep apnoea. Seek appropriately qualified medical advice for ongoing nasal obstruction, breathing difficulty, severe snoring, witnessed breathing pauses or significant daytime sleepiness.