This is the first upsell almost every Sunstone shopper hits: you've decided on the entry tier, and now the store shows you a Plus version for a few hundred dollars more. The Zapp is the lowest-cost way onto Sunstone's platform. The Zapp Plus 2 is the same entry tier with the full energy range and a lock-in digital dial. Both are real, US-made pulse-arc welders with the same warranty and the same phone support. The only question is whether the range you'd gain is range your catalog will actually use.
We reviewed the base machine in the Sunstone Zapp review, and the Zapp Plus 2 sits alongside it in the Sunstone lineup overview. This page is the direct comparison.
Zapp vs Zapp Plus 2, side by side
| Welder | Energy range | Control | Metal range | Weight | Warranty | Price (Aug 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunstone ZappEntry | 3-10 J (1 J steps) | Dial | Gold-filled & fine chain | ~2 lb class | 3-year | around $1,249 |
| Sunstone Zapp Plus 2Step up | 1-30 J (30 settings) | Lock-in digital dial | Full standard-metal range | 1.9 lb | 3-year | from around $1,699 |
Specs from Sunstone product pages (verified Aug 2026). Prices drift and vary by color/stylus variant; check the linked pages for current pricing.
Energy range: what your metals actually need
The whole decision rides on range. The base Zapp's 3-10 joules, in single-joule steps, covers gold-filled and fine sterling, the metals that carry most beginner bookings. If your catalog is delicate chain, you will not feel 10 joules as a ceiling. The Zapp Plus 2 opens the full 1-30 joule range across 30 settings, which is the same span as the flagship mPulse. That headroom matters the day you add heavier links or a thicker gauge: those welds want more energy than the base Zapp puts on tap. Buy for the catalog you'll sell, not the one you might imagine.
Control: single-joule dial vs lock-in digital dial
Both machines are dial-driven, so neither has the mPulse touchscreen. The difference is the Zapp Plus 2's lock-in digital dial: you set an energy level and tap it in place, and it holds across a long event instead of drifting if the knob gets bumped in a busy booth. On the base Zapp you re-check the dial by feel. For a low-volume weekend that's fine; across a six-hour wedding or market day, the lock-in is one less thing to babysit between customers.
Weight and portability
The Zapp Plus 2 is the lightest Sunstone at 1.9 lbs with a 13.3 x 15.5 x 6.9 cm footprint, genuinely bag-and-go for mobile events. The base Zapp is a compact desktop unit too, but if you're the kind of operator who works pop-ups and travels between venues, the Plus 2's weight is a small daily convenience that adds up.
Price and payback
Roughly $450 separates the two. Framed against the machine, that's a big percentage; framed against the business, it's small: at $60-90 profit per bracelet, the gap is five to eight welds, a single busy afternoon. The honest way to decide isn't "which is cheaper" but "will I sell the metals that need 30 joules?" If yes, the Zapp Plus 2 removes a ceiling now instead of forcing a second purchase later. If your first year is fine chain at pop-ups, the base Zapp does that job and the $450 becomes inventory. Run both through the profit calculator with your event calendar and metal mix.
Which Zapp should you buy?
You'll weld mostly gold-filled and fine chain, want the lowest name-brand price, and would rather put the ~$450 saved into sellable inventory than into range you may not use yet.
View Zapp at Sunstone
You expect to weld across metals (thicker links and heavier chain, not just fine sterling), want the lock-in dial to hold settings across a long event, and value the lightest, most portable Sunstone.
View Zapp Plus 2 at SunstoneIf you already know you'll grow into mixed metals and high volume, it's also worth looking past both to the flagship Orion mPulse touchscreen unit. The Zapp vs Orion mPulse comparison frames that jump. If you're open to a non-Sunstone dial machine at the same full range, the Pepetools Helix reaches 1-30 joules for around $1,499. The whole field, budget imports included, is in the welder roundup.
Zapp vs Zapp Plus 2 FAQ
What is the difference between the Zapp and the Zapp Plus 2?
Range and control. The base Zapp covers 3-10 joules in single-joule steps on a dial, enough for gold-filled and fine chain. The Zapp Plus 2 covers the full 1-30 joules across 30 settings with a lock-in digital energy dial, in a lighter 1.9 lb body, and costs roughly $450 more. Both are Made in the USA with the same 3-year warranty and US support.
Is the Zapp Plus 2 worth about $450 more than the Zapp?
It depends on your metal mix. If your catalog is fine sterling and gold-filled chain, the base Zapp's 3-10 joules already covers it, and $450 buys a lot of inventory. If you plan to weld heavier links or a wider metal range, the Zapp Plus 2's full 1-30 joules removes a ceiling you would otherwise hit, and its lock-in dial keeps welds consistent across a long booking. Buy the range you'll actually use, not the range that sounds safest.
Does the Zapp Plus 2 have a touchscreen like the Orion mPulse?
No. The Zapp Plus 2 uses a digital energy dial with a lock-in tap, not the mPulse's touchscreen with 0.5-joule fine steps below 15 joules. It reaches the mPulse's full 1-30 joule range for far less money, trading the touchscreen and sub-joule tuning for a simpler dial. If you want the touchscreen studio unit, that is the mPulse; the Zapp Plus 2 is the value middle of the lineup.
Which Zapp is lighter and more portable?
The Zapp Plus 2, at 1.9 lbs with a 13.3 x 15.5 x 6.9 cm footprint, is the lightest Sunstone, genuinely pop-up and travel friendly. The base Zapp is a compact desktop unit as well, but if you run mobile events out of a bag, the Plus 2 is the easiest to carry.
Do both machines have the same warranty and support?
Yes. Both are Made in the USA and backed by a 3-year manufacturer warranty with US-based customer service and tungsten electrode supply. The support you can call when a weld fails mid-event is the same on both machines.
Read the full Zapp review, see the whole Sunstone lineup, or compare the Pepetools Helix for a full-range dial machine at a lower price.