nixit vs Hello Disc: Which Reusable Menstrual Disc Is Right for You?

The first thing most people notice about the Hello Disc is the tab. This reusable menstrual disc uses a 48 mm double-looped pull tab, sitting below the disc, so it can be gripped in four positions depending on where your cervix sits. Hello calls it world-first, and it’s their signature design choice.

nixit’s design choice is the opposite: this tab-free reusable menstrual disc has no tab, no stem, no notch. Just an ultra-soft silicone rim that flexes to your anatomy and comes out the same way it went in - by hand, by feel.

Quick comparison: nixit vs Hello Disc at a glance

So if you’re choosing between these two reusable menstrual discs, you’re really choosing between those two ideas about what a disc should be. Unlike menstrual cups, both menstrual discs sit in the vaginal fornix rather than relying on suction in the vaginal canal. The rest - capacity, materials, regulatory, country of origin - flows from there.

Here’s the side-by-side breakdown, to help you pick the disc that actually fits your life. If you’re comparing cups and discs across the market, other cups and other menstrual discs can feel interchangeable at first, but they are not.

Search terms like menstrual cup or disc, cup or disc, reusable menstrual cup, reusable menstrual disc, period cup, period disc, and reusable alternative all point to the same basic decision: do you want a lower seated cup or a reusable menstrual disc that sits in the vaginal canal, against the vaginal walls, and behind the pubic bone?

People who already like a beloved menstrual cup such as Diva Cup or Lily Cup often compare Flex Disc, Saalt Disc, Diva Disc, Ziggy Disc, and Lumma Disc before choosing.

Others come from period underwear or disposable tampons and simply want a reusable alternative, and if you’ve had a vaginal birth or have used period products for more than a decade, the comfort equation can feel different again.

Even if someone searches for a nixit menstrual cup, a disposable disc, or cups and discs in general, the answer is still the same: nixit is the tab-free reusable menstrual disc option.

If you are still deciding between a menstrual cup or a reusable menstrual disc, the most important difference is where each product sits.

A menstrual cup usually sits lower in the vaginal canal and relies on suction, while a reusable menstrual disc sits higher in the vaginal fornix and tucks behind the pubic bone. That changes how the product feels during insertion, how it collects menstrual fluid, and how removal works.

For anyone moving from standard menstrual cups to menstrual discs, one-size fits most matters as much as comfort, and the choice is less about which product is newer and more about fit.

Think about cervix height, flow level, comfort with a pull tab, and whether you want something extra to grip. A higher cervix can make a tab feel reassuring, while a low cervix or sensitive anatomy may make a tab-free, smooth silicone rim feel simpler.

The tab: what it does, and what it doesn’t

It’s worth pausing on the Hello tab because it isn’t decorative - it’s the design idea the whole disc is built around.

The 48 mm double-looped pull tab sits below the rim and can be rotated to four different positions: 12 o’clock, 3, 6, and 9. The thinking is that depending on where your cervix sits, the most reachable angle for the tab will be different. Higher cervix? Rotate the tab. Lower cervix? Rotate it the other way. One disc, one size, four removal angles.

The trade-off: the tab is something inside you. Some users notice it, particularly in the first cycle or two. Others don’t.

nixit’s approach is the inverse. No tab to find, no tab to feel. You remove the disc by hooking a finger under the rim itself - the same way disc users have been doing it for decades. The rim is the same shape all the way around, so there’s nothing you can mis-orient on insertion. For beginners, that’s a quiet upside we don’t talk about enough.

Key insight: The tab is what makes Hello a Hello Disc. If you actively want a tab, you want Hello. If you actively don’t, you want nixit. There isn’t really a tab-neutral answer.

Capacity: the 20 mL gap

Heavy flow is where the design choice meets the spec sheet.

nixit holds up to 70 mL of menstrual fluid - the top of the reusable disc category, roughly 6 super tampons. The Hello Disc holds up to 50 mL, about 5 regular tampons by Hello’s own count. That’s a 20 mL gap, or about 40% more capacity in nixit’s favour.

For lighter days, the difference is theoretical. You’ll empty either disc on a normal schedule. For your heaviest day, 20 mL is the difference between making it through a workday on one wear and changing twice. If you’ve been let down by smaller-capacity products on day two, that gap is the thing to weigh.

If you have heavy periods or heavy flow, that higher capacity can be the difference between trusting the disc overnight and worrying about leakage. Both discs are reusable and both can replace regular tampons or disposable period products, but the 70 mL nixit capacity gives heavier-flow users more room before they need to empty, rinse, and reinsert.

Materials and softness

Both discs are 100% medical-grade silicone, both are BPA-free and latex-free reusable period products. Hello lists USP Class VI silicone and ISO 10993 certification - both standard markers for materials cleared for long-term internal use. nixit meets the same medical-grade silicone standard.

Where they differ is feel.

nixit is engineered to be an ultra-soft silicone disc. It folds easily for insertion and shapes itself around you once it’s in. That softness is also what lets nixit work as a true one-size disc: the silicone does the adapting.

Hello’s silicone is medical-grade but firmer in feel - partly so the looped removal tab structure can hold its shape on the way in and on the way out. The tab needs to keep its form to be findable.

If softness is the thing you most want from a reusable disc - postpartum, sensitive anatomy, or just preference - nixit’s the softer one of the two.

Putting it in, taking it out

Insertion and removal of a menstrual disc start the same for both: pinch the rim into a fold, slide it through the vaginal canal toward your tailbone, and tuck the front edge behind your pubic bone. Neither uses suction; your anatomy holds the suction-free disc in place.

Removal is where the tab earns its keep - or doesn’t.

With nixit, you hook a finger under the rim and ease it out. Nothing to find, nothing to grip. The rim itself is the only handle.

With Hello, you hook a finger through the looped tab, choose the angle that’s easiest to reach for you, and pull. For users with a higher cervix or shorter fingers, the tab can make removal less of an exercise.

Pro tip: Whichever disc you pick, give it two or three full cycles before you decide it’s not for you. Almost everyone fumbles a little on the first attempt. Discs reward a little patience - the learning curve is the product, not you. Our how to insert a menstrual disc in under 3 minutes guide walks through the fold, the angle, and the tuck step by step.

There is always some trial and error with reusable period products. The first insert can feel awkward, and a little mess is normal while you learn the fold and tuck. Compared with pads and tampons, a reusable menstrual disc can reduce bathroom trash and make period care more sustainable, but it should still feel secure, clean, and comfortable during daily use.

Lifespan

Both reusable period products are rated for up to 5 years with proper care. You wash between uses with a mild soap, sterilize once a cycle if you want, and store the disc in its breathable pouch. Either disc will replace hundreds of disposables before you need to think about a new one.

Regulatory and certifications: where the brands diverge

This section is shorter than usual because the picture is straightforward.

FDA. Both nixit and Hello are FDA-registered menstrual discs. But there’s a wrinkle worth knowing: menstrual discs are 510(k)-exempt under FDA rules, which is the FDA’s way of saying “we don’t review these before they go on sale.”

Health Canada. nixit holds a Class II medical device licence and is authorised for sale by Health Canada, listed on Health Canada’s Medical Devices Active Licence Listing (MDALL). That isn’t a paperwork formality - to issue a Class II licence, Health Canada actually reviews the materials, the manufacturing process, biocompatibility, and the safety evidence.

Country of origin. nixit is designed and made in Canada. Hello is designed in New Zealand and manufactured in China. Both are smaller, owner-led brands - not US-headquartered. If buying Canadian matters to you, that’s a real difference.

B Corp. Hello Period has been a Certified B Corporation since January 2021, with a focus on sustainable period care.

IUD compatibility

This is one of the most-asked questions about discs in general, so worth answering directly.

Yes, both nixit and Hello are designed to be IUD-friendly and IUD-compatible. The reason has nothing to do with the brand - it’s the disc design itself. A disc sits in the vaginal fornix, below the cervix. Your IUD sits inside your uterus, above the cervix. They’re in different places, and neither a nixit nor a Hello uses suction.

The usual disclaimers apply:

• Run it past your healthcare provider, especially in the first year after IUD insertion.
• Most providers suggest waiting one to two cycles after insertion before starting a disc.
• Keep your IUD strings trimmed if your provider recommends it.

Not a meaningful difference between the two brands.

When Hello might work for you

Honest take: Hello isn’t the wrong choice. There are real situations where it could make more sense than nixit.

• The looped pull tab is a feature that some users may utilize for removal, but may move and can be difficult to locate if the disc alters its position.
• You have a higher cervix and other discs have been hard to reach. The 4-way orientation of Hello’s tab is specifically aimed at this. It can make removal noticeably easier.
• B Corp certification matters to you. Hello Period has been B Corp certified since January 2021.
• You’re drawn to the Hello brand. Hello Period is a smaller, owner-led, New Zealand-founded brand with a strong sustainability story. If that’s part of how you shop, that matters.

If any of those describe you, Hello is a well-built, well-reviewed disc. We’d rather you find the one that actually fits your life than the one with our logo on it.

Why nixit might be the better fit

nixit is built for people who want a soft, high-capacity disc with a clean, tab-free design.

• Up to 70 mL of capacity. The top of the disc category - roughly 40% more than the Hello Disc. Built for heavy days and longer stretches between changes.
• Ultra-soft, 100% medical-grade silicone. The disc adapts to you, not the other way around.
• Tab-free, stem-free, notch-free. Nothing extra sitting inside you, and beginner-friendly because there’s no tab or notch to position correctly on the way in.
• FDA-registered and authorised for sale by Health Canada. nixit holds a Class II medical device licence in Canada.
• Designed and made in Canada.
• FSA/HSA eligible at most major retailers.

If soft, high-capacity, suction-free, and tab-free are the three things you want most from a reusable disc, nixit is built for you.

The short version

Pick Hello Disc if you want a tab. Pick nixit if you want capacity, softness, and a tab-free rim.

If you are choosing between a menstrual cup and a reusable menstrual disc, start with the experience you want. A reusable menstrual cup may feel familiar if you already like a cup-style seal, while a disc may suit you better if you want a suction-free fit. The Hello Disc gives you a defined pull tab for removal; nixit keeps the inside of the disc simple, with no tab, stem, or notch.

Both are well-made, reusable, and a real improvement on disposables. There’s no wrong answer, just the answer that fits the way you actually want to use a disc.

If a soft, tab-free, 12-hour disc with 70 mL of capacity sounds like what you’ve been looking for, the nixit menstrual disc is built for it. New to discs? Start with our how to insert a menstrual disc guide.

All comparison data in this post - pricing, regulatory status, capacity, and product specs - is accurate as far as we’re aware at time of writing. Brands update their products and listings; check the manufacturer’s website if you want to verify a specific detail before buying.