24-hour Holter ECG monitor cost in the UK: what you pay privately (2026)

A private 24-hour Holter monitor records the heart rhythm continuously through a day to catch palpitations, skipped beats or pauses that a short ECG might miss, with longer versions available for rarer symptoms.

Hospital price pages give a first idea of scale. The 24-hour Holter ECG monitor entries we retrieved sat between £350; the rows below show which hospital and which variant each figure refers to.

None of these numbers is an offer to treat. Providers confirm a final price after assessment, and consultant or anaesthetist fees may be set separately.

Electrodes are attached to your chest and connected to a small recorder worn on a strap or in a pocket. You continue normal activities and write down any symptoms with the time, which helps the analyst match symptoms to rhythm.

Afterwards you return the device and the recording is analysed. Ask how long results take and who will discuss them, since the report alone may not tell you whether treatment is needed.

A single guide figure for 24-hour Holter ECG monitor can mislead, because the final amount depends on factors like these.

• Duration: a 24-hour recording costs less than a 48-hour or seven-day patch, which has more data to analyse.

• Device type: a traditional wired Holter differs from a patch such as the Zio, which Edinburgh lists as event monitoring.

• Analysis and reporting: automated plus clinician reporting is more costly.

• Consultation: a cardiologist to interpret the result is often separate.

• Provider: not every provider lists Holter prices, so a quote is needed.

Providers define a package differently, so two quotes are only comparable once you line up what each covers. The table lists what is typically in and what is often billed separately for this procedure.

Insurers usually cover Holter monitoring on cardiologist or GP referral for palpitations or syncope. Check whether longer devices are authorised separately.

Insurers often agree a procedure code and a fee ceiling in advance. Self-pay patients should ask whether instalment finance is offered and what the total repayable would be, as the representative rate and terms differ by lender.

NHS ambulatory ECG monitoring is arranged after GP or specialist assessment, with waits varying by trust, and urgent cases prioritised.

NHS care is free at the point of use, and for non-urgent consultant-led treatment the standard is 18 weeks from referral. You also have the right to choose where you are referred in England. Local waits differ, so ask what applies near you.

You wear the device and keep a diary; avoid getting it wet and keep to your usual activities.

No one plans for things to go wrong, but a short conversation about extra costs now can save difficulty later.

• A normal Holter does not prove that nothing is wrong if symptoms did not occur during the recording, so repeat or longer monitoring may be advised.

• Fainting, chest pain or sustained racing heart with breathlessness need urgent assessment, not a booked recording.

Quotes only compare fairly when they cover the same things. Put these questions to every provider you approach.

• How long does the recording last and is a longer option available?

• Who analyses and reports the recording?

• Is a consultation to discuss the results included?

• What does the next-step test cost?

• Will I receive one price covering the hospital, the consultant and the anaesthetic, or several bills from different parties?