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Which company is behind IQOS, glo and Ploom?
IQOS belongs to Philip Morris International, glo to British American Tobacco and Ploom to Japan Tobacco. Each company publishes information about its own products on its corporate website. All three brands sit in the heated tobacco category, yet they are separate systems designed independently of one another, with no shared parts or sticks.
For the category as a whole, including the lil family from KT&G, start with heat-not-burn explained.
This page narrows the focus to three brands that travellers are most likely to come across in Asian and European markets.
None of the three companies designs sticks for the other two companies' devices, which is the key point for anyone owning more than one.
How does IQOS ILUMA heating compare with glo?
IQOS ILUMA uses SmartCore Induction, which heats a metal element inside the stick from within, with no blade. BAT describes glo as a lithium-ion battery powering a heating chamber that warms neo sticks filled with processed tobacco. BAT also notes that the older glo pro model used induction heating, so the answer depends on which glo is meant.
The newer glo Hyper Pro was announced with a technology called HeatBoost, but the documents we checked do not say it is induction, so we do not go further than BAT's wording.
Both IQOS heating methods are explained in what IQOS is.
Model names such as glo pro and glo hyper therefore matter when reading any comparison.
What heating system does Ploom rely on?
Ploom's own FAQ explains that Ploom X Advanced uses HeatFlow: the tobacco stick sits in a closed chamber while it is heated and air flows around it. Japan Tobacco states that Ploom AURA uses SMART HEATFLOW, which adds a choice of four heating modes. Neither description involves a blade or a metal element inside the stick.
That sets Ploom apart from IQOS ILUMA, where the heat starts inside the stick, and from IQOS 3 DUO, which pushes a blade into the tobacco.
For the blade family, see IQOS 3 DUO explained.
Japan Tobacco announced Ploom AURA in May 2025, so it is the more recent of the two Ploom devices mentioned here.
What are the stick names for each brand?
IQOS ILUMA uses the SMARTCORE STICKS group, including TEREA, while the IQOS blade family uses HEETS. BAT says the glo hyper family uses neo sticks. Japan Tobacco lists EVO sticks in Japan, along with MEVIUS and CAMEL branded sticks, for all Ploom devices in that line-up. Names can change from market to market.
Every IQOS stick type is laid out in IQOS stick types.
How TEREA flavour names are built in different countries is covered in TEREA flavours explained, which helps when a label looks unfamiliar.
Because the names vary, the heating system is a more reliable guide than the brand printed on a pack, and it always has to match the device.
Will Ploom sticks work in an IQOS?
No. Each brand's sticks are built for that brand's heating system. Ploom sticks are designed for a HeatFlow chamber and have no metal element for IQOS ILUMA induction to heat. The IQOS maker also warns that sticks from one of its own families should not be used in the other, because the device may be damaged.
The same logic applies to putting glo neo sticks into an IQOS, or the other way round.
People search this in many languages because some own devices from more than one brand. Within IQOS itself, the dividing line is explained in HEETS vs TEREA.
Can TEREA sticks be used in glo or Ploom devices?
No. The Philip Morris launch announcement states that TEREA is used only with IQOS ILUMA devices, and that each stick contains a metal heating element designed for induction. Using TEREA in a device from another brand falls outside what either manufacturer designed for, so it should not be treated as an option.
A plain-language description of the stick itself is on what TEREA is.
Which IQOS models accept TEREA, from the first ILUMA generation to ILUMA i, is summarised in our comparison of IQOS models.
The same limit applies to the other sticks in the SMARTCORE STICKS group, which share the induction design.
Is the Thai legal position different for each brand?
No. The Tobacco Control Laws database reports that Thailand treats heated tobacco as covered by its e-cigarette prohibition, and the UK government's travel advice says it is illegal to possess or use heat-not-burn devices in Thailand. The ban does not distinguish between brands, so IQOS, glo and Ploom are in the same position.
The legal detail is on is IQOS legal in Thailand.
If you are flying through the region, flying with IQOS separates airline rules from the rules at your destination.
Brand, model or finish makes no difference to this position, and none of the three makers runs an official support channel in Thailand.
Why does this comparison avoid naming a winner?
Because it compares only facts that the manufacturers publish, such as the heating system and the stick names. Taste and ease of use are personal preferences, and comparing products on health grounds is outside this site's content policy. The comparison is therefore here to help readers understand the category, not to steer a choice.
To compare devices inside the IQOS range, use the IQOS model table.
For the newest generation and a dated timeline of every family, see latest IQOS devices.
Where a maker's wording is vague, as with the heating in newer glo models, we say so rather than fill the gap ourselves. Every claim here links back to a listed source.
| Topic | IQOS ILUMA | glo | Ploom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maker | Philip Morris International | British American Tobacco | Japan Tobacco |
| Heating | SmartCore Induction, element in stick | Heating chamber (older glo pro used induction) | HeatFlow or SMART HEATFLOW |
| Sticks | TEREA and SMARTCORE STICKS | neo (hyper family) | EVO, MEVIUS, CAMEL (Japan) |
| Cross-brand sticks | No | No | No |
| Status in Thailand | Illegal | Illegal | Illegal |
Frequently asked questions
Can Ploom be used with IQOS sticks or vice versa?
Can glo use TEREA sticks?
Who owns Ploom?
Is glo an induction system like IQOS ILUMA?
Where does lil fit in?
Is any of these brands legal in Thailand?
Sources
- IQOS ILUMA launch — Philip Morris International
- Heated tobacco science — British American Tobacco
- glo — British American Tobacco
- BAT launches glo Hyper Pro (Jan 2024)
- What is HeatFlow? — Ploom
- Ploom AURA launch — Japan Tobacco (27 May 2025)
- TEREA sticks FAQ — IQOS Iraq
- Thailand — Heated tobacco products regulatory framework (Tobacco Control Laws)
- Thailand travel advice: safety and security — GOV.UK
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A space for IQOS users to exchange information with each other — not a commercial channel of any kind. For readers aged 20+ only. Note: this is a Thai-language LINE group.
Join the IQOS User Group (Thai-language LINE group)