Guide
How to compare probiotics prices
Price per serving is only useful at the same live count and strain. How to compare, what to read on the label, and where ours falls short.
Compare probiotics by price per serving, but only between products with the same live count and the same strain identity. Divide the price by servings, check whether the count is at manufacture or at expiry, and check whether strains are named. A lower price per capsule is not a like-for-like saving.
Step 1: price per serving, not per bottle
Divide the bottle price by the number of servings, then check what a serving is: one capsule, two, a scoop or a gummy. A 60-capsule bottle at a serving of two is 30 servings. An illustrative example with made-up numbers: $24 for 60 capsules at two a day is $0.80 a serving, while $14 for 30 capsules at one a day is about $0.47. Use the maker's own site for any price, note the date you checked, and compare a subscription price only with another subscription price, or a single-bottle price with a single-bottle price.
Step 2: count and when it was counted
CFU counts live organisms. A label that says "at the time of manufacture" gives the count when the product was made; one that says "through expiration" gives a count you can expect until the date. These are not the same number. A lab survey of probiotics sold in one market found almost none met their label claim, 11% had no viable cells and 27% varied significantly between batches. It is one market, not ours, but it is why the dated count matters more than the biggest figure. Compare price per billion CFU only when both counts are dated the same way.
Step 3: strain identity
A review of 249 trials found efficacy was strain-specific and purpose-specific, and that many products lack confirmatory trials. The accepted definition of a probiotic also requires an identified strain and a known, adequate amount. A bottle that prints strain codes lets you look up the trial; a bottle that prints species only does not. If one costs more because it names strains, you are buying a different thing, not a pricier version of the same thing. A dose-response review found that for most outcomes no clear relationship with dose was found, so do not use CFU as a stand-in for quality either.
Step 4: what else is in it
Read the other ingredients for fillers, sweeteners and allergens you want to avoid; see probiotics without fillers. Then check storage, and whether the maker holds a certificate of analysis for viable count.
How our label measures up
Electric Tiger Probiotic 20 Billion CFU is as low as $14.39 a bottle on subscription (a 3-bottle subscription price, not the single-bottle price). A bottle holds 30 capsules at one a day, which is about $0.48 a serving. A serving is 20 billion CFU at the time of manufacture, from 13 listed organisms, species only, one 317 mg row. Where it falls short: no strain codes, no count per organism, and the count is at manufacture rather than expiry. We hold no certificate of analysis for viable count, so we do not claim third-party testing. If strain-level labelling matters to you, a product that prints it may be worth more per serving than ours.
Questions people ask
Are probiotics worth it?
That depends on a named strain, tested at a stated dose, for a stated purpose; the 249-trial review found many products lack a trial of their own. We do not claim ours is worth it for any outcome. What research found is in probiotics benefits.
Is a premium-priced probiotic worth it?
Check the same things: strain codes, a dated count and a certificate of analysis. We found no study linking a probiotic's price to its viable count, so price alone does not tell you either way.
Which probiotics are cheap, and what are affordable options?
Cheap per serving is only a bargain at the same count and strain identity. Use the steps above, and read prices from each maker's own site rather than a marketplace listing.
How do I compare prices of popular probiotics sold in the US?
Build a table with serving size, servings per bottle, price per serving, live count and when it was counted, named strains, and other ingredients. See how to choose a good probiotic for the full checklist.
Sources
- Compositional Quality and Possible Gastrointestinal Performance of Marketed Probiotic Supplements A lab survey of probiotics sold in one market found almost none met their label claim and 11% had no viable cells.
- Choosing an appropriate probiotic product for your patient: An evidence-based practical guide A review of 249 trials found probiotic effects depend on the exact strain and the purpose, and many products have no trial of their own.
- Expert consensus document. The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics consensus statement on the scope and appropriate use of the term probiotic A 2014 international expert consensus statement defined 'probiotic' as a specific, identified live microorganism given in a known, adequate amount that has been shown to produce a health benefit — not a general term for any product containing live bacteria.
- A review of dose-responses of probiotics in human studies A review found that whether a higher probiotic dose does more depends on the outcome, and for most outcomes studied there was no clear relationship.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
