As I’ve chatted with readers about my popular “cheaper alternatives to…” blog series, the most frequently requested topic has been essential oils. Essential oils are very hot right now. Many people have been introduced to the concept by the multi-level marketing (MLM) companies Young Living and Doterra. While Young Living and Doterra have high-quality essential oils, their prices are outrageously high. Readers have been asking if there are cheaper alternatives to Young Living and Doterra. Thankfully, there are tons of high-quality essential oil companies out there, most of which do not require you to attend at-home sales parties like the MLMs.
Which Brands Are Comparable to Young Living & Doterra?
I think there are many high-quality essential oil brands out there. I chose three companies that came up repeatedly in my research as offering high-quality oils at much lower prices than Young Living and Doterra. To keep it simple for this blog post, I am comparing these three brands:
- Edens Garden
- Plant Therapy
- Now
Are These Essential Oils “Therapeutic Grade”?
“Therapeutic Grade” is a meaningless marketing term. There is no independent agency that certifies oils to be therapeutic grade. In fact, the term “Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade” is a registered trademark of Doterra, as they state on their website:
CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade is a registered trademark of dōTERRA Holdings, LLC representing internal standards of quality assessment and material control. The CPTG testing protocols require the use of independent laboratories for CPTG standardization and quality testing. The CPTG protocol is not administered by government or industry regulatory agencies and does not imply regulatory approval of dōTERRA products.
So technically Doterra is the only company who can use that term because they own the phrase. How does it mean anything then? It doesn’t. It’s just marketing.
Are They High-Quality and Thoroughly Tested?
I believe all of these brands produce high-quality essential oils that have undergone rigorous testing. You can compare the quality & testing procedures of the various companies yourself by reading the information from the manufacturers:
Are These Essential Oils Safe To Ingest (Edible)?
Many of these oils are not labeled as food grade or safe to ingest. This is not necessarily because they are unsafe, but because the companies have decided not to label their products as food or nutritional supplements. This is because most experts agree that people should not consume essential oils without the guidance of a medical professional or trained aromatherapist. If you are consuming them under the guidance of a professional, he/she will advise you on the amounts, types, and brands they recommend for your situation.
Cheaper Alternatives to the Most Popular MLM Essential Oils
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s take a look at the alternatives to the specific essential oils. I couldn’t cover all of the possible essential oils, so I looked at Young Living and Doterra’s most popular items. I tried to choose the most similar size comparable option, but please note that many of the options are different amounts. Also, not all oils and blends are available in all of the brands. When looking at blends, I tried to choose the most comparable mix of oils, but compare the contents of the blends yourself.
You’ll see that almost every example I have given will save you around 50-75% of the price of the comparable MLM essential oils.
Cheaper Alternatives to Young Living & Doterra Lavender
Prices to compare:
- Young Living Lavender: $30.92 for 0.5oz (15ml)
- Doterra Lavender: $28.00 for 0.5oz (15ml)
Comparable Options:
Cheaper Alternatives to Young Living Thieves & Doterra On Guard
Prices to compare:
- Young Living Thieves: $44.41 for 0.5oz (15ml)
- Doterra On Guard: $42.67 for 0.5oz (15ml)
Comparable Options:
Cheaper Alternatives to Young Living & Doterra Copaiba
Prices to compare:
- Young Living Copaiba: $56.58 for 0.5oz (15ml)
- Doterra Copaiba: $46.67 for 0.5oz (15ml)
Comparable Options:
Cheaper Alternatives to Young Living Purification & Doterra Terrashield
Prices to compare:
- Young Living Purification: $24.67 for 0.5oz (15ml)
- Doterra Terrashield: $14.00 for 0.5oz (15ml)
Comparable Options:
Cheaper Alternatives to Young Living DiGize & Doterra DigestZen
Prices to compare:
- Young Living DiGize: $43.09 for 0.5oz (15ml)
- Doterra DigestZen: $41.33 for 0.5oz (15ml)
Comparable Options:
Cheaper Alternatives to Young Living & Doterra Peppermint
Prices to compare:
- Young Living Peppermint: $28.29 for 0.5oz (15ml)
- Doterra Peppermint: $27.33 for 0.5oz (15ml)
Comparable Options:
Cheaper Alternatives to Young Living & Doterra Frankincense
Prices to compare:
- Young Living Frankincense: $96.71 for 0.5oz (15ml)
- Doterra Frankincense: $93.00 for 0.5oz (15ml)
Comparable Options:
Cheaper Alternatives to Young Living Lemon & Doterra Lemon
Prices to compare:
- Young Living Lemon: $14.80 for 0.5oz (15ml)
- Doterra Lemon: $13.33 for 0.5oz (15ml)
Comparable Options:
Cheaper Alternatives to Young Living RC & Doterra Breathe
Prices to compare:
- Young Living RC: $29.93 for 0.5oz (15ml)
- Doterra Breathe Respiratory Blend: $26.66 for 0.5oz (15ml)
Comparable Options:
Cheaper Alternatives to Young Living PanAway
Prices to compare:
- Young Living PanAway: $104.61 for 0.5oz (15ml)
Comparable Options:
Cheaper Alternatives to Doterra Deep Blue Soothing Blend
Prices to compare:
- Doterra Deep Blue Soothing Blend: $42.67 for 0.5oz (15ml)
Comparable Options:
Cheaper Alternatives to Young Living Stress Away & Doterra Balance
Prices to compare:
- Young Living Stress Away: $39.14 for 0.5oz (15ml)
- Doterra Balance: $26.67 for 0.5oz (15ml)
Comparable Option:
Cheaper Alternatives to Young Living Tea Tree & Doterra Melaleuca
Prices to compare:
- Young Living Tea Tree: $34.21 for 0.5oz (15ml)
- Doterra Melaleuca: $25.33 for 0.5oz (15ml)
Comparable Options:
Cheaper Alternatives to Young Living & Doterra Vetiver
Prices to compare:
- Young Living Vetiver: $27.96 for 0.17oz (5ml)
- Doterra Vetiver: $46.00 for 0.5oz (15ml)
Comparable Options:
Cheaper Alternatives to Young Living Peace & Calming
Prices to compare:
- Young Living Peace & Calming: $45.72 for 0.17oz (5ml)
Comparable Options:
Cheaper Essential Oils
Have you tried any of these essential oils? How do you think they compare to Young Living or Doterra? I’d love to hear your comments below!
More “Cheaper Alternatives”
If you enjoyed this post, you might like to read some of my other “cheaper alternatives to…” posts:
- Review: Best Generic Coffee (Whole Bean)
- Cheaper Alternatives to Ray-Ban Sunglasses
- Swedish Dishcloth Review
- Cheaper Alternatives to Sperry Top-sider Boat Shoes
- Cheaper Alternatives to Thirty-One Utility Totes
- Cheaper Alternatives to ENO Hammocks
- Cheaper Alternatives to Young Living & Doterra Essential Oils
- Cheaper Alternatives to Lululemon on Amazon
- Cheaper Alternatives to Norwex
- Tieks & Rothy’s Alternatives: Cheaper Ballet Flats
I buy Piping Rock essential oils and I love them. Also, you can find great deals on essential oils in Marshall’s and TJMaxx. Plantlife is a common brand there, and I’ve been happy with its quality and of course there are the popular natural food store brands, such as NOW as you mentioned, or Aura Cacia (quite pricey, though).
Those MLM essential oil companies really annoy me, tbh. They’ve popularized the word “oils” to mean “essential oils,” when essential oils are a very specific thing and “oils” could easily refer to diluted or artificial fragrance oils, or carrier oils. If a person is not well-versed in the use of essential oils, they really should be advised by a naturopath or someone who has studied the use of essential oils, not their neighbor who just started selling them, because there are safety issues. One of these companies actually trademarked “thieves oil,” which is the name for a certain combination of essential oils. This name has been used for centuries, and now other companies have to stop using it or face lawsuits. This also makes it harder for consumers to find it, because a search for the name they’re used to might not turn up results.
Thanks for the tips about oils!
I absolutely love Edens garden oils! They have a great selection of essential oils, carrier oils and much more! I love to make bath salts, roller balls, body butter and many other personal products. I have never had a problem with anything from Edens garden they work like they are supposed to i have neuropathy and fibromyalgia so i make a lot of pain and nerve products and live by them they work wonders! I use Young living and mainly Edens garden there is no difference except maybe on scent not quality❤️
So glad they have worked for you! Thanks for the recommendation!
I started out with DoTerra and am trying Edens Garden. I am a newbie at this stuff, but I believe the DoTerra brand is a lot stronger, at least by smell. But I don’t like the idea of having to have a membership or the high prices.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
Thank you for this list. Could you help me find a cheaper alternative to YL Vetiver and Peace & Calming blend. I came across a post where someone said these and other EO have helped tics and I’m desperate to try this to help my son. I cznt afford the YL prices. Thank you!
Liza, I’m glad you liked the post! I added Vetiver and Peace & Calming to the post above so you can have some cheaper options. I hope you find something that helps your son.