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:

• Edens Garden
• Plant Therapy
• Now

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:

• Edens Garden Lavender
• Plant Therapy Lavender
• Now Lavender

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:

• Edens Garden Guardian
• Plant Therapy Germ Fighter
• Now Nature’s Shield Blend

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:

• Edens Garden Copaiba
• Plant Therapy Copaiba

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:

• Edens Garden Repel
• Plant Therapy Nature Shield

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:

• Edens Garden Digest Ease
• Plant Therapy DiGiZen

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:

• Edens Garden Peppermint
• Plant Therapy Peppermint
• Now Peppermint

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:

• Edens Garden Frankincense
• Plant Therapy Frankincense
• Now Frankincense

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:

• Edens Garden Lemon
• Plant Therapy Lemon
• Now Lemon

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:

• Edens Garden Deep Breath
• Plant Therapy Respir-Aid
• Now Clear the Air

Cheaper Alternatives to Young Living PanAway

Prices to compare:

• Young Living PanAway: $104.61 for 0.5oz (15ml)

Comparable Options:

• Edens Garden Muscle Relief
• Plant Therapy Rapid Relief

Cheaper Alternatives to Doterra Deep Blue Soothing Blend

Prices to compare:

• Doterra Deep Blue Soothing Blend: $42.67 for 0.5oz (15ml)

Comparable Options:

• Edens Garden Massage Therapy
• Plant Therapy Muscle Aid

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:

• Plant Therapy Worry Free

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:

• Edens Garden Tea Tree
• Plant Therapy Tea Tree
• Now Tea Tree

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)
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• 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
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• Tieks & Rothy’s Alternatives: Cheaper Ballet Flats