The Best CBD Oils in 2026 (Reviewed and Rechecked)

Today you’re getting a list of the best CBD oils that you can currently buy.

Updated August 2026: We checked the products again for availability, formula changes, pricing, and lab reports. Here are the nine best CBD oils you can currently buy.

We reviewed over 50 samples by rating them on metrics like:

• Potency. Measured by our subjective tests. Plus, measured objectively by auditing the cannabinoid- and terpene-profiles as found in the third-party lab-test reports;
• Transparency of the brand. Measured by the publication of third-party lab-test reports, hemp cultivation, and extraction processes;
• The amount of CBD and minor cannabinoids and terpenes you get per dollar;
• Customer service and customer ratings. What are other people’s experiences with the oil, and;
• Less important metrics like the taste of the product.

Before we get into the reviews, you may want to know how much using CBD oil will cost you on average.

The average price stats of our reviewed oils and tinctures:

• Average CBD per one dollar: 14.57mg;
• Average minor cannabinoids and terpenes per one dollar: 3.1mg.

An average dose of CBD oil hovers between 30 and 60mg. Therefore an average dose of CBD with oils and tinctures will cost you between $2 and $4 per day (on average).

Before you buy: CBD can interact with medication. If you take prescriptions, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or want to give CBD to a pet, check with a doctor or veterinarian first.

Keep reading!

First, you have to understand the science behind our review process.

According to The Latest Scientific Evidence …

• CBD products can be contaminated. Common contaminations are heavy metals, pesticides, and dangerous synthetic cannabinoids (1-4).
  ✖

  Scientific Sources

  1. Rianprakaisang, T., Gerona, R., & Hendrickson, R. G. (2019). Commercial cannabidiol oil contaminated with the synthetic cannabinoid AB-FUBINACA given to a pediatric patient. Clinical Toxicology, 58(3), 215–216. https://doi.org/10.1080/15563650.2019.1619758
  2. Warning for consumers of CBD and cannabis oils sold on the EU market – ICCI. (2018, February 16). Retrieved from https://www.icci.science/en/article/news/warning-for-consumers-of-cbd-and-cannabis-oils-sold-on-the-eu-market/
  3. Thompson, G. R., Tuscano, J. M., Dennis, M., Singapuri, A., Libertini, S., Gaudino, R., … Engelthaler, D. M. (2017). A microbiome assessment of medical marijuana. Clinical Microbiology and Infection, 23(4), 269–270. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmi.2016.12.001
  4. Busse, F., Omidi, L., Leichtle, A., Windgassen, M., Kluge, E., & Stumvoll, M. (2008). Lead Poisoning Due to Adulterated Marijuana. New England Journal of Medicine, 358(15), 1641–1642. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmc0707784
• CBD can be up to 4-times more potent when consumed with other cannabinoids and terpenes (5);
  ✖

  Scientific Sources

  • 5. Pamplona, F. A., da Silva, L. R., & Coan, A. C. (2018). Potential Clinical Benefits of CBD-Rich Cannabis Extracts Over Purified CBD in Treatment-Resistant Epilepsy: Observational Data Meta-analysis. Frontiers in Neurology, 9, 1. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2018.00759
• CBD produces fewer side effects when taken as part of full-spectrum hemp-extract
  (5);
  ✖

  Scientific Sources

  • 5. Pamplona, F. A., da Silva, L. R., & Coan, A. C. (2018). Potential Clinical Benefits of CBD-Rich Cannabis Extracts Over Purified CBD in Treatment-Resistant Epilepsy: Observational Data Meta-analysis. Frontiers in Neurology, 9, 1. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2018.00759
• Besides making CBD more potent, other cannabinoids and terpenes have unique beneficial effects (6);
  ✖

  Scientific Sources

  • 6. Baron, E. P. (2018). Medicinal Properties of Cannabinoids, Terpenes, and Flavonoids in Cannabis, and Benefits in Migraine, Headache, and Pain: An Update on Current Evidence and Cannabis Science. Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain, 58(7), 1139–1186. https://doi.org/10.1111/head.13345
• CBD is better absorbed when taken with fats like olive oil (7);
  ✖

  Scientific Sources

  • 7. Zgair, A., Lee, J. B., Wong, J. C. M., Taha, D. A., Aram, J., Di Virgilio, D., … Gershkovich, P. (2017). Oral administration of cannabis with lipids leads to high levels of cannabinoids in the intestinal lymphatic system and prominent immunomodulation. Scientific Reports, 7(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-15026-z

Based on our review and these scientific discoveries, here’s our list of best quality CBD oils:

#1. NuLeaf Naturals Full Spectrum Hemp CBD Oil (Best Customer-Rated Oil)

The current oil contains 60mg CBD per mL and comes in 300mg, 900mg, 1800mg, 3000mg, and 6000mg bottles. NuLeaf does have quite a few shipping restrictions now, so check whether they deliver to your location.

NuLeaf Naturals is another US-, Colorado-based CBD products manufacturer.

They only sell full-spectrum hemp extracts.

With a full-spectrum-ratio of 0.13, for every 1mg of CBD, you get 0.13mg of other hemp-derived cannabinoids and terpenes, including:

• THC (0.14%);
• CBG (0.18%);
• CBC (0.26%), and;
• Terpenes like beta-caryophyllene and alpha-humulene (0.25%).

While its cannabinoid-profile isn’t as good as Charlotte’s Web Original Formula…

It’s still better than almost all other CBD products that we’ve reviewed.

This oil is made from organically grown hemp and contains nothing but hemp. It’s the purest,  simplest, and most natural option on the list. Even the carrier oil, which is organic virgin hemp seed oil, is a hemp-based carrier oil.

Unless you buy their biggest bottle that contains 6000mg of CBD…

When we look at how much CBD and hemp-extract you get per dollar, this product is more expensive than the average.

When you get the 900mg bottle and use our coupon code, a single dollar gets you 11.36mg CBD and 1.5mg minor cannabinoids. The averages for all reviewed CBD oils/tinctures are:

• 14.57mg CBD per dollar, and,
• 3.1mg minor cannabinoids + terpenes per dollar.

You can see this is oil is a bit more expensive than the average.

When comparing prices, keep in mind that NuLeaf Naturals is a trustworthy and highly-rated brand.

Their oil has received over 20.000 customer reviews over the past 5 years with an average rating of 4.9/5 points. These reviews confirm that NuLeaf Naturals sells a great quality oil. But also offers great customer service.

Like all products on the list, it’s lab-tested for the most critical contaminants:

• 200 different pesticides;
• Heavy metals, and;
• Mycotoxins.

If you get this oil you can rest assured that it’s a clean product that works.

Click the button below to go to the NuLeaf Naturals website:

• NuLeaf Naturals 20% off coupon code: herbonaut

Buy NuLeaf Naturals Oil

Full review NuLeaf Naturals

Next up…

#2. R+R Medicinals Full Spectrum Tincture (Best Value Full-Spectrum Oil)

R&R currently offers this full-spectrum tincture in 1000mg, 2500mg, and 5000mg strengths.

True full-spectrum CBD products generally are expensive.

Here’s why:

The hemp plant that serves as the basis of a full-spectrum CBD product needs to have:

• a wide variety of cannabinoids and terpenes, and;
• high concentrations of all these different cannabinoids and terpenes.

On top of this, mostly the flower parts of the hemp plant have to be used in the extraction process.

This means that industrial hemp strains don’t make good candidates. They have inferior cannabinoid- and terpene-profiles. And you now know that true full-spectrum CBD products have amazing cannabinoid- and terpene-profiles.

This also means that:

• stems,
• stalks, and,
• leaves,

should only form a small part of the hemp-mass that’s used for the extraction.

The flower parts contain more beneficial compounds than the stalks, stems, and leaves.

But this also means that a full-spectrum CBD product NEEDS to come from:

• a pesticide-free hemp plant,
• cultivated in contaminant-free soil.

Let me explain.

To keep all cannabinoids and terpenes inside a CBD product, you can’t filter it much.

Filtering leads to loss of cannabinoids and terpenes. And thus most heavily filtered CBD products can’t be ‘full-spectrum’.

The downside of this limited filtering process is:

You’re also limited with filtering out contaminants.

While heavily filtered CBD products can use any type of hemp as their source…

A high-quality and full-spectrum CBD product NEEDS to come from a clean source.

All these factors make full-spectrum CBD products the most expensive type of product.

Well, R+R Medicinals proves it’s possible to have full-spectrum CBD oil for a very modest price.

In fact:

This is not only the most affordable full-spectrum option on the list …

It’s the most affordable one in general, period.

With the 2500mg bottle, a single dollar got you:

• 25.7mg of CBD, and,
• 3mg of minor cannabinoids and terpenes.

When it comes to CBD per one dollar, this is almost double the average in both cases.

Combine this superb price/quality ratio with the highest possible transparency level:

Full lab-test reports are available on their website for every batch of oil they produce…

And you’ll quickly understand why we rate this oil as the best value for money option on the list.

Click the button below to go to the R+R Medicinals website:

Buy R+R Meds Tincture

Full review R+R Medicinals Tincture

Next up …

#3. Charlotte’s Web Original Formula CBD Oil (A Strong Full-Spectrum Option)

The Original Formula is still available and contains around 50mg of plant-based cannabinoids per mL. It’s produced in small batches using alcohol extraction.

By now you can start seeing the commonalities between CBD products that we rate as ‘best’.

• They’re truly full-spectrum and come with amazing cannabinoid- and terpene-profiles, and;
• Come from highly transparent brands that value quality control.

Charlotte’s Web Original Formula is a full-spectrum product of the highest order. For every 1mg of CBD, you get 0.19mg of minor hemp-derived cannabinoids and terpenes, including:

• THC;
• CBC;
• CBG, and;
• Terpenes.

Charlotte’s Web says its Original Formula is produced in small batches using alcohol extraction. Ethanol extraction is the best method for extracting especially volatile compounds like monoterpenes.

Keeping all other variables the same, including:

• the hemp strain, and,
• the plant-parts used in the extraction,

ethanol-extracted CBD products make for the best full-spectrum products. Because they contain the widest variety of hemp-derived compounds in the highest concentrations.

Keep in mind that Charlotte’s Web sells different types of oils, but only one of them is ethanol-extracted:

The “Original Formula”.

But that’s not all that this product has going for it…

Charlotte’s Web is one of the few CBD brands that FULLY control the whole production process:

From planting the seed in clean fertile soil to the final drops of oil that end up under your tongue…

Any Charlotte’s Web product is subject to 20 (!) different quality control tests before it reaches you.

The results of the most important ones are publicly available on their website.

Another benefit related to the fact that they control the whole production process:

You’ll always get the exact same product.

Let me explain.

Most brands use many different hemp strains from various farmers to produce a batch of CBD oil.

And while the CBD content of these products is usually consistent…

The cannabinoid- and terpene-profiles can differ widely between batches. And even between different bottles from the same batch.

Why does this matter?

If the cannabinoid-profile differs every batch, you may experience different effects every batch.

With Charlotte’s Web, you never have to worry about inconsistencies in effects.

You’ll get a similar cannabinoid-profile every batch. They always use the same hemp strain for their products: the “Charlotte’s Web” hemp strain.

Click the button below to go to Charlotte’s Web website:

• Charlotte’s Web 15% off coupon code: HERBONAUT

Buy Charlotte’s Web Oil

Full review Charlotte’s Web CBD Oil

Next up…

#4. CBDfx Calming CBD + CBN Oil (Best CBN-Rich Oil)

The Calming oil is now available in several strengths. It combines CBD with CBN and a terpene blend, and because it’s full-spectrum, it may contain a small amount of delta-9 THC.

If you’re looking for a product that has a stronger sedative effect than regular CBD products…

CBDfx Calming Tincture could be a good option for you.

This product is a combination of two cannabinoids:

• CBD, and;
• CBN.

Many of the health benefits of CBN and CBD overlap.

The main difference in effects is that CBN is a stronger sedative. Thus it has better potential benefits for insomnia and sleep disorders.

This product should also contain a terpene-complex. But there’s no lab-test to show any terpenes. So we take these types of statements with a big grain of salt.

The bottle tested for this review was the older 1000mg formula, which was mainly focused on CBD and CBN.

Value-wise, you get a good amount of CBD per dollar. A single dollar gets you 14.28mg of CBD and 2.5mg of minor cannabinoids and terpenes (mostly CBN). Both value metrics are right around the average.

Now:

CBDfx tests all of its products for potency and contaminants.

You can find the test reports on their website on each product page.

CBDfx also was one of the few brands that provided a 30-day satisfaction guarantee.

You just had to send your product back to them and pay for shipping costs.

But this recently changed and they removed this satisfaction guarantee officially. Based on reports, it’s still possible to get a refund if you’re not satisfied with the product. But the guarantee is officially gone.

The bottom line:

If you’re looking for a product with a stronger sedative effect than the average, get this product.

Click the button below to go to the CBDfx website:

Buy CBDfx Calming Tincture

Full review CBDfx

Next up…

#5. Joy Organics Broad Spectrum CBD Tincture (Best THC-Free Option)

Joy Organics now offers this USDA-certified organic broad-spectrum oil in several strengths and flavors. You can find the lab report through the QR code on the bottle, and it comes with a 90-day money-back guarantee.

Although full-spectrum hemp-extracts are best for potency…

If you don’t want to ingest ANY THC because of potential drug tests for example…

These types of products are out.

Full-spectrum CBD products always contain some THC.

So what to do if you want a THC-free CBD oil, but still want more hemp-derived compounds that synergize with CBD?

You get CBD oil from Joy Organics.

Let me explain.

This broad-spectrum product doesn’t contain as many cannabinoids and terpenes as full-spectrum products. But compared to other THC-free broad-spectrum products, it contains a lot.

This oil contains 5.02% of CBD and 0.21% of CBG. And if you get a flavored version of the oil, you get a good amount of terpenes as well. Just keep in mind that these aren’t hemp-derived terpenes. They come from the flavorings andthuse may not act synergistically to CBD.

Important to mention:

When we checked the lab-test reports of different batches, we saw differing cannabinoid profiles. The most recent lab-test reports don’t even show a terpene test. This product doesn’t have the most consistent cannabinoid- and terpene-profiles.

Joy Organics is a transparent company. hey have lab-test reports publicly available for all their products and production batches.

Yet, we would like to see better consistency when it comes to cannabinoids and terpenes. The CBD-content may be consistent. But if every batch has different compounds, you can still experience varying effects.

That said, when it comes to THC-free broad-spectrum oils, this is still the best one you can get.

Other important things to know about this brand:

• The current broad-spectrum tinctures are USDA-certified organic;
• Joy Organics currently advertises a 90-day money-back guarantee;
• Batch lab reports are available through the QR code on each product, and;
• Customer-review totals and scores change over time, so check the product page for the latest feedback.

Click the button below to go to the Joy Organics website:

• Joy Organics 15% off coupon code: herbonaut15

Buy Joy Organics Oil

Next up…

#6. Populum Full-Spectrum Hemp CBD Oil (Best Taste)

Populum’s orange-flavored oil is still available in 250mg, 500mg, 1000mg, and 2000mg strengths. They publish the lab results for each batch and test their products three times.

This Populum oil is the best-tasting oil I’ve ever tried. Period.

They mix their hemp-extract with orange oil. The result is a very fresh-tasting oil, that you’ll look forward to taking daily.

Of course, if only the flavor was good, Populum wouldn’t deserve a spot on this list.

For a brand to be considered for this list, first, it needs to have proof that:

• It’s 100% free of contaminants like pesticides, heavy metals, and other toxins;
• It indeed has the amount of CBD that the seller says it has.

And then it also needs to be:

• Potent enough to produce the beneficial effects associated with CBD, with regular doses.

Well, Populum is a full-spectrum oil that contains a wide spectrum of cannabinoids and terpenes.

When we look at the CBD-percentage, it’s one of the weakest options on the list…

But it has a relatively high full-spectrum ratio of 0.22, which means that for every 1mg of CBD, you get 0.22mg of other hemp-derived cannabinoids and terpenes. Just keep in mind that having a high full-spectrum ratio is much easier when you have a low CBD-percentage.

Populum is also one of the most transparent CBD brands. Every product comes with a QR-code that links to a third-party lab-test report.

They provide third-party lab-test reports on a batch-by-batch basis and the best part:

You know exactly what the biochemical composition of your specific bottle is. You also have proof that your bottle is completely free of toxins and residual solvents.

When it comes to value, this is the most expensive option on the list. A single dollar only gets you 6.98mg of CBD and 8.5mg of hemp extract. This is way below the average…

So if you decide to go for this oil, make sure to use our 20% discount code: “herbonaut“.

If you’ve tried CBD oil before, you know how bitter a potent hemp-extract can taste …

And you might truly appreciate the amazing taste of this product.

Populum managed to make one of the few full-plant-extract oils that taste really well.

Click the button below to go to Populum’s website:

Buy Populum Hemp Oil

Full review Populum CBD Oil

Next up…

cbdMD CBD Oil Tincture (Currently Sold Out)

Note: cbdMD’s tinctures are currently sold out, so this one isn’t included in the ranking.

cbdMD tincture is another good THC-free, broad-spectrum option on the list.

Although in low concentrations, at least it does contain some minor cannabinoids, like:

• CBG(0.03%);
• CBN (0.01%), and
• Hemp-derived terpenes, mainly limonene (0.08%).

Compared to other broad-spectrum oils, this one has fewer minor cannabinoids and terpenes. Yet, it has a slightly better variety of cannabinoids.

Value-wise, this product is right around the average. One dollar gets you 15mg of CBD and 0.5mg of minor cannabinoids and terpenes.

cbdMD is one of few publicly-traded companies on the list (Charlotte’s Web being the other one). This means that the company is subjected to more scrutiny and audits than a regular CBD company.

And when you check the standards of cbdMD it becomes clear that quality control and transparency are important.

cbdMD products are the only products that come with a THC-free guarantee. This is unlike the majority of so-called ‘THC-free’ CBD brands. Most of them warn that their products shouldn’t be used when you’re regularly subjected to drug tests. cbdMD guarantees that all their products are THC-free.

If you really insist on getting a THC-free product, this may be your best risk-free option. Also because it comes with a 30-day satisfaction guarantee.

Also, every product comes with a QR-code that’s linked to a third-party lab-test report. Inside this report, you’ll have written proof that your product is free from THC and contaminants.

Click the button below to go to the cbdMD website:

Buy cbdMD CBD Oil

#7. Flowerside Full Spectrum CBD Olie 500mg (Best CBD Oil Europe)

Flowerside’s 500mg/10mL full-spectrum oil is still available in Europe. Each drop contains roughly 2mg CBD, and you can find the third-party lab results on their website.

While a decade ago, some parts of Europe were more progressive with cannabis- and hemp products than the U.S…

Currently, the highest quality CBD products are produced in the U.S.

U.S. federal legislation enabled cultivation of hemp plants with amazing cannabinoid- and terpene-profiles.

The European Union has made it more difficult for CBD producers. The EU only allows certain hemp strains to be used for CBD products.

The options of European CBD brands are more limited. And until now I never saw a European CBD oil with a cannabinoid-profile as good as the best CBD oils in the U.S.

But this all changed after I learned about and reviewed Flowerside Full Spectrum CBD oil.

This oil has an even better cannabinoid-profile than the best CBD oils in the U.S.

For every 1mg of CBD you get close to 1mg of other synergistic cannabinoids, including CBG, CBD-V. And the best part:

• High levels of CBD-A.

Why does this matter?

CBD-A is a cannabinoid that potentiates the effects of CBD. Based on science and our experience, a mix of CBD and CBD-A works best for CBD products.

And Flowerside CBD oil contains very high concentrations of CBD-A (1.93%).

The price of this oil is a bit high compared to some cheaper oils in Europe. But when you compare cannabinoid-profiles, you’ll see none of them come even close to the quality of this one.

This brand also is highly transparent and publishes lab-test reports on a batch-by-batch basis.

When it comes to European CBD oils, this is currently the best you can get. I can safely say this oil is even higher quality than most oils in the U.S.

Click the button below to go to the Flowerside website:

Buy Flowerside CBD Oil

Next up…

#8. Provacan 2400mg CBD Oil (Best CBD Oil UK)

Provacan still sells this 2400mg, 24%, 10mL full-spectrum oil and provides lab results for each batch.

When it comes to UK CBD hemp oils there are almost just as many options as in the U.S.

But if we’re talking about transparent CBD brands that prove they have:

• Contaminant-free products;
• With a wide variety of cannabinoids in high concentrations…

There are only a few of those in the UK.

One of them is Provacan.

Their products are made from organically certified EU hemp plants.

All their products are tested by different third-party laboratories for:

• Potency (cannabinoid-content), and;
• Contaminants like heavy metals, fungi, and pesticides.

Some of their oils are highly potent and contain up to 25% (!) of CBD.

All their oils are full-spectrum and come with additional cannabinoids like CBG and CBC.

They also carry loads of other products, among them, CBD isolate powder, which is the purest form of CBD…

And is significantly more affordable than the average CBD product. I don’t recommend using isolate powders as a standalone product. But you can use them to make your favorite oil even more potent.

Click the button below to go to the Provacan website:

Buy Provacan Oil

Up next…

CBDfx OG Kush Vape (Separate High-THC Product)

Note: CBDfx has completely changed this product. It now contains 2000mg CBD and 75mg delta-9 THC, so it can have psychoactive effects and isn’t included in the CBD oil ranking.

If you’re looking for CBD vape oil, it’s critical, that you get a product that is specifically produced for vaping.

Edible CBD products are not suited for vaping.

One of the few trustworthy CBD vape oil suppliers, CBDfx is an American CBD vape oil producer.

They’re one of the few CBD vape oil suppliers that provide full lab analysis for their vape oil.

And when you check the results, you can see it’s 100% free of:

• Pesticides;
• Yeast and bacteria;
• Harmful residual solvents like Hexane.

This alone makes CBDfx CBD vape oil deserve a spot in our list:

You minimize health risks with this oil.

You might be thinking:

That’s great, but what about the effects?

Compared to edible options, it’s less potent if you look at the CBD you get per dollar.

The version tested here was CBD-focused and flavored with terpenes. The current version is a completely different full-spectrum product with 2000mg CBD and 75mg delta-9 THC.

If you want to use CBD in the most effective way, you should get an ingestible, full-spectrum product. Like the ones mentioned above.

That said…

CBDfx CBD vape oil can be an excellent option for instant and discreet relief. Especially in times where you don’t have access to your edible oil.

CBD vape oil can have instant effects (within 5-15 minutes, for edible CBD products this is 1-2 hours).

Click the button below to go to the CBDfx website:

Buy CBDfx CBD Vape Oil

For a more extensive list of our current best options to vape CBD, check out our list of:

• Best CBD Vape Oils

#9. LolaHemp Extra Strength Hemp Oil + CBG for Pets

The current extra-strength LolaHemp oil contains 1800mg of full-spectrum hemp extract in a 60mL bottle and also includes CBG. Talk to your veterinarian before giving CBD to your pet, especially if they use medication.

As people experience the benefits of CBD, dog owners, wonder if it could be useful for their dogs.

Research on CBD for pets is still limited. There’s plenty of anecdotal evidence, but talk to your veterinarian before trying it.

Now, what makes a CBD product for dogs unique compared to one made for humans?

Besides different dosing methods, not much.

Recommended dosages for dogs are lower than for humans and the dropper or strength of the oil reflects exactly that.

A high-quality CBD product for dogs is very similar to products made for humans.

It’s extracted from the same hemp plants, with the same methods. The distillation process, however, can differ. That’s because dogs don’t care that much about taste. The end-product for a dog doesn’t need to be a well-tasting oil.

But if you want the same potential benefits for your dog as for yourself, we recommend getting a hemp oil that’s:

• Full-spectrum;
• Made from organically cultivated hemp, and;
• Comes from a producer that’s transparent and shows results of third-party lab-test reports.

The one we currently like the most and ticks all the boxes that I’ve just mentioned is the oil from LolaHemp.

LolaHemp is highly transparent about their manufacturing process, but more importantly:

Sells a hemp oil that’s packed with cannabinoids and is very easy to dose for dogs.

If you’re looking for a product that has a big chance to be effective for your dog, look no further.

Click the link below to go to LolaHemp’s website:

Buy LolaHemp Oil for Dogs

How We Rate CBD Oil

First, you need to know the differences, between the…

The 3 Types of CBD Products

• Full-spectrum: contains CBD, THC. And a variety of other hemp-derived cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids. This is always our most recommended CBD product. There’s evidence that these products are the most effective.
• Broad-spectrum: contains CBD. And a variety of other hemp-derived cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids. But never any THC. Broad-spectrum products are THC-free. If you’re subjected to drug-tests or want to avoid THC for any other reason, this is the product you should get.
• Isolate: contains only CBD. Generally, we don’t recommend using CBD isolate products. Although they’re much cheaper than full- and broad-spectrum products, they’re also less effective.

Why Full-Spectrum Products Dominate This List:

A high-quality full-spectrum CBD product is PACKED with cannabinoids and terpenes.

Why does this matter?

For the best effects that CBD has to offer, you want to take it together with ALL cannabinoids and terpenes found in hemp plants.

Isolates from plants rarely have the same degree of health activity as the whole plant.

Studies show that this is the case with cannabinoids like CBD as well.

While CBD may be the most recognized cannabinoid in hemp, the plant contains other vitally important cannabinoids, such as:

• CBG,
• CBC,
• THC, and,
• CBN.

All cannabinoids offer promising health benefits.

Hemp plants also contain nearly 200 different terpenes. Terpenes are the compounds that give plants their unique taste and smell.

Scientists believe terpenes interact with cannabinoids to create an “entourage effect”. This means that all components enhance the beneficial effects of each individual component.

Summarized, a high-quality oil:

• Scores high on transparency and comes with third-party lab-test reports;
• Contains a wide spectrum of hemp-derived cannabinoids and terpenes, and;
• Contains high concentrations of CBD (at least 2.5%).

To learn exactly how we rate CBD products, please read our CBD products rating system.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Dose CBD?

Although there are CBD-based pharmaceutical drugs, commercially sold CBD products are not medicines. There aren’t any scientifically backed guidelines on how to dose it.

We do know a few things though about dosing CBD as a stand-alone compound though:

• CBD is safe and well-tolerated in adults up to 1500mg/day (12).
  ✖

  Scientific Sources

  • 12. Hunt, C. A., Jones, R. T., Herning, R. I., & Bachman, J. (1981). Evidence that cannabidiol does not significantly alter the pharmacokinetics of tetrahydrocannabinol in man. Journal of Pharmacokinetics and Biopharmaceutics, 9(3), 245–260. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf01059266
• A 2018 study found painkilling effects of CBD with an initial dose of 100 mg/d and a progressive increase up to 300 mg/d (13).
  ✖

  Scientific Sources

  • 13. Cuñetti, L., Manzo, L., Peyraube, R., Arnaiz, J., Curi, L., & Orihuela, S. (2018). Chronic Pain Treatment With Cannabidiol in Kidney Transplant Patients in Uruguay. Transplantation Proceedings, 50(2), 461–464. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.transproceed.2017.12.042
• More CBD is not always better. The same 2018 study found that one of the patients experienced stronger painkilling effects with lower doses of CBD. It’s unclear how much lower than 300 mg/d (13).
  ✖

  Scientific Sources

  • 13. Cuñetti, L., Manzo, L., Peyraube, R., Arnaiz, J., Curi, L., & Orihuela, S. (2018). Chronic Pain Treatment With Cannabidiol in Kidney Transplant Patients in Uruguay. Transplantation Proceedings, 50(2), 461–464. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.transproceed.2017.12.042
• A 2011 study found positive effects in persons that were suffering from social anxiety disorder with a dose of 600mg of CBD (14).
  ✖

  Scientific Sources

  • 14. Bergamaschi, M. M., Queiroz, R. H. C., Chagas, M. H. N., de Oliveira, D. C. G., De Martinis, B. S., Kapczinski, F., … Crippa, J. A. S. (2011). Cannabidiol Reduces the Anxiety Induced by Simulated Public Speaking in Treatment-Naïve Social Phobia Patients. Neuropsychopharmacology, 36(6), 1219–1226. https://doi.org/10.1038/npp.2011.6

Keep in mind that these doses are based on taking CBD as a standalone compound. When you take CBD as part of a full-spectrum hemp-extract, you may need significantly less CBD to experience beneficial effects.

Generally, we experience potent effects when taking 50mg of CBD as part of a full-spectrum hemp-extract, taken between two meals. This means, for example between breakfast and lunch. Or between lunch and diner. Try to avoid taking CBD on an empty stomach as this is shown to be less effective.

In the article below you can find a review of scientific articles that looked at CBD-doses:

• How to Dose CBD Oil

How to Use CBD?

Unless you get a CBD product that is specifically produced to be vaped (also called CBD vape oil, or CBD vape juice), don’t ever vape CBD products.

Edible CBD products should only be taken orally, or even better sublingual.

Here’s how you take your it in a sublingual way:

Drop a full serving of oil (usually a full dropper) under your tongue and KEEP it there for at least 60 seconds. After 60 seconds, swallow it.

This way the CBD and other beneficial compounds in the oil, will get directly absorbed into your bloodstream. This happens through the tissues underneath your tongue.

Taken this way, the effects can last 2-5 hours.

To read an in-depth guide on all the different methods to use and maximize the bioavailability of CBD check out our ultimate guide on:

• How to Use CBD Oil

How Long does it Take for It to Work?

Peak effects of orally administered CBD vary widely between individuals. But usually, effects occur between 1-2 hours after oral ingestion.

How fast CBD leaves the system again is also highly variable between individuals.

How Long Does CBD Stay in Your System?

Although there’s no easy answer and the answer is dependent on many factors like age, gender, weight, metabolism, etc …

After the first week, the researchers found that CBD levels were ‘virtually nonexistent.’

What Are CBD’s Interaction with Other Drugs?

There aren’t many studies publicized that looked at the interaction of CBD with pharmaceutical drugs. In general, be very careful with CBD products if you’re taking pharmaceutical drugs. Always consult with your doctor before taking CBD, especially if you’re on medication!

All of these enzymes play a role in the metabolism of different pharmaceutical drugs.

This means that CBD products have the potential to interact with any pharmaceutical drug metabolized by one of these enzymes.

There’s currently one FDA-approved, CBD-based prescription drug called ‘Epidiolex’. Epidiolex is used for the treatment of epilepsy and can give us clues as to what drug interactions are possible when taking CBD.

Currently, there are a total of 515 drugs are known to interact with Epidiolex:

• 9 major drug interactions
• 504 moderate drug interactions

To dive deeper into the topic of potential drug interactions of CBD and other health risks, click the link below:

• Side Effects of CBD

What Are CBD’s Side Effects?

Besides drug interaction side-effects, there are a few minor side-effects associated with CBD-use.

Although side-effects with low doses of CBD are rare, reported CBD side effects include:

• Headaches;
• Dizziness;
• Fatigue.

For a full list of CBD side effects, click the link below:

• Side Effects of CBD

What Are The Potential Benefits?

Commercially sold CBD products are not medicines. We advise against using commercially sold CBD products for medical reasons.

No scientific proof shows that commercially sold CBD products can cure, treat, or prevent disease.

There’s some anecdotal and scientific evidence that shows CBD could help with some symptoms.

Scientific research attributes the following beneficial properties to CBD:

• Anti-anxiety effects;
• Painkilling effects;
• Anti-inflammatory effects
• Sleep improving effects;
• Neuroprotective effects;
• Anti-oxidant effects;
• Anticonvulsant effects;

Keep in mind that most CBD studies are done on animals and clinical studies done on human subjects, although increasing, are rare.

Do these beneficial effects translate to CBD products being a medicine? No, again, commercially produced and sold CBD products are not medicines. For a medicine to be accepted as such, it needs to be subjected to multiple clinical studies that prove its efficacy and safety. Pharmaceutical drugs also have much stricter quality control compared to commercially sold products.

There are no clinical studies proving the efficacy and safety of commercially sold CBD products. There are no commercially sold CBD products produced with pharmaceutical quality control standards.

There are pharmaceutical formulations that have CBD in them like Sativex and Epdiolex.

Besides, there is little to no scientific proof that CBD can truly ‘cure’ anything. Most benefits associated with CBD relate to relieving the symptoms of various conditions.

All options on our list contain cannabinoids with positive health effects:

For a full list of potential benefits of CBD based on scientific research, check out:

• The Benefits of CBD

What’s the Best Product for Pain/Anxiety/Sleep etc.?

The most potent product, in general, is also the best for any specific purpose.

The best product according to us is any full-spectrum product with high concentrations of:

• CBD;
• Other cannabinoids like THC, CBC, CBG, and;
• Terpenes.

With a whole-plant hemp-extract, you take CBD as nature intended it to be taken: together with all other hemp-derived compounds.

Taking CBD together with other hemp-derived compounds is the most effective way to experience its benefits.

That said, there are CBD products formulated towards a particular benefit like pain relief, or sleep improvement, etc.

We’ve reviewed some of these in the articles below:

• Best CBD Oil for Sleep
• Best CBD Oil for Anxiety

What’s the Difference Between Hemp (Seed) Oil and CBD (Hemp) Oil?

The main difference here is that Hemp seed oil is made from hemp seeds and doesn’t contain CBD. CBD hemp oil is made from hemp plants and has a high concentration of CBD.

What’s the difference between CBD and hemp oil?

Well, that depends on what is referred to as ‘hemp oil’. If with ‘hemp oil’ is meant ‘hemp seed oil’, the difference is that hemp seed oil doesn’t contain cannabinoids like CBD or terpenes. To learn more read:

• Hemp (Seed) Oil vs CBD Oil

If with ‘hemp oil’ is meant an extract from hemp plants, then, usually, CBD and hemp oil are the same things.

For a full guide on all the differences between the different types of hemp-derived products, check out our guide on:

• CBD Isolate vs Full-Spectrum

Is CBD Legal?

While marijuana and its extracts are illegal on a federal level, the 2018 Farm Bill legalized the production and sale of hemp and its extracts.

In the U.S., hemp-extracted CBD products are legal on a federal level.

Legally, a cannabis plant is considered ‘hemp’ when it contains no more than 0.3 percent THC. Any cannabis plant with more than 0.3% THC is classified as marijuana. Marijuana and its extracts are federally illegal. They’re considered as Schedule 1 drugs by the Drug Enforcement Administration.

In the EU this limit is 0.2% THC.

Any marijuana-extract (cannabis plants containing more than 0.3% THC), is federally illegal. Hemp-extracts, in contrast, are legal on a federal level.

Does CBD Get You High?

Some CBD products contain the psychoactive cannabinoid ‘THC’ which can get you high. But the concentrations are so low, that unless you’re highly sensitive to THC or take very high doses, you’ll never get high by taking CBD products.

CBD itself has no psychoactive properties.

You can’t get ‘high’ with CBD as a standalone compound. But if you ingest high concentrations of THC-containing CBD products, you may get high.

Does CBD Show Up On a Drug Test?

If your CBD product contains THC, you might fail a drug test. Most drug tests that screen for marijuana, look specifically for THC.

If you think you will be subject to possible future drug-tests, I highly recommend buying a THC-free, broad-spectrum product.

What’s Next…

Dive deeper into the science of CBD! We have several articles that explain in layman’s terms, the potential benefits of CBD in helping with symptoms of conditions like:

• Anxiety;
• Depression;
• Pain, and;
• Sleep disorders.

You can find these benefits (according to scientific research), here:

• Potential Benefits of CBD Oil

If you want our unofficial guideline on CBD oil dosages, check out the article below:

• CBD Oil Dosage Guidelines

If you’re interested in vaping CBD, check out our list of:

• Best CBD Vape Oils

If you’re interested in a more convenient (but less potent) way to use CBD, check out our list of:

• Best CBD Gummies

If you want to read a review of scientific articles that looked at the effects of CBD on pain, the following article is for you:

• How to Use CBD Oil for Pain

If you want to read a review of scientific articles that looked at the effects of CBD on anxiety, the following article is for you:

• How to Use CBD Oil for Anxiety

Lastly, if you want to share this CBD  knowledge, click the links below, or if you want to connect with us, click the links below that to go to our Facebook or Instagram pages.

References

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14. Bergamaschi, M. M., Queiroz, R. H. C., Chagas, M. H. N., de Oliveira, D. C. G., De Martinis, B. S., Kapczinski, F., … Crippa, J. A. S. (2011). Cannabidiol Reduces the Anxiety Induced by Simulated Public Speaking in Treatment-Naïve Social Phobia Patients. Neuropsychopharmacology, 36(6), 1219–1226. https://doi.org/10.1038/npp.2011.6
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