5 Best CBD Softgels, Capsules and Pills (Reviewed and Compared)

Today you’re getting a list of the best CBD softgels, capsules and pills.Softgels and capsules are a more convenient way to use CBD than using CBD oil.

While preparing a dropper with CBD oil, dropping it under your tongue, and keeping it there for a minute can be done quickly…

Softgels and capsules can simple be ‘popped’ like pills. There’s no danger of under- or over-dosing, there’s no danger of spilling and the act of using a pill goes even faster.

The best part?

You don’t lose any potency or effects.

We rate all CBD products based on:

• Cannabinoid-profiles;
• Terpene-profiles;
• Transparency of the brand;
• Value;
• Our test-results, and;
• Taste (not applicable with softgels and capsules).

Every metric has a different weight, the most important ones being the cannabinoid-profile and transparency of the brand. The final rating is a weighted average of all these metrics.

For a full explanation on how we rate CBD products, click this link.

Let’s get to the list.

1. R+R Medicinals Full Spectrum Softgels (Best Overall)

When it comes to CBD products, no matter the type, whether it be oil, capsules, gummies, or anything else…

The most effective extract-type is ALWAYS full spectrum.

Full spectrum CBD means that it the product contains CBD, plus many other hemp compounds.

The most important of these other hemp compounds are other cannabinoids like:

• CBG,
• CBC,
• CBN, and,
• THC

The second-most important of these other hemp compounds are terpenes like:

• Limonene,
• Myrcene,
• Linalool.

But why is CBD more effective when taken with all these other hemp compounds?

Well, all hemp compounds have synergistic effects.

This means that they improve each other’s effectiveness.

It’s difficult to express it in numbers. But, for example, one study with epilepsy patients found that full spectrum CBD can be as effective as purified CBD, with a dose that’s 4-times smaller (1).

And when it comes to full spectrum CBD softgels and capsules, these softgels from R+R Medicinals makes it to the top of the list.

A single softgel contains:

• 30mg CBD,
• 3.6mg of 7 non-THC minor cannabinoids in detectable concentrations, the main ones being CBC, CBG, and CBDA, and,
• 1.2mg THC.

Besides many different cannabinoids, these softgels also have a concentration of 0.13% total terpenes, of which:

• 0.05% β-caryophyllene, and,
• 0.04% α-bisabolol.

These small concentrations of terpenes aren’t really enough to get the full benefits of these terpenes. But they potentially do make CBD’s effects slightly more potent.

Is R+R Medicinals a transparent brand?

Yes, it is. They provide full panel lab test-reports on batch-by-batch basis for all of their products.

It doesn’t get more transparent than this.

And price-wise, these softgels are more affordable than the average. That’s also why they hold a spot on our list of most affordable CBD pills.

You get:

• 20.4mg CBD per $1, and,
• 2.45mg non-THC minor cannabinoids per $1, and,
• 0.8mg THC per $1.

Go to R+R Medicinals’ Website

Next up…

2. NuLeaf Naturals Full Spectrum CBD Capsules (Best for Micro-Dosing)

When it comes to CBD softgels and capsules that are modestly dosed up to 15 milligrams CBD per softgel/capsule, you have a lot of options.

But when it comes to modestly dosed softgels or capsules that are PACKED with minor cannabinoids…

NuLeaf Naturals CBD capsules make it to the top of the list.

While a single one of these capsules only contains 15 milligrams of CBD…

The minor cannabinoid-content is packed relative to the CBD concentration.

When we look at specific minor cannabinoids per softgel, we see the following:

• 15mg CBD,
• 1mg minor cannabinoids (non-THC), the main ones being CBC, CBG, and CBDV, and,
• 037mg THC.

So these softgels have less CBD per softgel than, for example, those from Lazarus Naturals (15mg vs 50mg). But they have more minor cannabinoids (1.4mg vs 1.3mg).

And since higher concentrations of minor cannabinoids make CBD significantly more effective, these capsules are more effective if you prefer small-dosage capsules.

The capsules also come with a good amount of total terpene-content of 0.22%. The dominant terpenes are:

• α -bisabolol (0.09%),
• β-caryophyllene (0.08%), and,
• α-humulene (0.04%).

These concentrations aren’t really high enough to get the full benefits of these terpenes. But they may be high enough to contribute to cannabinoid-terpene synergy, making the effects of the CBD stronger.

So if you’re looking for highly effective small-dosage CBD capsules, these are among the most effective.

Like any other premium CBD brand, NuLeaf Naturals provides full panel lab-test reports on a batch-by-batch basis.

And they have bene providing those since the past 5 years. So they’re among the most transparent CBD brands around.

Price-wise, these capsules are a bit on the expensive side.

Using our coupon code “Herbonaut”, you get:

• 25mg CBD per $1,
• 1.67mg non-THC minor cannabinoids per $1, and,
• 0.62mg THC per $1.

But if you want to experiment with dosages in 15mg increments, because of their great cannabinoid- and terpene-profile, these capsules are the best you can get.

Go to NuLeaf Naturals’ Website

Up next…

3. Lazarus Naturals Full Spectrum CBD Softgels – 50mg (Best Value)

When it comes to the most affordable CBD products that don’t compromise on quality, Lazarus Naturals is among the best.

And their softgels aren’t any different.

First let’s start with the quality.

As explained, quality CBD products contain many hemp compounds, not just CBD. These products are called ‘full spectrum’.

But there are different degrees in how ‘full-spectrum’ a CBD product can be.

The more different minor cannabinoids present in higher concentrations, the more ‘full spectrum’ a CBD product is.

While these softgels qualify as full-spectrum…

They don’t contain as many different minor cannabinoids in high concentrations as the other full-spectrum options on the list.

If we take a look at its cannabinoid-profile, we see that a single softgel contains the following:

• 50mg CBD (higher than the average),
• 0.9mg of 7 non-THC minor cannabinoids in detectable concentrations, the main ones being CBC, CBT, and CBDV, and,
• 0.4mg THC.

As you can see, you get significantly less minor cannabinoids per softgel than the other options on the list.

That being said…

When we look at the price of these softgels, the value you get in terms of CBD per dollar makes up for this lack.

You get:

• 40mg CBD per $1, and,
• 0.72mg non-THC minor cannabinoids per $1, and,
• 0.32mg THC per $1.

Looking at the amount of CBD you get per one dollar, this is by far, these are by far the most affordable softgels on the list.

And another big benefit of these softgels is their terpene-profile.

These softgels have much higher levels of terpenes than other CBD softgels.

With a total terpene-content of 17.9%, these softgels are the most terpene-rich ones on the list.

While most CBD products contain anywhere between 0.1% and 0.3% terpenes, the terpene-content of these softgels seems a bit unnatural.

That being said…

In addition to having synergistic effects with CBD…

Because the terpene-content is so high, you’ll actually experience the individual benefits associated with the dominant terpenes:

• Limonene (10.9%),
• Myrcene (4.73%),
• β-caryophyllene (1.98%).

For example:

All three of these terpenes have anti-inflammatory effects and could help relieve pain (2).

Regarding safety and transparency, you’re also in good hands with Lazarus Naturals.

It’s a highly transparent brand that provides full panel lab-test reports for all of their products on batch-by-batch basis.

Go to Lazarus Naturals’ Website

Next up…

4. cbdMD CBD Oil Softgel Capsules (Best THC-Free Option)

Although at Herbonaut, we always prefer to have small levels of THC inside our CBD capsules…

If you’re:

• regularly subjected to drug-tests, or,
• know that you’re extremely sensitive to THC,

it’s best that you avoid full-spectrum CBD products.

Why?

Because full-spectrum CBD capsules and softgels always have some THC. This isn’t enough to give you a full-fledged high. But it is enough to fail a drug test.

And these small levels of THC in full-spectrum capsules/softgels aren’t enough for most people to experience side effects…

But some people are so sensitive to THC that they can experience side effects like anxiety or paranoia, even with such small levels of THC.

Now:

What you can do is go for a CBD isolate product. CBD isolate means that the product only contains CBD and no other hemp compounds.

But today you’ve learned that CBD works much better when taken with other hemp compounds.

So why would you take a CBD isolate product, if you can take CBD softgels with:

1. other hemp compounds, but
2. are THC-free?

These products that have CBD, plus other minor cannabinoids, but are THC-free are called ‘broad-spectrum’.

Answer:

If all you care about is avoiding THC, there’s no good reason to take CBD isolate products over broad-spectrum products.

And when it comes to broad-spectrum CBD softgels/capsules, these provide the best quality for a modest price.

They don’t have the best cannabinoid-profile of all THC-free, broad-spectrum CBD capsules.

But they are 100% guaranteed to be THC-free, are modestly priced, and provide an acceptable number of minor cannabinoids.

A single softgel will get you:

• 50mg CBD, and,
• 0.36mg non-THC minor cannabinoids, the main ones being CBG, CBN, and CBDV.

A single dollar will get you:

• 16.7mg CBD, and,
• 0.05mg non-THC minor cannabinoids.

As you can see, filtering out THC usually leads to lower levels of other minor cannabinoids as well.

These softgels won’t be as effective as the full-spectrum options on the list.

But if you want to avoid THC, they’re a good option.

Transparency and safety-wise, cbdMD is as good as it gets. Of course, that means full panel lab-test reports on a batch-by-batch basis. But cbdMD is one of the few publicly-traded CBD companies.

So they’re even under more scrutiny than an average CBD brand.

Go to cbdMD’s Website

Up next…

5. CBDfx CBD + CBG Morning Capsules For Energy & Focus (Best for Energy and Focus)

CBD products generally have a mildly sedating effect.

Especially full-spectrum CBD products can have this type of effect.

That’s why some CBD users avoid full-spectrum CBD products during the daytime.

But even broad-spectrum CBD products can be experienced as too sedating for some.

So what if you want to use CBD products during the day, but want to feel energized and focused at the same time?

Well, one of the most effective cannabinoids for energy and focus isn’t CBD, but CBG. But CBG-dominant products can be too stimulating for a lot of people. In our experience, the best cannabinoid product is a broad-spectrum CBD-dominant product boosted with CBG as the second-most dominant cannabinoid.

These capsules are exactly that.

On top of the CBG, it’s also boosted with caffeine, Rhodiola Rosea and L-Tyrosine, all three of which are stimulating compounds.

But the high CBD-content of these capsules will definitely take the edge off the stimulating effects of these compounds. You’ll feel energized and focused, but without the jitters.

Now:

With only two cannabinoids in detectable concentrations, technically, these are broad-spectrum capsules.

Per capsule, you get:

• 15mg CBD, and,
• 2.5mg CBG.

So cannabinoid-wise these aren’t the most potent capsules.

That being said…

If you’re looking for energizing effects or effects that help you focus, it’s best to combine cannabinoids with other compounds anyway.

And that’s exactly what these capsules will do for you, so you don’t have to go and buy all the ingredients individually.

Price-wise, when we only look at the cannabinoid-profile, these capsules are more expensive than the average.

You get:

• 15mg CBD per $1, and,
• 2.5mg CBG per $1.

But when you add all the non-hemp ingredients like Rhodiola Rosea, L-Tyrosine, Astragin, Turmeric Curcumin, and ZumXR (time-released caffeine)…

You realize that you get pretty good value for your money.

Go to CBDfx’ Website

Up next…

Frequently Asked Question About CBD Capsules and Softgels

Are Capsules/Softgels Better than Oils/Tinctures?

Not necessarily.

CBD capsules and softgels are simply encapsulated CBD oil.

They’re more convenient to take than tinctures though. You can simply ‘pop’ them into your mouth and swallow them.

Unless you bite them and let the oil flow out in your mouth, you swallow them directly. This means it takes longer to feel the effects compared to taking CBD oil sublingually. But the effects will also last slightly longer.

One isn’t necessarily better than the other. But, for example, for sleep, capsules would work a bit better than oils/tinctures. Why? Because the effects will last a bit longer.

What Are the Benefits of CBD Capsules and Softgels?

The three most common reasons to use CBD products are:

• Pain relief,
• Anxiety and/or stress-relief, and,
• Related to that, improvement of sleep.

CBD capsules aren’t any different.

But CBD has many potential benefits. Too many to list here.

If you’re interested in those, read the article below:

• Benefits of CBD

Do CBD Capsules and Softgels Get You High?

While CBD capsules and softgels can make you feel a bit mellow, for most people there isn’t enough THC inside of them to get you really high like you would get from cannabis.

The exception is people that are highly sensitive to THC.

These people will get high with even the small amounts of THC found inside CBD capsules and softgels.

Still, we would advise against driving or using heavy machinery after you’ve taken CBD capsules or softgels.

Some people may experience a reduction in reaction time, or even side effects like drowsiness and sleepiness.

What’s Next…

Go to our CBD Hub to learn more about cannabinoid-related topics.

Scientific References:

1. 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
2. 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