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Top 7 Vitamin Subscription Services of 2023 Compared: Which Is Best for You?
Last Updated on December 29, 2022
Medically Reviewed by Anthony Dugarte, MD
Personalized vitamin subscription services are incredibly popular. But how do you choose the brand that is best for you?
These days, everything seems to be on a subscription model, from laundry detergent to dog treats. After all, you use many items daily, and using a subscription offers a convenient way to get what you need and for a lower cost. Vitamins are no different.
While you can hop on Amazon and order any supplements you want, some brands have decided to make the subscriptions more personal. These brands use lab tests or quizzes to recommend the “best” vitamin regimen for you.
Based on our evaluation of the vitamin subscription services currently on the market, we selected the top 7 brands for different categories.
All of the personalized vitamin subscription services use different methods to determine the best vitamins for you. Each brand has its own pros and cons, which we will review below.
If you are looking for vitamin recommendations tailored to your needs, this article will help you decide which one of these services is right for you.
Summary of Our Picks
- Best Overall: Persona Nutrition
- Best for Beginners: Care/of Vitamins
- Best for General Health and Beauty: HUM Nutrition
- Best for Multivitamins: Ritual
- Best for Individualized Health Tests: Thorne
- Best for Genetic Testing: Viome
- Best for Your Budget: Nurish by Nature Made
How We Chose These Brands
We evaluated each subscription service based on the following factors — which you can use as a frame of reference when choosing the best vitamin subscription service for your needs:
- Brand Reputation: Does the brand have a good reputation in the industry? Are the products third-party tested? Are the products made in a certified Good Manufacturing Practices facility?
- Product Quality: Are the products used of high quality? Are you able to ask questions and get information about the purity and potency of the products?
- Professional Involvement: Are there doctors, dietitians, pharmacists, or other healthcare professionals involved with the brand? Are customer questions answered by a professional?
- Evidence-Based Recommendations: Does the brand have evidence or research available to support its recommendations and products?
- Personalization: Does the brand offer a wide variety of products to address the needs of different people?
- Safety: Does the brand evaluate potential drug-nutrient interactions, medical conditions or address potential safety concerns in some way?
- Price: How does the overall price of the products compare to other brands? Is the pricing fair?
- Customer Reviews: What are the customers saying about the products, especially on sites other than the brand’s website?
Best Overall: Persona Nutrition
Pros
- Thorough attempt to provide personalized advice via an online quiz
- Uniquely evaluates drug-nutrient interactions compared to other brands
- Individualized packs make it cheaper to take multiple supplements
Cons
- Quiz can’t evaluate every possible health concern or medication
- Not all members of the “nutrition team” are registered dietitians
- If a large number of supplements are recommended, this may be overwhelming
Our Take
Persona is one of the most reputable personalized vitamin services due to its work with many respected MDs and other healthcare providers.
While the product recommendations are made by an online quiz, the ability to speak to a nutritionist or dietitian to discuss your supplements is extremely beneficial and can help you tailor your experience.
The ability of Persona to evaluate drug-nutrient interactions makes it a good resource for those taking medications. But even though the quiz does account for many interactions, it is always best to speak to your doctor to determine if the products are right for you.
How It Works
Persona is a quiz-based supplement company that offers a lot of support to its customers via consultations with healthcare professionals.
Like many other personalized vitamin brands, the Persona experience starts with a quiz. The quiz was developed by a team of medical doctors, pharmacists, and dietitians.
Their quiz is quite robust compared to other brands and addresses drug-nutrient interactions, allergies, and other health concerns.
Similar to other brands, once you take the quiz, you receive your supplement recommendations. The recommended products are provided in a 30-day supply and are in a “pack” that you take daily.
When I took the quiz, I was recommended 9 different products. While I appreciate the thoroughness of the recommendations, taking 9 pills a day would be overwhelming to me.
If you feel overwhelmed by the number of recommendations, Persona has a team of nutritionists available to answer customer questions via phone 7 days a week. They are also the only brand that addresses drug-nutrient interactions before recommending supplements.
Best for Beginners: Care/of Vitamins
Pros
- Vitamins delivered in individual packs, making it convenient to use
- Recommendations account for allergies
- Website shares many research studies to back up claims
Cons
- Every health concern cannot be addressed via a quiz
- If a large number of supplements are recommended, this may be overwhelming
- No professionals available to answer questions
Our Take
Care/of is a great option for those just getting started with supplements and are feeling overwhelmed by all the options. Their recent partnership with Target also makes it convenient to use their service and access their product.
Care/of would not be recommended for someone managing multiple medical conditions or taking medications, as their quiz does not address these types of interactions.
For someone who needs more support with choosing supplements, I recommend working with a doctor or registered dietitian rather than taking advice from an online quiz.
How It Works
Care/of is a personalized vitamin company that uses a quiz to create vitamin “packs” for you.
They have three different types of products – vitamins, quick sticks, and powders. The products are branded with the Care/of logo, but the brand works in tandem with trusted providers to procure their supplements.
The Care/of quiz is AI-powered and was created with the help of scientists and nutrition experts. The quiz asks multiple lifestyle questions about digestion, energy, sleep, diet, and mood to make recommendations.
The algorithm recommends supplements to you, which are then shipped every 30 days in daily packs.
While the quiz was designed with the help of experts, Care/of does not offer consultations or guidance to their customers. They do provide a significant amount of research on each of their products and assign a research score to help you evaluate each one.
Best for General Health and Beauty: HUM Nutrition
Pros
- Online quiz is personalized to help customers choose the best products
- Registered dietitian available to answer questions
- Research to support product claims and effectiveness available on the website
Cons
- The 13-question quiz can’t address every health concern
- No consideration of drug-nutrient interactions in recommendations
- Registered dietitians are only available via email, not on the phone
Our Take
HUM Nutrition is a leader in the beauty and nutrition arena. Their supplement quiz is fun and simple to take.
While HUM does work with dietitians to answer customer questions, it would be difficult for a dietitian to provide an extensive consultation via email alone. But the HUM dietitians can guide you towards the right steps to improve your health and beauty routine.
Overall, HUM Nutrition is a fun brand for those focused on beauty and wellness.
How It Works
HUM Nutrition is a beauty-focused supplement company with the tagline “Beauty from Within.”
HUM uses a simple online quiz to evaluate customers’ health and beauty concerns to make product recommendations. While HUM does carry products to address a wide variety of health concerns, many of their supplements are focused on skin, hair, nails, and overall beauty.
Each HUM product description includes clinical studies to support the claims and effectiveness. Most of their products are vegan and non-GMO.
The HUM Nutrition quiz asks about diet, lifestyle, and overall health. Once you complete the quiz, you receive product recommendations and are assigned a registered dietitian who can help answer questions you might have via email.
A few days after the quiz, you receive a more detailed “Nutritionist Report” that helps provide more extensive lifestyle recommendations to address your health concerns and explain more about the product selections.
You can also respond to the email and ask your HUM dietitian any questions you might have about your report.
The recommended products are shipped every 30 days. The products are also sold at Sephora.
Best for Multivitamins: Ritual
Pros
- Vitamins are based on lifecycle stages
- Products are third-party tested
- Clinical trial available to demonstrate the effectiveness of the multivitamin for certain nutrients
Cons
- Recommendations not based on quiz or lab testing
- With limited nutrients in each vitamin, they may not meet the needs of every individual
- No ability to speak to a dietitian or other health professional for questions or recommendations
Our Take
Ritual is a great option for those simply looking for a multivitamin tailored to their current nutrient needs without any unnecessary nutrients. Their vitamins are science-based and reasonably priced at only $30–$35 a month.
Ritual is a great option for multivitamins and protein shakes, but you will have to look elsewhere if you are looking for other types of products.
How It Works
Ritual is a subscription vitamin service that personalizes supplements based on gender and life stage. Their line of multivitamins covers children, teens, pre-natal and post-natal, early adulthood, and older adulthood.
Ritual focuses only on the nutrients commonly missing for a specific age group, not on providing every possible nutrient in one pill. They believe that a multivitamin should not be used as a primary source of nutrition but only to fill common gaps.
Ritual vitamins are third-party tested, vegan, non-GMO, and sustainably sourced. The vitamins are created in combination with a scientific leadership team and an advisory board of doctors, scientists, and dietitians.
They also have recently added protein powders to their line of products.
Best for Individualized Health Tests: Thorne
Pros
- Offers a variety of evidence-based product lines for different health issues
- NSF Certification available for products geared towards athletes
- Brand is significantly involved in clinical research on their products
Cons
- Some of the product recommendations require a visit to physical lab and can limit convenience
- Test kits do not include consultations with healthcare professionals that are employed by Thorne
- Monthly costs could be expensive if purchasing supplements for multiple health concerns
Our Take
Thorne is the only personalized vitamin company to offer a wide variety of testing kits and quizzes. While this can be overwhelming to some consumers, it helps personalize the experience even further. It is also a great option for athletes who have restrictions on the types of products they can take.
All of this testing can be quite expensive and is not covered by insurance. Plus, self-testing does not replace working with a provider to help address your health concerns. I would recommend utilizing Thorne in combination with consultation with a healthcare provider.
How It Works
Thorne utilizes a variety of quizzes and laboratory tests to help personalize supplement recommendations.
They offer 13 specialty quizzes and 10 lab or stool testing kits for specific health concerns such as weight management, sleep, or immune health. This variety of testing options allows you to personalize your experience to meet your goals.
The health quizzes are short and usually recommend one product to address your concerns, as well as links to relevant blog articles. The health tests provide product recommendations and use a platform called Omegvity Health to give additional recommendations.
As a company, Thorne is extremely science-based. They work with leading scientists, doctors, and dietitians to provide accurate recommendations based on the latest research.
Thorne has its own peer-reviewed journal called the Alternative Medicine Review, where it conducts clinical research with well-established institutions like the Mayo Clinic.
Thorne is also focused on sports nutrition — 24 of their products are NSF Certified for Sport, the most of any supplement company.
While Thorne doesn’t directly offer consultations with dietitians or other providers, they do have a database of independent healthcare professionals that customers can contact if they need further assistance.
Best for Genetic Testing: Viome
Pros
- Utilizes unique in-depth RNA sequencing to provide supplement recommendations
- Regularly conducts clinical trials on effectiveness of product via own research institute
- Detailed AI-generated nutrition recommendations via proprietary app
Cons
- High monthly cost for testing and supplements compared to other brands
- Recommendation of 8 daily supplements can be overwhelming
- Does not provide direct support from physician or dietitian to discuss results
Our Take
Nutritional genomics, which is what Viome uses to analyze DNA and make recommendations, is an emerging field in science. With the popularity of personalized vitamin brands, using your individual genes is the only way to make recommendations truly personal.
But since this is a relatively new area of study, there are many limitations and knowledge gaps in the science. While the information provided by Viome is interesting, the science of nutritional genomics is not yet robust enough to evaluate every aspect of your health.
Overall, Viome is a science-oriented brand dedicated to bringing nutritional genomics to the consumer. It is one of the more expensive monthly subscription services, but the cost may be justified with the level of innovation offered.
How It Works
Viome uses genetic testing to provide supplement recommendations based on gene expression. With the testing, Viome offers recommendations for lifestyle changes and other dietary supplements.
Viome offers two tests — a Health Intelligence and a Gut Intelligence test. These were developed in collaboration with their scientific advisory board, which consists of geneticists, nutrition experts, and experts in related sciences.
The Gut Intelligence test identifies the types of microbes present in the gut with highly sensitive genetic sequencing. The Health Intelligence test includes the microbiome test and a human gene expression test that requires a blood sample.
These samples allow Viome to evaluate multiple variables in your genetic expression that might impact your health and the types of supplements you need.
Viome provides an in-depth report that allows you to evaluate your physiological age, immune health, lifestyle choices, nutrition needs, and more. Based on your results, Viome provides recommendations to improve your health with supplements and dietary changes.
Viome recommends you take 8 personalized supplements a day. The cost can be up to $199 per month.
All the supplements are third-party tested, non-GMO, vegetarian, and free of major allergens. Viome does not provide consultations with a healthcare provider to help you evaluate your results.
The cost of the tests and monthly supplements may be prohibitive for some people.
Best for Your Budget: Nurish by Nature Made
Pros
- Brand with well-established reputation
- Affordable price of supplements
- USP-verified products
- Available nationwide at Walgreens
Cons
- No indication of who developed the quiz
- No dietitian or other professional available to answer questions
- Limited information provided about why the specific products were selected
- Does not consider drug-nutrient interactions
Our Take
Nurish is a cost-effective personalized vitamin service created by a reputable brand. It lacks a few important elements, such as checking for drug-nutrient interactions or offering consultations with dietitians or other experts to guide the customers. The recommendations provided are fairly basic and good for someone looking for a cost-effective way to start taking dietary supplements.
How It Works
Nurish is an affordable quiz-based personalized vitamin service by Nature Made, a well-established supplement brand.
The Nurish quiz, like many other supplement quizzes, evaluates your goals, diet, age, gender, and lifestyle to determine which supplements are best for you. Based on your answers, they provide recommended products that are shipped in a daily vitamin “pack.”
They do not offer support from a dietitian or other healthcare provider to answer questions about the products.
Overall, the products provided by Nurish are more cost-effective compared to other brands. They are also available at Walgreens, which makes accessing their products readily accessible.
Nature Made is a well-established supplement brand. It was one of the first to have its products verified by the US Pharmacopeia, an independent third-party testing organization. As a brand, they are committed to purity, potency, and scientific research.
Should You Use a Vitamin Subscription Service? Benefits and Drawbacks
Vitamin or supplement subscription services have exploded in the last 10 years, with the demand for personalization continuing to increase.
Consumers are beginning to understand that nutrition isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. Nutrient needs and health concerns differ from person to person. Therefore, your diet and the supplements you take need to be optimized for you.
If you are wondering whether or not to use a vitamin subscription service, consider the following:
Benefits of Using a Vitamin Subscription Service
If you have ever walked the supplement aisle at any health food store, you know how many products exist. Being able to whittle down the best products for you via a quiz, blood test, or other measures can save you time and money.
Because your products are auto-shipped, you always have the supplements you need on hand. Having your vitamins sent to your door is also one less errand you have to run.
Plus, a subscription service is usually cheaper and prevents you from having a ton of individual bottles sitting around.
Having access to a personalized nutrition and supplement plan used to be only available to those able to work directly with a registered dietitian (RD) or other healthcare provider.
And while working with an RD may still be the gold standard (and is recommended if you are struggling with any diet-related medical conditions), these personalized vitamin companies can help you get started with taking the right supplements for your health concerns.
Also, some brands do offer consultations with dietitians or other healthcare professionals to answer your questions about the products or other concerns.
Drawbacks of Using a Vitamin Subscription Service
While personalized vitamin services are popular, there are a few drawbacks to these types of services overall.
First, algorithms can’t address every possible health concern. No quiz or even a single blood test can evaluate every aspect of your health. Also, most of these vitamin brands don’t consider drug-nutrient interactions.
These services will never replace working directly with a dietitian or other healthcare provider who can truly evaluate your health history, lab tests, and lifestyle to make the best recommendations for you.
Overall, there is mixed evidence about the benefits of dietary supplements in general. Beyond helping address specific nutrient deficiencies, most healthcare professionals rarely recommend a large number of dietary supplements to help improve the health of their patients. (1)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a personalized vitamin subscription service?
A personalized vitamin subscription service is a supplement brand that offers a membership where they ship your products to you monthly.
Most of these brands use a quiz or lab testing to recommend supplements that address your specific health concerns.
Are personalized vitamin services a good way to improve my health?
If you are dealing with health concerns, the best place to start is to speak to your healthcare provider. Taking advice from an online quiz, no matter how thorough, cannot address all your personal concerns.
A subscription service can be a good add-on to a well-rounded health plan that is monitored by your provider.
What is the best vitamin pack company?
All of the brands reviewed in this article take a slightly different approach to personalizing the vitamins they recommend.
The brand with the most customer support and involvement of medical professionals is Persona, but all the others are also high-quality brands.
Is a personalized vitamin service the same as working with a registered dietitian?
Some personalized vitamin services, like Persona, offer consultation with registered dietitians or other professionals. But these are not replacements for working with a professional dietitian or other healthcare provider one-on-one.
An RD can look at your medical history, lab results, diet, and other lifestyle habits to truly understand what type of diet or supplements can improve your health. You can only get truly personalized care from working individually with a provider.
How much do subscription vitamin services cost?
The cost varies depending on the brand and how many products you order. Nurish is the least expensive, but also does not offer many of the benefits and personalization of other services.
Are personalized vitamins FDA approved?
No, dietary supplements are not required to be FDA approved, although they are required to maintain certain good manufacturing practices.
The Bottom Line
A personalized vitamin service is a great way to start taking supplements since there are so many options on the market.
A simple online quiz can be fun to take and give you some guidance for the next steps, especially if the company offers consultations with a healthcare provider as part of its service.
However, while supplements are appropriate in certain circumstances, they are not a magic bullet to better health.
You still have to eat a healthy diet, exercise, manage your stress, and make other positive lifestyle choices. Using a personalized vitamin service is just one piece of your overall health puzzle.
Important Note
Always ask your doctor before taking any supplements. They are the best resource for your individual health.
At WellnessVerge, we only use reputable sources, including peer-reviewed medical journals and well-respected academic institutions.
- Multivitamin/mineral Supplements:
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/MVMS-Consumer/