If you’re in the market for essential oils, there’s a good chance you’ve come across doTERRA. doTERRA is one of the most popular and well-known essential oil brands, right up there with Young Living. And while doTERRA certainly offers high-quality essential oils, they can also be quite expensive.
Fortunately, there are several reputable essential oils companies that offer high-quality essential oils at more affordable prices. So if you’re looking for quality alternatives to doTERRA essential oils, you’re in luck because we’ve put together this list to help you find some.
Here are some of the best doTERRA alternatives we recommend:
- Rocky Mountain Oils
- Barefut
- Jade Bloom
- Plant Therapy
- Edens Garden
- REVIVE
- Simply Earth
- Aura Cacia
- Mountain Rose Herbs
You can use the links below to jump to the individual comparisons and reviews for these brands. You can’t really go wrong with any of the companies in this list. Depending on your personal preferences, you just might find your new favorite essential oil brand (or brands).
What To Look For In An Essential Oil Brand
Before we jump into the reviews of these doTERRA alternatives, let’s first discuss what you might look for when choosing an essential oil company or brand. Some of the main factors to consider when purchasing essential oils are price, purity and testing, and product selection.
Price
While companies like doTERRA and Young Living do offer high-quality essential oils, they come with a premium price tag. These higher prices are largely due to their brand awareness and their multi-level marketing business model.
Both doTERRA and Young Living use a multi-level marketing (MLM) business model to sell their products. As an MLM, doTERRA marks up their prices in order to create a profit for both the company and their independent distributors (known as Wellness Advocates).
Most other essential oils brands (and all the ones in our list) offer direct-to-consumer online purchasing. By cutting out the middleman, they can offer lower prices.
When buying essential oils, a higher price tag does not always mean a higher quality product. And this brings us to the next thing you’ll want to consider when buying essential oils: purity and testing.
Purity & Testing
One of the reasons doTERRA claims their essential oils are the best on the market is due to their testing and oil purity. So let’s take a look at the standard testing protocols in the essential oil industry.
The purpose of testing essential oils is to ensure that they are unadulterated (not containing any contaminants other than 100% pure essential oil) and undiluted (not mixed with carrier or other oils). Note that there are exceptions to oils being undiluted, such as certain blends that are intentionally mixed with carrier oils for convenience or for safety.
GC/MS Testing
The gold standard of essential oil testing is a process known as Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry or GC/MS testing. It’s the most straightforward way to test a batch of essential oils for purity, as it breaks down the component parts of a substance (in this case an essential oil).
Once the oil has been tested, a GC/MS report provides a breakdown of the individual components of an essential oil, listing out each constituent part along with a percentage of how much of the total it comprises.
Here’s an example of what a GC/MS report for an essential oil batch looks like.
When purchasing essential oils, you should be able to find a GC/MS report on the product page of the website. If you can’t find one, you might contact the company to ask if they perform GC/MS tests and to request a GC/MS report.
What About Therapeutic Grade?
It’s worth mentioning that the term “therapeutic grade” has no official definition. While you may hear this term used a lot in the essential oil industry, there is no regulating body that determines if an essential oil is therapeutic grade, so this term is used for marketing tactics but essentially connotes nothing in terms of quality of the oil.
doTERRA lists a total of eight testing steps that are part of their trademark Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade (CPTG) quality control protocols. These include organoleptic testing, microbial testing, gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), chirality testing, isotopic analysis, and heavy metal testing. Some of these tests are also performed by other essential oil companies, and others could be considered superfluous when a qualified GC/MS test has been performed.
Again, the gold standard of essential oil testing is the GC/MS test, and this is what you’ll want to look for in any essential oil company.
A Note on Internal Use
A point of strong contention among essential oil users is the question of whether essential oils should be ingested or used internally. Even though companies like doTERRA claim that their oils are safe to ingest, we recommend always leaning on the side of caution and avoiding the internal use of essential oils. This is in part because essential oils are extremely potent and can cause internal damage if used excessively or inappropriately, and in part because the topical and aromatic use of essential oils are generally more effective.
If you do choose to ingest essential oils, any of the doTERRA alternatives we recommend in this list are suitable for internal use. Always consult a licensed health professional before ingesting essential oils.
Product Selection
Some brands offer a wider variety of essential oils and products than others. doTERRA offers around 40 singles and 40 proprietary blends, but many of their competitors have over 100 different single oils to choose from.
In addition to essential oils, many doTERRA competitors also offer additional products like natural beauty products for your hair and skin, as well as accessories like diffusers.
You’ll also see some brands offering products that are ‘Kid Safe.’ In general, this just means that the products are pre-diluted with a carrier oil or only contain essential oils that are recommended for children. If you’re planning to use essential oils on or around kids, you can use these ‘Kid Safe’ products, or simply make sure you are familiar with proper dilution rates for children.
And if organic certification is important to you, there are several doTERRA alternatives that offer USDA certified organic essential oils.
Corporate Responsibility
Last but not least is corporate responsibility. Essential oils require a ton of plants to produce, so sustainable growing and harvesting practices are crucial to ensuring that this industry doesn’t harm the planet or the communities where these plants are grown.
While it’s hard to truly know how transparent and honest a company is being with regards to their business practices, it’s worth paying attention to whether a company is mindful of their environmental and economic impacts, and what steps they’re taking to ensure they have a positive impact on the planet and the workers involved in their production.
The 9 Best doTERRA Alternatives
Rocky Mountain Oils vs doTERRA
Another essential oil brand based in Orem, Utah, Rocky Mountain Oils (RMO) was “created by a collection of enthusiasts who were determined to develop essential oils that were pure and safe to use for the entire family.” Founded in 2004, they pride themselves as a wellness company that is direct-to-consumer and claims will never dabble in MLM.
As one of the top alternatives to doTERRA, Rocky Mountain Oils also has their trademark S.A.A.F.E. Promise™ that stands for:
- Satisfaction guaranteed
- Authentic
- Sourcing through vetted suppliers
- Boasts their impressive quality testing; sends their oils to an independent 3rd party lab.
- GC/MS and test results for every bottle and batch can be looked up on their site
- On-site quality control
- Analysis
- GC/MS testing
- Organoleptic testing
- Refractive Index
- Free of adulterants
- Effective and Pure
They are one of the few essential oil companies in this list that offers a Certified Organic essential oil line starting off with 10 oils. They have expressed their intention on expanding their organic line of essential oils and products. Aside from that they also offer carrier oils and CBD products.
| Rocky Mountain Oils | doTERRA | |
| Price | $$$ | $$$$ |
| Returns | 90 days refund guarantee | 30 days |
| GC-MS Testing | Yes, reports provided | Yes, reports provided |
| Singles | 80+ | 40+ |
| Blends | 80+ | 40+ |
| Organic line | Yes | No |
Here are some Rocky Mountain Oils alternatives to comparable doTERRA blends. See the full list of Rocky Mountain Oils blends.
Barefūt vs doTERRA
Established in Spanish Fork, Utah in December 2010, Barefut was founded “to meet the local needs of health stores, chiropractors, spas, and individuals.”
Sourcing from 35 countries, Barefut claims that the raw materials their essential oils come from are organically grown and ethically produced free from chemicals and pesticides.
Staying true to their mission of providing “nature’s finest and purest essential oils and related natural health products at affordable prices” with integrity and honesty, their essential oil bottles come with a lot number that buyers can check the GC/MS reports on barefut’s product page.
| Barefut | doTERRA | |
| Price | $$ | $$$$ |
| Returns | 30 days | 30 days |
| GC-MS Testing | Yes, reports provided | Yes, reports provided |
| Singles | 100+ | 40+ |
| Blends | 45+ | 40+ |
| Organic line | No | No |
Here are some Barefut alternatives to popular doTERRA blends. See the full list of Barefut blends here.
| Barefut | doTERRA |
| BreatheAroma | Breathe |
| Thrive™ | On Guard® |
| Fresh Air Eternity | Purify |
Jade Bloom vs doTERRA
Founded by naturalists in 2014, Jade Bloom is a “small company with a big vision.” Jade Bloom prides themselves on their four-pillar mission of commitment to quality, science-based education, customer-center culture, and low-priced products.
They carry out their vision of “delivering Health, Healing, & Happiness™ to as many people as possible” from their retail base in Draper, Utah. They source raw plant material for their essential oil products from all over the world.
Their essential oil lineup includes a pharmaceutical line (oils that are pressed or cold-extracted) and therapeutic line (oils extracted through steam distillation). Their oils are GC/MS tested by a third-party laboratory.
They also offer other personal effects products such as oral care, skin care, hair care, deodorant and bathroom products, even soaps and shampoos, ointments, and even tea.
| Jade Bloom | doTERRA | |
| Price | $$ | $$$$ |
| Returns | 60 days for opened products, 6 months for unopened. | 30 days |
| GC-MS Testing | Yes, reports provided | Yes, reports provided |
| Singles | 130+ | 40+ |
| Blends | 60+ | 40+ |
| Organic line | No | No |
Here are some Jade Bloom alternatives to comparable doTERRA blends. See the full list of Jade Bloom blends here.
Plant Therapy vs doTERRA
Founded by its president Chris Jones and his aromatherapist mother-in-law in 2011, Plant Therapy is a family-run wellness company based in Orem, Utah that has managed to establish itself as a strong competitor against doTERRA. They position themselves as a “People First” company that places value on their customers and employees alike.
Aside from third-party GC/MS testing, they have in-house certified aromatherapists that test their essential oil batches organoleptically. Robert Tisserand– founder of Tisserand Institute, author of “The Art of Aromatherapy” and one of the leading experts of aromatherapy in the world– worked with Plant Therapy to establish their testing and quality assurance protocols so you can never go wrong with their essential oil products.
They have a KidSafe Line, and even have pet-safe wellness and essential oil products for dogs, ponies, and horses.
| Plant Therapy | doTERRA | |
| Price | $$$ | $$$$ |
| Returns | 90 days money-back guarantee | 30 days |
| GC-MS Testing | Yes, reports provided | Yes, reports provided |
| Singles | 120+ | 40+ |
| Blends | 40+ | 40+ |
| Organic line | No | No |
Here are some Plant Therapy alternatives to comparable doTERRA blends. See the full list of Plant Therapy blends here.
| Plant Therapy | doTERRA |
| Respir Aid (also on Amazon) | Breathe |
| Germ Fighter (also on Amazon) | On Guard® |
| Deodorizing (also on Amazon) | Purify |
| Rocky Mountain Oils | doTERRA |
| Breathe Ease (also on Amazon) | Breathe |
| Immune Strength (also on Amazon) | On Guard® |
| Purify (also on Amazon) | Purify |
Edens Garden vs doTERRA
$$
As a “women-led, family-owned, faith-based” wellness company, Grace Martin founded Edens Garden in 2009 to share high-quality, affordable essential oil. They have been considered as one of the top alternatives to doTERRA. They are consistently among the top picks of essential oil reviewers online.
The company operates in San Clemente, California. They have managed to make a name for themselves with their five EDENS Pledge values:
- Effective
- Potent aromatherapy applications.
- Dedicated
- Excellent customer service by always putting them first.
- Educated
- Team consists of certified aromatherapists
- Giving back by educating others about aromatherapy and the benefits of essential oils.
- Natural
- Promises unadulterated and synthetic-free oils.
- Safe
- GC/MS tested by a third-party lab.
They also offer artisan soaps, perfumes, carrier oils, and assorted wellness and essential oil accessories and gift packs.
| Edens Garden | doTERRA | |
| Price | $$ | $$$$ |
| Returns | 30 days | 30 days |
| GC-MS Testing | Yes, reports provided | Yes, reports provided |
| Singles | 150+ | 40+ |
| Blends | 80+ | 40+ |
| Organic line | No | No |
Here are some Edens Garden alternatives to comparable doTERRA blends. See the full list of Edens Garden blends here.
| Edens Garden | doTERRA |
|---|---|
| Deep Breath (also on Amazon) | Breathe |
| Guardian (also on Amazon) | On Guard® |
| Aroma Fresh (also on Amazon) | Purify |
REVIVE vs doTERRA
$$
Operated by CEO and founder Alexandria George and family, REVIVE is a family-owned company established in 2018 based in San Francisco, California.
They have a “Buy what you use” advocacy; they sell on their site and on Amazon, without the middle-man of an MLM structure. They claim to sustainably source their materials from vetted suppliers all over the world.
Working with the renowned Dr. Poppas and Essential Oil University for their purity and quality control, they have very high exacting standards on their oil. While doTERRA performs only eight tests on their oils from their trademark CPTG protocol, REVIVE performs a whopping twenty tests aside from GC/MS, organoleptic testing, and pH testing. If oils do not meet their standards, they outright reject it.
Shipping is free on all orders from the US and Canada. Aside from a wide range of singles (six of which are USDA certified organic) and blends lines, they also offer CBD oils and carrier oils.
Even as a relatively newer company, they have managed to be one of the best doTERRA alternatives that offer similar-quality oils.
| REVIVE | doTERRA | |
| Price | $$ | $$$$ |
| Returns | REVIVE guarantee: full refund on opened or unopened bottles within 100 days of purchase; shipping cost shouldered by them | 30 days |
| GC-MS Testing | Yes, reports provided | Yes, reports provided |
| Singles | 90+ | 40+ |
| Blends | 40+ | 40+ |
| Organic line | Yes | No |
Here are some REVIVE alternatives to comparable doTERRA blends. See the full list of REVIVE blends here.
| REVIVE | doTERRA |
|---|---|
| Breathe Air (also on Amazon) | Breathe |
| Protect (also on Amazon) | On Guard® |
| Purify (also on Amazon) | Purify |
Simply Earth vs doTERRA
$$
“Make your home toxin free with essential oils.”
That’s the slogan of yet another relatively new doTERRA contender in the list. Established in 2015 by partners Dustin and Lee Vledkamp, Simply Earth prides themselves on their “commitment to giving you the best oils at honest prices.”
Operating from Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, Simply Earth wants “to make having a natural home fun and easy with the use of essential oils.” They like to encourage their customers to craft and DIY their own blends by having a monthly essential oils recipe box subscription. The recipe box comes with four 15 mL essential oils, recipe cards, and guides on how to use the essential oils for $39/month.
With their Simply Pure Promise, they offer essential oils that are pure and ethically sourced from small farms around the world. The company is also very vocal and visible in its advocacy against human sex trafficking; 13% of the company’s profits go to various organizations that fight to end human trafficking.
| Simply Earth | doTERRA | |
| Price | $$ | $$$$ |
| Returns | Full year (365 days), full refund in form of store credit | 30 days |
| GC-MS Testing | Yes, reports provided | Yes, reports provided |
| Singles | 60+ | 40+ |
| Blends | 20+ | 40+ |
| Organic line | No | No |
Here are some Simply Earth alternatives to comparable doTERRA blends. See the full list of Simply Earth blends here.
| Simply Earth | doTERRA |
|---|---|
| Breathe Easy | Breathe |
| Defender | On Guard® |
| Clean and Fresh | Purify |
Aura Cacia vs doTERRA
$
Aura Cacia is one of the most established doTERRA competitors. With products that can be bought off the shelves of Target, pharmacies, and drugstores, Aura Cacia has grown to be one of the biggest wellness companies from its beginnings in Urbana, Iowa in 1982.
While doTERRA operates on a multi-level marketing scheme, and most of the other brands on this list to be independently run, Aura Cacia is just one of the brands that are under the umbrella of Frontier Co-op along with food brand Simply Organic. As part of a cooperative where many stakeholders get to decide the direction a company will go, this gives Aura Cacia an opportunity to be part of a larger commitment to offer “an ethical, socially responsible way and selling only pure, sustainably sourced essential oils of the highest quality.”
One of the testaments of their dedication of sticking to ethical standards and offering high-quality oils is the fact that they have 28 singles that are USDA certified organic oils. They are also among the first to establish GC/MS as the gold standard for essential oils testing.
Aura Cacia, interestingly, offers the cheapest oils relative to the others in this list.
| Aura Cacia | doTERRA | |
| Price | $ | $$$$ |
| Returns | 60 days from date of purchase | 30 days |
| GC-MS Testing | Yes, reports provided | Yes, reports provided |
| Singles | 130+ | 40+ |
| Blends | 60+ | 40+ |
| Organic line | Yes | No |
Here are some Aura Cacia alternatives to comparable doTERRA blends. See the full list of Aura Cacia blends here.
| Aura Cacia | doTERRA |
|---|---|
| Breezeway (also on Amazon) | Breathe |
| First Response (also on Amazon) | On Guard® |
| Purify | Purify |
Mountain Rose Herbs vs doTERRA
$$
Founded in 1987, Mountain Rose Herbs is another essential oils company in this list that gives doTERRA a run for their money. Along with Aura Cacia, Mountain rose Herbs is one of the most established wellness companies out there, with a large product selection of herbs, spices, teas, and various bath and body care products as well as various home goods.
Mountain Rose Herbs boasts many certifications including being one of the first Fair Trade suppliers of wellness products, a non-GMO project certification, and 2013 Best Green Businesses To Work For in Oregon, where they are based. They also gained a Zero-Waste Certified Business in 2016. With this, they have the largest USDA certified organic essential oils in this list, staying true to their “People and Planet before Profit” motto.
| Mountain Rose Herbs | doTERRA | |
| Price | $$ | $$$$ |
| Returns | 30 days from the date order is received | 30 days |
| GC-MS Testing | Yes, reports provided | Yes, reports provided |
| Singles | 130+ | 40+ |
| Blends | 10+ | 40+ |
| Organic line | Yes | No |
Here are some Mountain Rose Herbs alternatives to comparable doTERRA blends. See the full list of Mountain Rose Herbs blends here.
Final Thoughts
If you are a believer of a multi-level marketing structure, you can go right ahead and stick with doTERRA. The companies in this list offer a direct-to-consumer approach, without the middleman distributor that’s part of doTERRA and Young Living’s MLM business model.
We’ve given you a run-down of the best doTERRA alternatives that provide essential oils that are of comparable quality for a fraction of the price. This list just provides the best alternatives, along with a glimpse of how these companies operate and the values that they hold in sharing the great benefits of essential oils.
If you want to explore and support newer brands that don’t compromise on their offerings of essential oils, you can’t go wrong with any of the brands in this list!
Be First to Comment