Fish oil: compare by cost per gram of EPA+DHA, not per softgel

There's one honest way to compare fish oil: cost per gram of combined EPA+DHA — not price per softgel, and not the "1,000 mg fish oil" splashed on the front. That big number is the weight of the oil, not the amount of omega-3 that actually does anything. A 1,000 mg softgel might contain only ~300 mg of EPA+DHA, and concentration varies wildly between products, so the front-of-bottle number is close to meaningless for comparison.

Why "1,000 mg fish oil" tells you almost nothing

"1,000 mg fish oil" describes the total oil in the capsule. The part that matters is how much of that oil is EPA and DHA — the two omega-3s the research is built on. Because concentration ranges from low to high across brands, two bottles that both say "1,000 mg" and cost the same per softgel can differ two- or three-fold in real EPA+DHA. Buy on the front number and you can easily pay more for less omega-3.

Read the label in 30 seconds

Skip the front of the bottle and go to the supplement facts panel:

1. Find EPA (mg per serving) and DHA (mg per serving).
2. Add them — that combined number is your real omega-3 per serving.
3. Note how many softgels make up that serving. "600 mg EPA+DHA" across three softgels is very different from one.
4. Note servings per bottle so you can work out cost per dose.

If a label only advertises "omega-3" as a lump sum without breaking out EPA and DHA, be skeptical — that total can include other, less-studied omega-3s to pad the number.

One more buying tip beyond concentration: freshness matters. Fish oil can oxidize (go rancid), and a strong fishy smell or taste is the usual warning sign. Check the expiry date, and if softgels taste distinctly "off," that's a reason to return them rather than push through.

How much EPA+DHA per day

A common general-health target is ~250-500 mg/day of combined EPA+DHA. For specific goals, higher intakes — often in the 1-2 g+ per day range — get discussed, but needs vary and this isn't a prescription. If you're managing a specific condition, that's a conversation with a clinician, not a label. Not medical advice.

Triglyceride vs ethyl ester

Fish oil comes in two main chemical forms:

• Re-esterified triglyceride (rTG) — often described as absorbing somewhat better; usually costs more.
• Ethyl ester (EE) — typically cheaper; still delivers EPA and DHA.

Both work. For most people the practical difference is modest, so it's a tiebreaker, not the deciding factor. Sort by cost per gram of EPA+DHA first, then let form break a close call.

Compare by cost per gram of EPA+DHA

Here's the calculation that actually protects your wallet:

1. From the label, get combined EPA+DHA per serving (in mg).
2. Multiply by servings per bottle to get total mg of EPA+DHA, then divide by 1,000 for grams.
3. Divide the bottle price by that number of grams.
4. Compare that cost-per-gram figure across products.

A concentrated fish oil that looks pricey per bottle often wins once you divide by the real omega-3 it delivers — and a "cheap" low-concentration one can be the worse deal per gram. See current cost-per-dose picks on best-value fish oil and the fish oil hub. If you're weighing fish oil against krill, see fish oil vs krill oil cost. We rank by cost per effective dose, not sticker price (methodology).

Bottom line

Don't buy fish oil by the softgel or the "1,000 mg" headline. Add the EPA and DHA on the panel, aim for ~250-500 mg/day for general health (more for specific goals), and compare products by cost per gram of actual EPA+DHA. That single habit usually finds the same omega-3 for meaningfully less.