The good news? The continued expansion and competition seen in hemp farming and the hemp CBD market means the prices should only get cheaper with time, making hemp CBD more affordable than ever. The bad news is that this same rapid growth makes it harder to decipher what’s actually worth your money. Similar to any other product, quality is often one of the first things to decrease with hemp CBD when a company wants to save. As a result, it’s important to still consider the quality, sourcing, and formulation of the hemp CBD product that you plan to purchase. Below, we highlight the best cheap hemp CBD brands that hit the middle ground between quality and price—all with an average cost far below $0.10 per milligram of hemp CBD. While research is still in its early stages on the full health benefits of hemp CBD and other cannabinoids, the unique plant is widely recognized for promoting feelings of calm and regulating stress response1*—so you can reap the benefits of the Cannabis sativa plant without feeling “high.” In the hemp CBD world, this includes finding brands that reveal their growing location and share farming practices (preferably organic). The product page should ideally link to a Certificate of Analysis (COA). These reports from accredited labs provide the chemical analysis of a hemp extract or oil, giving details about the potency of the product’s ingredients (e.g., confirming CBD dose and trace levels of THC), as well as confirming that contaminants, such as pesticides or heavy metals, are absent or present in negligible residual levels. Like any other product, quality is often reflected in the price. Of course price and value should be viewed holistically. This means considering the product in its totality—its active ingredients, excipients (i.e., “other ingredients” list), and packaging materials. Hemp CBD can cost as little as $0.02 per mg hemp CBD with options up to $0.20 per mg hemp CBD. During our research, we found the sweet spot for snagging a sustainably-packaged, organically-sourced product is between $0.05/mg hemp CBD and $0.10/mg hemp CBD. Choose between 375mg, 750mg, or 1,500mg of hemp CBD per bottle. The first two offer 25mg of hemp CBD per serving (a moderate strength), while the last size has 50mg of hemp CBD per serving (a strong potency). Sustainability & Packaging: Cornbread Hemp is based in Louisville, Kentucky and the brand sources of all its organic hemp from local Kentucky farmers. The product is shipped in a glass bottle with a labeled dropper that makes it easy to control the serving size of hemp CBD oil (a common issue when dealing with tinctures). Transparency: All Cornbread Hemp products are third-party tested for pesticides, heavy metals, mycotoxins, microbials, and potency. Batches aren’t released to the public unless they pass these tests, and all COAs can be easily viewed on the site. QR codes for lab reports are printed on each product, on the bottle, and the box. Unlike Charlotte Web’s Original Formula, this potent pick is made with hemp CBD C02 extraction, a nontoxic and environmentally safe process that uses pressurized carbon dioxide to extract beneficial phytocannabinoids. The full-spectrum hemp extract is then combined with organic MCT coconut oil for optimal absorption. The maximum strength oil comes in three flavors: mint chocolate, orange blossom, and lemon twist. This means you can easily spruce up your beverage with a unique flavor or take the hemp CBD oil solo (just hold it under your tongue for 30 seconds before swallowing). Sustainability & Packaging: Charlotte’s Web sources organic hemp CBD from its own small family farms in Colorado. The U.S Hemp Authority Certified company has an FDA-registered facility where all products are manufactured and packaged. Transparency: All of the brand’s CBD products are third-party tested for purity and potency. All COAs are easily accessible on the website; you just search by serial number for your specific product. From a brand known to serve up higher CBD strengths, this hemp CBD tincture from Lazarus Naturals has 50mg of hemp CBD per serving, maximizing potency for the price. Available in three flavors—classic, strawberry lemonade, and chocolate mint—the USDA certified organic pick is formulated with organic hempseed oil, organic coconut MCT oil, organic full-spectrum hemp extract, and organic natural flavors (i.e., in the two flavored varieties). While a full serving is fairly potent, the marked dropper makes it easy to reduce the total amount consumed, as each marker represents 12.5mg of hemp CBD. While some reviewers aren’t huge fans of the flavors, the brand has earned a solid 4 out of 5 star ratings after nearly 600 reviews. Sustainability & Packaging: Lazarus Naturals controls its entire processing, from growing to harvesting to packaging. The organic hemp is grown in central Oregon and then extracted and packaged in Good Manufacturing Process (GMP) facilities. Transparency: After the hemp CBD is extracted, every single batch is third-party tested for solvents, heavy metals, pesticides, microbes, and potency. A full list of test results is available on the site. Because it’s unflavored, the earthy taste may take some getting used to for newbies. Luckily, the brand also sells flavored options too, like Tropical Sunrise and Fresh Lime, which are sweetened with organic stevia and flavored with organic ingredients, too (e.g., organic key lime oil for the Fresh Lime variety). Sustainability & Packaging: Joy’s Organics doesn’t grow its own hemp, but the brand oversees all its formulations and sources proprietary strains of hemp from USDA certified organic farmers. All shipping is carbon neutral (and free over $50) with a 90-day satisfaction guarantee. Transparency: All Joy Organics products go through third-party testing to ensure they’re pure and have the right concentration of hemp CBD. The COAs for each product, and in-house testing data, are available on the site. Broad-spectrum mimics full-spectrum hemp with all the same compounds sans THC. This type of hemp is best for anyone who is looking for a combined effect from the plant compounds, but would rather stay away from THC completely. As the name suggests, CBD isolates only deliver cannabidiol, so you don’t get any other cannabinoids or terpenes. You still reap the benefits of the hemp CBD, but you won’t get the entourage effect. Regardless of your selection, it’s important to always talk to your healthcare provider before starting a supplement. You want to make sure the company is testing for contaminants—like pesticides, microbials (e.g., yeast, mold, etc.), and heavy metals (the big four are arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury)—and verifying the potency of the active ingredients in the oil. The inactive ingredients are important, too. “Consider the diluent oil, is it a high-quality organic coconut oil, organic hempseed oil, organic EVOO, or something like that? That’s important for the overall quality assessment of a hemp CBD oil tincture,” explains mindbodygreen vice president of scientific affairs Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN. Read the full ingredient lists to ensure there are no artificial flavors or sweeteners, synthetic dyes, or chemical preservatives. By definition, since the product is a CBD oil, there will be fat present. “The hemp extract is diluted and carried via a diluent oil. While the science is still emerging3, it’s thought that the presence of fat, like coconut MCT oil, assists with optimal absorption of the hemp cannabinoids,” Ferira adds. Of course, every person is unique, and botanical extracts often require a personalized approach alongside a great healthcare partner. Keep in mind that stronger hemp CBD oils may seem more expensive, but you’ll be getting more active ingredients per dose. “Higher potency hemp CBD extracts are a literal, more-bang-for-your-buck scenario,” explains Ferira. When trying to narrow it down by price, look at the price per mg of CBD, rather than the overall price for an easier comparison. Most importantly, you should always follow the instructions provided by the brand when starting with a new supplement, as well as always consulting your healthcare practitioner.
