Buying Guide · 2026
CBD oil 10%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 45%: which one to choose according to your profile
The highest percentage isn't always the right choice, and it's almost never a matter of potency. It is a matter of the dose already established, the bottle size, the actual budget, and the quality of the Swiss CBD oil you are buying.
"Which concentration is right for me?" This is one of the questions we receive most often, and the short answer, "it depends on you," is true but useless as it stands. This article does not repeat the detailed calculation of the number of drops per dose according to your condition; we have already covered that in depth in our comprehensive dosage guide. Here, we answer a different question: once you know roughly how many mg you are looking for, which Swiss CBD oil concentration actually makes sense for you, your budget, and your daily use.
01The real criterion: not the percentage, but the dose
The percentage on the label (10%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 45%) indicates the concentration of CBD in the oil, not its effectiveness. A 45% oil is not "stronger" in the sense of a different effect; it is the same molecule, just denser within the same volume of liquid. What matters for your experience is the total dose of CBD you take, in milligrams, not the percentage displayed on the bottle.
In practical terms, these three intakes provide exactly the same amount of CBD:
- 4 drops of a 10% oil
- 2 drops of a 20% oil
- Less than one drop of a 45% oil
The question is therefore never "which percentage is the best," but "at what percentage does my usual dose become practical to take on a daily basis, without wasting product or having to count ten drops every evening."
02Swiss CBD oil: concentration is not the only criterion
When looking for a Swiss CBD oil, the percentage is not enough to judge its quality. You must also check the origin of the hemp and the manufacturing process, the type of extract used, the presence of laboratory analyses, and the exact cannabinoid composition. Two oils showing 20% CBD can thus differ in their spectrum, carrier oil, actual content per drop, and traceability.
At Swiss CBD, we therefore compare concentrations in milligrams of CBD, but also their actual cost per milligram and their ease of dosage. This approach allows you to choose an oil adapted to your use rather than automatically selecting the highest percentage.
03Which concentration to choose based on your profile
10% CBD Oil: who is it for?
This is the most logical entry point. Each drop provides a low and predictable dose (about 5mg), which allows you to increase gradually without making too big a jump from one intake to the next. It is also the most economical format to purchase, which makes sense as long as you don't yet know if the oil format is right for you in the long term.
20% CBD Oil: the compromise for regular use
Once the gradual titration period is over—generally several weeks to reach a stable maintenance dose according to the most common clinical protocols—switching to 20% allows you to halve the number of drops for the same dose. This is the level that the majority of our regular customers choose once their dose is stabilized, as it is neither too concentrated to remain precise with a dropper, nor too diluted to remain practical. Full details of this titration method are in our dosage guide.
25% CBD Oil: what's the benefit over 20%?
The 25% sits between 20% and 30%, an intermediate level useful if your dose is around 30 to 50mg per day and you don't want to waste product with a 20% oil that is too diluted for your needs, nor switch directly to a 30% oil whose full potential you might not use.
30% CBD Oil: when to choose this concentration?
Relevant for regular use at a higher dose. A 2020 systematic review of 25 clinical trials in adults confirms that dosage protocols vary greatly depending on the indication, with significantly higher doses for chronic pain than for general wellness use. For cannabis withdrawal in particular, the first controlled trial on the subject tested doses of 400 to 800mg per day for 4 weeks, well beyond what a standard consumer oil at a usual dose provides: our guidelines of 40 to 100mg per day for this use therefore remain a cautious range inspired by literature, not a dose directly validated by this trial. The number of drops remains manageable even at a high dose thanks to a 30% concentration.
40% or 45% CBD Oil: why choose a highly concentrated oil?
The highest concentrations in our range are mainly of practical interest: fewer drops, a bottle that lasts longer at the same dose, and a better price/mg ratio as detailed below. This is not a choice reserved for the most severe cases, but rather for those who already know their dose precisely and who prefer the efficiency of the format over the fine precision of the dropper.
04How many mg a drop contains based on concentration
To visualize what each concentration represents, drop by drop:
| Concentration | CBD in 10ml | CBD per drop* | Example for ~20mg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | 1000mg | 5mg | 4 drops |
| 20% | 2000mg | 10mg | 2 drops |
| 25% | 2500mg | 12.5mg | 1 to 2 drops |
| 30% | 3000mg | 15mg | about 1 to 2 drops |
| 40% | 4000mg | 20mg | 1 drop |
| 45% | 4500mg | 22.5mg | less than one drop |
*Indicative calculation based on approximately 200 drops per 10ml bottle. The actual volume of a drop varies according to the dropper and the viscosity of the oil. For the complete titration method according to your use, see our dosage guide.
05The real price per milligram, calculated on our range
This is the point that most comparative guides completely avoid: for an equal quantity of CBD, some concentrations cost significantly less than others. Here is the actual calculation on our Sublime Full Spectrum range, in price per 100mg of CBD:
| Concentration | Bottle | Price | Price / 100mg CBD |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | 10ml, 1000mg | 36.00 CHF | 3.60 CHF |
| 20% | 10ml, 2000mg | 68.00 CHF | 3.40 CHF |
| 30% | 10ml, 3000mg | 95.20 CHF | 3.17 CHF |
| 40% | 10ml, 4000mg | 108.00 CHF | 2.70 CHF |
What this calculation means in practice
The higher the concentration, the lower the price per milligram, because the bottle, the dropper, and the carrier oil (MCT coconut) represent a fixed cost that is diluted over a larger quantity of CBD. If your daily dose is stable and you purchase regularly, increasing the concentration is almost always more economical in the long run, even if the price of the bottle seems higher at first glance.
The same logic applies to our 45% X-Strong oil (4500mg of CBD for 79.20 CHF, or about 1.76 CHF per 100mg), the cheapest concentration per milligram in our entire range. This difference is not only due to the dilution of the fixed cost over more CBD: this oil is not filtered, which removes one production step compared to our Sublime oils, and also explains its more advantageous price per milligram.
06A word on choosing Full Spectrum or Broad Spectrum
The CBD percentage and the type of spectrum (Full or Broad) are two independent decisions, but they overlap in practice: the higher you go in CBD concentration, the more the absolute quantity of THC in a Full Spectrum product tends to rise as well, within the legal limit of 1%. This link depends mainly on the cannabinoid ratio specific to each batch, indicated on its lab analysis, not just on the CBD percentage displayed on the label. If you are aiming for a high concentration (30% and above) and you are sensitive to THC, or want to rule out any risk of detectable traces, Broad Spectrum becomes all the more relevant as the dose increases. We detail this reasoning in depth in our article Full Spectrum or Broad Spectrum: which CBD oil to choose.
07Summary
| Your situation | Recommended concentration |
|---|---|
| First bottle, still testing your dose | 10% |
| Maintenance dose found, moderate regular use | 20% |
| Dose around 30 to 50mg/day | 25% |
| Chronic pain, withdrawal, sustained dose | 30% |
| High dose stabilized, priority on format and price/mg | 40 to 45% |
08Frequently asked questions
Is a 45% oil stronger than a 10% oil?
Not in terms of a different effect. It is the same CBD molecule, simply more concentrated in the same volume. Taken at an equal CBD dose (in mg), the effect is the same regardless of the concentration of the bottle, provided it is a comparable formulation (same spectrum, same carrier oil).
What is the difference between a 10% CBD oil and a 20% CBD oil?
No difference in effect at an equal dose, only a difference in concentration per drop. A 20% oil allows you to reach the same dose of CBD with half the drops of a 10% oil, which makes it more practical once your maintenance dose is found, but less precise for the very first adjustments.
Should I choose a 20% or 30% CBD oil?
This mainly depends on your daily dose. Below 30 to 40mg per day, 20% is generally sufficient. Beyond that, 30% allows you to keep a reasonable number of drops while becoming cheaper per milligram in the long run.
Is it dangerous to start directly with a high concentration?
The risk is not the concentration itself, but the difficulty in dosing precisely: at 45%, a single drop too many represents a greater variation in dose than at 10%. For a first purchase, a lower concentration remains easier to adjust gradually.
How many milligrams are in a drop of 10% CBD oil?
Approximately 5mg of CBD per drop, based on approximately 200 drops per 10ml bottle at 1000mg. This is an indicative value: the actual volume of a drop depends on the dropper and the viscosity of the oil used.
Does a 20% CBD oil last longer than a 10% oil?
Yes, at the same daily dose, a 20% bottle lasts about twice as long as a 10% bottle of the same volume, since it takes half as many drops to reach the same dose of CBD.
Why are high concentrations cheaper per milligram?
Because the bottle, the dropper, and the carrier oil have a fixed cost that is spread over a larger quantity of CBD. At a stable dose, it is almost never the cheapest bottle at purchase that is the cheapest to use.
How do I recognize a quality Swiss CBD oil?
Beyond the displayed percentage, check for the presence of an independent laboratory certificate of analysis, the origin of the hemp, the type of spectrum (Full, Broad, or isolate), and the actual THC content. Concentration alone does not guarantee the quality or traceability of the product.
Can I switch from one concentration to another without any problem?
Yes, provided you adjust the number of drops accordingly to maintain the same total dose. This is the most common mistake when changing concentrations: keeping the same number of drops as before, which doubles or halves the actual dose without realizing it.
Still unsure about the concentration?
Our team can help you choose based on the dose you are aiming for and your budget.
Contact our customer serviceSources
- World Health Organization. Cannabidiol (CBD) Critical Review Report, 2018. Read the report
- Larsen C, Shahinas J. Dosage, Efficacy and Safety of Cannabidiol Administration in Adults: A Systematic Review of Human Trials. Journal of Clinical Medicine Research, 2020. Read the study
- Freeman TP, et al. Cannabidiol for the treatment of cannabis use disorder: a phase 2a, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised, adaptive Bayesian trial. The Lancet Psychiatry, 2020. Read the study
- Prices and concentrations calculated from the swisscbd.co catalogue, Sublime Full Spectrum CBD Oil and X-Strong 45% CBD Oil ranges, at prices recorded at the time of writing.
This article is for information purposes and does not replace medical advice. Prices shown are those recorded at the time of writing and may change.
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