Why does only 1 of 5 products disclose its EPA:DHA split?

We can't say why — only that it's the reality of this category. Most algal-oil production strains are bred for DHA yield, and manufacturers commonly print a combined "EPA+DHA" or total omega-3 figure without breaking out the individual amounts. That is a real ranking flag, not a technicality: a DHA-only product replacing an EPA-heavy fish oil is not a like-for-like swap, and a buyer with no ratio disclosure cannot verify what they are actually getting beyond the combined total.

Why is the DHA-only product ranked separately instead of just cheapest/most expensive?

Because comparing a DHA-only product to combined-EPA+DHA products on the same cost-per-gram axis isn't apples-to-apples — you're paying for a different nutrient profile, not a worse or better version of the same thing. It happens to also be the most expensive per gram in this comparison, but that's reported as a finding, not assumed in advance.

Best Algal Omega-3 2026: EPA+DHA, Cost per Gram, Ratio Disclosure

Creator: Erin Rose
Published: 2026-07-19

By Erin Rose · Updated July 19, 2026 · Methodology

Informational summary — not medical advice. This page ranks product value at a given disclosed dose; on whether algal oil works, see the hub and the fish-oil comparison. This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Algal oil is the only verified vegan EPA/DHA source in this comparison — you're paying a premium for that, not for superior omega-3s. Verified products here run $0.71–$2.29 per gram of disclosed EPA+DHA (or DHA alone), well above what concentrated fish oil commonly costs per gram. Among the 5 products, the cheapest per gram of disclosed combined EPA+DHA is Sports Research Vegan Omega-3, 60 Veggie Softgels ($0.71/g) — also the highest total dose per serving. Only Nordic Naturals discloses its EPA:DHA split; Garden of Life is DHA-only, flagged as a different value proposition, not ranked as a worse version of the same thing.

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Ranked by cost per gram of disclosed EPA+DHA, then ratio disclosure, never commissions.

The one-line takeaway All 5 verified products disclose enough to compute a real cost-per-gram figure — but only 1 discloses its EPA:DHA split, and 1 is DHA-only with zero disclosed EPA. Buy by mg and check the ratio, not just the price per bottle.

Every product compared: dose, split disclosure & cost

Sorted combined-EPA+DHA products first (cheapest cost per gram), the DHA-only product last — a different value proposition, not silently blended into the same ranking. Read the EPA+DHA/serving and Split disclosed? columns before the price. Full data is a public CC BY JSON file.

Algal omega-3 supplements compared by disclosed EPA+DHA, ratio disclosure, and cost — live pricing, July 2026
Product	Total omega-3/serving	EPA+DHA/serving	Split disclosed?	$ / gram
Sports Research Vegan Omega-3, 60 Veggie Softgels	630 mg	630 mg	No	$0.71
DEVA Vegan Omega-3 DHA-EPA, 500mg	500 mg	500 mg	No	$1.07
Nordic Naturals Algae Omega, 90 Softgels	715 mg	585 mg	Yes (~195mg EPA + ~390mg DHA disclosed (~2:1 DHA:EPA))	$1.23
Future Kind Vegan Omega-3, 60 Softgels	275 mg	275 mg	No	$1.82
Garden of Life Minami Algae Omega-3, 60 Mini Softgels	500 mg	500 mg (DHA only)	DHA-only, no EPA	$2.29

Prices are live Amazon buy-box figures, verified 2026-07-19; they move. Cost per gram = (price ÷ (servings × disclosed EPA+DHA or DHA mg per serving)) × 1000. Ovega-3 (B004LL7AXE) was researched for this pack but dropped from this comparison — its price could not be live-confirmed against the Amazon buy box.

Why Garden of Life isn't ranked against the combined-EPA+DHA products

This is a real, buyable algal omega-3 product with a live price, included in the table above — but it's a genuinely different product than the other four, for one honest reason:

No disclosed EPA. The label states 500mg DHA per serving; EPA is not disclosed, and multiple sources describe this specifically as a DHA-focused formula. Several human trials in this cluster's evidence base (Conquer & Holub 1996, Wu 2006) also used DHA-only algal oil, so this isn't an unstudied form — but a buyer expecting an EPA-containing product, or trying to replace an EPA-heavy fish oil, is not getting one.

It's also the most expensive per gram in this comparison ($2.29/g) — a real finding, not a coincidence worth ignoring, but reported here as a fact about this specific product, not a rule that DHA-only algal oil is always pricier.

Ratio disclosure and third-party testing

The EPA:DHA ratio is this category's version of krill oil's "shop by mg, not softgel weight" problem, one layer deeper: even when total EPA+DHA is disclosed, the individual split usually isn't. Of the five products checked here, only Nordic Naturals states an EPA:DHA breakdown on the label (~2:1 DHA:EPA); the other three combined-EPA+DHA products (Deva, Sports Research, Future Kind) disclose only a total figure. That gap matters because most algae strains used in production (Schizochytrium, Ulkenia) are bred for DHA yield, not EPA — several human trials in this cluster's own evidence base used EPA-free algal oil, so "algal omega-3" on a label is not a guarantee of any EPA content at all. On third-party testing: none of the five products state an independent purity or heavy-metal-testing certification on their current retail listing that could be verified for this comparison — a real category gap, not something to paper over with an assumed "probably tested" credit. If certification matters to you, verify it directly on the current product packaging or COA before buying.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best algal omega-3 supplement?

Cheapest per gram of disclosed combined EPA+DHA: Sports Research Vegan Omega-3, 60 Veggie Softgels (~$0.71/g), also the highest total dose. For ratio transparency: Nordic Naturals, the only product disclosing its EPA:DHA split.

Why does only 1 of 5 disclose its EPA:DHA split?

Unknown reason, real category pattern — most algal-oil labels print only a combined total. A real ranking flag, not a technicality.

Why is the DHA-only product ranked separately?

It's a different nutrient profile, not a worse combined-EPA+DHA product — comparing it on the same axis wouldn't be apples-to-apples. It's also the priciest per gram here, reported as a finding.

Should I just buy the cheapest sticker price?

No — cost per gram of actual EPA+DHA is the honest comparison, same rule as krill oil and cod liver oil on this site.

Algal omega-3: what it is & who it's for
Algal omega-3 dosage guide — why the ratio matters as much as the total
Algal oil vs. fish oil — is the vegan source actually equivalent?
Algal omega-3 for vegans & vegetarians
Best krill oil — the other omega-3 disclosure-gap comparison on this site

Sources

Manufacturer labels and live Amazon pricing for all listed products, verified 2026-07-19. Full dataset: /algal-omega-3/cost-by-brand.json (CC BY 4.0).
Arterburn LM, et al. "Algal-oil capsules and cooked salmon: nutritionally equivalent sources of docosahexaenoic acid." J Am Diet Assoc. 2008. PMID: 18589030 (bioequivalence basis for this category existing at all; Martek Biosciences-affiliated)