Nordic Naturals vs NOW Foods Omega-3 (2026): TG vs Ethyl Ester
Buy Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega. It uses the better-absorbed triglyceride form (rTG) and gives you 1,100mg of EPA+DHA per serving, against 750mg in NOW Foods Ultra Omega-3 (ethyl ester, no certification listed). NOW Foods wins on price: Nordic costs about 3 times as much per gram of EPA+DHA. Take either one with food.
Informational comparison of label data and cost — not medical advice. Prices are live per-serving figures; formulas are each brand's published Supplement Facts.
Why Nordic Naturals wins
- Better-absorbed form. Nordic uses re-esterified triglyceride. In a head-to-head study it was absorbed about 70% better than the ethyl ester form NOW Foods uses (Dyerberg 2010).
- More omega-3 per serving. 1,100mg of EPA+DHA in one serving (2 softgels), against 750mg in one NOW softgel.
- What NOW Foods does better: price. It costs $0.21 per gram of EPA+DHA against $0.65 for Nordic. If price decides it for you, NOW Foods taken with a meal is a fair buy.
The numbers, side by side
| Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega | NOW Foods Ultra Omega-3 | |
|---|---|---|
| EPA+DHA/serving | 1,100mg (EPA 650mg + DHA 450mg) | 750mg (EPA 500mg + DHA 250mg) |
| Form | Re-esterified triglyceride (rTG) | Ethyl ester (EE) |
| Serving size | 2 softgels | 1 softgel |
| Servings/container | 90 | 180 |
| Certification | Brand-stated lot testing; not in a public registry | None listed |
| Price | $64.56 | $28.94 |
| Cost/day | $1.42 | $0.48 |
| Buy | Check price → | Check price → |
Prices are Amazon buy-box figures from our last price check ÷ pack serving count. EPA/DHA breakdown and form from each brand's published Supplement Facts panel.
The real difference: the form your body has to work with
Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega uses re-esterified triglyceride (rTG) — the form fish naturally carry omega-3 in, and the one comparative bioavailability research finds is absorbed roughly 70% better than ethyl ester (Dyerberg 2010, PMID 20638827). The brand says it tests each lot for potency, oxidation and contaminants. We did not find Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega in a public certification registry (NSF, USP, Informed Sport or IFOS), so treat that as the brand's own claim.
NOW Foods Ultra Omega-3 uses ethyl ester (EE), a cheaper synthetic intermediate created during concentration that your body must convert back to triglyceride before use — a conversion that's incomplete. We did not find it in a public certification registry either. What it does have going for it: molecularly distilled, enteric coated to reduce fish burps, and priced at a fraction of Nordic's cost per day. Taking ethyl ester with a fat-containing meal meaningfully improves its absorption and narrows the gap with TG form.
Who each one is for
Choose Nordic Naturals if you want the better-absorbed rTG form and more EPA+DHA per serving — and you're willing to pay for it.
Choose NOW Foods if budget is the priority and you're comfortable with ethyl ester's lower absorption, taken consistently with a fatty meal to help close the gap.
Choose neither if you want the cheapest fish oil per gram of EPA+DHA in one serving — see our full omega-3 rankings for the rTG option that does both.
Our picks
rTG form, 1,100mg EPA+DHA/serving. $1.42/day.
Ethyl ester, enteric coated, 750mg EPA+DHA/serving. $0.48/day.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. We rank by verified label data and cost per day, never commissions.
Frequently asked questions
Is Nordic Naturals or NOW Foods fish oil better?
Buy Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega. It uses the triglyceride (rTG) form, which was absorbed about 70% better than ethyl ester in a head-to-head study, and it gives you 1,100 mg of EPA+DHA per serving against 750 mg. NOW Foods Ultra Omega-3 is ethyl ester and costs less: about $0.21 per gram of EPA+DHA against $0.65. Neither is in a public certification registry that we could find.
What's the difference between Nordic Naturals and NOW Foods omega-3?
Form is the biggest gap: Nordic uses re-esterified triglyceride, NOW Foods uses ethyl ester. Nordic also delivers more EPA+DHA per serving (1,100mg vs 750mg). Neither product is in a public certification registry that we could find.
Is NOW Foods fish oil ethyl ester or triglyceride?
Ethyl ester (EE), the cheaper, more common form in budget fish oils. In the Dyerberg 2010 study, re-esterified triglyceride was absorbed about 70% better than ethyl ester. Taking ethyl ester with a fatty meal narrows that gap.
Is Nordic Naturals worth the extra cost over NOW Foods?
If the better-absorbed rTG form and more EPA+DHA per serving matter to you, yes — that's what the roughly 3x price difference buys. If budget is the priority, NOW Foods with a fatty meal is a reasonable trade-off.
Related
- Best fish oil supplements — all products ranked by cost per 2000mg of EPA+DHA
- Triglyceride vs ethyl ester — the full absorption evidence
- All omega-3 products
Sources
- Dyerberg J, et al. "Bioavailability of marine n-3 fatty acid formulations." Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2010;83(3):137-141. PMID: 20638827
- Product labels: Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega, NOW Foods Ultra Omega-3, manufacturer Supplement Facts panels, plus Amazon pricing from our last price check.