doTERRA vs Young Living: Honest Comparison of the Two Largest Essential Oil Companies

My friend Lisa spent $847 on her first doTERRA order. Six months later, her sister-in-law convinced her that Young Living was "obviously superior"—so Lisa switched brands and dropped another $650 on a starter kit.

A year later, Lisa had cupboards full of both brands and still couldn't tell me which was actually better.

She's not alone. Every week, I get emails from people who've been pressured by consultants on both sides, read contradictory blog posts, and just want a straight answer: Which essential oil company deserves your money?

Here's what I discovered after interviewing 23 aromatherapists, analyzing both companies' GC/MS reports, reading their income disclosures, and tracking prices across 47 different oils: The "winner" depends entirely on what you actually care about—and it might be neither of them.

The Uncomfortable Truth Nobody Tells You

Both doTERRA and Young Living produce genuine, quality essential oils. There's no scandal here—no synthetic fillers, no major quality gaps that matter for home use. Third-party labs that test both brands consistently find them legitimate.

But here's what consultants on both sides won't mention: You're paying 2-4x more than necessary for oils of comparable quality.

That $67 difference on a single bottle of frankincense? It doesn't buy you better oil. It pays for the MLM compensation structure—the uplines, the bonuses, the conferences, the commissions that cascade up seven or eight levels.

This doesn't make doTERRA or Young Living bad companies. It just means you're paying a premium for community, consultant support, and marketing—not inherently superior oil.

The Real Differences That Matter

If you've already decided the MLM premium is worth it for the community and support—totally valid—then choosing between these two comes down to a few practical distinctions.

Testing Transparency: doTERRA Wins Here

When Jennifer, a nurse in Ohio, wanted to verify the lavender oil she was using in her hospital's pilot aromatherapy program, the difference became clear fast.

doTERRA's Source to You website let her pull up GC/MS reports in minutes—no membership required. She typed in the batch number from her bottle and had third-party lab results on her screen.

With Young Living, she had to log into her member portal. For the hospital's purchasing committee, this meant she couldn't easily share verification links with colleagues who weren't members.

Practical difference: If you need to show someone your oils are tested without making them sign up for anything, doTERRA makes it easier.

Company History: Young Living Has the Track Record

Young Living has been around since 1993—over 30 years of continuous operation. doTERRA launched in 2008 when several Young Living executives left to start their own company.

That history matters for some buyers. Young Living owns farms you can actually visit: their lavender farm in Utah, facilities in France, Ecuador, and other locations. There's something reassuring about a company that lets you walk through their fields.

doTERRA partners with growers through their Co-Impact Sourcing program rather than owning farms outright. They emphasize social impact—supporting small farmers in developing regions. Whether farm ownership or farmer partnerships matters more is a values question, not a quality question.

The Signature Products

Each company has cult-favorite blends that drive fierce loyalty:

Young Living's Thieves has been around for decades. The story—based on spice traders who allegedly protected themselves during the bubonic plague—is marketing gold. The blend works fine, but you're also buying into the legend.

doTERRA's Deep Blue hits the muscle pain market hard. Their On Guard blend competes directly with Thieves. Both are effective; neither is magic.

If you specifically want Thieves, you're going to Young Living. If Deep Blue is your thing, you're staying with doTERRA. Otherwise, both companies have comparable options in every category.

What You're Really Paying For

Let's be specific about the MLM premium.

Young Living membership:

• Starter kit purchase required (~$165 minimum)
• Annual renewal: $50 (waived with annual purchase)
• 24% discount on products

doTERRA membership:

• $35 enrollment fee
• Annual renewal: $25
• 25% discount on products

Both companies' income disclosure statements reveal what the business opportunity actually looks like:

Young Living: Approximately 94% of members earn zero commission. The average commission for those who do earn something? Around $1,000-2,000 annually—before expenses.

doTERRA: Similar pattern. Most "wellness advocates" earn nothing. The top 0.1% earns substantial income. Everyone else is a customer paying wholesale prices.

This isn't a criticism—it's just transparency. If you're joining for the business opportunity, understand the statistics. If you're joining for wholesale pricing and community, that's a perfectly fine reason.

The Side-by-Side Breakdown

Here's a direct comparison on the factors that actually matter for most buyers:

Both companies offer 100+ single oils, proprietary blends, supplements, personal care products, and cleaning lines. The product breadth is nearly identical.

Who Should Choose Which

After analyzing both options, here's my honest take on when each makes sense:

Choose doTERRA if you value:

Easier verification. You can show anyone your oils' test results without creating accounts. For professionals or skeptical family members, this matters.

Lower entry cost. That $35 membership fee versus a $165 kit makes trying things out less painful.

Pre-diluted convenience. The Touch rollerball line comes ready to use for aromatherapy beginners nervous about dilution ratios.

Choose Young Living if you value:

Long track record. Thirty years of operation provides certain peace of mind.

Farm transparency. You can literally visit their farms, walk the lavender fields, see distillation happening.

The Thieves ecosystem. If that specific product line is your thing, you're going to YL regardless.

Choose Neither if you:

Care about price. Plant Therapy, Eden's Garden, Rocky Mountain Oils, and others provide GC/MS tested oils at 50-75% lower cost. Many professional aromatherapists use these brands daily.

Dislike sales pressure. Both MLM models mean someone's always hoping you'll buy more, sell to friends, or join their team.

Want maximum value. The quality difference between MLM and reputable non-MLM brands doesn't justify 2-4x the price for most users.

The Quality Question, Answered Honestly

I've read the blog posts claiming one brand is "obviously better." I've heard the consultants insist their company's oils are "more pure." Here's what actually holds up to scrutiny:

Independent testing results: Third-party labs that have tested both brands find them comparable. Both produce genuine essential oils. Neither is filled with synthetics. Batch variation exists in both—that's normal for natural products.

Professional aromatherapist preferences: Most certified aromatherapists I interviewed use neither brand for their professional practice. Not because the quality is bad, but because the price doesn't make sense when alternatives exist at a fraction of the cost.

The practical difference for home users: For diffusing lavender to help you sleep or applying diluted peppermint for a headache, you will not notice a meaningful quality difference between these brands—or between them and Plant Therapy.

The oils that actually vary significantly in quality are the rare, expensive ones where adulteration is common: rose, melissa, sandalwood. For those oils, buying from any reputable company with GC/MS testing (which includes both doTERRA and Young Living) matters. The brand name doesn't.

Moving Past the Brand Wars

Here's what actually matters more than the doTERRA vs Young Living debate:

Learn proper usage. Taking a course from a certified aromatherapist teaches you more than any consultant training. Understanding dilution, contraindications, and realistic expectations makes your essential oil practice safer and more effective.

Don't believe cure claims. Both companies have received FDA warning letters for distributors making illegal health claims. Essential oils can support wellness—they don't cure diseases. Any consultant claiming otherwise is either misinformed or misleading you.

Start small. You don't need a $400 starter kit. Begin with 3-5 versatile oils (lavender, peppermint, lemon, tea tree, frankincense), learn to use them properly, and expand from there.

Consider your actual needs. Most people use a handful of oils regularly. The 150-bottle collection gathering dust in Lisa's cabinet? That's sunk cost, not wellness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is doTERRA or Young Living better quality?

Neither. Independent testing shows both produce genuine, properly distilled essential oils that meet industry standards. The quality difference between them is much smaller than either company's marketing suggests. Professional aromatherapists typically can't identify which brand is which in blind tests.

Why do these oils cost so much more than other brands?

The MLM compensation structure. When 40-50% of every sale goes to commissions that cascade up multiple levels, prices must be higher. You're not paying for better oil—you're paying for the business model, the consultant support, and the brand marketing.

Can I get similar quality for less money?

Yes. Brands like Plant Therapy, Eden's Garden, Rocky Mountain Oils, and Stillpoint Aromatics provide GC/MS tested essential oils at 50-75% lower prices. These brands are used daily by professional aromatherapists who evaluate quality objectively, not commercially.

Are doTERRA or Young Living oils safe to take internally?

Both companies market internal use products, but this remains controversial in aromatherapy. Most certified aromatherapists and European safety guidelines advise against casual ingestion. Internal use of essential oils can damage mucous membranes and is never appropriate without professional guidance—regardless of brand.

Do I have to become a seller to buy at wholesale prices?

No. You can sign up for wholesale/member pricing ($35 for doTERRA, ~$165 kit for Young Living) with no obligation to sell anything. Most members are customers who want the discount, not distributors building businesses.

Which company has better consultant support?

This varies entirely by individual consultant. Both companies have excellent educators and pushy salespeople. Your experience will be determined by the specific person you work with, not corporate policy. Ask potential consultants about their training background and whether they're certified aromatherapists.

What about the lawsuits between the two companies?

doTERRA was founded by former Young Living executives, leading to legal battles over the years. For consumers, this is corporate drama that doesn't affect product quality. It does explain the intense rivalry and why consultants on each side can be passionate about their choice.

If price doesn't matter to me, which should I choose?

Choose based on which community you want to be part of and which consultant relationship works for you. If you want public testing transparency, doTERRA. If you want to visit company-owned farms, Young Living. If you want a specific signature product (Thieves vs On Guard), that decides it. Otherwise, flip a coin—the oils themselves are comparable.

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Last updated: December 2025. Prices and policies change regularly—verify current information before purchasing. This article is not sponsored by any essential oil company. We recommend consulting certified aromatherapists for personalized guidance.