Store-bought CBD tinctures run $0.10–0.20 per milligram — a 1,000mg bottle costs $100–150 while the CBD inside it is worth about 50 cents. The same CBD as a concentrate costs $0.0127/mg: 10,000mg for $127 instead of $1,000+. Here's the side-by-side comparison.
The full comparison
| How you buy | Cost per mg | 1,000mg | 10,000mg | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premium store tincture | $0.15–0.20 | $150–200 | $1,200+ | Most expensive |
| Mid-tier store tincture | $0.10–0.15 | $100–150 | $800+ | What most people pay |
| Budget store tincture | $0.067 | $67 | $536 | Still marked up |
| Raw CBD isolate (bulk) | $0.005–0.02 | $5–20 | $40–160 | Cheap, but you measure powder |
| Simple Tinctures concentrate | $0.0127 | ~$13 | $127 | Cheap + zero mess |
Why store tinctures cost so much
Retail CBD oil sells for $0.067–0.20/mg because the price includes the label, the bottle, the marketing, the retailer's cut, and the brand's margin. The active ingredient — CBD isolate — is a commodity trading at $0.15–0.50 per gram wholesale. In a $100 bottle of 1,000 mg, the CBD itself is worth about $0.50.
Why raw isolate isn't the easy answer
Raw CBD isolate powder is the cheapest route — around $0.005–0.02/mg — but it means weighing powder, dissolving it into oil, and getting your measurements exactly right. Many people start there and give up. Concentrate removes that step: the isolate is already dissolved, and a measure-and-pour bottle handles the measuring.
The one-sentence takeaway
Buy finished tinctures and you pay $0.10–0.20/mg. Make your own with concentrate and you pay about $0.006/mg — an 80–90% savings for two minutes of work.