Taking a daily multivitamin can certainly help with any nutritional gaps you have in your diet. However, there’s a growing interest in personalized vitamin subscriptions, as these might better tailor to your needs if you have health conditions or specific dietary restrictions. In our research, we also found that the best personalized vitamin subscriptions can often be more convenient, offer education and recommendations through their assessments, and give you access to nutritionists or doctors on board.
“The reason vitamin subscriptions exist is because compliance is hard,” says Nayan Patel, PharmD, board-certified pharmacist and founder of Auro wellness. He understands that knowing what vitamins you might need can be overwhelming, but says that a good personalized vitamin subscription “is a great start to help slowly improve your supplement regimens as you work to get educated.” That said, he always suggests speaking with your practitioner to see what works best for you.
Meet the experts: Nayan Patel, PharmD, board-certified pharmacist and founder of Auro wellness; Megan Hilbert, R.D.N., registered dietitian nutritionist at Top Nutrition Coaching.
But how do you if you can trust a personalized vitamin subscription company? “Some companies are highly transparent with doctors and dietitians on board—which means they are likely safer than other brands without medical professionals on staff,” says Megan Hilbert, R.D.N., registered dietitian nutritionist at Top Nutrition Coaching.
Additionally, you want to make sure the quality is up to standards. Dr. Patel suggests checking to see that the company performs third-party testing or holds a certification by the National Sanitation Foundation. An NSF-certified product just means it undergoes product testing and development inspections to ensure the products comply with strict standards.
We expand more on this below, along with the best personalized vitamin subscriptions vetted by nutritionists, testing, and reviews.
Dietary supplements are products intended to supplement the diet. They are not medicines and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure diseases. Be cautious about taking dietary supplements if you are pregnant or nursing. Also, be careful about giving supplements to a child, unless recommended by their healthcare provider.
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Pros
- Founded by doctors
- Products are FDA-cGMP compliant
- Offers a 1-month free trial
Cons
- No access to nutritionist or doctor
Vous Vitamins was founded by two doctors, a medicine physician and endocrinologist who noticed a need for transparency and education when it came to consumers and what vitamins they needed.
You take a short quiz asking about your health concerns and goals, plus your eating and exercise habits. When testing out the signup process, I was quoted $91 for a custom formula subscription that would last me three months. Keep in mind that price varies on your results.
Vous Vitamins’ products are not third-party tested; however, they are built on standards defined by Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). These are FDA-enforced regulations that ensure proper manufacturing of pharmaceuticals. They also are NSF-certified.
What a reviewer says: “I like the fact that it is tailored to my needs, the pills though they are larger have a fun light blue coating that makes it easier for me to swallow (compared to some other large non coated ones). I feel like I have had a little more energy, and not craving/eating so many things since my body is getting the vitamins I need to stay healthy.”
| Third-party tested? | No, but products are GMP-certified by NSF |
|---|---|
| Assessment | Quiz |
| Shipping | Free for subscriptions; ships every 3 of 6 months |
When testing signing up for Persona, I was impressed by how in-depth the assessment was compared to competitors’. Along with asking about general health goals and daily fruit and veggie intake, the questionnaire asks about dietary restrictions, menstrual cycle, sleep schedule, and even any medications you might take. This is a good way to prevent any harmful drug interactions.
Though thorough, the assessment is quick and takes less than 10 minutes. At the end of it, you get a custom “prescription” of daily vitamins that Persona would send you in little daily packets. After first-timer discounts, I was quoted just under $50 for 28 packets, or my first monthly box. What’s more, subscribers get access to a personalized nutritionist.
What a reviewer says: “I’m nearing the end of my first month on Persona. I absolutely love these vitamins! I noticed a change in some things fairly quickly, and am still noticing changes in other areas. I feel great.”
| Third-party tested? | No, but products are made sure to be cGMP compliant |
|---|---|
| Assessment | Quiz |
| Shipping | Free shipping over $50; ships monthly |
While not 100% personalized, Ritual feels custom in the fact they offer vitamins for men, women, and children and their various health needs. Whether you’re pregnant, suffering from poor sleep, or just need a daily multivitamin for overall health, Ritual has it.
Ritual claims transparency with their Made Traceable certificate, which means you can track down ingredients, sourcing, and testing.
All Ritual vitamins are also non-GMO, which means no genetic engineering was involved in production. Select products, like the Women’ Essential Multivitamin, is USP-certified. This means that the supplements only contain the ingredients provided on the label, in the stated dosages.
Prices vary by supplement, ranging from $25 to $88.
What a reviewer says: “[It] It helps me focus and gives me energy for the day. It has all the vitamins I need and I love that it’s vegan.”
| Has it been third-party tested? | yes |
|---|---|
| evaluation | none |
| Shipping | Free shipping on all orders. Flex Subscription |
Although it doesn’t necessarily provide vitamins, Gainful Provide daily nutrition through a custom protein subscription. Instead of vitamins, you get powdered greens, customized protein powder, pre-workout formula, hydration powder, collagen, and fiber every day. Gainful is a great choice for athletes and those looking to build and maintain muscle.
First, you take a quiz that asks about your fitness goals, exercise habits, and height and weight. You’ll then be given suggestions for the subscriptions that are best for you. My sign-up process quoted me a total of $143 for 28 days of performance greens, 14 servings of custom protein powder, 14 servings of pre-workout formula, and 21 servings of hydration powder.
Reviewer comments: “This protein has made all the difference for me. The improvement in my strength, recovery and muscle composition has been incredible.”
| Has it been third-party tested? | No, but the products are processed in a cGMP certified facility |
|---|---|
| evaluation | quiz |
| Shipping | Shipping is $5.99, free shipping on orders over $60, and delivery frequency can be customized |
How to Choose the Best Personalized Vitamin Subscription
Hilbert and Dr. Patel value specific testing claims and transparency when choosing the best personalized vitamin subscription. “We create customized plans for each patient, Whole Script “We help deliver customized vitamin packs to patients every month,” says Dr. Patel. (Side note: WholeScripts is a platform that patients and doctors use for their supplement purchasing needs.)
According to our experts, here are some factors to look out for when choosing the best personalized vitamin subscription for you:
✔️ Third-party testing: Hilbert and Dr. Patel emphasize third-party testing, where an unbiased outside source inspects a company’s products for quality control.
✔️ USP Verified or NSF Certified Seal: If your product hasn’t been third-party tested, experts recommend that it have at least one of these certifications. As mentioned above, NSF certification means that it is reviewed regularly. National Health Foundation Ensure that the company adheres to strict standards and procedures through product testing and development inspections. USP Validated means: United States PharmacopoeiaThe nonprofit organization, which works to improve global health, guarantees that “supplements contain the ingredients listed on the label in the amounts listed and meet permitted limits for heavy metals, pesticides, dioxins, furans, PCBs, microbial contaminants, and other substances.”
✔️ There are dedicated medical personnel on board: This means more transparency: “It would be great if consumers could chat with or schedule an appointment with a personalized vitamin company expert, because that would give them more tailored advice,” Hilbert says.
✔️ A thorough evaluation: While online quizzes can help companies better understand users’ health goals and concerns, they’re no substitute for guidance from an expert healthcare provider when it comes to assessing gaps in a patient’s diet, Hilbert says. The quizzes are typically designed to be quick and convenient, but the more questions they ask about lifestyle and current health, the better.
Should I trust a personalized vitamin subscription?
Experts say yes, as long as you know what you’re looking for (and keep in mind the factors mentioned above). Hilbert warns readers to avoid brands that claim to have technology to assess nutrient or supplement needs that other companies or clinics don’t have. “Because ‘precision’ nutrition in the commercial market is still in its infancy, it’s a big red flag that they’re using unproven technology to assess nutrient deficiencies,” she says.
Hilbert also avoids companies that don’t have medical professionals on staff or involved in management. “This isn’t a sure way to get a quality product, but it’s often less likely to have adverse supplement interactions and is also more likely to be of higher quality,” she says.
Other than that, it’s up to you to be a smart consumer. For example, Dr. Patel reminds us that taking only what you need is key. “Taking too many supplements is not healthy and can even be harmful to your liver and kidney health,” he says.
Is it worth paying more for vitamins?
It depends on who you ask. Dr. Patel believes so: “If the quality is better, it’s worth paying more. It’s essential to educate yourself or speak to your doctor about the best methods and products,” he says.
Hilbert, on the other hand, doesn’t believe price is necessarily a good indicator of quality: “The most important things I look for in assessing the quality of a supplement are that the product meets therapeutic dosage, is rated for purity, and is third-party tested,” she says.
In our research, we found that some experts claim that cheaper vitamins are just as effective as more expensive ones. In most cases, you’re just paying for the brand name. Others think otherwise. For best results, consult a trusted doctor if price is a deciding factor.
How We Chose the Best Personalized Vitamin Subscription
I have been testing HUM Nutrition products for many years as part of my daily supplement intake.
We consulted Nayan Patel, PharmDa licensed pharmacist and founder of Auro Wellness, and Megan Hilbert, RDN, R.D.N. Top Nutrition CoachingOur experts shared their professional recommendations on what to look out for when choosing a personalized vitamin subscription, and we conducted our research based on their insights. Hilbert also said,I recommend HUM Nutrition.
Why trust us?
For over 70 years, Prevention is a leading provider of trusted health information, engaging readers with practical strategies for improving their physical, mental and emotional health. Our editors interview medical experts to guide our health-focused product selections. Prevention We also research hundreds of reviews, and often conduct personal testing by our staff, to help you make an informed decision.
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