Align vs Schiff Digestive Advantage (2026): Strains Compared
Buy Align. Its strain, B. infantis 35624, eased bloating, belly pain and gas in a 4-week trial of 362 women with IBS. Digestive Advantage costs less, $0.36 a day against $1.08, but its strain has one small trial.
By Erin Rose Updated October 19, 2026 Methodology
On a tight budget? Digestive Advantage. It costs about $264 less a year, and its spore-forming strain keeps well. Its trial was small, so expect less. Who should buy which.
The two, side by side
| Align | Digestive Advantage | |
|---|---|---|
| Strain | B. infantis 35624 (label: B. longum 35624) | B. coagulans GBI-30, 6086 |
| Count | 1 billion CFU when made; 10 million promised to the best-by date | 2 billion CFU a capsule |
| Best trial | 362 women with IBS, 4 weeks (Whorwell 2006) | 44 people with IBS, 8 weeks (Hun 2009) |
| A day | $1.08 | $0.36 |
| Storage | Room temperature, below 86°F | Room temperature |
What the trials found
Align’s strain was tested at three doses in 362 women with IBS. At 100 million CFU a day it beat a placebo for belly pain, bloating and gas over 4 weeks; 1 million did nothing, and 10 billion did no better than the placebo (Whorwell 2006). Align promises 10 million by the best-by date, a tenth of the dose that worked, so buy a fresh box.
Digestive Advantage’s strain was tested in 44 people with IBS for 8 weeks. Belly pain and bloating eased, but the two groups started out different, so the authors compared each group with itself, a weaker test (Hun 2009).
What the price gap costs you
Align costs $0.72 more a day, about $264 a year. Prices move: divide a bottle’s price by its capsules to check.
Who should buy which
- You have IBS-type bloating and want the stronger trialAlign
The strain from the larger trial. Check the price.
- You want to spend less and accept a smaller trialDigestive Advantage
$0.36 a day. Check the price.
- Your bloating comes after milk or certain foodsNeither yet
That may be a food intolerance. See best probiotics for bloating.
Questions
Is Align or Digestive Advantage better for bloating?
Align, for the stronger trial. Its strain eased bloating in 362 women with IBS. Digestive Advantage’s strain had one trial of 44 people, and its two groups started out different.
Can I take Align and Digestive Advantage together?
We found no trial of the two together. Pick one, take it for about a month, and stop if it does not help.
Sources
- Whorwell PJ, et al. “Efficacy of an encapsulated probiotic Bifidobacterium infantis 35624 in women with irritable bowel syndrome.” Am J Gastroenterol. 2006. PubMed 16863564
- Hun L. “Bacillus coagulans significantly improved abdominal pain and bloating in patients with IBS.” Postgrad Med. 2009. PubMed 19332970
- Labels and prices: Align and Schiff Digestive Advantage at Vitacost, read October 19, 2026. Product photos: Amazon, shown under the Associates program licence.