Best Omega-3 Fish Oil Supplements 2026: Cost per Effective Dose
1,000 mg of EPA and DHA from a tested fish oil costs $0.30 to $0.97 at Amazon prices, about $110 to $353 a year at 1,000 mg a day. Our pick, Viva Naturals Triple Strength, is the cheapest tested one. NOW Ultra Omega-3 costs less, $0.21, but it is not on a testing list. If you eat fish once or twice a week, you may not need any.
By Erin Rose Updated October 17, 2026 How we score
What 1,000 mg of EPA and DHA costs, cheapest first
| Product and bottle | Per 1,000 mg | A year |
|---|---|---|
| NOW Ultra Omega-3 180 softgels, $27.98, 750 mg EPA and DHA in 1 softgelNot on a testing list we checkCheck price | $0.21 | $76 |
| Viva Naturals Triple Strength 180 softgels, $55.96, 2,070 mg EPA and DHA in 2 softgelsIFOSCheck price | $0.30 | $110 |
| Sports Research Triple Strength 90 softgels, $29.30, 950 mg EPA and DHA in 1 softgelIFOSCheck price | $0.34 | $125 |
| Nature Made Fish Oil 1200 mg 100 softgels, $12.49, 600 mg EPA and DHA in 2 softgelsUSP VerifiedCheck price | $0.42 | $152 |
| Carlson Elite Omega-3 Gems 130 softgels, $42.42, 1,400 mg EPA and DHA in 2 softgelsIFOSCheck price | $0.47 | $170 |
| Thorne Super EPA 90 gelcaps, $41.00, 695 mg EPA and DHA in 1 gelcapNSF/ANSI 173Check price | $0.66 | $239 |
| Momentous Omega-3 60 softgels, $39.99, 1,600 mg EPA and DHA in 2 softgelsNSF Certified for SportCheck price | $0.83 | $304 |
| Barlean’s Ideal Omega 3 30 softgels, $28.99, 1,000 mg EPA and DHA in 1 softgelIFOSCheck price | $0.97 | $353 |
| Nordic Naturals Algae Omega 60 softgels, $20.24, 585 mg EPA and DHA in 2 softgels, algae oilNot on a testing list we checkCheck price | $1.15 | $421 |
Also scored: Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega, $0.62 per 1,000 mg ($226 a year), on no testing list we check. Carlson Elite Omega-3 Gems, in the table, is on IFOS and costs less.
Which list each oil is on, and what each list checks: third-party tested fish oil. To choose by need: the best fish oil.
Most people need less than this
The table prices 1,000 mg of EPA and DHA a day. For general health, European food safety experts advise 250 to 500 mg a day, counting fish you eat, which cuts these costs by half or more. Take more only if your doctor tells you to.
A bigger bottle saves a little. At Nordic Naturals’s own store, its 60-softgel bottle costs $1.76 per 1,000 mg and its 120-softgel bottle $1.51. Buy a size you will finish before its date.
Compare the EPA and DHA lines on the label, not the big fish oil number. On the 516 labels we read that list both, the omega-3 was a median 30% of the fish oil.
Amazon prices move from week to week. This table updates each night; check the price on the day you buy.
Sources
- Prices: Amazon, checked each night; last check November 6, 2026. Sizes: each brand’s own list price for every size it sells.
- EPA and DHA per serving: each product’s label, checked against the Amazon listing we link to.
- Label study: NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database, 899 fish oil labels read.
- Testing lists: IFOS, NSF Certified for Sport, NSF/ANSI 173 and USP Verified. Details and dates: third-party tested fish oil.
- Intake advice: EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies. Opinion on the Tolerable Upper Intake Level of EPA, DHA and DPA. EFSA Journal. 2012;10(7):2815.