Looking for pure, high-quality essential oils but confused by the endless options? You’re not alone. Two brands consistently dominate conversations in essential oil communities: Young Living and Plant Therapy. But which one delivers better value, quality, and safety for your family?
Let’s dive in.
Why This Comparison Matters for Your Wallet and Wellbeing
The essential oil market has exploded in recent years, with more people seeking natural alternatives for wellness, cleaning, and aromatherapy. However, not all essential oil companies are created equal. Some prioritize profits over purity, while others genuinely focus on delivering safe, effective products.
Your choice between these two industry leaders will impact:
- How much you pay for quality oils
- The transparency you get about what’s actually in your bottle
- The safety guidance available for your family
- Your overall purchasing experience
Let’s break down exactly how Young Living and Plant Therapy stack up across the factors that matter most.
Company Backgrounds: Two Very Different Approaches
Young Living: The MLM Pioneer
Founded in 1993 by Donald Gary Young, Young Living built its reputation as a pioneer in the modern essential oil movement. The company operates through a multi-level marketing (MLM) structure, where independent distributors sell products and recruit others to build “downlines.”
Key Features:
- Founded: 1993
- Business Model: Multi-Level Marketing (MLM)
- Vision: “Essential oils in every home”
- Revenue Source: Product sales + distributor commissions
Plant Therapy: The Direct-to-Consumer Challenger
Plant Therapy launched in 2011 as a family-owned business in Twin Falls, Idaho. They chose a completely different path: selling directly to consumers without MLM distributors or complicated membership structures.
Key Features:
- Founded: 2011
- Business Model: Direct-to-Consumer
- Mission: Provide trustworthy essential oils with exceptional customer service
- Revenue Source: Direct product sales only
Why This Difference Matters: The business model directly affects pricing, customer experience, and product accessibility. MLM structures require higher prices to pay commissions across multiple distributor levels, while direct sales models can offer lower prices by cutting out middlemen.
Quality and Transparency: What’s Really in Your Bottle?
Plant Therapy’s Open-Book Approach
Plant Therapy takes transparency seriously. Every batch of essential oils undergoes independent third-party GC/MS (Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry) testing, and here’s the game-changer: they publish these batch-specific reports publicly.
How It Works:
- Find the batch code on your bottle
- Visit the product page on their website
- Access the exact GC/MS report for your specific bottle
- See exactly what compounds are in your oil
Additional Quality Measures:
- Leaping Bunny Certification (cruelty-free)
- USDA Organic options available
- “Honestly Pure” standard for skincare (bans 180+ harmful ingredients)
- Eco-conscious sourcing practices
Young Living’s Seed to Seal Program
Young Living promotes their comprehensive “Seed to Seal®” program, which aims to control quality from plant cultivation to final bottling. This program covers three main areas:
Sourcing:
- Corporate-owned farms and vetted partner farms
- Lacey Act Compliance Program
- Strict supplier auditing
Science:
- 50+ trained scientists on staff
- D. Gary Young Research Institute
- 315,000+ tests performed annually
- Advanced testing methods (GC, HPLC, ICP-MS for heavy metals)
Standards:
- Internal quality protocols
- Collaboration with independent labs worldwide
- Certificate of Analysis (COA) for every product
The Transparency Gap: Despite extensive testing, Young Living explicitly states they don’t publish test results publicly, citing “intellectual property protection.” Consumers must trust the company’s internal processes without seeing batch-specific data.
Pricing: The Real Cost Difference
The business model difference creates a significant pricing gap between these brands.
Plant Therapy Pricing (10ml bottles)
Lavender Essential Oil [click to view…]
- Lavender Essential Oil: $7.99 ($0.80/ml)
- Peppermint Essential Oil: $8.99 ($0.90/ml)
- Organic Lavender: $9.49 ($0.95/ml)
- Frankincense Carterii: $18.99 ($1.90/ml)
Young Living Pricing (15ml bottles)
Lavender Essential Oil [click to view…]
- Lavender Essential Oil: $57.20 retail ($3.81/ml)
- Peppermint Essential Oil: $39.47 retail ($2.63/ml)
Price Per Milliliter Comparison: Young Living’s lavender costs nearly 5 times more per milliliter than Plant Therapy’s comparable product. Even accounting for potential wholesale discounts through Young Living’s membership program, the price difference remains substantial.
Why Such Different Prices? Plant Therapy’s direct sales model eliminates distributor commissions, allowing them to pass savings to customers. Young Living’s MLM structure requires higher retail prices to fund commission payments across multiple distributor levels.
Product Range: Focused vs. Comprehensive
Plant Therapy’s Focused Approach
Plant Therapy maintains a clear focus on essential oils and related aromatherapy products while expanding strategically into complementary areas:
Core Products:
Plant Therapy Top 6 USDA Organic Essential Oil Set [click to view…]
- Single essential oils
- Essential oil blends
- Organic essential oil options
- KidSafe line (specially formulated for children)
Complementary Products:
- Body care items
- Carrier oils
- Diffusers and accessories
- Household cleaning products
- CBD products (in legal states)
Young Living’s Ecosystem Strategy
Young Living positions itself as a comprehensive wellness brand with essential oils as the foundation:
Essential Oil Products:
Young Living Calming, Relaxing Essential Oil Blend [click to view…]
- Singles and blends
- Roll-ons
- Vitality Dietary Oils (for internal use)
- Diffusers and collections
Exclusive Brand Extensions:
Young Living Thieves Hand Sanitizer [click to view…]
- NingXia (wolfberry-based supplements)
- Thieves Home (cleaning products)
- ART skincare line
- Savvy Minerals makeup
- Einkorn ancient grain products
- Slique weight management products
Which Approach Suits You?
- Choose Plant Therapy if you want focused essential oil expertise
- Choose Young Living if you prefer a one-stop wellness shop
Safety Guidelines: Protecting Your Family
Plant Therapy’s Safety-First Philosophy
Plant Therapy developed specific safety lines with clear guidelines:
KidSafe Line:
Plant Therapy KidSafe Ear Relief Essential Oil [click to view…]
- Essential oils specifically tested for children’s use
- Clear dilution guidelines for different ages
- Developed by certified aromatherapists
Pregnancy/Nursing Safe:
- Oils deemed safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Specific usage recommendations
Pup & Pony Safe:
- Pet-safe essential oil options
- Clear guidelines for animal aromatherapy
Young Living’s General Safety Approach
Young Living provides general safety information and educational courses but doesn’t offer the same level of demographic-specific safety guidelines in their public materials.
Educational Resources:
- Learning Center with various courses
- General essential oil safety information
- Product-specific usage guides
Safety Consideration: Independent aromatherapists have raised concerns about Young Living’s historical promotion of casual internal use and insufficient emphasis on proper dilution, particularly for children.
Customer Experience: What Users Actually Say
Plant Therapy Customer Satisfaction
- Better Business Bureau Rating: A+
- Customer Reviews: Consistently positive (5/5 stars on many products)
- Common Praise: Great quality for the price, excellent customer service, easy ordering process
Typical Customer Comments:
- “Tremendous value for quality oils”
- “No membership required”
- “Free shipping and easy returns”
- “Safe and easy shopping experience”
Young Living Customer Experience
- Better Business Bureau Rating: 1.34/5 stars (based on 38 reviews)
- Mixed reviews across platforms
Common Complaints:
- Unwanted auto-subscriptions
- Difficulty canceling orders
- “Robot answers” from customer service
- Aggressive sales tactics from distributors
Common Praise:
- High product quality
- Strong community feeling
- Comprehensive product range
- Long-standing industry reputation
Which Brand Should You Choose?
Choose Plant Therapy If You:
- Want transparent access to quality testing reports
- Prefer straightforward, affordable pricing
- Prioritize explicit safety guidelines for children, pregnancy, or pets
- Value direct customer service without sales pressure
- Want to avoid MLM structures
- Are new to essential oils and want clear safety guidance
Choose Young Living If You:
- Value comprehensive quality control from seed to bottle
- Want access to a wide range of wellness products beyond essential oils
- Prefer being part of a brand community
- Don’t mind higher prices for perceived premium quality
- Are interested in the business opportunity aspect of MLM
- Trust company reputation over publicly verifiable data
Making Your Decision: Key Questions to Ask Yourself
Before making your choice, consider these important questions:
- Budget Priority: Is getting the best value per dollar your top concern?
- Transparency Needs: Do you want to verify product purity yourself, or are you comfortable trusting company claims?
- Safety Focus: Do you need explicit safety guidelines for children, pregnancy, or pets?
- Product Range: Do you want just essential oils, or are you interested in a full wellness product ecosystem?
- Shopping Experience: Do you prefer simple online ordering or building relationships with distributors?
Final Recommendations
Both companies offer quality essential oils, but they serve different customer needs and priorities.
The choice ultimately depends on your priorities: Do you value transparency, affordability, and explicit safety guidance? Plant Therapy delivers. Do you prefer comprehensive wellness ecosystems and don’t mind paying premium prices? Young Living might suit you better.
Whatever you choose, both companies offer quality essential oils that can enhance your wellness journey. The key is matching the brand’s strengths to your specific needs and values.
Dora Decora is a biophilic interior design specialist and passionate blogger. With a deep commitment to integrating nature into living spaces, Dora specializes in creating environments that foster human-nature connections through thoughtful design elements. Her approach emphasizes sustainable materials, natural lighting, and organic patterns that enhance wellbeing and reduce environmental impact.
This post (https://homechroma.com/young-living-vs-plant-therapy-essential-oils) was originally published by Dora Decora on Home Chroma. As an Amazon Associates partner, we are compensated for all qualifying purchases.
