Product comparison
Melaleuca Florify vs Align vs Culturelle: Which daily probiotic fits your routine?
Melaleuca Florify, Align 24/7 and Culturelle Digestive Daily compared on strains, how each states its CFU count, storage and price.
Florify, Align and Culturelle
Florify Daily Probiotic. Photo: melaleuca.com 
Align 24/7. Photo: alignprobiotics.com 
Culturelle Digestive Daily. Photo: culturelle.com
Melaleuca Florify Daily Probiotic has nine probiotic strains in one capsule. Align 24/7 Digestive Support and Culturelle Digestive Daily Probiotic each use a single strain. The makers also state live-culture counts on different bases, so the numbers on the front of the box don't line up directly.
How Florify, Align and Culturelle compare
Prices change, so check each maker's site for the current figure.
| Florify | Align 24/7 | Culturelle Digestive Daily | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strains | Nine, including L. casei, L. rhamnosus, L. acidophilus, B. animalis subsp. lactis, L. paracasei and L. plantarum | One: Bifidobacterium 35624 | One: Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG |
| CFU as stated | 11 billion active cultures (proprietary blend) | 1 billion at manufacture; 10 million through the best-by date | 10 billion CFUs |
| Added ingredients | 5 mcg vitamin D; 50 mg fructooligosaccharides, a prebiotic fiber | Not listed | 200 mg inulin from chicory root |
| Capsules | 30 | 28 | 30, or a 50-capsule pack |
| Storage | Refrigeration recommended to maximize shelf life | No refrigeration required | No refrigeration needed; store in a cool, dry place |
| Price | $38.00 regular / $26.49 member | Not listed | $17.99 (30 count) / $26.99 (50 count) |
| Price per capsule | About $1.27 regular / $0.88 member | Not listed | About $0.60 / $0.54 |
| How you buy | Through Melaleuca's online store, with member pricing for members | Not listed | From Culturelle's website |
Why the CFU numbers differ
CFU stands for colony forming units. It counts the live cultures in a probiotic. The three labels state their counts differently, so compare the labels themselves. Melaleuca says Florify contains "11 billion active cultures" in a proprietary blend. Culturelle says its capsule delivers 10 billion CFUs. Align states two figures on its label: 1 billion CFU at manufacture and 10 million through the best-by date.
The starting point matters when you compare labels. A count taken at manufacture describes the bottle the day it was filled. A count guaranteed through expiration describes what you swallow months later. Align's own page says its products "contain guaranteed potency and levels of live probiotic CFUs in each dose" and that each lot is DNA tested to confirm its strain.
What Melaleuca says about Florify
Melaleuca describes Florify this way: "Each capsule contains nine diverse probiotic strains and 11 billion active cultures to help balance and support your digestive tract for better gut health and improved nutrient absorption."
The strains include L. acidophilus, L. rhamnosus and B. animalis subsp. lactis. Florify also adds 5 mcg of vitamin D and 50 mg of fructooligosaccharides, a prebiotic fiber that feeds the cultures. The capsule is vegetarian and acid-resistant, and you take one a day. Melaleuca recommends refrigeration to maximize shelf life, and the product is gluten-free. If you already order Melaleuca's cleaners or laundry products, you can add Florify to the same vitamins and supplements order.
What Align and Culturelle say about their products
Align builds its product around one strain. Its page calls it the "WELL-STUDIED STRAIN" and says Align is "backed by 20+ years of research" and was developed by gastroenterologists. Align also calls itself "THE PROBIOTIC BRAND PHYSICIANS RECOMMEND MOST." The capsule needs no refrigeration, and it ships in packaging designed to protect potency. Each bottle holds 28 capsules, and you take one a day. The product is gluten-free and vegetarian.
Culturelle's single strain is Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG. Culturelle calls it a "Clinically studied probiotic" that "reduces occasional digestive upset including gas, bloating and diarrhea." The capsule delivers "the clinically proven effective amount of 10 billion CFUs." It also contains 200 mg of inulin from chicory root, a prebiotic fiber. The capsule is individually sealed and needs no refrigeration. Culturelle lists it as vegetarian, non-GMO and gluten-free. A 30-capsule bottle runs $17.99, and a 50-capsule pack runs $26.99 on Culturelle's site. That works out to about 60 cents or 54 cents a capsule. Culturelle's label says the capsules are for ages 12 and older.
Which one fits your household?
Florify fits a shopper who wants several strains in one capsule, likes the added vitamin D and prebiotic fiber, and already places a monthly Melaleuca order. Member pricing brings each capsule to about 88 cents, and Melaleuca recommends keeping the bottle in the fridge to maximize shelf life.
Align fits a household that prefers one well-documented strain and a bottle that travels or sits in a cabinet without refrigeration. Each bottle has 28 capsules. Culturelle fits the shopper who wants a 30- or 50-capsule size. Its bottle can sit with the other vitamins on the counter.
Questions moms ask
Does Florify need refrigeration? Melaleuca recommends refrigeration to maximize shelf life.
Why do the CFU numbers look so different? The three labels state their counts differently. Florify says 11 billion active cultures. Culturelle says 10 billion CFUs. Align's label states 1 billion at manufacture and 10 million through the best-by date. Compare the labels side by side.
Where can I buy each? Florify comes through Melaleuca's online store, with member pricing for members. Culturelle sells on its own website.
Read the strain list and the CFU basis on the label, and run your pick past your doctor along with the price per capsule.
Sources
- Melaleuca Florify Daily Probiotic
- Align 24/7 Digestive Support Probiotic Supplement
- Culturelle Digestive Daily Probiotic Capsules
