9 Top CBD Brands of 2023: Products, Uses, Pros, Cons

cbd brands

9 Top CBD Brands of 2023

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How we vet brands and products

Austra Health only shows you brands and products that we stand behind.

  • Evaluate ingredients and composition: Do they have the potential to cause harm?
  • Fact-check all health claims: Do they align with the current body of scientific evidence?
  • Assess the brand: Does it operate with integrity and adhere to industry best practices?

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The CBD market is crowded with options, and not all companies jump through the proper hoops. Here are the best CBD brands when it comes to safety, quality, and transparency.

Social, Aspen Green, Kanibi, and FAB CBD tincture bottles

Austra Health has sole editorial control over this article. Potential uses for the products listed here are not health claims made by the manufacturers. The information in this article is intended to be general in nature. It’s not intended to be a substitute for medical advice from a healthcare professional. Austra Health encourages you to make any treatment decisions with your healthcare professional.

  • Top CBD brand for organic full-spectrum products:Cornbread Hemp | Skip to Review
  • Top CBD brand for THC-free products:Social CBD | Skip to Review
  • Top CBD brand for variety:cbdMD | Skip to Review
  • Top CBD wellness brand:Aspen Green | Skip to Review
  • Top CBD brand for beginners:FAB CBD | Skip to Review
  • Top CBD brand for flavored products:Kanibi | Skip to Review
  • Top CBD brand for topicals:PlusCBD | Skip to Review
  • Top CBD brand for athletes:JustLive | Skip to Review
  • Top CBD brand for organic broad-spectrum products:Joy Organics | Skip to Review

Once you’ve decided to try cannabidiol (CBD), picking a brand is the logical next step. But with countless CBD brands on the market today, you may be wondering where to even begin.

To get you started, we’re sharing our picks of the top CBD brands in multiple categories.

We chose these brands based on criteria we think are good indicators of safety, quality, and transparency. Each brand in this article:

  • provides proof of third-party testing
  • demonstrates transparency about where their hemp is grown
  • sells products with no more than 0.3% THC, according to the certificate of analysis (COA)
  • tests their products for pesticides, heavy metals, and molds

As a part of our selection process, we also considered:

  • certifications and manufacturing processes
  • whether the products are certified organic
  • indicators of user trust and brand reputation, like:
    • customer reviews
    • whether the company has been subject to a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warning letter
    • whether the company makes any unsupported health claims

    Pricing guide

    Each brand sells multiple products that vary in price. We based this pricing guide on the average price of products across each brand’s products.

    Top CBD brand for organic full-spectrum products

    Cornbread Hemp

    • Price: $$$
    • CBD type: full-spectrum
    • Organic: yes
    • Best for: people looking to benefit from the entourage effect, people who prioritize organic ingredients
    • COAs:available online
    • Pros: organic, full-spectrum, 30-day guarantee
    • Cons: expensive

    Cornbread Hemp is a family-owned business that made their name on organic, flower-only, full-spectrum CBD products. It was the first CBD brand in Kentucky to earn the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) organic seal, which is a big differentiator in the market.

    The brand offers a limited line of CBD products but still manages to include all the basics, including oils for pets. Pricing falls into the moderate-to-expensive range, but again, the products are organic and full-spectrum. Plus, Cornbread offers generous discount programs to make CBD more accessible, and they stand behind their products with a 30-day guarantee.

    Cornbread Hemp has more than 1,000 5-star reviews on their website, but reviews on third-party sites like Trustpilot are limited. Still, the company has an excellent rating.

    What our testers say

    • About the CBD Lotion + Menthol: great as long as you’re not bothered by the smell of menthol. “It almost immediately provided an overwhelming cooling/borderline numbing effect on the areas I applied it.” — Melissa Lee, Austra Health Market Wellness Editor II
    • About the CBD Lotion without Menthol: the menthol option may be better if you need immediate pain relief. “It felt pretty moisturizing and lightweight. It easily absorbs into the skin. I would say it’s primarily best for people who want a moisturizing, lightweight lotion with CBD in it.” — Melissa Lee, Austra Health Market Wellness Editor II
    • About the Full-Spectrum Gummies in Berry: great for sleep, but some may find the taste bitter. “It did work for sleep for me. It made me drowsy pretty quickly, within an hour or two of having it. It tastes sweet initially, but a second tester reported a strong bitterness that they found unpleasant.” — Candice Abellon, Senior Austra Health Editor
    • About the Full-Spectrum Capsules: great for those who don’t want to taste the CBD. “These CBD capsules are flavorless, which makes them a good option for people who like the effects of ingestible products but not the flavor. However, the gummies are more bang for your buck.” — Sydney Hanan, Senior Associate at Austra Health

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    Top CBD brand for THC-free products

    Social CBD

    • Price: $$
    • CBD type: broad-spectrum, isolate
    • Organic: no
    • Best for: people who want to avoid THC
    • COAs:available online
    • Pros: broad-spectrum and isolate products, reasonable price point
    • Cons: no full-spectrum products

    Social CBD is a well-known CBD brand with a reputation for high quality products for physical and mental stress relief. The company makes broad-spectrum and isolate products with hemp grown in Oregon, and they have a wide range of offerings. That includes tinctures, gummies, capsules, topicals, pet products, and bundles.

    Social CBD has discount programs for veterans, first responders, and students. It also offers a loyalty program so customers can earn points for discounts. If you opt for a subscription, you can save 30% on your orders.

    There are more than 4,000 reviews on Trustpilot, with an average of 4.6 stars.

    What our testers say

    • About the Balance CBD Gel Capsules: great for on the go but not for beginners. “I enjoyed the 33.33-mg CBD dose per capsule, which is more than I’d recommend for beginners (start low and slow by following the manufacturer’s instructions). No strange odors came from the bottle or gel capsules, and it was nice to take a capsule and go!” — Christy Snyder, Austra Health Editor II
    • About the Original CBD Gummies, Peach Mango or Red Raspberry: nice for those new to CBD, easy to dose. “I enjoyed these gummies. They aren’t coated in sugar (like some other CBD gummies on the market) and the lower dose of 12.5 mg CBD per gummy is great for beginners.”— Christy Snyder, Austra Health Editor II

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    Top CBD brand for variety

    cbdMD

    • Price: $–$$$
    • CBD type: broad-spectrum, full-spectrum
    • Organic: no
    • Best for: people looking for the best deals and a wide range of products
    • COAs: available on product pages
    • Pros: wide variety of product types, bundles available
    • Cons: no full-spectrum or isolate products

    With oils, gummies, topicals, softgels, beverages, bath products, and more, cbdMD specializes in broad-spectrum CBD.

    Pricing runs the gamut, though if you bundle two or three items, you can save up to 25%.

    Reviews are really positive on the cbdMD site, but a little more mixed on third-party sites like Trustpilot.

    What our testers say

    • About the CBD Gummies: effective and a good choice if you want multiple flavors in one bottle. “I noticed feeling relaxed, less stressed, and able to gently drift off to sleep.” — Christy Snyder, Austra Health Editor II
    • About the CBD Oil Tincture: more effective than other oils, but choose your flavor wisely. “The Orange flavor is OK, but it definitely has a bit of a chemical-y aftertaste. I found that taking it with food helped reduce the aftertaste. I do think it helped with my anxiety. When I’m anxious, my shoulders really tighten up. I felt like this oil helped relax me a bit.” — Corie Osborn, Austra Health Senior Editor
    • About the CBD Freeze Roller: great for acute pain. “You can reapply without it getting sticky or pilly. I really like the way it feels on my neck and lower back. It produces a cold, numbing sensation that decreases pain upon application. The only problem is that the numbing sensation doesn’t last longer than 15 minutes or so. It would probably bring more relief to someone with an acute injury, like a pulled muscle or sprained ankle, than to someone with chronic pain.” — Corie Osborn, Austra HealthSenior Editor

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    Top CBD wellness brand

    Aspen Green

    • Price: $$$
    • CBD type: full-spectrum
    • Organic: yes
    • Best for: people looking for USDA certified organic CBD products in higher potencies
    • COAs:available online
    • Pros: full-spectrum, organic, 60-day satisfaction guarantee
    • Cons: smaller selection, higher potencies

    Aspen Green is an award-winning, family-owned CBD company based in Colorado. They produce organic, full-spectrum CBD products for people and pets. The company is vocal about the importance of full transparency at every stage, from where and how their hemp is grown to their exact extraction and processing methods to third-party testing results.

    Aspen Green sells a limited selection of CBD oils and topical products, including body creams, butters, balms, and oils. Their potencies are on the higher end, something that’s reflected in higher price points. Remember, though, that these are USDA certified organic products.

    Aspen Green offers generous discount programs for low income households, members of the military, first responders, medical professionals, teachers, students, people with disabilities, and people who are unemployed. The company also has a rewards program for more savings.

    Reviews are fairly limited on the Aspen Green website, but they’re overwhelmingly positive. There are more than 200 product reviews, and 95% are 5 stars.

    What our tester says

    • About the Full-Spectrum CBD Oil: a good option for CBD oil beginners, but know that the unflavored option tastes quite earthy. “It helped me to physically relax and reduced my stress levels. I felt relaxed as if I had just taken a nice warm bath. I felt the stress of the day wash away! The citrus flavor is my favorite out of the three that I tried.” — Christy Snyder, Austra Health Editor II
    • About the Pain Relief Body Balm: a must-try for pain relief. “I used it specifically for lower back pain from sciatica. I noticed immediate relief from the intense pain I was having. It has relieved my pain better than other topical CBD products that I’ve tried.” — Christy Snyder, Austra Health Editor II

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    Top CBD brand for beginners

    FAB CBD

    • Price: $–$$
    • CBD type: full-spectrum
    • Organic: no
    • Best for: people looking for a wide range of products and potencies
    • COAs:available online
    • Pros: non-GMO ingredients, good selection of products and potencies, reasonable price point
    • Cons: no isolate or broad-spectrum options

    FAB CBD launched in 2017 with a mind to creating a product line with something for everyone. According the company, they pay particular attention to people who are new to using CBD. They offer a wide range of products and potencies. The CBD oils, for example, come in four strengths and five flavors.

    However, there are no options for broad-spectrum or isolate products.

    FAB CBD sells their products as one-time purchases or via subscription through their discount club. Sign up for regular delivery, and you’ll get 20% off every purchase.

    The company appears to have a big, happy customer base. There are more than 2,600 reviews on the FAB CBD website, with an overall rating of 4.9 stars.

    What our tester says

    • About the CBD Gummies: may be a good fit for a more advanced isolate CBD user. “At 25 mg per gummy, I did find it effective in reducing my anxiety. I suggest cutting in half for beginners.” — Christy Snyder, Austra Health Editor II
    • About the CBD Body Salve: great for on the go. It’s more potent and portable than the brand’s CBD cream. “Initially it heats, and then cools. It’s in a stick form, like a deodorant. I noticed that it relieved the pain quickly and allowed me to relax.” — Christy Snyder, Austra Health Editor II
    • About the CBD + CBG Oil: power couple, but it may be best for intermediate CBD users. “At a higher potency of 20 mg CBD and 20 mg CBG, I noticed faster relaxation. I had never used CBG before and really enjoyed the relaxing effects it had on my body.” — Christy Snyder, Austra Health Editor II

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    Top CBD brand for flavored products

    Kanibi

    • Price: $$
    • CBD type: full-spectrum, isolate
    • Organic: no
    • Best for: people who don’t like the taste of hemp
    • COAs:available online
    • Pros: reasonably priced, good potency and flavor options
    • Cons: no broad-spectrum products

    Kanibi is a premium CBD company that emphasizes quality above all else. Their products are made in micro batches with organically grown U.S. hemp and no artificial colors, flavors, dyes, or sweeteners. The company double tests every product they sell, and the lab reports are readily accessible on their website.

    Kanibi has full-spectrum and isolate CBD oils in a range of flavors. Some are standard, like Cinnamon and Lemon Lime, but others are pretty out of the box. Skittles or Choco Mint, anyone? Flavored oils like these are a good choice if you don’t like the earthy flavor of hemp.

    Kanibi’s products are moderately priced. You can also buy their oils and gummies in two and three packs to save. Plus, the company offers military and veteran discounts, as well as a referral program.

    You’ll find glowing reviews of Kanibi on their website, and feedback online is generally positive.

    What our tester says

    • About the Cooling Gel Roll: a great cooling product when it comes to easy application. “The roll-on gel is a nice way to keep your hands free of having to touch gel when applying, and you can be precise about where you are putting it.” — Christy Snyder, Austra Health Editor II
    • About the CBD Pure Isolate Oil: a more expensive product that wins you over in the flavor department. Referring to the Skittles flavor: “The taste is fantastically wonderful. Nothing compares to this flavor. There’s no bad aftertaste or lingering dry mouth. It helped me fall asleep rather quickly, and when taken at a lower dose, I felt very relaxed.” — Christy Snyder, Austra Health Editor II

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    Top CBD brand for topicals

    PlusCBD

    • Price: $$–$$$
    • CBD type: full-spectrum
    • Organic: no
    • Best for: people who want a lot of options for products and potencies, people looking to benefit from the entourage effect
    • COAs:available online
    • Pros: good range of full-spectrum products, 90-day money-back guarantee
    • Cons: no options for broad-spectrum or isolate products

    PlusCBD was founded in 2014, making it a well-established CBD company with a reputation for a science-forward approach, along with a commitment to safety and third-party testing. The company sells a range of hemp extracts and “science-based wellness products.”

    Customers can find full-spectrum CBD sprays, drops, topicals, capsules, and pet products in different potencies, sizes, and bundles. While pricing is comparable to higher than competitors, PlusCBD has a dedicated coupons page and a loyalty program.

    PlusCBD has positive feedback online. At the time of publication, there are 4,481 reviews on Trustpilot, a third-party review platform, with an overall rating of 4.5 stars.

    What our tester says

    • About the Pain Relief Penetrating Cream: quick and effective relief. “I felt immediate cooling and heating sensations, and I noticed that my lower back pain was relieved for over 30 minutes.”— Christy Snyder, Austra Health Editor II
    • About the Pain Relief Sport Recovery Stick: easy to apply but has only mild effects. “I used this recovery stick on tense shoulder muscles. I’m a fan of the product in stick form, for ease of application. I noticed only mild relief, and the effects didn’t last long for me.” — Christy Snyder, Austra Health Editor II
    • About the Pain Relief Arthritis Cream: strong scent with a cooling sensation. “I found this cream to have a strong menthol scent and loose consistency. I noticed that it cooled quickly, within the first 5 minutes after application. I felt mild relief for about 30 minutes.”— Christy Snyder, Austra Health Editor II

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    Top CBD brand for athletes

    Just Live

    • Price: $$$
    • CBD type: broad-spectrum, isolate
    • Organic: no
    • Best for: people looking to avoid THC
    • COAs: available on product pages
    • Pros: THC-free, lots of options
    • Cons: expensive

    This athlete-founded CBD company offers gummies, topicals, tinctures, and supplements that are free of THC. Athletes Alex Morgan and Klay Thompson represent the brand, and the company is committed to full transparency to ensure completely compliant, high quality products.

    Just Live offers discount programs for many groups, including first responders, teachers, students, older adults, and real estate agents, among others.

    Reviews of Just Live products are overwhelmingly positive on and off the company website.

    Top CBD brand for organic broad-spectrum products

    Joy Organics

    • Price: $$
    • CBD type: broad-spectrum
    • Organic: limited collection
    • Best for: people looking to avoid THC, people who prioritize organic ingredients
    • COAs:available online
    • Pros: organic, no THC, great reviews
    • Cons: few full-spectrum options

    Joy Organics creates broad-spectrum CBD products that are extensively tested and well reviewed. The company is committed to transparency at every stage, with the results of internal and third-party lab testing readily accessible.

    Joy Organics has a wide range of products, including a collection of organic products. Most of the company’s products are formulated without tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). But since they’re broad-spectrum, they do still contain beneficial terpenes and flavonoids, plus other cannabinoids like cannabigerol (CBG) and cannabinol (CBN).

    There are also options for CBD products with THC.

    Prices are in the moderate range, particularly given the number of USDA certified organic products. Plus, Joy Organics offers a number of discount programs for qualifying consumers.

    Reviewers sing the company’s praises online, not only in regard to the quality of the products, but also the customer service.

    What our tester says

    • About the Organic CBD Salve: a great nongreasy topical. “I used the product before bed to help with dry, cracked fingers. I’ve also been using it in the morning to help with shoulder pain. It has a very pleasant lavender and eucalyptus scent that reminds me of a spa.” — Kelli McGrane, MS, RD, Nutrition and Fitness Editor
    • About the Premium CBD Gummies: great if you prefer an organic gummy. “I took it in the mid-morning to help with stress. It has a pleasantly sweet strawberry flavor, though I noticed a slightly bitter aftertaste. I would recommend it for readers who are interested in an organic gummy that’s easy on the stomach and doesn’t get stuck in your teeth.” — Kelli McGrane, MS, RD, Nutrition and Fitness Editor
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