Nov
Vaping 101 Guides
How Much Nicotine Is in a Vape? Strengths, 5% and mg Explained
How much nicotine is in a vape comes down to two numbers on its label: the strength and the e-liquid size. In our e-liquids and disposables, vape nicotine levels mostly fall between 3mg and 55mg per milliliter, while most disposables hold 5% nicotine. To find how much nicotine is in a disposable vape, multiply the strength by the size, so a 20mL device at 5% holds 1,000mg. The same math tells you how many milligrams of nicotine are in a vape of any size, from a 16mL disposable to a 120mL bottle.
The short version
- Labels give the strength in mg per mL or as a percent, so 5% is the same as 50mg/mL.
- Multiply the strength by the size to get the total, so a 40mL disposable at 5% holds 2,000mg of nicotine.
- Freebase vape juice mostly comes in 3mg or 6mg, while nic salts come in 20mg to 55mg and most of our disposables hold 5%.
- Labels list the strength and size, not nicotine per puff, since each puff depends on the device and your draw.
- Every nicotine vape package carries a federal warning that nicotine is addictive, and the FDA says to store e-liquid away from kids and pets.
How to read vape nicotine levels
Every label gives the strength in one of two ways. Bottles of vape juice usually say mg, meaning milligrams of nicotine in each milliliter, while disposables and prefilled pods often show a percent. Both use the same scale, since 1% equals 10mg/mL, so our product pages list both: “5% (50mg).”
| Type | Vape nicotine levels |
|---|---|
| Freebase vape juice | Mostly 3mg or 6mg, sometimes 12mg or 18mg |
| Nic salts | 20mg to 55mg, most often 50mg |
| Disposables | Mostly 5%, sometimes 2% or less |
To switch between the two, multiply a percent by 10, so 5% nicotine is 50mg/mL and 2% is 20mg/mL. Freebase works the same way too, so 3mg is 0.3% and 6mg is 0.6%.
How much nicotine is in a disposable vape?
A disposable’s label gives you everything you need: the e-liquid size and the strength. Multiply them, and you have the milligrams of nicotine in the whole vape, since the strength is per mL. Here’s that math for seven of our best-selling disposables, so you can compare them.
| Disposable | E-liquid and strength | Nicotine in all |
|---|---|---|
| HorizonTech 100K | 40mL at 5% | 2,000mg |
| iJoy XP100K kit | 33mL* at 5% | 1,650mg |
| Keep It 100 40K | 20mL at 5% or 2% | 1,000mg or 400mg |
| Foger Switch Pro pod | 19mL at 5% | 950mg |
| Fifty Bar 20K | 18mL at 5% or 2% | 900mg or 360mg |
| RAZ LTX 25K | 16mL at 5% | 800mg |
| Al Fakher Crown Bar 60K E-Hose X | 50mL at 0.6% | 300mg |
*The XP100K kit’s 33mL is an 18mL prefilled pod plus a 15mL refill bottle.
Most of these hold 5% nicotine, so the size decides the total. The HorizonTech 100K holds 40mL, for instance, which is 2.5 times the RAZ LTX 25K. Boost Mode doesn’t change the strength on the devices that have one, either. It uses more e-liquid per puff instead, which is why its puff rating is lower. Since most disposables share the same vape nicotine levels, compare the e-liquid sizes when you shop.
Our best-selling disposable is also the one with the most nicotine here: 2,000mg.
Pick 2% or 5%, so its 20mL holds 400mg or 1,000mg.
Al Fakher Crown Bar 60K E-Hose X
A low-nicotine e-hose, so its 50mL holds only 300mg.
Nicotine in a bottle of vape juice
Bottles work the same way: multiply the strength by the size to get the milligrams of nicotine in a bottle of vape juice. Freebase juice is weaker per mL but comes in bigger bottles, though, so a large freebase bottle can hold about as much nicotine as a small bottle of nic salt.
| Vape juice | Size and strength | Nicotine in all |
|---|---|---|
| Glazed Donut Loaded (freebase) | 120mL at 3mg or 6mg | 360mg or 720mg |
| VCT by Ripe Vapes (freebase) | 120mL at 12mg or 18mg | 1,440mg or 2,160mg |
| Strawberry Pom NKD 100 Salt | 30mL at 35mg or 50mg | 1,050mg or 1,500mg |
| Glazed Donut Loaded PODSALTZ | 60mL at 35mg or 50mg | 2,100mg or 3,000mg |
VCT also comes in 3mg or 6mg, like most freebase juice. Why are salts so much stronger? Our freebase vs salt nicotine guide explains it, since each type suits a different kit. You can also browse all our vape juice or go straight to our nicotine salts.
Loaded Glazed Donut Vape Juice
Our best-selling freebase juice holds 360mg or 720mg, so it’s the mildest bottle in the table.
Our best-selling bottle of nic salt holds 1,050mg or 1,500mg, so it’s far stronger per mL.
Is 5% nicotine a lot?
It is, since 5% nicotine is one of the highest strengths we carry. Our nic salts come in 50mg most often, and most of our disposables use 5% too, while a few salts go higher, at 55mg. Freebase juice, in contrast, mostly stays at 3mg or 6mg.
If you’d like less nicotine, every type of vape comes in lower nicotine levels:
- Disposables: the Keep It 100 40K and the Fifty Bar 20K’s Silver Series also come in 2%.
- E-hose: the Al Fakher Crown Bar 60K E-Hose X holds 0.6%, which is far lower than 5%.
- Nic salts: many come in 24mg, 25mg or 35mg as well as 50mg.
- Freebase juice: most bottles offer 3mg, which is lower than any salt.
Each product page lists the strengths it has in stock, so check there before you order.
Nicotine safety rules for every strength
The same federal rules cover every strength. Each nicotine vape package must carry this federal warning: “WARNING: This product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical.” The warning has to cover at least 30% of the package’s two main panels, too.
Federal law also says liquid nicotine has to come in child-resistant packaging. The CPSC says to keep it in that original bottle, locked up and out of a child’s sight and reach.
The FDA gives these tips for storing e-liquids:
- Keep e-liquid in its original bottle, with the cap locked when you’re not using it.
- Store it up high, out of the reach and view of kids and pets.
- If anyone drinks e-liquid, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 right away.
- Wash e-liquid off skin with soap and water. For eyes, rinse well with water, then see a doctor if your vision changes.
For more health facts from the CDC and FDA, see our guide to the negative effects of vaping.
Vape nicotine FAQ
How much nicotine is in a disposable vape?
Multiply its e-liquid size by its strength to get the milligrams of nicotine in the vape. Most disposables we carry are 5%, or 50mg/mL, so a 16mL device holds 800mg and a 40mL one holds 2,000mg. At 2%, though, a 20mL device holds only 400mg.
What does 5% nicotine mean?
It means 50 milligrams of nicotine in each mL of vape juice, so a 30mL bottle at 5% holds 1,500mg. To turn a percent into mg/mL, multiply it by 10, so 2% is 20mg/mL and 0.6% is 6mg/mL.
How much nicotine is in one puff of a vape?
Labels don’t tell you that, because each puff depends on the strength, the device’s power and how long you draw. Puff counts are only the makers’ estimates, too, so labels give the total instead.
What’s the difference between 3mg and 6mg?
A 6mg juice has twice the nicotine in each mL, so a 60mL bottle holds 180mg at 3mg or 360mg at 6mg. Both are freebase strengths, made for higher-power kits rather than small pod kits.
Do all vapes have nicotine?
No. Some vape juice comes in 0mg, with no nicotine at all, though only a few of our bottles do. Each product page lists the strengths it has in stock.
Why do nic salts come in higher strengths?
Nic salts suit low-power pod kits and tight, mouth-to-lung draws. That’s why they come in 20mg to 55mg, while freebase juice for bigger kits mostly stays at 3mg or 6mg.
Find your nicotine strength
Every product page lists its strengths and its size, so you can do the math before you buy.
This guide shares general facts. It is not medical advice. The totals are our own math: the strength on each product page times its e-liquid size, as listed when we published this guide. Puff counts are the makers’ ratings. If someone swallows e-liquid, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Vape products contain nicotine, which is addictive. You must be 21 or older to buy them, under the federal Tobacco 21 law. Some states limit vape sales and shipping, so check our vape shipping guide before you order.