Thorne, Iron Bisglycinate, 25 mg, 60 Capsules vs Thorne, Advanced Iron Complex, 60 Capsules
Thorne, Iron Bisglycinate, 25 mg, 60 Capsules (#2, best premium) vs Thorne, Advanced Iron Complex, 60 Capsules (#5): in our Gentle Iron Supplements scoring the Thorne, Iron Bisglycinate, 25 mg, 60 Capsules totals 8.8/10 and the Thorne, Advanced Iron Complex, 60 Capsules 6.3/10.
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TopsFive comparison scores
Side by side
| Thorne, Iron Bisglycinate, 25 mg, 60 Capsules | Thorne, Advanced Iron Complex, 60 Capsules | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $16 | $26 |
| Iron Form | Ferrochel ferrous bisglycinate chelate | Ferrochel ferrous bisglycinate chelate |
| Elemental Iron | 25 mg | 36 mg |
| Vitamin C | None | 15 mg as ascorbic acid |
| Serving Size | 1 capsule | 1 capsule |
| Servings Per Container | 60 | 60 |
| Other Active Ingredients | None | Vitamin B6 5 mg P-5-P; folate 667 mcg DFE as L-5-MTHF; vitamin B12 300 mcg as methylcobalamin |
| Other Ingredients | Hypromellose capsule, microcrystalline cellulose, leucine, silicon dioxide | Hypromellose capsule, microcrystalline cellulose, leucine, silicon dioxide |
| Testing / Certification | NSF Certified for Sport | No listed USP, NSF or public product-specific certificate of analysis |
How they differ in real use
Built from our gentle iron supplements scoring, each product's published specifications, and verified owner feedback — not hands-on testing.
Both the Thorne, Iron Bisglycinate, 25 mg, 60 Capsules and the Thorne, Advanced Iron Complex, 60 Capsules made our Top 5 Gentle Iron Supplements, at #2 (best premium) and #5. This has the strongest certification evidence and a research-aligned 25 mg dose, but its much higher cost per mg keeps it just behind the iTested California Gold product. Its 10,000+ recent sales reinforce the selection without overriding the weighted criteria. The cofactor formula is the most comprehensive and its 5,000+ recent sales show strong demand, but the fixed scoring penalizes its lack of product-specific external certification and the list's highest active-ingredient cost. Popularity cannot outweigh those heavier criteria.
We score gentle iron supplements on Third-Party Testing (30%), Form & Bioavailability (25%), Dose vs Research (20%), Label Transparency (15%) and Value (10%). On that basis the Thorne, Iron Bisglycinate, 25 mg, 60 Capsules totals 8.8 out of 10 and the Thorne, Advanced Iron Complex, 60 Capsules 6.3. The widest gap is Third-Party Testing, where the Thorne, Iron Bisglycinate, 25 mg, 60 Capsules scores 10 against 2 for the Thorne, Advanced Iron Complex, 60 Capsules — independent certification or a published certificate of analysis. Dose vs Research also separates them: 9 for the Thorne, Iron Bisglycinate, 25 mg, 60 Capsules versus 8 for the Thorne, Advanced Iron Complex, 60 Capsules. The Thorne, Advanced Iron Complex, 60 Capsules claws back ground on Label Transparency.
On paper, the specifications that actually differ: Elemental Iron — 25 mg on the Thorne, Iron Bisglycinate, 25 mg, 60 Capsules versus 36 mg on the Thorne, Advanced Iron Complex, 60 Capsules; Vitamin C — None on the Thorne, Iron Bisglycinate, 25 mg, 60 Capsules versus 15 mg as ascorbic acid on the Thorne, Advanced Iron Complex, 60 Capsules; Other Active Ingredients — None on the Thorne, Iron Bisglycinate, 25 mg, 60 Capsules versus Vitamin B6 5 mg P-5-P; folate 667 mcg DFE as L-5-MTHF; vitamin B12 300 mcg as methylcobalamin on the Thorne, Advanced Iron Complex, 60 Capsules; Testing / Certification — NSF Certified for Sport on the Thorne, Iron Bisglycinate, 25 mg, 60 Capsules versus No listed USP, NSF or public product-specific certificate of analysis on the Thorne, Advanced Iron Complex, 60 Capsules. They match on Iron Form, Serving Size, Servings Per Container and Other Ingredients.
Pricing as of August 5, 2026: $16 for the Thorne, Iron Bisglycinate, 25 mg, 60 Capsules and $26 for the Thorne, Advanced Iron Complex, 60 Capsules, a $10 difference in the Thorne, Iron Bisglycinate, 25 mg, 60 Capsules's favor. Owners praise the Thorne, Iron Bisglycinate, 25 mg, 60 Capsules for NSF Certified for Sport listing is product-specific and 25 mg elemental iron matches the bisglycinate dose used in the cited randomized pregnancy trial; the most common complaint is no vitamin C appears on the Supplement Facts panel. Owners praise the Thorne, Advanced Iron Complex, 60 Capsules for 36 mg elemental iron as Ferrochel ferrous bisglycinate chelate and includes 15 mg vitamin C plus disclosed active forms of vitamin B6, folate and vitamin B12; the most common complaint is no USP, NSF or public product-specific certificate of analysis is shown for this product.
Thorne, Iron Bisglycinate, 25 mg, 60 Capsules
- NSF Certified for Sport listing is product-specific
- 25 mg elemental iron matches the bisglycinate dose used in the cited randomized pregnancy trial
- Single-active formula with four disclosed capsule excipients
- No vitamin C appears on the Supplement Facts panel
- $0.27 per serving is roughly three times the cost of the two value leaders
Thorne, Advanced Iron Complex, 60 Capsules
- 36 mg elemental iron as Ferrochel ferrous bisglycinate chelate
- Includes 15 mg vitamin C plus disclosed active forms of vitamin B6, folate and vitamin B12
- No proprietary blend; every active amount is stated
- No USP, NSF or public product-specific certificate of analysis is shown for this product
- $0.43 per serving and about $0.0120 per mg of elemental iron are the highest costs in the list
Which should you buy?
The Thorne, Iron Bisglycinate, 25 mg, 60 Capsules is the better fit for competitive athletes who require a recognized sport certification and buyers prioritizing certification over bottle price — it is the higher-scoring pick here, chiefly for Third-Party Testing and Dose vs Research. The Thorne, Advanced Iron Complex, 60 Capsules is the better fit for buyers wanting vitamin C and B-vitamin cofactors in one capsule and buyers preferring methylfolate and methylcobalamin forms, and the stronger choice if Label Transparency matters more to you than the overall score. Since the Thorne, Iron Bisglycinate, 25 mg, 60 Capsules is both the higher scorer and $10 cheaper, the Thorne, Advanced Iron Complex, 60 Capsules only makes sense for buyers wanting vitamin C and B-vitamin cofactors in one capsule. The Thorne, Iron Bisglycinate, 25 mg, 60 Capsules is a poor fit for budget-first shoppers; the Thorne, Advanced Iron Complex, 60 Capsules is a poor fit for budget-focused shoppers.
Choose the Thorne, Iron Bisglycinate, 25 mg, 60 Capsules if
- Competitive athletes who require a recognized sport certification
- Buyers prioritizing certification over bottle price
Skip it if
- Budget-first shoppers
- Buyers wanting vitamin C in the same capsule
Choose the Thorne, Advanced Iron Complex, 60 Capsules if
- Buyers wanting vitamin C and B-vitamin cofactors in one capsule
- Buyers preferring methylfolate and methylcobalamin forms
Skip it if
- Budget-focused shoppers
- Buyers wanting a single-active iron formula
Common questions
Is the Thorne, Iron Bisglycinate, 25 mg, 60 Capsules better than the Thorne, Advanced Iron Complex, 60 Capsules?
In our Gentle Iron Supplements ranking the Thorne, Iron Bisglycinate, 25 mg, 60 Capsules scores higher overall, 8.8 to 6.3, with the biggest advantage in Third-Party Testing. The Thorne, Advanced Iron Complex, 60 Capsules is stronger on Label Transparency, so it is the better pick if that matters most to you.
How much more does the Thorne, Advanced Iron Complex, 60 Capsules cost than the Thorne, Iron Bisglycinate, 25 mg, 60 Capsules?
$10 more as of August 5, 2026: $26 for the Thorne, Advanced Iron Complex, 60 Capsules against $16 for the Thorne, Iron Bisglycinate, 25 mg, 60 Capsules. Prices move, so the merchant page shows the current figure.
What is the main difference between the Thorne, Iron Bisglycinate, 25 mg, 60 Capsules and the Thorne, Advanced Iron Complex, 60 Capsules?
The headline spec difference is Elemental Iron: 25 mg on the Thorne, Iron Bisglycinate, 25 mg, 60 Capsules versus 36 mg on the Thorne, Advanced Iron Complex, 60 Capsules. In use, the gap that matters most is Third-Party Testing (10 vs 2 in our scoring): independent certification or a published certificate of analysis.