Nic Salts vs Freebase E-Liquid: The Complete Guide
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Almost every e-liquid on the market is either a nicotine salt or a freebase nicotine liquid — and picking the right one makes a bigger difference to your vaping experience than flavour choice ever will. This guide covers how each type works, how they compare, and exactly which nicotine strength to choose based on your habits.
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Table of Contents |
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| 1. What Are Nicotine Salts? | 2. What Is Freebase Nicotine? |
| 3. Key Differences | 4. Which Is Right for Your Device? |
| 5. Nicotine Strength Guide | 6. FAQs |
What Are Nicotine Salts?
Nicotine salts (nic salts) are a form of nicotine that occurs naturally in tobacco leaf, combined with an acid to stabilise it for vaping. This chemical process lowers the liquid's pH, which is what makes nic salts noticeably smoother to inhale than freebase nicotine at the same strength — and it's also why they're absorbed into the bloodstream faster, giving a nicotine hit that feels closer to smoking a cigarette.
Because they're smooth even at high strengths, nic salts are almost always sold at 10mg and 20mg — strengths that would feel harsh in a freebase liquid. They're designed to be used in low-power pod kits with higher-resistance coils, which is why they've become the default choice for most MTL (mouth-to-lung) devices. Browse our nic salts range to see the full selection.
What Is Freebase Nicotine?
Freebase nicotine is the traditional, unmodified form of nicotine that's been used in e-liquids since vaping began. It has a higher pH than nic salt, which makes it feel harsher — more of a noticeable "throat hit" as the strength increases. For that reason, freebase e-liquids are typically sold at lower strengths, commonly 3mg, 6mg, 12mg and 18mg.
Freebase is generally paired with higher-power, sub-ohm devices that produce more vapour — the extra vapour volume balances out the lower nicotine strength. It's also the standard nicotine type used in shortfills. See our full e-liquids range for freebase options across a range of strengths and flavours.
Key Differences
| Feature | Nic Salts | Freebase |
| Throat feel | Smooth, even at high strength | Stronger throat hit as strength rises |
| Typical strengths | 10mg, 20mg | 3mg, 6mg, 12mg, 18mg |
| Nicotine absorption speed | Faster | Slower |
| Best paired with | Low-power MTL pod kits | Higher-power sub-ohm devices |
| Vapour production | Lower | Higher |
| Bottle size typically sold | 10ml | 10ml and shortfills (50ml/100ml) |
Which Is Right for Your Device?
The right choice depends almost entirely on the device you're using, not personal preference alone:
- Pod kits and MTL starter kits: use nic salts. This covers most of our vape kits range, including prefilled pod kits and refillable pod kits — nic salts are formulated specifically for the higher-resistance coils these devices use.
- Sub-ohm tanks and higher-wattage mods: use freebase. These devices push far more vapour per draw, and a high-strength nic salt would deliver too much nicotine too quickly.
Using the wrong type isn't dangerous, but it usually means an unsatisfying experience — either too harsh (freebase in a pod kit at high strength) or not enough nicotine delivered per draw (nic salt in a sub-ohm device at low strength). For more on how draw style affects device choice, see our guide to MTL vs DTL vaping.
Nicotine Strength Guide
As a general starting point based on previous smoking habits:
| Previous habit | Suggested nic salt strength | Suggested freebase strength |
| Occasional / light smoker (under 10/day) | 10mg | 6mg |
| Moderate smoker (10–20/day) | 10–20mg | 12mg |
| Heavy smoker (20+/day) | 20mg | 18mg |
| Never smoked / trying vaping casually | Not generally recommended | 0–3mg, or 0mg |
These are general starting points rather than fixed rules — if a strength feels too harsh or doesn't satisfy a craving, it's fine to adjust up or down. UK-regulated e-liquid is capped at 20mg/ml, the maximum legal strength.
