Posted by One way to judge kratom vendors is with side-by-side reviews. These reviews give you a direct, 1:1 comparison of each vendor according to specific criteria. Following is one of Real Botanicals, a vendor specializing in several product categories including kratom, and Earth Kratom, which focuses on kratom products only.
Company Backgrounds
Real Botanicals: This vendor was founded in 2021 in South Carolina. Focusing on wellness and lifestyle support, their products enhance mood, energy levels, and focus.
Earth Kratom: Earth Kratom was founded in 2017 and is US-based. Their parent company is MBBR Distribution. Unfortunately, there’s no information about this vendor directly from their website, and no other available facts.
The verdict: Real Botanicals has background information; Earth Kratom’s website doesn’t have an About section, which is important for people who want to know about where they’re getting their kratom from.
Sourcing and Manufacturing Practices
Real Botanicals: Being manufacturer-direct means handling all of the processing after sourcing. Real Botanicals practices ethical sourcing with partners and coops in kratom’s native region, Southeast Asia. They’ve also patented an advanced technology called ChromaPure, a solvent-free extraction and purification of full-spectrum kratom alkaloids from the whole leaf.
Earth Kratom: Earth Kratom sources their kratom from Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia. Information online claims they practice ethical sourcing, but there’s no word directly from the vendor themselves, only that their logo says “organic.” Ethical sourcing means sourcing in ways that are good for the community, workers, and environment, and sustainability-minded people want that. Also, in 2018, Earth Kratom had a crackdown by the FDA due to salmonella-contaminated kratom, which was due to contracting out capsule manufacturing. Since then, they’ve gotten their own US-based GMP facility.
The verdict: Real Botanicals practices ethical sourcing of kratom; Earth Kratom cannot be vouched for except to say that their kratom is organic. Both have their own GMP-compliant facilities for manufacturing kratom.
Quality Control and Testing
Real Botanicals: Another big perk is that Real Botanicals has a private lab. Not only are they GMP-compliant, but they have control over their formulas and can conduct their own testing in small batches – not just independent, third-party testing that’s the bare minimum. Unlike some vendors that force you to buy their product and scan a QR code, their website has comprehensive COAs.
Earth Kratom: Independent, third-party testing can safely be assumed with being GMP-qualified, and Earth Kratom has an official AKA logo on their website. GMP compliance guarantees that the manufacturer meets production standards for quality control.
The verdict: Both vendors engage in independent, third-party testing and GMP compliance, but only Real Botanicals has a private lab.
Product Line
Real Botanicals: Every kratom product from Real Botanicals has the full spectrum of kratom alkaloids, which means up to 40 in total. Usually, you get MIT (mitragynine) or a limited alkaloid profile at best, so it’s a totally different experience from that of typical kratom products:
- Super Kratom capsules: 75 mg, 150 mg, and 225 mg dose options in a pure, simple formula that is easy to digest
- Kratom and kava shots: 125 mg kratom + 250 mg kava or 375 mg kratom + 250 mg kava dose options, which also have Ashwagandha, L-theanine and GABA for extra adaptogens that enhance anxiety and stress relief and promote calm
Earth Kratom: The focus of Earth Kratom’s kratom products are not only about format, but strains:
- Green: Maeng Da, Hulu, Malay, Vietnam, and Borneo
- Red: Maeng Da, Bali, and Hulu
- White: Maeng Da and Borneo
- Trainwreck: A blend of 11 strains for a wide alkaloid profile
- Super Indo: A kratom from the largest, most mature leaves in Indonesia
Their kratom comes in the following formats:
- Powders: Messy and requires using the included scoop, but allows for custom doses
- Capsules: About 600 mg per 2 capsules
- Tablets: Not available for each strain (I see Trainwreck and Maeng Da available)
- Extracts: Nano kratom extracts available in Red and Green
The verdict: Real Botanicals has full-spectrum kratom capsules and kratom and kava shots, while Earth Kratom offers different strains in powders, capsules, tablets, and extracts, with the most variety in powders and capsules.
Shopping Experience
Real Botanicals: A newsletter coupon, free shipping with an order minimum, and a 30-day money-back guarantee are all perks from shopping on their website. You can also find some of their products at any of their retail partners in NC or SC, if you happen to be there and prefer shopping in-person.
Earth Kratom: Shop either online on their website or find their kratom powders or capsules at gas stations. Choose from categories like Best Sellers, Most Popular Kratom, Newest Earth Kratom Products, and Kratom Strains, in addition to Kratom Powders and Kratom Capsules.
A newsletter coupon gives you a one-use first-order discount. Unfortunately, the website is not for people new to kratom and has no informational pages or blog posts.
The verdict: Both vendors have kratom products available online, but Earth Kratom is more accessible in-person, and Real Botanicals has a lot of information on their website.
Final Thoughts
Even vendors that focus only on kratom can have red flags. At best, Earth Kratom is mid, and at worst, it’s weak and inconsistent, or even counterfeit. Real Botanicals not only does kratom extremely well but also offers other products.
You might also want to read: “The Best Scheduling Protocol for Kratom” and “Finding a Kratom, 7-OH, MGM15, or Pseudo Vendor“