CBD Top 5 field guide

How We Review CBD Brands

CBD Top 5 uses two connected systems: a five-step consumer framework for making better decisions and a five-factor, 100-point method for reviewing products and brands.

The rule that does not bend: advertising, affiliate relationships, free samples and personal relationships cannot purchase points or a place on a Top 5 list.

The five review factors

Factor Points What we examine
1. Lab transparency 30 Batch-level COAs, laboratory identity, cannabinoid results, contaminant panels, dates and ease of access.
2. Label clarity 20 Total CBD, serving information, ingredients, warnings, company identity and traceability.
3. Potency and value 20 Verified CBD relative to the label, CBD per ounce or serving and price using comparable units.
4. Formulation and usability 15 Product format, ingredient transparency, packaging, directions and practical ease of use without assuming medical effectiveness.
5. Brand responsibility 15 Responsible claims, reachable support, understandable policies, material disclosures and willingness to correct problems.
Total 100 One published score with the evidence behind it.

How a Top 5 list is built

  1. Define the category and publish what is being compared.
  2. Gather current labels, prices, policies and product-level laboratory reports.
  3. Score every candidate against the same five factors.
  4. Document material relationships, missing evidence and review dates.
  5. Publish the five highest qualifying scores and explain the order.

What does not earn points

  • Buying advertising or sponsored content.
  • Providing free samples.
  • Large follower counts, celebrity endorsements or dramatic testimonials.
  • Unsupported claims that a product diagnoses, treats, cures or prevents disease.
  • Paying a higher affiliate commission.

Corrections and re-reviews

CBD products, prices, laboratory reports and company policies change. Reviews will carry a publication or review date. A company may provide corrected evidence, but it cannot pay for a new score. Material corrections will be identified, and lists may change when the evidence changes.

Editorial safety

We distinguish product information from medical evidence and do not convert personal testimonials into health claims. The FDA has approved only one prescription CBD medicine and has not evaluated most consumer CBD products for effectiveness, appropriate dosage or drug interactions. See the FDA consumer guidance.