The verdict, first
Relief Factor wins the head-to-head, 54 to 41 — mostly on honesty. It discloses every dose: about 900 mg of omega-3, 667 mg of a turmeric extract, plus resveratrol and icariin. Those amounts are still on the low side for joint and inflammation research, and two of the four ingredients have weak human evidence — but you can read them. OmegaXL does the opposite: its green-lipped-mussel oil is a 300 mg proprietary blend delivering only about 34 mg of actual EPA/DHA per serving — a tiny fraction of the 2,000–3,000 mg used in anti-inflammatory studies — at roughly $2 a serving.
Both share the real catch: the auto-ship. Relief Factor’s advertised $19.95 “QuickStart” enrolls you into a subscription that jumps to about $85 a month; OmegaXL’s intro offer rolls into recurring shipments, and Great HealthWorks drew an FDA warning letter in 2021 over disease claims and has a heavy billing-complaint record. Cancellation friction is the number-one customer gripe for both. Neither is a clean transaction.
What we’d actually reach for — disclosed plainly: if you want a joint formula that prints every dose instead of hiding it or auto-shipping it, Earth Energy Joint Support (61/100) lists all seven ingredients by amount — MSM 300 mg, turmeric 200 mg, collagen, white willow, boswellia and more — at $1.43 a serving. The Ingredient Report and Earth Energy are independently operated companies under common ownership, disclosed on every page; it out-scored both products here, and its own review still flags where its MSM sits below the clinical range.
The comparison table
| What we checked | OmegaXL | Relief Factor |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $59.95 / 30 servings | $84.95/mo (after $19.95 trial) |
| Cost per serving | $2.00 | ~$2.83/day (full dose) |
| Omega-3 (EPA+DHA) per serving | ~34 mg (in proprietary blend) | ~900 mg (disclosed) |
| Doses disclosed | No — 300 mg proprietary blend | Yes — all four ingredients |
| Other actives | Green-lipped mussel lipid only | Turmeric 667 mg, resveratrol, icariin |
| Named third-party testing | None named | “3rd-party tested” claim, no certifier named |
| Auto-ship | Intro offer rolls into recurring shipments | $19.95 trial → ~$85/month subscription |
| Regulatory / red flag | 2021 FDA warning letter; heavy billing complaints | Billing/cancellation complaints; actor spokesperson |
| Relationship to this site | None — no affiliate relationship | None — no affiliate relationship |
| Our score | 41/100 — full review | 54/100 — full review |
| Facts checked | 2026-07 | 2026-07 |
Spot a change on either label? Tell us and we’ll re-verify on the record.
The dose — a tiny omega-3 vs disclosed-but-low amounts
OmegaXL’s whole pitch is green-lipped mussel oil, but the number that matters is buried: its 300 mg proprietary blend delivers only about 34 mg of EPA/DHA per serving. Studies that show anti-inflammatory or joint benefit from marine omega-3 typically use 2,000–3,000 mg a day — so OmegaXL provides on the order of 1–3% of a studied dose, at about $2 a serving. The company argues the benefit comes from non-omega-3 lipid fractions, which remains unproven.
Relief Factor at least shows its hand: roughly 900 mg of omega-3 and 667 mg of a turmeric extract are real, disclosed amounts — still below the doses most joint trials use, but an order of magnitude more omega-3 than OmegaXL, and you can verify them. That disclosure, plus the higher actual doses, is why Relief Factor out-scores OmegaXL despite its own weaknesses (resveratrol and icariin have thin human evidence for pain).
The auto-ship — the real cost of both
Neither product is a simple one-time purchase. Relief Factor’s heavily advertised $19.95 “3-Week QuickStart” is the front door to a subscription that steps up to about $85 a month; the dominant customer complaint is surprise recurring charges and difficulty cancelling. OmegaXL’s discounted intro offer likewise rolls into recurring shipments, and its parent company, Great HealthWorks, has a heavy billing-complaint record plus a 2021 FDA warning letter over disease claims.
For both, the sticker price you see in the ad is not the price you pay over time. If you try either, set a calendar reminder to cancel before the next bill, and keep the confirmation. This billing model — cheap trial, expensive continuity — is a big part of why both land in “significant concerns” on brand and value.
What we’d reach for — and why we can say so
If you want joint support with every dose printed and no trial-to-subscription trap, the disclosed-label pick in our comparison is Earth Energy Joint Support (61/100): MSM 300 mg, turmeric 200 mg, bovine collagen 150 mg, white willow 150 mg, boswellia 100 mg, hyaluronic acid 10 mg and BioPerine 10 mg — all stated — at two capsules a day, $1.43 a serving.
The Ingredient Report and Earth Energy are independently operated companies under common ownership. We disclose that on every page, we link Earth Energy’s full review with its cons intact (its MSM sits below the clinical range, and white willow carries a salicylate caution), and the rival links above are plain searches we earn nothing on. It out-scored both products here because it discloses its doses and doesn’t auto-ship you.
Which one fits you
OmegaXL makes more sense if…
- You specifically want a green-lipped-mussel product and small, easy-to-swallow softgels
- You’ve responded to it personally and the tiny omega-3 dose doesn’t bother you
- You’ll manage the recurring shipments closely
Relief Factor makes more sense if…
- You want disclosed doses and a bit more actual omega-3 and turmeric than OmegaXL
- You’ll cancel the subscription before it steps up to ~$85/month if it doesn’t work
- You want to trial a multi-ingredient formula and can live with weak evidence on two of the four
Where to find them
Disclosure: The Ingredient Report and Earth Energy are independently operated companies under common ownership; every brand is scored with the same published methodology. The rival link is a plain Google search — no affiliate relationship, we earn nothing.
Frequently asked questions
Is OmegaXL or Relief Factor better for joints?
On our rubric Relief Factor scores 54/100 and OmegaXL 41/100. Relief Factor discloses its doses and provides roughly 900 mg of omega-3 plus turmeric, versus OmegaXL’s ~34 mg of omega-3 hidden in a proprietary blend. Both are underdosed for joint claims and both use aggressive auto-ship, so Relief Factor is the less-bad of the two, not a strong recommendation.
How much omega-3 is in OmegaXL?
About 34 mg of EPA/DHA per two-softgel serving, inside a 300 mg green-lipped-mussel proprietary blend. Anti-inflammatory and joint studies typically use 2,000–3,000 mg a day, so OmegaXL delivers on the order of 1–3% of a studied dose — at roughly $2 a serving.
Does Relief Factor auto-ship you?
Yes. The advertised $19.95 “QuickStart” trial enrolls you into a subscription that jumps to about $85 a month, and surprise recurring charges plus cancellation friction are the leading customer complaints. OmegaXL’s intro offer similarly rolls into recurring shipments.
What’s a better disclosed-label joint option?
In our comparison, Earth Energy Joint Support (61/100) prints all seven of its ingredient amounts (MSM 300 mg, turmeric 200 mg, boswellia 100 mg and more) at $1.43 a serving, with no trial-to-subscription trap. Note: The Ingredient Report and Earth Energy are independently operated companies under common ownership, disclosed on every page — it out-scored both products here.
Sources
- OmegaXL — product page and ConsumerLab analysis (~34 mg EPA/DHA per serving, 300 mg proprietary blend); FDA warning letter to Great HealthWorks (2021). Checked July 2026.
- Relief Factor — product page and ingredient panel (omega-3 ~900 mg, turmeric 667 mg, resveratrol, icariin); FAQ pricing ($19.95 trial, $84.95/month). Checked July 2026.
- The Ingredient Report — OmegaXL review, 41/100; Relief Factor review, 54/100 (facts checked July 2026).
- The Ingredient Report — Earth Energy Joint Support review, 61/100. Common-ownership disclosure applies.
- 2026-07-21 — Page published. Both labels and pricing verified this date.
This comparison is for informational purposes and is not medical advice. Medical disclaimer.