Nic Salt vs Freebase E-Liquid: What’s the Difference?

Nic salt and freebase are two forms of nicotine used in e-liquid. Freebase is the traditional form; nic salt combines nicotine with an acid so it feels less harsh at the same strength. In practice, nic salts are for low-power pod kits at 10mg or 20mg, while freebase runs from standard 10ml bottles to low-strength liquids for sub-ohm kits.

Nic salt vs freebase at a glance

Both contain nicotine. What differs is the form the nicotine takes, and that shapes the strengths, liquids and kits each one is used with.

The strengths and ratios in the table are what UK shops usually sell, not fixed rules. The exceptions are the 20mg/ml strength cap and the 10ml bottle limit, which apply to every nicotine e-liquid under the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016.

What is freebase nicotine?

Freebase nicotine is nicotine in its base form, not combined with an acid. It is the traditional form of nicotine in e-liquid, so when a shop or a vaper talks about regular or standard e-liquid, they usually mean freebase.

Freebase feels harsher on the throat as the strength goes up, and some vapers choose it for that more noticeable throat hit. It is commonly sold in 10ml bottles at 3mg, 6mg, 12mg and 18mg for mouth-to-lung kits, and as high-VG liquid at low strengths for sub-ohm kits, which turn much more liquid into vapour with each puff.

Where do shortfills fit in?

Shortfills are larger bottles of e-liquid sold without nicotine, because UK rules limit refill bottles of nicotine e-liquid to 10ml. They are left part-empty so a 10ml nicotine shot can be added, and those shots come in freebase and nic salt versions. Freebase shots are the usual match for sub-ohm kits.

What is a nic salt?

A nic salt is an e-liquid in which the nicotine has been combined with an acid, commonly benzoic acid. The acid brings the liquid’s pH down, which makes the nicotine less harsh on the throat, so a nic salt stays comfortable to vape at strengths where freebase would feel rough.

Nic salts are usually sold at 10mg and 20mg, often at 50/50 VG/PG, for low-power mouth-to-lung pod and pen kits. For how they are made, what the strengths mean and how to choose one, read our guide to what nic salts are.

What’s the difference between nic salt and e-liquid?

Nic salt is a type of e-liquid, so the real comparison is with standard freebase e-liquid. Both are made from propylene glycol (PG), vegetable glycerine (VG), flavourings and nicotine. The form of the nicotine is what differs, and it leads to three practical differences.

• Strength: nic salts are usually 10mg or 20mg, while freebase is often lower, and much lower in liquids made for sub-ohm kits.
• Liquid: nic salts are usually 50/50 VG/PG, while freebase comes both at 50/50 and as thicker high-VG liquid.
• Kit: nic salts go in low-power pod and pen kits, while freebase is used in those kits and in sub-ohm tanks.

For example, Tiger Blood Elux and Elux Firerose 5000 Cherry Cola are both 10ml bottles of 50/50 nic salt at 10mg or 20mg, made for mouth-to-lung pod and pen kits. A typical sub-ohm liquid, by contrast, is a high-VG shortfill brought to around 3mg with a nicotine shot.

Are nic salts better than freebase?

Neither is better across the board. They are different forms of nicotine suited to different kits and strengths. A nic salt is the better fit for a low-power pod kit at 10mg or 20mg, where freebase at the same strength would feel harsh. Freebase is the better fit for a sub-ohm kit, which needs a low-strength, high-VG liquid, and some people with mouth-to-lung kits simply prefer its stronger throat hit.

Nic salts are not stronger by nature, either. A 10mg nic salt and a 10mg freebase liquid both contain 10mg of nicotine in every millilitre; the nic salt just feels smoother.

This is a practical comparison of how the two forms vape, not a health comparison. Both contain nicotine, and nicotine is highly addictive in either form.

Can you use nic salts in a sub-ohm tank?

It is not recommended, and nic salts are not made for it. A sub-ohm tank pairs a coil rated below 1 ohm with higher power, so it vaporises far more liquid per puff than a pod kit. The liquids made for it are thick, high-VG blends at low nicotine strengths.

Put a 10mg or 20mg nic salt in a sub-ohm tank and every puff carries far more nicotine than the same liquid would give in a pod kit. Because nic salts are smooth, there is also no harsh throat hit to tell you the liquid is strong.

All of our Elux nic salts are made for mouth-to-lung pod and pen kits. If you are not sure which type of kit you have, our guide on how to use nic salts explains the coils and power settings nic salts need.

Switching from freebase to nic salts

If you already vape freebase and want to use nic salts, check your kit first, then choose a strength. What to look at depends on the kind of kit you use now.

From freebase in a mouth-to-lung kit

Many refillable mouth-to-lung pod kits take both freebase and nic salts, so you may be able to keep the kit you have; check its instructions first. The milligram figures mean the same in both forms, so a 10mg nic salt is a little below a 12mg freebase and a 20mg nic salt a little above an 18mg one. Expect the nic salt to feel smoother.

From high-VG freebase in a sub-ohm kit

Nic salts need a mouth-to-lung pod or pen kit rather than your tank. Nic salt strengths are also much higher than the low strengths sub-ohm liquids use. Because nic salts feel smooth, throat hit is no guide to strength, so choose by the number on the label and start at the lowest strength available.

Where Elux nic salts fit

Every Elux nic salt is a 10ml, 50/50 liquid sold in 10mg and 20mg. 20 flavours from the Elux Legend nic salts range also come in 5mg, the lowest Elux strength, and they are listed together on the Elux 5mg nic salts page. Elux Firerose 5000 nic salts come in 10mg and 20mg only, and our Elux Legend vs Firerose 5000 guide explains how the two ranges differ.

18+ only. Contains nicotine, which is a highly addictive substance.

Nic salt vs freebase: questions

What does freebase mean?

Freebase is a chemistry term for a substance in its base form rather than as a salt. Freebase nicotine is nicotine that has not been combined with an acid. It is the traditional form of nicotine in e-liquid, while a nic salt is nicotine that has had an acid added to turn it into a salt.

Do nic salts still give a throat hit?

Yes, but a milder one than freebase at the same strength. The acid in a nic salt takes much of the harshness out of the nicotine, although you will usually still notice some throat hit, and the PG in a 50/50 liquid adds to it. Freebase gives a sharper hit, and it becomes more noticeable as the strength goes up.

Is freebase the same as normal vape juice?

Usually, yes. When people talk about normal or regular vape juice, they generally mean freebase e-liquid, the traditional form. It is commonly sold in 10ml bottles at strengths from 3mg to 18mg, and as high-VG liquid for sub-ohm kits. Nic salts are a separate type, made for low-power pod kits at 10mg or 20mg.

Can you use freebase e-liquid in a pod kit?

Often, yes. A lot of refillable pod kits are made for 50/50 liquids and work with freebase as well as nic salts, but check your kit's instructions. High-VG freebase made for sub-ohm tanks is different: it is thicker and meant for more powerful kits with lower-resistance coils, so it is not a good match for a small pod.

Why are nic salts only sold in 10ml bottles?

UK law limits any refill bottle containing nicotine to 10ml, whether the nicotine is freebase or salt, and caps the strength at 20mg per millilitre. So nic salts, like any freebase liquid that contains nicotine, come in bottles of 10ml or less, while larger shortfill bottles are sold without nicotine for vapers to add a nicotine shot.