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Exactly How Much Tincture Equals One Capsule Dose
Learn to convert tincture dropper to mg with our simple formula. Calculate exact amounts, match capsule strengths, and measure consistently every time.
Written by Sipho Sam
November 24th, 2025
You need two numbers from your tincture bottle to convert any dropper measurement to milligrams: total mg and total mL.
Divide the first by the second, and you've got your concentration.
Take a 750mg bottle with 30mL inside, which equals 750 ÷ 30 = 25mg per mL.
One full dropper (typically 1mL) contains 25mg, half a dropper delivers 12.5mg, and a quarter dropper gives you 6.25mg.
Whether you're unboxing your first tincture and trying to figure out what you're actually measuring, you're solving the same problem.
Maybe you're switching from capsules and wanting to match your usual 10mg or 25mg.
Or you're comparing products to understand which concentration makes sense.
You need to know exactly how many milligrams you're taking.
By the time you finish this guide, you'll calculate any tincture's mg per mL and measure accurately with your dropper's markings.
You'll also understand why 10mg from a tincture under your tongue feels different from a 10mg gummy you swallow.
Table of Contents
The Two Numbers You Need to Convert Any Dropper to Milligrams
Three Bottles, Three Examples You Can Copy Right Now
Make Sure Your Bottle Matches These Numbers
Reading Your Dropper Markings for Accurate Measurements
Counting Drops for Small Amounts and Microdosing
Matching Your Usual Capsule or Gummy Amount
Why the Same Milligrams Feel Different Between Formats
Finding Your Personal Amount with Small Adjustments
Tinctures with the Math Already Done
The Two Numbers You Need to Convert Any Dropper to Milligrams
The formula is total mg ÷ total mL = mg per mL, which tells you how many milligrams sit in every milliliter of liquid.
You cannot convert volume to milligrams without both pieces.
Knowing you have 30mL doesn't tell you anything about strength.
Knowing you have 750mg total doesn't tell you how concentrated it is.
Check your bottle's front label first, where most brands print "Total THC: 750mg" or "Total CBD: 1500mg" along with the bottle volume.
If it's not obvious, flip to the product details on the manufacturer's website or check the Certificate of Analysis that comes with quality products.
Some brands, like Mood, skip the math entirely and print the per-dropper amount directly on the label.
That's even better, though understanding the underlying calculation helps you verify accuracy and compare products.
This identical math works whether you're calculating CBD, THC, or any other cannabinoid because the substance doesn't change the formula.
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Three Bottles, Three Examples You Can Copy Right Now
Here are the three most common market concentrations with full breakdowns you can reference immediately.
750mg in 30mL = 25mg per mL
Full dropper (1mL): 25mg Half dropper (0.5mL): 12.5mg Quarter dropper (0.25mL): 6.25mg
1500mg in 30mL = 50mg per mL
Full dropper (1mL): 50mg Half dropper (0.5mL): 25mg Quarter dropper (0.25mL): 12.5mg
3000mg in 30mL = 100mg per mL
Full dropper (1mL): 100mg Half dropper (0.5mL): 50mg Quarter dropper (0.25mL): 25mg
Higher concentration doesn't mean "stronger" per se, but rather means you need fewer droppers to hit the same milligram target.
Someone wanting 25mg takes a full dropper of the first bottle, half a dropper of the second, or a quarter dropper of the third.
These three configurations represent most of what you'll find shopping online or in stores.
If your bottle matches one of these, you can use these calculations directly.
Make Sure Your Bottle Matches These Numbers
Labels occasionally lie, whether through manufacturing variance or outdated information, which is where Certificates of Analysis come in.
A COA from a third-party lab verifies what's actually in your bottle.
It breaks down cannabinoid content by type (Delta-9 THC, Delta-8 THC, CBD, CBG, CBN), confirms the total, and screens for contaminants like pesticides, heavy metals, and mold.
Quality brands make COAs easy to find through QR codes on packaging, batch numbers on labels, or COA links on product pages.
Mood includes a Certificate of Analysis for every product, accessible halfway down each product page under Product Details and Dosage.
Not all droppers are exactly 1mL, as the standard range runs from 0.7mL to 1.5mL depending on the manufacturer.
Check your dropper's markings or the product specifications on the brand's website.
Assuming your dropper is 1mL when it's actually 0.75mL means your calculations are off by 25%.
That's the difference between taking 20mg and taking 15mg.
Watch: All About Edibles
Reading Your Dropper Markings for Accurate Measurements
Those little lines on your dropper aren't decorative but are measurement markers, typically at 0.25mL, 0.5mL, 0.75mL, and 1mL.
These graduated markings are your most reliable measurement method.
Squeeze the bulb, submerge the dropper tip in your tincture, and release to draw liquid up to your target line.
You've got a repeatable measurement that stays consistent session after session.
When someone says "take a dropperful," they mean the amount drawn when you squeeze and release the bulb.
This typically (but not always) fills to the 1mL mark, not the entire glass tube to the very top.
Mood's 1:1 THC & CBD Tincture contains 10mg THC plus 10mg CBD per marked dropper.
When you fill to the 1mL line, you're getting exactly 20mg total cannabinoids.
Fill to the 0.5mL marking, and you've got 5mg THC and 5mg CBD.
The math is already done and printed right on the label.
Understanding that it's based on mg per mL calculations means you can verify the numbers yourself and make informed comparisons.
Counting Drops for Small Amounts and Microdosing
Sometimes you need really small amounts, like 2mg or 3mg, which is where drop counting comes in, though it's less precise than using graduated markings.
The baseline estimate is 20 drops per mL.
The real range runs 20-30, depending on liquid viscosity, temperature, and the specific dropper's aperture size.
Here's the calculation: take your mg per mL concentration and divide by 20 drops.
A 10mg/mL tincture delivers roughly 0.5mg per drop (10 ÷ 20 = 0.5).
You can also work backwards.
If you need 25mg and you've calculated that each drop contains 2.5mg (from a 50mg/mL tincture ÷ 20 drops), that's 10 drops to hit your target.
The catch is consistency: every squeeze of the bulb produces slightly different drop sizes, and environmental factors affect viscosity.
For amounts under 5mg where precision matters less than getting in the ballpark, drop counting works fine.
For anything larger or where consistency is critical, stick with the dropper markings.
Matching Your Usual Capsule or Gummy Amount
If you've been taking 10mg capsules every evening and want to switch to tinctures, you need to know how to measure out the same amount.
Use your calculated concentration.
If you've got a 25mg/mL tincture and want 10mg, you need 0.4mL (10 ÷ 25 = 0.4).
That means eyeballing somewhere between the 0.25mL and 0.5mL lines, closer to the lower one.
A different concentration makes your target easier.
A 50mg/mL tincture means 10mg requires exactly 0.2mL.
You can approximate that as slightly under the quarter-dropper marking.
This is where concentration affects convenience rather than strength.
Both tinctures contain the same cannabinoids at the same quality level, but one makes your specific target easier to measure accurately.
Sleepytime THC Tincture delivers 3.25mg total THC per dropper, designed for gentle evening amounts.
Two full droppers get you to 6.5mg, perfect if 10mg feels too strong.
The 1:1 THC & CBD Tincture at 10mg THC plus 10mg CBD per dropper matches common capsule strengths exactly.
One dropper equals one 10mg capsule (plus the added CBD).
Ultimate Rapid Relief CBD Tincture packs 83mg CBD per dropper, ideal for people who need substantial CBD amounts without measuring out multiple droppers.
Matching a 25mg CBD capsule requires less than a third of one dropper.
Why the Same Milligrams Feel Different Between Formats
Ten milligrams from a tincture held under your tongue doesn't feel identical to 10mg from a gummy you chew and swallow.
That's not a measurement problem but basic physiology.
Sublingual absorption means the cannabinoids pass directly through the mucous membranes under your tongue into your bloodstream.
This bypasses your digestive system entirely and produces effects within 15-30 minutes without the liver getting involved.
When you swallow a gummy (or swallow your tincture without holding it sublingually), it travels through your stomach and intestines like any other food.
Your liver metabolizes the THC, converting it to 11-hydroxy-THC, which is more potent and longer-lasting than the original compound.
This is why edibles feel stronger and last longer, even at identical milligram amounts.
Onset time stretches to 30-120 minutes because digestion takes time.
To maximize sublingual absorption, use the 60-90 second hold technique.
Swallow any excess saliva first to clear the absorption area.
Place your measured serving under your tongue, gently press your tongue down to spread the oil across the membrane, and hold for 60-90 seconds while breathing normally through your nose. Then, swallow whatever remains.
At 30 seconds, you're getting partial absorption.
At 60-90 seconds, you're hitting the sweet spot where maximum direct uptake occurs before the oil is washed away by saliva.
Beyond 2-3 minutes, you're mostly just dealing with increased saliva production without additional benefit.
Mood's sublingual technique guide provides detailed instructions for perfecting this method.
It covers how to handle accidental swallowing and what to expect from different hold times.
Equal milligrams deliver different experiences depending on the administration method.
Start with smaller amounts when switching between sublingual and oral formats until you understand how the timing and intensity change for you personally.
Finding Your Personal Amount with Small Adjustments
The milligram amount that works perfectly for your friend might be completely wrong for you.
Individual response varies based on tolerance, metabolism, body weight, and how recently you ate.
Natural differences in endocannabinoid receptor distribution also play a role.
Start with a quarter or half dropper and wait at least 2 hours before taking more, even if you're not feeling effects yet.
Many people jump the gun at the 45-minute mark, take another serving, and then get hit with both at once.
Track what you're doing by noting the exact amount (in mL or by dropper marking), what time you took it, and when effects started.
Also note how it felt.
After 3-5 sessions, patterns emerge.
You might discover that you consistently feel the effects at 7.5mg but not at 5mg, indicating that your sweet spot is somewhere in that range.
Regular cannabis users typically need more than occasional users because tolerance builds with repeated exposure.
Someone using tinctures daily might need 25mg to achieve the same effects as a once-a-week user gets from 10mg.
That's normal, not a failure of the product or your calculations.
Metabolism plays a huge role, too, as some people process cannabinoids quickly while others process them slowly.
Faster metabolizers might need to take their serving more frequently, but could also experience a shorter duration.
Slower metabolizers get longer-lasting effects from smaller amounts.
Keep a simple journal on your phone or in a notebook with entries like "7:30 pm, 0.5mL (12.5mg), felt first effects 9:00 pm, pleasant relaxation, lasted until 11:30 pm."
That's all you need, and after a week, you'll know your patterns.
Important: This is educational information, not medical advice. Consult healthcare professionals for guidance about your specific situation, especially if you're taking medications or managing health concerns.
Tinctures with the Math Already Done
Calculating mg per mL becomes second nature after you've done it a few times, but some products eliminate the arithmetic by printing per-dropper amounts on the label.
This removes the anxiety that comes with wondering whether you divided correctly or measured to the right line.
You know exactly what you're getting when it's spelled out in plain numbers.
Mood's three tincture options offer different concentration approaches to meet various needs.
Starting with Sleepytime, which contains 3.25mg THC per dropper (combining 2mg Delta-8 THC and 1.25mg Delta-9 THC) plus minor cannabinoids like CBN, CBD, CBG, and CBC.
This gentle concentration means that taking two full droppers still keeps you under 7mg total THC, perfect for evenings when you want to ease into rest without intense effects.
The 1:1 THC & CBD Tincture delivers 10mg THC and 10mg CBD per dropper, right in the middle of common serving sizes.
This balanced profile matches the strength of typical capsules while adding CBD to the mix.
Half a dropper gives you 5mg of each, and a quarter dropper delivers 2.5mg.
Ultimate Rapid Relief packs 83mg CBD per dropper with up to 1.5mg THC.
This high-potency CBD formula makes measuring substantial amounts efficient.
Someone who needs 25mg of CBD fills the dropper to just under the 0.3mL marking rather than fussing with multiple full droppers of a weaker product.
All three come with Mood's 100-day money-back guarantee, which eliminates the financial risk associated with experimentation.
You can try a product, spend a few weeks dialling in your preferred amount and technique, and return it if the concentration doesn't match your needs.
The underlying math remains the same whether you calculate it yourself or read it off the label.
Understanding the mg/mL formula means you can verify printed amounts, compare products accurately, and make informed decisions about which concentration makes your specific serving size easiest to measure consistently.
