American Peptides scores higher than Swiss Chems on our transparency method (7.6 vs 7.2). It offers a lot-number COA lookup, names its lab on its homepage and has no FDA warning letter on record. Swiss Chems has the longer history (since 2018, per its site) and the only independent Finnrick data among our eight vendors. But it received an FDA warning letter in December 2024, and only 4 of 10 Finnrick samples passed. American Peptides is #1 and Swiss Chems #6 in our editors' order, which isn't sorted by score.
Notice: Research peptides are sold for in-vitro laboratory research only. They are not FDA-approved, not for human or animal consumption, and this page is not medical advice. This comparison covers supplier transparency only, based on public documentation. We didn't purchase or test products.
Side-by-side
| American Peptides | Swiss Chems | |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency score (method) | 7.6 | 7.2 |
| Entity and location | American Peptides LLC, Shreveport, LA (city only) | "Est. 2018 — USA"; no address or entity on site |
| Business age | Domain registered February 2026 | Since 2018 (per site) |
| COA format | 126 lot-matched PDFs, lot-number lookup | 60 dated reports, batch codes in file names |
| Lab named | Bioviridian, on homepage only | "Principally Janoshik," in FAQ only |
| Finnrick | Profile, 0 tests | 48% (#341 of 345), 4 of 10 passed |
| FDA warning letter | None found | Yes, December 10, 2024 |
| Labeling issues | "Glow Up" and "Brain-Fuel" names; sprays, strips | Past marketing cited by FDA; capsules |
| Free shipping | Over $300 | Over $100 (US), $300 (international) |
| Payment | Visa, MC, Amex, Discover, ACH/wire, crypto | Mastercard, ACH/Zelle via processor, crypto |
| Returns | All sales final; damage within 72 hours | Sealed items, 7 business days, with fees |
Sources: American Peptides homepage, AP COA page, AP verify, AP terms, AP WHOIS, Swiss Chems about, Swiss Chems test results, Swiss Chems FAQ, Swiss Chems shipping, Finnrick: American Peptides, Finnrick: Swiss Chems, FDA warning letters.
Regulatory record
This is the largest gap. FDA's letter to Swisschems said its semaglutide and retatrutide products were unapproved new drugs, and that its website and social media showed intended human use despite "research chemicals only" labeling. A store search on September 26, 2026 found none of those products, which suggests they were removed. The letter stays on the record, so Swiss Chems gets the floor score (5.0) on this factor.
We found no FDA warning letter for American Peptides, which scores 10.0 here. Background: FDA peptide regulation in 2026.
COAs and labs
American Peptides lets you enter the lot number from a vial on its verify page and pull up that lot's certificate; 126 lot-matched certificates were on file when we checked. The homepage says Bioviridian verifies every batch, but the COA page and lookup don't name a lab. Bioviridian runs its own COA search, so you can try to confirm a report there.
Swiss Chems' results page had 60 entries, many dated September 2026, with batch codes in the file names. The page doesn't say which lab tested which batch. The FAQ says testing is "principally Janoshik Analytical," and Janoshik runs a public verify tool. Third-party audits report misfiled capsule COAs (VialAudit); we didn't verify that finding.
American Peptides leads on COA publication (9.25 vs 8.25) and lab traceability (7.5 vs 7.0). Our COA guide covers the checks.
Independent testing
Swiss Chems' one advantage is data, though it's weak. Its Finnrick page shows 10 tests from April 2025 to April 2026, with 4 passing. CJC-1295 had repeated purity misses and underfills, and BPC-157 passed 2 of 3. The most recent test passed.
Finnrick lists American Peptides with 0 tests. On our method, weak outside data (6.75) still beats none (5.0), because it's evidence the vendor doesn't control. See what is Finnrick?
Labeling
Both require buyers to be 21+. Swiss Chems' FAQ says it can't discuss "use, dosing, administration, or outcomes," and we saw no dosing content on either site.
- American Peptides uses health-style product names: the ASCEND bundle is a "Metabolic + Glow Up Research Stack," and a dissolving strip is sold as "Brain-Fuel."
- Swiss Chems had past marketing cited by FDA and sells capsule forms and SARMs.
Swiss Chems scores better on current labeling (8.0 vs 7.0), but its regulatory score reflects the FDA finding. Both have sold GLP-1-class compounds.
Business details
American Peptides publishes its LLC name, city and phone number, but no street address (8.5 on our scale). Swiss Chems publishes no address or legal entity on its site, and its card charges appear under a processor name, "OPTIMUS DATA," per its FAQ (7.0). FDA's letter was addressed to a New York, NY address.
Shipping, payment and returns
Both ship internationally, and both are strict about customs.
- Swiss Chems dispatches US orders paid before 12PM EST the same day and offers FedEx 2-Day and Overnight (shipping). Free shipping starts at $100 in the US. If customs seizes a package, there's no refund or reship, only a 30% discount on a future order. It takes Mastercard, ACH, Zelle and crypto through third-party processors. Sealed items can be returned within 7 business days with a 15% restocking fee and a $25 processing fee.
- American Peptides says orders dispatch within 24-48 business hours (policy) and ships to 215 countries. Free shipping starts at $300. Refused international orders aren't refundable. It takes all four major card networks, ACH/wire and crypto. All sales are final, and its terms set a $2,500 liquidated damages fee for chargebacks filed without contacting support first.
Price and offers
Neither has a PeptideChecked code. Prices checked September 26, 2026:
- TB-500 10 mg: Swiss Chems $42.36 on sale; American Peptides $100 list ($75 during a rotating promotion).
- BPC-157 5 mg: Swiss Chems $39.99 (sold "with Arginine Salt"); American Peptides $60 list.
Swiss Chems is cheaper on both, though its BPC-157 is a salt form. American Peptides offers 20% off a first order for email sign-up, and Swiss Chems a 10% sign-up discount. See cheapest peptide vendors and peptide coupon codes.
Reputation
American Peptides had 3.0/5 from 14 reviews on Trustpilot. We couldn't load Swiss Chems' Trustpilot page. A 2026 review summarizes Reddit feedback on Swiss Chems as mixed (PeptideDeck).
Which should you choose?
- If you want lot-matched COAs and a clean regulatory record, American Peptides scores higher. Accept that it's new and has no independent data. Visit American Peptides.
- If you want lower prices, overnight shipping or a vendor with some outside test history, Swiss Chems offers those. Weigh the FDA letter and the 4-of-10 Finnrick result. Visit Swiss Chems.
Either way, match your lot or batch code to a dated report and confirm it with the lab. For lab-handling unit math, use our reconstitution calculator.
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