Peptide Plugs scores higher than American Peptides on our transparency method (8.1 vs 7.6) because it names its lab, Freedom Diagnostics, on its own COA page, gives accession codes you can check on the lab's site, and publishes a street address. American Peptides matches it on COA access with a lot-number lookup, and offers international shipping and more payment rails. Neither has independent test data as of September 26, 2026. American Peptides is #1 and Peptide Plugs #5 in our editors' order, which isn't sorted by score.
Notice: Both vendors sell products for in-vitro laboratory research only. They are not FDA-approved and not for human or animal consumption. This comparison covers supplier transparency only, based on public documentation. We didn't purchase or test products.
Side-by-side
| Peptide Plugs | American Peptides | |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency score (method) | 8.1 | 7.6 |
| Entity and location | Austin Research Products LLC, 126 Holmes Rd #8, Liberty Hill, TX | American Peptides LLC, Shreveport, LA (city only) |
| Business age | Domain registered December 2025 | Domain registered February 2026 |
| COA format | 117 dated COAs, purity and measured content | 126 lot-matched PDFs, lot-number lookup |
| Lab named | Freedom Diagnostics, on site and each entry | Bioviridian, on homepage only |
| Lab-side check | Accession code on product pages, linked to lab search | Lab has its own COA search; no code on vendor pages |
| Finnrick | Profile, 0 tests | Profile, 0 tests |
| Naming issues | "Weight Loss"/"Anti-Aging" categories; "GLP3 + Elora"; tablets | "Glow Up" bundle; "Brain-Fuel" strips; sprays |
| Ships to | US only (UPS) | US and international |
| Free shipping | Over $200 | Over $300 |
| Payment | Credit card | Cards, ACH/wire, crypto |
| Returns | All sales final; damage within 7 days | All sales final; damage within 72 hours |
| FDA warning letter | None found | None found |
Sources: Peptide Plugs COAs, PP terms, PP shipping, PP refund policy, PP WHOIS, American Peptides homepage, AP verify, AP terms, AP refund policy, AP WHOIS, Finnrick: Peptide Plugs, Finnrick: American Peptides, FDA warning letters.
COAs: lab codes vs lot lookup
Both scored 9.25 on COA publication. They make different things easy.
Peptide Plugs' COA page listed 117 certificates across 62 products, each dated with purity and measured content. For example, Tesamorelin 10mg was tested September 16, 2026 at 99.90%, with 11.88mg measured. The main page doesn't show lot numbers, but product pages do.
American Peptides' verify page lets you enter the lot from your vial and pull up its certificate. It said 126 lot-matched certificates were on file. Older lots stay available as "superseded."
If you have a vial in hand, American Peptides gets you to the right PDF fastest. Peptide Plugs takes a trip to the product page or support.
Labs: where the scores split
This is the main gap (9.0 vs 7.5 on lab traceability, on our 5-10 scale).
Peptide Plugs labels every COA entry "Freedom" and names Freedom Diagnostics on its homepage. Product pages list an accession code with a link to Freedom Diagnostics' COA search. The GLP3 + Elora page, for example, shows lot 56440-RB and code Pept2609159124. A lookup on the lab's own site is a stronger check than any vendor-hosted PDF.
American Peptides says on its homepage that every batch is verified by Bioviridian, which runs its own COA search. But the COA page and lookup don't name a lab, and the PDFs we opened weren't machine-readable, so we couldn't confirm the lab on the certificates. A lab directory lists Bioviridian's ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation as "in progress" (Peptigrity). We didn't find an accreditation listed for Freedom Diagnostics.
Our COA guide explains how to check a report with either lab.
Independent testing: a tie at zero
Finnrick lists both vendors with 0 tests. Both get the floor score (5.0). Peptide Plugs' about page offers $100 store credit for verified COAs submitted from Freedom Diagnostics, Finnrick or Janoshik, but we found no published results. See Janoshik vs Finnrick.
Labeling
Both have strict disclaimers and a 21+ requirement, and both lose points for marketing that reads like consumer products:
- Peptide Plugs sorts its shop into "Weight Loss," "Anti-Aging," "Sleep" and "Vitality" categories. The Weight Loss category had 12 items. It also sells a coded GLP-1-class blend and some tablets.
- American Peptides calls its ASCEND bundle a "Metabolic + Glow Up Research Stack" and sells "Brain-Fuel" dissolving strips and liquid sprays.
We scored Peptide Plugs slightly better (7.5 vs 7.0), since American Peptides' names describe effects at the product level. FDA has said research-use labels don't protect sellers whose marketing points to human use (background). Both sell GLP-1-class compounds.
Business details, shipping and payment
Peptide Plugs publishes a named LLC and full street address in Liberty Hill, TX. It ships by UPS within 1-2 business days, US only, free over $200. Checkout is by credit card. Damage must be reported within 7 days for a replacement or store credit.
American Peptides publishes its LLC name, Shreveport location and phone number, but no street address. It processes orders in 24-48 business hours, offers international shipping, and ships free over $300. It lists Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover, ACH/wire and crypto. Damage must be reported within 72 hours.
Peptide Plugs scored higher on business transparency (9.5 vs 8.5). Both domains date from the past year.
Price and offers
Neither has a PeptideChecked code. Peptide Plugs listed BPC-157 20mg at $50, with a points program and bundle discounts (shop). American Peptides lists BPC-157 from $60 and offers 20% off a first order for email sign-up, plus 20% for active military and first responders (catalog). See peptide coupon codes.
Which should you choose?
- If you want to confirm a certificate on the lab's own site, Peptide Plugs is ahead and has the top score of our eight. Visit Peptide Plugs.
- If you want to find a certificate by the lot on your vial, need international shipping, or want to pay by ACH or crypto, American Peptides fits better. Confirm the report with Bioviridian. Visit American Peptides.
Either way, match the COA to your lot and confirm it at the lab. For lab-handling unit math, use our reconstitution calculator.
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