Comparison · updated Nov 3, 2026
milktab vs Lactaid: an honest comparison
Lactaid is the brand most people try first, and for a splash of milk in coffee it works fine. This page is for when it doesn’t: what each pill contains, what a full dairy meal costs with each, and who should pick which.
The short answer
About the same price for the lactase. The difference is how many pills it takes, and what else is in them.
Pick Lactaid if
You eat small amounts of dairy, want something from a drugstore tonight, or want the lowest price per pill.
Pick milktab if
You take two or three Lactaid for pizza, ice cream or boba, or lactase alone doesn’t settle your stomach.
At a glance
List prices checked Nov 3, 2026. Tell us if one is out of date.
| Feature | milktab | Lactaid Fast Act |
|---|---|---|
| Lactase per pillBreaks down milk sugar | 27,000 FCC | 9,000 FCC |
| Protease per pillFor casein, the dairy protein | 22,000 FCC | Not listed |
| Lipase per pillFor dairy fat | 1,000 FCC | Not listed |
| Pills for a full dairy meal27,000 FCC of lactase | 1 pill | 3 caplets |
| Price per pillOne-time purchase | 64¢ (58¢ subscribed) | 20¢ |
| Cost of a full dairy mealLactase only | 58¢–64¢ | 61¢ |
| Pack we priced | 45 pills, $29.00 | 96 caplets, $19.57 at Walmart |
| Where to buy | milktab.com, Amazon | Most US drugstores and grocers |
| Guarantee | 30-day money-back | Depends on the retailer |
Bold marks the better value in each row. A full dairy meal is 27,000 FCC of lactase, the amount in one milktab.
Where each one wins
Lactaid does these better
- It’s everywhere. CVS, Walgreens, Target and most grocery stores carry it. milktab ships from our site and Amazon.
- Cheaper per pill. About 20¢ a caplet, so one caplet for a latte costs less than a milktab.
- You can fine-tune the dose. One caplet for a little cream, two for a sundae.
- More formats. Chewables, travel packs and lactose-free milk under the same brand.
milktab does these better
- One pill for a full meal. 27,000 FCC of lactase, three times a Fast Act caplet.
- It has more than lactase. Protease for casein and lipase for dairy fat. Lactaid lists lactase only.
- About the same price for the lactase. Three Fast Act caplets cost about 61¢; one milktab costs 58–64¢.
- Backed by our study library. We link every trial behind the dose, including the ones that used Lactaid.
Who should pick which
Lactaid
A splash of milk in coffee
One 9,000 FCC caplet is plenty, and it costs a third of a milktab.
Lactaid
You need relief tonight
Any drugstore has it. milktab takes a few days to arrive.
milktab
Pizza, ice cream, hot pot, boba
One pill covers what would take three Fast Act caplets.
milktab
Lactase only “kind of” works for you
If cheese or cream still bothers you, protease and lipase may help.
Questions people ask
Can I just take three Lactaid instead of one milktab?
For lactose, yes: three Fast Act caplets give you the same 27,000 FCC of lactase for about the same price. You won’t get the protease or lipase.
Why is milktab more per pill?
Each pill holds three times the lactase plus two more enzymes. Per unit of lactase the price is about the same.
Does Lactaid make a stronger pill?
Fast Act, at 9,000 FCC, is their strongest. Lactaid Original is 3,000 FCC.
Compare milktab with others
Sources
Lactaid Fast Act label (9,000 FCC lactase per caplet); Walmart listing, 96 count, $19.57. milktab label (27,000 FCC lactase, 22,000 FCC protease, 1,000 FCC lipase); milktab.com, 45 pills, $29.
Spot something wrong?
We make milktab, so we’re biased, and we try to be fair anyway. If you work at Lactaid or just know better, email contact@milktab.com and we’ll fix it.
27,000 FCC units of lactase in one tab
Three times what’s in Lactaid Fast Act, and more lactase than any dose used in the trials on this page.