Flore vs. Ombre (formerly Thryve): An Honest 2026 Comparison
Flore and Ombre (formerly Thryve) both start the same way — an at-home stool test that reads your gut microbiome — but they end in different places. Ombre recommends probiotics from its catalog based on your results. Flore manufactures a formula to your results. Here is an honest, side-by-side comparison so you can pick the right fit.
Flore vs. Ombre at a glance
| Flore | Ombre (formerly Thryve) | |
|---|---|---|
| Personalization model | Manufactured-to-specification — your formula is produced from your data | Catalog matching — recommends pre-made probiotic blends from its range |
| Test method | Shotgun metagenomics (stool DNA), strain-level resolution | 16S rRNA gut microbiome sequencing (stool) |
| What you receive | A custom probiotic + prebiotic formula built for you | A report plus recommended off-the-shelf probiotic and food suggestions |
| Formula breadth | Up to 68 curated strains + 40+ prebiotics, combined per person | Selected from a fixed set of catalog probiotic products |
| Use your own lab data | Yes — accepts sequencing from any professional lab | Uses its own test |
| Reformulates on retest | Yes — iterative test → formulate → retest loop | Periodic re-testing and re-recommendation |
| Licensed-provider platform | Yes — Flore Clinical | Consumer only |
| Peer-reviewed clinical study | Yes — pilot open-label study, mSystems (ASM, 2024); RCTs underway | No equivalent published clinical study of its recommendations |
| Price tier | Paid-once plans: $297 / $564 / $1,069 (3 / 6 / 12 mo) | Test about $99; recommended probiotics about $39/mo (lower entry cost) |
Ombre details per Ombre's site and public listings as of June 2026; confirm current pricing with Ombre. Flore specs and pricing current as of June 2026.
The core difference: manufactured vs. matched
Ombre sequences your gut and then recommends which of its existing probiotic products best fits your profile — the personalization is in the selection, and the entry price is low. Flore sequences your stool DNA and then manufactures a formula to your specific results — the strains, ratios, and prebiotics are produced for you. A catalog can only recommend what is already on the shelf; a manufactured formula can target the specific organisms your analysis suggests you are missing, down to combinations no single off-the-shelf product offers.
A note on test depth: 16S vs. shotgun
Ombre uses 16S rRNA sequencing, a well-established, cost-effective method that profiles which bacterial groups are present, generally to the genus level. Flore uses shotgun metagenomics, which reads more of the genome and resolves organisms to the species and strain level. Greater depth costs more — which is part of why Ombre's entry price is lower — but strain-level resolution is what lets Flore choose specific strains to manufacture into your formula. Both are legitimate science serving different goals: a quick, affordable snapshot versus a high-resolution map used to build a product.
Where Ombre is strong
Ombre (formerly Thryve) is one of the most affordable ways to get a microbiome snapshot plus probiotic and food guidance, with a low test price and an inexpensive monthly supplement option. If your goal is an accessible starting point and you are comfortable taking a recommended off-the-shelf probiotic, Ombre is a solid, budget-friendly entry into microbiome testing.
Where Flore is strong
If you want the product itself built for you — not picked for you — Flore is the manufactured-to-specification choice. It uses deeper sequencing, combines from a much larger strain and prebiotic library, comes as capsules or powder, is refined as you retest, can be co-managed by a licensed provider through Flore Clinical, and is backed by the category's first peer-reviewed clinical study of this approach.
Is there published evidence?
Flore is the company behind a pilot, open-label study published in mSystems (American Society for Microbiology, 2024) reporting increased gut microbiome diversity and improved gastrointestinal symptoms in an autism-spectrum cohort. It was a pilot open-label study, not a randomized controlled trial; randomized controlled trials are now underway. As with any probiotic, individual results vary, and this is wellness information, not medical advice.
The honest bottom line
Choose Ombre if you want the most affordable on-ramp — a microbiome snapshot plus a recommended off-the-shelf probiotic. Choose Flore if you want a probiotic manufactured to your own gut data, with deeper (strain-level) sequencing, a far larger formulation library, a closed test-and-retest loop, an optional licensed-provider platform, and the only peer-reviewed clinical study in the category behind the method. Both are real microbiome science; the difference is whether the product is recommended to you or built for you.
Frequently asked questions
Is Flore better than Ombre?
They solve the problem differently. Ombre sequences your gut with 16S testing and recommends an off-the-shelf probiotic from its catalog at a low entry price. Flore uses deeper shotgun metagenomics and manufactures a custom probiotic and prebiotic formula from your results. For a formula built specifically to your data, Flore is the manufactured-to-specification choice; for the most affordable snapshot, Ombre fits.
What is the difference between 16S and shotgun sequencing?
16S rRNA sequencing, used by Ombre, profiles which bacterial groups are present, generally to the genus level, and is cost-effective. Shotgun metagenomics, used by Flore, reads more of the genome and identifies organisms to the species and strain level — the resolution Flore uses to select specific strains to manufacture into your formula.
Is Ombre the same as Thryve?
Yes. Ombre is the company formerly known as Thryve; the brand renamed to Ombre. Older reviews under the Thryve name refer to today's Ombre.
Can I use my existing microbiome test with Flore?
Yes. Flore accepts professional sequencing data from multiple labs, so you can often build a formula from data you already have. Ombre uses its own test.
Related reading: Flore vs. Viome · Flore vs. Seed · Flore vs. Thorne · Best Personalized Probiotic 2026
This page is general wellness information and is not medical advice. Ombre and Thryve are trademarks of their respective owner; this comparison is independent and references publicly available information as of June 2026. Probiotic results vary by individual.