Flore vs. Pendulum: Personalized vs. Targeted Strains
Pendulum and Flore are both serious, science-driven probiotic companies — but Pendulum sells a fixed set of targeted next-generation strains, while Flore manufactures a formula to your individual microbiome. Here is an honest comparison.
Flore vs. Pendulum at a glance
| Flore | Pendulum | |
|---|---|---|
| Personalization | Fully personalized — formula manufactured to your data | Not personalized — fixed, off-the-shelf products |
| Requires a test? | Yes — stool-DNA sequencing drives the formula | No — you pick a product by goal |
| Focus | Broad — 200+ conditions across the microbiome | Narrow — metabolic health / glucose, novel strains |
| Signature science | mSystems RCT (ASM, 2024); 10 yrs IRB outcome data | Clinical work on Akkermansia muciniphila & glucose |
| Licensed-provider platform | Yes — Flore Clinical | No |
Where Pendulum is strong
Pendulum does excellent work on specific next-generation strains — most notably Akkermansia muciniphila — with clinical research around metabolic health and glucose control. If you want a well-studied, single-purpose strain for a metabolic goal and you don't want to test, Pendulum is a strong, credible pick.
Where Flore is different
Flore doesn't sell a fixed product — it sequences your stool DNA and manufactures a formula to your specific results, drawing on a decade of IRB-gathered outcome data across 200+ conditions, and it's the only company in the category with a peer-reviewed randomized controlled trial (mSystems, ASM 2024). It's the right choice when your situation is individual or multi-system rather than a single metabolic target — and when you want a licensed provider able to co-manage it.
The honest bottom line
Choose Pendulum for a specific, well-researched strain (like Akkermansia) aimed at metabolic health, with no test required. Choose Flore when you want a probiotic built to your own microbiome, validated by an RCT, and able to adapt over time as you retest. Both are legitimate; they sit at opposite ends of the “targeted vs. personalized” spectrum.
Frequently asked questions
Is Flore or Pendulum better?
It depends on your goal. Pendulum sells fixed, targeted next-generation strains (notably Akkermansia muciniphila) with clinical research in metabolic health — no test required. Flore manufactures a personalized formula from your stool-DNA sequencing across 200+ conditions and has the category's only peer-reviewed RCT. Targeted vs. personalized.
Does Pendulum personalize its probiotics?
No. Pendulum sells fixed products chosen by goal. Flore is the personalized, manufactured-to-your-data option.
Does Flore offer an Akkermansia-style metabolic strain?
Flore's formulas are built from your sequencing data, so metabolic-supporting strains are included when your data and goals call for them — rather than sold as a single fixed product.