Nic Salts, Freebase or Shortfills: Which E-Liquid Is Right for You?

Choosing a vape juice used to be largely about finding a flavour and nicotine strength you liked. Today, there are far more options. Browse our e-liquids and you'll come across nic salts, freebase e-liquids, shortfills, different VG/PG ratios and a wide choice of nicotine strengths.

It can seem complicated, but choosing the right type of e-liquid mostly comes down to three things: the vape kit you're using, how much nicotine you want and the type of vaping experience you prefer.

Nic salts offer smooth nicotine delivery and are particularly popular in refillable pod kits. Freebase is the more traditional form of nicotine used in vape juice and provides a more noticeable throat hit. Shortfills give you a larger bottle of nicotine-free e-liquid, with the option to add nicotine yourself if you want it.

None is automatically better than the others. In this guide, we'll look at how they differ and help you work out which makes the most sense for you.

Nic Salts, Freebase and Shortfills at a Glance

If you're new to e-liquids, here's the simplest way to understand the main differences.

E-Liquid	Nic Salts	Freebase E-Liquid	Shortfills
Typical bottle size	10ml	10ml	50ml, 100ml or larger
Nicotine	Pre-mixed	Pre-mixed	Usually supplied at 0mg
Common strengths	10mg and 20mg	Varies by range	Determined by nic shots added
Common VG/PG ratio	Often 50/50	Often 50/50	50/50 or higher VG
Commonly used with	Pod and MTL kits	Pod and MTL kits	Depends on VG/PG ratio
Main appeal	Smooth nicotine delivery	More noticeable throat hit	Larger bottles and nicotine flexibility

These are useful general guidelines rather than rules. In particular, don't assume that every shortfill is a thick, high-VG e-liquid intended for sub-ohm vaping. There are now 50/50 shortfills designed specifically with refillable pod kits in mind.

What Are Nic Salts?

Nic salts, short for nicotine salts, are a popular choice for refillable pod and MTL vape kits. They're particularly useful for vapers who want a higher nicotine strength without an overly harsh throat hit.

Compared with traditional freebase nicotine, nic salts generally provide a smoother sensation at comparable nicotine concentrations. That's one of the reasons you'll commonly find them available in 10mg and 20mg strengths.

Most bottled nic salts we stock come in a 50VG/50PG formulation, making them a good match for the smaller coils and lower power levels typically used by refillable pod systems.

The choice of flavours has also grown enormously. Nic salts aren't limited to tobacco and menthol. You'll now find everything from fruit and ice to sweets, drinks and dessert-inspired blends, including ranges such as Bar Juice 5000, Elfliq and R&M Tornado.

Nic salts will suit you if:

• You use a refillable pod or MTL vape.
• You want a smoother vape at a higher nicotine concentration.
• You currently use 10mg or 20mg nicotine.
• You're moving from a prefilled vape to a refillable pod kit.
• You want a ready-to-vape e-liquid without having to add nicotine yourself.

Nic salts aren't necessarily the right choice simply because they're popular, though. If you prefer a more noticeable throat hit, traditional freebase nicotine may suit you better.

What Is Freebase E-Liquid?

Freebase is the traditional form of nicotine used in e-liquid and has been part of vaping for much longer than modern nic salts.

The most noticeable difference for many vapers is the throat hit. At comparable strengths, freebase nicotine generally feels more pronounced than nic salts. Some vapers actively prefer this sensation, particularly if they've been using freebase e-liquids for years or want their vape to have a little more bite.

You'll find freebase nicotine in different strengths and formulations, so it's important not to treat "freebase" as a description of how thick an e-liquid is or which device it belongs in.

A 50VG/50PG freebase e-liquid, for example, can work very well in an appropriate refillable pod or MTL kit. Freebase nicotine can also be found in nicotine shots designed to be added to larger shortfill bottles.

Freebase e-liquid could suit you if:

• You prefer a more noticeable throat hit.
• You're already comfortable using freebase nicotine.
• You want a lower nicotine strength available within a particular range.
• You use a pod or MTL kit compatible with the liquid's VG/PG ratio.
• You simply prefer the way freebase nicotine feels compared with nic salts.

Good to Know: "Freebase" tells you about the form of nicotine, not whether an e-liquid is suitable for your vape. Always look at the VG/PG ratio and the type of device you're using too.

What Is a Shortfill E-Liquid?

Shortfills are slightly different because the name primarily describes how the e-liquid is bottled, rather than a particular type of nicotine.

A shortfill is a larger bottle of e-liquid supplied without nicotine and deliberately "filled short" to leave room in the bottle. That extra space allows you to add one or more nicotine shots, or you can simply vape the liquid at 0mg if you don't use nicotine.

A common example is 50ml of e-liquid supplied in a 60ml bottle, leaving 10ml of space. Larger 100ml shortfills are often supplied in 120ml bottles, providing room for two 10ml nic shots.

This makes shortfills particularly useful if you get through more e-liquid and don't want to rely entirely on individual 10ml bottles.

Are Shortfills Only for Sub-Ohm Vapes?

Not anymore.

Traditional shortfills are often made with a higher VG ratio, such as 70VG/30PG, which makes them better suited to lower-resistance coils and more powerful sub-ohm devices. These thicker liquids are popular with vapers who prefer an airier draw and greater vapour production.

However, the shortfill market has changed.

We now stock 50VG/50PG pod-fill shortfills from ranges including City Vape and Doozy. These provide the larger-bottle convenience of a shortfill while using a thinner formulation designed to work with compatible refillable pod and MTL devices.

So the word shortfill alone doesn't tell you whether an e-liquid will work in your vape.

UK Vape Supply Tip: Check the VG/PG ratio before buying a shortfill. A 50/50 pod-fill and a 70/30 shortfill might come in similar-sized bottles, but they're designed with very different vaping setups in mind.

Shortfills are a great option if:

• You want a larger bottle of e-liquid.
• You vape at 0mg and don't need nicotine.
• You want to add nicotine using nic shots.
• You use a sub-ohm kit and need a higher-VG e-liquid.
• You use a compatible pod kit and want a larger 50/50 pod-fill.
• You prefer the flexibility of choosing whether or not to add nicotine.

If you do want to add nicotine, there's no need to guess how much you need. Our How Many Nic Shots Do I Need guide explains the quantities for common 50ml, 100ml and 200ml shortfills.

Nic Salts vs Freebase: What's the Difference?

If you're choosing between two 10ml e-liquids, the decision will often come down to nic salts vs freebase nicotine.

Both can be used in suitable refillable vape kits, and both are available across a wide choice of flavours. The biggest practical difference is how the nicotine feels when you vape it.

Nic salts generally provide a smoother experience at higher nicotine concentrations, which is why 10mg and 20mg nic salts have become so common in pod kits. Freebase nicotine tends to produce a more noticeable throat hit, particularly as the nicotine strength increases.

That doesn't make one better than the other. It comes down to what you prefer.

• Choose nic salts if you want a smoother vape, particularly at 10mg or 20mg, or you're moving from a prefilled vape that already uses nic salt e-liquid.

• Choose freebase if you prefer a more noticeable throat hit or already know that you enjoy traditional freebase e-liquids.

If you're happy with the nicotine format you're currently using, there's no reason to change simply because another type is newer or more popular.

Nic Salts vs Shortfills: Which Should You Choose?

This comparison is slightly different because nic salt describes a form of nicotine, while shortfill describes a bottle format. When most people compare the two, however, they're really deciding between a ready-to-vape 10ml nic salt and a larger bottle of nicotine-free e-liquid that can be mixed with nic shots.

• Nic salts win on simplicity. Choose your flavour and nicotine strength, fill a compatible pod and you're ready to vape.

• Shortfills give you more flexibility. You get considerably more e-liquid in one bottle and can vape it nicotine-free or add compatible nicotine shots yourself.

There's also the question of nicotine strength. If you currently vape 10mg or 20mg nic salts, a standard shortfill with one or two 18mg nic shots isn't necessarily a direct replacement. Shortfills are commonly used to create lower final nicotine strengths, with 3mg being a typical example.

That's why we'd choose based on your actual nicotine requirements rather than bottle size alone.

Does Your Vape Kit Affect Which E-Liquid You Need?

Yes. It's easy to concentrate on flavour and nicotine strength, but your vape kit needs an e-liquid with a suitable VG/PG ratio.

As a general starting point:

• Refillable pod and MTL kits commonly work well with 50VG/50PG e-liquids.
• Higher-powered sub-ohm kits commonly use thicker, higher-VG e-liquids such as 70VG/30PG.
• 50/50 pod-fill shortfills provide a larger-bottle option for compatible pod and MTL devices.
• High-VG shortfills are generally a better match for lower-resistance, higher-powered setups.

Using an unsuitable liquid can affect how well your vape performs. A very thick high-VG liquid may struggle to wick properly through a small pod coil, while a thinner 50/50 liquid may not be appropriate for some higher-powered sub-ohm setups.

Coil resistance, power and the manufacturer's recommendations also matter, so VG/PG shouldn't be treated as a universal rule based purely on whether you own a "pod" or "sub-ohm" device.

We'll go into this in much more detail in our What VG/PG Ratio Does My Vape Need? guide.

Can You Change from One Type of E-Liquid to Another?

Of course. Your choice of e-liquid doesn't have to stay the same forever. You might start with 20mg nic salts after moving from a prefilled vape, later drop to 10mg, and eventually decide you prefer a lower-strength freebase liquid. Alternatively, you might move from individual 10ml bottles to larger shortfills because you're using more e-liquid or have switched to a different type of vape kit.

You can also use different formats at different times, provided they're suitable for the device and coil you're using.

The important thing is to consider nicotine strength and device compatibility whenever you change, rather than assuming two e-liquids will behave the same simply because they're both vape juice.

Which E-Liquid Is Right for You?

If you're still deciding, start with what you actually want from your e-liquid rather than the terminology on the bottle.

If you want...	Start by looking at...
Smooth nicotine delivery in a refillable pod	Nic salts
A more noticeable nicotine throat hit	Freebase e-liquid
Ready-to-vape 10mg or 20mg nicotine	Nic salts
A larger bottle of e-liquid	Shortfills
To vape without nicotine	0mg shortfills
To add nicotine yourself	Shortfills + nic shots
E-liquid for a higher-powered sub-ohm setup	Higher-VG shortfills
A larger bottle for a compatible pod kit	50/50 pod-fill shortfills

There's deliberately some crossover here. Someone using a refillable pod kit might choose nic salts, freebase 10mls or a suitable 50/50 pod-fill. Likewise, choosing a shortfill doesn't automatically tell you which vape kit you need.

That's why we'd always make the decision in this order:

• Check what type of e-liquid your vape kit and coil are designed for.
• Choose the nicotine strength and format that suits your current needs.
• Then choose the flavour you actually want to vape.

From the UK Vape Supply team: If you've already found a combination of kit, e-liquid and nicotine strength that works well for you, don't feel you need to change it just because there are other options available. Understanding the differences is useful, but the goal is finding the setup that suits you.

Explore E-Liquids at UK Vape Supply

Whether you prefer the smooth nicotine delivery of nic salts, the more traditional throat hit of freebase e-liquid or the flexibility of a larger shortfill, you'll find plenty of options at UK Vape Supply.

You can explore our full e-liquid collection, shop by type or browse individual brands to find flavours and nicotine strengths suited to your setup.

And if you're still working out the practical side, continue with our What VG/PG Ratio Does My Vape Need? guide to make sure your e-liquid suits your kit. If you've chosen a shortfill, our How Many Nic Shots Do I Need? guide will take you through the next steps.