Pick the format by serving size first. A film carries up to about 250 mg of a single active in a 100–300 mg strip (our development targets); a size 00 capsule holds roughly 665–950 mg depending on powder density; gummies and liquids carry more but bring sugar, water and a bottle. Films win on portability, no-water use and individual packaging. They lose the moment the serving needs a gram.
| Attribute | Oral film | Gummy | Capsule | Liquid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practical active per unit | Up to ~250 mg single active in a ~100–300 mg strip (StripWorks development target); pharma ODF reviews cite ~50 mg typical, 100 mg upper | Shares the piece with the sugar or pectin matrix; larger pieces for larger doses | Size 00 ≈ 0.91–0.95 mL: ~665 mg at 0.7 g/mL, ~950 mg at 1.0 g/mL; size 0 ≈ 0.68 mL | Set by concentration and mL per dose; effectively unlimited |
| Disintegration or use step | 30–60 s target in the mouth; marketed Rx film dissolves in 4–20 s | Chewed | Swallowed whole, usually with water | Measured and swallowed |
| Sugar per serving | None required | 3 g total sugars per two-gummy serving on a mainstream multivitamin label (15–20 kcal) | None | Often sweetened; varies |
| Unit packaging | Individual sachet in a 20- or 30-count carton | Bottle | Bottle or blister | Bottle with dropper or cup |
| Water needed | No | No | Usually | No |
| Stability watch-outs | Moisture, hygroscopic actives | Heat, moisture, sugar migration | Oxidation of oils; moisture | Preservation, microbial, separation |
Decide on dose before anything else
The number that eliminates formats is milligrams per serving. Our development targets allow up to about 250 mg of a single active in a 100–300 mg strip; pharmaceutical ODF reviews are more conservative, with about 50 mg typical and 100 mg the upper limit even for bilayer films. A size 00 capsule holds 0.91–0.95 mL, roughly 665 mg of a 0.7 g/mL powder or 950 mg at 1.0 g/mL.
Rule: under 250 mg per serving, a film is a candidate. Between 250 and 500 mg, only if two strips per serving is acceptable to the customer. Above 500 mg, stop evaluating film.
Oral films
A 22 × 32 mm strip, about 50–150 μm dry, sealed in its own sachet. No water, no measuring, and fast: our target is 30–60 seconds, a marketed ondansetron oral soluble film dissolves in 4–20 seconds, and FDA's reference for orally disintegrating tablets is about 30 seconds. Low mass means taste has nowhere to hide, and moisture is the enemy, so hygroscopic actives need barrier sachets and an accelerated stability study.
Gummies and chews
Gummies carry flavor because the matrix is mostly sweetener. A mainstream adult multivitamin gummy lists 3 g of total sugars and 4 g of carbohydrate per two-gummy serving, about 15–20 kcal. Fine for many brands, a problem for sugar-free positioning. They soften in heat. Choose one when the serving is moderate and flavor is the product.
Capsules and tablets
Capsules hide taste and carry the most active per unit at the lowest formulation risk, which is where large botanical servings, oils and bitter actives end up. The cost is a bottle, water, and no visible difference on the shelf. Choose a capsule when the serving exceeds 250 mg, the ingredient is an oil, or taste cannot be fixed.
Powders and liquids
They handle multi-gram servings and blends, and add a scoop or dropper, measuring error, preservation for liquids, and packaging that leaks when it fails. Choose them when the serving is in grams or the customer already mixes a daily drink.
Worked example: one active, two serving sizes
A daily 100 mg single-active product. Film: one strip near 250 mg finished weight, no sugar, sachet-packed, inside targets. Gummy: two pieces and 3 g of sugar. Capsule: one size 0, partly filled. Film is the differentiated choice if taste work succeeds.
Same active at 500 mg. Film needs two or three strips per dose, the gummy several pieces, and a size 00 capsule holds it in one. The capsule wins, and the film conversation ends at feasibility rather than after formulation.
Score the shortlist, then confirm it
Score each surviving format on dose fit, taste risk, packaging, moisture, channel, evidence for any claim and timing, then confirm the leader with the manufacturer and a regulatory reviewer before artwork.
Common questions
Faster disintegration is measurable; faster or greater absorption is a claim that needs a pharmacokinetic study for that product. Without one, say the strip dissolves in the mouth and stop there.
Not as one strip within our development targets or the published ODF literature. Two or three strips per serving is technically possible and commercially weak.
Yes, with sugar alcohols or fibers replacing the sugar, at some cost to texture and digestive tolerance. If sugar-free is the positioning, a film avoids the question entirely.
Primary sources
- Pharmaceutics (2023) — Orodispersible Films: Current Innovations and Emerging Trends
- Int J Clin Pharm (2020) — Orodispersible films as a personalized dosage form for nursing home residents (drug-load limits)
- FDA — Guidance for Industry: Orally Disintegrating Tablets (2008)
- FDA — Zuplenz (ondansetron) oral soluble film prescribing information
- Capsuline — Empty capsule size chart (volumes and fill weights by density)
- Lonza Capsugel — Coni-Snap hard gelatin capsules, nutraceutical sizes
- vitafusion — MultiVites gummy vitamin product page (two-gummy serving)
- Eat This Much — vitafusion multivitamin gummies nutrition facts (3 g sugars per serving)
Formula feasibility, packaging, testing, claims, timing, and final quantities depend on the exact product. Use this guide to prepare better questions, then confirm the production plan for your project.