ZYN vs ALP: Nicotine Pouches Compared

ZYN and ALP are two of the most widely sold nicotine pouch brands in the US. ZYN, made by Swedish Match (Philip Morris International), ships its US line in a mini dry format at 3mg and 6mg with 15 pouches per can. ALP, made by Haypp's Other Snus and produced in Sweden, ships a slim format at 3mg, 6mg, 9mg, and 12mg with 20 pouches per can.

If you're choosing between the two for the first time, the short answer is this: ZYN is the most recognizable name in the category, with a tight mint-forward lineup in a small dry pouch. ALP gives you a wider strength range, more pouches per can, and a slim format that some adult users prefer under the lip. Both are tobacco-leaf-free and intended for adult nicotine consumers 21 and older.

The full comparison below walks through manufacturer, strengths, formats, flavors, and per-pouch cost so you can pick the one that fits your routine.

ZYN at a glance

ZYN is made by Swedish Match, a subsidiary of Philip Morris International. It launched in the US in 2014 and is by a wide margin the best-selling nicotine pouch brand in the country.

• Manufacturer: Swedish Match (Philip Morris International).
• US line (ZYN USA): 3mg and 6mg, mini dry format, 15 pouches per can. Priced at $9.80 per can.
• European Slim line: 6mg, 9mg, 11mg, 13.5mg, and 16.5mg. Slim moist format, 20 pouches per can. Sold in the US through select resellers as ZYN Slim European Edition.
• Tobacco leaf: None. Tobacco-free nicotine.
• Where made: US factory in Owensboro, Kentucky (USA line); Sweden (European line).
• Flavor families: Mint-heavy (Cool Mint, Wintergreen, Spearmint, Peppermint, Menthol, Smooth) plus Citrus, Coffee, Cinnamon, and a few fruit options like Chill.

ZYN's dry mini pouch is the format most US adult users started with, and it's what most people picture when they hear "nicotine pouch." Browse the full lineup at ZYN pouches.

ALP at a glance

ALP is produced by Other Snus, part of the Haypp Group, and manufactured in Sweden. It's a newer entrant in the US than ZYN but has built up a loyal following on the strength of its slim format and wider strength ladder.

• Manufacturer: Other Snus (Haypp Group), Sweden.
• Strengths: 3mg, 6mg, 9mg, and 12mg.
• Format: Slim, dry-feel, 20 pouches per can.
• Priced: $9.80 per can.
• Tobacco leaf: None. Tobacco-free nicotine.
• Where made: Sweden.
• Flavor families: Mint variants (Chilled Mint, Mint, Spearmint), Wintergreen, Citrus, Apple, Coffee, and a small fruit and licorice rotation.

The full ALP catalog lives at ALP pouches.

Strength comparison

This is where the two brands diverge most clearly. ALP runs four strengths from light to strong inside a single line. ZYN's US line stops at 6mg, so anything above that has to come from the European Slim range.

Strength	ZYN USA	ZYN Slim European Edition	ALP
3mg	Yes	No	Yes
6mg	Yes	Yes	Yes
9mg	No	Yes	Yes
11mg	No	Yes	No
12mg	No	No	Yes
13.5mg	No	Yes	No
16.5mg	No	Yes	No

If you stay inside ZYN's USA line, you're working with two strengths: 3mg and 6mg. ALP gives you a smoother ladder from 3mg through 6mg, 9mg, and 12mg, which tends to suit adult users who want to step up gradually without changing brands.

For the strongest tiers on the market, the ZYN Slim European Edition pushes higher than ALP, reaching 16.5mg. That format is moist and slim rather than dry mini, so it sits and releases differently.

Pouch format and feel

ZYN's US line uses a mini dry pouch. ALP and the ZYN Slim European line both use a slim format. The difference matters more than the names suggest.

• Mini (ZYN USA): Shorter and rounder. Sits compactly under the lip and is hard to feel after a few minutes. The dry finish means a slower onset.
• Slim (ALP, ZYN Slim EU): Longer and flatter. Spreads along the gum line, which some adult users find more comfortable and others find more noticeable.

Per can, ZYN USA holds 15 pouches. ALP holds 20. Over a week of daily use, that gap adds up.

Flavor lineup

Both brands lean mint, which tracks with the US market overall, but the supporting flavors differ.

Family	ZYN	ALP
Mint	Cool Mint, Peppermint, Smooth, Menthol	Chilled Mint, Mint
Spearmint / Wintergreen	Spearmint, Wintergreen	Spearmint, Wintergreen
Citrus	Citrus	Citrus
Coffee	Coffee	Coffee
Fruit	Chill (berry)	Apple
Other	Cinnamon	Licorice

ZYN's most-asked-for flavors in the US are Cool Mint and Wintergreen. ALP's top sellers tend to be Chilled Mint and Apple. If mint is your default, you can browse both in mint nicotine pouches.

Price comparison

Per-can prices are close. The per-pouch math is what separates them.

	ZYN USA	ALP
Pouches per can	15	20
Typical can price	$9.80	$9.80
Per-pouch low	$0.33	$0.30
Per-pouch high	$0.53	$0.40

At the high end of the price range, ALP works out noticeably cheaper per pouch because of the extra 5 per can. At promotional pricing, the two are close.

Who tends to pick ZYN

• First-time buyers who recognize the name from convenience stores and gas stations.
• Adult users with a mint-forward palate who want the original Cool Mint or Wintergreen profile.
• Anyone who prefers a small, low-profile pouch that disappears under the lip.
• Adult users staying inside the 3mg to 6mg range.
• Shoppers who want a US-made pouch (ZYN USA is made in Kentucky).

If that's you, start with ZYN Cool Mint 6mg and adjust strength from there.

Who tends to pick ALP

• Adult users who want a slim pouch instead of a mini.
• Anyone planning to ladder up in strength, since ALP runs all four tiers (3, 6, 9, 12mg) inside one format.
• Shoppers who want more pouches per can at a similar price point.
• People who prefer Swedish-made nicotine pouches with a slightly drier finish.
• Buyers looking outside the standard mint and wintergreen lineup, particularly toward Apple, Citrus, or Licorice.

A common starting point is ALP Chilled Mint 6mg, which sits in the same strength tier as ZYN Cool Mint 6mg but in the slim format.

So which one should you choose?

Both brands deliver what they promise. ZYN gives you the most familiar name in the category, the original mini format, and a tight focus on the 3mg and 6mg tiers. ALP gives you a broader strength ladder, the slim format, and five more pouches per can. Neither is "better" in a general sense. The right pick depends on whether you want a mini or a slim pouch, how strong you want to go, and how many pouches you want per can.

Many adult users keep both on hand: a ZYN mini for short, low-key sessions and an ALP slim for longer sessions or higher strengths.

Related ZYN reading

• Shop all ZYN at Nico Pouches.
• Full ZYN flavors guide covering every US and European Edition flavor.
• ZYN strengths guide, tier by tier from 3mg up to 16.5mg.
• ZYN Slim European Edition for the high-strength range.
• Other head-to-heads: ZYN vs Lucy and ZYN vs Zimo.