About BalanzGM
An independent editorial publication for the US CBD market
Why we started BalanzGM
The US CBD market is crowded with hundreds of brands, wildly inconsistent labeling, and a handful of outright bad actors. We started BalanzGM to do one specific job well: read every brand’s published lab report, verify it against an accredited laboratory, and surface the products that hold up to scrutiny.
We are not a clinical laboratory and we do not conduct first-person product testing at this time. We are an editorial publication that researches what is publicly available and aggregates verified customer feedback into a single, transparent score.
How we research products
Every product on BalanzGM is evaluated using the same five-criteria framework:
- Third-party lab testing (COA) — 25%: We verify the brand publishes a current Certificate of Analysis from an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited lab. We check potency, contaminants, and batch traceability.
- Ingredient quality & sourcing — 25%: We score the source of the hemp, the extraction method, and any added ingredients.
- Value for money — 20%: Cost-per-milligram of CBD versus market benchmarks.
- Brand transparency — 15%: Is the COA publicly accessible? Is company ownership disclosed? Has the brand received any FDA warning letters?
- Aggregated customer feedback — 15%: We survey verified customer reviews on the brand site and on third-party retailers to identify consistent themes about taste, onset, perceived effect, and customer service.
📊 Research-based, not first-person tested: Our reviews aggregate publicly available data and customer feedback. We do not claim to have personally tested products we have not purchased. Read more on our Methodology page.
Our editorial team
BalanzGM is run by a small independent editorial team. We are not employees of any CBD brand and we have no financial relationship with any brand outside disclosed affiliate links. Our team can be reached at editorial@balanzgm.com.
Our standards
- No paid placements. No brand can pay to appear on our lists. Rankings are based solely on our research evaluation.
- No free samples. We do not accept brand-sponsored gifts that could bias our analysis.
- Clear FTC disclosure. Every page with affiliate links opens with a clear and conspicuous affiliate disclosure.
- No medical claims. CBD is not approved by the FDA to treat any condition. We never claim a product can diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. See our Medical Disclaimer.
- COA-first. We do not recommend any product without a current third-party Certificate of Analysis.
- Monthly re-audit. Every “Best of” list is rechecked at least once every 30 days.
Questions?
Reach our editorial team at editorial@balanzgm.com or through the Contact page. We respond to methodology, sourcing, and editorial questions within 48 hours.