Advil Vs. Motrin IB: What Is The Difference?

Hello and thanks for reaching out!

The simple answer to this is that there is no significant difference between Advil and Motrin IB. Both are branded products that contain the same active ingredient, ibuprofen.

Motrin IB is a brand name owned by Johnson & Johnson while Motrin is owned by GlaxoSmithKline.

Now, each brand has several different product formulations available (e.g. liquid gels, chewable tablets etc...) and I detail these in the next sections.

The 'Advil' brand has far more individual products on the market than Motrin does, and I would say that is the major difference between the two brands. When it comes to the actual drug (or drugs) they contain, that is where there is no difference in comparable products.

Motrin IB Products

Motrin (sometimes referred to as Motrin IB) contains the active ingredient ibuprofen ('IB' stands for ibuprofen in Motrin IB), which is classified as an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug).

Below is a chart showing all of the commercially available Motrin IB products.

Advil Products

As mentioned, Advil, just like Motrin, contains the active ingredient ibuprofen.

Below is a chart containing all of the commercially available Advil products (aside from their 'cold & allergy' products).

I do want to mention here that Advil also has several additional products not listed above.

The Advil brand name is used for several multi-symptom cold and allergy products, such as 'Advil Multi-Symptom Cold & Flu', and 'Advil Sinus Congestion & Pain'.

Final Words

I hope this answer helped clear up any confusion!

It can be a little confusing sorting out all the different products, but the main takeaway here is that most Motrin and Advil products contain the exact same active ingredient (ibuprofen).

You really can't go wrong grabbing either product and you can expect the same relief from both.

As an alternative, most stores carry their own store/generic brand of ibuprofen, which are generally cheaper than Mortin or Advil. For example, Walgreens, CVS, and Rite Aid all have their own.

Thanks again!