⚖ Potion Decanting Calculator

How Potion Decanting Profit Works

Potion decanting exploits price inefficiencies between different dose variants of the same potion. On the GE, each dose variant (1-dose, 2-dose, 3-dose, 4-dose) trades at its own price. In theory, a 4-dose potion should cost exactly 4 times what a 1-dose costs. In practice, players prefer 4-dose potions for convenience, so the 4-dose version often trades at a premium.

The strategy is simple: buy whichever dose variant offers the lowest cost per dose, take the potions to Bob Barter near the Grand Exchange, and decant them into 4-dose versions for free. Then sell the 4-dose potions on the GE. Your profit per potion is the 4-dose sell price minus the cost of doses needed to make it, minus the GE tax. All dose variants of a potion share the same buy limit, so the number of potions you can process per 4 hours is limited.

With bank presets and efficient inventory management, you can decant roughly 2,500 potions per hour. The calculator above compares all dose variants for every major potion and shows exactly which variant to buy and how much profit you make per decant. For related methods, try the Herblore calculator or browse herb and potion prices.

Strategy Tips for Potion Decanting

The cheapest dose to buy changes hourly based on GE activity. Check all four dose variants before committing — sometimes 1-dose potions are cheapest per dose, sometimes 3-dose offers the best value. The calculator above does this comparison automatically and highlights the optimal buy. Weekend trading patterns often differ from weekday patterns, so re-check before each session.

Volume matters more than margin in decanting. At roughly 2,500 decants per hour, even a 20-30 GP profit per potion adds up to 50K-75K GP/hr of essentially risk-free income. Focus on high-volume potions like prayer potions, super restores, and ranging potions where buy offers fill quickly and consistently.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Shared buy limits across doses — All dose variants of a potion share the same GE buy limit. If the limit is 2,000, that is 2,000 potions total across all doses, not 2,000 per dose. Plan your purchases accordingly.
2. Decanting the wrong direction — Make sure you are converting to 4-dose for sale. Accidentally decanting into lower doses reduces your output value. Bob Barter defaults to 4-dose, but double-check your inventory before selling.
3. Not accounting for GE tax — The 2% GE tax applies when selling your 4-dose potions. Subtract tax from the sell price before calculating profit per decant.