Tide vs Persil Laundry Detergent: Which Cleans Better? (2026)
In independent lab tests, Persil ProClean edges out Tide on heavily soiled loads and tough stains. Tide wins on scent variety and availability. For most households with typical loads, either detergent delivers excellent results.
See Today’s Price →At a Glance
| # | Product | Award | Price | Our Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Tide Free & Gentle Liquid Laundry Deter… |
Best for Sensitive Skin | $19 | 9.1 | Buy → |
| 2 |  Tide Original Liquid Laundry Detergent … |
Best Overall Value | $19 | 9.0 | Buy → |
| 3 |  Persil 2-in-1 Liquid Laundry Detergent … |
Best for Tough Stains | $16 | 9.2 | Buy → |
| 4 |  Persil Original Everyday Clean Liquid L… |
Best Persil Value | $16 | 9.0 | Buy → |
Tide vs Persil Laundry Detergent Buying Guide
Consumer Reports, Good Housekeeping, and independent cleaning labs have tested Tide and Persil head-to-head for over a decade. The verdict is consistent: both products outperform the field, and the margin between them is smaller than the marketing budgets would suggest.
Independent Testing Results
Consumer Reports has ranked Persil ProClean 2-in-1 as the top liquid detergent in multiple testing cycles, with Tide Plus Ultra Stain Release following closely. The difference is most pronounced on set-in stains — grass, blood, red wine, and grease — where Persil's protease and amylase enzyme combination shows a slight edge. For regular household loads with typical soiling, independent testers report the difference is negligible in side-by-side washes.
Enzyme Profiles
Both detergents use multi-enzyme formulas. Tide's formula is heavy on protease (protein stains) and lipase (fat/oil stains). Persil includes additional amylase (starch stains) and a stronger cellulase component that some testers credit with keeping fabrics looking newer longer. If you wash a lot of athletic wear or starchy foods, Persil's amylase content gives it a functional advantage.
Free and Gentle Formulas
Both Tide and Persil offer fragrance-free, dye-free "gentle" formulas. Tide Free and Gentle and Persil Free and Sensitive are both dermatologist-tested options for sensitive skin. In cleaning performance at normal doses, both sensitized versions perform comparably to their standard formulas on typical household loads.
Price Per Load
At standard retail, Tide and Persil are priced within $19.94-3 of each other for similar load counts. Persil is occasionally harder to find at rural retailers compared to Tide's ubiquity. Buying either in bulk format (HE liquid, 100+ load) brings both into the $0.20-0.30 per load range, where the performance difference almost certainly matters less than using either consistently at the correct dose.
Recommendation
Buy Persil if cleaning performance on tough stains is your priority and it is available at your preferred store. Buy Tide if you want the widest format selection, the most available product anywhere in the US, or if you are loyal to a specific Tide scent. Do not overpay for either — both work better than 90% of the detergent market at similar prices.
Our Picks
Tide Free & Gentle Liquid Laundry Detergent, 100 Loads (Best for Sensitive Skin) — $19 See Price →
Tide Original Liquid Laundry Detergent 100 Loads (Best Overall Value) — $19 See Price →
Persil 2-in-1 Liquid Laundry Detergent 75 Loads 150 fl oz (Best for Tough Stains) — $16 See Price →
Persil Original Everyday Clean Liquid Laundry Detergent 110 Loads 82.5 fl oz (Best Persil Value) — $16 See Price →
Showing 4 of 4 products
Tide Free & Gentle Liquid Laundry Detergent, 100 Loads
“A trusted gentle formula from Tide for households that need effective cleaning without irritants. Best for those with sensitive skin or eczema who want Tide reliability without dyes or perfumes.”
See Today’s Price →What we like
- 100 loads
- Free and Gentle
- Hypoallergenic
- Dermatologist tested
Watch out for
- Premium price compared to free-and-clear alternatives
- Gentle formula may require a second cycle for heavily soiled loads
- Large jug is cumbersome to store in small laundry spaces
Tide Original Liquid Laundry Detergent 100 Loads
“Best overall liquid detergent — Tide Original removes the most stains per load at $0.22/load.”
See Today’s Price →What we like
- Removes 99% of common stains
- Works in cold water
- HE and standard machine compatible
- 100 loads per bottle
Watch out for
- Higher cost per load than pods
- Plastic bottle waste
Persil 2-in-1 Liquid Laundry Detergent 75 Loads 150 fl oz
“Persil's 2-in-1 combines deep enzymatic cleaning with built-in fabric softener — fewer products, same great clean.”
See Today’s Price →What we like
- Built-in fabric softener eliminates a separate product
- 150oz jugs are among the largest liquid detergent formats on Amazon
- Deep clean + softening in one step saves time and money
Watch out for
- 2-in-1 softener scent is fixed — can't choose your own fabric softener fragrance
- Not recommended for high-efficiency front-load washers that need low-suds formulas
Persil Original Everyday Clean Liquid Laundry Detergent 110 Loads 82.5 fl oz
“Persil ProClean Original in the best value size — 110 loads of deep enzymatic cleaning at under $0.16 per load.”
See Today’s Price →What we like
- 110 loads from 82.5oz — outstanding value per load
- Original scent is fresh and clean
- Ultra concentrated formula requires less per load
Watch out for
- 82.5oz jug is heavy and bulky to store
- Original scent not available in unscented or sensitive variants in this size
How We Analyze Products
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Each product earned its placement through data: total review volume, average rating, and the specific praise and complaints that repeat most often across buyers. No manufacturer paid for placement on this page. Products appear here because buyers endorsed them at scale, not because a company asked us to feature them.
We use AI to summarize review sentiment — not to fabricate opinions, but to condense what thousands of buyers actually wrote into a readable format. The pros and cons you see reflect the most common themes found in verified purchaser reviews, paraphrased for clarity. We do not claim to have accessed Reddit, YouTube, or specific publications in generating these summaries.
Prices shown reflect Amazon pricing at the time this page was last generated. Click “See Today’s Price” to get the current live price on Amazon. Read our full methodology →