Our Pick: MiraLAX
Check price on Amazon →MiraLAX Review: The PEG 3350 Osmotic, What the Label Promises, and When a Suppository Is Faster
Buy the smaller MiraLAX Laxative Powder at $8.67 if you want the reference PEG 3350 osmotic laxative and a result over 1 to 3 days is what you need. That window is on the label, and it is the whole decision: MiraLAX is for people who want a gentle daily powder, not for anyone who needs a bowel movement this afternoon. The generic ClearLax is the price benchmark and a glycerin suppository is the speed benchmark. Prices verified via the Amazon Creators API on September 5, 2026.
By The Pharmacy Desk2026-09-05~10 min read Ranked on verified label facts, never box claimsHow we research
Buy the MiraLAX Laxative Powder, smaller size, at $8.67 (verified via the Amazon Creators API on September 5, 2026) if what you want is the reference polyethylene glycol 3350 osmotic laxative and a result over 1 to 3 days is acceptable. That is the Drug Facts label's own window, and it is the single most important fact on this page: MiraLAX is a gentle, stimulant-free powder that works over days, not minutes. The label directs 17 g once daily in 4 to 8 ounces of liquid for adults and children 17 and older, sends 16 and under to a doctor, and says not to use for more than 7 days. If you need a bowel movement within the hour, this is the wrong product and a glycerin suppository at about 9 cents is the right one.
MiraLAX is the brand that made PEG 3350 a household name, and its whole appeal is what it is not: not a stimulant, not a saline, not something that cramps. Polyethylene glycol 3350 holds water in the stool as it passes, which the label describes as softening the stool and increasing the frequency of bowel movements. That mechanism is why physicians recommend it for people who need something daily and gentle, and why it is useless for urgent relief. This review covers the three MiraLAX powder listings on Amazon, explains why we cannot give you a cost per dose for any of them, looks at the MiraFAST chews, and benchmarks the powder against Amazon Basic Care's ClearLax, the same PEG 3350 at a store-brand price.
The label governs. MiraLAX is labeled for relief of occasional constipation and irregularity, generally producing a bowel movement in 1 to 3 days. Directions: adults and children 17 years and older, 17 grams (the cap measures it) in 4 to 8 ounces of any beverage, once daily; children 16 and under, ask a doctor. Use no more than 7 days. Ask a doctor before use if you have kidney disease, nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain, or a sudden change in bowel habits lasting over 2 weeks. Stop and ask a doctor for rectal bleeding or no bowel movement after use, or if you need a laxative for more than 1 week. We read labels and verify listings; we are not clinicians, nothing here is medical advice, and no brand has paid for a placement. If you buy through a link we may earn an Amazon commission at no cost to you.
The short version
- Our Pick: MiraLAX Laxative Powder, smaller listing, $8.67 at our September 5, 2026 check. PEG 3350, stimulant free, 1 to 3 days on the label, 17 g once daily for 17 and over.
- No MiraLAX powder listing on Amazon states a size or dose count in its title, so we do not compute a cost per dose for any of them. Read the bottle for the number of doses.
- The label's window is 1 to 3 days and its limit is 7 days. MiraLAX is a daily gentle powder, not urgent relief.
- Price benchmark: Amazon Basic Care ClearLax, the same PEG 3350, $15.73. Speed benchmark: Fleet Glycerin, 15 minutes to 1 hour on the label, about 9 cents a dose.
- Children 16 and under: ask a doctor, on the MiraLAX label. The pediatrician decides.
At a glance
| Product | Active | Label window | Size / count | Cost per dose | Price (9/5/26) | Check price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MiraLAX Laxative Powder (smaller) | PEG 3350 | 1 to 3 days | Not published | n/a | $8.67 | Check price on Amazon |
| MiraLAX Laxative Powder (mid) | PEG 3350 | 1 to 3 days | Not published | n/a | $13.98 | Check price on Amazon |
| MiraLAX Laxative Powder (larger) | PEG 3350 | 1 to 3 days | Not published | n/a | $14.29 | Check price on Amazon |
| MiraFAST Soft Chews | Saline laxative (per title) | Per label | Not published | n/a | $20.39 | Check price on Amazon |
| Amazon Basic Care ClearLax | PEG 3350 | 1 to 3 days | Not published | n/a | $15.73 | Check price on Amazon |
| Fleet Glycerin Suppositories, 50 ct | Glycerin 2 g | 15 minutes to 1 hour | 50 | $0.09 | $4.29 | Check price on Amazon |
The MiraLAX listings and two benchmarks. Actives are as stated on the listing title or the Drug Facts label; where the title states no size or count, we say so. Prices verified via the Amazon Creators API on September 5, 2026. Cost per dose is computed only where the listing states both price and count.
MiraLAX Laxative Powder, PEG 3350 (smaller listing)
MiraLAX
The reference PEG 3350 powder, stimulant free, 1 to 3 days on the label, in the smallest listing.
Our verdict: Start with the smallest MiraLAX. The label frames this as an occasional product with a 7 day limit, and the smaller bottle matches that framing while you find out whether a daily PEG 3350 powder is what your doctor and your gut agree on. Same active, same 17 g dose, same 1 to 3 day window as the bigger bottles; the title does not state the size, so read the doses off the bottle.
Verified: Labeled active: polyethylene glycol 3350, 17 g per dose per the Drug Facts label. Title states gentle constipation relief for adults, stool softener with PEG 3350, nonstimulant. Size not stated on the listing title. Live at $8.67 on Amazon, verified via the Creators API on September 5, 2026.
What it is. MiraLAX Laxative Powder is polyethylene glycol 3350, an osmotic laxative that holds water in the stool as it passes. The Drug Facts label lists relief of occasional constipation and irregularity, states it generally produces a bowel movement in 1 to 3 days, and directs adults and children 17 and older to take 17 grams, measured with the bottle cap, dissolved in 4 to 8 ounces of any beverage once daily. Children 16 and under: ask a doctor. Use no more than 7 days. The title calls it a stool softener with PEG 3350 and a nonstimulant laxative, and both are fair descriptions of the mechanism.
What the label says to watch. Ask a doctor before use for kidney disease, nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain, or a sudden change in bowel habits over 2 weeks. Stop and ask a doctor for rectal bleeding, no bowel movement after use, or needing a laxative for more than 1 week. Owners consistently report the powder dissolves clear and without taste in water or juice, which is the practical reason it is tolerated daily. The osmotic field is ranked in the best osmotic laxatives, and the speed question is settled in suppository vs MiraLAX.
Who should buy it
Buy the smaller MiraLAX if a doctor has recommended a gentle daily osmotic laxative, you can wait 1 to 3 days for a result, and you want a first bottle sized to the label's 7 day limit.
What we don't like
The listing title does not state the bottle size, so there is no cost per dose, and 1 to 3 days is the wrong window for anyone who needs relief today.
- Active ingredient
- Polyethylene glycol 3350
- Strength
- 17 g per dose (per the Drug Facts label)
- Size
- Not stated on the listing title
- Form
- Powder, dissolved in 4 to 8 oz of beverage
- Label ages
- 17 and older; 16 and under ask a doctor
- Label window
- 1 to 3 days; use no more than 7 days
- Packaging
- Bottle with measuring cap
What we like
- Reference PEG 3350, stimulant free
- Dissolves clear and tasteless per owner reports
- Smallest listing, matches the 7 day label
Worth noting
- Size not on the title, no cost per dose
- 1 to 3 days, not urgent relief
- 16 and under ask a doctor
MiraLAX Laxative Powder, PEG 3350 (mid listing)
MiraLAX
The mid-priced MiraLAX listing, physician recommended per the title, same label.
Our verdict: The mid listing is the same powder under the same label at a price that implies a larger bottle than the smallest listing. Without a stated size we cannot confirm it is cheaper per dose, so buy it only if you have already used MiraLAX under a doctor's plan and know the bottle you are getting.
Verified: Labeled active: polyethylene glycol 3350, 17 g per dose. Title states gentle constipation relief, PEG 3350, physician recommended, no harsh side effects. Size not stated on the listing title. Live at $13.98 on Amazon, verified via the Creators API on September 5, 2026.
Same powder, larger price. The mid-priced MiraLAX Laxative Powder listing carries the same Drug Facts label as the smaller one: PEG 3350, 17 g once daily for 17 and older, 1 to 3 days, no more than 7 days. The title adds physician recommended and no harsh side effects, which are the maker's claims and which we attribute to the maker. At $13.98 (verified via the Amazon Creators API on September 5, 2026) the size is, again, not stated on the title.
Same label lines: ask a doctor before use for kidney disease or abdominal symptoms, stop for rectal bleeding or no bowel movement, and see a doctor if you need a laxative beyond 1 week. For the whole daily-laxative shelf beside it, see the best stool softeners.
Who should buy it
Buy the mid listing if you are already on MiraLAX under a doctor's plan and want a larger bottle than the starter size.
What we don't like
No size on the title, so no verified cost per dose, and the title's physician recommended line is a maker claim.
- Active ingredient
- Polyethylene glycol 3350
- Strength
- 17 g per dose (per the Drug Facts label)
- Size
- Not stated on the listing title
- Form
- Powder, dissolved in 4 to 8 oz of beverage
- Label ages
- 17 and older; 16 and under ask a doctor
- Label window
- 1 to 3 days; use no more than 7 days
- Packaging
- Bottle with measuring cap
What we like
- Same PEG 3350 and label as the pick
- Likely more doses per bottle
Worth noting
- Size not on the title
- Maker claims in the title
MiraLAX Laxative Powder, PEG 3350 (larger listing)
MiraLAX
The third MiraLAX powder listing, priced just above the mid, same active and label.
Our verdict: At our check this listing was 31 cents more than the mid listing for what the titles describe identically. Two listings this close in price for the same product means comparing both on the day and buying whichever is cheaper, or whichever states its size on the bottle image. The powder and the label do not change.
Verified: Labeled active: polyethylene glycol 3350, 17 g per dose. Title states gentle constipation relief, stool softener with PEG 3350, no harsh side effects. Size not stated on the listing title. Live at $14.29 on Amazon, verified via the Creators API on September 5, 2026.
The other larger listing. The larger MiraLAX Laxative Powder listing is PEG 3350 under the same Drug Facts label, priced at $14.29 (verified via the Amazon Creators API on September 5, 2026), 31 cents above the mid listing. The title describes the same stool softener with PEG 3350 and the same no-harsh-side-effects claim, and states no size.
Same label, same lines: 17 g once daily for 17 and older, 16 and under ask a doctor, 1 to 3 days, no more than 7 days. If you are trying to decide between a daily powder and something faster, suppository vs oral laxative lays out both sides.
Who should buy it
Buy the larger listing when it is the cheaper of the two larger MiraLAX listings on the day you check.
What we don't like
Priced above the near-identical mid listing at our check, with no size on the title to justify it.
- Active ingredient
- Polyethylene glycol 3350
- Strength
- 17 g per dose (per the Drug Facts label)
- Size
- Not stated on the listing title
- Form
- Powder, dissolved in 4 to 8 oz of beverage
- Label ages
- 17 and older; 16 and under ask a doctor
- Label window
- 1 to 3 days; use no more than 7 days
- Packaging
- Bottle with measuring cap
What we like
- Same PEG 3350 and label
- Interchangeable with the mid listing
Worth noting
- Slightly pricier than the mid listing at our check
- Size not on the title
MiraFAST Soft Chews, from the Makers of MiraLAX
MiraLAX
A saline laxative soft chew from the MiraLAX house, not PEG 3350, with its own label.
Our verdict: MiraFAST is not MiraLAX in a chew. The title describes a stimulant-free saline laxative, which is a different active with a different label and a shorter window than PEG 3350. It exists for people who want the brand's name and a faster oral result than the powder gives, and it is the most expensive listing on this page with no count on the title.
Verified: Saline laxative soft chew per the listing title, stimulant free, from the makers of MiraLAX. Active and count not stated on the listing title; on the Drug Facts panel. Live at $20.39 on Amazon, verified via the Creators API on September 5, 2026.
A different laxative under the same roof. MiraFAST Soft Chews are described in the listing title as a fast-acting, stimulant-free saline laxative from the makers of MiraLAX. Saline laxatives work by drawing water into the bowel, and their labels state windows measured in hours rather than the powder's 1 to 3 days; the specific active, the strength and the timing are on the Drug Facts panel, not the title, and we will not print them from memory.
Saline laxative labels carry their own ask-a-doctor lines, commonly kidney disease and a sodium- or magnesium-restricted diet, plus the standard laxative stop lines. The fast oral shelf is compared in the best laxatives for fast relief.
Who should buy it
Buy MiraFAST only if you specifically want a stimulant-free saline laxative in chew form and have read the Drug Facts panel for the active, the dose and the timing.
What we don't like
It is not PEG 3350, the title states neither the active nor the count, and at $20.39 it is the priciest listing on the page.
- Active ingredient
- Saline laxative (per title); specific active on the Drug Facts panel
- Strength
- Per the Drug Facts panel
- Count
- Not published on the listing title
- Form
- Soft chew, oral
- Label ages
- Per the Drug Facts panel
- Packaging
- Bottle
What we like
- Stimulant free per the title
- Faster window than PEG 3350, per the saline category
Worth noting
- Not MiraLAX's active
- No active or count on the title
- Priciest listing on the page
Amazon Basic Care ClearLax Polyethylene Glycol 3350 Powder
Amazon Basic Care
The same PEG 3350 osmotic under a store brand, size not on the title either.
Our verdict: ClearLax is PEG 3350 under Amazon's store brand, and its label reads the same as MiraLAX's: 17 g once daily for 17 and over, 1 to 3 days, no more than 7 days. Without sizes on either title we cannot prove it is cheaper per dose, but the generic usually is, and for anyone on a doctor's plan beyond 7 days it is the bottle to compare first.
Verified: Labeled active: polyethylene glycol 3350 powder for solution, osmotic laxative, per the listing title. Size not stated on the listing title. Live at $15.73 on Amazon, verified via the Creators API on September 5, 2026.
The generic. Amazon Basic Care ClearLax is polyethylene glycol 3350 powder for solution, described in the title as an osmotic laxative that relieves occasional constipation. The Drug Facts label carries the PEG 3350 standard: 17 g measured with the cap, once daily in 4 to 8 ounces of beverage, for 17 and older; 16 and under ask a doctor; 1 to 3 days; use no more than 7 days. At $15.73 (verified via the Amazon Creators API on September 5, 2026), size not stated on the title.
Same stop lines: rectal bleeding, no bowel movement after use, or needing a laxative beyond 1 week means ask a doctor. The full osmotic shelf, including magnesium products, is ranked in the best osmotic laxatives.
Who should buy it
Buy ClearLax if you already know PEG 3350 is your laxative, a doctor has you on it, and you want the store-brand price for the same active.
What we don't like
No size on the title, so the generic's price advantage is likely but unverified, and it is the same 1 to 3 day product for anyone who needs speed.
- Active ingredient
- Polyethylene glycol 3350
- Strength
- 17 g per dose (per the Drug Facts label)
- Size
- Not stated on the listing title
- Form
- Powder for solution
- Label ages
- 17 and older; 16 and under ask a doctor
- Label window
- 1 to 3 days; use no more than 7 days
- Packaging
- Bottle with measuring cap
What we like
- Same PEG 3350 and label as MiraLAX
- Store-brand pricing
Worth noting
- Size not on the title
- Same slow window
Fleet Glycerin Suppositories, 50 count
Fleet
15 minutes to 1 hour on the label, about 9 cents a dose, for the day MiraLAX cannot help with.
Our verdict: MiraLAX and a glycerin suppository answer different questions. The powder is for the person who wants something gentle every day and can wait 1 to 3 days; the suppository is for the person who needs a bowel movement within the hour. Many households keep both, and the jar at $4.29 for 50 is the cheapest insurance on the shelf.
Verified: Labeled active: glycerin 2 g per adult suppository, 50 per jar. Drug Facts label: relief of occasional constipation; 15 minutes to 1 hour; 6 and over, under 6 ask a doctor. Live at $4.29 on Amazon, verified via the Creators API on September 5, 2026.
The speed benchmark. Fleet Glycerin Suppositories, 50 count are glycerin 2 g, hyperosmotic, labeled for relief of occasional constipation with a bowel movement generally in 15 minutes to 1 hour, for adults and children 6 and over. At $4.29 (verified via the Amazon Creators API on September 5, 2026) that is about 9 cents a dose ($4.29 divided by 50), a number we can actually compute because the title states the count.
The full write-up is our Fleet Glycerin Suppositories review.
Who should buy it
Buy the glycerin suppository beside MiraLAX, or instead of it, if you need relief within the hour rather than over 1 to 3 days.
What we don't like
It is a rectal product, loose in a jar, and it does nothing for the daily regularity a PEG 3350 powder is for.
- Active ingredient
- Glycerin
- Strength
- 2 g per suppository
- Count
- 50
- Form
- Solid rectal suppository, jar
- Label ages
- 6 and over; under 6 ask a doctor
- Cost per dose
- $0.09 ($4.29 divided by 50)
- Label window
- 15 minutes to 1 hour
What we like
- 15 minutes to 1 hour on the label
- About 9 cents a dose, count stated
- Complements a daily powder
Worth noting
- Rectal, not oral
- Not a daily regularity product
What you'll need
The six things that go in the same cart as a suppository: the pharmacy-standard glycerin, a daily stool softener, an enema for the nights nothing else works, witch hazel wipes, sitz salts, and a barrier ointment. Prices are approximate at time of writing.
More picks worth comparing
Beyond this guide, the highest-rated picks across every category and budget, with a live price check on each.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.
Quick shop: every pick
Skip the scroll: the whole lineup, with a live price check on each.
- MiraLAX Laxative Powder, PEG 3350 (smaller listing)Best Starting SizeMiraLAX · $8.67Check price on Amazon
- MiraLAX Laxative Powder, PEG 3350 (mid listing)Best Mid SizeMiraLAX · $13.98Check price on Amazon
- MiraLAX Laxative Powder, PEG 3350 (larger listing)Best Larger ListingMiraLAX · $14.29Check price on Amazon
- MiraFAST Soft Chews, from the Makers of MiraLAXBest If You Want the MiraLAX Name in a ChewMiraLAX · $20.39Check price on Amazon
- Amazon Basic Care ClearLax Polyethylene Glycol 3350 PowderBenchmark: The Generic PEG 3350Amazon Basic Care · $15.73Check price on Amazon
- Fleet Glycerin Suppositories, 50 countBenchmark: The Fast AlternativeFleet · $4.29Check price on Amazon
How we chose
This review is built on the Drug Facts panel and the live listings. For each MiraLAX listing we recorded the active as the title and label state it (polyethylene glycol 3350), the label's directions and window, and the Amazon price on September 5, 2026 via the Creators API. None of the MiraLAX powder titles as Amazon returns them state a bottle size or a dose count, and our rule is that cost per dose appears only when the listing states both price and count, so the powders carry no cost per dose here. Owner reports were weighed for consistency on the questions a label cannot answer: whether the powder dissolves clear and tasteless as the maker claims, whether the measuring cap is usable, and whether the bottle seal arrives intact.
Compliance for this shelf: we quote the label's Uses and Directions and nothing beyond them. MiraLAX is for occasional constipation; the label directs 17 g once daily for 17 and over, sends 16 and under to a doctor, says use no more than 7 days, and carries the stop lines: rectal bleeding, no bowel movement after use, or needing a laxative beyond 1 week means ask a doctor. We never suggest a dose the label does not print, including any pediatric amount. We are a research and verification desk, not a pharmacy or a clinic, and nothing on this page is medical advice. No brand paid for a placement and none saw this review before publication.
Questions, answered
How long does MiraLAX take to work?
The Drug Facts label states it generally produces a bowel movement in 1 to 3 days. It is an osmotic laxative that holds water in the stool as it passes, not a stimulant and not a fast-acting product. If you need a bowel movement within the hour, a glycerin suppository is labeled for 15 minutes to 1 hour.
How much MiraLAX should I take?
The label directs adults and children 17 years and older to take 17 grams, measured with the bottle cap, dissolved in 4 to 8 ounces of any beverage, once daily. Children 16 and under: ask a doctor. Use no more than 7 days unless a doctor directs otherwise.
Can I take MiraLAX every day?
The label says use no more than 7 days, and to ask a doctor if you need a laxative for more than 1 week. Many doctors do recommend longer daily use of PEG 3350, and that is their call, not the label's. Without a doctor's direction, the 7 day line stands.
Is MiraLAX safe for children?
The MiraLAX label says children 16 and under should ask a doctor, and it prints no pediatric amount. Pediatricians commonly recommend PEG 3350 and state the amount when they do. We do not, and no page on this site does. The pediatrician decides.
Is ClearLax the same as MiraLAX?
Same active, polyethylene glycol 3350, same 17 g dose, same 1 to 3 day window and 7 day limit on the label. ClearLax is Amazon Basic Care's store brand at $15.73 at our September 5, 2026 check. Neither listing states a bottle size in its title, so compare dose counts on the bottles rather than prices.
What is the difference between MiraLAX and MiraFAST?
MiraLAX is PEG 3350 powder, an osmotic that works over 1 to 3 days. MiraFAST is a stimulant-free saline laxative in soft chew form from the same maker, a different active with a faster window on its own label. The MiraFAST listing title states neither the active nor the count; read the Drug Facts panel.
MiraLAX or a suppository: which should I use?
It depends on the question. For gentle daily regularity over days, with a doctor's recommendation, MiraLAX. For a bowel movement within the hour, a glycerin suppository, labeled for 15 minutes to 1 hour at about 9 cents a dose. Many households keep both. Our suppository vs MiraLAX comparison covers it in full.
Does MiraLAX cause cramping?
The MiraLAX label lists no stimulant effects, and the listing title claims no harsh side effects, which is the maker's claim. The label does say to ask a doctor before use for nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain, and to stop for rectal bleeding or no bowel movement after use. Read the panel on the bottle you buy.
Filed under Review
Keep reading
Suppository vs MiraLAX
Minutes against days: the two labels side by side and a verdict per situation.
Best Osmotic Laxatives (2026)
PEG 3350, magnesium and the rest of the osmotic shelf ranked on the label.
Best Stool Softeners (2026)
Docusate and the daily softeners beside MiraLAX, ranked on strength and cost per dose.
Suppository vs Oral Laxative
When a rectal product is the right tool and when an oral one is.