Our Pick: Fleet
Check price on Amazon →Suppository vs MiraLAX: Within the Hour, or Within Three Days?
Pick by the clock. A glycerin suppository (Fleet, 50 count, $4.29) is labeled for a bowel movement in 15 minutes to 1 hour. MiraLAX (PEG 3350 powder, $8.67) is taken by mouth and labeled for 1 to 3 days. Both are non-stimulant osmotics; one works on stool already in the lower bowel today, the other softens what is coming over the next few days. 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
If you need a bowel movement today, buy Fleet Glycerin Suppositories, 50 count, at $4.29 (verified via the Amazon Creators API on September 5, 2026): the Drug Facts label reads generally produces a bowel movement in 15 minutes to 1 hour, and it is about 9 cents a dose. If you can wait and would rather not use a rectal product, buy MiraLAX Laxative Powder at $8.67: PEG 3350 mixed into a drink, labeled for 1 to 3 days. Those two sentences are the comparison; the rest of the page is the detail.
The two products are more alike than they look. Both are osmotic laxatives, meaning they work by holding or drawing water rather than by stimulating the bowel, and neither label carries the cramping and faintness lines a stimulant does. The difference is where and when. A glycerin suppository acts locally, in the lower bowel, on stool that is already there, which is why it can be labeled in minutes. PEG 3350 is swallowed, travels the length of the gut, and keeps water in the stool as it forms, which is why it is labeled in days and why its label says not to use for more than 7 days.
Both are over-the-counter drugs with Drug Facts panels, and we quote them: Uses, Directions, age lines, stop lines. We are a research and verification desk, not clinicians; nothing here is medical advice; no brand has paid for a placement; and if you buy through a link we may earn an Amazon commission at no cost to you.
The short version
- Glycerin suppository (Fleet, 50 count, $4.29, about 9 cents a dose): rectal, hyperosmotic, labeled for 15 minutes to 1 hour, ages 6 and over.
- MiraLAX (PEG 3350, $8.67): oral, osmotic, labeled for 1 to 3 days, ages 17 and over with 16 and under ask a doctor, not more than 7 days.
- Neither is a stimulant. Neither label lists cramping as an expected effect the way bisacodyl's does; MiraLAX's label does mention possible bloating, gas and nausea.
- The suppository needs stool in the lower bowel to work on. MiraLAX works on what is coming, which is why it is labeled in days.
- If glycerin was not enough and three days is too slow, the third option is a bisacodyl stimulant suppository (Dulcolax), with a doctor's nod.
At a glance
| Product | Route | Active | Label time | Label ages | Cost per dose | Price (9/5/26) | Check price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fleet Glycerin Suppositories, 50 ct | Rectal | Glycerin 2 g | 15 min to 1 hr | 6 and over; under 6 ask a doctor | $0.09 | $4.29 | Check price on Amazon |
| MiraLAX Laxative Powder | Oral | PEG 3350, 17 g per dose | 1 to 3 days | 17 and over; 16 and under ask a doctor | Not computed (doses not in title) | $8.67 | Check price on Amazon |
| Dulcolax Medicated Suppositories, 4 ct | Rectal | Bisacodyl 10 mg | 15 min to 1 hr | 12 and over; 6 to under 12 per label; under 6 ask a doctor | $1.37 | $5.48 | Check price on Amazon |
The rectal osmotic, the oral osmotic, and the stimulant third option. Active, strength, label time and ages come from the Drug Facts panel; counts from the listing title. Cost per dose is computed only where the title states the count. Prices verified via the Amazon Creators API on September 5, 2026.
Fleet Glycerin Suppositories, 50 count
Fleet
Rectal glycerin 2 g, labeled for 15 minutes to 1 hour, non-stimulant, about 9 cents a dose.
Our verdict: The suppository is for today. Glycerin draws water into the lower bowel and softens the stool that is there, and the label says generally within 15 minutes to 1 hour. It is non-stimulant, it covers ages 6 and over, and at about 9 cents a dose it is the cheapest thing on the shelf. What it cannot do is work on stool that has not reached the lower bowel yet.
Verified: Labeled active: glycerin 2 g per adult suppository (Drug Facts panel), 50 per jar. Uses: relief of occasional constipation; generally produces a bowel movement in 15 minutes to 1 hour. Live at $4.29 on Amazon, verified via the Creators API on September 5, 2026.
What the label says. Fleet Glycerin Suppositories, 50 count: relief of occasional constipation; generally produces a bowel movement in 15 minutes to 1 hour. Directions: adults and children 6 years and over, 1 suppository once daily or as directed by a doctor; under 6, ask a doctor. Glycerin is hyperosmotic and acts locally; nothing is swallowed and nothing travels the gut.
The stop lines: ask a doctor before use for stomach pain, nausea or vomiting, or a change in bowel habits lasting over 2 weeks; stop and ask a doctor for rectal bleeding or no bowel movement after use; no laxative beyond 1 week without a doctor. If a solid is the objection, Fleet Liquid Glycerin is the same active in a pre-filled applicator at $5.58 for 4. The full write-up is the Fleet Glycerin Suppositories review; the mechanics are in how to insert a suppository.
Who should buy it
Buy the suppository if you need relief within the hour, the constipation is occasional, and a rectal product is acceptable to you.
What we don't like
It only works on stool already in the lower bowel, it is loose in a jar and softens in heat, and some people will not use a rectal product at all.
- Active ingredient
- Glycerin
- Strength
- 2 g per suppository (per the Drug Facts panel)
- Count
- 50
- Form
- Solid rectal suppository, jar
- Label ages
- 6 years and over; under 6 ask a doctor
- Cost per dose
- $0.09 ($4.29 divided by 50)
- Packaging
- Jar, not individually wrapped
What we like
- 15 minutes to 1 hour on the label
- Non-stimulant, acts locally
- About 9 cents a dose
- Covers children 6 and over
Worth noting
- Rectal route
- Needs stool in the lower bowel to act on
- Not wrapped; softens in heat
MiraLAX Laxative Powder, PEG 3350
MiraLAX
PEG 3350 in a drink, non-stimulant, labeled for a bowel movement in 1 to 3 days.
Our verdict: MiraLAX is the oral osmotic. PEG 3350 holds water in the stool as it forms, so it softens what is on the way rather than what has arrived, and the label reads 1 to 3 days. It is not a stimulant, it is mixed into any beverage, and its main direction is adults and children 17 and over. It is the answer for the buyer who will not use a suppository, at the cost of the clock.
Verified: Labeled active: polyethylene glycol 3350, 17 g per dose per the Drug Facts panel, osmotic laxative, powder for oral solution. Uses: relieves occasional constipation; generally produces a bowel movement in 1 to 3 days. Live at $8.67 on Amazon, verified via the Creators API on September 5, 2026.
What the label says. MiraLAX Laxative Powder: relieves occasional constipation (irregularity); generally produces a bowel movement in 1 to 3 days. Directions: adults and children 17 years and over, fill the cap to the marked line (17 grams) and stir into 4 to 8 ounces of a beverage, once daily; children 16 and under, ask a doctor. Do not use for more than 7 days. Ask a doctor before use if you have kidney disease. Stop use and ask a doctor if you have rectal bleeding or no bowel movement after 7 days.
The listing titles for the mid size at $13.98 and the large at $14.29 do not state the number of doses, so we compute no cost per dose for any MiraLAX bottle. The store-brand PEG 3350, Amazon Basic Care ClearLax at $15.73, is the same active under the same Drug Facts wording. The brand write-up is the MiraLAX review; the category is the best osmotic laxatives.
Who should buy it
Buy MiraLAX if you will not use a rectal product, the constipation is occasional, and a result in 1 to 3 days is acceptable.
What we don't like
Days rather than an hour, a 17 and over main direction, possible bloating and gas on the label, and no dose count in the listing title.
- Active ingredient
- Polyethylene glycol 3350
- Strength
- 17 g per dose (per the Drug Facts panel)
- Count
- Not published in the listing title
- Form
- Powder for oral solution
- Label ages
- 17 and over; 16 and under ask a doctor
- Cost per dose
- Not computed (dose count not in title)
- Packaging
- Bottle with measuring cap
What we like
- Oral; no suppository
- Non-stimulant osmotic
- Mixes into any beverage
Worth noting
- 1 to 3 days on the label
- Not more than 7 days
- Dose count not in the title
Dulcolax Stimulant Laxative Medicated Suppositories, 4 count
Dulcolax
Bisacodyl 10 mg, the stimulant suppository, same hour window, more warnings, with a doctor's nod.
Our verdict: If glycerin produced nothing and three days is not an option, the third path is a stimulant suppository. Dulcolax bisacodyl 10 mg acts on the bowel wall rather than by osmosis, carries the same 15 minutes to 1 hour on its label, and lists abdominal discomfort, faintness, rectal burning and mild cramps as possible effects. The glycerin label's instruction after no bowel movement is ask a doctor; a doctor may be fine with this.
Verified: Labeled active: bisacodyl 10 mg per suppository, stimulant laxative, 4 per box. Uses: relief of occasional constipation; generally produces a bowel movement in 15 minutes to 1 hour. Live at $5.48 on Amazon, verified via the Creators API on September 5, 2026.
The stimulant option. Dulcolax Medicated Suppositories, 4 count contain bisacodyl 10 mg. Drug Facts: relief of occasional constipation, 15 minutes to 1 hour, rectal use only. Directions: adults and children 12 and over, 1 suppository in a single daily dose; 6 to under 12, a reduced direction on the box; under 6, ask a doctor. At $5.48 (verified September 5, 2026) for 4 it is about $1.37 a dose.
Same stop lines as everything else on this page: rectal bleeding or no bowel movement after use means stop and ask a doctor. The brand write-up is the Dulcolax suppositories review.
Who should buy it
Buy Dulcolax only if glycerin did not work, MiraLAX's timeline does not fit, and a doctor is fine with an occasional stimulant suppository.
What we don't like
A stimulant with cramping and faintness on the label, about $1.37 a dose, and a main direction that starts at 12.
- Active ingredient
- Bisacodyl
- Strength
- 10 mg per suppository
- Count
- 4
- Form
- Solid rectal suppository, individually sealed
- Label ages
- 12 and over; 6 to under 12 per label; under 6 ask a doctor
- Cost per dose
- $1.37 ($5.48 divided by 4)
- Packaging
- Boxed, sealed
What we like
- Same 15 minutes to 1 hour window
- Sealed units
- Reference bisacodyl 10 mg
Worth noting
- Stimulant; cramps and faintness on the label
- About $1.37 a dose
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.
The clock: an hour versus three days
The labels are unambiguous. Fleet Glycerin: generally produces a bowel movement in 15 minutes to 1 hour. MiraLAX: generally produces a bowel movement in 1 to 3 days. Owner reports match both. That is the single biggest reason to choose one over the other, and it should be the first question you answer: do I need this today, or this week?
The clocks are different because the routes are different. A suppository acts where it is placed; PEG 3350 has to be swallowed, pass through the stomach and small intestine, and reach the colon before it does anything. MiraLAX is not slow because it is weak; it is slow because it is far from the problem when you take it.
Mechanism: both osmotic, neither a stimulant
Glycerin is hyperosmotic; it pulls water into the lower bowel and softens the stool there. PEG 3350 is an osmotic that holds water in the stool throughout the gut so it stays soft as it forms. Neither acts on the bowel wall, neither label carries the stimulant's list of possible effects (abdominal discomfort, faintness, rectal burning, mild cramps), and neither is a stool softener in the docusate sense, though MiraLAX's listing titles use the phrase.
Label ages: 6 and over versus 17 and over
This is the axis that surprises people. Fleet adult glycerin's Drug Facts panel directs use for adults and children 6 years and over, with under 6 sent to a doctor. MiraLAX's panel directs use for adults and children 17 years and over, with children 16 and under sent to a doctor. So for a 10 year old, the glycerin suppository is inside its label's main direction and MiraLAX is not.
Pediatricians do direct PEG 3350 for children; that is a conversation with the pediatrician, not a label direction, and this site does not fill the gap. For children under 6 the glycerin suppository is also ask a doctor, and the pediatric products (Pedia-Lax liquid glycerin, labeled for 2 to 5) are covered in Fleet vs Pedia-Lax and the best kids laxatives.
Warnings and stop lines on each label
Fleet glycerin: ask a doctor before use if you have stomach pain, nausea or vomiting, or a sudden change in bowel habits lasting over 2 weeks; stop and ask a doctor if you have rectal bleeding or no bowel movement after use; do not use for more than 1 week unless directed by a doctor. MiraLAX: ask a doctor before use if you have kidney disease, or the same stomach pain, nausea, vomiting or 2 week change; stop and ask a doctor for rectal bleeding or no bowel movement after 7 days; do not use for more than 7 days; loose stools, bloating, gas and nausea are listed as possible.
The two labels agree on the thing that matters most: constipation that does not respond, or that keeps coming back, is a doctor's question. Neither product is for daily use without one.
Cost and convenience
At $4.29 for 50 (verified via the Amazon Creators API on September 5, 2026), the Fleet suppository is about 9 cents a dose. MiraLAX's listing titles do not state the number of doses in a bottle, so we do not compute a per-dose figure; the small bottle is $8.67, the mid $13.98, the large $14.29, and the store-brand ClearLax is $15.73. Per dose, the suppository is almost certainly cheaper, but the honest comparison stops at what the titles state.
Convenience runs the other way. MiraLAX is a scoop in a drink, stored anywhere, carried anywhere. A glycerin suppository is unwrapped, inserted, and stored cool; owners of the jar report softening in heat. The oral stool softener some buyers confuse with MiraLAX, Colace docusate 100 mg at $9.99 for 30, is a different active with its own label (1 to 3 days as well) and is covered in the best stool softeners.
The verdict, by buyer
- Need relief today, rectal route is fine: Fleet Glycerin, 50 count.
- Will not use a rectal product, can wait 1 to 3 days: MiraLAX, or ClearLax for the same PEG 3350.
- Need it today, will not handle a solid suppository: Fleet Liquid Glycerin applicators.
- Glycerin produced nothing, days is too slow, doctor is fine with a stimulant: Dulcolax 4 count.
- Child 6 to 16: the glycerin suppository is inside its label; MiraLAX is ask a doctor. The pediatrician decides either way.
- Constipation that keeps returning: neither. Both labels send you to a clinician, and the broader comparison is suppository vs oral laxative.
More picks worth comparing
Beyond this guide, the highest-rated picks across every category and budget, with a live price check on each.
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Quick shop: every pick
Skip the scroll: the whole lineup, with a live price check on each.
- Fleet Glycerin Suppositories, 50 countRelief Within the HourFleet · $4.29Check price on Amazon
- MiraLAX Laxative Powder, PEG 3350No Rectal Product, Relief in 1 to 3 DaysMiraLAX · $8.67Check price on Amazon
- Dulcolax Stimulant Laxative Medicated Suppositories, 4 countIf Neither: Glycerin Was Not Enough, Days Is Too SlowDulcolax · $5.48Check price on Amazon
How we chose
We compared the two routes on their Drug Facts panels: active and strength, the Uses statement, the Directions with their age lines, the time-to-effect each label prints, the warnings and the stop lines. Prices come from the live Amazon listings, verified via the Creators API on September 5, 2026. Cost per dose is computed only where the listing title states the count; the MiraLAX titles state no dose count, so we print none for it. Owner reports were weighed for the practical differences: how owners describe the suppository's onset, how they describe the MiraLAX timeline, and how each is stored and carried.
Compliance for this shelf: we quote the label's Uses and Directions and nothing beyond them. We never suggest a dose the label does not print, we carry every age cut-off, and we repeat the stop lines: rectal bleeding, no bowel movement after use (or after 7 days on the MiraLAX label), or use beyond the label's limit mean stop and ask a doctor. Laxatives are for occasional constipation. For any child, the pediatrician decides. Nothing on this page is medical advice.
Questions, answered
Which works faster, a suppository or MiraLAX?
The suppository, by days. A Fleet glycerin suppository is labeled for a bowel movement in 15 minutes to 1 hour; MiraLAX is labeled for 1 to 3 days. The suppository acts locally on stool in the lower bowel; MiraLAX is swallowed and has to travel the gut first.
Is MiraLAX a stimulant laxative?
No. MiraLAX is PEG 3350, an osmotic laxative that holds water in the stool. Its label does not carry the stimulant warnings bisacodyl's does, though it lists loose stools, bloating, gas and nausea as possible. The glycerin suppository is also non-stimulant. Dulcolax bisacodyl is the stimulant.
Can I use a glycerin suppository and MiraLAX at the same time?
Neither label directs combining laxatives, and we do not suggest it. Both labels say to ask a doctor if constipation does not respond or keeps returning. That is the right place for a question about combining products.
What ages are the labels for?
Fleet adult glycerin: adults and children 6 years and over, under 6 ask a doctor. MiraLAX: adults and children 17 years and over, 16 and under ask a doctor. For younger children the pediatrician decides, and Fleet's Pedia-Lax liquid glycerin is labeled for ages 2 to 5.
How long can I use MiraLAX or a suppository?
MiraLAX's label says do not use for more than 7 days, and to stop and ask a doctor if you have no bowel movement after 7 days. The glycerin suppository's label says not to use a laxative for more than 1 week unless directed by a doctor. Both are for occasional constipation.
Which is cheaper?
Fleet Glycerin at $4.29 for 50 is about 9 cents a dose at our September 5, 2026 check. MiraLAX's listing titles do not state the number of doses per bottle ($8.67 small, $13.98 mid, $14.29 large), so we do not compute a per-dose figure for it.
Is MiraLAX the same as a stool softener like Colace?
No. MiraLAX is PEG 3350, an osmotic; Colace is docusate sodium, a stool softener. Both are oral and both are labeled for 1 to 3 days, but they are different actives with different Drug Facts panels. MiraLAX's listing titles use the phrase stool softener; the panel calls it an osmotic laxative.
What if the suppository did not produce a bowel movement?
The label says stop use and ask a doctor, because that can be a sign of a serious condition. It does not direct you to MiraLAX or to a stimulant. A doctor may suggest either; that is their call.
Filed under Comparison
Part of Constipation Suppositories, Enemas & Laxatives · Head-to-Head Comparisons
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