Loop vs Zyn: Two Swedish Schools of Nicotine Pouch

Last updated: August 2026

Sweden gave the world the all-white nicotine pouch, and these two brands show how differently the same tradition can be read. Zyn, from Swedish Match, now part of Philip Morris International, is the establishment: a measured six-step ladder, forty-three products at PouchSpot, and the only pouch brand with FDA marketing authorization in the United States. Loop is the modern school: chili, habanero, and jalapeno flavors, a young Stockholm sensibility, and a range that climbs past everything Zyn makes to the Loop 25 line. Here is the full comparison, with PouchSpot catalog numbers throughout.

Two Swedish schools

Both brands grew out of the oral nicotine culture that the Public Health Agency of Sweden has tracked for decades, and both sell across the EU under rules descended from the Tobacco Products Directive. Zyn's forty-three products make it PouchSpot's largest range; Loop's twenty-five make it one of the most distinctive. The headline numbers first.

Strength and flavors

Zyn's six-step scale is the tidiest strength system in the category: pick a flavor, then pick a number. Loop's naming runs Medium, Strong, Extra Strong, Hyper Strong, and its ladder starts where Zyn's midpoint sits. Our strength index plots both against every other brand; between the two of them, the ladder looks like this.

Loop: heat and modernity

The Loop range is the only place in the store where chili, habanero, and jalapeno are house flavors. Red Chili Melon, Jalapeno Lime, and Habanero Mint each run from approachable to Hyper Strong, alongside gentler ideas like Creamy Cappuccino, Hot Peach, and a clean Smooth Mint that anchors the mint side. Slim cans hold a generous 22 pouches, minis hold 20, and Loop Zero Cool Mint covers the nicotine-free corner. Our Loop guide walks the whole range, and the extra strong collection shows where its upper half lives.

Zyn: the measured ladder

The Zyn range is built for fine adjustment. The same Cool Mint exists at S2, S3, and S4; minis run from 1.5 to 6 mg for anyone who values discretion; and the flavor list stretches from Espressino and Coffee through Peach, Bellini, and Black Cherry to Violet Licorice. The top of the scale, Menthol Ice at S5 and the S6 editions, reaches 13.5 mg per pouch, firmly in the strong tier but nowhere near Loop's ceiling. The Zyn guide decodes the S system in full, and Velo vs Zyn and Zyn vs Killa test it against other rivals.

Price and availability

Loop is the better value of the two Swedes: €5.10 for 22 pouches against Zyn's €5.49 for 21 in slim format. Zyn's price carries the weight of the biggest name in the category, and for many people that familiarity is worth the difference. Both ship to every PouchSpot market, though national rules across the EU continue to shift, as the European Commission's tobacco policy pages record.

Which should you choose

Same country, same all-white tradition, opposite temperaments. The choice comes down to whether you want a ladder or an edge.

Choose Zyn if...

You want the most graduated system in the category. Six steps from 1.5 to 13.5 mg per pouch, the same flavors repeated at several strengths, and the widest mini selection we stock make Zyn the easy brand to fine-tune. It is also the natural pick if you value the long Swedish Match heritage and want a range you will never outgrow sideways, only upward. Newcomers should start in the mild tier and climb one S number at a time.

Choose Loop if...

You want flavors with an edge and strength with headroom. Nothing in Zyn's catalog resembles Habanero Mint or Red Chili Melon, Loop's 22-pouch slim cans quietly beat Zyn on price per pouch, and the range runs from Loop Zero all the way to the Loop 25 line for experienced adults. It is the modern Swedish school in a single brand. For more strong-segment matchups, see White Fox vs Killa.

Still weighing it up? The strength guide explains what each rung feels like in practice, XQS vs Velo covers the gentler flavor battle, and the PouchSpot quiz will place you on the ladder in under a minute.

---

Frequently asked questions

Is Loop stronger than Zyn?

At the top of the range, clearly. Zyn stops at 13.5 mg per pouch with Menthol Ice Slim S5, while Loop's Hyper Strong products reach 15.6 mg and the Loop 25 line lists 25 mg per pouch. At the bottom the roles reverse: Zyn goes down to 1.5 mg minis, well below Loop's gentlest products.

What is Loop 25?

Loop 25 is the extreme end of Loop's Hyper Strong line, with Red Chili Melon and Habanero Mint listed at 25 mg per pouch. These are among the strongest pouches PouchSpot stocks and are intended strictly for experienced adults.

What do the S numbers on Zyn cans mean?

Zyn grades strength on a six-step scale from S1 to S6. At PouchSpot that runs from Spearmint Mini S1 at 1.5 mg per pouch, through 3 mg S2 minis and 9 mg S3 slims, up to S5 at 13.5 mg and S6 at the top of the scale. The Zyn guide covers the system in detail.

Which is cheaper, Loop or Zyn?

Loop, on both counts. A can is €5.10 against €5.49 for Zyn, and Loop's slim cans hold 22 pouches against Zyn's 21, so Loop works out to about €0.23 per pouch versus €0.26 for Zyn.

How many pouches are in a can of Loop or Zyn?

Loop slim cans hold 22 pouches and Loop minis hold 20. Zyn slim cans hold 21 pouches and Zyn minis hold 20. Browse the mini collection for the smaller formats from both brands.

Who makes Loop and Zyn?

Both are Swedish. Zyn is made by Swedish Match, part of Philip Morris International since 2022. Loop is a younger Swedish brand with a more modern, flavor-forward identity.

Does Loop make a nicotine-free pouch?

Yes, Loop Zero Cool Mint. Zyn does not offer a nicotine-free product at PouchSpot; its gentlest options are the 1.5 mg S1 minis.

Is Loop or Zyn better for someone new to pouches?

Zyn. Its 1.5 and 3 mg minis are the softest landing in either range, and the S scale makes it easy to move one step at a time. Loop starts higher, at 6.3 mg per pouch, and much of its personality lives in the strong tiers. The quiz can confirm your starting point.