Free evidence-labelled tool
Vape to Cigarette Calculator
Work out how many cigarettes a vape is equal to from its nicotine strength and liquid, or from its puff count, then explore relevant reusable alternatives.
What this calculator can and cannot tell you
It estimates how many cigarettes would give a smoker a similar amount of nicotine, using average absorption figures. It does not measure the nicotine your own body absorbs, compare health risks, recommend a nicotine dose, or predict how long a product will last.
Adults only
Nicotine is addictive. Products are shown only to adults who already smoke or vape.
Step 1
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Results are estimates based on average absorption figures. They do not measure your own nicotine intake or compare health risks.
How many cigarettes is a vape equal to?
A standard UK 600 puff vape holds 2ml of 20mg/ml e-liquid, which is 40mg of nicotine. About half of that is absorbed: roughly what a smoker takes in from 13 to 20 cigarettes. So one of these vapes is equal to a pack of 20 at most, not the 50 cigarettes often quoted.
The tables below use the same sums as the calculator, built on the absorption figures published by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH). The cigarette figures are upper estimates. How you puff, the device and your experience all change how much nicotine you take in.
How many cigarettes is a 600, 6,000 or 30,000 puff vape equal to?
At 20mg/ml, about 30 rated puffs carry the nicotine of one cigarette, so divide the puff count by 30.
| Rated puffs | Cigarettes (up to) | Packs of 20 (up to) |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 3 | 0.2 |
| 300 | 10 | 0.5 |
| 600 | 20 | 1 |
| 800 | 27 | 1.3 |
| 1,000 | 33 | 1.7 |
| 1,500 | 50 | 2.5 |
| 2,000 | 67 | 3.3 |
| 3,000 | 100 | 5 |
| 3,500 | 117 | 5.8 |
| 4,000 | 133 | 6.7 |
| 5,000 | 167 | 8.3 |
| 6,000 | 200 | 10 |
| 8,000 | 267 | 13.3 |
| 9,000 | 300 | 15 |
| 10,000 | 333 | 16.7 |
| 12,000 | 400 | 20 |
| 15,000 | 500 | 25 |
| 20,000 | 667 | 33.3 |
| 25,000 | 833 | 41.7 |
| 30,000 | 1,000 | 50 |
| 35,000 | 1,167 | 58.3 |
| 40,000 | 1,333 | 66.7 |
| 50,000 | 1,667 | 83.3 |
Puff counts are measured with short machine puffs, and longer draws use more liquid, so treat a rated count as a ceiling. The liquid gives a closer figure: a 6,000 puff kit holding 12ml of 20mg/ml liquid contains 240mg of nicotine, about 80 to 120 cigarettes.
How many puffs of a vape equal one cigarette?
At 20mg/ml it takes about 30 to 45 rated puffs to match the nicotine a smoker gets from one cigarette. Weaker liquid takes more puffs and stronger liquid takes fewer.
| Nicotine strength | Rated puffs for one cigarette |
|---|---|
| 2mg/ml (0.2%) | 300 to 450 |
| 3mg/ml (0.3%) | 200 to 300 |
| 5mg/ml (0.5%) | 120 to 180 |
| 6mg/ml (0.6%) | 100 to 150 |
| 10mg/ml (1%) | 60 to 90 |
| 12mg/ml (1.2%) | 50 to 75 |
| 18mg/ml (1.8%) | 33 to 50 |
| 20mg/ml (2%) | 30 to 45 |
| 50mg/ml (5%), not sold in the UK | 12 to 18 |
These are rated puffs, the short machine puffs behind advertised puff counts. Longer draws carry more nicotine, so in practice it can take fewer.
How many cigarettes is 3mg, 10mg or 20mg of nicotine equal to?
The number on a bottle or pod is a strength, in milligrams per millilitre, so the answer depends on how much liquid you use. Percentages are the same scale divided by ten: 2% is 20mg/ml, the UK legal maximum, and 5% is 50mg/ml. Brackets show the nicotine in the liquid. Mixing a shortfill? The nic shot calculator works out how many shots to add.
| Nicotine strength | Cigarettes in a 2ml pod | Cigarettes in a 10ml bottle |
|---|---|---|
| 2mg/ml (0.2%) | up to 2 (4mg) | up to 10 (20mg) |
| 3mg/ml (0.3%) | up to 3 (6mg) | up to 15 (30mg) |
| 5mg/ml (0.5%) | up to 5 (10mg) | up to 25 (50mg) |
| 6mg/ml (0.6%) | up to 6 (12mg) | up to 30 (60mg) |
| 10mg/ml (1%) | up to 10 (20mg) | up to 50 (100mg) |
| 12mg/ml (1.2%) | up to 12 (24mg) | up to 60 (120mg) |
| 18mg/ml (1.8%) | up to 18 (36mg) | up to 90 (180mg) |
| 20mg/ml (2%) | up to 20 (40mg) | up to 100 (200mg) |
| 50mg/ml (5%), not sold in the UK | up to 50 (100mg) | up to 250 (500mg) |
How many cigarettes is a Vuse, Elf Bar or Lost Mary pod equal to?
Work from the liquid and the strength, because puff ratings differ from brand to brand. Brackets show the nicotine in the pod.
| Prefilled pod | Liquid and strength | Cigarettes |
|---|---|---|
| Vuse Pro pod | 1.9ml at 20mg/ml (2%) | up to 19 (38mg) |
| Vuse Pro pod | 1.9ml at 18mg/ml (1.8%) | up to 17 (34mg) |
| Vuse Pro pod | 1.9ml at 12mg/ml (1.2%) | up to 11 (23mg) |
| Vuse Pro pod | 1.9ml at 10mg/ml (1%) | up to 10 (19mg) |
| Vuse Pro pod | 1.9ml at 6mg/ml (0.6%) | up to 6 (11mg) |
| Elf Bar 600 pod | 2ml at 20mg/ml (2%) | up to 20 (40mg) |
| Lost Mary BM600 pod | 2ml at 20mg/ml (2%) | up to 20 (40mg) |
On these figures a pack of 20 cigarettes is about one 20mg/ml pod, or a little more than one Vuse Pro pod at 18mg/ml.
How the estimates are calculated
From strength and liquid
Nicotine strength in mg/ml is multiplied by the liquid used, which gives the nicotine in the liquid. About half of it is absorbed. A cigarette contains 10 to 15mg of nicotine but delivers only 1.0 to 1.5mg to the smoker, so the absorbed amount is divided by those two figures.
Lower estimate: total mg ÷ 3. Upper estimate: total mg ÷ 2.
From a puff count
Rated puffs are converted to liquid at 300 puffs per ml, the rating of a standard 600 puff, 2ml vape. The liquid is then treated the same way. Vape and cigarette puffs are not alike, so the comparison is made on nicotine, never puff for puff.
Liquid in ml: rated puffs ÷ 300.
Nicotine delivery varies with device type, liquid concentration and formulation, experience, and puffing behaviour. Read the UK government evidence update on nicotine vaping.
Method reference: absorption and cigarette delivery figures from Action on Smoking and Health, Addressing common myths about vaping (2023).
Useful next steps
Explore reusable vape options
If you already smoke or vape, these guides and collections can help you compare the main reusable formats before choosing a product.
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Compare rechargeable, reusable alternatives to single-use disposable vapes.
Browse disposable vape alternativesPrefilled pod kits
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Browse prefilled pod kitsReplacement vape pods
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Browse replacement vape podsVape bundles
Browse kit-and-refill bundles with flavour options grouped together.
Browse vape bundlesCommon questions
Is one vape equal to 20 cigarettes?
For a standard 2ml, 20mg/ml vape, 20 is the upper end. It holds 40mg of nicotine and about half is absorbed, which is what a smoker takes in from 13 to 20 cigarettes.
Is a vape equal to 50 or 100 cigarettes?
Not a single 2ml vape. The 50 cigarette claim compares the nicotine inside each product, but a cigarette that contains 10 to 15mg delivers only 1.0 to 1.5mg. ASH calls the claim untrue. Bigger kits hold more liquid: one with 12ml of 20mg/ml liquid is equal to about 80 to 120 cigarettes.
Is the range a health comparison?
No. It compares nicotine only. It does not compare toxicants, health effects, or relative risk.
Why is there a range instead of one number?
Cigarettes deliver between 1.0 and 1.5mg of nicotine each, and how much you absorb from a vape depends on the device and how you puff. One exact number would imply precision the evidence does not support.
Does the result choose a vape for me?
No. Product information is based on your stated smoking or vaping status, format, live stock, and recent demand, not the numeric result.
What if I do not use nicotine?
Do not start vaping. Select that option after calculating and the page will not show nicotine-product recommendations.