Comparison hub

Copper peptide brands compared: koppā, The Ordinary, NIOD, Biossance and CopperTheory, label by label

One table across the formats people ask about. For each product: the copper peptide percentage the brand states, the format, the size, the price, and what the brand says about fragrance and silicones. We make koppā, so it's first and we say so; everything about the other brands comes from their own product pages.

Choosing a serum? Our main guide is The best copper peptide serums of 2027, compared.

Shop the serum, $75 See the table

All three as the Protocol, $175

The three koppā GHK-Cu products: serum, capsule cream and balm stick

2% GHK-Cu serum
0.5% GHK-Cu cream and balm
Fragrance-free, silicone-free
No paid placements
Free US shipping over US$100

The short answer

Which brands offer the best copper peptide formulas?

Start with the label. Only three of the seven products here state a GHK-Cu percentage: koppā (2% serum, 0.5% cream, 0.5% balm), NIOD (1% GHK-Cu plus 1% GHK) and CopperTheory's cream (1.4%). The Ordinary's "Copper Peptides 1%" does not say how much of the 1% is GHK-Cu, and Biossance states no percentage at all.

Then the format. A serum is the delivery step, a cream the daily moisturiser, a balm the targeted finish, and no brand other than koppā makes all three with the percentage stated on each. The table below puts them side by side; the sections after it explain how to read a copper peptide label and where the evidence actually stands.

Highest stated GHK-Cu

koppā's serum; the next is NIOD at 1%

3 of 7

State a GHK-Cu percentage

koppā, NIOD and CopperTheory

Formats compared

Serum, cream and balm stick

Products, five brands

Checked on their own US pages

The comparison

Copper peptide products, side by side

We make koppā, so our three products are first and we say so. No brand paid to be here, and everything about the other four comes from their own product pages.

Side by side

Swipe to compare

Side by side
Product	koppā GHK-Cu Serum Our serum	koppā GHK-Cu Moisturizing Cream (Advanced Capsule Cream) Our cream	koppā GHK-Cu Balm Stick Our balm	The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum Multi-peptide, low price	NIOD Copper Amino Isolate Serum 3 1:1 States 1% GHK-Cu	Biossance Squalane + Copper Peptide Rapid Plumping Serum Squalane base	CopperTheory 1.4% GHK-Cu Copper Peptide Face Cream States 1.4% GHK-Cu
Copper peptide, as stated	2% GHK-Cu	0.5% GHK-Cu, encapsulated	0.5% GHK-Cu + 8 peptides	"Copper Peptides 1%"; GHK-Cu % not stated	1% GHK-Cu, plus 1% GHK	Percentage not disclosed	1.4% GHK-Cu
Size	45 ml	80 g	20 g	30 ml	15 ml or 30 ml	50 ml	30 g
Price	$75	$70	$45	$32	$62 or $93	$69	$35
Format	Serum	Cream	Balm stick	Serum	Serum	Serum	Cream
GHK-Cu % on the label	2%	0.5%	0.5%	Not stated	1%	Not stated	1.4%
Fragrance-free, per the brand				Not stated	Not stated	Not stated	Not stated
Silicone-free, per the brand						Not stated	Not stated
Shop	Shop, $75	Shop, $70	Shop, $45

Other brands' wording, sizes and prices are as listed on their own US sites: The Ordinary, NIOD and Biossance on 1 and 2 October 2026, CopperTheory on 7 October 2026, before any promotion. "Not stated" means the brand's page does not say, not that the answer is no. koppā's prices update live.

01
Our serum
koppāGHK-Cu Serum

Copper peptide, as stated
2% GHK-Cu
Size
45 ml
Price
$75
Best for
The highest stated GHK-Cu, as a daily serum
2% Copper Tripeptide-1 stated on the label, with six supporting peptides, two ceramides and layered humectants in a water-light serum. Applied across the face and neck before moisturiser.
What stands out
- 2% GHK-Cu, the highest stated concentration here
- 45 ml, 50% more than a 30 ml serum
- Seven peptides, two ceramides (EOP and NP) and a four-part hydration system
- Fragrance-free and silicone-free
How to use it
- Three to four drops, morning and night
- Face and neck, before moisturiser
Shop the serum, $75 Or take all three as the Protocol, $175
02
Our cream
koppāGHK-Cu Moisturizing Cream (Advanced Capsule Cream)

Copper peptide, as stated
0.5% GHK-Cu, encapsulated
Size
80 g
Price
$70
Best for
A daily moisturiser that states its GHK-Cu
A daily face moisturiser with 0.5% GHK-Cu held in visible capsules, 5% niacinamide, 4% squalane and 3% jojoba oil. Used after serum, morning and night.
What stands out
- GHK-Cu and niacinamide percentages both stated
- 80 g, twice a typical 40 g face cream
- Fragrance-free and silicone-free
How to use it
- After serum, morning and night
- Massage until the capsules disperse
Shop the cream, $70 Or take all three as the Protocol, $175
03
Our balm
koppāGHK-Cu Balm Stick

Copper peptide, as stated
0.5% GHK-Cu + 8 peptides
Size
20 g
Price
$45
Best for
Targeted care on face and body, with no tallow
A water-free balm stick with 0.5% GHK-Cu and eight supporting peptides in olive, coconut and jojoba oils, candelilla wax, squalane and meadowfoam seed oil. For the neck, hands, elbows, knees, lips and dry patches.
What stands out
- The only stick format here, and the only balm with a stated GHK-Cu percentage and no tallow
- Water-free, so no preservative system
- 20 g, more than twice a typical 9 g balm stick
How to use it
- One light pass over the area
- After serum and moisturiser on the face; alone on hands and body
Shop the balm stick, $45 Or take all three as the Protocol, $175
04
Multi-peptide, low price
The OrdinaryMulti-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum

Copper peptide, as stated
"Copper Peptides 1%"; GHK-Cu % not stated
Size
30 ml
Price
$32
Best for
A low-cost multi-peptide serum
A multi-peptide serum with Copper Tripeptide-1 fourth on the ingredient list, alongside Matrixyl 3000 and other peptides. The 1% in the name is for copper peptides; the page does not say whether it is GHK-Cu alone.
Worth knowing
- 30 ml for $32, about $1.07 per ml
- Silicone-free, per the brand
- The brand says not to use it with direct acids, direct vitamin C or retinoids
theordinary.com
05
States 1% GHK-Cu
NIODCopper Amino Isolate Serum 3 1:1

Copper peptide, as stated
1% GHK-Cu, plus 1% GHK
Size
15 ml or 30 ml
Price
$62 or $93
Best for
A smaller bottle at a stated 1%
A water-based serum that states 1% GHK-Cu, with 1% GHK peptide alongside. The 30 ml works out at about $3.10 per ml.
Worth knowing
- Sold in 15 ml and 30 ml
- Silicone-free, per the brand
niod.com
06
Squalane base
BiossanceSqualane + Copper Peptide Rapid Plumping Serum

Copper peptide, as stated
Percentage not disclosed
Size
50 ml
Price
$69
Best for
A squalane-rich serum for dry skin
A squalane-based serum with a copper peptide; the product page does not state a percentage. 50 ml for $69, about $1.38 per ml.
Worth knowing
- 50 ml for $69
- Fragrance and silicone status not stated on the page we checked
biossance.com
07
States 1.4% GHK-Cu
CopperTheory1.4% GHK-Cu Copper Peptide Face Cream

Copper peptide, as stated
1.4% GHK-Cu
Size
30 g
Price
$35
Best for
A small cream with a stated percentage
A 30 g face cream that states 1.4% Copper Tripeptide-1, about $1.17 per gram. The brand's separate beef-tallow face cream states no percentage.
Worth knowing
- 30 g for $35
- No full ingredient list on the page we checked
- Fragrance and silicone status not stated
shopcoppertheory.com

How to read the label

Five things to check before you compare copper peptide brands

01
Is a percentage stated, and of what?
"Copper peptides 1%" and "1% GHK-Cu" are not the same claim. GHK-Cu is one specific peptide, Copper Tripeptide-1; a copper peptide blend can be mostly something else. Look for the INCI name and a number next to it.
02
Where does Copper Tripeptide-1 sit in the ingredient list?
Ingredients above 1% are listed in descending order. If the copper peptide appears after preservatives or thickeners, there is very little of it, whatever the marketing says.
03
Work out the price per ml or gram
A 30 ml serum at $32 is $1.07 per ml; a 45 ml serum at $75 is $1.67; a 30 ml serum at $93 is $3.10. Concentration and size together tell you what you are paying for.
04
Match the format to the job
A serum delivers the active across the face. A cream is the moisturiser you would use anyway. A balm is for the places a serum will not stay. No single format does all three.
05
Check the base
Tallow balms, squalane serums and gel creams suit different skin. Fragrance-free and silicone-free are stated on some labels and not others; "not stated" is not a no.

Ready to choose? Shop the serum, $75 Or the Protocol, $175

Copper peptide products are cosmetics. None of the products here, ours included, treats or prevents any skin condition.

koppā 2% GHK-Cu Copper Peptide Serum, 45 mL blue glass dropper bottle: concentrated copper peptide serum with ceramides and hyaluronic acid for hydration, barrier support and firmer-looking skin

If you're choosing

2% GHK-Cu, stated on the bottle.

The highest stated GHK-Cu concentration in this comparison, in a 45 ml water-light serum with two ceramides and seven peptides. Fragrance-free and silicone-free.

2% GHK-Cu, stated
Fragrance-free, silicone-free
Cruelty free
Free US shipping over US$100

$75

koppā 2% GHK-Cu Copper Peptide Serum

Shop the serum, $75

Or take all three as the Protocol, $175

Free US shipping over US$100. See all four products

FAQ

Questions about comparing copper peptide brands

Which brands offer the best copper peptide formulas?

The brands that state what is in the bottle. Of the five here, koppā states a GHK-Cu percentage on all three of its products (2%, 0.5%, 0.5%), NIOD states 1% GHK-Cu, and CopperTheory states 1.4% on one cream. The Ordinary and Biossance do not state a GHK-Cu percentage. Past the label, the choice is format and base: a water-light serum, a niacinamide cream, a squalane serum or a tallow balm suit different routines.

Is 2% GHK-Cu better than 1%?

It is a clearly stated 2% GHK-Cu concentration in a 45 ml bottle. Concentration is one point of comparison alongside the full formula, texture, ingredient quality and supporting evidence.

Why does The Ordinary say "copper peptides 1%" rather than GHK-Cu?

The product is a multi-peptide serum and the 1% refers to its copper peptides as a group. Copper Tripeptide-1 is fourth on its ingredient list, so there is a meaningful amount, but the brand's page does not state how much of the 1% is GHK-Cu.

Which copper peptide brand is cheapest per ml?

The Ordinary, at about $1.07 per ml for 30 ml. koppā's serum is about $1.67 per ml for 45 ml at a stated 2%. NIOD's 30 ml works out at about $3.10 per ml at 1%. Prices are US one-time prices on the dates in the note under the table.

Is this comparison sponsored?

No. We make koppā, which is why it is first and why we say so. No other brand paid to be here or was asked to be. Every figure for another brand comes from that brand's own product page on the date noted, and the links go to those pages.

Sources

References

1.Pickart L, Vasquez-Soltero JM, Margolina A. GHK Peptide as a Natural Modulator of Multiple Cellular Pathways in Skin Regeneration. BioMed Research International. 2015;2015:648108. Read the paper
2.Maquart FX, Pickart L, Laurent M, Gillery P, Monboisse JC, Borel JP. Stimulation of collagen synthesis in fibroblast cultures by the tripeptide-copper complex glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine-Cu2+. FEBS Letters. 1988;238(2):343-346. Read the paper
3.Badenhorst T, Svirskis D, Merrilees M, Bolke L, Wu Z. Effects of GHK-Cu on MMP and TIMP Expression, Collagen and Elastin Production, and Facial Wrinkle Parameters. Journal of Aging Science. 2016;4(3):166. Read the paper
4.Hostynek JJ, Dreher F, Maibach HI. Human skin retention and penetration of a copper tripeptide in vitro as function of skin layer towards anti-inflammatory therapy. Inflammation Research. 2010;59(11):983-988. Read the paper
5.Johnson W, Bergfeld WF, Belsito DV, et al. Safety Assessment of Tripeptide-1, Hexapeptide-12, Their Metal Salts and Fatty Acyl Derivatives, and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 as Used in Cosmetics. International Journal of Toxicology. 2018;37(3 suppl):90S-102S. Read the paper

Shop koppā

Three formats, one active, the percentage on every label.

Compare all four

Every koppā formula is fragrance-free and silicone-free, with the GHK-Cu percentage stated on the label and every ingredient listed on the product page.