GC Column Brands Compared: Prices, Best Uses and Equivalents
Short answer: A standard 30 m GC column costs about $660 to $1,250. Restek and Trajan (SGE) are the cheapest major brands, Agilent has the widest range, and Thermo is the most expensive. All of them make equivalent columns, and the GC column equivalent chart below matches them phase by phase. For example, DB-5 = Rtx-5 = ZB-5 = SPB-5 = TG-5MS = BP5.
GC column brands at a glance: price and best use
Brand | Column names | Price range (30 m columns) | Low-bleed 5% phenyl MS column | Best for |
Restek | Rtx, Rxi, Stabilwax, MXT | $659–$826 | $780 (Rxi-5Sil MS) | GC-MS work that needs low bleed and high inertness. Residual solvents. Metal columns (MXT). |
Trajan (SGE) | BP, BPX | $685–$862 | $754–$862 (BPX5) | Low bleed at high temperatures. FAME analysis (BPX70). |
Phenomenex | Zebron ZB | $713–$814 | $814 (ZB-5MSplus) | Easy swaps from Agilent, because the numbers match (ZB-5 = DB-5). |
Supelco (Merck) | SPB, SLB, SP, SUPELCOWAX | $726–$908 | $908 (SLB-5ms) | Specialty phases: SP-2560 for FAMEs, Carboxen for gases. |
Agilent | DB, HP, VF, CP, CycloSil | $762–$957 | $891 (DB-5ms), $957 (DB-5ms UI) | The widest range. Agilent GCs, including Intuvo. Ultra Inert trace work. |
Thermo Scientific | TraceGOLD TG | $879–$1,250 | $1,042 (TG-5SilMS) | Labs running Thermo GC and GC-MS systems that want one vendor for instrument and columns. |
Shimadzu | SH-I | Quote only | Quote only | Labs running Shimadzu GC and GC-MS systems. |
Key Summary
Price: a 30 m column costs about $660 to $1,250 depending on the brand and phase. Long 100 m FAME columns cost $1,836 to $2,240.
Cheapest to most expensive: Restek and Trajan cost least, then Phenomenex and Supelco, then Agilent. Thermo is the most expensive.
No brand is "best". All the major brands make high-quality columns. Choose by the phase your method needs, what your instrument vendor supports, and what you can get delivered reliably.
Match the phase, not the brand. DB-5, Rtx-5, ZB-5, SPB-5, TG-5MS and BP5 all use the same coating: 5% phenyl, 95% dimethylpolysiloxane. The GC column equivalent chart in this guide lists the matches for 12 common phases.
The prefix tells you the maker:
DB, HP, VF and CP = Agilent
Rtx and Rxi = Restek
SPB, SLB and SP = Supelco
ZB = Phenomenex
TG = Thermo
BP and BPX = SGE, now Trajan
SH-I = Shimadzu
For GC-MS, buy a low-bleed line. That means Agilent UI, Restek Rxi, Supelco SLB, Phenomenex "plus", Thermo "SilMS" or Trajan BPX.
Match the column to the job:
Residual solvents (USP <467>): a G43 column, or a G16 wax column for Procedure B
FAMEs: SP-2560, HP-88, Rt-2560 or BPX70
Permanent gases: packed or PLOT columns such as HayeSep, Porapak or Carboxen
Many names in old methods aren't current brands:
Chrompack and Varian (CP, VF) columns are now sold by Agilent.
Alltech (AT) names are legacy part numbers.
SE-30, SE-54, the OV names and Macrogol 20000 are phase names, not products.
SRI makes GC instruments, not columns.
Chiralcel is an HPLC range.
Equivalent isn't the same as identical. Match length, diameter and film thickness exactly, check the maximum temperature and inertness, and run system suitability after any swap.
LS Scientific does not currently stock GC columns. This guide is a neutral reference.
Still choosing a column type? Settle that first by choosing the right GC column for your sample.
GC column prices by brand
Each price below is for a 30 m × 0.25 mm column with a 0.25 µm film, unless a different length or film is shown.
Agilent (DB, HP, VF, CP): $762–$957
DB-5: $762
DB-5ms: $891
DB-5ms Ultra Inert: $957
DB-624 (1.4 µm film): $885
DB-WAX: $812
DB-1701: $818
HP-88 FAME column (100 m, 0.20 µm film): $2,228
Best for: the widest range of phases, labs running Agilent GCs, and trace work that needs Ultra Inert columns.
Good to know: Agilent sells both DB and HP columns because it absorbed the old J&W and Hewlett-Packard lines. Intuvo GCs need Intuvo column chips.
Restek (Rtx, Rxi, Stabilwax): $659–$826
Rtx-5: $659
Rxi-5Sil MS: $780
Rtx-624 (1.4 µm film, includes a 5 m guard column): $826
Rxi-624Sil MS (1.4 µm film): $769
Stabilwax: $697
Rtx-1701: $753
Rt-2560 FAME column (100 m, 0.20 µm film): $1,836
Best for: good value, low-bleed GC-MS columns (Rxi), and residual solvent work (Rxi-624Sil MS).
Good to know: Rtx is the everyday line and Rxi is the low-bleed, high-inertness line.
Supelco (SPB, SLB, SP): $726–$908
SPB-5: $726
SLB-5ms: $908
SPB-624 (1.4 µm film): price shown only after signing in
SUPELCOWAX 10: $769
Equity-1701: $765 list price
SP-2560 FAME column (100 m, 0.20 µm film): $2,240
Best for: specialty phases such as SP-2560 for cis/trans FAMEs, and labs that already buy from Sigma-Aldrich.
Good to know: SPB is the general-purpose line and SLB-5ms is the low-bleed GC-MS column.
Phenomenex (Zebron): $713–$814
ZB-5: $718
ZB-5MSplus: $814
ZB-624 (1.4 µm film): $762
ZB-WAXplus: $779
ZB-1701: $713
ZB-FAME (100 m, 0.20 µm film): $1,873
Best for: swapping out Agilent columns, because the numbers match (ZB-5 = DB-5, ZB-624 = DB-624).
Good to know: ZB-50 matches DB-17. The "plus" versions are the low-bleed, high-inertness line.
Thermo Scientific (TraceGOLD): $879–$1,250
TG-5MS: $989
TG-5SilMS: $1,042
TG-624 (1.4 µm film): $964
TG-624SilMS (1.4 µm film): $879
TG-WaxMS: $886
TG-1701MS: $1,250 (Fisher Scientific)
Best for: labs running Thermo GC and GC-MS systems that want one vendor for support.
Good to know: this is the most expensive range in our check.
Trajan / SGE (BP, BPX): $685–$862
BP5: $685
BPX5: $754 to $862 (Analytical West, Cole-Parmer)
BP624 (1.4 µm film): $719
BP20 (wax): $719
BPX70 FAME column (60 m): $1,359
Best for: low bleed at high temperatures (BPX), and a lower-cost 624 or wax column.
Good to know: BP is the standard line and BPX is the low-bleed silphenylene line.
Shimadzu (SH-I): price on quote
SH-I-5Sil MS and the rest of the SH-I range: prices are shown only after logging in, or on request.
Best for: labs running Shimadzu GC and GC-MS systems.
Who makes GC columns today
Many names in older SOPs and pharmacopoeia methods belong to companies that have since been bought or renamed. This table shows where each name ended up.
Brand | Owner today | Column prefixes / families | What to know |
Agilent J&W | Agilent Technologies | DB-, HP-, VF-, CP-, CycloSil-B, Intuvo column chips | Largest catalogue. It includes the former Hewlett-Packard (HP-), J&W (DB-) and Varian/Chrompack (VF-, CP-) lines. Agilent bought Varian in 2010. |
Restek | Restek Corporation (100% employee-owned since 2009) | Rtx-, Rxi-, Stabilwax, Rt-, MXT- (metal) | Rtx is the general-purpose line. Rxi is the low-bleed, high-inertness line. MXT columns are made of metal instead of fused silica. |
Supelco | Merck KGaA (MilliporeSigma in the US and Canada) | SPB-, SLB-, SP-, Equity-, SUPELCOWAX, Omegawax, Nukol, Carboxen | Strong in specialty phases, such as SP-2560 for fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) and Carboxen carbon adsorbents. |
Phenomenex | Danaher (since 2016) | Zebron ZB- | "plus" versions (ZB-5MSplus, ZB-624plus, ZB-WAXplus) are the upgraded, lower-bleed or more inert versions. |
Thermo Scientific | Thermo Fisher Scientific | TraceGOLD TG- | Most phases carry an "MS" suffix for low-bleed GC-MS use. |
Shimadzu | Shimadzu Corporation | SH-I (earlier SH-Rxi) | Shimadzu's own-brand range. Its US webstore also sells Restek columns directly. |
SGE | Trajan Scientific and Medical (acquired 2013) | BP-, BPX- | BP is the conventional polysiloxane range. BPX uses silphenylene-based phases for lower bleed. |
Alltech | W. R. Grace (acquired 2004) | AT- | Mostly found as legacy part numbers in older methods. Choose by phase. |
Chrompack | Merged into Varian, now Agilent | CP-Sil, CP-Wax, CP-Select | Many CP- columns are still sold under the Agilent name. |
SRI Instruments | SRI Instruments | 8610C, 310C | These are GC instruments, not a column brand. SRI fits Restek MXT metal capillary columns and packed columns such as HayeSep D, Molecular Sieve 5A and silica gel. |
GC column equivalent chart
This GC column equivalent chart works as a cross reference across seven manufacturers. Find the column your method names in any cell, then read across the row for its equivalents. The USP code identifies the coating chemistry, and every G-code is explained in full under USP GC column designations.
Phase (USP) | Agilent | Restek | Supelco | Phenomenex | Thermo | SGE / Trajan | Legacy names |
100% dimethylpolysiloxane (G1, G2, G38) | DB-1, HP-1 | Rtx-1 | SPB-1, Equity-1 | ZB-1 | TG-1MS | BP1 | OV-1, SE-30, CP-Sil 5 CB |
5% phenyl (G27, G36) | DB-5, HP-5 | Rtx-5 | SPB-5, Equity-5 | ZB-5 | TG-5MS | BP5 | AT-5, CP-Sil 8 CB, OV-5, SE-52, SE-54 |
5% phenyl, low-bleed MS (G27, G36) | DB-5ms, HP-5ms UI, VF-5ms | Rxi-5Sil MS, Rxi-5ms | SLB-5ms | ZB-5ms, ZB-5MSplus | TG-5SilMS | BPX5 | Shimadzu SH-I-5Sil MS |
35% phenyl (G42) | DB-35, HP-35 | Rtx-35 | SPB-35 | ZB-35 | TG-35MS | BPX35 | OV-11 |
50% phenyl (G3) | DB-17, HP-50+ | Rtx-50, Rxi-17Sil MS | SPB-50, SPB-17 | ZB-50 | TG-17MS | BPX50 | OV-17, AT-50, SP-2250 |
6% cyanopropylphenyl (G43) | DB-624, HP-VOC | Rtx-624 | SPB-624 | ZB-624 | TG-624 | BP624, BPX-Volatiles | OV-624, AT-624, CP-Select 624 CB |
Low-bleed 624-type (proprietary) | DB-624UI | Rxi-624Sil MS | — | ZB-624plus | TG-624SilMS | — | — |
14% cyanopropylphenyl (G46) | DB-1701, VF-1701 | Rtx-1701 | SPB-1701, Equity-1701 | ZB-1701 | TG-1701MS | BP10 | OV-1701, CP-Sil 19 CB |
50% cyanopropylphenyl (G7) | DB-225, DB-225ms | Rtx-225 | — | — | — | BP225 | CP-Sil 43 CB |
Polyethylene glycol / wax (G16) | DB-WAX, HP-INNOWax, CP-Wax 52 CB | Stabilwax, Rtx-Wax | SUPELCOWAX 10, Omegawax | ZB-WAX, ZB-WAXplus | TG-WaxMS | BP20 | AT-Wax, Carbowax 20M, PEG 20M |
Nitroterephthalic acid-modified PEG / FFAP (G35) | DB-FFAP, HP-FFAP | Stabilwax-DA | Nukol, SP-1000 | ZB-FFAP | — | BP21 | OV-351, AT-1000, CP-Wax 58 CB |
High cyanopropyl, for FAMEs (G5, G48) | HP-88, CP-Sil 88 | Rt-2560 | SP-2560 | ZB-FAME | — | BPX70 | — |
Sources: manufacturer cross-reference charts from Restek, Phenomenex (Zebron), Thermo Scientific (TraceGOLD), Agilent (including its USP phase classification guide) and Shimadzu. A dash means the source charts list no direct match.
A note on wax columns. The manufacturers don't all pair their wax columns the same way. Phenomenex, for example, pairs Rtx-Wax with DB-WAXetr, while Restek's chart pairs it with DB-Wax. All of these are PEG phases, but their selectivity differs slightly. If your separation is tight, test the replacement before you switch.
Which brand should you choose?
No single brand is "best." The right choice depends on your method, your instrument and what you can get delivered reliably. Once you've picked a phase, use the GC column equivalent chart above to compare what each brand offers.
Your situation | What to look for |
Your method names a specific column | Buy that column, or an equivalent from the chart, then confirm system suitability |
GC-MS or trace analysis | Low-bleed, inert lines: Agilent UI, Restek Rxi, Supelco SLB, Phenomenex "plus", Thermo "MS"/"SilMS", SGE BPX |
Residual solvents (USP <467>) | A G43 column (DB-624, Rtx-624, ZB-624, SPB-624, TG-624, BP624). Procedure B uses a G16 wax column. |
FAMEs and cis/trans fats | High-cyanopropyl columns: SP-2560, HP-88, Rt-2560, BPX70 |
Permanent gases and light hydrocarbons | Packed or PLOT columns: HayeSep Q (sold as interchangeable with Porapak Q), Carboxen, molecular sieve. Packed GC columns often outperform capillary columns here. |
Chiral separations by GC | Cyclodextrin columns, such as Agilent CycloSil-B. Chiralcel is a Daicel HPLC chiral range, not a GC column. |
Agilent Intuvo system | Intuvo column chips only |
Your lab standardises on one instrument vendor | The vendor's own columns (Agilent, Thermo TraceGOLD, Shimadzu SH-I) can make support easier |
Legacy and pharmacopoeia names, decoded
Older methods and pharmacopoeia monographs often name a phase instead of a product. Here's how to translate them:
Macrogol 20000 / PEG 20M / Carbowax 20M. All three describe the same polyethylene glycol phase, which is USP G16. Any wax column in the chart above fits the description. The European Pharmacopoeia uses "macrogol 20 000".
SE-30, SE-52, SE-54. Old silicone gum phases. SE-30 corresponds to today's 100% dimethyl columns. SE-52 and SE-54 correspond to the 5% phenyl columns.
OV-1, OV-17, OV-1701. Ohio Valley phase names. The number usually lines up with the modern equivalent (OV-17 is a 50% phenyl phase).
HP-5 vs DB-5. Both are now Agilent products. HP comes from the Hewlett-Packard lineage and DB from J&W.
VF-5ms, CP-Sil 8 CB. Former Varian and Chrompack products, now sold by Agilent.
AT-5, AT-624, AT-Wax. Alltech names. Choose a replacement by phase using the chart.
"Equivalent" does not mean "identical"
Two columns with the same phase can still give slightly different results. Before you switch brands, check:
Dimensions. Match length, internal diameter and film thickness exactly. A different film thickness changes retention more than a different brand does.
Maximum temperature. Low-bleed and standard versions of the same phase often have different upper limits.
Inertness. Standard columns can make active compounds such as amines, acids or pesticides tail, where an inert version wouldn't.
Bleed. This matters most for GC-MS and trace-level ECD work.
System suitability. Pharmacopoeia methods let you use any column that meets the G-code, but your resolution and tailing criteria still have to pass.
Frequently asked questions
What is the equivalent of a DB-624 column? Rtx-624 (Restek), ZB-624 (Phenomenex), SPB-624 (Supelco), TG-624 (Thermo) and BP624 (SGE/Trajan). All are 6% cyanopropylphenyl / 94% dimethylpolysiloxane, USP G43. For a low-bleed version, look at Rxi-624Sil MS, DB-624UI or ZB-624plus.
What is the equivalent of a DB-WAX column? Stabilwax (Restek), SUPELCOWAX 10 (Supelco), ZB-WAXplus (Phenomenex), TG-WaxMS (Thermo) and BP20 (SGE/Trajan). Agilent's own HP-INNOWax is also a PEG column.
What is the equivalent of a DB-5 or HP-5 column? Rtx-5, ZB-5, SPB-5, TG-5MS and BP5. If your method is GC-MS, use a low-bleed version such as DB-5ms, Rxi-5Sil MS, SLB-5ms or ZB-5MSplus.
What is the equivalent of a DB-1701 column? Rtx-1701, ZB-1701, SPB-1701, TG-1701MS, BP10 and the older CP-Sil 19 CB. All are 14% cyanopropylphenyl, USP G46.
Where can I find a GC column equivalent chart? The GC column equivalent chart above covers Agilent, Restek, Supelco, Phenomenex, Thermo and SGE/Trajan. It also lists legacy names such as AT, CP-Sil, OV and SE. Restek, Phenomenex and Thermo also publish their own cross-reference charts, but each one maps other brands to its own columns.
What column replaces an SE-54? Any 5% phenyl column, such as DB-5, Rtx-5, ZB-5 or TG-5MS. SE-54 is an old phase name, not a current product.
How much does a GC column cost? A 30 m × 0.25 mm capillary column costs about $660 to $1,250. A 100 m FAME column costs about $1,840 to $2,240. These are US web prices from September 2026, before shipping and duties.
Which GC column brand is the cheapest? Restek and Trajan (SGE). In our check, a Restek Rtx-5 cost $659 and a Trajan BP5 cost $685. Thermo TraceGOLD was the most expensive range, at $879 to $1,250. Distributor discounts and import costs can change the order in your market.
Is Restek better than Agilent? Neither brand is better across the board. Both make high-quality columns with low-bleed, inert versions of the common phases. Choose based on the phase your method needs, delivery times, price in your market, and whether your validated method names a specific brand.
Can I swap a DB-5 for an Rtx-5 without revalidating? You can usually swap in an equivalent phase with the same dimensions. You should still run system suitability to confirm that retention and resolution meet your method's criteria. Regulated labs should follow their own change-control procedure.
A note on Lab -Setup
Labs setting up GC-MS can buy the Thermo Scientific ISQ 7610 single quadrupole GC-MS from LS Scientific, and can compare it against other GC-MS systems from Thermo, Agilent, Shimadzu and Bruker.
Where to go next
How to choose a GC column: phase, length, diameter and film thickness, step by step
USP GC column designations: every G-code explained
Capillary vs packed GC columns: when a packed column is still the right choice
Still unsure which phase your application needs? How to choose a GC column walks through the decision from the sample up.
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