Since the late ’80s, much of the strain innovation was done in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Therefore, many seed banks have their roots in Amsterdam. Nowadays, these renowned seed banks have branches stateside to ensure speedy service and delivery within the United States.
Of course, we think that ILGM is the best seed bank overall. Our team of passionate and expert U.S. breeders strives to produce the best quality seeds, and our service team aims to help all customers thrive as growers. That being said, there are more players out there. This article will share the lay of the land.
Browse USA free shipping seed deals. Buy 10, get 10 seeds for free!
Criteria for determining the best seed banks
There are several ways to look at the quality of a seed bank.
Reputation
Because cannabis has been demonized for decades, it’s important for a business in the cannabis industry to maintain an impeccable reputation. A good indicator is the rating people give the seed bank and the number of people reviewing the seed banks.
A selection of available products from ILGM
Quality
Some seed banks have their own team of breeders who tailor-make seeds to order. Other stores resell seeds from existing breeders. One is not better than the other, but having your own supply chain does give control over the end-to-end quality assurance.
Shop High-Yield Seeds
Our high-yielding cultivars
High-quality genetics
With germination warranty
Selection
Looking at the available selection is a matter of taste. You can only ever grow a few strains at a time. Some seed banks pack dozens of variations of strains, whereas others prefer to stick to the core versions of popular strains. Nowadays, autoflowers are quite popular and should be a decent chunk of the overall selection.
An unique insight in one of our greenhouses
Paying
Due to the nature of the cannabis industry, it’s not easy for a company that sells cannabis-related items to offer common payment methods like credit card, cash app, or PayPal. This is often reflected in the options available at the checkout of seed banks. How easy or hard is it to pay for your order is an important factor.
Shipping
Though not an easy feat, we’ve all gotten used to fast delivery, free shipping, anywhere delivery, and track & trace. Most consumers don’t have the patience or time to wait for a product to arrive a week later. Here, seed banks with warehouses in the USA definitely have an edge.
An example of the picking process of your order
Customer support
When things go wrong, you want to know that your investment is in safe hands and you’ll get reimbursed. Seed bank customer support agents should be caring and knowledgeable regarding payment, shipping, ánd grow related issues.
Shop Beginner Seeds
Easy-growing and strong
Forgiving and low maintenance
Feminized and autoflowers seeds
Warranties
Being sure that your seed order arrives safely and discreetly is important, but where seed banks can really make a difference is to stand by their product. Seeds are natural, so it can happen that your order contains a dud or two. As they don’t come cheaply, you’ll want your seed bank to guarantee that the seeds actually sprout and grow into a healthy cannabis plant.
One of our ILGM employees working with our packaging machine
Promotions
Cannabis seeds are a good investment. You can turn ten bucks into a $200 plant when grown correctly. That being said, everyone likes a bargain, and some seed banks offer juicier promotions than others.
Now that we’ve listed the criteria let’s jump into the seed banks themselves.
The best seed banks shipping to the United States
Before we dive into each seed bank individually, here’s a quick overview of the best seed banks:
ILGM – 30.000 positive reviews
Homegrown – Largest selection of own seeds
Seedsman – Largest selection of reseller seeds
Seed Supreme – Don’t offer card payments at the moment
MSNL – Support AMEX and Discover
RQS – Good reputation in Europe
Crop King – Full-focus reseller
AMS – Ships from the Netherlands
Nirvana – Ships from the Netherlands
ILGM
ILGM logo
Founded in 2012 by Amsterdam grower Robert Bergman, ILGM shines when it comes to helping new growers and standing by our products. With a strong and knowledgeable customer support team and a forum full of expert moderators, anyone can make their grow a success.
Having their own farms where breeders produce seeds according to the highest standards makes ILGM confident enough to offer a 100% germination guarantee. Seeds that don’t sprout will be replaced ASAP.
Pros
Most positive reviews (9/10 from 30.000 reviews)
Stateside farms and warehouses
Free shipping to all U.S. states
Guaranteed delivery
Discount for veterans
100% germination guarantee
Cons
No regular seeds, just feminized and autos.
No phone support, just email and expert forum.
Reputation
ILGM has been active since 2012, and it shows. Of all the seed banks out there, ILGM is the most reviewed, with upwards of 30.000 reviews from U.S. customers and an average score of 9 / 10. This great reputation is not only reflected in the business reviews. You’ll see mostly happy growing customers when you Google for ILGM reviews on other websites. ILGM really wants home growers to succeed, and it shows.
Quality
ILGM has its own team of breeders on private farms. Founder Robert Bergman was early in gathering a team of like-minded seed breeders to make seeds exclusively for ILGM. Every step of the way, the seeds are curated and cared for. Problem batches are written off as a loss, and before a batch is stored at the warehouses, they are quality checked; Germination rates under 95% are declined by the warehouse and sent back to the breeders for investigation.
ILGM strain selection
ILGM sells around 150 separate feminized strains ranging from all the Amsterdam classics to the latest popular USA craft strains. A team of researchers keeps a close eye on developments in the industry to ensure that the creme-de-la-creme can be offered to home growers.
The autoflower selection of ILGM consists of around 55 strains, from landrace Durban Poison to all-time classic White Widow to modern-day staples Gorilla Glue and Do-si-dos.
The only thing lacking from the ILGM selection are regular seeds which is a miss for some breeding growers out there.
Buy Autoflower Seeds
For new and experienced growers
Easy-growing, low maintenance
All popular cultivars
Paying
ILGM has a dedicated team of expert payment handlers to ensure methods like credit cards, Bitcoin, bank transfer, cash, and check run swiftly and smoothly. When you run into trouble with your payment, they are always happy to help with the current payment or guide you through alternative options. Go here to learn more about ILGM’s payment processes.
Shipping
ILGM’s stateside warehouses ensure your seeds are packed and shipped a.s.a.p. Outside the peak seasons, seeds usually ship on the same day and arrive on average within a day or two.
ILGM envelopes and packages are discreetly plain and don’t alarm the postal services of their contents. That way, you’re sure your mailman doesn’t get high from your supply.
Every shipment is tracked and traced so you can follow your order throughout the shipping process. On several milestones, you will receive an update on the delivery status. If a shipment gets lost, be sure to contact customer support so they can help you retrieve it or arrange for a new one.
ILGM ships to all U.S. states, and shipping is always free!
Go here to learn more about ILGM’s shipping policy.
Customer and grow support
Caring customer support has always been a core pillar for ILGM. Service is available as two options.
Email support – Through email, you can contact the ILGM support team, who is primarily responsible for issues with ordering. This team has agents in both the U.S. and Amsterdam, so you’ll get a swift response on most weekdays regardless of the time of day. These agents will help you with anything ranging from payment and shipping to germination issues. Also, most agents grow cannabis themselves and can help with grow-related challenges. Anything beyond their scope of knowledge is forwarded to the expert team on the ILGM support forum.
Forum support – On the forum, around ten moderators are available 24/7 to help growers succeed. These mods not only moderate, but they’re all veteran growers with dozens of years of experience under their combined belt. If your plants are in trouble, ILGM will help salvage your grow!
ILGM Warranties
While more seed banks offer germination guarantees nowadays, ILGM has done so since 2012. Today, ILGM’s policy still outshines due to a 100% germination guarantee. If any of your beans don’t sprout, customer support will help you out. Sometimes it’s a matter of tweaking your germination process, but if a dud has sneaked through QA, you will receive replacement seeds.
Nowadays, 99% of shipments arrive due to strict tracking and tracing capabilities. Still, if an order has trouble arriving, ILGM stands by its word and offers a replacement shipment.
ILGM promotions
ILGM continuously offers deals to whet your appetite for classics, popular, and newly launched strains. Through weekly emails, you can receive the latest deals in your inbox, offering an effective 50% off with buy 10 get 10 free specials.
In addition, ILGM offers seed variety packs that combine up to three strains and are sold with discounts of up to 70%. These are an absolute bargain offering strains like Gorilla Glue, Bruce Banner, and Girl Scout Cookies in one Super Mix Pack. Mix packs come for feminized and autoflowers alike.
Lastly, ILGM Grow Kits offer a complete package for one-stop shoppers. With a hefty discount, you will receive 20 seeds plus fertilizer and plant protector solutions. ILGM’s Beginner Grow Kit is a staple for new growers.
And if that wasn’t enough, you can sign up as an ILGM VIP and save points for discounts that can run up to over a hundred bucks!
Shop Feminized Seeds
Female plants for healthy bud
Quality genetics, high yields
All popular cultivars
Homegrown
Homegrown logo
A younger company than ILGM, but a seed bank with its heart in the right place is Homegrown. Like ILGM, Homegrown’s mission is to ensure that every grower gets a fair shot to grow the best possible weed available to man.
Pros
Solid reputation
Large selection of strains
Cons
Daunting selection causes analysis paralysis
Reputation
Homegrown scores over a 9 / 10 based on almost 6000 reviews.
Selection
Homegrown has a dedicated team of breeders creating upwards of 500 strains, 100 of which are autoflowers.
Shipping
Homegrown ships from the USA and promises orders to arrive within 5 – 10 business days.
Support
Homegrown customer support has a good reputation for helping with sales and grow issues. You can find them through chat and email support; they have a forum for questions.
Warranties
Similar to ILGM warranties, Homegrown also offers delivery and germination guarantees.
Promotions
Homegrown offers 1+1 deals, grow kits, multipacks, and mix packs.
Seedsman
Seedsman logo
Pros
Discount for veterans
Large selection of resale strains
Cons
No 100% germination guarantee
No forum grow support
Reputation
Seedsman scores an 8 / 10 based on 1600 reviews.
Selection
Seedsman offers ~800 strains, 250 of which are autoflowers. Some come from their own breeders, others come from reselling existing brands.
Shipping
Seedsman ships from the USA and promises arrival within 2 – 14 business days.
Support
Seedsman offers support through an extensive help center, and you can chat with an agent using their own ticket system.
Warranties
Seedsman guarantees the arrival of your order. They offer 90% germination guarantee
Seed Supreme
Seed Supreme logo
Pros
Large collection of resale strains
Multiple crypto payment options
Cons
The majority of their seeds are from other seedbanks
No forum support
No credit card option
Reputation
Seed Supreme scores a 9 / 10 based on 5000 reviews.
Selection
Seed Supreme offers a massive collection of own- and reseller strains with 1800 total and 500 autoflowers.
Shipping
Seed Supreme ships from the USA and guarantees arrival. Most orders arrive within 2 – 10 business days.
Support
Support is offered through bot- and live chat.
Warranties
The arrival of your order is guaranteed by Seed Supreme, but they don’t seem to offer germination guarantees as they cannot answer any queries relating to the germination or growth of cannabis seeds.
MSNL
MSNL logo
Pros
Guarantee arrival of seeds
Extensive contact function
A huge collection of strains of their own breeders
Cons
No germination guarantee
Reputation
MSNL scores an 8 / 10 based on 376 customer reviews.
Selection
MSNL offers about 280 strains with around 50 autoflowers from their own breeders.
Shipping
MSNL ships from either the USA or the UK. Arrival is guaranteed within 25 days.
Support
You can contact them through a contact form, phone, or live chat.
Warranties
Delivery is guaranteed by MSNL, but they don’t guarantee the replacement of non-germinating seeds.
Royal Queen Seeds
Royal Queen Seeds logo
A relatively new player serving the U.S. market since 2023, Royal Queen Seeds has served the European market for many years prior. This is reflected by their many reviews, most of which from their European consumer base.
Pros
Has lots of experience in Europe
Cons
Doesn’t ship to all states
Limited bank transfer options
Reputation
RQS scores a 9 / 10 based on 26k reviews. As they started selling stateside recently, most of these reviews are based on the European market.
Selection
RQS has around 170 strains on sale, 35 of which are autoflowers created by their breeders in Spain.
Shipping
RQS ships from Oregon, USA. Orders should arrive within 4 – 9 business days, but they don’t seem to give an arrival warranty.
RQS does not ship to Kansas or Kentucky.
Support
RQS offers customer service through phone, email, and a contact form.
Warranties
They don’t seem to offer any warranties, but you can always reach out in case of trouble.
Crop King Seeds
Crop King Seeds logo
Pros
Phone, Chat, WhatsApp, and mail support
Large selection of resale strains
Cons
No own breeders
Just card and Bitcoin payments
No 100% germination guarantee
Reputation
Crop King scores an 8 / 10 based on 850 reviews.
Selection
They resell around 550 strains from other breeders with around 170 autoflowers.
Shipping
Crop King ships from Canada to the USA. Orders should arrive in 2 – 7 business days. They don’t seem to offer a delivery guarantee, except if you purchase the delivery guarantee on your order.
Support
Crop King offers support through chat, phone, WhatsApp, and email.
Warranties
Crop King offers an 80% germination guarantee. There doesn’t seem to be a guarantee that your order will be replaced when it doesn’t arrive.
AMS
AMS logo
Pros
Multiple crypto payment options
Cons
No Visa option
Limited bank transfer options
Small selection of autos
Long shipping from Amsterdam
Reputation
AMS scores over an 8 / 10 based on 9000 reviews worldwide.
Selection
AMS offers around 130 strains with about 20 autoflowers.
Shipping
AMS ships from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, so orders can take long to arrive (up to 31 days) and may be intercepted by customs. They only reship insured packages.
Support
AMS only seems to offer customer support through email from a team in the Netherlands.
Warranties
AMS only guarantees the arrival of insured packages. They don’t seem to offer a germination warranty, but you can always reach out.
Nirvana
Nirvana logo
Pros
Low prices
Multiple crypto options
Cons
Limited bank transfer options
Long shipping times
Small selection
Reputation
Nirvana scores an average of 8.5 / 10 based on 330 reviews.
Selection
Nirvana offers around 80 strains with 20 autos.
Shipping
Nirvana ships from the Netherlands, so orders can take up to 31 days to arrive. They don’t seem to offer any guarantee that your order will arrive.
Support
You can contact Nirvana by phone or email.
Warranties
No warranty for arrival or germination seems to be available at Nirvana.
Conclusions
Is it safe to order from a seed bank?
So, is ordering safe from any of these seed banks? Probably. All of the above seed banks are legit, but some companies offer better warranties than others which gives you as a consumer better insurance that you’ll be growing your own in no time.
What seed bank has the best warranties?
The research doesn’t lie. ILGM offers great support when it comes to both buying and growing cannabis seeds. Many seed banks guarantee the arrival of your order, but being sure that 100% of your non-germinating seeds will be replaced is a calming thought.
What is the best seed bank for autoflowers?
Regarding numbers, Seed Supreme seems to offer the most autoflowering strains, many of which are resale strains from other seed banks. When it comes to a 100% germination warranty, ILGM is the place to be for your autos.
What seed banks have the best genetics?
A seed bank with its own team of breeders can better ensure that the genetics are strong and pure. Eventually, the proof is in the pudding. At ILGM, we have our own farms and breeders in the U.S. to ensure that we get the best possible genetics to all growers.
All in all it is up to you, the consumer, to choose which seed bank best fits your needs. If you’re new to growing, I recommend downloading my free grow guide, the Marijuana Grow Bible. Hope to see you soon.
Happy Growing!
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