What’s the difference between Tylenol and Advil?
The pain reliever in all Advil products is ibuprofen which targets pain at the source. Acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, blocks off pain signals. Advil Dual Action is first and only FDA approved combination of the two. It is also the only Advil product that contains acetaminophen.
"Oral analgesics work differently throughout your body - for example, the pain reliever in all Advil products is ibuprofen which targets pain at the source. Acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, blocks off pain signals.
Introducing Advil Dual Action with Acetaminophen. It's the first and only FDA approved pain relief medication to combine both Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen. Unlike Acetaminophen only products, this combination formula of Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen allows you to take a lower maximum daily dose of each medication and now get up to 8-hours of powerful relief. Explore our chart below to compare Advil vs. Tylenol, so you can understand if Advil or Tylenol is the right solution for you and your pain needs. Speak with a healthcare professional if you have any questions about the right pain solution for you and please read all Drug Fact labels carefully before use."
| Advil Dual Action | Tylenol Extra Strength | |
|---|---|---|
| Active Ingredient | Acetaminophen + Ibuprofen | Acetaminophen |
| Dosing | One dose of 2 caplets (contains 500mg Acetaminophen and 250mg Ibuprofen) every 8 hours while symptoms last; do not take more than 6 caplets in 24 hours | One dose of 2 caplets (contains 1000mg Acetaminophen) every 6hrs while symptoms last; do not take more than 6 pills in 24 hours1 |
| Amount of Acetaminophen in Maximum Daily Allowance | 1500mg | 3000mg2 |
| Dose Duration | every 8 hours | every 6 hours |
| Lower Maximum Daily Doses of each medicine for strong pain relief | + | |
| Contains medicine (Ibuprofen) that Doctors use most for their own Aches and Pains3 | + | |
| Contains an NSAID | + | |
| Relieves Minor Back Pain/Backache | + | + |
| Relieves Minor Headache | + | + |
| Relieves Minor Muscle Pain/Muscle Aches | + | + |
| Relieves Minor Menstrual Cramps | + | + |
| Relieves Minor Toothache | + | + |
| Relieves Minor Arthritis Pain/Joint Pain | + | + |
| Provides Fast Pain Relief | + | + |
| Targets Pain at the Source | + | |
| Works Centrally to Relieve Your Pain | + | + |
- 1Unless directed by a doctor
- 2Based on FDA labeling of Tylenol Extra Strength
- 3IQVIA ProVoice Survey fielded from Nov. 1, 2020 to Nov. 30, 2020 ↵
