If you've stood in front of a nectar display (or scrolled our shop) wondering whether to grab the liquid or the powder, you're not alone. It's one of the questions we hear most from fellow hummingbird lovers — and the honest answer is: it depends on what kind of birder you are.

Both Nectarade® (our liquid nectar available as a concentrate or ready to use) and Nectarlyte® (our powder nectar available as a concentrate) start from the same place — 100% pure cane sugar, no dyes, no artificial preservatives, plus the electrolytes and calcium hummingbirds naturally seek out in wildflowers. The difference comes down to convenience, cost, and how you like to fill your feeder.

Nectarade®: Ready When You Are

Nectarade is our liquid nectar, and it comes in two forms:

• Ready to Use (8.5 fl oz): Shake it, pour it, done. No mixing, no measuring, no hot water. It's the grab-and-go option for anyone who wants fresh nectar in under a minute. To fill your feeder, just pour and serve.
• Concentrate (50.7 fl oz): Mix 1 part Nectarade to 2 parts water and you're set. One bottle yields about 150 oz of nectar — enough to keep you stocked for a good stretch of the season. To fill your feeder, fill ⅓ full with Nectarade concentrate and the remaining ⅔ with water.

Liquid Nectarade also carries one extra ingredient the powder doesn't: all-natural wildflower hydrosols, extracted from the flowers hummingbirds visit most in the wild. It's a small touch, but it's very "us" — we're always looking for ways to mimic nature a little more closely.

Nectarlyte®: Concentrated Convenience in a Bag

Nectarlyte is our powder concentrate, built for birders who like to mix their own batches at home:

• Small (8 oz): Mix 1 part Nectarlyte to 4 parts warm water for over a liter of nectar.
• Large (2 lb): Same simple ratio, yielding a full gallon of nectar per bag.

Because it's shelf-stable in powder form, Nectarlyte is easy to store, easy to stock up on, and — ounce for ounce of prepared nectar — one of the most economical ways to keep your feeders full all season.

So... Which One Should You Choose?

It's true what you'd expect: liquid nectar costs more than powder, largely because you're paying for the convenience of not having to mix anything yourself. Looking at the numbers:

A few things jump out here. The Ready to Use liquid is the most convenient (and priciest) option — perfect for a single feeder, a porch touch-up, or travel. But if you're mixing at home anyway, our Nectarade Concentrate actually edges out the powder on cost per ounce, while Nectarlyte's powder format wins on shelf space and storage simplicity.

Our honest take:

• Choose Nectarade Ready to Use if you want zero prep and don't mind paying a little more for the convenience — great for smaller setups or topping off a feeder on the fly.
• Choose Nectarade Concentrate if you like liquid but want the best value for larger or multiple feeders.
• Choose Nectarlyte Powder if you prefer a shelf-stable pantry staple, love mixing your own batches, and want the most compact way to stock up for the season.

Whichever you choose, remember: fresh nectar matters more than the format. We recommend only filling your feeder as full as it's being emptied every couple of days, and refreshing nectar every 2–3 days (sooner in hot or humid weather) to keep things clean for your visitors.

At the end of the day, there's no wrong choice here — just two honest paths to the same goal: inviting a little more wonder into your backyard.

Shop Nectarade® Liquid Nectar and Nectarlyte® Powder Concentrate.