Best VG/PG Ratios for Nic Salts vs Shortfills: What You Actually Need to Know

Walk into any vape shop or browse any online store and you’ll quickly notice that e-liquids come with a ratio printed on the label something like 50/50, 70/30, or Max VG. If you’re new to vaping, these numbers can feel like an afterthought. If you’ve been vaping a while, you might have chosen a ratio without fully understanding why it matters.

The truth is, VG/PG ratio is one of the most important factors in how your vape performs, how the flavour comes through, and how satisfying the nicotine hit feels. And crucially, the right ratio for nic salts is very different from the right ratio for shortfills. Getting it wrong can mean a harsh throat, weak flavour, a flooded coil, or a vape that just doesn’t feel right.

This guide clears it all up.

What VG and PG Actually Do

Before getting into ratios, it helps to understand what each ingredient brings to the table.

Vegetable Glycerin (VG) is a thick, naturally sweet liquid derived from plant oils. It’s responsible for the dense vapour clouds you see when people exhale. High VG liquids are smooth on the throat, which makes them pleasant for longer vaping sessions. The downside is that VG is viscous — it’s a thicker liquid — which means it doesn’t wick as efficiently in certain devices and can struggle to produce strong flavour on its own.

Propylene Glycol (PG) is a thinner, odourless liquid that carries flavour exceptionally well and produces that characteristic throat hit that many former smokers find satisfying. It’s far less viscous than VG, so it flows easily through coils and wicks. However, at high concentrations, PG can feel quite harsh, and a small percentage of people are sensitive to it.

Every e-liquid is a blend of these two, and the ratio determines the overall character of your vape experience.

VG/PG Ratios Explained

Here’s a quick reference for the most common ratios and what they’re typically used for:

• 50/50 (50% VG / 50% PG) — Balanced ratio, thinner consistency, strong throat hit, excellent flavour clarity. Best for mouth-to-lung (MTL) devices and pod systems.
• 70/30 (70% VG / 30% PG) — The middle ground. Good cloud production with reasonable flavour and a milder throat hit. Works in a range of devices.
• 80/20 and Max VG — High cloud output, very smooth hit, best suited to sub-ohm tanks and direct-to-lung (DTL) devices with low-resistance coils.

Nic Salts and VG/PG Ratios

Nic salts are a specific form of nicotine that closely mimics the nicotine found in natural tobacco leaves. They’re chemically smoother than freebase nicotine, which means they can be vaped at higher strengths — typically 10mg or 20mg — without the aggressive throat hit that would make freebase nicotine at those strengths unbearable.

Because of how nic salts are designed to be used, they almost always come in a 50/50 ratio, and there are very good reasons for that.

Why 50/50 Works Best for Nic Salts

Nic salt e-liquids are formulated for lower-powered, mouth-to-lung devices pod kits, pen-style vapes, and starter kits. These devices have small coils with tight wicking ports. A high-VG liquid is simply too thick to be drawn through efficiently, which leads to dry hits, burnt coils, and a poor experience.

The 50/50 ratio solves this by keeping the liquid thin enough to flow freely through compact coil systems. It also works hand in hand with the higher nicotine strengths typical of nic salts at 20mg, you don’t need massive vapour production to feel satisfied. A smaller, denser draw from a 50/50 liquid delivers nicotine quickly and efficiently, which is exactly what nic salts are designed to do.

Using a high-VG liquid in a pod device with nic salts is one of the most common mistakes newer vapers make. The coil can’t handle the thick liquid, the wicking suffers, and the device either produces weak vapour or burns out faster than it should.

Best VG/PG ratio for nic salts: 50/50

Shortfills and VG/PG Ratios

Shortfills sit at the other end of the spectrum. These are larger-format, nicotine-free e-liquids (typically 100ml) designed for use in sub-ohm tanks and direct-to-lung devices that run at higher wattages. The vaping experience here is very different — big clouds, bold flavour, and a smooth, airy draw rather than a tight, cigarette-style inhale.

Because sub-ohm devices use larger coils with more surface area and wider wicking channels, they can handle — and actually require — thicker, higher-VG liquids. Running a thin 50/50 liquid through a high-powered sub-ohm tank often results in a sharp, unpleasant throat hit and spitback, because the device is built for something more substantial.

The Most Common Shortfill Ratios

• 70/30 is arguably the most popular ratio for shortfills. It hits a sweet spot between flavour production and cloud output, and it’s compatible with a wide range of sub-ohm coils. If you’re unsure what ratio to choose for a new shortfill, 70/30 is a reliable starting point.
• 80/20 is preferred by vapers who prioritise cloud production and smoothness above all else. The higher VG content produces thick, billowing vapour and feels very gentle on the throat. Flavour can be slightly muted compared to lower-VG options, but many vapers enjoy this laid-back, airy style.
• Max VG (sometimes listed as 90/10 or higher) is the choice for cloud chasers using rebuildable atomisers (RDAs/RTAs) or specialised high-wattage sub-ohm tanks. It’s the smoothest vape possible but demands a powerful, purpose-built device to perform properly.

It’s also worth noting that when you add a nic shot to a 100ml shortfill, you’re adding a 50/50 nic shot into a higher-VG base. This dilutes the VG slightly a 70/30 shortfill will become closer to 65/35 after mixing. It’s a minor shift, but something to be aware of if you’re chasing a specific ratio.

Best VG/PG ratio for shortfills: 70/30 for most setups, 80/20 or Max VG for cloud-focused builds

Can You Use the Wrong Ratio in Your Device?

Technically, yes but you’ll notice it. Here’s what happens when ratios and devices are mismatched:

• High-VG liquid in a pod/MTL device: The thick liquid struggles to wick properly. You’ll likely experience dry hits, a burnt taste, and a coil that degrades faster. The vapour will also feel unsatisfying because the device isn’t generating enough heat to vaporise a viscous liquid effectively.
• 50/50 liquid in a sub-ohm tank: The thin liquid can flood the coil, causing gurgling and spitback. The throat hit will also feel much harsher than intended because sub-ohm devices amplify the PG hit significantly at higher wattages.

In short matching your liquid’s VG/PG ratio to your device isn’t just a preference, it’s a practical necessity for a good vape.

A Quick Side-by-Side Summary