The fall of 2018 was Canada’s big moment. On the 17th of October, to be precise, marijuana became legalized throughout the country. Now, we often look to the best Canadian seed banks as a good source for high-quality marijuana seeds.
Canadian residents are in a sweet position. That leaves cannabis aficionados located in other countries throughout the world, who are sometimes allowed to grow, perhaps under more stringent laws. But it’s better than nothing.
Even in other locations, growing your own Cannabis is often not as far-fetched of an idea as it used to be. That said, we’re all just a little bit jealous of Canadians!
In this post, we’ll take a look at where to get the best marijuana seeds. Preferably at reasonable prices, too. And we’ll also discuss some alternatives that are worth mentioning, just in case you haven’t fully set your mind on Canadian cannabis seeds per se.
Ready to dive in?
Going.
(It’s a rather long read, so grab a cup of coffee, or feel free to use the table of contents to skip to the tl;dr part.)
Where To Find The Best Seeds?
While some of us do have options to grow in compliance with recreational or medical laws at home, certain other states or countries have a long way to go still.
It is to be expected that giving people back the freedom to grow will lead to some interesting developments in terms of breeding and new strains. Canada has played a lead role in this and is a great example of how things could be: People have access to a wide range of products. For medicinal purposes, or just for the fun of it.
So, where do we find the best quality seeds from the North?
If you grow your own plants, you’re likely to have a few basic demands from any given seed bank. Such as germination rate, customer support, and whether they have your favorite strains in stock.
Hey, those are fair and understandable – we feel the same way.
Are you located in Canada? Then you’ll find some great options to shop for a wide variety of seeds on this page. Heck, some may even be within driving distance for you.
However, if you’re looking for the best online seed banks – period, in all fairness I need to include one that isn’t Canadian. At ILGM, all seeds ship free, with guaranteed delivery and a germination guarantee included. Their customer service is of the highest quality. ILGM has strains to suit both medical marijuana and recreational cannabis growers.
Unfortunately, ILGM does not ship to Canada. Then again, you folks up there got options out the wazoo.
Canada-Based Online Seed Banks
For many, ordering marijuana seeds online is the only choice they have. The internet has made access to a wide variety of strains and quality seeds ridiculously easy. And that’s a good thing.
Except… when the shopping spree for cannabis seeds turns sour.
I hate to be negative but being a controlled item in many countries, seeds may not arrive at all due to confiscation. Following such a mishap, everything hinges on the merchant’s customer service.
Will they or will they not report present to solve the situation in a professional manner? You’d rather not find out after the fact. Read that small print beforehand, and pick a marijuana seed bank with guaranteed delivery. Or not – but do so with eyes wide open and an understanding of the risk.
In light of the scams you’ve probably heard or read about, it is crucial to order from a reputable seed bank.
If you’re wondering which Canadian seed bank is the best, we’ve done our very best to provide you with a thorough assessment.
Browsing the websites, the fine print, the strain selection, and the overall customer satisfaction of marijuana seed banks is time-consuming.
The aim here is that scanning this page will help narrow things down. If it can assist you in a transparent manner, based on which pros and cons you find the most important – mission accomplished.
Ordering Seeds: Fun, Exciting, Risky
Growing your own cannabis plants already comes with a few challenges here and there. We firmly believe that ordering seeds should not be one of those.
If you’re going to stress out, it better be over things beyond your control. Such as how to prevent mold when growing, the intricacies of cloning, or how to succeed in the frail germination phase.
The best cannabis seed banks make ordering relatively simple and worry-free. They have both high-quality seeds and great service. Aside from those key factors, the details are important as well – some more than others.
Such as:
- What does the official website look like? Is it easy to navigate?
- Which and how many different strains do they carry?
- Which payment methods are accepted?
- Is stealth shipping available and does it come at a surcharge?
- Which guarantees are available on shipping and germination, and what is the surcharge for such privileges?
- Have our personal interactions with the seed bank been good?
- How does the online community rate their experience? Off-site, independent reviews, ideally. Because on-site reviews can be curated and filtered.
Every one of these points is more or less important depending on your personal point of view. We’re merely aiming to paint a picture and be transparent. Deciding on the best place is up to you!
For example, an online seed bank may have fewer choices, but carry just the strains you’re after. A breeder with a less polished website can still have a great product or great customer service. Or perhaps the guarantees they offer apply to Canada only, and that’s all you need anyway.
I think you’ll agree that the most important thing, bar none, is customer service!
If all the rest works fine but the crew goes dark in case of an issue, for example with the delivery or the sprouting of seeds – then what’s the point?
TL;DR: In a Hurry? Read this.
Okay, so maybe you skipped ahead to this part. Hey, it’s alright to be in a rush and still want some of the best cannabis seeds. As long as you don’t bring that energy to the growing process… 😉 because nature sure likes to take its sweet time, ha!
There isn’t one top Canadian Seed Bank, as they all have their fortes. Which is what we’ll go over lighting fast now.
Crop King Seeds offers both guaranteed delivery and guaranteed germination. The added cost of guaranteed delivery comes from the requirement/recommendation to purchase tracked & stealth shipping. They are solid: a strong, long-standing brand name with great customer service. Also loving the extensive information on each strain’s profile page.
Quebec Cannabis Seeds ships for only $10 and actually does offer the same guarantees on shipping and germination, though they aren’t as vocal about it. Check out their selection of cannabis strains here.
The remaining Canadian seed banks are fun to browse when not in a rush. The only one that makes sense to squeeze in here is Dr. Seeds, for being the one-and-only place to sell single seeds.
Speaking of which, for the sake of being honest and transparent: The seed bank we prefer to use ourselves is not even Canadian. ILGM does not ship to Canada; only to the United States, Europe, and Australia. We have a few years of experience with their seeds. Hard to find another with both high-quality cannabis seeds and also the highest-quality customer service.
List Of The Best Canadian Seed Banks
1. Crop King Seeds
Most websites designed with a mixture of funky, bright, and darker colors date back to the nineties (and usually look like sh#t), but not Crop King Seeds. Somehow, they managed to create a very fun/funky yet visually appealing online experience in an unusually daring combo of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple.
I didn’t want to deny you the screenshot of the old site, for the sake of nostalgia. (And secretly because I was quite fond of it, it really popped.) Now with their site makeover, the darker shades have been ditched in favor of a white background. Like this:
Either way, this Canadian seed bank stands out from the crowd with not only originality in its style & branding but, more importantly, a flawless browsing experience.
Whether you’re looking to narrow down the strains on a more general level or want to drill down on a specific strain and gain some further information, it’s there.
Crop King Seeds’ website is easy and pleasant to navigate. From the home page, you can live chat with “the King” or dive into their well-organized selection of strains.
A nice detail worth mentioning: The “status” of any given strain can be seen right next to its name on the homepage. Some strains are followed by a note saying either “back in stock” or “coming on… [date]”, which is very practical indeed.
Shipping
- Worldwide – US$10 for Regular Shipping
- Almost all countries – US$30 for Express Registered Shipping (with tracking)
- Australia and New Zealand – US$60 for Express Registered Shipping (with tracking)
Guarantees
Express Registered Shipping (US$30 or US$60 to AUS/NZ) does not require a signature at reception but comes with guaranteed delivery. Crop King Seeds will reship your order, should it happen to be seized by customs.
Anonymity & Payment
Accepted forms of payment:
- Visa & Mastercard
- Bitcoin
- Interac E-Transfer (Canada only)
- Cash via snail mail (both US and Canadian dollars)
- Moneygram
It wasn’t quite clear to me from the FAQ page that physically mailing cash is an option here. I got in touch with Crop King Seeds, and they confirmed both US and Canadian currency can be sent. They accept Moneygram (of which there is no mention on the website) too.
All orders outside of Canada are processed in US dollars.
Orders are shipped in the utmost discreet manner. Please ask “the King” of this Canadian seed bank if you want to know more about what your parcel may look like. Seeds in their original packaging can only be shipped within Canada. For all other countries, you will receive just the seeds, packaged differently. Don’t throw away any mail looking like something you don’t expect and didn’t order, without further investigation…
Additional Services & Refund Policy
No returns, but in case of an issue, just get in touch with Crop King Seeds and they’ll always try to make things right.
One more reason to love Crop King Seeds is their consistent display of not just THC contents, but also CBD percentages for all strains. For even more info, check the extended review here: Crop King Seeds Review (Updated 2022)
2. Quebec Cannabis Seeds
Quebec Cannabis Seeds has a good menu overview that is easy to navigate. Strains are divided into the categories Auto, Feminized, Regular, CBD, Outdoor, Mixed packs, and Limited edition.
The site has a good system going on indicating how many seeds are left in stock. Otherwise, the ‘add to cart’ button simply doesn’t work and changes to say ‘out of stock’. If the number of seeds in stock at the time of writing says anything at all about how popular this Canadian seed bank is, I’d say they are pretty happening.
The information with each strain is good, covering all the basics such as flowering time, yield, effect, and where to grow. THC and CBD percentage is available for most strains (not all).
Shipping
- Worldwide and discrete shipping.
- The standard shipping rate to the US is $10.
- The minimum order is $70.
- Orders over $200 ship free.
Guarantees on Delivery & Germination
I reached out to ask what to expect should customs seize an order. Since there is no mention of guaranteed delivery, I didn’t expect much. Pleasant surprise: the response was fast and the answer was quite positive.
[…] If there is a problem with the receipt of the parcel because of a seizure at customs, you can contact us and we will do our best to send you others to compensate.
If you have further questions, you can contact us ?
[…]
It isn’t as official as the fully outlined guaranteed delivery services offered by Crop King Seeds, AMS, or ILGM but it’s something.
As far as growing goes, Quebec Cannabis Seeds has a germination guarantee too. They will send replacement cannabis seeds to make up the difference of an 80% germination rate.
Anonymity & Payment
The forms of payment QCS accepts are not mentioned on the site. You have to go through the order process to reach the payment options. These are credit card, Interac, bank transfer, and Bitcoin.
- Use of a Credit Card comes with a 3.8% fee.
- Interac payments have no fee.
- Bitcoin comes with a whopping 20% discount.
The checkout page states: ‘Canadian customers will be charged in Canadian dollars (CAD). US customers will be charged in US dollars (USD).’
Additional Services & Refund Policy
Quebec Cannabis Seeds is a great place to shop. The $70 order minimum isn’t really a drawback since most people like to get more than just a couple of seeds anyway.
If you’re comfortable and familiar with Bitcoin, you can save a nice amount off the total price here. Most cannabis seed banks offer an incentive for using cryptocurrencies but typically it is 5-10%. Not a whopping 20%!
Quebec Cannabis Seeds also has excellent reviews on the independent site Trustpilot. They gallantly reply to each and every complaint, which shows just how seriously they take the customer service component.
Toronto Cannabis Seeds has the exact same website. I’ve reached out to inquire whether this is, in fact, the same company.
3. Rocket Seeds
Rocket Seeds is owned by Crop King Seeds, one of the top Canadian seed banks. And just like its parent company, Rocket Seeds has an excellent website and online seed store. It is pleasant to navigate, well organized, and aesthetic.
For some reason, the Rocket Seeds website shows a business address in New York. However, this is also very much a Canadian seed bank. Rocket Seeds is located in British Columbia. They also operate out of California and supply stores all over Canada and the US.
A website like this one sure sets the scene for what one would expect to be a dependable merchant. Going merely off the visuals does not do, though, in order to determine whether a seed bank is legit. The fact that Crop King is their parent company – that, on the other hand, does.
Payment Methods
Rocket Seeds accepts many payment methods:
- cash in the mail
- Bitcoin
- Money transfers
- EMT Interact (Canadian)
- PayPal
- E-check (US-based customers)
Some of these are country-specific. On the site, it explains: “Please note, some payment methods are not available during checkout. Contact us for help.” Not many online seed banks accept PayPal, so that’s a nice option here.
Shipping is – of course – stealthy and sometimes seeds are located in random items with let’s call it a ‘lower profile’. For more on this relatively new but promising seed bank, check out our extensive review of Rocket Seeds here.
4. Dr. Seeds
Dr. Seeds‘ website is simple and straightforward. Their signature tins contain one, five, 25, or 50 seeds. In the menu, the strains are organized into three sections: feminized seeds, auto-flowering seeds, and a very helpful section with the highest THC strains.
Each of the highest THC strains has been tested at over 29% THC and ranges from 29 to 34%.
Bonus Points For Single Seeds
There aren’t many places where you can purchase single cannabis seeds. That fact alone makes Dr. Seeds hugely attractive. Other than the flexibility they give us to mix and match strains in creating an order, Dr. Seeds stands out with a clear statement of store policies.
There are certain things they do, and others they don’t do but it is all communicated properly. Which sure does a great job to alleviate any concern one might have regarding whether Dr. Seeds is legit and trustworthy!
I, for one, can appreciate Dr. Seeds’ concise and blunt wording. Time is scarce, and I like how they cut to the chase.
For example, Dr. Seeds’ return policy specifically says you can only reach out via email or through the contact form on the website; not by phone. The questions I had have been answered promptly and courteously via mail.
Shipping & Payment
There is no clear explanation of shipping options, which countries are excluded, or even the costs. When going ahead with a mock checkout, it appears for shipping to the USA you can choose between six different options, with price tags varying from just under $10 to over $80. Similar options are available to the other countries in the drop-down menu.
The only two payment options are credit card and the Canadian Interac e-transfer.
Refund & Return Policy
All sales of seeds and nutrients are final. Returns or refunds are not accepted.
Neither are complaints related to non-germination. In their own words: Purchase seeds at your own risk; the chance of germination is roughly 80%.
In all fairness, not many Canadian seed banks give any guarantees on germination. It may be more of a Dutch thing to do so.
Guarantees
If the tracking proves a package has not been delivered and got lost, Dr. Seeds will replace your order. Seeds will be re-sent as long as the tracking doesn’t show delivery. To qualify for a re-send you would have to have selected a shipping method with tracking in the first place.
Free Seeds
Who doesn’t fancy any free cannabis seeds?
Here’s what you need to do to qualify for a $50 voucher. In short, you will have to place a (paid) order first, then submit an extended review (with a picture) about your growing experience, and contact Dr. Seeds with a valid order number. Submit pictures and read more about the criteria for winning here.
That’s a pretty cool initiative!
Additional Info
What happens if and when the package gets delivered without the content because the seeds have been confiscated by customs?
In such a case the tracking would show the mail as delivered. This hasn’t happened so far, but if it would, they would side with the customer.
The page with store policies is to the point. Like it or leave it.
In summary, Dr. Seeds does not provide us with as much ‘cushioning’ as certain others when it comes to guarantees. However, they are straight shooters about what they offer, which is refreshingly honest in a scene where things can sometimes be a bit shady.
Overall the site is pleasant to browse, has good strain information, and the customer service genie reports for duty when summoned.
5. Sonoma Seeds
Sonoma Seeds is a Canadian seed bank with a great website and lots of photogenic-looking strains. If you’re browsing and haven’t made up your mind about what to order yet, you’ll likely find some very tempting options here.
Reviews by the online community about this place are mixed – some people are very happy, while others had an underwhelming experience. For more details, check out the in-depth review here: Sonoma Seeds, a Complete Review of the Canadian Online Seed Bank.
Shipping & Payment
Sonoma Seeds ships worldwide, in principle. They do mention that some countries may be difficult to ship to, while others may have limited payment methods available.
Customers located in Canada receive seeds in the original packaging. All others will get everything re-packaged in a way that divulges the seeds.
Orders over $200 qualify for free shipping. Express tracking is available for Canada and the USA at a rate of $20. All other countries are required to purchase international shipping with tracking for an additional $30. This makes sense since they also re-send the order should it go missing.
Refund & Return Policy
The website does not state any return policy.
Guarantees
Guaranteed delivery seems automatic for those ordering from the United States or Canada. At least, that is what I deduct from the fact that customers from other countries are required to purchase the $30 international shipping with tracking to tap into this guarantee.
However, it is not worded very clearly. My interpretation might be wrong, so if you have your eyes set on one of Sonoma’s strains, I’d definitely double-check the delivery guarantee regarding your country.
Once you have the seeds in hand, it is good to know that Sonoma Seeds guarantees 80% of them to sprout. Not a hundred percent germination guarantee – but that is somewhat fair, it is a natural product after all. With all of its unpredictabilities.
Be sure to give their germination instructions a once-over. Following that process is a prerequisite for tapping into the guarantee.
Free Seeds
If you spend over $420, you’ll get ten free seeds.
Additional Info
Sonoma Seeds is owned by Crop King Seeds, as are a few others. (Rocket Seeds, for example.) You can easily recognize them as being subsidiaries, since their shipping costs, terms, payment methods, and fine print are exactly the same.
Crop King is an established name. A reputable Canadian seed bank, with a decent history and many repeat customers.
6. Dr. Greenthumb
Holy moly, this website is like a time machine back to the early nineties! The design is about as ugly as they come but I won’t waste your time going over all the poor alignments, quirks, and color choices.
You know what? Perhaps the person(s) behind Dr. Greentumb is busy creating the most awesome marijuana genetics. So busy that they don’t have or take the time to build a user-friendly and up-to-date online presence.
The quality of a web store makes shopping for seeds either a pleasure or a chore. In this case, that would be a chore. But hey, if excellent seeds and genetics are the rewards for working through the chore that is browsing one of the most dated, user-unfriendly sites in this list, then sure. By all means.
I’m down for the cause and maybe you are too.
Seeds & Strains
Now about those seeds. Are they good enough to suffer through Dr. Greenthumb’s online presence and order process?
They may be.
Dr. Greenthumb’s cannabis seeds are very good, according to some. Then there are those who have had issues and did not appreciate the way in which these were handled. So all-in-all, it’s a bit of a hit-or-miss from where I’m standing.
How to Order
To place an order, you can call the number or use the printable order form. The latter needs to be mailed back to Ottawa, Canada. We’ve covered further details of Dr. Greenthumb’s pre-technological age order process in this review.
For now, let’s continue with a look at the next thing you’re probably wondering about: whether this Canadian seed bank is legit and trustworthy.
Conclusion
Dr. Greenthumb has both negative and positive reviews; raving fans and extremely displeased customers of the ‘never again’ kind.
I can most definitely appreciate the talent and hard work of a breeder who thinks having a half-decent online store is redundant. However, the negative reviews are far more numerous than incidental and that’s where I have to advise caution.
If you’re intrigued by the visual mess surrounding the pictures of some real nice-looking plants and the laborious order process doesn’t scare you off, the man behind Dr. Greenthumb has pretty dope seeds, according to some.
To be fair, it does not sound as though this Canadian seed bank is a scam. The place may be more trouble than it’s worth, though. You decide… Coming from someone who doesn’t even own a printer anymore 😉 paper order forms aren’t my cup of tea.
7. Beaver Seeds
Right off the bat, Beaver Seeds has us loving the smooth and pleasantly designed web store. It’s hard not to fall in love with their signature beaver, but that’s neither here nor there in terms of whether they qualify as one of the best seed banks.
Guarantees
About that – I’ll get straight to the point with what you may want to know most. Beaver Seeds does not have a germination guarantee as far as international orders go. (We are reaching out to hear whether Canadian customers have other privileges. Because of the way they put emphasis on the word international, that’s what it sounds like may be the case.)
If this is a deal-breaker, you’ll want to look elsewhere. It certainly plays a role in the reason they are not at the top of our compilation here.
Strain Selection
On the other hand, sometimes it can be worth taking a chance. Especially if there’s a particular strain that piques your interest. For example, Beaver Seeds has some rather enticing Northern Lights hybrids, most of which have five-star reviews:
- Northern Wreck Autoflower
- Northern Mango Autoflower
- Northern Berry Autoflower
- Critical Northern Lights (feminized)
Find these Northern Lights classic and hybrid strains here.
High-CBD Strains
Beaver Seeds is the spot for seeds of high-CBD strains. They carry no less than 27 different ones, that are CBD-rich versions of the classics. Browse CBD Girl Scout Cookies, Harlequin, Zkittlez, Strawberry Kush, Cheese, Diesel, Super Silver Haze, and more.
Shipping & Payment
Beaver Seeds ships worldwide. They offer a delivery guarantee for orders with $20.00 or $40.00 (depending on your country) insurance with tracking. They emphasize that by ordering from Canada and not UK or Amsterdam, you will have greater chances of getting your order because Canada is the most trusted country in the world.
That may be true in some cases, but not when our favorite Dutch seed bank ILGM ships from California. 😉
Refund & Return Policy
No word on returns or refunds, so we’ll have to deduct – until further notice – that all sales are final.
8. BC Bud Depot
BC Bud Depot has a decent amount of strains, but browsing for specifics such as high THC, high CBD, Indica, or Sativa is not possible. This makes it a bit harder to narrow down the search, and it makes me appreciate the website layout of our first two seed banks even more.
Shipping
The choice is between regular shipping for $5 and express shipping for $35, regardless of the country chosen from the drop-down menu. The type of shipping you choose or your geographic location doesn’t seem to have any influence on the guaranteed delivery.
Guarantees
If your seeds get lost, damaged, or confiscated BC Bud Depot will re-send them. Another awesome Canadian seed bank to offer guaranteed delivery of seeds!
While Crop King Seeds offers the choice between cheaper shipping without guarantee and express shipping with guaranteed delivery starting at $30 for most countries, at BC Bud Depot the guarantee is “free”, but the default shipping fee starts at $35 outside of Canada.
Anonymity & Payment
Your order will come thoroughly protected and stealthily packaged. All orders are guaranteed to arrive discreetly and packaged with care.
Accepted forms of payment:
- Credit card (Visa/Mastercard, securely online or by phone)
- Money order
- Bitcoin
- Cash
Additional Services & Refund Policy
Allegedly, you can also fill out a mail order form by hand. Read more about this method on the FAQ page, however, the form in question is nowhere to be found and there is no link to it in the text.
BC Bud Depot emphasizes that their friendly customer service staff is always happy to provide additional information and answer any questions you might have.
There are no refunds, returns, or cancellations.
9. Canadian Seed Bank
This Canadian seed bank is simply called the Canadian Seed Bank. Also part of their portfolio is the British Columbia Seed Bank, and both websites look very much the same.
Dark or black backgrounds with light-colored text can be a bit tricky, but it kind of “works” here. The strains are well organized under headings such as Indica, Sativa, Indoor, Outdoor, or both, top 12, bulk, specials, and “kush”. This Canadian seed bank has a special corner featuring twelve different kush strains! Liking and following them on Facebook gives certain privileges, such as coupons.
Shipping
Shipping is $15 for all orders, and free for orders over $160. Orders are sent through CanadaPost with tracking. This type of tracking only works for Canada though – upon crossing a border it becomes regular mail.
You can contact the Canadian seed bank about other shipping arrangements, such as an upgrade to registered mail (international) as well as DHL or UPS, which they are happy to accommodate.
Guarantees
For all orders under $160, as well as orders to other countries, regular mail shipping implies that the parcel will be dropped in a public mailbox without a track and trace code or delivery guarantee. Registered mail provides you with tracking and guaranteed delivery.
Anonymity & Payment
Credit card payments are no longer accepted. These are the available payment methods:
- Interac eTransfers (Canada only)
- Bank/International Transfers
- Bitcoin/Litecoin
- payments via snail mail in cash, cheque, Money Order, Western Union or Moneygram.
Return & Refund Policy
A return form can be found on the website. It lets you choose between different reasons for a return, such as: dead on arrival, faulty, order error, wrong item, or other.
Additional Info
There really is no way to find out through the site what the costs are for international registered mail, not even by placing things in a mock shopping cart and selecting the “shipping estimate”.
The site has a comparing function, which is awesome. Unfortunately, due to the little information per strain it isn’t very extensive, mainly comparing the rating and how many seeds are in stock.
10. Ontario Seed Bank
At first, it seems as though all strains are thrown onto one large page. Upon closer look, there is a drop-down menu in the corner. This allows for sorting by popularity, newness, rating, or price. It’s different, but actually quite handy to be able to sort by such criteria.
I find the navigation of this website not as pleasant and intuitive as other Canadian seed banks. Huge banners keep popping up on every page, and having to scroll down past these images interferes with my browsing experience.
Unfortunately, this Canadian seed bank doesn’t display any information on shipping, handling, payment, and privacy. Only when placing a (mock) order you’ll find out that shipping is free in Canada.
No shipping methods are available to other countries from the list. Which begs the question: why bother with an endless list of countries, if you only ship to one?
Perhaps this Canadian seed bank is a good local pick-up spot, but not a top choice for ordering online.
Summary: The Best Canadian Seed Banks
Crop King Seeds and Quebec Cannabis Seeds have the best reviews, without a doubt. They both score very high on customer service and trustworthiness, in addition to checking all the other boxes.
With the public interest in cannabis exploding, so is the number of Canadian seed banks!
However, few Canadian seed banks offer worldwide guaranteed delivery: Crop King Seeds does, which is worth knowing if you live outside of the country.
| Tip: Like to take the risk out of ordering cannabis seeds online? Check out the shortlist of the best seed banks with guaranteed delivery. |
Crop King Seeds
Crop King Seeds is our top choice as a breeder/seed bank. This famous Canadian seed bank has a funky vibe, in a good way! The online seed store allows for some fun browsing and we get an above-average amount of information for each strain. Their website is user-friendly and fun, with lots of variety and reviews to explore. Take a look at some of their most popular strains.
- From shipping to payment options, between the guaranteed delivery service and customer service in general, Crop King Seeds checks all the boxes.
- Crop King isn’t just one of the best Canadian seed banks to sell seeds, they create their own strains. What used to be a modest selection has grown into an impressive amount of strains.
- Awesome details that stand out on the website are the pleasant and easy-to-navigate layout as well as the detailed descriptions mentioning both THC and CBD percentages.
- Crop King Seeds even gives a germination guarantee. As long as the cup of water/paper towel method is used, they guarantee an 80% success rate. Here’s the method explained in detail, and how to contact the germination hotline.
Quebec Cannabis Seeds
While the branding and website of Quebec Cannabis Seeds are somewhat less visually pleasing, that’s not really the point here. The QCS website serves its purpose and as long as the seeds and the customer service are both on par, aesthetics are secondary.
It would be nice to have a shipping costs overview on display, as well as a clear statement on guaranteed delivery and returns. Details are not explained as thoroughly on the site, but questions via email are answered promptly.
And what can’t be said for certain other seed banks, Quebec Cannabis Seeds does extraordinarily well: resolve complaints or issues customers have. They have a spotless response rate on the independent review site Trustpilot, and an excellent score too.
That’s the thing – we all understand that logistics can hit a snag here or there. It’s a company’s handling of these hiccups that shows where they stand on customer service. At Quebec Cannabis Seeds, it is safe to say they care.
Special Mentions
True North Seed Bank: Negative
True North is a retailer seed bank, selling marijuana seeds from many different creators. True North Seed Bank used to be part of this list. After a few revisions over the years, we’ve taken them out completely.
Due to the sheer number of negative reviews all across the web and the complete lack of response to these complaints, it is hard to recommend True North over other online seed banks. On a personal front as well, they have failed to resolve an outstanding issue for us.
Doing business doesn’t need to be frustrating. Other companies can get it right, so why waste time with one that can’t?
Dr. Seeds: Positive
Dr. Seeds has a good-looking site with interesting strains and a minimalist vibe. Less-is-more usually means a visually appealing interface and a focus on what really matters content-wise.
Things well done by Dr. Seeds:
- The creative filters by which to narrow down a search for your perfect strains are an original touch.
- The – creative, again – approach to free seeds. Most places give one or more with a purchase, depending on the amount spent. Here you get free seeds in exchange for a review with pictures.
- So many choices when it comes to shipping, with costs ranging from $10 to over a hundred (Canadian) dollars.
| Tip: They’ve got single seeds for sale, which is hard to find. |
I received fast and helpful replies to my questions and am impressed by the speed of their communication, as well as by the overall picture of Dr. Seeds.
BC Bud Depot: Neutral
- Fewer payment options.
- Large amount of strains to choose from, from all sorts of different breeders.
- Seeds are generally somewhat cheaper and come in larger amounts, though often not feminized. Which – all things considered – doesn’t really make them any cheaper at all. Chances are high (no pun intended) that it is female plants you’re after, regardless of whether you want to grow medical cannabis or use it for recreational purposes. The fact is: regular seeds have their perks but not so much for a small-scale home grower.
- Very cheap worldwide shipping if you’re willing to forgo the guaranteed delivery.
The Canadian Seed Bank: Neutral
The Canadian Seed Bank has less information available for each strain. The customer service seems friendly and inviting though.
- Doesn’t take credit cards but accepts most other payment options.
- The Canadian Seed Bank guarantees the sprouting of their seeds and accepts returns.
- Sells regular cannabis seeds, not feminized.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this complete overview of the best Canadian seed banks has helped you to determine where to order your next treasures from.
It’s a lot of information and I bet you can’t wait to start growing already. Even if window- or rather screen-shopping can be fun, too.
These Canadian seed banks certainly do know how to entice us by showing stunning pictures of fat kolas… If you are a long-time cannabis enthusiast like I am, you probably can’t help but get excited at the prospect of growing those dank buds yourself.
That said, taking a minute to dive into the fine print of any given online seed bank before ordering is a good idea. It sure can help to avoid a less-than-positive experience, before the growing has even started.
F.A.Q.
Which is the best Canadian seed bank to choose when ordering from the USA?
Well, Crop King Seeds is our top pick for a reason; so that’s definitely a great option.
However, it should be said that the seed bank we personally order from isn’t actually Canadian. ILGM has given us such top-notch seeds and service that I wouldn’t soon stray from them.
Plus, their 10+10 free seeds sales are epic – you get so much bang for your buck, including all those guarantees, too. While we are affiliated with many seed banks, ILGM is an excellent place to shop and hard to beat for US residents.
What is the best way to pay for my seeds?
Money Orders
A money order is a widely accepted form of payment. The potential downside is that you need to physically go somewhere to have one processed. On the positive side, you do not need to provide bank account details or even have a checking account. Money Orders are considered safer and more secure than cash or checks. However, there is usually a fee and also an upper limit as to the maximum amount that can be transferred. (Often around $1000.)
Bank Transfers
A bank transfer can be done from the comfort of your home/couch. Obviously, it is never anonymous and always leaves a trace. It should be mentioned that most seed banks will show up on your statement as something unrelated to cannabis. If this is important to you, reaching out prior to placing an order is a good idea.
Credit Card / Debit Card Payment
Most online seed banks charge extra for using a card. The amount varies, as it is typically a percentage of the order total. Similar to the previous payment option, this one is not without a trace, though the name that shows up on record may be vague and non-telling.
Cryptocurrency
Cryptocurrency really is the best option to pay your dues, simply because many places give a discount on your order total for paying this way.
If only it weren’t so complicated and laborious to get set up. For those who aren’t already involved with crypto, navigating the system can be a serious hurdle. (I know it was for me!) All the more kudos to you crypto-savvy people out there.
Which Canadian seed banks have you tried?
Have you ordered from any of the Canadian seed banks mentioned here, or perhaps a different one? We’d love to hear about your experiences, good or bad!
