Decanting Potions for Profit in OSRS — how it works

Decanting is one of the cleanest "conversion" flips in the game: potions of the same type but different dose sizes often trade at different prices per dose, and decanting between sizes is free and lossless — so the gap is pure profit.

Where and how to decant

• Zahur in Nardah — decants any potions (noted or unnoted) into any dose, free.
• Bob Barter at the Grand Exchange — same service, but members only, super convenient since you're already at the GE.
• The only cost is 5 gp per missing vial when you split down to a smaller dose (because you end up with more potions than you started). Splitting up is free.

Why it's lossless

Doses always carry over. Combining a 3-dose with a 1-dose gives a 4-dose and an empty vial; three 4-dose potions (12 doses) become four 3-dose potions, and so on. Nothing is lost — only the packaging changes. That's what makes the flip work.

The flip

1. Find a potion whose dose sizes trade at different prices per dose (e.g. the 3-dose is cheap per dose but the 4-dose is rich per dose).
2. Buy the cheapest-per-dose size on the GE.
3. Decant to the richest-per-dose size at Zahur or Bob Barter.
4. Sell, keeping the gap minus the 2% Grand Exchange tax on the sale (and the tiny vial fee if you split down).

Honest caveats

• Per-potion margins are small; the money is in volume, which is limited by buy limits and your decanting time.
• Big "margins" on low-volume potions are usually stale prices that won't actually fill — favour liquid potions (the live board filters for this).
• It's a manual activity. Never automate the Grand Exchange or decanting — it breaks Jagex's rules.

Not affiliated with Jagex; not financial advice. Mechanics can change with updates — check the current in-game decanting service.