Similac and Enfamil both make infant formula that meets the same FDA nutrient and safety standard, and neither brand comes out “better” once you look past the logo on the can. Almost every product line from one brand has a counterpart from the other, built for the same situation: everyday feeding, fussiness and gas, cow’s milk protein allergy, or frequent spit-up. The useful comparison is between the two products that match your baby, not between the two companies. Below, we line up the matching pairs first, then walk through what differs inside each one.
The lineup, side by side
Treat this as a lookup table. Find the row that matches what’s going on with your baby right now, then follow the Compare link for the full side-by-side or the product links for each formula’s page.
| Need | Similac | Enfamil | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Everyday | 360 Total Care | NeuroPro Infant | Compare |
| Fussiness and gas | Sensitive | Gentlease | Compare |
| Cow’s milk protein allergy | Alimentum | Nutramigen | Compare |
| Frequent spit-up | Hard to find in stock | Enfamil A.R. | Reflux guide |
One more Similac product that doesn’t fit the table: Similac Irish Farms, formerly sold as Pure Bliss, is a lactose-based formula made in Ireland with no direct Enfamil equivalent.
Everyday formula: 360 Total Care vs. NeuroPro Infant
Both are standard formulas for healthy babies with no special digestive or allergy needs, and both use intact cow’s milk protein (whey protein concentrate) rather than hydrolyzed protein. Both also use lactose as their only carbohydrate, so neither one has corn syrup in it. This is the pair most parents mean when they search “Similac vs. Enfamil”: no diagnosed issue, just which everyday formula to buy.
The differences are in what’s layered on top. Similac 360 Total Care includes five HMOs (2’-FL, LNT, 3-FL, 6’-SL, 3’-SL), the largest HMO blend of any everyday formula in our catalog, and no MFGM. Enfamil NeuroPro Infant includes one HMO (2’-FL) plus a GOS and PDX prebiotic blend, and adds MFGM (milk fat globule membrane), a component naturally found in breast milk that Enfamil markets as supporting cognitive development. Similac 360 Total Care is palm-oil-free, which the brand ties to softer stools and better calcium absorption; NeuroPro Infant lists palm olein oil among its fats. Both provide 1.8 mg of iron per 100 kcal. Neither one is soy-free: both list soy oil and soy lecithin among the ingredients, which matters if you’re watching for a soy allergy alongside cow’s milk protein allergy.
Fussiness and gas: Sensitive vs. Gentlease
These two get compared constantly, but they solve the problem from different directions. Similac Sensitive uses milk protein isolate, still an intact protein, and cuts back on lactose to ease lactose-related fussiness and gas; its carbohydrate blend is corn syrup and sugar. Enfamil Gentlease takes a different route: partially hydrolyzed whey and nonfat milk proteins, broken into smaller pieces so they’re easier to digest, with corn syrup solids as the main carbohydrate and only a fraction of the lactose found in a standard formula. Gentlease’s own data describes it as clinically shown to ease fussiness, gas, and crying within 24 hours; Sensitive’s data describes its OptiGRO blend (DHA, lutein, vitamin E) rather than a time-to-relief claim.
Neither formula lists an added HMO. Similac Sensitive is palm-oil-free; Gentlease contains palm olein oil. Iron matches again at 1.8 mg per 100 kcal for both. Neither is meant for a diagnosed milk allergy: Sensitive is built around lactose sensitivity, not protein allergy, and Gentlease’s partial hydrolysis is milder than what a true cow’s milk protein allergy needs. If gas and fussiness don’t improve on either one, that’s a sign to move to the allergy tier below with your pediatrician, not to try more “gentle” formulas on your own.
Cow’s milk protein allergy: Alimentum vs. Nutramigen
Both are extensively hydrolyzed formulas built for a diagnosed cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA). In each one, the casein protein is broken down small enough that most allergic babies stop reacting to it, and both brands describe fast relief from allergy-related colic: Similac says Alimentum can start easing symptoms within 24 hours, Enfamil says Nutramigen can manage CMPA-related colic within about 48 hours. Similac Alimentum adds 2’-FL, an HMO; Enfamil Nutramigen instead adds the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus (LGG), which its data ties to helping babies build tolerance to cow’s milk over time.
Both are lactose-free: Alimentum’s carbohydrate blend is corn maltodextrin and sugar, Nutramigen’s is corn syrup solids and modified corn starch. Alimentum is palm-oil-free; Nutramigen contains palm olein oil. Iron lines up at 1.8 mg per 100 kcal for both. Both also have a well-known drawback that’s part of how extensively hydrolyzed formula works: a distinct smell and taste that some babies resist at first. Nutramigen’s data also notes that stools can turn frequent and greenish on it, which is normal for this formula type, not a red flag on its own.
In this row, “which is better” is your pediatrician’s call. CMPA is a medical diagnosis, so ask which of the two, or whether something else entirely, fits your baby.
Frequent spit-up: mostly an Enfamil answer right now
As of September 2026, Similac’s rice-starch anti-spit-up formula is hard to find in stock, so there isn’t a clean Similac pick to put next to Enfamil A.R. here. Enfamil A.R. adds rice starch to a standard cow’s milk base. The starch flows fine through a normal nipple but thickens once it’s in the stomach, which is the mechanism behind its spit-up claim. It contains palm olein oil, a mixed carbohydrate blend of rice starch, lactose, and maltodextrin, and iron at 1.8 mg per 100 kcal. For more on this category, see our guide to reflux formula.
Switching between Similac and Enfamil
For a healthy term baby, moving between standard product pairs, say 360 Total Care and NeuroPro Infant, or between the two fussiness-and-gas options, is usually a straightforward swap. A can is out of stock, a coupon runs out, or you want to try the other brand’s version of “gentle.” None of that needs a medical reason. Watch stool, gas, and general comfort for a few days and adjust from there. Our guide to switching formula safely walks through a slower transition schedule if your baby tends to react to change, plus when powder isn’t the safer choice for a younger or higher-risk baby.
The allergy tier is the exception. Moving into, out of, or between Alimentum and Nutramigen should go through your pediatrician, not a shelf decision, since it usually means confirming or ruling out CMPA rather than just comparing labels.
Which brand is cheaper?
We don’t put prices on this page. Formula prices move week to week and retailers run different promotions on the same can, so any figure here would go stale fast. The pair pages linked above show per-ounce pricing for each matchup from the same retailers, updated when we re-verify the entries.
Our take
Similac and Enfamil compete product by product, and neither one wins across the board. Match the row above to your baby’s situation (everyday, fussiness, allergy, or spit-up), then use the product pages and comparisons rather than brand loyalty to choose. If no row fits, or the symptoms go beyond ordinary fussiness, ask your pediatrician before choosing a formula.