Similac 360 Total Care vs Gerber GoodStart GentlePro (2026): Which Formula Is Better?
A premium standard formula vs a gentle formula with broken-down protein. Similac 360 Total Care is Abbott's flagship with no palm oil and full lactose, while Gerber GentlePro uses partially hydrolyzed whey and probiotics for easier digestion. The right choice depends entirely on your baby's stomach.
By TeachToddler Editorial Team · Updated April 11, 2026 · Formula Comparison
🍼 Quick Snapshot: Similac 360 vs Gerber GentlePro
These formulas represent two different philosophies. Similac 360 Total Care is designed as a premium standard formula for babies who digest well — it focuses on ingredient quality with no palm oil, full lactose, and a strong nutrient blend. Gerber GentlePro is designed for babies who need extra digestive support, using partially hydrolyzed protein and a probiotic.
- Similac 360 Total Care: ~$35 per 23.2 oz tub. Intact nonfat milk protein + whey protein concentrate. No palm olein oil. Full lactose carbohydrate. HMO blend + DHA + lutein + vitamin E.
- Gerber GoodStart GentlePro: ~$28 per 20 oz tub. 100% partially hydrolyzed whey protein (comfort proteins). Contains palm olein oil. Lactose + corn maltodextrin. HMO + DHA + probiotic L. reuteri.
- Price per ounce: Similac 360 = ~$1.51/oz. Gerber GentlePro = ~$1.40/oz. Similac costs slightly more but the tub is larger, so per-feeding cost is close.
- Core difference: Similac 360 uses whole, intact protein for full-spectrum nutrition. Gerber GentlePro breaks protein into smaller pieces for easier digestion.
✨ Similac 360 Total Care: What Sets It Apart
Similac 360 Total Care is Abbott's top-tier standard infant formula. Its key selling points are the no-palm-oil fat blend and its comprehensive HMO + nutrient package. It is designed for healthy babies who tolerate standard formula without issues.
- No palm olein oil: Similac uses high-oleic safflower oil, soy oil, and coconut oil. Clinical studies show that removing palm olein oil results in softer stools and better calcium absorption. This matters for babies prone to hard stools or constipation.
- Full lactose: Lactose is the sole carbohydrate source, matching breast milk. Some other formulas replace part of the lactose with corn maltodextrin or corn syrup solids, which changes the sweetness profile and glycemic impact.
- Intact protein: Nonfat milk and whey protein concentrate are left whole. This provides the full amino acid profile in its natural form but can be harder to digest for sensitive babies since intact casein forms firmer curds in the stomach.
- HMO blend: Contains 2'-FL HMO for prebiotic immune support. Similac prominently markets this as mimicking the immune protection of breast milk.
- Lutein: An antioxidant carotenoid found in breast milk that supports eye and brain development. Not all formulas include lutein — this is a genuine differentiator for Similac.
- DHA and ARA: Added at levels designed to support brain and eye development through the first year.
🌿 Gerber GoodStart GentlePro: What Sets It Apart
Gerber GentlePro is designed for babies who experience mild digestive discomfort on standard formula. Its partially hydrolyzed protein and probiotic work together to reduce gas, fussiness, and crying.
- 100% partially hydrolyzed whey: All the protein comes from whey that has been enzymatically broken into smaller peptides. These form a softer, more liquid curd in the stomach that is faster and easier to digest. This is Gerber's "Comfort Proteins" technology.
- Probiotic L. reuteri: The strain L. reuteri DSM 17938 has been shown in clinical trials to reduce crying time in colicky infants and support a healthy gut microbiome. It is the most clinically studied probiotic in infant nutrition.
- 2'-FL HMO: Same human milk oligosaccharide as Similac 360, providing prebiotic support for immune development. Combined with the probiotic, this creates a synbiotic (prebiotic + probiotic) effect.
- Carbohydrate mix: Lactose plus corn maltodextrin. The partial lactose replacement slightly reduces the lactose load for babies who may be mildly sensitive to high-lactose formulas.
- Fat blend: Includes palm olein, soy, coconut, and high-oleic safflower oils. The palm olein is the main ingredient-quality difference compared to Similac 360.
The Core Trade-Off: Similac 360 Total Care has the cleaner ingredient profile — no palm oil, full lactose, and added lutein. But it uses intact protein that can cause gas and fussiness in sensitive babies. Gerber GentlePro sacrifices some ingredient elegance (palm oil, maltodextrin) to deliver a formula that is genuinely easier on immature digestive systems. Choose based on your baby's gut, not the ingredient label alone.
⚖️ Head-to-Head Comparison
Here is how these two formulas compare across the categories parents care about most.
- Digestibility: Gerber GentlePro wins clearly. Partially hydrolyzed whey plus a probiotic is purpose-built for easier digestion. Similac 360's intact protein is harder to break down.
- Ingredient quality: Similac 360 wins. No palm oil, full lactose, added lutein. Gerber uses palm olein oil and corn maltodextrin.
- Stool quality: Similac 360 tends to produce softer stools due to the no-palm-oil formula. Gerber GentlePro's hydrolyzed protein can produce looser, sometimes greenish stools — which is normal and not harmful.
- Gut health support: Gerber GentlePro wins. Probiotic L. reuteri + HMO prebiotic is a stronger combo than Similac 360's HMO alone.
- Price: Gerber GentlePro is cheaper at ~$28/20 oz vs ~$35/23.2 oz. Per-ounce cost is close (~$1.40 vs ~$1.51), but the total annual cost difference still favors Gerber by roughly $100–$150.
- Taste: Similac 360 tastes milder and sweeter due to full lactose and intact protein. Gerber GentlePro can taste slightly bitter from the hydrolyzed protein. Most babies started on it from birth don't notice.
- Eye development: Similac 360 wins with added lutein, an ingredient specifically supporting visual development that Gerber GentlePro does not include.
✅ Which Formula Should You Choose?
Match the formula to your baby's specific digestive profile.
- Choose Similac 360 Total Care if: Your baby digests standard formula without gas, fussiness, or excessive spit-up. You want the cleanest ingredient list possible (no palm oil, full lactose). Your baby tends toward hard stools and you want to avoid palm olein.
- Choose Gerber GoodStart GentlePro if: Your baby is gassy, fussy, or uncomfortable on standard formula. You want a formula with both a probiotic and a prebiotic for gut health. Budget matters — GentlePro offers strong nutrition at a lower price point.
- Starting your first formula: If your baby has never been on formula before and you are not sure how their stomach will handle it, Gerber GentlePro is the safer starting bet. It is gentler from day one and costs less. You can always "upgrade" to Similac 360 if your baby's digestion is great and you prefer its ingredient profile.
- If neither works: Persistent symptoms on both formulas may indicate a sensitivity that requires a specialty formula. Talk to your pediatrician about options like Gerber SoothePro (for colic), Similac 360 Total Care Sensitive (for lactose sensitivity), or a hypoallergenic formula if allergy is suspected.
📋 Ingredient Highlights Side by Side
A detailed look at the specific ingredient differences between these two popular formulas.
- Protein: Similac 360 — intact nonfat milk + whey protein concentrate. Gerber GentlePro — 100% partially hydrolyzed whey protein.
- Carbohydrate: Similac 360 — lactose only. Gerber GentlePro — lactose + corn maltodextrin.
- Fat: Similac 360 — high-oleic safflower, soy, coconut oils (no palm olein). Gerber GentlePro — palm olein, soy, coconut, high-oleic safflower oils.
- Probiotic: Similac 360 — none. Gerber GentlePro — L. reuteri DSM 17938.
- HMO: Both contain 2'-FL HMO.
- Lutein: Similac 360 — yes. Gerber GentlePro — no.
- DHA/ARA: Both include DHA and ARA from algal and fungal oil sources for brain and eye development.