Is the over-the-counter one weaker?

It is a different molecule at its own approved strength, not a diluted version of the other. Adapalene 0.1 percent is the strength that was approved for sale without a prescription; a 0.3 percent adapalene remains prescription only.

Which should someone start with?

The labels do not answer that and neither does this page. They were approved separately, on separate evidence, and they are not compared against each other in either document.

Comparison

Tretinoin vs adapalene

Retin-A Micro

TRETINOIN

Approved for skin

Bausch Health US LLCLabel version 23, effective 1 September 2025

Differin gel

ADAPALENE

Approved for skin

Galderma Laboratories, L.P.Label version 10, effective 7 December 2022

Each stripe is one section of the label, each division in a stripe one entry in that section.

Tretinoin and adapalene are both retinoids approved for acne. The practical difference is not chemistry but access: adapalene is sold over the counter under a Drug Facts label, tretinoin is prescription only with full prescribing information.

Side by side, straight from the labels

From the FDA label

This table is generated from the two source labels, not typed out by hand, so it cannot drift from what the regulator approved.

Label section	Retin-A MicroTRETINOIN	Differin gelADAPALENE
Active ingredient	TretinoinTopical retinoid	AdapaleneTopical retinoid
Supply	Prescription	Over the counter
What pharmacies payAcquisition cost, not retail	$1.02 per gram, generic	$11.27 per gram, brand
Boxed warning	None	None
What the FDA approved it for	RETIN-A MICRO ® is indicated for the topical treatment of acne vulgaris in adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older. RETIN-A MICRO is a retinoid indicated for the topical treatment of acne vulgaris in adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older.	acne treatment For the treatment of acne
Forms and strengths	0.1% (1 mg of tretinoin per gram). Gel: 0.04%, 0.06%, 0.08%, and 0.1%	Active ingredient Adapalene 0.1% (retinoid)* *read consumer information leaflet
How the label says it is taken	For topical use only. Not for oral, ophthalmic, or intravaginal use. Keep away from eyes, mouth, paranasal creases of the nose, and mucous membranes. Apply a thin layer of RETIN-A MICRO to skin where acne lesions appear (cover the entire affected area) (0.04%, 0.06%, 0.08%, or 0.1%) once daily in the evening.	use once daily clean the skin gently and pat dry before applying the product cover the entire affected area with a thin layer. For example, if your acne is on the face, apply the product to the entire face. do not use more than one time a day. Applying more than directed will not provide faster or better results, but may worsen skin irritation.
Most common adverse reactions	Most common adverse reactions were skin irritation, skin burning, erythema, peeling, dryness, itching, and dermatitis.	you become pregnant, or are planning to become pregnant, while using the product you have symptoms of an allergic reaction (such as itching, rash, hives, swelling of the lips, eyelids, and shortness of breath) irritation becomes severe you see no improvement after 3 months of once daily use
Warnings and precautions	Local Skin Irritation: RETIN-A MICRO can cause local skin irritation, including excessive dryness, redness, swelling, peeling, itching, blistering, burning, or stinging Initial Worsening of Inflammatory Acne Vulgaris: During the early weeks of RETIN-A MICRO treatment, an apparent exacerbation of inflammatory lesions may occur. If RETIN-A MICRO is tolerated, this should not be considered a reason to discontinue therapy. Photosensitivity: RETIN-A MICRO can cause photosensitivity. Advise patients to avoid or minimize unnecessary exposure to UV light, including sunlight and sunlamps. Advise patients to use sunscreen (SPF ≥15) and sun-protective clothing if UV light exposure cannot be avoided. Avoid use on sunburn skin.	limit sun exposure, including light from tanning beds, and use sunscreen when going outdoors do not wax to remove hair in areas where the product has been applied during the early weeks of use, your acne may appear to worsen before it improves (this is normal); continue using as directed, unless you get irritation that becomes severe irritation (redness, itching, dryness, burning) is more likely to occur: in the first few weeks of use if using more than one topical acne medication at a time but irritation usually lessens with continued use of this product it may take up to 3 months of once daily use to see results avoid product contact with eyes, lips, and mouth. If contact occurs, immediately flush the area with water. wash hands after use
Contraindications	None. The label states that there are no contraindications.	on damaged skin (cuts, abrasions, eczema, sunburn) if you are allergic to adapalene or any of the ingredients in this product.
Label version	1 September 2025	7 December 2022

Different kinds of document

Written by us

These two are not documented in the same way. Tretinoin has prescribing information written for a clinician: contraindications, warnings and precautions, drug interactions. Adapalene has a Drug Facts label written for whoever picks the tube off the shelf: what it is for, how to use it, when to stop.

That difference runs through this whole comparison. A shorter label is not a safer medication, it is a differently regulated one.

Both say the same thing about how to apply

Written by us

Both labels describe once daily application of a thin layer to the whole affected area rather than to individual spots. The adapalene label adds that using it more than once a day will not work faster or better and may make irritation worse.

Neither label claims a mechanism

Written by us

The tretinoin label states that the mechanism of action in acne is unknown and offers what current evidence suggests. The adapalene Drug Facts label does not discuss mechanism at all. Two approved retinoids, and neither document claims to explain itself fully.

Common questions

Written by us

Is the over-the-counter one weaker?: It is a different molecule at its own approved strength, not a diluted version of the other. Adapalene 0.1 percent is the strength that was approved for sale without a prescription; a 0.3 percent adapalene remains prescription only.
Which should someone start with?: The labels do not answer that and neither does this page. They were approved separately, on separate evidence, and they are not compared against each other in either document.

Sources

Every fact above comes from one of these documents. The date is the effective date of the label version this page was built from.

FDA prescribing information for Retin-A Micro
Bausch Health US LLC. Label version 23, effective 1 September 2025.
Full label on DailyMed Approval record NDA020475
FDA prescribing information for Differin gel
Galderma Laboratories, L.P.. Label version 10, effective 7 December 2022.
Full label on DailyMed Approval record NDA020380

Other comparisons in this category

Page last updated: 5 August 2026

Compiled by the HealthyStudy editorial team from FDA source documents. No medical reviewer is credited on this page, because none reviewed it.