Grassroots vs Rythm: Which Mid-Shelf Flower Brand?
Curaleaf's value indica line versus GTI's everyday eighth — scores, prices, states and who should pick which.
Pick Rythm if you want the wider mid-shelf default: our score 83 vs Grassroots 79, availability 90 vs 82, and five states (IL, MA, NJ, OH, MD) against Grassroots' four (IL, NV, MD, MO). Pick Grassroots if you want value indica flower — our Northern Lights eighth is about $35 vs about $40 for Rythm Sour Diesel. Both are MSO house brands (Curaleaf vs GTI). herbyBud researches and tracks these brands; we have not lab-tested them.
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Key Takeaways
- Our scores: Rythm 83, Grassroots 79. Rythm leads on quality (78 vs 75) and availability (90 vs 82); both score 84 on value.
- Rythm reaches more states. Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio and Maryland vs Grassroots in Illinois, Nevada, Maryland and Missouri.
- Catalog price: Grassroots is cheaper. Northern Lights ~$35 vs Rythm Sour Diesel ~$40 for a 3.5g eighth.
- Different parents. Grassroots is a Curaleaf brand (grassrootscannabis.com); Rythm is GTI's flagship flower line.
- Rythm also sells pre-rolls at scale. BDSA puts Rythm at about $60M in trailing pre-roll sales, #5 nationally (BDSA).
Grassroots and Rythm sit on the same mid-shelf in Illinois and Maryland: dependable eighths, classic strains, MSO distribution. Shoppers searching "Grassroots vs Rythm" usually want to know which jar to grab when both are on the menu.
We compared them using each brand's published footprint, our brand and product scores, catalog price anchors and (for Rythm) BDSA pre-roll sales. Flavor and "effects" language below sticks to what the brands and our catalog already publish — no medical claims. herbyBud researches and tracks these products; we have not lab-tested them. Checked 2026-10-12.
Grassroots vs Rythm side by side
| Grassroots | Rythm | |
|---|---|---|
| Parent | Curaleaf (per brand site) | Green Thumb Industries (GTI) |
| Founded | 2014 | 2017 |
| HQ | Illinois | Illinois |
| Our brand score | 79 | 83 |
| Quality / consistency / value / availability | 75 / 78 / 84 / 82 | 78 / 82 / 84 / 90 |
| Categories we track | Flower, pre-rolls | Flower |
| States we list | IL, NV, MD, MO | IL, MA, NJ, OH, MD |
| Catalog eighth | Northern Lights ~$35 | Sour Diesel ~$40 |
| Pre-roll sales (BDSA TTM) | Not in BDSA top 10 | ~$60M (#5) |
| Verdict (ours) | Value indica sleep eighth | Dependable everyday mid-shelf |
Sources: our Grassroots and Rythm brand profiles; grassrootscannabis.com; BDSA pre-roll trends. Scores follow the 8020 methodology.
Scores and positioning
Rythm edges Grassroots overall (83 vs 79) because of higher quality (78 vs 75), consistency (82 vs 78) and availability (90 vs 82). Value is a dead heat at 84 for both.
That matches how we describe them on the brand pages: Rythm is the "dependable everyday eighth" you can find almost anywhere it sells; Grassroots is the "no-nonsense value" indica pick. Headset named Rythm among 2025's top national category leaders (Flowhub citing Headset). For the wider share picture, see cannabis brand market share statistics.
Price
Neither brand publishes one national eighth price. Our catalog anchors:
| Product | Size | Price | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grassroots Northern Lights | 3.5g | ~$35 | 79 |
| Rythm Sour Diesel | 3.5g | ~$40 | 82 |
| U.S. average eighth (all brands) | 3.5g | $20.23 (Sep 2026) | — |
Headset's September 2026 average eighth was $20.23 across tracked markets (cannabis prices). Grassroots' catalog eighth sits closer to that average; Rythm's sits above it. Shelf prices move with state taxes and deals — compare on your dispensary's live menu. Strain-level roundups: best Grassroots strains and best Rythm strains.
Where they are sold
Overlap: Illinois and Maryland stock both brands in our data, so that is where head-to-head shopping is most common.
Grassroots-only in our list: Nevada and Missouri.
Rythm-only in our list: Massachusetts, New Jersey and Ohio.
Rythm's five-state East-and-Midwest spread matches GTI's operating footprint; Grassroots' four-state list reflects Curaleaf's placement for this line. Use each brand's store locator for current shops (Grassroots find-us, Rythm strain / finder pages on rythm.com).
Lineups
Grassroots leans classic indica genetics and value flower. The brand features Birthday Cake, Garlic Cookies, Ray Charles, MAC, Aces High and Bubba Diagonal on grassrootscannabis.com; our scored eighth is Northern Lights. It also sells pre-rolls in our category map.
Rythm focuses on dependable, recognizable flower strains rather than hype cultivars. Sour Diesel is our catalog example — a classic fuel-forward sativa that typifies the clean, no-nonsense lineup. BDSA also counts Rythm among the top U.S. pre-roll brands at about $60 million trailing twelve months, with sister GTI brand Dogwalkers at $105M (BDSA). For category context, see cannabis pre-roll statistics.
Catalog picks
The Grassroots and Rythm eighths we score and price.
Who should pick which
Choose Rythm if you want the wider-stocked mid-shelf default, care about availability in MA / NJ / OH, or prefer a sativa-leaning classic like Sour Diesel. Rythm scores 90 on availability and 83 overall.
Choose Grassroots if you want a cheaper catalog eighth (~$35), prefer indica / sleep-oriented flower, or shop Nevada or Missouri where Rythm is not on our list. Grassroots scores 84 on value.
Either way, buy from a state-licensed dispensary and read the batch certificate of analysis. Density and trim vary batch to batch on both brands — that is already reflected in our cons.
Frequently asked questions
Is Grassroots or Rythm better?
It depends what you optimize for. Our scores favor Rythm (83 vs 79) on quality and availability. Grassroots wins on catalog price (~$35 vs ~$40 for our tracked eighths) and indica-leaning value flower.
Are Grassroots and Rythm the same company?
No. Grassroots is a Curaleaf brand (per grassrootscannabis.com). Rythm is the flagship flower line of Green Thumb Industries (GTI). They compete on the mid-shelf in overlapping states such as Illinois and Maryland.
Which is cheaper, Grassroots or Rythm?
Grassroots, on our catalog anchors: Northern Lights about $35 versus about $40 for Rythm Sour Diesel (both 3.5g). Headset’s national average eighth was $20.23 in September 2026.
Where are Grassroots and Rythm sold?
In our brand data, Grassroots: Illinois, Nevada, Maryland, Missouri. Rythm: Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, Maryland. Check each brand’s store locator for current shops.
Does Rythm sell pre-rolls?
Yes. BDSA ranks Rythm about $60M in trailing U.S. pre-roll sales (#5 nationally), behind Jeeter, STIIIZY, Dogwalkers and Cali Blaze. Grassroots also sells pre-rolls in our category map but is not in that BDSA top 10.