This is a data comparison guide -- not a "what is quality" explainer. Use the tables below to decide whether quality upgrades are worth the extra time and cost. For the base profit figures without quality adjustments, see the recipe profit rankings.
Quality Tier Reference
Cross-referenced from Fandom Wiki Quality page, TheGamer quality guide, Steam Community pricing guide, and r/Schedule_I community testing.
| Quality Tier | Icon | Sell Price Multiplier | How To Achieve | Extra Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | None (default) | 1.4x | Use PGR or Speed Grow | None (baseline) |
| Premium | Purple star | 1.5x | Use Fertilizer only (no PGR/Speed Grow) | Requires drying rack |
| Heavenly | Gold star | 1.6x | Fertilizer + Drying Rack processing | Requires drying rack + Botanist |
Source: TheGamer "Best Quality Types" guide confirms Premium requires Fertilizer only (no Speed Grow or PGR). Fandom Wiki Quality page confirms Heavenly requires drying rack processing. Scaling quality production requires automation — the Barn vs Warehouse ROI comparison shows at what setup quality upgrades become profitable.
Profit Comparison By Quality
Base assumption: OG Kush 4-mix ($170 suggested price, 4 units per harvest).
| Quality | Sell Price (per unit) | Gross Per Harvest | Cost to Achieve | Net Per Harvest | Extra Profit vs Standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | $238 (1.4x) | $952 | $0 (baseline) | ~$900 | $0 |
| Premium | $255 (1.5x) | $1,020 | Fertilizer (~$50) + drying rack time | ~$930 | +$30 |
| Heavenly | $272 (1.6x) | $1,088 | Fertilizer ($50) + drying rack ($300) + Botanist ($200/day) | ~$738 | -$162 (net loss without scale) |
Quality Impact By Product Type
Different product types benefit differently from quality upgrades.
| Product Type | Standard Price (1.4x) | Premium Price (1.5x) | Heavenly Price (1.6x) | Quality Sensitivity | Best Quality Choice |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OG Kush 4-mix ($170) | $238 | $255 | $272 | Medium | Premium (best value) |
| Green Crack 4-mix ($160) | $224 | $240 | $256 | Medium | Premium |
| Cocaine 4-mix ($200) | $280 | $300 | $320 | High | Premium or above |
| Cocaine 8-mix ($625) | $875 | $938 | $1,000 | High | Heavenly (scale justifies) |
| Meth 2-mix ($100) | $140 | $150 | $160 | Low | Standard (quality not worth effort) |
| Crystal 6-mix ($375) | $525 | $563 | $600 | Medium | Premium |
| Custom Strain ($150) | $210 | $225 | $240 | Medium | Premium |
Cocaine is the most quality-sensitive product in the game. Going from Standard to Premium on Cocaine 8-mix adds $63 per unit in sell price. At 8 units per harvest, that's $504 extra per cycle -- easily worth the fertilizer investment. Meth is the least quality-sensitive -- the $10-20 extra per unit barely covers fertilizer cost.
Growing Conditions Guide
How each condition affects quality:
| Condition | Effect On Quality | Effect On Yield | Effect On Growth Time | Recommended For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fertilizer only | +1 tier (Standard -> Premium) | Normal | Normal | Premium quality |
| Fertilizer + Drying Rack | +2 tiers (Standard -> Heavenly) | Normal | +1 day drying time | Heavenly (large scale) |
| Speed Grow only | No change | Normal | -30% growth time | Fast production (Standard quality) |
| PGR only | -1 tier (-> Standard if Premium base) | +50% yield | Normal | Maximum volume (low quality) |
| Fertilizer + PGR | No change (cancel out) | +50% yield | Normal | Balanced (Standard quality, high yield) |
| Fertilizer + Speed Grow | No change (cancel out) | Normal | -30% growth time | Fast Premium (if you can get both) |
Source: Steam Community complete walkthrough guide (March 2025) and Fandom Wiki Quality page.
Quality Decision Matrix
| Your Situation | Recommended Quality | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Early game (4 pots), need cash fast | Standard | Quality upgrades cost more than they return at small scale |
| Mid game (8 pots), Bungalow with Botanist | Premium | Fertilizer is cheap ($50), drying rack is optional |
| Late game (Barn, 16+ pots), full automation | Premium on weed, Heavenly on cocaine | Scale amortizes drying rack cost |
| Selling to customers directly | Premium | Higher quality = more customer unlocks, better repeat rates |
| Supplying dealers | Standard or Premium | Dealers don't benefit from quality as much as direct sales |
| Need to unlock a specific customer | Heavenly | The extra 5-6% unlock chance can be worth it for rare customers |
Practical Example
You have a Barn with 20 pots, running Cocaine 8-mix ($625 base). Your Botanist is already hired ($200/day).
Standard quality (no fertilizer):
- 20 units x $875 = $17,500 gross
- $17,500 - $200 (Botanist wage) = $17,300 net
Premium quality (fertilizer on all 20):
- 20 units x $938 = $18,760 gross
- $18,760 - $200 (Botanist) - $50 (fertilizer) = $18,510 net
Heavenly quality (fertilizer + drying rack, 1 day delay):
- 20 units x $1,000 = $20,000 gross
- $20,000 - $200 (Botanist) - $50 (fertilizer) - $300 (drying rack amortized) = $19,450 net
Decision: Go Premium. It adds $1,210 per harvest vs Standard with minimal effort (just apply fertilizer). Heavenly adds another $940 but requires the drying rack purchase ($300) and delays harvest by a day. At Barn scale, the drying rack pays for itself in about 3 harvests.
Community Questions About Quality
From r/Schedule_I discussions (various threads):
Q: Does quality matter for dealer sales? A: Dealers don't see a significant difference in buyer behavior based on quality. The standard pricing rule applies: dealers sell at the price you set. Quality mainly affects direct customer sales and customer unlock rates.
Q: What's the point of Heavenly quality? A: "Currently the highest required quality is Premium, so there's no real point in Heavenly unless you want the extra 5-6% chance to get a new customer." (Steam Community discussion, April 2025). Heavenly is mainly for completionists and min-maxers.
Q: Is fertilizer worth the investment? A: Yes, at medium-to-large scale. Fertilizer costs $50 and adds roughly 7% to your sell price. At 10+ units per harvest, that's $100-300 extra revenue for a $50 investment. (r/Schedule_I "Is fertilizer worth it" thread)
For detailed strain pricing, see Best Strain By Game Stage.
Related Guides
- Best Strain By Game Stage -- what to grow at each quality tier
- 10 Common Schedule I Mistakes -- avoid the quality traps
- Manual vs Automation ROI Comparison -- automation + quality = max profit
- Top 10 Community Custom Strains By Profit -- highest value strains to apply quality to
- Bungalow Setup -- how quality settings interact with property automation
- Profit Rankings -- baseline profit without quality to compare against
- Barn and Warehouse -- quality scaling at Barn/Warehouse automation scale
Community Verification & Resources
Data values may shift with patches. Cross-check against community resources before building your strategy.