VSV was more expensive...I was dosing at a rate of 10ml/100gal/day. Even with the cheapest stuff I could find. As for Ultralith my dosing rate has slowed to every second day and the results are much better. I am sure this is true for zeo. Note you don't have to use all of Ultra or Zeo products to have a nice tank

Does Ultralith sell a starter kit of some kind? What size reactor are you using? My tank is a 90 with a 35 Gal sump. Probably a 50/50 split SPS and LPS.

I have read alot but never done VSV but the cost is cheap.
Vodka - Sugar - Vinegar. The reciepe is 200ml of vodka, 1.5 tablespoons sugar and 50ml vinegar. 200 ml of vodka is under $5 and 50ml vinegar is nothing so I don't see how VSV is costing you any more that $5 for 25 days.
250ml/10ml a day = 25 days.

Then once your nitrates drop you start reducing to a maintenance dose of 1-2 ml per day for a 100G tank. At 2ml per day 250 ml of VSV will last over 4 months for approx $5.
Glassbox Designs has a good starting point article on VSV.

Yes they do have a starters kit as does Zeo. I think Red Coral carries both. My reactor is 1.5 l but you can get away with just hanging the zeo rock in the sump or a Phosban reactor. Just gotta to shake every other day.

Go to tank journals and search for ultralith....you find my thread there

Wow, 10ml/100gal/day seems a lot.
For my 45G, I am now dosing 0.25ml daily as maintenance dose.