Abstract We compare the upper critical field of bulk single-crystalline samples of the two intrinsic transition metal dichalcogenide superconductors, 2H-NbSe₂ and 2H-NbS₂, in high magnetic fields where their layer structure is aligned strictly parallel and perpendicular to the field, using magnetic torque experiments and a high-precision piezo-rotary positioner. While both superconductors show that orbital effects still have a significant impact when the layer structure is aligned parallel to the field, the upper critical field of NbS₂ rises above the Pauli limiting field and forms a Fulde–Ferrell–Larkin–Ovchinnikov (FFLO) state, while orbital effects suppress superconductivity in NbSe₂ just below the Pauli limit, which excludes the formation of the FFLO state. From the out-of-plane anisotropies, the coherence length perpendicular to the layers of 31 Å in NbSe₂ is much larger than the interlayer distance, leading to a significant orbital effect suppressing superconductivity before the Pauli limit is reached, in contrast to the more 2D NbS₂.