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Creatine from Thorne and Klean Athlete come in as the best creatine supplements. Nutricost is a solid alternative at a lower price. See what else we recommend.
Creatine is one of the most popular sports supplements on the market due to its impressive benefits for energy, performance, and strength.
The best creatine products contain the most effective form of creatine and come from brands that ensure the greatest purity in their manufacturing and testing practices. The products on our list meet those criteria, offering the most impact and value for your money.
Prices for creatine supplements generally range from $0.10–$3.13 per serving or $8.21–$56.37 per tub, package, or bottle. This range is represented in the article by the following:
Thorne Research is a company focused on producing high quality, sustainably sourced supplements.
Thorne Creatine earns our pick as the best overall, thanks to its affordable price, use of high quality creatine monohydrate, and NSF Certified for Sport designation, which means it has undergone third-party testing to ensure that it’s free of harmful contaminants and specific substances that are banned for athletes.
It’s also free of:
With 5 g of creatine monohydrate per serving, our runner-up for the best creatine supplement by Klean Athlete is ideal for those seeking a simple yet high quality creatine supplement.
Like most other Klean Athlete products, Klean Creatine is NSF Certified for Sport to ensure that it meets strict quality standards.
It’s unflavored and can be easily mixed into:
Available in a variety of flavors and two sizes, this high quality supplement from Transparent Labs may be especially beneficial for women because it contains vitamin D, a nutrient that plays a key role in bone health.
It also contains 5 g of creatine monohydrate per serving, along with other ingredients such as beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyrate (HMB), which a 2017 study shows may help build muscle mass and increase strength when paired with resistance training.
All products from Transparent Labs are third-party tested by Analytical Resource Laboratories. On its website, the company offers a certificate of analysis (COA) for each supplement, which provides information on the quality, strength, and specifications of a product.
This high quality creatine product from Gnarly Nutrition is made for athletes looking to increase:
It features 5 g of Creapure per serving which some athletes claim is more effective, but we have not been able to find studies to back this up. However, it does come in a bag instead of a tub, which could make it more convenient for workout bags.
It can be mixed into water, juice, or your favorite beverage. It’s vegan, kosher, halal, and NSF Certified for Sport, so it’s an excellent option for competitive athletes and those with certain dietary needs.
It has been tested for:
This product from Nutricost contains 5 g of creatine monohydrate per serving and is free of artificial additives, fillers, or preservatives. It’s almost $20 cheaper than our top pick (the cheapest on our list) and contains 10 more total servings.
While it carries fewer certifications, it’s still third-party tested at a lab accredited by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
It’s made without any GMOs, but it’s also gluten-free and manufactured in a current good manufacturing practices (CGMP) certified facility, which means that the facility adheres to strict safety and quality standards set by the FDA.
In addition to the Unflavored version, it’s available in Fruit Punch and Blue Raspberry flavors, which you can mix into your favorite beverage after your workout.
If you prefer the convenience and ease of pills over powders, these creatine capsules from Optimum Nutrition may be a good choice.
All Optimum Nutrition supplements are tested in-house for banned substances and manufactured in CGMP-certified facilities.
Each 2-capsule serving contains approximately 2.5 g of pure creatine, and the capsules contain no calories or carbohydrates.
Optimum Nutrition creatine capsules are sold in three bottle sizes: 100-, 200- and 300-count.
It’s also independently third-party tested for any heavy metals.
Additionally, it’s certified vegan and certified gluten-free, so it’s a great option for those with food allergies or dietary restrictions.
Naked Creatine by Naked Nutrition contains 5 g of creatine monohydrate and can be easily dissolved in your favorite pre- or post-workout beverage.
Creatine monohydrate has been widely studied and is considered the most effective form of creatine.
But another form, creatine hydrochloride, shows promise as being both effective and possibly easier to digest due to its absorbability. Kaged Creatine HCL Powder uses a patented blend of creatine hydrochloride in this vegan supplement.
We chose this product for its positive reviews, many of which comment on how well the products dissolves in water; and for the fact that Kaged is third-party certified by Informed Sport.
Our experts have carefully researched and vetted over 11,000 products to make sure everything we feature meets our standards. We fact-check health claims, evaluate ingredients, and look into each brand’s reputation before sharing products on Healthline.
In addition, to select the 8 creatine supplements on our list, we have:
Creatine is a compound produced by your body and found naturally in a variety of foods, including:
It’s also a widely used supplement for energy. Creatine monohydrate, which consists of a creatine molecule paired with a water molecule, is one of the most common and best researched forms of creatine.
It’s used as a standalone supplement and is sometimes added to other sports supplements, such as pre-workout drinks, alongside other ergogenic aids, including caffeine and amino acids.
Experts generally recommend taking creatine supplements daily, either before or after working out, and using a higher dose for the first 5–7 days, followed by a maintenance dose thereafter.
Some supplements combine creatine with other compounds intended to increase absorption or boost performance, such as:
Creatine can increase levels of phosphocreatine, a compound your body uses to form adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Your body breaks down ATP for energy.
For this reason, people typically use creatine supplements to enhance performance in high intensity exercise.
A body of research, including a 2018 study, has shown that creatine supplements can help:
Some research, including a 2022 study, indicates that creatine may also improve brain health and:
Though more research is needed, a 2021 study suggests that creatine may be beneficial for blood sugar regulation.
One of the most commonly reported side effects of creatine is a short-term increase in fluid retention, which may be the result of creatine’s osmotic properties.
Creatine supplementation has also been consistently associated with weight gain, especially during the loading phase. This may be due to increases in muscle mass and water retention rather than an increase in body fat.
Some other anecdotal side effects often reported with creatine supplementation are:
However, according to the 2017 position paper on creatine by the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), there is no compelling scientific evidence that the short-term or long-term use of creatine monohydrate (up to 30 g/day for 5 years) has any harmful effects on healthy individuals.
Additionally, the ISSN notes that both short- and long-term supplementation with creatine is considered safe and effective for improving exercise performance and preventing or reducing the severity of injuries.
Though no particular brand of creatine is proven to be more effective than all others, creatine monohydrate is the most researched form of creatine and is considered the gold standard.
Seven of the eight products on our best of list use creatine monohydrate, and they are all good options.
Kaged Creatine HCL uses another form of creatine, creatine hydrochloride, which has not been as well studied but shows promise for being an effective form that dissolves more easily in water and may be easier to digest for some people.
Though no particular brand of creatine is proven to be more effective than all others, creatine monohydrate is the most researched form of creatine and is considered the gold standard.
Seven of the eight products on our best of list use creatine monohydrate, and they are all good options.
Kaged Creatine HCL uses another form of creatine, creatine hydrochloride, which has not been as well studied but shows promise for being an effective form that dissolves more easily in water and may be easier to digest for some people.
We chose Thorne as the best creatine brand overall for its high quality supplement products and NSF Certified for Sport designation. But we also really like Klean Athlete.
You can’t go wrong with any of the brands on our list. But the one that’s best for you might depend on your needs.
For example, for women we like Creatine HMB from Transparent Labs because it includes vitamin D, which supports bone health.
For people eating a vegan diet, we like Naked Nutrition’s line of plant-based products, including creatine.
We chose Thorne as the best creatine brand overall for its high quality supplement products and NSF Certified for Sport designation. But we also really like Klean Athlete.
You can’t go wrong with any of the brands on our list. But the one that’s best for you might depend on your needs.
For example, for women we like Creatine HMB from Transparent Labs because it includes vitamin D, which supports bone health.
For people eating a vegan diet, we like Naked Nutrition’s line of plant-based products, including creatine.
Experts generally recommend taking creatine supplements daily, either before or after working out, and using a higher dose for the first 5–7 days, and then taking a maintenance dose thereafter.
Meanwhile, the FDA has determined that a daily dose of around 3 g of creatine is safe and effective for healthy adults.
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health advises people at risk of kidney problems to check with healthcare professionals before using creatine and get carefully monitored while using it.
Experts generally recommend taking creatine supplements daily, either before or after working out, and using a higher dose for the first 5–7 days, and then taking a maintenance dose thereafter.
Meanwhile, the FDA has determined that a daily dose of around 3 g of creatine is safe and effective for healthy adults.
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health advises people at risk of kidney problems to check with healthcare professionals before using creatine and get carefully monitored while using it.
Creatine supplements are available in various forms, flavors, and doses. When searching for the right product for you, be sure to check the ingredient label and dosage carefully.
Ideally, purchasing products that have undergone third-party testing or have a COA available upon request is best.
Last medically reviewed on March 18, 2024
Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
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