Best Overall

Transparent Labs BULK Pre-workout powder

$59 at Amazon View on Vitamin Shoppe

Key Specs

Form: Powder Key Ingredients: Citrulline malate, BCAAs, beta-alanine, taurine, Bioperine, B vitamins, sodium, L-tyrosine, caffeine, and more Independently Verified: Yes Servings Per Container: 6

Who's It For

Best if you don't want to take many different supplements and would prefer one that addresses performance and muscle growth.

Why We Recommend It

Transparent Labs Bulk Pre-Workout Powder is like your workout's new best friend. This powerhouse blend packs everything you need to boost performance and muscle growth in one convenient scoop. It’s loaded with citrulline malate, which helps pump up blood flow and oxygen to your muscles—so you’ll feel less fatigued and push through those tough workouts. Plus, it has 4 grams of BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids), giving your muscles the support they need for faster recovery and growth.

Beta-alanine is another important ingredient. Included at 4 grams per serving, it tackles that familiar lactic acid buildup—the tight, burning sensation in your muscles during intense exercise. Beta-alanine works by buffering lactic acid in your muscles, reducing muscle fatigue and allowing you to push harder and longer during your workouts. This means you can train at higher intensities without feeling prematurely fatigued, giving you an edge in both endurance and strength training sessions.

The supplement also contains 1,300 milligrams of taurine, which aids in muscle hydration and endurance. Notably, it also includes 5 milligrams of BioPerine, an extract from black pepper fruit that enhances the absorption of other ingredients, making the product more effective overall​. Other ingredients include B vitamins, sodium, L-tyrosine, caffeine, and more.

Overall, Transparent Labs Bulk Pre-Workout is praised for its clean, effective formula that avoids unnecessary additives and focuses on high-quality, evidence-based ingredients​ with strong independent verification.

Things To Consider

• One potential downside is the price, which might be higher compared to other pre-workout supplements on the market.
• Additionally, while this contains no artificial sweeteners, it does use stevia, which might not be preferable to everyone.

Best for Endurance

Skratch Labs Sport Hydration Drink Mix

$22

$21 at Amazon $22 at REI View on Skratchlabs.com

Key Specs

Form: Powder Key Ingredients: Carbohydrates and electrolytes Independently Verified: No Servings Per Container: 20 Our overall rating: 4.98/5

Who It's For

A good choice if you want fuel and electrolytes for moderate to high-intensity or endurance exercise.

Why We Recommend It

For endurance workouts, Skratch Labs Sport Hydration Drink Mix is our top pick. It's loaded with quality ingredients, great flavor, and a perfect balance of carbohydrates and electrolytes to power your exercise sessions.

When you work out, your body taps into glycogen stores for energy. A pre-workout drink rich in carbs, like Skratch Labs, helps replenish these energy stores, letting you work out longer and recover faster. This is especially crucial for intense or long workouts over 60-90 minutes, like a long run.

Each scoop of Skratch Labs Hydration Mix delivers 20 grams of quick-absorbing carbs from cane sugar and dextrose, plus 380 milligrams of sodium and other key electrolytes like potassium, magnesium, and calcium. This electrolyte boost replaces what you lose through sweat, keeping you hydrated and energized.

Available in flavors like lemon-lime, strawberry lemonade, pineapple, and fruit punch, Skratch Labs offers a taste for everyone. We tried the lemon-lime flavor and loved its refreshing, natural citrus taste—not too sweet or salty. Plus, it’s made with simple ingredients and flavored with real lemon and lime juice and oils, skipping out on artificial sweeteners.

Things To Consider

• This product contains a relatively high amount of added sugar (designed for those actively burning energy through moderate to intense exercise), so it may not be suitable for lower-intensity or shorter workouts.
  
• While the majority of the product dissolved in water after 30 seconds of stirring, we noticed some powder collected at the bottom of the cup. However, it is smooth to drink and does not have a grainy texture.

Best With Caffeine

Tailwind Nutrition Endurance Fuel

$29

$27 at Amazon $40 at REI View on Tailwindnutrition.com

Key Specs

Form: Powder Key ingredients: carbohydrates, electrolytes, caffeine Independently Verified: No Servings Per Container: 30 Our overall rating: 4.96/5

Who It's For

Best if you want fuel, electrolytes, and a caffeine energy boost for high-intensity or endurance exercise.

Why We Recommend It

Tailwind Nutrition Endurance Fuel is a carefully formulated powder that provides energy for your workout from carbohydrates and caffeine without added fillers and unnecessary ingredients. Each scoop delivers 25 grams of quick-absorbing carbohydrates from dextrose (glucose) and sucrose, plus a blend of electrolytes—sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium—to keep you hydrated and replenished. It also contains 35 milligrams of caffeine per scoop (about the amount in half a cup of coffee), which may help improve performance.

We tested the raspberry flavor and found it deliciously balanced between sweet and slightly salty. Tailwind offers caffeinated options like Green Tea Buzz, Tropical Buzz, and Colorado Cola, plus non-caffeinated flavors if you prefer. We love that it uses simple, organic ingredients like sea salt, natural flavors, caffeine, sugars, and electrolytes, avoiding artificial sweeteners or flavorings that can upset your stomach.

The manufacturer recommends mixing two to three scoops with 20-24 ounces of water per hour of endurance exercise or one to two scoops for shorter workouts. This flexibility lets you tailor the amounts to your needs. While its products are not independently verified, Tailwind is a trusted brand. Its products are made in a standalone facility, and the raw materials come with a certificate of analysis (COA) of purity.

Things To Consider

• It is recommended that this powder is mixed with 20-24 ounces of water per serving, so give yourself enough time to consume this drink before your workout.
• This product contains a high amount of added sugar and is designed for those who actively burn energy in moderate to intense exercise settings.
  
• While one serving of this powder contains a relatively small amount of caffeine, the amount can add up if you have more than one serving, so this may not be the best choice for people who are sensitive to caffeine or if you're working out in the evening.
  

Best for Hydration

Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier

$24

$23 at Amazon $20 at Dicks Sporting Goods View on Thrive Market

Key Specs

Form: Powder Key Ingredients: Electrolytes, carbohydrates, B vitamins, Vitamin C Independently Verified: No Servings Per Container: 16 Our overall rating: 4.20/5

Who It's For

This is a great option for workouts in hot weather or endurance workouts lasting longer than an hour. It's also a good choice for heavy sweaters during a workout.

Why We Recommend It

If you are planning to exercise in the heat or for at least an hour, it is important to protect yourself against dehydration by drinking enough fluids and replenishing electrolytes that are lost in sweat. Electrolytes lost in sweat include sodium along with smaller amounts of potassium, magnesium, chloride and calcium. Electrolyte drinks or powders can be a convenient pre-workout drink because they provide the fluids, electrolytes, and sometimes carbohydrates all in one.

For heavy sweaters, we recommend a supplement with a higher amount of sodium, like Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier Electrolyte Powder. With 500 milligrams of sodium per serving, it follows the World Health Organization's guidelines for rehydration drinks, offering the perfect balance of sodium, potassium, glucose, and water for quick rehydration. Plus, it’s packed with vitamins B3, B5, B12, and C—essential for active individuals. It is lower in carbohydrates, with 11 grams per serving, which is enough to help the body hold onto more water but likely not enough to replenish energy stores for longer runs.

Liquid I.V. comes in a wide variety of flavors, including lemon-lime, piña colada, and acai berry. The handy packets are perfect for tossing in your gym bag for on-the-go hydration. We also like that this powder dissolves quickly and completely in water and is smooth to drink with no grainy texture.

Things To Consider

• In testing, we found this powder to be very salty in taste.
  
• It does not contain enough carbohydrates to refuel energy stores for longer and more intense workouts.
  
  

Best Creatine

Klean Athlete Klean Creatine Unflavored

$33

$30 at Amazon View on Walmart View on Kleanathlete.com

Key Specs

Form: Powder Key Ingredients: Creatine monohydrate Independently Verified: Yes Servings Per Container: 60 Our overall rating: N/A

Who It's For

Best if you want to enhance muscle efforts during strength training exercises.

Why We Recommend It

Creatine is a powerhouse for muscles, providing the energy and facilitating muscle contractions needed for high-intensity, short-burst exercises like weight training and sprinting. A pre-workout drink with creatine can boost the amount of creatine available to your muscles, delaying fatigue and enhancing performance. This leads to improved muscle mass, strength, and recovery.

Klean Athlete Klean Creatine is our top pick for a pre-workout creatine supplement. It's NSF Certified for Sport, ensuring quality and safety, and contains five grams of pure creatine monohydrate with no other ingredients. Since it's unflavored, you get some flexibility and can mix it into your favorite drink. The manufacturer suggests taking it 30 minutes before exercise with a carbohydrate-rich food or drink. This combo boosts creatine uptake in your muscles and provides extra energy for your workout—a perfect win-win. The five-gram dose is ideal, whether you're in the loading phase, needing four servings of five grams each, or maintaining with a daily five-gram serving.

Note that creatine supplements are especially beneficial for vegan or vegetarian athletes, who typically have lower muscle creatine stores since creatine is naturally found in animal products. Adding creatine to your pre-workout routine can be a game-changer, helping you push harder, lift heavier, and recover faster.

Things To Consider

• Note that creatine is best absorbed with a carbohydrate source, so this is best paired with a carb-containing drink or snack. We recommend pairing it with a carbohydrate and electrolyte-enhanced drink or blended into a smoothie with fruit.
• This supplement does not facilitate hydration or replenish electrolytes.
  

Best BCAA

Gnarly Nutrition Pre Workout

$49

$47 at Amazon View on Walmart View on Thefeed.com

Key Specs

Form: Powder Key ingredients: BCAAs, caffeine Independently Verified: Yes Servings Per Container: 30 Our overall rating: N/A

Who It's For

Best if you want a caffeine boost and muscle support from BCAAs before strength training workouts.

Why We Recommend It

Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), including leucine, isoleucine, and valine, are essential for muscle repair and growth. While they can be found in whole food protein sources, supplemental BCAAs can be a convenient way to boost your intake to support your strength training workouts.

Gnarly Nutrition Pre Workout is NSF Certified for Sport. It contains 4 grams of a vegan-friendly BCAA blend and additional amino acids, including citrulline malate and beta-alanine. Citrulline malate may allow for better blood flow and oxygen delivery to muscles, while some studies show beta-alanine may help delay fatigue and improve performance.

It also contains 180 milligrams of caffeine per serving (about the amount of two cups of coffee). Caffeine is widely studied for its use as a supplement to improve sports performance. Studies show that caffeine can improve exercise performance by reducing perceived effort and pain and enhancing focus. It is important to be aware of the caffeine amount in pre-workout drinks. Holley Samuel, MEd, RD, CPT cautions, “Caffeine is a stimulant, so too high doses can cause cardiac problems, increase anxiety, upset the GI system, etc.”

Things To Consider

• This supplement does not facilitate hydration or replenish electrolytes.
• Note that citrulline may cause gastrointestinal discomfort in some, and high doses of beta-alanine (800 milligrams or more) can cause paresthesia (tingling) in the face, neck, and other parts of the body.
  

Best For Muscle Growth

Naked Whey Chocolate Protein Powder

$100

$95 at Amazon View on Walmart View on Nakednutrition.com

Key Specs:

Form: Powder Key ingredients: Whey protein Independently Verified: Yes Servings Per Container: 30 Our overall rating: 5/5

Who It's For

This is a good option if you want to boost your protein intake and support muscle repair and synthesis either before or after a workout.

Why We Recommend It

Getting enough protein throughout the day is crucial for muscle repair and growth, especially before or after a workout. Whey protein is a standout choice, backed by research for its muscle-building and recovery benefits. It's fast-absorbing, highly bioavailable, and packed with branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), particularly leucine, which is vital for muscle protein synthesis.

Protein powders offer a convenient way to boost your intake and make an excellent pre-workout drink, especially when mixed with carbohydrates, like in a fruit smoothie. Naked Whey is a high-quality, grass-fed, whey protein supplement with simple ingredients. The chocolate flavor delivers 25 grams of protein (including 6 grams of BCAAs) and 5 grams of sugar per serving. Plus, Naked Whey is Informed-Choice Certified, ensuring it's free of banned substances for athletes and independently verified for having no heavy metals.

The chocolate flavor contains just whey protein concentrate, organic coconut sugar, and organic cocoa powder. We love the rich chocolate taste, subtle sweetness, and smooth texture of this powder, which pairs well with a milk base or blended into a smoothie. While it doesn't dissolve completely in water alone, leaving behind some powder at the bottom of the glass, it still has a pleasant texture with no graininess. Other flavors include vanilla, strawberry, or unflavored, which are all free of artificial flavors, sweeteners, or colors.

Things To Consider

• Because this contains a high amount of protein, give yourself enough time to digest it before your workout. We recommend blending it into a smoothie with fruit 1-2 hours before you work out.
  
  

Best for Muscle Recovery

Cheribundi PURE Tart Cherry Juice

$57

$33 at Amazon View on Walmart View on Cheribundi.com

Key Specs

Form: Liquid Key ingredients: Tart cherry juice (carbohydrates and antioxidants) Independently Verified: N/A Servings Per Container: 8 ounces Our overall rating: N/A

Who It's For

This drink is a great choice if you want antioxidants and energy during moderate to intense exercise.

Why We Recommend It

Tart cherries are celebrated for their powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, making them a great choice for muscle recovery and joint health. Research shows that tart cherry juice can help reduce pain and improve post-exercise recovery in both strength and endurance workouts. Cheribundi PURE Tart Cherry Juice is an excellent pre-workout drink to kick-start muscle recovery and provide energy. Each bottle contains only tart cherry juice and provides 25 grams of quick-absorbing carbohydrates for an instant energy boost.

While Cheribundi PURE is rich in carbohydrates to fuel your workout, it's lower in electrolytes compared to other pre-workout drinks. It packs 390 milligrams of potassium but lacks sodium, calcium, and magnesium. For intense, sweaty workouts, you might want to pair it with something that provides sodium before, during, or after exercise. Although it's not independently verified, as a bottled beverage, it is FDA-regulated, ensuring quality and safety.

Things to Consider

• The high sugar content in this drink is a good source of fast-absorbing carbs for energy, but may not be needed for lower-intensity exercise.
  

Best Ready-to-Drink

Gatorade Gatorlyte Rapid Rehydration Electrolyte Beverage

$30

$28 at Amazon View on Gatorade.com

Key Specs

Form: Liquid Key Ingredients: Electrolytes, carbohydrates Independently Verified: N/A Servings Per Container: 1 Our overall rating: 3.70/5

Who It's For

This is a solid ready-to-drink, easy sports drink that is higher in sodium, and suitable for more intense or longer exercise with a high sweat output.

Why We Recommend It

Gatorade is a budget-friendly option that is readily available. This makes it easy to grab before a workout instead of having to mix a powder with liquid. While Gatorade has many sports drinks available, we like the Gatorlyte Rapid Rehydration Electrolyte Beverage, with a high sodium content of 490 milligrams per serving, as well as calcium, potassium, magnesium, and chloride. It also contains 14 grams of carbohydrates from sugar, which helps the body hold onto more water and provides a quick-absorbing, easily digestible source of fuel.

This Gatorade beverage comes in three flavors: cherry lime, kiwi strawberry, and orange. In addition to sugar, it contains stevia for added sweetness and natural flavorings. We tested the strawberry kiwi flavor, which tastes a bit artificial and very sweet and salty, but we liked that it was a convenient grab-and-go option high in electrolytes. While not independently verified, this is a bottled beverage (as opposed to a supplement), so it is FDA-regulated.

Things To Consider

• This beverage contains artificial colorings, including Red 40, which some may want to avoid.
• It contains a moderate amount of carbohydrates but likely not enough to replenish energy stores during or after longer or more intense workouts.