If you’re into your fitness, you’ve probably heard of creatine. It’s naturally found in the body, and in foods like meat and fish. It helps regenerate ATP, the molecule that powers high-intensity physical activity. For those engaged in sports or resistance training, creatine can improve performance, boost recovery and support strength development.
The effects of creatine have been extensively researched and while athletes often use it to enhance muscle growth or endurance, it’s also beneficial for general energy metabolism.
Available in powders, capsules and tablets, creatine monohydrate is the most studied and cost-effective form. Innovations like capsules and micronised powders offer added convenience. A daily dose of 3-5 grams is sufficient for most users. Pairing creatine with carbs or protein can enhance absorption, though timing relative to workouts remains debated.
Affordable, safe and effective, creatine is a staple in sports nutrition (it’s the only one allowed in competitive sport). Whether you’re an athlete or casual gym-goer, it’s a brilliant way to elevate performance and recovery.
Sponsored by Natures Zest
Elevate your performance with Natures Zest
Creatine is one of the most researched supplements for supporting energy, strength and endurance. Natures Zest offers creatine with complementary formulas to help you get the most from your workouts, all crafted to premium standards and backed by rigorous third-party testing.
- Creatine Monohydrate 3000mg: high-strength tablets providing 3000mg of pure creatine monohydrate to fuel muscles, enhance power and improve recovery from just 44p per day.
- 60 Billion CFU Bio Cultures Powder: a versatile probiotic powder with prebiotics to support digestion, gut health and nutrient absorption; supporting your performance and recovery for just 22p per day.
- WeightX Advanced Formula: a targeted blend of botanicals and nutrients designed to support metabolism, energy release and focus, for just 67p per day.
Take the step toward peak performance with Natures Zest.
Best creatine supplements at a glance
Best creatine powders:
- FreeSoul Pure Creatine Monohydrate Powder, £9.99
- FreeSoul HydraCreatine Creatine & Electrolytes Powder, £24.99
- Verve Creatine, £29.99
- Warrior creatine and electrolytes (mixed berry), £17.99
- FreeSoul CreaGlow Creatine + Collagen Powder, £34.99
- Innermost The Power Booster Creatine, £24.95
- Elite All Blacks Creatine Monohydrate, £37.39
- MyProtein Impact Creatine, £4.49
- Nutravita Creatine Monohydrate Powder 5000mg, £18.99
- WeightWorld Creatine Monohydrate Micronised Powder, £25.99
- Ancient + Brave True Creatine +, £22.40
Best creatine capsules:
- Creapure Micronized Creatine Capsules, £31.99
Best creatine tablets:
- WeightWorld Creatine Monohydrate Tablets, £19.99
Jump to section:
How we tested creatine supplements
All supplements were tested in the same way: we prepared each creatine, whether powder, tablet or capsule, in accordance to the manufacturer’s instructions, and recorded observations based on the in depth testing criteria.
We included samples from various brands, offering diverse formats such as powders, tablets, capsules and gummies (though no gummies made it into our final list), with a range of price points to suit different budgets. The key areas we assessed were as follows:
- Taste and flavour: is the consuming experience pleasant?
- Nutrient profile: how much creatine per daily dose? How does this compare to the NRV?
- Additives: does the product contain additives, for example: preservatives, artificial sweeteners or colourings?
- Dietary requirements: does the product meet any specific dietary needs – is it vegetarian or vegan?
- Value for money: how does it compare to other products on a cost-per-day basis
Best creatine supplements to buy in 2025
Best creatine powders
FreeSoul pure creatine monohydrate powder
Available from FreeSoul (£9.99)
Price per day (recommended dose): 17p
Star rating: 5/5
Effortlessly fitting into any routine, this unflavoured creatine monohydrate powder dissolves quickly, with no lumps or aftertaste, making it easy to mix into water or shakes. Each serving delivers 3.4g creatine and is suitable for both vegetarians and vegans. The packaging is sturdy and resealable. This creatine contains no unnecessary additives, fillers or sweeteners, offering excellent value at 17p per dose. With its neutral taste and straightforward use, it’s a convenient choice for your daily supplement.
Available from:
FreeSoul HydraCreatine creatine & electrolytes powder
Available from FreeSoul (£24.99)
Price per day (recommended dose): 83p
Star rating: 5/5
Refreshing, with a sweet and salty strawberry and mango flavour, this creatine mixes easily into water and is pleasant to drink. Each serving provides 3.4g creatine monohydrate, as well as vitamin C, prebiotics, marine collagen and a blend of electrolytes, aiding performance, recovery and hydration in one formula. Convenient to take daily, it comes in a robust, resealable pouch with 30 servings. It’s vegan and free from animal-derived ingredients. While no GMP certification is mentioned, the product is nutritionist formulated.
Available from:
Verve creatine
Available from Verve (£29.99)
Price per day (recommended dose): 20p
Star rating: 5/5
Effortlessly fitting into any routine, this unflavoured creatine monohydrate powder dissolves quickly with no lumps or overpowering flavour, making it easy to mix into water or shakes. Each serving delivers 3.4g of creatine and is suitable for both vegetarians and vegans. The packaging is sturdy and resealable, and it doesn’t contain unnecessary additives, fillers or sweeteners making it excellent value at just 20p per dose. With its neutral taste and straightforward use, it’s a convenient and cost-effective choice for daily supplementation.
Available from:
Warrior creatine and electrolytes (mixed berry)
Available from Warrior (£17.99), Amazon (£17.99)
Price per day (recommended dose): 22p
Star rating: 4.5/5
This creatine powder dissolves well in water and has a pleasant mixed berry flavour that isn’t overly sweet or artificial, making it easy to fit into your routine. The addition of electrolytes provides a hydration boost, so it’s ideal pre- or post-workout. An unflavoured version is also available if you prefer to add it to shakes. Both are suitable for vegetarians, and it’s free from GMOs and sugar.
Available from:
FreeSoul CreaGlow creatine + collagen powder
Available from FreeSoul (£34.99)
Price per day (recommended dose): £1.16
Star rating: 4.5/5
Combining creatine monohydrate with marine collagen peptides, electrolytes and added nutrients, this powder is a fantastic supplement for those seeking more than just creatine. The raspberry flavour is strong, with a pronounced artificial sweetener aftertaste, which may not appeal to everyone. But, it mixes easily into cold water or smoothies. The blend is convenient for those who already use both creatine and collagen, but it is not suitable for vegetarians or vegans. Packaging is resealable and aesthetically pleasing enough to leave out in your kitchen.
Available from:
Innermost The Power Booster Creatine
Available from Innermost (£24.95)
Price per day (recommended dose): 33p
Star rating: 4.5/5
Although this wasn’t the cheapest of the supplements, one serving contains 166% of the minimum recommended effective dose. It is flavourless and can be mixed with juice or any workout drink, although wasn’t particularly pleasant to drink when mixed with water. Innermost offers a free 15-minute consultation to anyone with questions about which product is best for them.
Available from:
Elite All Blacks Creatine Monohydrate
Available from Healthspan Elite (£43.99)
Price per day (recommended dose): 44p
Star rating: 4/5
This product is more expensive than most of the powders but the company is part of the Informed Sport organisation which is a third party tester checking for banned substances –which is important if you are competing – and is formulated by the All Blacks nutritionists. It is neutral tasting so it can be mixed with other drinks. It contains 166% of the minimum recommended dose per scoop, so would be less convenient to measure out if you wanted the 3g dose.
Available from:
Impact Creatine
Available from MyProtein (£6.99, 100g), MyVegan (£6.99, 100g)
Price per day (recommended dose): 17p
Star rating: 4/5
This creatine powder offers good value for money but the tropical taste is not going to be to everyone’s liking. It’s very sweet and this can feel a bit overwhelming. The flavour also makes it more difficult to add to any other flavoured workout drinks. It is part of the Informed Sport organisation testing for banned substances.
One serving contains 3g, 100% of the recommendation per day, although the scoop measured out slightly more than this.
Available from:
Nutravita Creatine Monohydrate Powder 5000mg
Available from Nutravita (£18.99), Amazon (£18.99)
Price per day (recommended dose): 17p
Star rating: 4/5
This powder dissolves well but there was no scoop included so you need to weigh or use a teaspoon to measure out the correct amount, making it less convenient. The 5g recommendation provides 166% of the minimum recommendation per day. The tub is sturdy but is too bulky to carry around. There is nothing to say you can dissolve it in other drinks like many of the other powders and it isn’t particularly pleasant to drink mixed with water. It has a slightly chalky mouthfeel and aftertaste.
Available from:
WeightWorld Creatine Monohydrate Micronised Powder
Available from Amazon (£16.99), WeightWorld UK (£16.99)
Price per day (recommended dose): 9p
Star rating: 4/5
This creatine powder was the best value for money in terms of cost per dose. It also comes in a pack with five months’ supply so will last a long time before having to reorder. A scoop was included which measures out 100% of the recommended 3g/d and was very easy to dissolve in juice or a smoothie with no discernible flavour or mouthfeel, but was less pleasant to drink with water alone.
Available from:
Ancient + Brave True Creatine +
Available from Ancient + Brave (£28), Planet Organic (£28)
Price per day (recommended dose): 75p
Star rating: 4/5
This was the most expensive of all and although it also contains vitamin D, magnesium and taurine as well, there is no evidence that this will improve its functioning. Each serving contains 200% of the recommended 3g/d. It dissolves well and you can mix it into other drinks with no discernible flavour. The glass jar is good for storage but isn’t practical for carrying around, though Ancient + Brave do offer True Creatine + sachets, if you’re likely to be taking creatine on the go. Contains 30 servings.
Available from:
Creapure Micronized Creatine Capsules
Available from MyVitamins (£37.49), MyProtein (£37.49)
Best creatine capsules
Price per day (recommended dose): 47p
Star rating: 4/5
The creatine capsules were very large and four of them contained only 93% of the recommended 3g/d dose. Although they are convenient for carrying around, this convenience is offset by the price. Because they are in capsule form, there are also some additives and anti-caking agents which you don’t get with the pure powder. The taste was neutral but they were fairly hard to swallow and taking four at once wasn’t particularly pleasant.
Available from:
WeightWorld Creatine Tablets
Available from WeightWorld (£19.99), Amazon (£19.99)
Best creatine tablets
Price per day (recommended dose): 22p
Star rating: 4/5
The tablets were quite large but smaller than the capsules. They are not the easiest shape to swallow as they are not completely rounded, but they have no taste. Tablets aren’t going to suit everyone but if you are okay with swallowing them then these are convenient and not too expensive to get the 3g/d recommended dose. You do need to take three tablets to get this though. Because they are tablets and not pure creatine, there are bulking, binding and glazing agents added.
Available from:
How much creatine should I take each day?
Many studies have recommended a ‘loading phase’ at the beginning of use, where muscles become saturated with creatine by taking a higher dose for a short period – typically 20g, which is split into four doses of 5g, for five days. However, there is accumulating evidence that this is not necessary and a lower daily dose of 3-5g still provides the same benefits.
One early study suggested that taking substantially more than the recommended dose had an adverse effect on the kidneys. However, more than 30 years of studying creatine supplementation has not found any adverse effects if taken at the recommended dose.
People with kidney disease or people who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not take creatine.
When should I take creatine?
The timing of creatine supplementation around exercise has been widely studied with conflicting results. Although many companies recommend taking creatine pre-workout, there is a lack of evidence to support this.
There are some studies that show taking creatine with carbohydrate or protein may improve retention and utilisation of creatine.
Creatine degrades quickly once dissolved, so it should ideally be mixed with water and then taken as soon as possible.
Early studies suggested that taking creatine and caffeine together may reduce the effect or even be harmful, but this has not been found in more recent studies.
What form of creatine should I take?
Creatine monohydrate is the most widely studied form of creatine and is shown to be very stable and well absorbed. Although other forms can be bought, there is no evidence to suggest that they are better, and some have performed worse in studies.
What format of creatine is best?
Creatine in powder form that you mix with water is readily absorbed and good value for money, but it is quite bulky to carry around and not everyone enjoys the taste. Tablets, capsules or gummies are convenient and taste is less of an issue, but they can be more expensive.
Micronised creatine is more easily dissolved, but there is no evidence that this improves absorption in the body.
Creatine gummies and tablets are not absorbed as quickly as powder as they need to go through digestion. Although they have not been specifically studied for absorption, they contain creatine powder which has a very high absorption rate in the gut. There is no reason to assume they will work differently once digested, but their convenience is offset by the price as they tend to be more expensive.
How long does creatine take to work?
Creatine works by saturating the muscles with stored creatine, which enhances the body’s ability to rapidly produce energy during short bursts of activity.
But, creatine is not fast-acting – it requires time to build up in the muscles before its benefits become noticeable. If you follow a loading phase – consuming typically 20 grams per day split into four doses over five to seven days – you may begin to experience results such as improved strength and power within seven to 10 days.
Without a loading phase, taking a consistent daily dose of three to five grams will achieve full muscle saturation in about three to four weeks. The time it takes to see results can also depend on your diet, training routine and individual body chemistry.
Importantly, creatine’s effectiveness increases with regular use and should be paired with consistent exercise for best results. While it doesn’t offer instant performance boosts, creatine is well-supported by clinical evidence for long-term gains in strength and endurance.
As with any supplement, speak with a healthcare professional if you have questions about suitability.
More creatine supplements tried and tested
Related content
Best pre-workout supplements
Best protein powders
Best vegan protein bars
Best sources of protein
Best sources of protein for vegetarians
Best sources of protein for vegans
What to eat for a workout
Sports nutrition: what’s worth trying?
Best magnesium supplements
Best iron supplements
Best vitamin D supplements
Best omega-3 supplements
Best vitamin B12 supplements UK
Best probiotic supplements
Best pre-workout supplements
Best calcium supplements
Best sleep supplements
Best pregnancy supplements
More health-focused reviews
Best sports water bottles
Best health gadgets
Best fitness trackers
Best fitness trackers for kids
Best meal prep containers
Best kombucha to buy
Do you buy pre-workout supplements? Leave a comment and tell us your favourite below.
If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability, please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.
All health content on Good Food is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. If you have any concerns about your general health, you should contact your local health care provider. See our website terms and conditions for more information.
