Cheapest Third-Party Tested Creatine (2026): Cost per 5 g
Our pick: Naked Creatine. NSF checks that each tub holds what the label says. It costs $0.18 a day on Amazon. 7 of the 9 creatines we score are on a public testing list. 6 of those 7 are also screened for drugs banned in sport.
By Erin Rose Updated October 20, 2026 How we score
Our recommendation
Buy Naked Creatine
It has our top score and costs $0.18 a day. NSF checks that the tub holds what the label says and that contaminants stay under set limits.
Buy on Amazon · $35.99- Are you drug-tested? Thorne Creatine is on NSF Certified for Sport, which screens each lot for banned substances. It costs $0.49 a day.
- Want the lowest cost with a banned-substance screen? NOW Sports Creatine is on Informed Sport, at $0.16 a day. See the best creatine.
What is the cheapest NSF Certified for Sport creatine?
BulkSupplements Creatine, at $0.21 a day (one 5 g scoop). 3 others are on the list: Momentous Creatine ($0.48 a day), Thorne Creatine ($0.49 a day) and Transparent Labs Creatine HMB ($1.67 a serving). NSF lists these by lot, so check the lot number on your tub.
Is NOW creatine third party tested?
Yes. NOW Sports Creatine is on Informed Sport, which tests every batch for drugs banned in sport before it is sold. At $0.16 a day, it is the cheapest creatine we found that is screened for banned substances.
Which creatine brands are third-party tested? (7)
An outside program checked each of these and lists it by name. Tap a badge to see the listing.
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$0.18 a day
Buy on Amazon · $35.99 -
For drug-tested athletes
Thorne Creatine
NSF Certified for SportNSF/ANSI 173
NSF lists it by lot and keeps adding lots. Check your lot.
$0.49 a day
Buy on Amazon · $44.00 -
Lowest cost tested for banned substances
NOW Sports Creatine
Every batch is tested for banned substances before it is sold.
$0.16 a day
Buy on Amazon · $19.79 -
BulkSupplements Creatine
NSF Certified for SportNSF/ANSI 173
NSF lists 10 lots across 2 listings. Check your lot.
$0.21 a day
Buy on Amazon · $20.97 -
Optimum Nutrition Creatine
Samples bought from stores are tested for banned substances each month. BulkSupplements Creatine is the same creatine on NSF Certified for Sport, at $0.21 a day.
$0.30 a day
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$0.48 a day
Buy on Amazon · $42.99 -
Transparent Labs Creatine HMB
NSF Certified for SportInformed ChoiceNSF/ANSI 173
Creatine with HMB added, so it is not plain creatine.
$1.67 a serving
Buy on Amazon · $49.99
A day = 5 g. Costs are Amazon prices on November 4, 2026, divided by the servings in the tub. We count a listing only when it names the same product as the tub we price.
Not on any testing list (2)
We also score these 2 tubs. We did not find them on NSF Certified for Sport, Informed Sport, Informed Choice, NSF/ANSI 173 and USP Verified. A tub that is not on a list has not failed a test. Brands pay to join these programs, and many do not. But no outside group is checking it for you.
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Nutricost Creatine Monohydrate
Not on a public list
price not shown a day
Check price -
Nutricost Creapure Creatine Monohydrate
Not on a public list
$0.38 a day
Check price
You don’t need to buy anything if your tub is already on one of the lists above. Looking for gummies? See creatine gummies.
What does each program check?
Only NSF Certified for Sport, Informed Sport and Informed Choice screen for banned substances.
| Program | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| NSF Certified for Sport | Everything NSF/ANSI 173 checks, plus a screen of each lot for drugs banned in sport. NSF lists the lots it certified, so match the lot on your tub. |
| Informed Sport | Tests every batch for drugs banned in sport before it is sold. |
| Informed Choice | Tests samples it buys from stores each month for drugs banned in sport. |
| NSF/ANSI 173 | Checks that what the label says is in the tub, and that contaminants stay under set limits. NSF audits each year. It does not screen for banned substances. |
What NSF’s own lists show for Naked and Thorne
How to read a brand’s own lab report
Some brands post lab reports. These are not the same as a public testing list, but you can read them yourself. Transparent Labs posts a report for each lot of its Creatine HMB. Here is the one for lot 26080537 (Tropical Punch). It lists heavy metals and microbes, each inside the limit on the report:
Momentous posts a report for each lot, with heavy metals tested by SGS. Check the report for your lot number.
What about heavy metals?
Of the lists above, only the two NSF lists say they check contaminant levels. If this is your worry, pick an NSF-listed tub. Our pick, Naked, and Thorne are both NSF-listed.
How to check your own tub
- Find the lot number, usually stamped on the bottom or near the seal.
- Search NSF’s list by company and by product name. Match the product and size to your tub.
- If you are drug-tested, search NSF Certified for Sport and match your lot number. A lot that is not listed is not certified.
- For Informed Sport and Informed Choice, search the brand on the Informed Sport list.
- Ignore “third-party tested” on a label with no list behind it. Anyone can print it.
Questions
Do I need tested creatine if I am not drug-tested?
You don’t have to. A listed tub shows the label is right. If you are drug-tested, buy one on NSF Certified for Sport or Informed Sport. Creatine itself is very safe: up to 30 g a day for 5 years was safe in healthy people (Kreider 2017). For how much to take, see the creatine dosage guide.
Is Optimum Nutrition creatine third-party tested?
Yes. It is on Informed Choice. The mark is on the 300 g tub.
Sources
- NSF/ANSI 173 (info.nsf.org) and NSF Certified for Sport (nsfsport.com): searched by company and trade name, read November 4, 2026. Informed Sport, Informed Choice and USP Verified: the full lists.
- Transparent Labs certificate of analysis (Advanced Laboratories), lot 26080537, read October 17, 2026. transparentlabs.com
- Kreider RB, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017. PubMed 28615996