10 Best Pre-Workout Supplements of 2026
Disclosure: We earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no cost to you. It never affects our rankings.
Most pre-workouts are built around caffeine plus ingredients such as citrulline and beta-alanine. The biggest differences are the caffeine dose and whether doses are fully disclosed. The FDA cites 400 mg of caffeine a day as an amount generally not linked to negative effects in healthy adults, so count your coffee too. Not for anyone under 18, pregnant or nursing.
Transparent Labs BULK Pre-Workout
Fully disclosed, well-dosed formula with moderate caffeine.
See whyTransparent Labs BULK Pre-Workout
Transparent Labs
Fully disclosed, well-dosed formula with moderate caffeine.
- 200 mg caffeine
- Fully disclosed label
Thorne Pre-Workout Elite
Thorne
NSF Certified for Sport, unflavored, small scoop.
- Unflavored
- 5.11 g scoop
Kaged Pre-Workout Sport
Kaged
Natural caffeine plus citrulline and beta-alanine, with every batch tested.
- 188 mg caffeine
- 3.5 g citrulline · 1.6 g beta-alanine
Klean Athlete Klean Pre-Workout
Klean Athlete
Simple, NSF-certified option.
- 10 g scoop
- 7 g carbs
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout
Optimum Nutrition
Moderate caffeine plus creatine at a low price per serving.
- 175 mg caffeine
- 3 g creatine · 1.6 g beta-alanine
Legion Pulse
Legion Athletics
Clinical-style doses; the full 2-scoop serving is high in caffeine.
- 350 mg caffeine per 2 scoops
- Naturally sweetened
Kaged Pre-Kaged
Kaged
Higher caffeine than Kaged Sport, with a fully disclosed formula.
- 274 mg caffeine
- Natural caffeine
Ghost Legend
Ghost
Popular licensed flavors; high caffeine per scoop.
- 300 mg caffeine (current label)
- Flavored
Alani Nu Pre-Workout
Alani Nu
Widely available with many flavors and moderate caffeine.
- 200 mg caffeine
- Flavored
C4 Original Pre-Workout
Cellucor
The best-selling pre-workout brand; lower doses than the top picks.
- Caffeine anhydrous
- Widely available
How we ranked pre-workout
Ranked on fully disclosed doses (no proprietary blends), third-party certification, caffeine level, independent reviews and value. High-stimulant formulas rank lower. We don't list products with banned stimulants or fat-burning claims.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before starting any supplement, especially if you take medication, are pregnant or nursing, or have a medical condition. See our Medical Disclaimer.