The Ultimate Creatine Tier List: 11 Types Ranked

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There are so many forms of creatine these days. 

By our count, we can find 11 different types, with brands claiming that their version is more effective than others.  

But is that just marketing, or is there actual evidence behind these claims?  

What we wanted to find out is which type is the best based on effectiveness, purity, absorption, and cost. 

So today, we’re ranking each type of creatine based on our five tiers.     

The Tiers

• King of Gains – This is the top tier, reserved for the best creatine types unmatched in quality and effectiveness. These types rank highly in every category based on high-quality research trials.

• Creatine Paradise – Creatine types in this tier are nearly perfect in every aspect, from absorption to effectiveness. There might be slight room for improvement, like the cost, but you wouldn’t go wrong with purchasing ones in this tier. 

• Middle of the Stack – This is the middle ground for creatine. These types are reliable enough and do a good job. They are dependable for regular use, offering a good balance between quality, effectiveness, and value. There may not be as much research on these creatine types, but the existing research is positive. Over time, with more research, these creatine types might move up the tier list. 

• Rough Reps – This tier includes creatine types that are okay but fall short in more than one or more key areas, usually by a large margin. They would not be our go-to option because they tend to cost more, require more effort to consume, and generally need more research.

• Hang Up The Scooper – The bottom tier is reserved for creatine types you’d want to avoid. These forms come with significant drawbacks like low mixability and a lack of results, often costing more and not lasting as long. In essence, these are the ones we do not recommend. They may also be extremely hard to find.

The Rankings

1. Creatine Monohydrate

Tier: King of Gains

Creatine monohydrate is the best type (by far) that deserves the title King of Gains. 

This creatine has been extensively researched for decades, with countless studies consistently finding it safe, well-tolerated, and highly effective. 

Daily supplementation of three to five grams reliably increases intramuscular creatine levels, leading to various benefits: 

• Improved strength and weightlifting performance (8% greater compared to non-supplementation).

• Improved muscle gain. Here’s a quote on a potential mechanism from Wu et al. 2022: “The increase in creatine content… results in muscle cell swelling, which is considered a key stimulus for cell growth.”

• Improved endurance and cardio (up to 3% quicker completion in timed trials and potentially improved time-to-exhaustion, particularly in more intense exercise lasting three minutes or less)

• Improved recovery following short bursts of intense activity, such as sprinting or weightlifting (up to 21% quicker strength recovery). This is thanks to creatine monohydrate’s ability to increase muscle creatine stores by 10-40%, leading to quicker ATP regeneration (the primary energy currency for all cells, including muscle fibers). This leads to better overall performance during training and allows trainees to complete more training volume in less time. 

• Reduced muscle inflammation and soreness for up to 48 hours following a demanding workout.

• Improvements in cognition in healthy adults (particularly related to memory, attention time, and processing speed, the latter of which may improve as much as 31%)

Plus, creatine monohydrate is the best option given its affordability and ease of use (simply take a daily dose of 3-5 grams when convenient). For reference, a five-gram dose can cost as little as $0.15-0.17, whereas other creatine forms can be multiple times more expensive:

• Creatine HCL: $0.75-1.00+ per serving (five grams)

• Buffered creatine: $1.00-1.15+ per serving (around six capsules for five grams of creatine)

• Creatine nitrate: $1.40-1.50+ per serving (around seven capsules for five grams of creatine)

My favorite creatine monohydrate is from BulkSupplemenets. One scoop provides a daily dose of creatine, and the product is 100% pure and third-party tested, meaning you know that the label claims are true.  

Bulk Supplements is also the cheapest place I’ve found to buy creatine monohydrate.  However, if you find a cheaper option, it doesn’t matter which brand you go with so long as it’s 3rd party tested.  

2. Creatine Hydrochloride (aka Creatine HCL)

Tier: Creatine Paradise

Creatine hydrochloride is another popular form, claimed to absorb better and be easier on the digestive system. It’s made by binding creatine to hydrochloride molecules, which mixes more efficiently in water.

The one major complaint with creatine monohydrate is that it’s hard to dissolve.  So, this is what creatine HCL is meant to solve.  It should be noted that there is no definitive evidence that says dissolvability has any impact on creatine’s effectiveness.  

With creatine HCL, brands often recommend taking just 1-1.5 grams to reap the same benefits as creatine monohydrate (which requires 3-5g doses), making for a more cost-effective option. However, research suggests that the lower dose recommended by brands is insufficient.

According to a 2015 paper, subjects supplementing with five grams of creatine monohydrate or the same dose of creatine HCL saw similar muscle growth. In contrast, subjects taking 1.5 grams of creatine HCL daily didn’t see the same results.

Anecdotal evidence from reviews suggests that creatine hydrochloride is easier on the stomach and doesn’t lead to bloating. The problem is that anecdotal reports are not as reliable as research, and such findings could be because many people fall for false claims that they only need one-third of the dose.

The problem is that such a dose would also not bring any benefits.

Lastly, there is a 2024 study comparing monohydrate to HCL and their effects on hormonal changes, body composition, and strength. When combined with resistance training, equal doses of the two forms led to similar benefits.

That said, you could experiment with creatine HCL if you want better dissolveability because you don’t like the gritty texture of creatine monohydrate.  If that’s the case, I recommend the Kaged Creatine HCL. It’s a reputable brand. I’ve tested their pre-workouts, and they use third-party testing.

3. Buffered Creatine

Tier: Middle of the Stack

Buffered creatine (kre-alkalyn) is a form that combines creatine molecules with alkaline substances such as sodium bicarbonate or magnesium to raise the pH and make for a less acidic solution.

This is suggested to help improve absorption, make it easier on the stomach, and limit the conversion of creatine to creatinine, a byproduct of creatine metabolism.

Like creatine HCL, buffered creatine is claimed to be as effective as monohydrate at smaller doses of around 1.5 grams, typically taken in two 750 mg capsules. 

A 2012 paper debunked that claim by showing that the manufacturer-recommended 1.5-gram dose of buffered creatine was not enough to increase muscle creatine levels to the same extent as the standard 5-gram dose of creatine monohydrate.

Subjects still had to take five grams of buffered creatine (equivalent to about 6.5 standard capsules) to see the same performance and body composition benefits as from monohydrate.

That said, no research finds buffered creatine to offer any benefits over creatine monohydrate.

I recommend this creatine form only if you prefer to take capsules instead of a powder and don’t mind paying extra for that convenience since it’s usually 500% more expensive than monohydrate. 

EFX Sports Kre-Alkalyn seems like a great product with many positive reviews. I haven’t tested it personally, but it is priced fairly, and users don’t seem to report any side effects.

4. Creatine Magnesium Chelate

Tier: Middle of the Stack

Creatine magnesium chelate is a form where creatine molecules are bound to magnesium, which is suggested to improve creatine absorption by leveraging magnesium’s role in energy production and muscle contractions. 

That said, while the mechanisms sound plausible, the limited research on this creatine form doesn’t show any benefits over creatine monohydrate. 

In one paper, researchers compared the effects of magnesium chelate creatine on intracellular water levels (inside the muscles, not under the skin) and power output. 

In essence, subjects taking magnesium-chelated creatine (MgC-Cre) had a significant boost in muscle strength. This might be because their muscles absorbed more water, suggesting they had more creatine in their muscles. The extra water in the muscle cells might also help them build more protein.

While those are promising findings, a recent systematic review pointed out the fact that most creatine forms are never compared to monohydrate.

Here is the author’s conclusion:

“There were no consistent findings of performance enhancement among alternative forms of creatine when compared to placebo. Due to the paucity of studies on alternative forms of creatine as well as high prices on the market of these alternative forms, creatine monohydrate remains as the most extensively studied form of creatine that shows efficacy, safety, and lowest cost to consumer.”

That said, creatine magnesium chelate can still be effective when taken at a large enough dose of around five grams daily. For instance, in one recent paper, such a daily dose led to better performance on repeated sprint ability tests in soccer players (approximately 6.5% faster in total time and 5% faster in the first sprint of the test).

However, unless you’re not getting enough magnesium from your diet, supplementing with it is likely not superior to the king of gains: monohydrate. In any case, Swanson 100% Pure Creatine Magnapower is a decent product to consider.  Again, I haven’t tested it personally, but I like the brand reputation and the number of positive reviews it has. 

5. Creatine HMB

Tier: Creatine Paradise

Creatine HMB is a creatine form bound to beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB), a leucine metabolite. Leucine is one of the three branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and is known for its ability to stimulate muscle protein synthesis.

According to a recent systematic review, “HMB plays multiple roles in the human body, the most important of which are protein metabolism, insulin activity, and skeletal muscle hypertrophy.”

The same paper points out that HMB can improve athletic performance thanks to its ability to upregulate certain pathways and hormones, such as the mTOR pathway, which has various roles, including stimulating muscle growth.

HMB tests have been carried out with various athletes, and research predictably shows improvements in endurance, power, strength, and even body composition. 

According to papers from the review, three grams of HMB daily reliably improves fat-free mass by up to 5.3 kilograms (11.6 lbs), reduces body fat by up to 3.4 kilograms (7.4 lbs), and improves strength by up to 18% more compared to placebo.

Here’s another quote from the paper:

“HMB supplementation reduces post-exercise muscle damage and thus accelerates recovery. It also allows for increases in lean body mass, improved strength and aerobic capacity. For competitive athletes, the most effective dose of HMB supplementation is 3 g/daily for 3 to 4 weeks.”

You can supplement with HMB separately (for instance, Nutricost’s HMB powder is a good option to explore) to reap these benefits. Plus, you can supplement with creatine monohydrate for all of its advantages.

However, if you’re going to take both supplements, you could consider a more convenient and cost-effective option, such as creatine with HMB. I recommend Transparent Labs Creatine HMB, a brand with an excellent reputation in the industry and products that come with third-party testing and a guarantee of purity.

6. Creatine Nitrate

Tier: Middle of the Stack

Creatine nitrate is a newer form where the creatine molecules are bound to a nitrate base. The product is claimed to absorb better and combine the beneficial effects of creatine and nitrate. 

According to research, nitrate consumption can improve oxygen capacity by 5%, time to exhaustion (how long you can exercise), power output (to a smaller degree), and time trial performance. Nitrate supplementation can also show improvements in energy efficiency and muscle contractions, suggesting that the body needs less energy to produce the same amount of work. 

When it comes to creatine nitrate specifically, some data suggests that it reliably improves muscle creatine levels similar to monohydrate when taken at a large enough dose (at least three grams daily). It also leads to similar improvements in strength, workload (weight + reps), peak power, and sprint performance over 28 days of supplementation (see table here).

A 2024 study also found benefits to creatine nitrate. In it, subjects taking five grams of creatine nitrate daily saw the following improvements over 28 days:

• Bench press reps at 70% 1RM: +6.7% better (10.5 to 11.2 reps)
• Bench press third set volume: +7.8% better (695.3 kg to 749.9 kg)
• Leg press reps at 70% 1RM: +8.2% (28.2 to 30.5 reps)
• Leg press third set volume: +7.8% (7328.9 kg to 7901.4 kg)
• Combined volume load: +4.3% (14,540.5 kg to 15,167.5 kg).
• Wingate test total work: +1.1% (from 19,555.6 J to 19,777.5 J).

So, given the benefits associated with creatine nitrate and the fact that it seems equally as effective as monohydrate, you have two options:

1. Supplement with nitrates (for instance, though organic beet powder) and creatine monohydrate.
   
   
2. Take the two supplements together in the form of creatine nitrate. This product is much more expensive than monohydrate (around $0.16 per serving for monohydrate and $1.50 for creatine nitrate), but the additional benefits could be well worth it.

If you want to test this creatine type, then this option from ASN offers a good bang for your buck. The only reason why this creatine form is one tier lower than creatine HMB is that it costs approximately 30% more per serving.

7. Creatine Citrate

Tier: Hang Up The Scooper

Creatine citrate is a form where the product is combined with citric acid. This acid is found in citrus fruits and can improve creatine’s flavor. 

That said, if flavor alone is your concern and you don’t like the taste of monohydrate, you can try a different approach like:

Mixing your creatine into your protein shake, or juice, or consider adding flavor drops.

Plus, there is not a lot of research that compares creatine citrate to monohydrate. A claimed benefit is that creatine citrate mixes better in water, which could theoretically improve absorption. 

However, here’s what research suggests:

“Differences in bioavailability are thought to be unlikely since absorption of creatine monohydrate is already close to 100%.”

Most recently, a 2022 systematic review included findings on creatine citrate. 

Here’s a quote:

“There were no consistent findings of performance enhancement among alternative forms of creatine when compared to placebo.”

Plus, creatine citrate is difficult to find and is typically found as part of a stack rather than a stand-alone product.

8. Creatine Pyruvate

Tier: Hang Up The Scooper

Creatine pyruvate is a form where creatine molecules are combined with pyruvic acid, which is claimed to offer some benefits, including improving athletic performance. 

Unfortunately, there’s little research on creatine pyruvate, none showing any significant effects.

In one study, researchers examined creatine pyruvate’s impact on sprint and endurance performance in cyclists. Subjects took seven grams daily for seven days or a placebo. There were no significant differences between the two groups. 

That said, seven days is not enough time for creatine to build up in the body and offer any benefits, regardless of the form. Therefore, the study’s methodologies could have been flawed. 

Another paper wrote the following about creatine pyruvate and a few other lesser-known forms:

“A recent review by Fazio et al. compared the effects of magnesium-creatine chelate, creatine citrate, creatine malate, creatine ethyl ester, creatine nitrate, and creatine pyruvate and reported no consistent findings for performance enhancement among the alternative forms of creatine when compared to a placebo. Additionally, Kreider and colleagues published two papers in the last 11 years on the bioavailability, efficacy, safety, and regulatory status of novel forms of creatine and pointed to the lack of scientific evidence to support the manufacturers’ marketing claims.”

9. Creatine Malate

Tier: Rough Reps

Creatine malate is created by bonding creatine to malic acid––an organic compound found in many fruits, including grapes, apples, plums, and peaches. 

In a 2014 paper, researchers examined the effects of creatine malate supplementation on athletic performance and body composition in sprinters and long-distance runners. The subjects were given 0.07 grams of creatine per kilogram of body weight (i.e., five grams for a person weighing 70 kilograms or 154 lbs) or a placebo. 

Here are some key findings:

• Anaerobic sprint performance (peak power) improved by 9.2%, from 1098 W to 1199 W
• Distance running increased by 12.6%, from 5099 m to 5744 m
• Sprinters gained 1.7% (+1.29 kg; 2.8 lbs) of lean mass 

Unfortunately, we don’t have other research looking at creatine malate’s effects and comparing it to creatine monohydrate. Plus, given how difficult the product is to find, it’s best to stick to the other, better-researched creatine forms.

10. Creatine Gluconate

Tier: Hang Up The Scooper

Creatine gluconate is a form where creatine molecules are bound to glucose. This form is often marketed because of its supposedly quicker absorption. 

However, this doesn’t matter because creatine doesn’t work acutely. Instead, it builds up in the body and offers benefits after around three weeks of consistent supplementation or around five days if you do a loading phase.

Additionally, the standard dose is no different than that of creatine monohydrate (around three to five grams daily), which means you wouldn’t get that much glucose, anyway.

Couple that with the lack of research (creatine gluconate is likely the least researched form, apart from a couple of brief mentions in some papers), this creatine form is firmly planted in the bottom tier.

11. Creatine Ethyl Ester

Tier: Hang Up The Scooper

Creatine ethyl ester (CEE) is a form where an ester group is attached to creatine. The idea is that esters change the properties of creatine, such as by making it more fat-soluble, aiming to improve its absorption. 

A common claim around this creatine type is that it absorbs better, so a lower dose can be equally effective as taking five grams of creatine monohydrate. Plus, that would limit side effects like bloating and stomach cramps.

Unfortunately, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. First, we don’t have much research on this creatine form to make any bold claims. The data we do have suggests that ethyl ester is less effective than the good old king of gains: monohydrate. 

In one paper comparing creatine ethyl ester and monohydrate at the same doses, Spillane et al. concluded: 

“..when compared to creatine monohydrate, creatine ethyl ester was not as effective at increasing serum and muscle creatine levels or in improving body composition, muscle mass, strength, and power.”

Research also suggests that creatine ethyl ester “does not have a complete creatine molecule since it is a chemically altered form of creatine.”

Second, we already established that creatine monohydrate has an absorption rate close to 100%, so it’s unlikely any product will absorb better or work as effectively at lower doses.

Final Thoughts

While we can obsess over the minutia of some of these different types of creatine, there is really only one creatine that firmly stands alone in the King of Gains tier, and that is creatine monohydrate. 

For me, Bulk Supplements is where I get my creatine, but realistically, it’s not the brand that matters. Just find a brand of creatine monohydrate that is strictly 100% creatine monohydrate and nothing else and has 3rd party testing so that you know the label claims are true.

If you enjoyed this, you’ll enjoy watching my ultimate protein powder tier list video, where I tested 22 brands.

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