CREATINE
Powder vs Gummies
Compare serving size, convenience and cost per serving.
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How to Compare Supplement Prices
Why bottle price is misleading, and how to compare on the same basis.
The short answer
Compare supplements on cost per serving and, better, cost per standardized amount of the active ingredient — for example cost per 100 mg elemental magnesium, per 5 g creatine or per 1,000 mg EPA + DHA. Bottle price alone ignores serving count, serving size and concentration.
Key takeaways
- Bottle price ≠ value.
- Normalize to a standard amount of the active ingredient.
- A price difference often reflects form, concentration, blends or testing — not just margin.
Why bottle price misleads
Two bottles at the same price can contain 30 or 120 servings, and each serving can contain very different amounts. A cheaper bottle can be more expensive per unit of what you actually want.
Three levels of price comparison
- Price per bottle — least useful.
- Price per serving — better, but servings differ in size.
- Price per standardized amount — the fairest comparison of the active ingredient.
See how to calculate cost per serving for worked examples.
Legitimate reasons prices differ
- Different forms (glycinate costs more than oxide per 100 mg)
- Different concentration (concentrated fish oil vs standard)
- Blends that dilute a pricier form with a cheaper one
- Format (gummies cost more to make per gram of active ingredient)
- Certification programs, which cost manufacturers money
- Pack size and subscriptions
Caveats
Lowest cost per standardized amount isn’t automatically the best choice for you — form, tolerability, other ingredients and verified testing all matter. Prices also change frequently; SuppScout shows the date a price was checked and marks demonstration prices clearly.
Sources & references
- Dietary Supplement Labeling Guide. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. fda.govRegulatory
SuppScout links to primary and authoritative sources wherever possible. See our editorial policy for how sources are selected and how corrections are handled.