5 Best Pre-Workouts Without Creatine (According To Dietitians)

Supplements are a proven way to get more from your workouts, and two of the most popular and widely-studied are pre-workouts and creatine.

While creatine has been studied extensively and has been shown to be safe for a majority of users, there are plenty of valid reasons why you wouldn’t want it in your pre-workout.

Perhaps you already have a creatine that is palatable and absorbs efficiently, or you prefer to take your creatine post-workout, or you don’t like the bloating that can sometimes happen with creatine.

Fear not.

In this guide to the best pre-workouts without creatine, we are going to focus on the top pre-workouts for getting the most out of your workouts, keep you focused, and increase overall performance.

All without creatine.

Let’s jump in.

Best Pre-Workout without Creatine – Quick Look

Having tested well over 50 different creatines without creatine over the years, the pre-workout I recommend most often with my clients as a personal trainer, and nutritionist is the Transparent Labs Bulk.

It gets my vote because:

The use of clinically-studied ingredients
A clean ingredient profile void of fillers and artificial sweeteners
Third-party testing for purity
Tastes great with eight different flavor options
And discounts are available (10% off) when subscribing, and free shipping.

The Transparent Labs Bulk Pre-Workout is available exclusively at Transparent Labs’ official website below.

Best Creatine-Free Pre-Workout Supplements

Below, we will take a deeper look at the top pre-workout supplements without creatine, highlighting key active ingredients and the best type of user for each pre-workout.

Later, we will also answer some of the most common questions about pre-workouts without creatine.

Transparent Labs Bulk Pre-Workout

⭐ Best overall pre-workout without creatine

The Transparent Labs Bulk Pre-Workout is our favorite pre-workout without creatine as a result of its transparent manufacturing process, third-party testing, proven ingredients, and eight different tasty flavors.

Each serving of Transparent Labs Bulk packs a pre-workout punch, with the key performance-enhancing ingredients including:

Citrulline Malate (8,000mg) – Citrulline malate is a proven nitric oxide enhancer that increases performance both when it comes to resistance training and high-intensity exercise (Gough et al., 2021). It promotes blood flow to active muscles and increases ATP production for more energy.

Beta-Alanine (4,000mg) – Widely studied and recommended by the International Society of Sports Nutrition (Trexler et al., 2015), Beta-alanine increases muscle carnosine concentrations and delays muscular fatigue. It’s also the supplement that gives you that sensation of a light tingling on the skin for some users.

Taurine (1,300mg) – Another ergogenic aid, taurine has been shown to increase anaerobic performance, delay muscle damage, and increase peak power and the rate of recovery (Kurtz et al., 2021).

L-Tyrosine (1,000mg) – An amino acid, tyrosine helps release dopamine while also reducing ratings of perceived exertion when exercising, allowing you to workout harder, longer (Tumilty et al., 2011).

L-Theanine (200mg) and Caffeine (200mg) – Studies have shown that the combination of theanine (an amino acid) and caffeine to be wildly effective at improving cognitive function, helping you focus better when exercising (Kelly et al., 2008).

The combination of these performance-enhancing ingredients create an unbeatable pre-workout that helps you exercise longer, recover faster, and give you the mental focus to crush your workouts.

And, of course, there is no creatine to be found in this pre-workout.

Transparent Labs also doesn’t include any artificial sweeteners like sucralose, which many users find can cause digestive issues (author included) and they have all of their supplements third-party tested to ensure purity.

The Bulk pre-workout is obviously awesome for gymgoers and people who want to avoid creatine prior to their workouts, but almost as importantly, it tastes great and performs even better.

The first time I tried the Bulk pre-workout, it felt like I got shot out of a cannon I was so full of energy.

Each container costs $49 and has 30 servings. Transparent Labs offers deals if you subscribe (10% off plus free shipping), so there are options to drive the price down.

The Transparent Labs Bulk Pre-Workout is my top choice for the highest quality and research-backed pre-workout without creatine, and the competition isn’t even that close.

Where to Buy: Shop the Transparent Labs Bulk Pre-Workout and Save 10% by Subscribing by Clicking Here

Onnit Total Strength & Performance

⭐ Best creatine-free pre-workout for powerlifters

Onnit is one of the more popular fitness and health brands on the planet, making industry-leading kettlebells, battle ropes, and other training gear.

But they also make some excellent supplements, including the Onnit Total Strength & Performance Pre-Workout, a caffeine and creatine-free energy booster jam-packed with research-backed ingredients and tested with elite athletes.

Each serving includes three Onnit blends:

The performance blend includes 4.5g of amino acids (leucine, glutamine, and beta-alanine).
The power blend, designed for peak muscular contraction and anabolic response, has D-Aspartic acid (an all-natural testosterone booster), Longjack extract, and stinging nettle extract.
The support blend includes red clover extract, Japanese knotweed extract, and Sophora Japonica extract. The combi is designed to reduce muscle damage and help you recover faster between sets and workouts.

While all those ingredients sound cool and all, does the Onnit Total Strength & Performance Pre-Workout live up to the hype?

Well, according to a study done with powerlifting athletes at Florida State University, four-weeks of supplementing with this pre-workout helped increase 1RM for squat, bench, and deadlift (11%) compared to the control group (8%).

While undoubtedly effective and missing creatine per the requirements of this guide, the Onnit pre-workout is chalky and doesn’t taste as great as the other supplements on this list.

Where to buy:Shop the Onnit Total Strength & Performance Pre-Workout

Transparent Labs Lean

⭐ Best pre-workout without creatine for cutting weight

One of the main reasons lifters avoid pre-workouts with creatine is that they want to avoid bloating or any unnecessary weight gain. For this particular lifter, the Transparent Labs Lean Pre-Workout is the perfect option.

It’s got the usual suspects when it comes to pre-workouts, including citrulline malate, beta-alanine, and 200mg of organic caffeine derived from coffee beans (without the coffee smell, promise).

The combination of third-party tested ingredients and no artificial sweeteners or colors means you get pure performance in each tub, helping to support fat loss without wasting away lean muscle tissue.

The Transparent Labs Lean Pre-Workout, like its big brother the “Bulk,” doesn’t have any creatine, which means you can supplement with it separately (or not at all) during your fat-burning and weight-cutting efforts.

Perfect for athletes and lifters looking to slim down those last few pounds, the Transparent Labs Lean Pre-Workout comes in eight tasty flavors and can be purchased via subscription to save money on shipping (plus a 10% discount).

Where to buy:Get your 10% discount and free shipping with Transparent Labs Lean Pre-Workout by Clicking Here

XWerks Ignite Pre-Workout

⭐ Best pre-workout without creatine for more focus

The XWERKS Ignite pre-workout is another excellent without creatine that is jam-packed with workout-boosting ingredients like caffeine (150mg), Citrulline Malate, Beta-alanine, and Tyrosine.

But where Ignite stands apart from the competition between pre-workouts without creatine are a couple of nootropics that help to give you longer-lasting focus and energy during your workouts.

The two main focus-boosting ingredients include:

Rhodiola Rosea – An all-natural root extract, Rhodiola Rosea has been extensively studied over the years, with the primary benefits including reduced fatigue, increased energy, and can even help alleviate some gut issues and increase libido (Stojcheva & Quintela, 2022).
DMAE – DMAE, or dimethylaminoethanol, is a popular nootropic that has been shown to help treat various cognitive disorders and potentially improve mood and energy, helping to sharpen focus when exercising (Grossman, 2005).

The combination of the energizing benefits of a pre-workout with the cognitive benefits of nootropics makes the XWerks Ignite a unique choice among pre-workouts without creatine.

If you are the kind of athlete who does longer workouts and needs to be able to push through phases of fatigue, both mental and physical, the XWerks Ignite will be right up your alley.

While I love the cognitive benefits of Ignite, I don’t love that it’s sweetened with sucralose, an artificial sweetener that doesn’t sit too well in my gut.

That said, if you have the kind of digestive system that can easily process artificial sweeteners, the XWERKS Ignite pre-workout without creatine is an excellent choice.

Where to Buy: Shop the XWERKS Ignite Pre-Workout and Save When Subscribing

Honey Badger Pre-Workout

⭐ Best clean pre-workout without creatine

Pre-workouts can sometimes leave you feeling jittery, and restless, or your skin tingling and feeling like ants are crawling all over you.

For people who are more sensitive to pre-workouts and want a pre that doesn’t have any artificial sweeteners or creatine, the Honey Badger Clean Pre-Workout is your best option.

Each serving of the “regular” Honey Badger—they also offer a high stim version that has a whopping 300mg of caffeine—has Citrulline malate, beta-alanine, nootropics, Vitamin C, and 150mg of organic caffeine.

The taste is good, and the pre-workout mixes really well. I’ve been supplementing with the peach mango flavor for the past couple of years and love the “clean” but energetic boost I get from it.

And, of course, the Honey Badger pre-workout has no creatine in it.

The Honey Badger is the most budget-friendly option on our list, with a single container costing just $29 when purchased in packs of three.

Click here to shop deals on Honey Badger Pre-Workout

How to Choose the Best Pre-Workout without Creatine

Here are the key things to look for to narrow down the top pre-workouts without creatine:

Ingredient profile – Look for clinically-backed ingredients to ensure effectiveness. The key ingredients you want from creatine-free pre-workouts include caffeine, beta-alanine, citrulline malate, and taurine. These ingredients, in particular, have vast clinical research supporting their use and safety.

Caffeine tolerance – Getting the jitters, nausea, and restlessness from ingesting too much caffeine is no fun. Consider the caffeine dosage when choosing a pre-workout without creatine.

Manufacturing process – Supplements made in GMP and FDA-certified facilities conform to the highest levels of quality when it comes to manufacturing. At the end of the day, nobody wants any surprises or contaminants in their pre-workouts without creatine.

Artificial Sweeteners – One thing you will notice with many supplements, and pre-workouts without creatine are no different, is that they require sweeteners to augment the taste. While most people can stomach artificial sweeteners like sucralose, saccharin, and aspartame, many cannot.

Third-party testing – Reputable supplement brands subject their products to third-party testing to ensure purity and quality. Third-party testing means that what’s on the label is what is in your shaker cup.

Athlete approved – A more enhanced certification is Athlete Approved, NSF Certified, or Safe for Sport. This is a specialized form of third-party testing designed specifically for athletes who compete at the amateur and professional levels and are subject to drug testing by bodies like WADA.

Cost – Pre-workouts cost approximately $30 to $50 per container, with each container typically consisting of 30 servings. Cost is something to consider, and if you plan on sticking with a brand of creatine-free pre-workout, look for discounts on subscriptions and cheaper shipping.

Pre-Workouts without Creatine -- FAQs

Can you take pre-workout without creatine?

Absolutely. In fact, many gymgoers prefer to take pre-workout without creatine as it eliminates some of the side effects some lifters encounter with creatine, including excess bloating and digestive issues.

Additionally, supplementing with creatine separately from your pre-workout allows you to better control dosage, as most pre-workouts with creatine only contain 1,000mg to 2,000mg, where the typically recommended dosage for creatine is 5g per day (Kreider et al., 2015).

Is it better to take pre-workout with or without creatine?

While taking pre-workout with creatine can help you perform better at the gym, research on creatine supplementation has shown it to be most effective when taken post-workout.

One study (Antonion & Ciccone, 2013), published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, showed that supplementing with creatine before and after resistance training both increased lean muscle mass and overall strength.

However, taking creatine post-workout was more effective, and significantly so when comparing muscle gain.

Per the authors of the paper, “Post-exercise ingestion [of creatine] led to a 3% gain in fat-free mass and 7.5% gain in 1-RM bench press, compared to a 1.3% increase in fat-free mass and 6.8% 1-RM bench press improvement with pre-exercise ingestion.”

Which pre-workout without creatine has the most caffeine?

For people who want a high-stim pre-workout that doesn’t have creatine, Honey Badger offers a formulation that has a whopping 300mg of caffeine in it.

It is very similar to the “regular” version of Honey Badger, with zero creatine and loaded with additional Beta-Alanine, Tyrosine, and Citrulline Malate.

Each container has 20 servings and it costs $39 per container, which you can shop at Honey Badger’s official website by clicking here.

In comparison, most “standard” pre-workouts have between 150-200mg of caffeine.

Conclusion

While there is no substitute for working hard in the gym and eating right (that’s most of the battle, to be honest), using the right supplements can help get you across the finish line with your goals.

Choosing the right pre-workout without creatine can also help you dial in your supplementation regimen, whether that means taking creatine post-workout or reducing bloating before hitting the gym.

To recap, my top pick for the best pre-workout without creatine is hands-down the Transparent Labs Bulk Pre-Workout.

I love it and recommend it to my clients because:

Full of 21 clinically-studied performance-enhancing ingredients
Gives you a fresh burst of energy without the crash or restlessness
Manufactured in a GMP and FDA-compliant facility
Third-party tested for purity
Tons of flavors to choose from
Save money by subscribing (10%) and get free shipping
And, of course, the pre-workout doesn’t have creatine 😉

Pick up a container of Transparent Labs Bulk Pre-Workout and take your workouts to the next level today!

Where to Buy: Shop the Transparent Labs Bulk Pre-Workout and Save 10% by Subscribing by Clicking Here

Disclaimer: The above is a sponsored post, the views expressed are those of the sponsor/author and do not represent the stand and views of Outlook Editorial.