7 Best Caffeine-Free Pre-Workouts In 2024

Looking for the benefits of a great pre-workout without the potential side effects of caffeine?

You may be wondering, do all pre-workouts have caffeine? Or, do caffeine-free pre-workouts work? Luckily, as shown by the best caffeine-free pre-workouts we’ll be covering in this article, caffeine isn’t necessary for a solid pre-workout supplement. 

We’ve chosen the best options for a great pre-workout supplement with zero caffeine. Although you’ll be sacrificing some stimulation, whether you’re looking to avoid jitters, an upset stomach, or disrupted sleep, these supplements are a great way to get a pre-workout boost without any caffeine whatsoever.

Our team of professional and certified nutritionists has tested over 20 caffeine-free pre-workouts in order to create this top list. After 180+ hours invested we’ve managed to compile this list of the 7 best caffeine-free pre-workouts that are currently available.

To get this list, all 20 products were rigorously tested and ranked on ingredient breakdown, ergogenic effects, taste/flavor, nutrition label transparency, and value for money. Our team of experts will continue updating this list to ensure that you, the reader, have the best selection before you.

Product	Total	Ingredients Breakdown	Ergogenic Effects	Taste/ Flavor	Nutrition Label Transparency	Value for Money
Transparent Labs	49.5	9.5	10	10	10	10
Legion	48.5	9.5	9.5	9.5	10	10
Kaged	47	9	10	8	10	10
Genius	46	8.5	9.5	8.5	10	9.5
Animal	45	9	9.5	8	9	9.5
Jacked Factory	43.5	8.5	9	9	8	9
ProSupps	43	8	9	8	8.5	9.5

Top 7 Best Caffeine-Free Pre-Workouts Reviewed

1. Stim-Free By Transparent Labs – Top Pick
2. Pulse Caffeine-Free Pre-Workout By Legion – Runner-Up
3. Pre-Kaged® Stim Free By Kaged
4. Genius Pre-Workout
5. Animal Pump Pro Pre-Workout
6. Jacked Factory Pump Surge
7. ProSupps Hyde Max Pump

Starting off our list, and the best overall choice for a non-caffeinated pre-workout is Transparent Labs’ Stim-Free training formula. If you’ve read our other supplement reviews, then you’re likely no stranger to Transparent Labs and their consistently high quality products.

When you’re looking for a stimulant-free pre-workout, you can’t rely on caffeine to do the heavy lifting in the formula. Instead, you need to look for additional active ingredients. Some of the most effective of these ingredients include beta-alanine, betaine, and citrulline. Transparent Labs has solid doses of all three of these ingredients (4g beta-alanine, 2.5g betaine, 6g citrulline malate).

Beta-alanine has been to significantly increase power and reduce fatigue, showing positive results in improving anaerobic performance. Studies on betaine supplementation have similarly shown increases in force production and muscular endurance. Finally, citrulline supplementation has been shown to increase exercise volume and overall performance. As you can see, these 3 ingredients form a very strong base for a caffeine-free pre-workout to genuinely improve performance.

Additional ingredients include BCAA, which have been shown to help with endurance and overall muscle gain. However, with this being said, adequate BCAA intake can also easily be accomplished with a diet rich in protein. Therefore, while BCAA is a harmless inclusion to the formula, it’s likely not adding much value for most people.

Finally, this supplement comes in a solid mix of 8 different flavors, meaning there should be something for everyone! One very minor downside to this product is that its serving size is relatively large at 23g. This may make it tougher to mix with a small amount of water.

Overall, you’ll be hard pressed to find a caffeine-free pre-workout more complete than this!

Our runner-up for the best pre-workout powder without caffeine comes from Legion with their Pulse supplement. So, let’s see how Legion’s product stacks up compared to Transparent Labs.

First off, both of these products have very similar formulas, with the same 3 active ingredients making up the base of the supplement: citrulline malate, betaine, and beta-alanine (6g citrulline malate, 2.5g betaine, and 3.6g beta-alanine). As we covered in our Transparent Labs review, all of these ingredients have been shown to improve performance in one way or another. Both of these products contain the same amount of betaine at 2.5g per serving, however Transparent Labs has a slightly higher beta-alanine content while Legion has a higher amount of citrulline malate.

Another active ingredient in Legion’s pre-workout is Alpha-GPC, which has been shown to increase overall force on the bench press. However, these results were achieved with twice as much supplemented Alpha-GPC as Pulse contains. This makes it difficult to say if their dose will have any significant impact on performance.

Similar to Transparent Labs, this product has a robust list of flavors with 7 different options to choose from. One small downside here, however, is that each package only comes with 20 servings, which is 50% less than Transparent Labs’ 30.

Overall, while this is a solid pre-workout with a very similar formula to Transparent Labs, the top spot goes to the other product for having a slightly better value for money.

Next up on our list of no caffeine pre-workouts is a supplement from Kaged. This is another very solid product that contains high doses of key active ingredients. Let’s see how it compares to other products on our list so far.

We’ve already gone in depth on beta-alanine, betaine, and citrulline, and this product contains solid doses of each (6.5g l-citrulline, 2.5g betaine, 1.6g beta-alanine). It’s worth noting that Kaged does have a slightly lower beta-alanine content than some of the other options above it on our list. Also, this is the first product on our list to contain L-Citrulline instead of citrulline malate. Although these have the same base effects, citrulline malate is mixed with malic acid, meaning it will have a less potent formula. Therefore 6.5g of L-Citrulline is significantly more potent than the same dose of citrulline malate.

However, what truly sets Kaged apart is the inclusion of an ingredient we haven’t covered yet – creatine. Creatine is one of the most heavily studied and effective sports supplements on the market. It helps with maximum energy output, as well as increase muscle size through water retention.

Although the recommended dose is 3-5g per day, Kaged does only contain 1.5g in each serving. Although this won’t be enough to see maximal effects, especially if the supplement is not taken every day, as is usually the case for pre-workouts. However, it will still likely make a difference in athletic performance. If someone is already taking creatine, they can take a smaller dose than usual alongside this pre-workout to reach the recommended 3-5g.

The minor downsides to this product include that it only comes in 2 flavors, has a relatively low amount of servings per container, and contains several artificial ingredients. However, these are all very minor cons, with Kaged still offering one of the best caffeine-free pre-workouts available.

Our next pre-workout drink without caffeine comes from Genius, which differs from the other companies on our list. The reason for this is that while most of the other options on our list are a stimulant-free version of a caffeinated pre-workout, Genius focuses solely on their caffeine-free pre-workout. So, does this mean it has a superior formula to the other options on our list? Let’s find out.

First off, Genius offers solid doses of the big 3 ingredients we’ve been focusing on in this article (6g Citrulline Malate, 2g Beta-Alanine, 2g Betaine), which shows that it will most likely deliver solid results. Similar to Legion’s product, Genius also contains Alpha-GPC, although at a doubly potent dose of 600mg. Based on the study that used this exact dose, the Alpha-GPC will likely have a more pronounced effect.

Genius also comes in 4 flavors, which is not the most variety on our list, but it still offers a decent set of options to choose from. Also, although this comes in a similarly small package size to the rest of our list (20 servings), it still offers fairly decent value for money.

The reason Genius falls this low on our list is because it contains relatively low doses of its key ingredients, namely beta-alanine and betaine at only 2g per serving each. Although it does contain a solid dose of Alpha-GPC, without something like creatine to boost its formula, Genius likely won’t be as effective as the options above it on our list.

For our next pre-workout with no caffeine, we have Animal with their Pump Pro pre-workout. So, how does it compare with the rest of the products on our list?

This product immediately stands out from the rest of our list – for better or for worse – by not containing any beta-alanine, betaine. With these being some of the main active ingredients we’ve been focusing on in this list, how has Animal earned its spot here?

It still has a solid dose of L-Citrulline with 4g, as well as a solid amount of Alpha-GPC at 600mg. However, what truly makes this product stand out is its creatine content at a solid 5g per serving. This makes Animal’s product a standalone creatine supplement, offering a dose that will help anybody reap all the benefits of creatine.

Aside from the lack of beta-alanine and betaine, the only other minor downsides to this product are that it contains some artificial ingredients, comes in a small package size of only 20 servings, as well as only coming in 2 flavors.

Overall, if you’re looking for a pre-workout that doubles as a great source of creatine, then Animal’s product may be the way to go.

Next up on our list we have Pump Surge from Jacked Factory. Let’s see how this stim-free pre-workout is able to compare with the rest of our list.

First off, similar to Animal’s product, you’ll notice that Jacked Factory is missing the key ingredient beta-alanine. Although it does have a solid dose of L-Citrulline at 5g, as well as betaine at 2.5g, there’s little else to make up for the lack of beta-alanine. While Jacked Factory does contain Alpha-GPC, it’s at the lowest dose on our list so far at only 150mg per serving.

With 5 flavors to choose from, there is a solid amount of variety here, and the product does offer solid value for money as well. One minor downside apart from the disappointing ingredients list is that Jacked Factory’s product does contain some artificial flavoring.

Also, although this is another minor gripe, Jacked Factory’s branding may be seen as misleading. They call their product “one of a kind”, as well as promising “skin-tearing pumps” and “endless endurance”. Although this type of marketing is fairly common in the supplement industry, it’s rather misleading especially when comparing ingredients to the products higher up on our list.

Overall, this is still a solid pre-workout, it just doesn’t have the same high ingredient doses, and level of transparency in its branding as some of the other products on our list.

Finally, closing off our list we have the Hyde Max Pump pre-workout from ProSupps. So, does ProSupps product stack up well against the rest of the options on our list?

Overall, this is a fairly average pre-workout when compared with the rest of our list. While it does contain a decent amount of L-Citrulline at 4g, and a solid amount of Beta-Alanine at 3.2g, it is missing betaine. This is one of 3 supplements on our list that contains creatine, although it’s at the lowest dose yet at only 1g per serving.

Also, this is tied with Animal and Kaged for the lowest amount of flavors on our list with only 2 to choose from. This is also one of the products made with artificial ingredients such as sucralose.

One of the main upsides here is that ProSupps product does offer a solid amount of value for money, making it one of the most budget-friendly options on our list. Just keep in mind that by saving money, you will be sacrificing high doses of some key ingredients.

In What Cases Do You Need Caffeine Free Pre-Workout?

There are several reasons you may want to opt for a caffeine-free pre-workout instead of a standard caffeinated supplement. Here are some of the reasons you may prefer a stim-free pre-workout!

1. Training at Night

First off, one of the biggest reasons to avoid caffeine is to maintain a high quality of sleep. Sleep and recovery are some of the most underrated and often neglected aspects of training. If you don’t sleep well, you’re more than likely losing out on gains in the gym! And of course, one of the main reasons people don’t get high quality sleep is the high amount of caffeine they’re consuming.

Especially if you’re someone who trains at night, taking a highly caffeinated pre-workout will virtually guarantee you get lower quality sleep. It’s recommended that you avoid caffeine for 6 hours before going to bed, meaning that taking any caffeinated pre-workout in the back half of your day will likely lead to disrupted sleep. Taking a stimulant-free pre-workout is a great way to prioritize your sleep while still getting a solid boost before your workout.

2. Caffeine Sensitivity

Another reason you may want to try a caffeine-free pre-workout is if you’re generally caffeine sensitive. Especially with many pre-workouts containing very high doses of caffeine (250mg+ per serving), there are plenty of side effects that can pop up.

One of the most common symptoms of caffeine sensitivity is anxiety, as well as disrupted sleep. If you’re someone who experiences these symptoms even with low doses of caffeine (ie. 1-2 cups of coffee), then you’ll most likely want to avoid the high caffeine content of most pre-workouts.

3. Upset Stomach And Heartburn

Another common side effect of high doses of caffeine is an upset stomach and heartburn. Of course, this is based on an individual tolerance to caffeine, and if you don’t experience these symptoms it’s not something you need to worry about. However, if you find that caffeine frequently gives you indigestion, then it is likely best to opt for a caffeine-free pre-workout.

4. Under 18 Years Old

Finally, another reason you may decide to go for a caffeine-free pre-workout is if you’re under 18 years old. The recommended dose of caffeine for 12-18 year olds is less than 100mg a day. With many caffeinated pre-workouts containing 2 to 3 times this amount, teenagers looking to use pre-workout should most likely stick to non-caffeinated options.

How To Find The Best Caffeine Free Pre-Workout?

If you’ve decided that caffeine-free pre-workout is right for you, there are still a few key factors you’ll want to consider before making a decision.

1. Ingredients (Beta-Alanine, L-Citrulline, Creatine, Etc.)

First off, the main characteristic you’ll want to look out for when deciding which caffeine-free pre-workout to buy is its ingredient list. There are a few key ingredients you’ll want to look out for to ensure you’re paying for a truly effective formula.

These mainly include beta-alanine, betaine, l-citrulline, and creatine. All of these ingredients have been shown to significantly improve performance in one way or another, and the ideal caffeine-free pre-workout would contain most or all of these ingredients.

From here, there are other ingredients that may show some results as well. These include things like Alpha-GPC and BCAAs. Although these are active ingredients, and may benefit performance, they should not be prioritized as much in your decision as the other ingredients listed above.

It’s also worth considering non-active ingredients such as sweeteners and preservatives. Although there’s no reason to fear artificial sweeteners, many people choose to avoid them when buying supplements. Always read the full ingredient list of a product to understand what you’ll be consuming before making a purchase.

2. Value For Money

Also, aside from ingredients, you should always be aware of the value you’re getting for your money when buying a supplement. The pre-workouts on our list range from around $35 to $50, so it’s important to know what you’re getting for that price.

This includes things like the amount of servings per container, and the dosages of its active ingredients. Ideally you’ll want to find a pre-workout with a relatively low cost per serving that still offers a high dose of all its active ingredients.

This is where it’s important to understand the different ingredients that make up pre-workout formulas, so you can understand which ones to look for, and what doses are ideal. By doing your research beforehand, you can find a pre-workout supplement that’s well worth the money you’re paying for it.

3. Taste/Flavor

Finally, although this may not be a major priority, it’s still important that you find a pre-workout with an enjoyable taste. After all, you’re going to be drinking it quite regularly, so you might as well enjoy it!

We recommend reading user reviews to see which supplements people seem to enjoy the most. Also, if there’s a specific flavor you’re looking for, some brands offer significantly more variety than others. Overall, while flavor isn’t the most important factor to consider, it should still be a part of your decision making process.

What Is The Best Way To Take Pre-Workouts Without Caffeine?

One of the main upsides to choosing a caffeine-free pre-workout is that you can take it at any point in the day without the risk of disrupting your sleep. However, there are still some guidelines you’ll likely want to follow to maximize your supplements effectiveness.

First is when you take your pre-workout before getting into the gym. Because caffeine isn’t a factor, you aren’t trying to optimize your timing of the supplement for a maximal energy boost in the gym, instead, you’re looking to maximize the effectiveness of the other ingredients. Because of this, we recommend taking non-caffeinated pre-workouts slightly earlier than you might expect. To maximize the effectiveness of L-Citrulline and Betaine specifically, aim to drink your pre-workout about an hour before hitting the gym.

Of course, always follow the instructions on the individual supplement. This will usually be something along the lines of “mix one scoop of pre-workout with 8-12 oz of water or your favorite beverage”.

Because there’s no caffeine, there’s not as much risk in taking multiple scoops. However most of the products have optimal doses of their ingredients in a single scoop, so it’s really not necessary.

FAQ

Is Pre-Workout Effective Without Caffeine?

Yes! Although caffeine is an excellent pre-workout ingredient, there are many reasons someone may want to avoid it in their pre-workout. Thanks to ingredients like beta-alanine, creatine, l-citrulline, and betaine, non-caffeinated pre-workouts can still make a huge difference in performance.

What Is The Best Pre-Workout For People Who Are Sensitive To Caffeine?

For the best pre-workout for caffeine sensitive people, we recommend STIM-FREE by Transparent Labs. With that being said, all of the products on our list are great choices with their own unique advantages depending on your goals. However, overall, you can’t go wrong with Transparent Labs’ product.

Is Creatine Caffeine-Free?

Yes! Creatine is a supplement that increases maximal power output, as well as increasing muscle size through water retention. Despite having a similar sounding name to caffeine, don’t get the two confused, as creatine is completely caffeine-free.

Conclusion

There are plenty of reasons you may want to avoid caffeine in their pre-workout. Whether you’re under 18, want to prioritize sleep, or are just generally sensitive to caffeine, there are plenty of great options available for pre-workout supplements without caffeine. Our top pick for the best pre-workout without caffeine is STIM-FREE by Transparent Labs, but all of the products on our list have their own pros as well. We hope these caffeine-free pre-workout reviews help you make the most informed decision possible!

Let us know if you try out any of the products on our list, we’d love to hear your thoughts in the products below!

Also read:

• Pre Workout vs Energy Drink
• Best Preworkout Without Creatine
• Best Thermogenic Pre Workout
• Best Pre Workout for Weight Loss
• Creatine vs Pre Workout
• Is Pre Workout Bad for Teens
• Best Pre Workout for Pump
• Best Pre Workout for Muscle Growth
• Best Pre Workout With Creatine
• Best Creatine Pre Workout

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7. Jenna M. Apicella "The Effect of Betaine Supplementation on Performance and Muscle Mechanisms" University of Connecticut. July 7, 2011. https://digitalcommons.lib.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article= 1078&context=gs_theses
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