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BulkSupplements Creatine Monohydrate (Micronized) Powder

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BulkSupplements Creatine Monohydrate (Micronized) Powder

Plain creatine monohydrate at $0.15 to $0.23 a 5 g serving, with an NSF listing and a clean independent lab test of one batch. The maker has had recalls and lead notices on other products, and its page shows a California lead warning.

Best for People who want the cheapest creatine that still has outside testing behind it, and who will weigh 5 g on a kitchen scale.

Our rating
Good (4.4 of 5)
Price range
Budget
Verified marks
NSF Certified for Sport (unflavored powder, 100 g to 1 kg)
Size
Powder, 100 g to 1 kg (the sizes NSF lists), 5 g servings; 500 g is 100 servings and 1 kg is 200 servings

approx. $23 for 500 g (100 servings); approx. $30 for 1 kg (200 servings)

See it on BulkSupplements’s site → (opens in a new tab)

We are not affiliated with BulkSupplements. This link goes to the maker’s own page, with no tracking code. How we're funded.

Also sold at Amazon ($21 for 500 g (100 servings)), Target ($30 for 1 kg (200 servings)) .

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    Reviews are personal experiences, not research, and they never change our quality ratings. Every review is read by our team before it appears.

    How we evaluated it

    How it scores Our rating, metric by metric Good, 4.4 of 5
    1. Ingredients 25% of the rating 5 of 5

      One ingredient. The page says “Other Ingredients: None”, and an independent lab found 4.93 g of creatine in a 5 g serving.

    2. Independent testing 30% of the rating 4 of 5

      SuppCo bought the 1 kg bag off the shelf in 2025 and an accredited lab found 98.6% of the labeled creatine, little creatinine and no heavy-metal concerns. NSF lists two sets of lots. One batch, and no metal values are published.

    3. Evidence 25% of the rating 5 of 5

      Creatine monohydrate at 3 to 5 g a day is among the best-studied supplements: the ISSN position stand, a 53-study strength meta-analysis and a 2026 kidney meta-analysis of 19 trials.

    4. Trust 10% of the rating 2 of 5

      Two FDA recalls of other products (2018, 2025), 2026 Prop 65 lead notices on other products, a California lead warning on this page and no batch report. Its creator program pays commission.

    5. Value 10% of the rating 5 of 5

      About $0.23 a 5 g serving at 500 g and $0.15 at 1 kg, the lowest price per dose of the creatines we list.

    The rating, 4.4 of 5, is the weighted average of these scores. See how we rank performance & longevity and our standard.

    Where to buy Stores and the prices we saw 2 stores
    • Amazon (opens in a new tab) approx. $21 for 500 g (100 servings). Sold by BulkSupplements, the brand’s own Amazon store, and shipped by Amazon. Part number CM500, the same as the maker’s 500 g bag.
    • Target (opens in a new tab) approx. $30 for 1 kg (200 servings). A Target Plus listing sold and shipped by BulkSupplements.com. The page showed the 1 kg size, the same size SuppCo tested, and says the item cannot be returned or exchanged.

    Prices as we saw them on October 23, 2026. They change often. These links carry no tracking code and earn us nothing.

    What’s in it Every ingredient, in label order 1 ingredient
    1. Creatine monohydrate (micronized)
    Who tested it What each test found, and who paid for it 3 tests
    • Independent SuppCo (bought off the shelf; ISO 17025 lab, not named). SuppCo sells a supplement-rating app June 2025

      The 1 kg bag held 4.93 g of creatine in a 5 g serving (98.6%) and 43 ppm creatinine, against the 500 ppm USP limit. SuppCo rated it as passing its identity and potency test and reports no heavy-metal concerns in any of the five powders it tested but publishes no metal values. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)

    • Independent ConsumerLab (bought and tested; subscription-funded) June 2026

      Tested this powder among 11 creatines for creatine content and creatinine, a breakdown product, in a review announced on 22 June 2026. One product exceeded ConsumerLab’s creatinine limit; the release does not name it, and we could not see this product’s result. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)

    • Paid certification NSF (Certified for Sport; the maker pays)

      Lists the unflavored powder in two listings (ids 1796571 and 1676955), five lots each. NSF says it checks label content, heavy metals and microbes, and screens for 290 banned substances. It publishes lots, not results. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)

    Who paid, and why it matters
    • Independent The tester took no money from the maker for it: a consumer group, a journalist, a university or a regulator.
    • Paid certification An outside lab or certifier tested or listed it, and the maker paid for that.
    • Maker’s own test A lab report or certificate of analysis the maker commissioned and published.

    A certification is a floor, not a verdict: it checks what its program checks and nothing else. We weigh tests by someone with no stake in the result most.

    What people ask Worries raised online and elsewhere, and what we found 4 questions
    Is a creatine at $0.15 a serving as good as a premium brand?
    In SuppCo's 2025 test it held the labeled dose and was far below the creatinine limit (report (opens in a new tab)). Commenters on Reddit (opens in a new tab) say plain monohydrate from the cheapest brand is fine, and one says BulkSupplements’ mixes as well as any other. That is one batch. ConsumerLab says one of the 11 creatines it tested in 2026 exceeded its creatinine limit and does not say publicly which.
    Does it contain lead? The page shows a California warning.
    The page shows California shoppers a warning that the product can expose them to lead. SuppCo found no heavy-metal concerns in the batch it tested, but neither it nor the maker publishes a lead number. California's Attorney General lists 60-day notices naming Hard Eight Nutrition for lead in other products (spirulina capsules and golden milk powder in 2026, wheatgrass powder in 2024, and 21 other products, mostly botanicals and protein powders, in a 2016 notice that ended in a settlement and a court judgment), none for creatine (search (opens in a new tab)).
    Does the maker pay people to promote it?
    Yes, openly. Its affiliate program (opens in a new tab) pays approved TikTok Shop creators a commission on sales and offers free samples. Treat a creator's praise as paid unless they say otherwise.
    Does creatine harm the kidneys or cause hair loss?
    A 2026 meta-analysis of 19 trials found creatine raises blood creatinine by about 0.13 mg/dL, with no significant difference in eGFR or urea, and calls for trials longer than a year (PubMed 42035842 (opens in a new tab)). A 2025 trial that randomized 45 men (38 finished) found no difference from placebo in DHT or hair measures after 12 weeks at 5 g a day (PubMed 40265319 (opens in a new tab)).
    Why we chose it What put it on our list 4 points
    • One ingredient: creatine monohydrate. The page says “Other Ingredients: None” and “Free of Added Sugar, Soy, Dairy, Yeast, Gluten, Additives”. Our creatine guide says to choose plain monohydrate over buffered or HCl forms.
    • SuppCo bought the 1 kg bag off the shelf in 2025. An accredited lab found 4.93 g of creatine in a 5 g serving, creatinine at 43 ppm (the USP limit is 500) and no heavy-metal concerns.
    • NSF lists the powder in its Certified for Sport database in 100 g, 250 g, 425 g, 500 g and 1 kg sizes, plus a second listing for 500 g and 1 kg.
    • It is the lowest price per dose of the creatines we list: $22.97 for 500 g (about $0.23 a serving) and $29.97 for 1 kg (about $0.15). Thorne's is about $0.49.
    Trade-offs What to weigh before you buy 4 points
    • The maker's record is mixed. FDA's database lists two Class II recalls of other BulkSupplements products (glucosamine in 2018 for undeclared shellfish, inositol powder in 2025 for possible Staphylococcus aureus), both closed. California lists lead notices on its spirulina, golden milk and wheatgrass powders (2024 to 2026), a 2016 lead notice on 21 other products that ended in a court judgment, and retinol notices on its vitamin A. We found no creatine recall and no FDA warning letter.
    • Its page shows California shoppers a lead warning, and it publishes no batch report or country of origin. Its site says only that products are “lab tested for purity and quality”. NSF and SuppCo are the outside records, and each covers a batch.
    • The label suggests about 7 g a day (3 teaspoons) after a loading phase. Our creatine guide describes 3 to 5 g a day, and loading is optional. The serving is given as 2 teaspoons, and the page warns that serving sizes “are subject to occasional adjustments”, so weigh a few scoops to check yours is 5 g.
    • Creators who promote it may be paid. The program is public, but a creator's post may not say so.
    What to know Details worth knowing first

    Creatine monohydrate is the form our creatine guide says to choose, and it is close to a commodity: the same white powder at very different prices. This is the cheapest we found with real testing behind it.

    The label is one ingredient, and two outside records back it. NSF lists the powder in its Certified for Sport database, a program the maker pays for. SuppCo, a company that rates supplements, bought the 1 kg bag off the shelf in 2025 and had an accredited lab test it: 4.93 g of creatine in a 5 g serving, little breakdown product and no heavy-metal concerns. That is one batch. ConsumerLab also tested it in 2026, but its result is for members only.

    What you give up is peace of mind about the maker. BulkSupplements has had two FDA recalls and several lead notices on other products, publishes no batch report, and shows California shoppers a lead warning on this page. It also pays creators to promote it. The label suggests about 7 g a day, more than the 3 to 5 g in our guide, so weigh a 5 g serving on a kitchen scale. For help judging any label, see how to tell if a supplement is pure.

    What we checked Each claim, and how sure we are of it 8 checks
    Third-party tested
    Yes
    Tested by
    SuppCo (independent buy-and-test, 2025); NSF (Certified for Sport)
    How BulkSupplements Creatine Monohydrate (Micronized) Powder measures up against our performance & longevity criteria
    What we checked What we found
    Research behind the ingredient Verified Creatine monohydrate, 5 g a serving. The International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand (cited in our creatine guide) finds supplementation raises muscle creatine and improves high-intensity exercise performance, and reports it safe in healthy people at up to 30 g a day for 5 years. A 2017 meta-analysis of 53 trials found a gain in upper-limb strength for efforts under 3 minutes.
    Independent lab test Verified SuppCo bought the 1 kg bag off the shelf and sent it to an ISO 17025 lab (not named): 4.93 g creatine per 5 g serving, 98.6% of the label, creatinine 43 ppm. It reports no heavy-metal concerns in the five powders it tested and no per-metal values. One batch. SuppCo sells a supplement-rating app.
    Third-party tested Verified Listed in NSF’s Certified for Sport database (listing 1796571) as “CREATINE MONOHYDRATE POWDER UNFLAVORED”, brand Bulk Supplements: sizes 100 g to 1 kg, serving 2 tsp (about 5 g), lots 2604101, 2604501, 2510210, R2603703 and 2510310. A second listing (id 1676955, “CREATINE MONOHYDRATE”, 500 g and 1 kg) shows lots 2419408, 2400107, 2400607, 2400507 and 2400307. NSF keeps a lot listed for up to 3 years, or 1 year past shelf life. The listing does not say “micronized” (the product page does), so we matched it by brand, sizes and serving.
    A plain label Maker’s claim One ingredient. The page says “Other Ingredients: None” and “Free of Added Sugar, Soy, Dairy, Yeast, Gluten, Additives”. No proprietary blend.
    Claims that match the evidence Maker’s claim The page says creatine is “known to enhance muscle strength and endurance, improve exercise recovery, and accelerate lean muscle mass development”. That is broader than the strength and short-effort findings in our guide, but it is not a disease claim.
    Honest cost Maker’s claim Prices on the maker’s page: 100 g $17.97, 250 g $20.97, 500 g $22.97, 1 kg $29.97. At 5 g a serving, about $0.23 for 500 g and $0.15 for 1 kg. Amazon showed $20.97 for 500 g and Target $29.97 for 1 kg on 23 October 2026.
    Purity and origin Not verified Not stated by the maker. No batch certificate, no lead result and no country of origin on the page, which shows California shoppers a Prop 65 lead warning. SuppCo reports no heavy-metal concerns in the batch it tested.
    Recalls, notices and lawsuits Verified FDA: two Class II recalls of other products, both terminated (F-1827-2018, H-0619-2025). California Prop 65: notices naming Hard Eight for lead in other products (2016-01330, which lists 21 botanicals, protein powders and other products and shows a settlement and a judgment; 2024-00142; 2026-01513; 2026-01785) and for retinol in vitamin A; none names creatine. A 2024 class action (Miran v. Hard Eight Nutrition LLC) alleged that its magnesium glycinate held less magnesium than labeled; the docket shows a voluntary dismissal in July 2026. No FDA warning letter found.
    What the labels mean
    • Verified We opened an independent record that confirms it: a certifier’s listing, a regulator’s list or a lab report. It is linked under Sources.
    • Maker’s claim The maker says so on its own page or label. We read it but found no independent record.
    • Not verified We looked and could not confirm it, or the maker does not say. Treat it as unknown.
    Sources Where our facts come from 22 sources
    1. BulkSupplements Creatine Monohydrate (Micronized) Powder product page. Maker’s page. Prices, serving size, other ingredients, suggested use and the California lead warning (checked 23 October 2026). Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    2. BulkSupplements affiliate program. Maker’s page. Commission to TikTok Shop creators and free samples. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    3. SuppCo Tested: Creatine (report, 12 June 2025). Test report. Off-the-shelf purchase, ISO 17025 lab (not named). Bulk Supplements powder: 4.93 g creatine per 5 g serving, creatinine 43 ppm. Results cover only the batches tested. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    4. SuppCo: Creatine Reality Check, the failures we found when testing popular products. Independent source. SuppCo's summary of the same test. It promotes its own TrustScores and app. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    5. ConsumerLab: Creatine Supplements Review (updated 15 October 2026). Independent source. Public summary only: 11 products tested, one failed, results by brand are for members. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    6. ConsumerLab news release: ConsumerLab Shows Which Creatine Is Best (22 June 2026). Independent source. Lists the 11 products tested, including this powder. One exceeded ConsumerLab’s creatinine limit (degraded creatine); it does not say which. Says you do not have to spend a lot to get good creatine. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    7. NSF Certified for Sport listing: Creatine Monohydrate Powder Unflavored (Bulk Supplements). Certifier or regulator listing. Check your size and lot. A second NSF listing, id 1676955, is filed under BulkSupplements.com. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    8. NSF Certified for Sport listing: Creatine Monohydrate (BulkSupplements.com). Certifier or regulator listing. 500 g and 1 kg; the listing notes the 3-year lot policy. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    9. NSF: what it takes to be Certified for Sport. Independent source. NSF's own description of what it tests. Manufacturers apply for certification and request a quote, which is why we label it a certification the maker pays for. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    10. PubMed: ISSN position stand on creatine (PMID 28615996). Certifier or regulator listing. Abstract. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    11. PubMed: Creatine and upper limb strength, systematic review and meta-analysis (PMID 27328852). Certifier or regulator listing. Abstract: 53 studies. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    12. PubMed: Creatine supplementation and kidney function, meta-analysis of RCTs (PMID 42035842). Certifier or regulator listing. Abstract, 2026: 19 trials. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    13. PubMed: Does creatine cause hair loss? A 12-week randomized controlled trial (PMID 40265319). Certifier or regulator listing. Abstract, 2025: 45 men randomized, 38 finished, 5 g a day. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    14. California Attorney General Prop 65 60-day notice search: Hard Eight. Certifier or regulator listing. Checked 23 October 2026. Notices 2026-01513, 2026-01785 (lead), 2026-03607, 2025-02764 (retinol), 2024-00142 (lead), 2016-01330 (lead). None names creatine. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    15. California Attorney General Prop 65 notice 2016-01330: Hard Eight Nutrition dba BulkSupplements.com. Certifier or regulator listing. Lead in 21 products (botanicals, spirulina, casein and pea protein, glucosamine); no creatine. The record lists a complaint, a settlement and a judgment (Alameda County Superior Court). We read the notice, not the settlement terms. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    16. openFDA food enforcement reports for Hard Eight Nutrition LLC (BulkSupplements.com). Certifier or regulator listing. Two Class II voluntary recalls, both terminated: F-1827-2018 (glucosamine, undeclared shellfish) and H-0619-2025 (inositol powder, possible Staphylococcus aureus). Checked 23 October 2026. None concerns creatine. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    17. FDA warning letters search for “Hard Eight Nutrition”. Certifier or regulator listing. Checked 22 and 23 October 2026 (the 23 October check used FDA’s search export). No warning letter names Hard Eight Nutrition or BulkSupplements. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    18. Miran v. Hard Eight Nutrition LLC (class action summary by Lemberg Law). Independent source. A plaintiff’s law firm’s summary of the amended complaint (June 28, 2024). Allegations, not findings. Concerns magnesium glycinate powder, not creatine. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    19. Miran v. Hard Eight Nutrition LLC, docket 5:24-cv-00807 (C.D. Cal.), on CourtListener. Independent source. Complaint filed 2024-04-17. The docket lists a voluntary dismissal on 2026-07-22 and the case closing on 2026-07-23. We did not see why. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    20. Reddit r/workout: Trying to pick the best creatine brands while stretching a student budget. Independent source. October 2025 thread. We read it through a Reddit archive because Reddit blocks automated access. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    21. Amazon listing: BulkSupplements.com Creatine Monohydrate Powder, 500 g. Independent source. Price $20.97, sold by BulkSupplements, shipped by Amazon, part number CM500, 100 servings. Checked 23 October 2026. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    22. Target listing: BulkSupplements Creatine Monohydrate (Micronized) Powder. Independent source. Target Plus listing, sold and shipped by BulkSupplements.com; page showed 1 kg at $29.97, other ingredients none. Checked 23 October 2026. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    Alternatives Other options to compare 3 options
    • Nature Made Micronized Creatine Monohydrate Also NSF-listed, sold in many stores. About $0.37 a serving for the 90-serving tub.
    • Thorne Creatine NSF-listed, a single ingredient, about $0.49 a serving. The same compound at a higher price.
    • Creatine gummies We do not list any. SuppCo's 2025 test found four of six gummies with little or no creatine, while all five powders passed. See the creatine guide for the powder dose.

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