Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine Powder 317g vs Nutricost Creatine Monohydrate Micronized Powder 500G, 5000mg Per Serv (5g) - 100 Servings for Endurance, Muscle Growth, Athletic Performance and Recovery
Side-by-side comparison of scores, ingredients, prices and real customer feedback for Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine Powder 317g and Nutricost Creatine Monohydrate Micronized Powder 500G, 5000mg Per Serv (5g) - 100 Servings for Endurance, Muscle Growth, Athletic Performance and Recovery.
Last verified: 07 Apr 2026 · Based on 30 reviews
Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine Powder 317g scores 79.0/100 vs Nutricost Creatine Monohydrate Micronized Powder 500G, 5000mg Per Serv (5g) - 100 Servings for Endurance, Muscle Growth, Athletic Performance and Recovery at 75.0/100. Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine Powder 317g wins on ingredient quality, side effects, certifications. Nutricost Creatine Monohydrate Micronized Powder 500G, 5000mg Per Serv (5g) - 100 Servings for Endurance, Muscle Growth, Athletic Performance and Recovery is stronger on effectiveness and value for money.
How Do the Scores Compare?
Optimum Nutrition Micronize...
Optimum Nutrition
|
Nutricost Creatine Monohydr...
Nutricost
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Score | 79.0 | 75.0 |
| Effectiveness | 77.0/100 |
82.0/100
Best
|
| Ingredient Quality |
92.0/100
Best
|
76.0/100 |
| Value for Money | 68.0/100 |
86.0/100
Best
|
| Side Effects |
91.0/100
Best
|
87.0/100 |
| Certifications |
86.0/100
Best
|
38.0/100 |
| Best Price |
£16.00
Amazon UK →
Cheapest
|
£19.95 Amazon UK → |
| Price per Serving |
£0.17
93 servings
Best value
|
£19.95 1 servings |
| Form | Powder | Powder |
| Dose | 3.4g creatine monohydrate per serving (approx 3g pure creatine) | 1.1 Pounds |
| Third-Party Tested | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Reviews Analysed | 18 | 12 |
Optimum Nutrition Micronized Cre...
Pros
- ✓Pure micronized creatine monohydrate — the most researched and evidence-backed form of creatine available
- ✓Informed Choice certified, meaning each batch is tested for banned substances — important for competitive athletes
- ✓Zero fillers, flavours, or additives; fully vegan and free from all major allergens
- ✓Micronized particle size mixes more cleanly in liquid than standard creatine, reducing grit and residue
Cons
- ✗Serving size is 3.4g, which falls short of the 5g daily dose used in virtually all clinical efficacy studies — users need to scoop ~1.5 servings to hit the research-backed dose, reducing the effective yield to roughly 62 servings rather than 93
- ✗No loading protocol guidance on the label; new users unfamiliar with creatine may under-dose
- ✗Premium brand pricing means cheaper certified alternatives exist at the same or higher dose per gram
- ✗One Trustpilot submission flagged dismissive customer service, suggesting post-sale support may be inconsistent
Best For
Nutricost Creatine Monohydrate M...
Pros
- ✓Unflavored and versatile — mixes easily into shakes, water, or juice
- ✓Standard 5g clinical dose per serving — aligns with research-backed protocols
- ✓100 servings per tub offers strong value for money
- ✓Reviewers across multiple languages report noticeable muscle and performance gains
Cons
- ✗At least one reviewer reports poor dissolution — experience may vary by liquid temperature or mixing method
- ✗Third-party testing status is unconfirmed in product specs despite marketing claims
- ✗No Informed Sport or NSF certification — a concern for competitive athletes subject to anti-doping rules
- ✗Not vegan-certified (manufacturing cross-contamination risk)
Best For
What does the data say about Optimum Nutrition Micr... vs Nutricost Creatine Mon...?
Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine Powder is a no-frills creatine monohydrate supplement from one of the most trusted sports nutrition brands on the market.
What are the key differences?
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine Powder 317g or Nutricost Creatine Monohydrate Micronized Powder 500G, 5000mg Per Serv (5g) - 100 Servings for Endurance, Muscle Growth, Athletic Performance and Recovery? ▼
Is Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine Powder 317g worth the price compared to Nutricost Creatine Monohydrate Micronized Powder 500G, 5000mg Per Serv (5g) - 100 Servings for Endurance, Muscle Growth, Athletic Performance and Recovery? ▼
Which has fewer side effects? ▼
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What the Data Says
Why do 87% of UK creatine products lack third-party certification?
87% of UK creatine products have zero independent certification. Out of 31 creatine products we scored, just 4 carry third-party verification: Bulk Creapure (Creapure + Informed Sport), Optimum Nutrition (Informed Choice), Thorne (NSF Certified for Sport), and Ovrload Crealyte Gummies (Creapure + Informed Sport).
The quality gap is real. Certified creatine scores 77.2/100 on average. Uncertified creatine scores 67.5. That's a 9.7-point difference on overall quality, and the ingredient quality gap is even wider: 88.5 vs 70.9.
Why so few? Third-party testing costs money, and UK regulations don't require it for sports supplements. Brands that invest in certification tend to use higher-grade raw materials too. Bulk Creapure, our top-scoring creatine at 91/100, uses Creapure-branded monohydrate manufactured in Germany with documented purity testing. Most budget creatine powders don't disclose where their creatine comes from or whether it's been independently verified.
If purity matters to you, look for one of these four certifications on the label: Creapure, Informed Sport, Informed Choice, or NSF Certified for Sport.
Is creatine monohydrate better than HCL or other forms?
Monohydrate wins. The top 5 creatine products in our database are all monohydrate-based, led by Bulk Creapure at 91/100. That's not a coincidence.
Creatine monohydrate has decades of clinical research behind it. Over 500 published studies confirm its effects on muscle strength, power output, and recovery. HCL, ethyl ester, and buffered forms have far less evidence, and none have been shown to outperform monohydrate in head-to-head trials.
The 'better absorption' claim for HCL sounds compelling, but there's limited independent data to support it at the doses you'd actually take. Monohydrate is also the cheapest form by a wide margin.
The bloating concern with monohydrate is real for some people, but it's usually a loading-phase issue. Starting at 3-5g daily (no loading phase) avoids it for most users.
Disclaimer: AIScored provides data-driven comparisons based on publicly available reviews. This is not medical advice. Affiliate links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
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