Optimum Nutrition vs Thorne Creatine: Which Should You Buy?
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Creatine monohydrate is chemically identical no matter which brand you buy — so the real decision between Optimum Nutrition and Thorne comes down to certification and price, not the ingredient itself. Here’s how the two stack up.
Quick verdict
Thorne Creatine carries NSF Certified for Sport — the more rigorous of the two banned-substance testing programs, aimed at competitive and drug-tested athletes — and costs about $0.49 per 5 g serving. Optimum Nutrition’s Micronized Creatine is Informed-Choice certified on specific product lines and costs roughly a third as much, around $0.29 per serving. For most people not subject to drug testing, Optimum Nutrition is the more practical buy; for anyone who competes in a tested sport, Thorne’s certification is worth the premium.
| Factor | Optimum Nutrition | Thorne |
|---|---|---|
| Form | Micronized creatine monohydrate | Creatine monohydrate |
| Dose per serving | 5 g | 5 g |
| Third-party certification | Informed-Choice Certified (specific product lines) | NSF Certified for Sport |
| Price per serving (approx.) | ~$0.29 | ~$0.49 |
| Best for | Everyday use, best value | Drug-tested athletes, maximum certification confidence |
Why the certification actually matters (or doesn’t)
NSF Certified for Sport and Informed-Choice are both legitimate third-party banned-substance testing programs — they test finished products for substances banned by major sports organizations, which matters if you compete in a tested sport or work in a profession with drug screening. If neither applies to you, both programs offer meaningful quality assurance, and the practical difference for a recreational lifter is small. Optimum Nutrition confirms only specific product lines carry Informed-Choice certification, so it’s worth double-checking the label on whatever container you actually receive.
Bottom line
Same ingredient, same dose, different price and certification tier. Read our full Optimum Nutrition Creatine review and Thorne Creatine review for the full picture, or see our Creatine Monohydrate After 40 guide if you’re still deciding whether to start creatine at all.
Sources
- Optimum Nutrition and Thorne official/support pages — certification and pricing information.
- Pricing checked from retailer pages at the time of writing; prices change frequently and may not reflect current promotions.