Best pre-workout UK 2026: SupplementScore comparison

How we rate pre-workout

Is there enough caffeine? 150 to 300 mg per recommended serving is the effective range: 2 points. More is not better; above 300 mg you mainly get more jitters, palpitations and worse sleep, and that lowers the score.
Is there enough citrulline? From 6 grams of L-citrulline, 1 point; 3 to 6 grams, half a point. 3 points in total give A+, 2.5 give A, 2 give B.

tap a score

Beta-alanine does not count (it only works after weeks of daily use, not because you take it before training); tyrosine, taurine, betaine and the other extras do not either. Caffeine combined with synephrine caps the score at B. The score cannot be bought. Within the same score our partners come first; we say so openly.

Which pre-workout has the best SupplementScore?

live price, discount included

1 Myprotein Origin Pre-Workout According to the criteria reviewed by Dr Diederik Smit · with code KROTON -28%

£17.99 ≈ £0.30 / serving To the shop
2 Myprotein THE Pre-Workout – Blue According to the criteria reviewed by Dr Diederik Smit · with code KROTON -56%

£13.49 £0.45 / serving To the shop
3 Myprotein Origin Shred Pre-Workout According to the criteria reviewed by Dr Diederik Smit · with code KROTON -64%

£13.49 ≈ £0.20 / serving To the shop

Questions

What is the best pre-workout?

A pre-workout with 150 to 300 mg of caffeine and at least 6 grams of L-citrulline per scoop. At the top of the list are the products rated A+ that deliver exactly that; an A is just under the full citrulline dose. The order cannot be bought: partner or not changes nothing about the score.

What is the difference between A and A+ for a pre-workout?

Both have caffeine in the effective range of 150 to 300 mg. A+ also delivers at least 6 grams of L-citrulline per scoop (3 points); for an A the citrulline is between 3 and 6 grams or comes as malate (2.5 points).

Why does beta-alanine not count?

Beta-alanine works by raising the carnosine in your muscles, and that takes weeks of 3.2 to 6.4 grams a day. Taking it at eight in the morning or right before training makes no difference to that session; the tingling is a side effect, not proof that it works.

How much caffeine in a pre-workout?

150 to 300 mg per serving suits most people. More is not automatically better: above 300 mg there is no clear extra effect, but more risk of jitters, palpitations and poor sleep. Train in the evening? Choose a caffeine-free version.

Did Dr Diederik Smit test every pre-workout?

No. He reviewed the medical criteria of the pre-workout scorecard. The editors applied those criteria to the labels of the products sold in the UK.

Why are caffeine-free pre-workouts not in the list?

They have no caffeine and need their own threshold (citrulline, glycerol or nitrate). That will follow later; until then they have no score.

Full explanation, proof per product and sources

Which pre-workout actually works? Our SupplementScore keeps it deliberately small, because only two substances do something measurable for today’s session. The first is caffeine: the International Society of Sports Nutrition (source 1 at the bottom) puts the effective range at 3 to 6 mg per kilo of body weight, which for most people means 150 to 300 mg per scoop; above that you get more side effects, not more performance. The second is L-citrulline: at 6 grams or more per serving it supports blood flow and the number of reps you can do (source 4). Everything else on the label, from beta-alanine to tyrosine and taurine, does not count towards the score: beta-alanine only works after weeks of daily use, and the rest has no convincing evidence for the session itself. Below, every rated pre-workout sold in the UK in the order of the score, partner or not, with the caffeine and citrulline per scoop, the reason for the grade and today’s price.

What do SupplementScore A and A+ mean for a pre-workout?

The score judges whether the active core is there: caffeine and citrulline per recommended serving. Taste, sweetener, certificates and the list of extras do not count.

Score	What we established	What it gives you
A+	150 to 300 mg of caffeine and at least 6 grams of L-citrulline per scoop (3 points).	The full active core in one scoop. A serious caffeine dose: not for the evening.
A	Caffeine in the effective range, citrulline between 3 and 6 grams or as malate (2.5 points).	Just as effective through the caffeine; the citrulline is just under the full dose.
B	Effective caffeine, but too little citrulline (2 points), or a higher score capped at B by a safety cap (caffeine with synephrine).	Works through the caffeine; the rest of the formula adds little or calls for caution.
C	Caffeine outside the effective range (for example 350 mg) and too little citrulline (1 to 1.5 points).	Mainly for people used to high caffeine doses; for most, an A or A+ is the better choice.
No score	Pump, caffeine-free and shot versions do not have their own threshold yet; packs, samples and unreviewed formulas are not linked.	Better no badge than a rating on the wrong product.

A proprietary blend without doses never scores above C; a clearly misleading label gives a D. Yohimbine and DMHA are red flags. Read the full method and check the released ratings in the open score feed.

Caffeinated, high-stim, pump or caffeine-free: which to choose?

Type	Characteristics	For whom
Caffeinated (150 to 300 mg)	The classic pre-workout: caffeine in the effective range plus citrulline. That is the list above.	If you want a real boost for a hard session, during the day.
High-stim (350 to 400 mg per scoop)	Above 300 mg there is no extra effect, only more side effects; a lower score, even with a perfect citrulline dose.	Only for people used to a lot of caffeine with a high tolerance.
Pump or caffeine-free	Citrulline, glycerol or nitrate without caffeine. No SupplementScore yet: its own threshold will follow.	If you train in the evening or are sensitive to caffeine.
Shots	Ready-to-drink, mainly caffeine and little or no citrulline. No score.	Handy on the go; check the caffeine per bottle.

What we reject

These signals on a label or product page lower the score with us, even for big brands:

Proprietary blend without doses: If you only see the total weight of a "matrix", you cannot check whether the caffeine and citrulline are dosed properly. In practice that almost always hides an underdosed formula.
Caffeine with synephrine, yohimbine or DMHA: No safe dose of synephrine has been established, and its effects on the heart and blood pressure are amplified by caffeine and exercise. Caffeine with synephrine caps the score at B; yohimbine and DMHA are red flags.
Two scoops as the "full dose": Some labels advertise 400 mg of caffeine and 10 grams of citrulline, but that is the double dose. We rate one scoop: 400 mg of caffeine at once is not a sensible serving.
Underdosed "all-in-one" formula: A long list with one gram of citrulline malate or one and a half grams of beta-alanine looks complete, but adds nothing. The caffeine still counts; the rest is marketing.

What should you look out for?

Turn the tub around and look at two numbers per scoop: the caffeine (150 to 300 mg is the effective range) and the L-citrulline (6 grams and up; citrulline malate 2:1 contains only two thirds citrulline). A proprietary blend without doses is a reason to put it back. Beta-alanine, taurine and tyrosine do not make the session better. Training in the evening? Take a caffeine-free version.

How this list is put together

The list sorts first by SupplementScore (A+ before A before B). Within the same score our partners come first, then the other brands, each on user rating; the score itself cannot be bought and the same public rules apply to partners and non-partners. We only link products that we can tie unambiguously to the scorecard; in doubt we show no score. The criteria were medically reviewed by Dr Diederik Smit, endocrinologist; he did not assess each of these British products separately. Prices are measured daily; the scores change only when the label changes.

What proof sits behind each score?

Every product in the list above has a proof passport: caffeine and citrulline per serving, the reason for the grade, and whether we earn a commission. Partner or not changes nothing about the score.

Medical review: The pre-workout scorecard (v3.1: caffeine per serving, citrulline per serving, safety cap) was medically reviewed by Dr Diederik Smit, endocrinologist. He did not assess each of these products sold in the UK separately: the editors applied his criteria to the labels of the British variants.

Product	Score	Caffeine and citrulline	Why this score?	Public proof
Myprotein Origin Pre-WorkoutAccording to the criteria reviewed by Dr Diederik Smit · Partner: we earn a commission if you buy through our link	A+		150 to 300 mg of caffeine and at least 6 grams of L-citrulline per recommended serving.	No public, product-specific proof found. That is not a sign of poor quality; the brand simply does not (yet) stand out with verifiable proof.
Myprotein THE Pre-Workout – BlueAccording to the criteria reviewed by Dr Diederik Smit · Partner: we earn a commission if you buy through our link	A	200 mg caffeine and 4 g L-citrulline per serving of 15.7 g	Caffeine in the effective range and 3 to 6 grams of citrulline, or citrulline as malate.	No public, product-specific proof found. That is not a sign of poor quality; the brand simply does not (yet) stand out with verifiable proof.
Myprotein Origin Shred Pre-WorkoutAccording to the criteria reviewed by Dr Diederik Smit · Partner: we earn a commission if you buy through our link	B	150 mg caffeine per serving of 11 g, no citrulline	Effective caffeine, but too little citrulline, or a safety cap (caffeine with synephrine).	No public, product-specific proof found. That is not a sign of poor quality; the brand simply does not (yet) stand out with verifiable proof.

Last tested on 10 October 2026 by the editors; caffeine and citrulline per scoop taken from each brand’s label, pre-workout scorecard SupplementScore v3.1 applied to the products sold in the UK, criteria medically reviewed by Dr Diederik Smit; scientific claims checked against the sources at the bottom

Sources

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What is the best pre-workout in the UK in 2026?