Health, fitness and the supplement aisle. An independent South African desk.
Pre-workout · Answer
The cheapest verifiable pre-workout per serving is USN XTS Hyperdrive at about R5.40–R5.90 a 5.3 g scoop (our calculation) (R214–R232.99 for 210 g, October 2026), with 150 mg of caffeine. Most South African tubs do not publish serving counts or caffeine, so a true league table is not possible. Caffeine capsules cost R3.32 per 200 mg.
On the evidence we could verify in October 2026, USN XTS Hyperdrive is the cheapest: R214 on USN's shop (up to R232.99 at Dis-Chem) for 210 g. Its standard serving is one 5.3 g scoop, which by our calculation gives about 39 servings (USN does not print a serving count), or roughly R5.40–R5.90 a serving. USN lists 150 mg of caffeine as a headline figure and cites Informed Choice batch testing (a seller claim), but the page does not say which serving size the caffeine applies to.
| Product | Price (October 2026) | Servings | Cost per serving | Caffeine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USN XTS Hyperdrive 210 g | R214–R232.99 | about 39 (5.3 g scoop, our derivation) | about R5.40–R5.90 | 150 mg (headline) |
| Biogen Premium 600 g | R399.99–R429.99 | not published (our estimate: at most about 30) | at least about R13.40–R14.40 | 150 mg |
| Cellucor C4 Original 195 g | R699–R752.99 | 30 (US page) | R23.30–R25.10 | 200 mg (US page) |
| Optimum Gold Standard 330 g | R899.99 | 30 | R30 | not published |
Biogen's cost is our estimated floor: the listed actives weigh about 20 g a serving, so the tub holds at most about 30 servings.
Evox Alpha Pre-Surge Extreme (R249.95 for 400 g), the Clicks Pre-Workout Formula (R155 for 240 g) and Nutritech Nuke (R259 for 240 g) look cheap, but the retailer pages we read do not state servings, caffeine or doses. All we can honestly give is price per 100 g of powder: about R62 (Evox), R65 (Clicks) and R108 (Nuke). A tub with no published doses is poor value if you cannot tell what is in it. NPL Blackout (R599.99 for 400 g, about 20 servings implied) works out near R30 a serving.
| Source | Cost per 100 mg caffeine |
|---|---|
| Ultra Caffeine 200 mg capsules (R199 for 60, Takealot via undated PriceCheck snapshot) | about R1.66 |
| USN XTS Hyperdrive | about R3.60–R3.90 |
| Biogen Premium (floor) | about R9–R10 |
| Cellucor C4 | about R11.70–R12.50 |
Pre-workouts are expensive caffeine: you pay for other ingredients. A coffee at home is cheaper still. See pre-workout versus coffee.
Yes. Buy singles and use only what has evidence. For a day's citrulline, beta-alanine and creatine:
That is about R9.50 for the three, and the beta-alanine and creatine are daily supplements, not pre-workout only. ATP Fitness's equivalents cost more (citrulline R6.72, beta-alanine R4.16, creatine R4.17), but come with no sweeteners or flavouring. See build your own pre-workout.
For ranked options see our best pre-workout in South Africa comparison.
| Product | Size | Price (source, date) | Servings | R per serving | Sweeteners |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USN XTS Hyperdrive Pre-Workout 210 g | 210 g | R214-R232.99 (USN online shop, 2026-10) | — | R5.40 | not stated |
| Evox Alpha Pre-Surge Extreme Super-C Orange 400 g | 400 g | R250 (Dis-Chem Living Fit (Living Fit shop), 2026-10) | — | — | not stated |
| Clicks (house brand) Clicks Pre-Workout Formula 240 g | 240 g | R155 (Clicks (listing via PriceCheck), 2026-10) | — | — | not stated |
| Biogen Premium Pre-Workout 600 g | 600 g | R399.99-R429.99 (Dis-Chem Living Fit, 2026-10) | — | — | not stated |
| Ultra Caffeine 200 mg (60 capsules) | 60 capsules | R199 (Takealot via PriceCheck, 2026-10) | 60 | R3.32 | Not published |
| Cellucor (C4) Cellucor C4 Original Pre-Workout 195 g | 195 g | R699-R752.99 (Dis-Chem Living Fit, 2026-10) | 30 | R25.10 | Sucralose and acesulfame potassium |
Educational information, not medical advice. Speak to a doctor, pharmacist or registered dietitian before using supplements if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, under 18, taking medication, or living with kidney, liver or heart disease. Prices were observed in October 2026 and are not offers.