If you’ve spent any time researching creatine, two names come up over and over: Thorne Creatine Monohydrate and Transparent Labs Creatine HMB. Both have earned serious reputations among athletes, coaches, and evidence-minded lifters — but they take fundamentally different approaches to the same goal.
Thorne keeps it dead simple: ultra-pure creatine monohydrate, nothing else. Transparent Labs bundles creatine with HMB and vitamin D for a more comprehensive muscle-building formula. So which one actually deserves your money?
We’ve used both extensively and dug into the research behind their formulas. Here’s our honest, head-to-head breakdown for 2026.
Quick Comparison Table
| Feature | Thorne Creatine | Transparent Labs Creatine HMB |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Creatine Monohydrate (Creapure®) | Creatine Monohydrate + HMB + Vitamin D |
| Creatine Dose | 5g per serving | 5g per serving |
| Extra Ingredients | None | 1.5g HMB, 8.4mcg Vitamin D3 |
| Form | Unflavored powder | Flavored powder (multiple options) |
| Servings | 90 servings | 30 servings |
| Price | ~9.99 (bash.44/serving) | ~9.99 (.67/serving) |
| Third-Party Testing | NSF Certified for Sport® | Informed Sport Certified |
| Artificial Sweeteners | None | None (uses stevia) |
| Best For | Purists who want clean creatine | Lifters wanting an all-in-one formula |
Thorne Creatine Monohydrate — The Purist’s Choice
Thorne Creatine Monohydrate is about as straightforward as a supplement gets. The entire formula is a single ingredient: 5 grams of Creapure® creatine monohydrate per scoop. That’s it. No fillers, no flavoring, no extras.
What makes Thorne stand out in a crowded market is trust. Thorne is one of a handful of supplement companies that holds NSF Certified for Sport® status — the gold standard for third-party testing. Every batch is tested for banned substances, heavy metals, and label accuracy. This is why Thorne is used by professional sports teams, Olympic athletes, and the Mayo Clinic.
The Creapure® sourcing matters too. Creapure is manufactured in Germany under strict pharmaceutical-grade conditions, and it consistently shows up as the purest form of creatine monohydrate available. Independent lab analyses routinely find 99.9%+ purity with virtually no contaminants like creatinine or dicyandiamide.
At roughly bash.44 per serving with 90 servings per container, the value proposition is excellent — especially for a product with this level of third-party verification. You’re paying for purity and transparency, not marketing.
Potential downside: If you want added ingredients like HMB or vitamin D, you’ll need to buy those separately. Some users also find unflavored creatine slightly gritty when mixed with water alone.
Transparent Labs Creatine HMB — The Enhanced Formula
Transparent Labs Creatine HMB takes a different philosophy: combine clinically studied ingredients into a single scoop to support muscle growth, recovery, and performance simultaneously.
The formula includes the standard 5g creatine monohydrate dose, plus 1.5g of HMB (beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyrate) and 8.4mcg of Vitamin D3. HMB is a metabolite of leucine that research suggests can help reduce muscle protein breakdown — particularly useful during intense training phases, caloric deficits, or for newer lifters who are still building their base. A 2017 meta-analysis in the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle found that HMB supplementation significantly improved lean body mass gains in trained individuals.
The Vitamin D3 inclusion is smart. Studies consistently link vitamin D sufficiency with improved muscle function and testosterone levels, and a surprising number of men — especially those training indoors — are deficient. It’s a small dose, but every bit contributes.
Transparent Labs also earns credibility through Informed Sport certification and a genuinely open-label formula. No proprietary blends, no hidden doses. What the label says is what you get. The flavored options (Blue Raspberry, Sour Grape, Tropical Punch, and others) are sweetened with stevia rather than sucralose or acesulfame-K, which is a plus for those avoiding artificial sweeteners.
Potential downside: At roughly .67 per serving with only 30 servings per container, this is significantly more expensive than Thorne on a per-serving basis. You’re paying a premium for the HMB and flavoring. The HMB dose (1.5g) is also below the 3g/day used in most clinical studies, though some research supports benefits at lower doses.
Key Differences That Actually Matter
Purity vs. Formula Depth
This is the core tension. Thorne gives you one ingredient done perfectly. Transparent Labs gives you three ingredients in a well-designed stack. If you already take HMB and vitamin D separately, Thorne makes more sense. If you want to consolidate your supplement routine, Transparent Labs reduces pill and powder fatigue.
Cost Per Serving
Thorne is roughly 3.8x cheaper per serving. Over a year of daily use, that’s approximately 60 for Thorne versus 09 for Transparent Labs. The price gap narrows if you factor in buying HMB and vitamin D separately alongside Thorne, but Thorne still comes out ahead on pure cost.
Third-Party Testing
Both are excellent here. NSF Certified for Sport (Thorne) and Informed Sport (Transparent Labs) are the two most respected third-party testing programs in the supplement industry. For drug-tested athletes, either product is safe. NSF is slightly more recognized in professional sports leagues, which gives Thorne a marginal edge for competitive athletes.
Taste and Mixability
Thorne is unflavored — it mixes into anything without altering the taste. This is either a feature or a bug depending on your preference. Transparent Labs offers multiple flavors that mix well and taste good on their own. If you want a creatine you can sip with water and actually enjoy, Transparent Labs wins here.
Serving Count
Thorne gives you a 90-day supply per container. Transparent Labs gives you 30 days. For those who prefer buying in bulk and not reordering monthly, Thorne is more convenient.
Who Should Choose Thorne?
- Minimalists who prefer single-ingredient supplements and want full control over their stack
- Drug-tested athletes who prioritize the NSF Certified for Sport label
- Budget-conscious lifters who want premium creatine without premium pricing
- People who already supplement HMB and vitamin D separately
- Anyone who prefers unflavored powder they can add to smoothies, protein shakes, or coffee
Who Should Choose Transparent Labs?
- Lifters who want an all-in-one muscle-building stack without buying multiple products
- Anyone in a cutting phase where HMB’s anti-catabolic properties offer extra value
- People who want a flavored creatine they can drink on its own and actually enjoy
- Those who are vitamin D deficient or don’t currently supplement it
- Newer lifters who want research-backed extras without overcomplicating their routine
Our Verdict
Both of these are top-tier creatine supplements — you genuinely can’t go wrong with either one. The research on creatine monohydrate is overwhelmingly positive regardless of brand, and both Thorne and Transparent Labs deliver the clinically effective 5g dose with legitimate third-party verification.
If we had to pick: Thorne wins on value and purity. For the money, you’re getting pharmaceutical-grade creatine from one of the most trusted names in the supplement industry. The 90-serving container is hard to beat.
Transparent Labs wins on convenience and formula design. The HMB and vitamin D additions are backed by real science, and the flavored options make it genuinely enjoyable to take daily. If you’re the type of person who wants to simplify your supplement shelf, this is a smart choice.
Our recommendation: start with Thorne if budget matters, or if you’re a no-frills athlete who values purity above all else. Choose Transparent Labs if you want the enhanced formula and don’t mind paying more per serving for the added convenience and ingredients.
Either way, the most important thing is consistency. Creatine works when you take it every day — pick the one you’ll actually stick with.
