Updated 2026-10-04 · 4 min read
Creatine monohydrate vs HCl: which one is worth buying?
By the UnReal Supplements team. Sources and catalog last checked: 2026-10-04.
Short answer
Buy creatine monohydrate. The ISSN review calls it the most effective form and finds no clinical evidence that citrate, ethyl ester, buffered or nitrate forms retain more creatine. It reports no data showing HCl beating monohydrate either. Compare tubs on cost per 5 g dose, which the table below works out for every creatine tub in our catalog.
Which form of creatine has the evidence?
The ISSN position stand concludes that creatine monohydrate is the most effective ergogenic nutritional supplement currently available to athletes for increasing high intensity exercise capacity and lean body mass during training. It also notes that the vast majority of studies of creatine have used monohydrate.
What about HCl, buffered and other forms?
The ISSN review states that claims that other forms are degraded less or taken up more by muscle are currently unfounded. It names citrate, serum, ethyl ester, buffered and nitrate forms and says clinical evidence has not shown that any of them retains more creatine than monohydrate.
HCl is not one of the forms that review names, so we have no source that says it beats monohydrate. Sellers of HCl usually say it needs a smaller dose or is gentler on the stomach. We could not find those claims supported in the review we cite, and the same review found no evidence that creatine causes gastrointestinal upset.
How do you compare creatine tubs on price?
Brands print different serving sizes, so the serving count on the label does not compare. The table works from the pack weight in grams and prices a 5 g dose, the top of the usual 3 to 5 g daily range. We do not list an HCl product. Prices and shelf status are read from the shop every few minutes.
| Product | Pack | Price | Per 5 g (THB) | Days at 5 g | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rule 1 Creatine 390 g, Unflavored390 g, 78 days | 390 g | ฿880 | 11.3 | 78 | On the shelf |
| Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine Powder 600 g, Unflavored600 g, 120 days | 600 g | ฿1,759 | 14.7 | 120 | On the shelf |
| Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine Powder 300 g, Unflavored300 g, 60 days | 300 g | ฿980 | 16.3 | 60 | On the shelf |
| Rule 1 Creatine 156 g, Unflavored156 g, 31 days | 156 g | ฿510 | 16.3 | 31 | On the shelf |
| Ultimate Nutrition Creatine 300 g, Unflavored300 g, 60 days | 300 g | ฿430 | 7.2 | 60 | Notify me |
| Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine Powder 360 g, Blueberry Lemonade360 g, 72 days | 360 g | ฿980 | 13.6 | 72 | Notify me |
| Rule 1 Creatine 210 g, Blue Raspberry210 g, 42 days | 210 g | ฿580 | 13.8 | 42 | Notify me |
| Rule 1 Creatine 210 g, Fruit Punch210 g, 42 days | 210 g | ฿580 | 13.8 | 42 | Notify me |
| Dymatize Creatine Monohydrate with Creapure 300 g, Unflavored300 g, 60 days | 300 g | ฿1,060 | 17.7 | 60 | Notify me |
Tubs on the shelf first, cheapest per dose first. Calculated from the pack weight in grams. The price and shelf flag are read from the shop and refreshed every few minutes.
How should you take it?
3 to 5 g of monohydrate a day, any time, with water or a shake. Muscle stores fill over about 3 to 4 weeks, and an optional load of about 20 g a day for 5 to 7 days fills them faster. If you have a medical condition, ask a doctor first.
Can you get creatine with same day delivery?
We deliver free within Bangkok only. Pay before 6 PM, Bangkok time, and the order goes out the same day, later and it goes out first thing the next morning. Only products that show Add to cart can be ordered, products marked Notify me are not on the shelf yet.
Frequently asked
- Is creatine HCl better than monohydrate?
- We found no evidence that it is. The ISSN review calls monohydrate the most effective form and says claims that other forms are absorbed better are unfounded. It does not report HCl data, so any HCl advantage is the seller's claim, not something that review supports.
- Do I need a smaller dose of creatine HCl?
- Sellers often say so, but we have no study that shows it. The doses in the ISSN review are for monohydrate: 3 to 5 g a day, or an optional load of about 20 g a day for 5 to 7 days.
- Does creatine monohydrate upset your stomach?
- The ISSN review found no evidence that creatine increases gastrointestinal upset in the studies it covers. If it bothers you personally, take it with food and ask a doctor if it continues.
- Which creatine is best value?
- Plain monohydrate on cost per 5 g dose. The table on this page works that out from the pack weight for every creatine tub in our catalog and shows which are on the shelf today.
- Where can I buy creatine monohydrate in Bangkok?
- At UnReal Supplements inside UnReal Gym on Sukhumvit Soi 24. We deliver free within Bangkok only: pay before 6 PM, Bangkok time, and it goes out the same day, for products that show Add to cart. Pickup at the gym is also available.
Keep reading
Sources
How we keep this guide honest
We check this guide against the sources listed below. Prices, pack sizes and shelf status in the tables are read from our shop catalog and refreshed every few minutes, never typed into the text. We deliver free within Bangkok only, and only what is on the shelf is for sale.