Best Electrolytes Supplements 2026: Cost per Effective Dose
In the electrolyte drinks we compare, 1,000 mg of sodium costs $0.95 to $6.66 at list price, in the size each buy button sells. That is about what an average athlete loses in sweat in a hard hour (Baker 2016), not an amount to aim for. Our pick is the cheapest.
By Erin Rose Updated October 27, 2026 How we score
What each electrolyte costs, cheapest sodium first
| Product and size | Per 1,000 mg sodium | A serving |
|---|---|---|
| Redmond Re-Lyte Hydration 60-serving jar, list $45.99, 810 mg sodium a servingInformed Choice | $0.95 | $0.77 |
| Transparent Labs Hydrate 40-serving tub, list $29.99, 500 mg sodium a servingNSF Certified for Sport, Informed Choice, NSF/ANSI 173 | $1.50 | $0.75 |
| LMNT Recharge Electrolytes 30-stick box, list $45.00, 1,000 mg sodium a servingInformed Choice | $1.50 | $1.50 |
| Nuun Sport Electrolyte Tablets 4 tubes (40 tablets), list $29.96, 300 mg sodium a servingInformed Choice | $2.50 | $0.75 |
| Thorne Daily Electrolytes 30-stick box, list $40.00, 480 mg sodium a servingNSF Certified for Sport, NSF/ANSI 173 | $2.78 | $1.33 |
| BUBS Naturals Hydrate or Die Electrolytes 20-stick box, list $37.00, 650 mg sodium a servingNSF Certified for Sport | $2.85 | $1.85 |
| Liquid I.V. Sugar-Free Hydration Multiplier 14-stick box, list $21.84, 500 mg sodium a servingNot found* | $3.12 | $1.56 |
| Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier 16-stick box, list $24.99, 500 mg sodium a servingNot found* | $3.12 | $1.56 |
| SaltStick FastChews Chewable Electrolytes 60-chew bottle, list $19.99, 100 mg sodium a servingInformed Choice | $6.66 | $0.67 |
* Not found on the public NSF, USP or Informed lists (searched August 25, 2026 to October 27, 2026). To choose by need, see the best electrolyte drinks.
Compare the sodium, not the serving
A cheap serving can be costly sodium, because a serving in the table holds 100 to 1,000 mg. SaltStick FastChews Chewable Electrolytes has the cheapest serving there, $0.67, but only 100 mg of sodium. So 1,000 mg of it costs $6.66, against $0.95 for our pick. A bigger size often costs less per serving at the brand’s store. Buy a size you will finish.
Amazon sets its own prices. If its price is lower than the list price here, your sodium costs less too.
You don’t need an electrolyte drink on a normal day or for exercise under an hour (ACSM 1996). Drink water; food covers your sodium (how much sodium you need).
If you have high blood pressure, heart failure or kidney disease, or are on a low-sodium diet, ask your doctor before a high-sodium drink. Ask first, too, if you take a water pill (diuretic), an ACE inhibitor, an ARB or a potassium-sparing diuretic: these drinks also hold potassium. These drinks are not oral rehydration solutions: if you are sick with vomiting or diarrhea, ask a doctor or pharmacist what to drink, and if a child is sick or seems dehydrated, call the child’s pediatrician. More is not better either: drinking far more than you sweat out can drop the sodium in your blood too low; an expert consensus advises drinking to thirst (Hew-Butler 2015).
1 electrolyte product we checked but could not price
Klean Athlete Klean Hydration, Natural Orange. We had no brand list price or no sodium figure we could cite for it, and we do not use Amazon prices. Every formula we read.
Sources
- Prices: each brand’s own list price, its regular one-time price, for every size it sells, checked October 27, 2026. We quote no Amazon prices; Amazon is only where the buy links go.
- Sodium per serving: each product’s label in NIH’s Dietary Supplement Label Database, NSF’s listing, or the brand’s own page.
- Sweat sodium, about 1,000 mg in an average hard hour: Baker LB, et al. J Sports Sci. 2016. PubMed 26070030, by researchers at Gatorade’s institute (PepsiCo). Under an hour, little difference between a sports drink and water: Convertino VA, et al. ACSM position stand. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1996. PubMed 9303999. Low blood sodium from drinking too much: Hew-Butler T, et al. Clin J Sport Med. 2015. PubMed 26102445. How much you need: the sodium guide.
The unit is 1,000 mg of sodium. Potassium and magnesium are not counted. Scores rebuilt October 27, 2026.