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Powder, capsules or gummies: what convenience costs

The same amount of the same ingredient – but a very different price per dose. What we found across all the supplements we checked.

Updated October 21, 2026 · 4 min read · Prices checked November 1, 2026, US

Sugar-coated gummies in different colors on a white table

Powder in a tub, capsules in a bottle, gummies in a jar: the same 5 g of creatine or 200 mg of magnesium, but a very different price. We compared the typical cost per dose of each format for every supplement we found in more than one.

What a $1 dose in capsules costs in other formats

For each supplement we took the middle price per dose of each format and compared it with capsules. Then we took the middle of all those supplements. Read it like this: if a dose costs $1.00 as capsules, it costs about this much as…

The same dose, by formatCapsules = $1.00. Typical value across 192 supplements with capsules and at least one other format.
  • Powder63 supplements$0.32
  • Tablets63 supplements$0.73
  • Softgels25 supplements$0.96
  • Capsulesthe reference$1.00
  • Liquid43 supplements$1.67
  • Gummies18 supplements$2.17

Not included: mixed products compared per serving, and electrolytes (salt capsules aren’t comparable).

Why the format changes the price

  • Powder: you do the measuring. There’s no shell and no pressing, and a tub holds a lot – so it’s almost always the cheapest per dose.
  • Capsules and tablets: each one holds well under a gram. For a dose measured in grams you need several, and every one has to be filled or pressed.
  • Gummies: most of a gummy is the gummy itself – sugar or sweetener, gelatin or pectin, flavor. Each one holds little of the ingredient, so you need more of them.
  • Softgels and liquids: the usual format for oils and fat-soluble vitamins. Liquids look cheap per bottle but vary a lot per dose.
What it takes to get 5 g of creatineTypical number of pieces in the creatine products we checked
  • Powder1 scoop
  • Capsules7 capsules
  • Gummies4 gummies

Eight examples

Typical cost per dose (the middle value) in each format. The cheapest format in each row is highlighted.

SupplementPowderTabletsCapsulesSoftgelsGummiesLiquid
Creatineper 5 g$0.42$0.78$0.92–$1.33–
Magnesiumper 200 mg$0.21$0.22$0.38$0.33$0.76$1.29
Vitamin Cper 500 mg2.8¢8.3¢$0.11$0.23$0.82$0.68
Collagen peptidesper 10 g$0.89$2.66$5.83–$37.75$3.50
Ashwagandhaper 600 mg––$0.52–$1.86$0.33
Melatoninper 1 mg–3.1¢4.3¢–5.9¢$0.20
Vitamin Dper 25 µg–6.9¢$0.114.6¢$0.194¢
Glucosamineper 1,500 mg$0.12$0.55$0.65––$2.10
A dash means fewer than 5 products in that format. Typical = half the products cost less, half more.

The pattern holds almost everywhere – with one twist: for vitamins measured in mcg, like vitamin D, a scoop of powder makes no sense, and softgels and drops are the cheap formats. More on creatine in our creatine guide.

Is convenience worth it?

That’s up to you. Capsules are easy to take on the go, and some people simply don’t like powders. We only show the price of that choice: in our lists you can filter by format and see what the same dose costs in each.

Before you buy

  1. Compare the cost per dose, not per bottle – formats hold very different amounts.
  2. Count how many pieces one dose takes. The bottle runs out that much faster.
  3. For gummies, check the sugar on the label too.
  4. Filter the price list by format to compare like with like.

Sources

  • Prices and label data: our own check of 17,287 products in US online stores (November 1, 2026). How we check

Not medical advice

We compare prices and label data. Amounts we compare by are not recommendations. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist before taking supplements, especially if you are under 18, pregnant or on medication.

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