# Biogen vs USN creatine: which is better in South Africa?

Source: https://www.healthnews24.co.za/answers/biogen-vs-usn-creatine-south-africa/
Publisher: Healthnews24 (South Africa's supplement answer desk)
Updated: 2026-10-27

> Biogen is the better value at 500 g and is the only one of the two whose creatine listing states Informed Sport testing; USN is easier to buy in small tubs. As of October 2026, Biogen Creatine Monohydrate 500 g costs R444.99 (R4.45 per 5 g) and USN Pure Creatine 300 g costs R279 to R299 (about R4.98). Both are plain monohydrate.

Key facts:
- Biogen Creatine Monohydrate 500 g is R444.99 at Dis-Chem (R4.45 per 5 g, October 2026).
- USN Pure Creatine 300 g is R279 to R299 (about R4.98 per 5 g); 410 g ranges from R269 to R439.99 by retailer.
- Biogen's Dis-Chem listing states Informed Sport; it is a seller claim and should be checked on the register.
- USN's shop tags Pure Creatine as Halaal and Vegan; no third-party testing is stated for it.

## How do Biogen and USN creatine compare?

Both are single-ingredient creatine monohydrate from South African brands, and both work the same way: 3-5 g a day (ISSN). The differences are price per dose, pack sizes and what each seller says about testing.

| | Biogen Creatine Monohydrate | USN Pure Creatine Monohydrate |
|---|---|---|
| Pack sizes | 100 g, 200 g, 500 g | 200 g, 300 g, 410 g |
| Price (October 2026) | 200 g R239.99; 500 g R444.99 (Dis-Chem) | 200 g R219 to R249.99; 300 g R279 to R299; 410 g R269 to R439.99 |
| R per 5 g | R6.00 (200 g); R4.45 (500 g) | R5.47 (200 g); about R4.98 (300 g); R5.11 (410 g) |
| Form | unflavoured; micronisation not stated | micronised per USN |
| Testing claim | "Informed Sport: yes" in the Dis-Chem specification (seller claim) | none stated for this product |
| Other tags | none noted | Halaal and Vegan tags on the USN shop |

## Which has the better testing credentials?

Biogen. Its Dis-Chem listing carries an Informed Sport entry, and Informed Sport tests batches for a long list of banned substances. We did not check the certificate, so a drug-tested athlete should look up the batch number on the Informed Sport register rather than trust a retail page. USN's Pure Creatine pages in our research state no third-party certification; USN's separate XTS Hyperdrive pre-workout cites Informed Choice, which is a different product and a retail-sampling scheme. SAIDS does not certify any supplement; see [what Informed Sport means](/answers/what-is-informed-sport-certification-south-africa/).

## Which is cheaper?

At the largest comparable sizes Biogen 500 g is about 10% cheaper per dose than USN 300 g (R4.45 vs about R4.98). USN's price varies the most by retailer: the 410 g tub was R269 at Faithful to Nature and R439.99 at Dis-Chem, a gap of more than 60%, so shop around. Neither is the cheapest on the market: Nutritech 500 g can be R2.50 to R3.99 per 5 g, and ATP Fitness 600 g is R4.17.

## Which should you buy?

- **Biogen:** if you want the most creatine for the money from a mainstream shelf brand, or a tested-product claim to verify.
- **USN:** if you want a small first tub (200 g) from a widely stocked brand, or a vegan or halaal tag. Remember the tag is a brand claim; see [is USN creatine good](/answers/is-usn-creatine-monohydrate-good-south-africa/).
- **Alternatives:** ATP Fitness 600 g (R500) is a micronised single-ingredient option at R4.17 per 5 g, with the trade-offs that it is a young brand and publishes no third-party certification.

Compare more brands in the [best creatine in South Africa](/best/best-creatine-south-africa/). Brand pages: [Biogen](/brands/biogen/) and [USN](/brands/usn/).

## Products mentioned

| Product | Size | Price (source, date) | Servings | R per 5 g | Sweeteners |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biogen Creatine Monohydrate Unflavoured 500 g | 500 g | R445 (Dis-Chem (listing via PriceCheck), 2026-10) | 100 | R4.45 | None (unflavoured) |
| Biogen Creatine Monohydrate Unflavoured 200 g | 200 g | R240 (Dis-Chem (listing via PriceCheck), 2026-10) | — | R6.00 | None |
| USN Pure Creatine Monohydrate 300 g | 300 g | R279-R299 (USN online shop, 2026-10) | — | R4.98 | not stated |
| USN Pure Creatine Monohydrate 410 g | 410 g | R269-R439.99 (USN online shop, 2026-10) | — | R5.11 | not stated |
| USN Pure Creatine Monohydrate 200 g | 200 g | R219-R249.99 (USN online shop, 2026-10) | — | R5.47 | not stated |
| ATP Fitness Micronised Creatine Monohydrate | 600 g | R500 (ATP Fitness shop, 2026-10) | — | R4.17 | None |

Disclosure: ATP Fitness is a commercial partner of Healthnews24 and its products are featured on this site. Rankings follow our published method, and every pick, including ATP Fitness, shows its price maths and trade-offs.

## Sources

- [Kreider et al. 2017, ISSN position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine (JISSN)](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5469049/)
- [Informed Sport (LGC) FAQ](https://sport.wetestyoutrust.com/about/frequently-asked-questions)
- [SAIDS (South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport) FAQ: supplements, strict liability, medication check](https://drugfreesport.org.za/faq/)
- [Maughan et al. 2018, IOC consensus statement: dietary supplements and the high-performance athlete (BJSM 52:439)](https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/52/7/439.abstract)