# How do you compare supplement prices fairly?

Source: https://www.healthnews24.co.za/answers/how-to-compare-supplement-prices-per-serving/
Publisher: Healthnews24 (South Africa's supplement answer desk)
Updated: 2026-10-27

> Convert every price into the cost of a useful dose: rand per 30 g of protein, per 5 g of creatine or per 10 g of collagen. Compare at the same date and retailer type, and use a price band when sellers differ by more than 10%. In South Africa in October 2026, mainstream creatine monohydrate runs from R2.22 to R5.55 per 5 g.

Key facts:
- Mainstream creatine monohydrate runs from R2.22 to R5.55 per 5 g at South African retailers; Creapure-branded tubs cost R14-R16 (October 2026).
- ATP Fitness Hydrolysed Collagen 910 g works out at R10.44 per 10 g; Dis-Chem Gold collagen capsules about R69 per 10 g.
- USN BlueLab 2 kg (R1 399) costs more per 100 g than the 1 kg tub (R689): R69.95 versus R68.90.
- Use a price band when retailers differ by more than 10%.

## Why is price per tub misleading?

Tubs differ in size, serving, protein density and dose. A R189 tub can cost more per useful gram than a R700 tub. The fair comparison is cost per effective dose.

## What dose unit should you use?

| Supplement | Compare on | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Whey / protein | Rand per 30 g protein | Protein density varies from about 62% to 87% of powder |
| Creatine | Rand per 5 g | The standard daily dose |
| Collagen | Rand per 10 g | A common research and label dose |
| Magnesium | Rand per 100 mg elemental | Elemental content varies widely between forms |
| Omega-3 | Rand per g of EPA + DHA | Fish oil strength varies |
| Beta-alanine | Rand per 3.2 g | A common trial dose |

## What does it look like in rand (October 2026)?

**Creatine, per 5 g:** Pure Natural Options 500 g R2.22 (Knysna Health); ATP Fitness 600 g R4.17 (ATP shop); USN Pure 300 g R4.98; Myprotein 500 g R5.55 (Dis-Chem Living Fit); Empyre For Men Prime Creapure 300 g about R14-R16 (R850-R949).

**Collagen, per 10 g (powder-weight proxy):** ATP Fitness 910 g R10.44 (ATP shop); MetaBody 300 g R11.20 (on sale; R14 at its regular price); Mojome 500 g R17.68. Capsules cost far more: Dis-Chem Gold hydrolysed collagen (90 x 400 mg, R250) works out at about R69 per 10 g, and its label dose is only about 1.2 g a day.

**Protein, per 30 g:** NPL Platinum Whey Plus R23.52; USN BlueLab about R28; Myprotein Impact about R51.

**Magnesium, per 100 mg elemental:** The Real Thing Tri-Mag about R2.64; Dis-Chem Gold chelate about R3.37.

ATP's collagen wins on the cost-per-10 g measure among single-ingredient powders (R10.44 at 910 g), with MetaBody (R11.20 on sale) and The Harvest Table 800 g (R11.36) close behind. ATP's trade-offs: the larger tub needs a bigger up-front spend, and third-party certification is not published. For creatine, Pure Natural Options is cheaper per dose than ATP.

## How do you handle price differences between shops?

- **Use a band when sellers differ by more than 10%.** NPL creatine 500 g ranges from R299 on sale to R539.99, so one price would mislead.
- **Date every price.** Ours are October 2026; sales end.
- **Separate regular from sale prices.** Special prices on Faithful to Nature or Takealot may not last.
- **Add delivery.** A R40 courier fee on a R200 tub is 20%.
- **Check VAT-inclusive prices.** South African consumer prices include 15% VAT when the seller is VAT-registered.

## What about sizes and bulk?

Bulk is not always cheaper. USN BlueLab 2 kg at R1 399 costs more per 100 g (R69.95) than the 1 kg tub at R689 (R68.90) at the USN shop. Always divide.

## What can go wrong?

Where the label does not state the dose, the cost is only a proxy: several collagen tubs do not state grams per serving. Products with undisclosed doses cannot be ranked fairly.

## Where can you go next?

Use this method with our guides to [cheapest creatine per serving](/answers/cheapest-creatine-per-serving-south-africa/), [cheapest collagen per 10 g](/answers/cheapest-collagen-per-10g-south-africa/), [whey per 30 g protein](/answers/whey-protein-per-30g-protein-comparison-south-africa/) and [how we compare supplements](/answers/how-we-compare-supplements-method/).

## Products mentioned

| Product | Size | Price (source, date) | Servings | R per 5 g | R per 10 g | R per serving | R per 30 g protein | R per 100 g powder | Sweeteners |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pure Natural Options Creatine Monohydrate 100% 500 g | 500 g | R222 (Knysna Health (listing via PriceCheck), 2026-10) | — | R2.22 | — | — | — | — | not stated |
| ATP Fitness Micronised Creatine Monohydrate | 600 g | R500 (ATP Fitness shop, 2026-10) | — | R4.17 | — | — | — | — | None |
| ATP Fitness Hydrolysed Collagen | 910 g | R950 (ATP Fitness shop, 2026-10) | 91 | — | R10.44 | — | — | — | None |
| MetaBody Pure Hydrolyzed Collagen 300 g | 300 g | R336-R420 (sale vs regular) (Partners Hair, 2026-10) | — | — | R11.20 | — | — | — | not stated |
| The Real Thing Tri-Mag 90 capsules | 90 capsules | R285 (Faithful to Nature, 2026-10) | 45 | — | — | R6.33 | — | — | not stated |
| NPL Platinum Whey Plus (1 kg) | 1 kg | R490 (NPL shop (npl.za.com), 2026-10) | 25 | — | — | — | R23.52 | R49.00 | sucralose |

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

- [PriceCheck.co.za: creatine monohydrate listings across SA retailers (retrieved 27 October 2026)](https://www.pricecheck.co.za/search?search=creatine+monohydrate)
- [Dis-Chem Living Fit: whey protein category (October 2026)](https://dischemlivingfit.co.za/product-category/protein/whey-protein/)
- [Faithful to Nature: collagen category (October 2026)](https://www.faithful-to-nature.co.za/health/beauty-supplements/collagen)
- [Dis-Chem Living Fit: Dis-Chem Gold Hydrolysed Collagen 90 capsules](https://dischemlivingfit.co.za/shop/dischem-gold-hydrolysed-collagen-90-caps)
- [Mondaq (2026): 2026 Budget analysis and commentary, VAT](https://www.mondaq.com/southafrica/sales-taxes-vat-gst/1752652/2026-budget-analysis-and-commentary)