Head to head · Hydration & Electrolytes
Cure Hydrating Electrolyte Mix vs Pedialyte Classic Electrolyte Powder Packets
Cure and Pedialyte finish level in our scoring (7.5 vs 7.5), so the right pick depends on what you value most — Cure is stronger on quality & purity, experience and transparency, Pedialyte on efficacy and value.
Updated September 2026 from our full reviews · How we score
Coconut-water-based mix with 240 mg sodium, 310 mg potassium and no added sugar, plus published batch test results. Clean and tasty, but pricey per serving.
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The pharmacy-standard rehydration mix: 260 mg sodium, 180 mg potassium and 6 g sugar per 8 oz packet. Dependable when sick, but pricey per ounce.
We may earn a commission when you buy through these links — it never affects our scores. How we make money
We may earn a commission when you buy through these links — it never affects our scores. How we make money
The short answer
Choose Cure if…
- Daily hydration without added sugar
- Shoppers who want published contaminant testing
- Moderate workouts, hot days and travel
- You care most about quality & purity, experience, transparency
Choose Pedialyte if…
- Rehydrating during stomach bugs, vomiting or diarrhea
- Families who want one mix for kids (1+) and adults
- Travel bags, diaper bags and first-aid kits
- You care most about efficacy, value
Side by side
| Hydrating Electrolyte Mix | Classic Electrolyte Powder Packets | |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 7.5 / 10 | 7.5 / 10 |
| Efficacy (30%) | 7.0 | 8.0 |
| Quality & Purity (25%) | 8.3 | 7.4 |
| Value (20%) | 5.8 | 6.2 |
| Experience (15%) | 8.4 | 8.0 |
| Transparency (10%) | 9.2 | 8.0 |
| Form | Stick pack | Stick pack |
| Serving | 1 packet (7.3 g) in 8-16 oz water14 servings per container | 1 packet (9 g) in 8 fl oz water24 servings per container |
| Price per serving | $1.71 | See retailer |
| Testing & certifications | Third-party testedKosher | Kosher |
| Dietary | Vegan, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Soy-free, Non-GMO | Gluten-free |
| Key ingredients |
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|
| Flavors | 8 (Lemonade, Berry Pomegranate, Watermelon…) | 5 (Variety Pack (Strawberry, Fruit Punch, Grape, Apple), Grape, Orange…) |
| Creator video reviews | 4 | 2 |
Pros and cons
Hydrating Electrolyte Mix
- Batch test results for heavy metals, allergens and microbes published with a downloadable COA
- No added sugar, sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners, colors or flavors
- Balanced 240 mg sodium and 310 mg potassium per packet
- Buyers consistently praise the sweet-tart taste and easy mixing
- About $1.39-$1.71 per serving
- Sodium is too modest for heavy sweating or illness-related dehydration
- Contains coconut; a few buyers find it slightly salty
- Natural ingredients can settle in the glass and need re-stirring
Classic Electrolyte Powder Packets
- Classic ORS-style formula: 260 mg sodium, 180 mg potassium and 6 g dextrose per 8 oz
- Labeled for mild to moderate dehydration from diarrhea and vomiting, ages 1 and up
- Full nutrition and ingredient data published by Abbott; no proprietary blend
- Buyers consistently praise the mild taste, portability and usefulness when sick
- About $1.11 per 8 oz stick, or roughly $2.22 to fill a 16 oz bottle
- Less sodium than WHO's reduced-osmolarity ORS and far less than high-sodium sport mixes
- Sweetened with sucralose and acesulfame potassium; variety-pack flavors still list Red 40 and Blue 1 during the dye-free changeover
- No NSF or Informed Sport certification; a 2022 Class III recall hit one lot of 0.6 oz packets for undeclared wheat-derived dextrose
Our verdicts
Hydrating Electrolyte Mix
Cure is one of the cleanest and most transparent everyday electrolyte mixes available, with published batch testing and no added sugar or artificial sweeteners. Its moderate sodium makes it best for daily hydration and ordinary workouts rather than heavy sweating or illness, and you pay a premium for the ingredient list.
Full review
Classic Electrolyte Powder Packets
Pedialyte's classic powder is a dependable, widely available rehydration formula for stomach bugs, heat and travel, with less than half the sugar of a typical sports drink by Abbott's comparison. It is not the strongest option for heavy sweaters, it relies on artificial sweeteners (and, until the dye-free switch is complete, dyes in some flavors), and at about $2.22 per 16 oz the sticks are an expensive way to hydrate every day.
Full review
What creators say
Questions people ask
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