Head to head · Pre-Workout
GHOST Legend V4 Pre-Workout vs RYSE Loaded Pre
GHOST scores higher overall (8.2 vs 7.9 out of 10), mainly on efficacy and transparency.
Updated September 2026 from our full reviews · How we score
A fully disclosed, clinically dosed pre-workout (300 mg caffeine, 6 g citrulline, 3.2 g beta-alanine) wrapped in GHOST's popular licensed candy flavors.
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A TikTok Shop best-seller with solid citrulline and beta-alanine doses and licensed candy flavors, but caffeine ranges from 300 to 390 mg by flavor.
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 GHOST if…
- Experienced stimulant users
- Lifters wanting full pump and endurance doses
- Flavor-driven buyers
- You care most about efficacy, transparency
Choose RYSE if…
- Lifters who want strong flavors with effective doses
- Experienced stimulant users
- Value shoppers who buy on sale
- You want the lower cost per serving ($1.33)
Side by side
| Legend V4 Pre-Workout | Loaded Pre | |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 8.2 / 10 | 7.9 / 10 |
| Efficacy (30%) | 8.6 | 8.0 |
| Quality & Purity (25%) | 7.2 | 7.2 |
| Value (20%) | 8.2 | 8.4 |
| Experience (15%) | 8.8 | 8.6 |
| Transparency (10%) | 8.8 | 6.8 |
| Form | Powder | Powder |
| Serving | 1 scoop30 servings per container | 1 scoop30 servings per container |
| Price per serving | $1.50 | $1.33 |
| Testing & certifications | None verified | None verified |
| Dietary | Vegan, Gluten-free, Soy-free, Sugar-free | — |
| Key ingredients |
|
|
| Flavors | 8 (Blue Raspberry, Orange Cream, Welch's Grape…) | 8 (Kool-Aid Tropical Punch, Ring Pop Cherry, Sour Punch Sour Blue Raz…) |
| Creator video reviews | 3 | 2 |
Pros and cons
Legend V4 Pre-Workout
- Clinical doses of L-citrulline (6 g), beta-alanine (3.2 g) and betaine (2.5 g)
- Fully transparent label with no proprietary blends
- Popular licensed flavors (Welch's, Sonic, Warheads, Sour Strips); listed as vegan, gluten-free, soy-free and sugar-free by GNC
- About $1.50 per serving at list price ($44.99 for 30)
- Strong buyer ratings: 4.5 stars from roughly 1,900 buyer reviews
- 300 mg caffeine plus 100 mg theobromine per scoop is too much for many people
- No third-party certification could be verified for Legend V4
- Beta-alanine causes noticeable tingling for some users
- Secondary extracts (Senactiv, AstraGin, NeuroFactor) have limited evidence
Loaded Pre
- 4.5 g L-citrulline and about 3.2–3.5 g beta-alanine per scoop
- More than 20 licensed and original flavors
- Large buyer base: 4.7 stars from 8,000+ reviews on RYSE's TikTok Shop listing
- About $1.33 per serving at list price and often less
- Caffeine varies from 300 to 390 mg per scoop depending on flavor
- Several formula versions sold at once; facts panels published only as images
- No named third-party certification; Amazon listings carry a Prop 65 warning
- Sweetened with sucralose and acesulfame potassium
Our verdicts
Legend V4 Pre-Workout
Legend V4 is one of the better-formulated mainstream pre-workouts: its core ingredients are at research-backed doses, the label is fully transparent, and the flavors are a genuine draw. The 300 mg caffeine dose is too strong for beginners and late-day training, and there is no verified sport certification, so tested athletes should look elsewhere.
Full review
Loaded Pre
Loaded Pre is effective and great-tasting, which explains its huge TikTok Shop following. Its main problem is inconsistency: caffeine and some doses vary by flavor and formula version, so check the tub before you scoop, never exceed one scoop, and choose a certified product if you are drug-tested.
Full review