Head to head · Pre-Workout
Gorilla Mind Gorilla Mode Pre-Workout vs Kaged Pre-Kaged Pre-Workout
Gorilla Mind and Kaged finish level in our scoring (8.2 vs 8.1), so the right pick depends on what you value most — Gorilla Mind is stronger on efficacy, value and transparency, Kaged on quality & purity.
Updated September 2026 from our full reviews · How we score
One of the most heavily dosed pre-workouts: per scoop 5 g citrulline, 2.5 g creatine and 200 mg caffeine, doubling to 400 mg caffeine at the 2-scoop max.
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An Informed Sport-certified, vegan pre-workout with 274 mg natural caffeine and 6.5 g citrulline, though its beta-alanine and creatine are under-dosed.
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 Gorilla Mind if…
- Experienced lifters chasing pumps and strength
- People who want creatine built into their pre-workout
- Buyers who value per-lot lab results
- You care most about efficacy, value, transparency
- You want the lower cost per serving ($1.50)
Choose Kaged if…
- Drug-tested and competitive athletes
- Vegan lifters
- People wanting natural flavors and no artificial dyes
- You care most about quality & purity
Side by side
| Gorilla Mode Pre-Workout | Pre-Kaged Pre-Workout | |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 8.2 / 10 | 8.1 / 10 |
| Efficacy (30%) | 8.7 | 7.8 |
| Quality & Purity (25%) | 8.2 | 9.2 |
| Value (20%) | 7.4 | 7.0 |
| Experience (15%) | 7.8 | 7.8 |
| Transparency (10%) | 9.3 | 9.0 |
| Form | Powder | Powder |
| Serving | 1 scoop (up to 2 scoops per day)40 servings per container | 1 scoop20 servings per container |
| Price per serving | $1.50 | $2.25 |
| Testing & certifications | Third-party tested | Informed Sport |
| Dietary | — | Vegan |
| Key ingredients |
|
|
| Flavors | 8 (Cherry Blackout, Tiger's Blood, Blue Raspberry…) | 7 (Strawberry Lemonade, Crisp Apple, Fruit Punch…) |
| Creator video reviews | 3 | 2 |
Pros and cons
Gorilla Mode Pre-Workout
- Pure L-citrulline (5 g per scoop, 10 g at the maximum) rather than citrulline malate
- Includes creatine (2.5 g per scoop) plus glycerol and salt for pumps and hydration
- Lot-specific Eurofins test results published for every active ingredient
- Flexible dosing: one scoop for a standard session, two for a maximum dose
- Wide flavor range (13 flavors on the brand site)
- Two scoops deliver 400 mg of caffeine, the FDA's daily reference amount for healthy adults
- No beta-alanine
- About $3.00 per two-scoop maximum dose
- Not NSF Certified for Sport or Informed Sport, and carries a California Prop 65 warning
Pre-Kaged Pre-Workout
- Informed Sport certified, with every batch tested according to Kaged
- 274 mg natural caffeine, 6.5 g L-citrulline and 2.5 g betaine per scoop
- Vegan, naturally flavored, no artificial colors and 1 g of sugar
- Solid buyer ratings (4.3 stars from about 1,100 reviews on the Krisp Apple listing)
- Only 1.6 g beta-alanine and 1.5 g creatine HCl, both below research doses
- 6.5 g of BCAAs adds bulk with little benefit if your protein intake is adequate
- About $2.25 per serving
- Very large scoop; some reviewers report stomach upset
Our verdicts
Gorilla Mode Pre-Workout
Gorilla Mode delivers what it promises for experienced users: big pump, hydration and focus doses with unusually open lab testing. Most people should treat one scoop as the serving, because the two-scoop maximum reaches 400 mg of caffeine and leaves no room for coffee or other stimulants that day.
Full review
Pre-Kaged Pre-Workout
Pre-Kaged is one of the safest choices for tested athletes, pairing batch-level Informed Sport certification with solid caffeine, citrulline and betaine doses. Its beta-alanine and creatine fall short of research doses and the price is on the high side, so non-competitive lifters can get more per dollar elsewhere.
Full review