Head to head · Hydration & Electrolytes
LMNT Zero-Sugar Electrolyte Drink Mix vs Pedialyte Classic Electrolyte Powder Packets
Pedialyte scores higher overall (7.5 vs 7.3 out of 10), mainly on value and transparency. LMNT still leads on experience.
Updated September 2026 from our full reviews · How we score
1,000 mg sodium, 200 mg potassium and 60 mg magnesium with zero sugar. Excellent for heavy sweaters and low-carb eaters, but far more salt than most desk workers need.
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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 LMNT if…
- Endurance athletes and heavy or salty sweaters
- Low-carb and keto eaters
- Hot-weather training and outdoor work
- You care most about experience
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 value, transparency
Side by side
| Zero-Sugar Electrolyte Drink Mix | Classic Electrolyte Powder Packets | |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 7.3 / 10 | 7.5 / 10 |
| Efficacy (30%) | 7.8 | 8.0 |
| Quality & Purity (25%) | 7.5 | 7.4 |
| Value (20%) | 5.8 | 6.2 |
| Experience (15%) | 8.4 | 8.0 |
| Transparency (10%) | 6.8 | 8.0 |
| Form | Stick pack | Stick pack |
| Serving | 1 stick pack (6 g) in 16-32 oz water30 servings per container | 1 packet (9 g) in 8 fl oz water24 servings per container |
| Price per serving | $1.50 | See retailer |
| Testing & certifications | Third-party testedcGMP facility | Kosher |
| Dietary | Vegan, Gluten-free, Sugar-free, Keto-friendly, Paleo | Gluten-free |
| Key ingredients |
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| Flavors | 8 (Citrus Salt, Raspberry Salt, Watermelon Salt…) | 5 (Variety Pack (Strawberry, Fruit Punch, Grape, Apple), Grape, Orange…) |
| Creator video reviews | 5 | 2 |
Pros and cons
Zero-Sugar Electrolyte Drink Mix
- 1,000 mg sodium per stick, one of the highest doses among popular mixes
- Zero sugar and a short ingredient list
- Independent third-party testing of raw materials and finished product
- Buyers consistently praise taste, easy mixing and being gentle on the stomach
- 43% of the sodium Daily Value per stick; too much for many people who are not sweating heavily
- Most flavored sticks contain 300-450 mg maltodextrin as a flavor carrier that is not listed separately
- About $1.50 per stick ($1.13 in bulk) for what is mostly salt
- Brand promotes 4-6 g of sodium a day, well above the 2,300 mg limit in the Dietary Guidelines
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
Zero-Sugar Electrolyte Drink Mix
For heavy sweaters, endurance athletes and low-carb eaters, LMNT is one of the best-formulated electrolyte mixes available: a meaningful sodium dose, no sugar and a short ingredient list. For the average person drinking it at a desk, 1,000 mg of extra sodium a day is unnecessary and potentially counterproductive, and the price is hard to justify.
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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