The 8 Best Non Stim Pre-Workout Supplements Tested in 2023

Most pre-workout supplements contain caffeine because it’s been proven to promote weight loss, enhance physical performance and improve cognitive function.

This may be a problem for anyone who’s trying to wean off caffeine, is caffeine intolerant or is just not interested in putting caffeine, or other stimulants, in their body.

Fortunately, there are pre-workout supplements on the market that are caffeine free, and most of them are also stim-free pre-workouts.

There are plenty of great stim-free pre-workout supplements that are great contenders for the best caffeine-free pre-workout.

Our top pick is Stim-Free Pre-Workout from Transparent Labs, but we recommend checking out the others to find the right choice for you.

The 8 Best Non Stim Pre Workouts

1. Stim Free Pre-Workout – Transparent Labs
2. Pre-Kaged Stim Free Pre-Workout – Kaged
3. Sicario Pre-Workout – ASC Supplements
4. Pump Serum – Huge Supplements
5. Bare Knuckle Pre-Workout – Apollon Nutrition
6. Superhuman Pump – Alpha Lion
7. Bloody Hell – Apollon Nutrition
8. King of Pumps – Chemix

Pre-workout supplements are essential to have on hand for those days when you just can’t give as much to your workout as you usually do. A solid pre-workout supplement goes a long way in maximizing your workout performance.

We’ve compiled our top picks for stim-free pre-workouts because you shouldn’t have to compromise on quality because you’re looking for caffeine-free pre-workouts.

Stim-Free – Transparent labs

Best Overall Caffeine Free Pre-Workout

This caffeine-free pre-workout is vegan, gluten-free and made from all-natural ingredients; no artificial coloring, sweeteners, preservatives or GMOs. The key ingredients increase nitric oxide production to enhance your focus and help you build lean muscles.

This pre-workout is formulated to give you continued energy despite being caffeine free, making it our top overall pick.

• Key Ingredients:
  • Citrulline Malate 2:1 – 6,000mg
  • BCAA 2:1:1 (instatized) – 4,000mg
  • Beta-Alanine – 4,000mg
  • BetaPure Betaine Anhydrous – 2,500mg
  • Taurine – 1,300mg
  • N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine – 600mg
  • Choline Bitartrate – 500mg
  • Mucuna Pruriens (98% L-Dopa) – 70mg
  • L-Norvaline – 60mg
  • BioPersine – 5mg

Pre-Kaged Stim-Free – Kaged

Best Caffeine Free Pre-Workout with BCAAs

This caffeine-free pre-workout has 0 added sugars and no artificial flavors. The patented key ingredients ensure that you see an increase in strength and size while getting hard muscle pumps in.

This pre-workout also boasts max dosages to match a massive scoop size of 32g per serving. This is the reason why it is the best caffeine-free pre-workout with BCAAs.

• Key Ingredients:
  • L-Citrulline – 6.5g
  • L-Leucine – 1750mg
  • L-Isoleucine – 875mg
  • L-Valine – 875mg
  • CarnoSyn (Beta-Alanine) – 1.6g
  • Creatine HCl – 1.5g
  • Coconut Water Powder- 500mg
  • Taurine – 2g
  • N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine – 1g
  • L-Tyrosine – 850mg

Sicario – ASC Supplements

Best Caffeine Free Pre-Workout for Focus

Sicario is one of the best pre-workout supplements on the market for anyone seeking exceptional pumps and focus without any stimulants. It boasts a truly overloaded ingredient label while still tasting decent.

Notable inclusions are 250 mg of pine bark extract for nitric oxide production, 3 grams of L-tyrosine for focus, and 500 mg of pink Himalayan sea salt for pumps. In fact, Sicario made it onto our list of the best pump supplements.

This stim-free pre-workout has patented ingredients that are designed to give you hyper-focus, maximal endurance and strength while keeping you hydrated.

• Key Ingredients:
  • 3d pump Breakthrough – 6g
  • Beta-alanine – 3.2g
  • Arginine Nitrate – 3g
  • Betaine Anhydrous – 3g
  • Taurine – 2g
  • Pink Himalayan Sea Salt – 500mg
  • Pine Bark Extract – 250mg
  • L-Tyrosine – 3g
  • Alpha GPC – 800mg
  • AstraGin – 50mg

Pump Serum – Huge Supplements

Best Caffeine Free Pre-Workout for Pumps

This stim-free pre-workout has a nitric oxide booster to enhance your focus and your pumps. It has one of the largest serving sizes on the market, with each scoop full of clinically approved doses that are proven to increase blood flow and focus. and boasts a great range of flavors.

• Key Ingredients:
  • Choline (as Choline Bitartrate) – 980mg
  • Sodium (as Himalayan Pink Sea Salt) -197mg
  • L-Citrulline – 8000mg
  • Betaine Anhydrous – 3000mg
  • GlycerPump™ (65% Glycerol Powder) – 3000mg
  • Beet Root Extract (Beta Vulgaris) -2000mg
  • L-Tyrosine – 1500mg
  • Nitrosigine (Inositol Arginine Silicate) – 1500mg
  • Agmatine Sulfate – 1250mg
  • Pomegranate Extract (Punica Granatum) – 1000mg
  • VasoDrive-AP (Casein Hydrolysate) – 254mg
  • Huperzine A 1% (Huperzia Serrata Leaf Extract) – 20mg
  • Bioperine (Black Pepper Fruit Extract) – 5mg.

Bare Knuckle – Apollon Nutrition

Best Caffeine Free Pre-Workout with Lion’s Mane

This stim-free pre-workout is loaded with nitrates and Nootropic to improve your mental focus and give you max strength and endurance.

• Key Ingredients:
  • L-Citrulline – 4000mg
  • Beta Alanine – 1600mg
  • Arginine Nitrate – 1500mg
  • Betaine Anhydrous – 1250g
  • Pink Himalayan Sea Salt – 250mg
  • L-Tyrosine – 1000mg
  • AstraGin – 25mg
  • Agmantine Sulfate – 750mg
  • Lion’s Mane Extrcat – 500mg
  • L-Alpha GPC 50% – 300mg

Superhuman Pump – Alpha Lion

Best Tasting Caffeine Free Pre-Workout

This organic, stim-free pre-workout comes in 5 amazing flavors and promises to ignite new gains within the first few minutes of your first set. This product promises to give your better pumps by boosting blood flow and muscle fullness while still keeping you hydrated.

Bloody Hell – Apollon Nutrition

Best Caffeine Free Pre-Workout Capsules

This next caffeine-free pre-workout actually comes in capsule form rather than a powder. You’ll get the most out of your muscle pumps because the key ingredients accelerate your blood flow while boosting nitric oxide levels. This is also a stimulant-free pre-workout.

• Key Ingredients:
  • Inositol Stabilized Arginine Silicate (Nitrosigine) – 1500mg
  • Green Tea Leaf Extract (CellFlo6) – 600mg
  • Hydrolyzed Casein Tripeptides (VasoDrive-AP) – 508mg

King of Pumps – Chemix

Most Cutting Edge Caffeine Free Pre-Workout

This stim-free pre-workout is loaded with ingredients that are aimed at increasing your blood flow and give you the muscle pumps you deserve.

It also includes a nitric oxide booster. This pick wins the most cutting edge because Gymnema Sylvestre and EndoPump are unique ingredients not commonly seen in many stim-free pre-workouts.

• Key Ingredients:
  • L-Citrulline – 6g
  • Betaine Anhydrous – 5g
  • Glycerpump (65% Glycerol Powder) – 3g
  • Endo-Pump – 800mg
  • VasoDrive-AP – 254mg
  • Gymnema Sylvestre – 250mg
  • S7 – 100mg

Buying the Best Caffeine Free Pre Workout For You

Even if you’re looking for a pre-workout that is stim-free or caffeine-free, you might not be sold on the effectiveness of these products in comparison.

A stimulant or caffeine-free pre-workout can work just as well as any other pre-workout with the added benefit of not experiencing the side effects of caffeine and certain stimulants.

Benefits of caffeine-free pre-workout

While not a true equal to a pre-workout that contains a stimulant, there are still benefits to be had from caffeine-free pre-workout supplements. The best way to maximize these benefits and find the best pre-workouts is to look for specific ingredients.

Increase Mental Focus

One of the benefits of caffeine and stimulants is that they stimulate your nervous system and can improve your focus. You can still boost your mental focus while using a non-stim pre-workout.

Ingredients that may help:

L-Tyrosine

This amino acid helps your body synthesize protein and plays an important role in your body’s metabolic processes. it also improves your mood and cognitive functions.

Alpha-GPC

This choline compound is well known for improving an athlete’s strength and supporting your cognitive functions, providing you with better focus.

Aid Nitric Oxide Production and Increase Blood Flow

Nitric oxide supplements are very popular in stim-free pre-workouts because they increase your blood flow to your muscle tissue. This is great for you because when there’s more blood flow going to your muscles, they’re receiving more nutrition, and this can significantly improve your workout and your recovery.

Ingredients that may help:

L-Citrulline

This amino acid is a vasodilator, and it is also one of the most well-known ingredients for boosting endurance. It works to boost your nitric oxide levels by improving your blood flow.

Pine Bark Extract

Pine bark has also been found to boost nitric oxide production by improving blood flow.

Agmatine Sulfate

This chemical compound is best known for its ability to promote muscle growth and works well as a nitric oxide supplement. It helps deliver the necessary nutrients to your muscles and stimulates the production of luteinizing hormones; this can increase your testosterone levels.

Improve Power Output

One of the main benefits of a pre-workout is the improved output and performance, and this can still be achieved without using caffeine or stimulants.

Ingredients that may help:

Betaine Anhydrous

The amino acid naturally occurs in grains and vegetables and has been shown to boost power and endurance while supporting liver and heart health. It also aids in the repair and maintenance of muscle tissue. This is very important because you want to avoid the breakdown of your muscle tissues.

Increase Muscle Mass and Strength

Pre-workouts promote muscle growth by providing your muscles with more stimulation and more energy so you can push through your workout.

Ingredients that may help:

Creatine

Creatine monohydrate is one of the most well-known, most effective and best-researched supplements for athletes. It increases your energy, improves your cognitive function, supports your brain, boosts anaerobic strength and improves your recovery time.

Increased Muscle Recovery

A good pre-workout will boost your muscle protein synthesis, which is the process by which your muscle cells create more protein, which is a building block for muscles. This boost will boost your muscle recovery because they’ll have lots of protein to draw from.

Ingredients that may help:

Beta-Alanine

Beta-alanine is actually naturally occurring in the human body, and it is made by the liver. This supplement is a popular ingredient to have in a pre-workout because it boosts your endurance while also decreasing your recovery time.It acts as a buffer between your muscle cells and lactic acid, the build-up of which causes muscle soreness. It works to decrease your recovery time and improve your endurance by improving muscle fatigue and soreness so that you can go harder at the gym.

Increased Alertness

One of the main functions of caffeine in a pre-workout is to help you remain focused and alert, so you might wonder how you can get this without stimulants.

Ingredients that may help:

L-theanine

L-theanine is naturally found in tea leaves and is most commonly found in green tea. It works by increasing the chemicals in your body that promote calm and relaxation and inhibiting the activity in your nervous system.It also boosts your cognitive ability, which helps you focus better. L-theanine can also boost the production of nitric oxide, so it can also increase muscle mass.

What to look for when buying a caffeine-free pre-workout supplement

1. Make sure there’s no caffeine
2. Look for pump and focus ingredients
3. Check if it’s 3rd party tested

Even if you like any of the recommendations above, it’s generally a good idea to know how to identify the best caffeine-free pre-workout for you.

Make sure there’s no caffeine

When looking at caffeine-free pre-workouts, it’s important to make sure they actually don’t contain caffeine.

Below is an ingredient label for Mesomorph Pre-Workout. It contains caffeine, but I wouldn’t blame you if you thought it didn’t.

Here are two places to look:

1. If there’s a proprietary blend (here it’s called the “Neuromorph-neuro Energized Stimulant Mix”) be sure to look for caffeine within the blend.
2. Methylxanthine anhydrous is a rarely-used synonym for caffeine anhydrous. Other less common types of caffeine include di-caffeine malate and caffeine citrate. Keep an eye out for those.

It’s also important to keep your workout goals in mind so that you can look for ingredients that help you achieve them.

Look for pump and focus ingredients

Aside from being caffeine free, you’re looking for stim-free pre-workouts that also have added benefits like increased blood flow, increased nitric oxide production, muscle growth, improved muscle recovery and improved mental focus.

We have a list of these ingredients in the next section!

Avoid proprietary blends

Steer clear of pre-workouts that don’t have a fully disclosed ingredient label so that you can be completely aware of what you’re putting in your body.

Here’s an example of a proprietary blend. See how you can’t see the actual dose of most of the ingredients? That’s no good.

The best way to avoid lackluster pre-workouts is to stick to a brand that has a reputation for quality and transparency.

Good pre-workout brands that have this kind of reputation are Transparent Labs and Kaged.

Here’s what the ingredient label for Transparent Labs’ Stim-Free Pre-Workout looks like:

Transparent Labs shares their certificates of composition and certificates of analysis online, while Kaged is part of the Informed-Sport certification program, which is a third-party testing program that ensures products are free from any banned ingredients.

Ingredients to Look for in Stim-Free Pre-Workout Supplements

You don’t necessarily have to buy a pre-workout that has every single ingredient listed here, but even one or two of them are an indication of a good stimulant-free pre-workout.

Do your research on the ingredients that can help you reach your goals, and look for a pre-workout that has that ingredient in the right dose.

L-Citrulline or Citrulline Malate

At least 4,000 mg if it’s pure L-Citrulline, or 6,000mg if it’s Citrulline Malate 2:1.

Pine Bark Extract

At least 100 mg

VASODrive AP

At least 250 mg

Agmatine Sulfate

At least 1,000 mg

L-Tyrosine

At least 1,000 mg

Alpha GPC

At least 600 mg

Betaine Anhydrous

At least 2,500 mg

Beta-Alanine

At least 3.2 g

Poor qualities to look out for:

Underdosed

If you want a stimulant-free pre-workout that’ll make a difference, the right ingredients have to be present in the right doses. Dosages that are under guidelines on recommended doses won’t be effective.

To learn what the most effective pre-workout ingredients are and how they should be dosed, check out our guide to the best pre-workout ingredients.

Proprietary blends

This is up there with an ingredient label that isn’t fully disclosed. Typically, proprietary blends don’t give a list of the ingredients used in the blend or the dosages.So you have no idea what you’re putting in your body or how much of it you’re putting in your body. These mystery fillers can be harmful and cause adverse effects, and you’ll struggle to identify the ingredient you’re reacting to.

Benefits of Not Ingesting Caffeine

1. Anxiety reduction
2. Sleep improvement
3. Improved nutrient absorption
4. Lower blood pressure
5. No withdrawal effects

There are a number of health benefits to reducing or eliminating caffeine intake. Here are a few of the most significant benefits.

Anxiety reduction

Regular caffeine usage has been linked to increased feelings of nervousness, irritability, and anxiety. Luckily, as caffeine usage declines, so do the feelings of anxiety that can accompany it.

Sleep improvement

Caffeine taken within six hours of bedtime has been shown to have a negative impact on the quality of sleep. Due to variability in how long it takes for caffeine to leave the body, some recommendations go so far as to say caffeine use should occur within 11 hours of bedtime.

Improved Nutrient Absorption

Caffeine intake can reduce the absorption rates of some critical vitamins, including calcium, Vitamin B, and iron.

Lower Blood Pressure

High intake of caffeine has been linked to increased blood pressure resulting from its stimulatory effects on the central nervous system. This can lead to higher risk of cardiovascular disease over time.

No Withdrawal Effects

This may be obvious, but if you do not ingest any caffeine then you will not be subject to its uncomfortable withdrawal effects. This include headache, fatigue, irritability, and muscle soreness. While these usually dissipate after 72 hours, their unpleasantness can lead to caffeine dependency and addiction.

FAQs about Non Stim Pre-Workout Supplements

Final Thoughts

Overall, the best caffeine-free pre-workout is the Stim-Free Pre Workout Supplement from Transparent Labs with King of Pumps by Chemix and Alpha Lion’s Superhuman Pump in a close second and third position.

The Transparent Labs’ pre-workout stands out because they are transparent with their perfectly dosed ingredients that guarantee maintained energy during your workout.

About Kyle Risley

Kyle Risley founded Lift Vault in 2016 to make finding great powerlifting programs easier. Since then, the site has grown to include hundreds of programs for strength, bodybuilding, Olympic weightlifting, and more. He currently lives in Massachusetts and continues to compete in powerlifting.