Just like the best diet sodas, the best sugar-free energy drinks have come a long way in recent years. They give you pep, minus the sugar crash in a couple of hours, and many of them are now made with natural sweeteners that don’t leave a diet-drink aftertaste in your mouth. If you’re avoiding drinking a boatload of sugar every time you need a little boost (some energy drinks have upward of 30 grams of sugar per serving), there are lots of good options.
Our taste test wasn’t exhaustive—there are a lot of sugar-free energy drinks out there—but I sourced some of the most popular sugar-free energy drink brands in a variety of flavors. Sit back and (don’t) relax with the best tasting sugar-free energy drinks you can buy.
The following article contains affiliate links that may generate a small commission to us when you make a purchase through the link. Learn more about how we work with affiliates here.
- Red Bull Sugar Free
-
In my opinion, Red Bull tastes bad. It reminds me of carbonated cough medicine. But I get it: Kind of like Diet Coke, it tastes how it tastes in a very specific way, and some people just love it. If you insist on drinking Red Bull, Red Bull Sugar Free will do the trick (although, if you can find Red Bull Zero, which was in short supply in mid-to-late 2022, I’d personally go that route). We tasted this alongside Rockstar Sugar Free, and found that while they both have that medicinal energy drink flavor some people apparently love, Red Bull definitely tastes slightly better. I guess you could say it’s the best sugar-free energy drink for people who want an energy drink that tastes like an energy drink.
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- Monster Ultra Watermelon Zero Sugar
-
Last summer, I tasted 34 flavors of Monster energy drinks in a single sitting and discovered something unexpected: I absolutely love Monster energy drinks. I’m not a big energy drink person in general, but so many of these just taste so good—even the weird coffee ones! The cans are huge and so many look like they were designed by Guy Fieri on a coke bender, and they really lean into that, which I appreciate. I’m a monster at heart! This was one of the best Monster flavors when I did that taste test, and it held up in this one. As I wrote in our ranking of the best Monster flavors, “This Monster may not have sugar, but it tastes like straight-up watermelon candy. If you’ve ever dreamed of guzzling liquified, caffeinated watermelon Jolly Ranchers, your day has come.” Suffice it to say, this flavor is sweet.
Credit: Merc / Amazon
- Zevia Raspberry/Lime
-
If you’re looking for a sugar-free energy drink that tastes good and doesn’t come in a gargantuan can with extremely aggressive graphic design, Zevia makes a good bev. This Raspberry/Lime variety is particularly great—tangy, mildly sweet, and super refreshing. My colleague Danny Palumbo loved it when he tasted his way through a slew of energy drinks, sugar-free and sugar-full alike. Even up against energy drinks sweetened with sugar, Zevia landed in the top spot. “I gravitate towards drinks that have just a few ingredients, and Zevia only contains caffeine, carbonated water, citric acid, natural flavors, and stevia leaf extract,” Danny wrote. “It delivers great flavor and a good boost of energy without making you feel horrible and crazy. This is a damn fine energy drink.”
Credit: Merc / Amazon
- Zevia Mango/Ginger
-
To be perfectly honest, Raspberry/Lime isn’t a flavor profile I gravitate toward, so I much preferred this Mango/Ginger flavor. The mango flavor is bold without being gross and the ginger adds just a touch of earthy spice. There’s no burn of which to speak (if that’s your thing), but there’s definitely a ginger ale sort of flavor alongside the mango when you sip. Plus, these Zevia sugar-free energy drinks have a wonderful effervescence—a light carbonation that really tickles your tongue. As far as I know, Danny didn’t try their Mango/Ginger flavor during his energy drink taste test, so I feel comfortable overruling him here.
Credit: Merc / Amazon
- Monster Ultra Paradise Zero Sugar
-
Another Monster for my fellow Little Monsters (I’m talking about Monster Energy fans, not Lady Gaga fans). Everyone on the Sporked team had a hard time nailing down exactly what “Ultra Paradise” flavor is. Our designer Liv said she thinks it tastes like Watermelon Hubba Bubba, while it reminded Sporked editor-in-chief Justine Sterling of watermelon Jolly Ranchers. To me, this tastes like straight-up carbonated apple juice, or maybe a nice, fruity pear cider. Welp, we’re all totally off base; Monster says the flavor is “kiwi, lime, and a hint of cucumber.” Whatever it is, it tastes great, albeit very sweet. I personally think the gentle carbonation helps temper the sweetness a bit. Also, if you’re used to drinking sugar free energy drinks (or energy drinks in general), I think you can handle this.
Credit: Merc / Amazon
- Celsius Sparkling Orange
-
I know I won’t shut up about how much I love Monster, but Celsius really won me over during this taste test. This has such a pleasant, mellow flavor, kind of like Orange-Orange Vitamin Water but carbonated. Celsius also purports to accelerate metabolism and burn body fat, a claim they say is backed up by a number of scientific studies. It’s all very grown up; Monster is for freaks (like me) and this is for people who own really expensive road bikes and lots of spandex clothing. It’s delicious, and the best tasting sugar-free energy drink if you want something delicious and refined.
Credit: Merc / Target
Best if You Insist
Best Sweet (Runner-Up)
Best Refreshing
Best Fruit Flavor
Best Sweet
Best of the Best
Other products we tried: Monster Zero Ultra, Zevia Strawberry Kiwi, Celsius Kiwi Guava, Celsius Apple Pear, Rockstar Sugar Free, Bang Rainbow Unicorn, Bang Cherry Vanilla, Bang Blue Raspberry
Share your favorite sugar-free energy drinks with us using #SporkedTasteTest for a chance to be featured on our social pages!
