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NOW Foods vs Nutricost Taurine (2026)
Disclosure: We earn commissions on purchases made through our links. This never influences our scores. Editorial policy
The Verdict
These two are essentially tied on our rubric - NOW Foods posts an 85 execution score and Nutricost an 84 on our 0-100 scale - and both are extremely cheap, at about $0.07-$0.11 per 1000mg dose. Nutricost carries a claimed third-party-tested label; NOW Foods brings its established GMP program. In our view this is a near coin-flip between two reputable value brands - buy whichever is cheaper when you order. Both deliver pure free-form taurine at the same dose.
Taurine 1,000mg Double Strength
NOW Foods
Taurine 1,000mg
Nutricost
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Category | Taurine 1,000mg Double Strength NOW Foods | Taurine 1,000mg Nutricost |
|---|---|---|
| Brand Score | 85/100Winner | 84/100 |
| Dosing & Form | 25/25Winner | 25/25 |
| Purity | 19/25Winner | 16/25 |
| Value | 20/25 | 25/25Winner |
| Transparency | 21/25Winner | 18/25 |
| Cost/Day | $0.11 | $0.07Winner |
| Dose/Serving | 1000mg | 1000mg |
| Form | Free-form L-taurine, vegetable capsule | Free-form L-taurine, gelatin capsule |
| Third-Party Tested | No | ✓ Yes |
| Proprietary Blend | No | No |
Why This Comparison Matters
NOW Foods and Nutricost both make a clean, single-ingredient 1000mg taurine at value prices. Taurine is a simple free-form amino acid, so this is a case where the active ingredient is identical and the decision comes down to cost per dose and testing. NOW Foods brings its long-standing GMP-audited manufacturing; Nutricost claims third-party testing on the label.
With a commodity amino acid like taurine, you want purity and an honest label at the lowest reasonable price. Both brands fit that bill.
We scored both on evidence, quality, cost per dose, and transparency.
Detailed Score Breakdown
Taurine 1,000mg Double Strength
NOW Foods
Free-form L-taurine at the 1,000mg cap size used across multiple clinical trials
NOW Foods runs an NPA A-rated, GMP-certified facility with documented in-house identity, potency, and contaminant testing
$0.16 per 2.25g daily dose at the 250-cap size after a price rise, still strong value for capsule format
NOW lists per-capsule taurine content, vegetarian capsule shell, and carries no proprietary blends
NOW Foods is the default capsule pick for taurine when balancing price, dose convenience, and brand quality history
Taurine 1,000mg
Nutricost
Free-form L-taurine at 1,000mg per capsule, matches dose used across blood pressure and endurance trials
Nutricost is manufactured in an FDA-registered, cGMP-compliant facility with third-party testing claimed on the label, certifications not publicly published
$0.07 per 2.25g daily dose at the 400-cap size, one of the cheapest capsule options
Nutricost discloses per-capsule taurine content and lists capsule shell ingredients, but does not publish batch COAs publicly
Nutricost is the budget capsule pick if you prefer pills over powder
How We Compared These Products
Every product in our database is scored on four equally-weighted pillars: dosing accuracy and form quality, purity verification (third-party testing), cost per clinically effective dose (not cost per pill), and label transparency. Each pillar is worth 25 points for a total of 100.
Cost per effective dose is calculated using the clinically studied dose from published research, not the manufacturer's suggested serving. If a product requires multiple servings to reach the dose used in clinical trials, that cost is reflected in the value score.
For a full explanation of our scoring methodology, see our methodology page. Prices were last checked on the dates listed for each product and may have changed.
More Taurine Comparisons
We earn commissions on purchases made through our links. This never influences our scores or recommendations. See our editorial policy.
FDA Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Dietary supplements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before starting any supplement regimen.