You started reading labels. Now you can't stop. Once you've seen a sugar line in the dozens of grams, or a sweetener and color list longer than the flavor name, it's hard to go back. This list is for you.
Below are five energy drink alternatives, compared on what the label says: caffeine, sugar, calories, sweeteners and how many ingredients are listed. They're in no particular order. Bare Brew is our own product, and it's on the list, so we've kept every row to label facts and linked each competitor figure to the brand's own website.
How We Compared Them
We used only figures we could read on each brand's own website, checked on October 30, 2026. Where a brand's page didn't state a figure, the table says "see label" instead of filling the gap with an estimate. Serving sizes differ, so compare caffeine per fluid ounce as well as per can. Prices change by store and region, so we don't quote competitor prices.
| Option | Serving | Caffeine | Sugar | Calories | Sweetener | Ingredients listed | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bare Brew Cold Brew (our product) | 12 fl oz can | 320mg (26.7mg/fl oz) | 0g | 20 | None | 2 | Product page |
| Zevia Kola Energy | See label | 120mg | 0g | 0 | Stevia extract | 5 | zevia.com |
| Yerba Madre Sparkling Cranberry Pomegranate | 12 fl oz can | 115mg (9.6mg/fl oz) | 17g (15g added) | 80 | Cane sugar | See label | yerbamadre.com |
| ZOA Energy | 12 oz / 16 oz | 160mg / 210mg | Sugar-free | See label | Sucralose, acesulfame potassium | See label | zoaenergy.com FAQ |
| Red Bull Sugarfree | 8.4 fl oz can | 80mg (9.5mg/fl oz) | 0g | 10 | Sucralose, acesulfame K | See label | redbull.com |
1. Black Cold Brew: Bare Brew
320mg caffeine | 0g sugar | 20 calories | 5g total carbohydrate | 2 ingredients
Full disclosure: this is our brand. No sugar. No dairy. Bare ingredients, a special blend of coffee and water: Honduran Arabica and filtered water. No sweeteners, no flavors, no added vitamins, no proprietary blend. The caffeine comes from the coffee itself, at 320mg per 12 fl oz can.
The tradeoff: it's black cold brew. If you don't like the taste of black coffee, it isn't for you. One flavor, no sparkling option, and 320mg in one can is a lot of caffeine. It's not recommended for children, people who are pregnant or nursing, or anyone sensitive to caffeine.
2. Zevia Kola Energy
120mg caffeine | 0g sugar | 0 calories | 5 ingredients listed
Zevia's page lists five ingredients: carbonated water, natural flavors, citric acid, stevia extract and caffeine. Zevia says its products are sweetened only with purified stevia extract. Caffeine is listed as its own ingredient (Zevia Kola Energy product page).
Worth knowing: sparkling and sweet without sugar, and a moderate caffeine amount. If you want no sweetener at all, this isn't it.
3. Yerba Madre Sparkling Cranberry Pomegranate
115mg caffeine | 17g total sugars (15g added) | 80 calories | 12 fl oz can
A sparkling yerba mate drink. The brand's page lists organic yerba mate brew, cane sugar, fruit juice concentrates, natural flavors, citric acid and caffeine (Yerba Madre product page).
Worth knowing: this flavor has real sugar. Check the panel on any other flavor, since sugar varies across the line.
4. ZOA Energy
160mg caffeine per 12 oz | 210mg per 16 oz | sugar-free
ZOA's FAQ says its energy drinks are sugar-free, sweetened with sucralose and acesulfame potassium, and that the caffeine is sourced from green coffee and green tea (ZOA FAQ).
Worth knowing: a zero-sugar energy drink format, if you like the format but want to read a sugar line of zero. It does use sweeteners.
5. Red Bull Sugarfree
80mg caffeine | 0g sugars | 10 calories | 8.4 fl oz can
If you want to stay with a brand you know, Red Bull's page for Sugarfree lists 80mg of caffeine, 10 calories and 0g sugars per 8.4 fl oz can, sweetened with sucralose and acesulfame K, with taurine and B-group vitamins (Red Bull Sugarfree ingredients).
Worth knowing: the lowest caffeine per can on this list, and it uses two sweeteners.
How to Pick
Want no sweeteners at all? Look for an unsweetened drink, like black coffee or black cold brew, and confirm it on the ingredient list.
Want sparkling and sweet without sugar? Compare which sweetener each brand uses, since that's on the label too.
Watching caffeine? Compare per fluid ounce and count every source in your day. FDA says up to 400mg a day is an amount not generally associated with negative effects for most healthy adults.
The common thread: you can read and understand every line on the label before you buy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I look for in an energy drink alternative?
Start with the label: caffeine per serving and per fluid ounce, the sugar line, calories, the sweetener (if any) and the length of the ingredient list. Which of those matter most depends on you. If you have a health condition, ask your doctor what fits.
How much caffeine is in these compared with Red Bull?
Red Bull's own page lists 80mg in an 8.4 fl oz can of the original drink (Red Bull). From the table above: Bare Brew is 320mg per 12 fl oz can, ZOA is 160mg per 12 oz, Zevia Kola Energy is 120mg, and Yerba Madre Sparkling Cranberry Pomegranate is 115mg per 12 fl oz can. Can sizes differ, so compare per fluid ounce too.
Are energy drink alternatives worth the price?
Compare the price per serving at the pack size you actually buy, since single cans often cost more than multipacks. Bare Brew is $4.50 a can in the $53.99 12-pack (see current prices). Whether a different label is worth paying more for is your call.
How much caffeine is in a can of Bare Brew?
Each 12 fl oz can has 320mg of caffeine. FDA says up to 400mg a day is an amount not generally associated with negative effects for most healthy adults. Bare Brew is not recommended for children, people who are pregnant or nursing, or anyone sensitive to caffeine.
What's in a Can of Bare Brew
No sugar. No dairy. Bare ingredients, a special blend of coffee and water: filtered water and Honduran Arabica. Each 12 fl oz can has 320mg of caffeine, 20 calories, 0g sugar and 5g total carbohydrate. Newsweek Readers' Choice "Best Cold Brew" Brand 2026 finalist. Bare Brew is our own product. See current prices.
This article is general information, not medical advice. Bare Brew is a coffee drink, not a treatment for any condition. Each 12 fl oz can has 320mg of caffeine. It's not recommended for children, people who are pregnant or nursing, or anyone sensitive to caffeine. If you take medication or have a health condition, talk to your doctor about caffeine.
