Electrolyte supplements have moved well beyond the sports nutrition aisle. Endurance athletes, remote workers, keto followers, and people managing chronic illness are all reaching for them—and the market has responded with no shortage of options. Two brands that consistently come up in the conversation are Buoy Hydration Drops and LMNT Recharge. Both are sugar-free, clean-label, and genuinely popular. But they take very different approaches to hydration.
So which one actually fits your life? This comparison breaks down what’s inside each product, what you’ll pay, and which situations each one is best suited for—based entirely on verified product information from both brands.
What’s Actually Inside Each Product
The most important question with any electrolyte supplement is simple: what are you getting per serving?
Buoy Hydration Drops are built around ocean-sourced electrolytes and 87+ ionic trace minerals, including boron, selenium, manganese, silica, copper, and phosphorus. The formula also includes a B Vitamin Complex (B1, B5, B6) and antioxidants sourced from Australian wild foods. Buoy lists no artificial ingredients, sweeteners, flavors, or lab-manufactured isolates—one of the few supplements in this category with literally zero additives beyond the core minerals and vitamins.
LMNT Recharge, by contrast, is built around three specific electrolytes in defined, clinically referenced doses:
- Sodium: 1,000 mg
- Potassium: 200 mg
- Magnesium: 60 mg
Flavored varieties (like Citrus Salt, Grapefruit Salt, and Raspberry Salt) include natural flavors and stevia leaf extract. The unflavored “Raw” version contains only sodium chloride, magnesium malate, and potassium chloride—nothing else.
These two formulas represent fundamentally different philosophies. Buoy leans into broad-spectrum mineral replenishment from a natural oceanic source. LMNT delivers a targeted, high-dose hit of three specific electrolytes, backed by its own cited scientific literature on optimal sodium intake.
Sugar and Calorie Content
Both products are genuinely zero-sugar and zero-calorie. That’s a real point of difference from most sports drinks and electrolyte powders on the market, which routinely use dextrose or sucrose to aid absorption.
Buoy achieves this with no sweetener at all—the drops are effectively tasteless when added to most beverages. LMNT’s flavored sticks use stevia leaf extract, a plant-derived, zero-calorie sweetener. Its Raw Unflavored variety skips even that.
For people avoiding artificial sweeteners, both products hold up. For those who are sensitive to stevia specifically, Buoy or LMNT Raw are the cleaner options.
Electrolyte Profiles and Dosages
This is where the two products diverge most significantly.
LMNT publishes exact milligram doses for each electrolyte per stick pack: 1,000 mg sodium, 200 mg potassium, 60 mg magnesium. The brand’s philosophy, supported by references to published research including a 2011 JAMA study, argues that optimal health outcomes occur at sodium levels 2–3x government recommendations—especially for those following low-carb or ketogenic diets, exercising heavily, or fasting.
That 1,000 mg of sodium per packet is high by conventional standards. For endurance athletes, people on low-carb diets, or anyone who sweats heavily, that dose can be genuinely beneficial. For someone with sodium sensitivities or hypertension, it’s worth flagging before starting daily use.
Buoy’s exact electrolyte milligram amounts per serving are not published on its product page. The formula is derived from ocean-harvested sea salt and trace minerals in their naturally occurring ratios, which means the mineral content is broad but not broken down into the kind of precise dosing that LMNT provides. If you need to track specific electrolyte intake—say, as part of a medical protocol—LMNT’s transparency here is a meaningful advantage. If you’re looking for general mineral support and a wide micronutrient base, Buoy’s approach covers a lot of ground that LMNT’s three-ingredient formula doesn’t.
Price and Value
Pricing is straightforward to compare once you get to cost-per-serving:
Buoy Hydration Drops
- One-time purchase: $39.00 for 120 servings (~$0.33/serving)
- Subscribe & save (23% off): $30.03 (~$0.25/serving)
LMNT Recharge
- One box (30 sticks), one-time: $45.00 ($1.50/stick)
- Subscribe & save: $39.00 ($1.30/stick)
- INSIDER Bundle (120 sticks): $1.13/stick
Buoy costs roughly a quarter per serving. LMNT costs $1.13–$1.50 per stick. At daily use, that’s approximately $7–$8/month for Buoy versus $34–$45/month for LMNT. The gap is significant. That said, a single LMNT stick delivers a high-dose electrolyte hit that one Buoy serving—a small 1.5ml squeeze—isn’t designed to match in terms of raw sodium. They’re doing different things per serving, so cost-per-serving only tells part of the story.
If budget is a primary constraint, Buoy offers far better value at scale. If you need a specific high-sodium dose and are willing to pay for the convenience and taste experience, LMNT’s pricing reflects that premium.
Environmental Impact and Packaging
This is one of the more interesting differences between the two brands, and one that rarely gets discussed in electrolyte comparisons.
Buoy makes a pointed argument against single-use stick packs. Its squeeze bottles are made from Post Consumer Recycled (PCR) materials—no virgin plastics. Each bottle holds up to 40 servings (with the 1-month supply containing 120 servings across multiple bottles). Refill orders ship in 100% kraft biodegradable mailers made without virgin fibers. The brand also offsets its carbon footprint through donations to the Jari Para Forest Conservation Project in the Amazon Rainforest.
Buoy explicitly frames its model as a response to an industry “littered with single-serving plastic stick packs”—a direct contrast with how most electrolyte powders are packaged, including LMNT.
LMNT uses individual foil-laminate stick packs and cardboard boxes. The brand does not publish specific sustainability claims around its packaging materials or carbon offsets. For environmentally conscious consumers, Buoy has a clear and documented edge here.
Final Verdict: Which One Is Right for You?
Neither product is universally better—they solve different problems for different people.
Choose Buoy if:
- You want broad-spectrum mineral support, including trace minerals and B vitamins in one small daily dose
- You prefer adding electrolytes to coffee, tea, smoothies, or other beverages without changing the taste
- Sustainability and packaging matter to you
- You’re working with a tighter budget
- You don’t need to track precise milligram electrolyte intake
Choose LMNT if:
- You need high-dose sodium replenishment—particularly if you’re an endurance athlete, follow a ketogenic or low-carb diet, fast regularly, or sweat heavily
- You want the flavor experience: LMNT’s flavored sticks (Citrus Salt, Watermelon Salt, Mango Chili, and others) are genuinely enjoyable to drink on their own
- You value exact, published electrolyte dosing for tracking purposes
- You’re willing to pay more per serving for a product with a strong taste profile and a large, loyal user base (over 83,000 reviews at a 4.7/5 average)
For most people looking to add everyday mineral support to their routine, Buoy delivers solid value at a low cost-per-serving with a minimal footprint. For athletes, keto practitioners, and anyone who knows they need a serious sodium boost, LMNT’s high-dose formula and varied flavor lineup make it worth the premium.
Pick the One That Matches How You Hydrate
The best electrolyte supplement is the one you’ll actually use consistently. Buoy makes that easy by slipping unobtrusively into any drink at a fraction of the cost. LMNT makes it enjoyable by giving you something that tastes good and delivers a noticeable, functional dose of electrolytes.
Both are far better than the sugar-laden sports drinks they’re designed to replace. Start with what aligns to your goals, your budget, and your daily routine—and adjust from there.