The best cranberry juice is the perfect balance of tartness and sweetness. It’s great on its own or mixed into a cocktail. No matter how good your cranberry juice is, though, I’m sorry to say it probably won’t cure your UTI. That’s a myth. Please go to the doctor.
If you’re drinking it for pleasure, however, this is a list for you. Whether you have a child who demands their juice fix or you want to step up your Vodka Cran game, we here at Sporked have tried all the nationally available, easily accessible cranberry juices on the market in two separate taste tests—and we’re ready to report back. From the best cranberry juice without sugar (yep, get ready to scrunch up your face) to the best cranberry juice to drink straight out of a glass, here’s our berry-special list of the seven best cranberry juice brands (unsweetened cranberry juice and diet cranberry juice, too).
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.
- Ocean Spray Diet Cranberry Juice
-
Generally, I am very anti diet drinks. They often taste bad and contain added chemicals in place of good ol’ fashioned sugar. This diet cranberry juice, on the other hand, is some of the best cranberry juice we tried. It’s actually very tasty; it tastes less like artificial sweeteners than other diet cranberry juices. Ocean Spray’s diet cranberry juice is better than some non-diet versions of other cranberry juices on the market. You can always bet on Ocean Spray! This cranberry juice does have one gram of sugar, but it’s about as close as you can get to the best cranberry juice without sugar. —Jordan Myrick
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- 365 Organic Pure Cranberry Juice
-
Pure cranberry juice is a lot. Most people do not like or want pure cranberry juice, they want cranberry juice cocktail. I know this because I spent a full year giving out free samples of pure, unsweetened cranberry juice in grocery stores when I was in college. I would warn people that it was very strong and not sweet at all, and they would still proceed to grab a tiny cup, chug it down, and then choke on the bitterness. Then they’d yell at me for giving them something that tastes bad. So please don’t yell at me if you try this and don’t like it! It doesn’t taste good! But if you’re looking for pure cranberry juice for health benefits, this is the best cranberry juice we tasted. Trust me, I’m an actual expert on this. —Jordan Myrick
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Ocean Spray Pink Cranberry
-
Ocean Spray Pink Cranberry is the most popular girl in the school. There isn’t an ounce of bitterness in her light, bright, and sparkly complexion. She’s like Cady Heron in the first half hour of Mean Girls—new, shiny, pink, and likable to everyone. She’s the best cranberry juice to drink for people who don’t like cranberry juice. According to Ocean Spray, this pink cranberry juice is made from a mix of red, white, and pink cranberries to create a crisp, refreshing flavor. Some people might turn up their nose at this and call it “watered down cranberry juice,” but overall, it’s actually quite pleasant. It’s a great addition to any cocktail or mocktail that may call for a more muted cranberry tang. —Ariana Losch
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Happy Belly Cranberry Juice Cocktail
-
If you’re splurging on the expensive vodka, why not save a few bucks on your cran? Currently selling for $2.86, Amazon’s Happy Belly cranberry juice is a great affordable option among the best cranberry juice brands. The flavor is round and smooth but not too mild—you’re still getting that lip-pursing tartness and bright tang. This isn’t a juice blend, so the ingredients are pretty straightforward: water, cranberry juice (from concentrate), sugar, vitamin C, and vegetable concentrate for color. It has a simple flavor, but it doesn’t taste cheap—seriously, unless you’re a cranberry juice sommelier, you won’t be able to tell the difference between this and other lightly sweetened cranberry juices we recommend. —Ariana Losch
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Simply Cranberry Cocktail
-
Coincidentally, this cranberry juice cocktail is the best cranberry juice for vodka and, you guessed it, cocktails. It has such a wonderful flavor that feels a little more mature than some of the other brands we tried, which obviously made me want to mix it with booze. I think it’s because this juice is a little more mellow and not so sweet. If you’ve had other products from Simply, you shouldn’t be surprised that this took the #3 spot on our list. These people know how to make tasty fruit-based drinks. —Jordan Myrick
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Kirkland Signature Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice
-
Fun fact: Kirkland Signature Cranberry Juice is actually made by Ocean Spray, and yes, you can taste the similarities. Both source cranberries from same North American farmers and include most of the same ingredients, with one key difference—Ocean Spray (spoiler: our #1 pick for the best cranberry juice) uses a juice blend of cranberry, grape, apple, and pear. Kirkland (aka Costco’s house brand) skips the pear juice entirely and sticks with those first three juices instead. The result is a deep, robust flavor that’s incredibly hard to fault. It’s tart, bitter, and lightly sweet on the finish, with no added sugars or preservatives. The only downside here is that you have to buy two at a time. (Though, when you’re buying some of the best cranberry juice on the market, I’m not sure that’s a downside.) —Ariana Losch
Credit: Liv Averett / Costco
- Nature’s Nectar 100% Juice Cranberry Flavored Juice Blend
-
This was my personal favorite cranberry juice we tried. It’s cranberry forward, but it also has gentle hints of apple. It’s the perfect fruit blend. It’s not too sweet or too tart. Plus, it’s actually 100% fruit! I could drink a whole glass of this, easily. And since it’s from Aldi, I can! It’s super affordable and easy to find (as long as you have an Aldi nearby). That always adds a ton of extra bonus points for me. Congrats on making some of the best cranberry juice out there, Aldi! —Jordan Myrick
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice Cocktail
-
It almost feels cliche to put Ocean Spray as the #1 juice on our list of best cranberry juice, but it truly is the best cranberry juice on the market. It’s a classic for a reason! It’s not too sweet and not too tart. It would be wonderful in any type of drink or enjoyed alone. If you have to bet on cranberry juice, our studies confirm that Ocean Spray is always a safe bet. —Jordan Myrick
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
Best Diet
Best Unsweetened
Best Pink
Best Budget
Best for Cocktails
Best Bulk
Best Juice Blend
Best of the Best
Other Products We Tried: Great Value, Great Value Diet, Great Value Pure, 365 Cranberry Cocktail, Lakewood, RW Knudsen Just Cranberry Juice, Langers, Open Nature, Sprouts 100% Cranberry Juice from Concentrate, Kroger Cranberry Juice Cocktail, First Street 100% Cranberry Juice, Simple Truth Organic® 100% Cranberry Juice, Amazon Fresh Diet Cranberry Juice Cocktail from Concentrate
