10 Gummy Bear Brands, Ranked Worst To Best

Gummy candies are certainly a love-em-or-hate-em kind of thing. I personally didn't like them when I was growing up, but I have come to appreciate the occasional convenience store trip in which a bag of gummy worms or Sour Patch Kids just speaks to me and my growling stomach.

Gummy bears, specifically, are one of the more under-appreciated of this candy class. Their small size — and downright cute shape — makes eating them a pleasure, rather than a chore. You're not gnawing on them for hours like you would a gummy worm, and as long as you pick the right brand, you'll find an explosion of fruity flavor that will satisfy your sweet tooth.

In order to decide which brands make the best gummy bears, I decided to do a taste test of some of the most popular selections across an array of categories, including low-sugar, "natural," and regular ole bears. As I tasted, I considered several factors, including the texture of the gummy bears, the number of flavors in the pack, and if there were any artificial flavors milling about that would disrupt the overall enjoyability of the candy. A great gummy bear should be brimming with easily identifiable fruit flavor and have a texture that makes you work for it, but doesn't tire out your jaw.

I put my thoughts and feelings about the Atkins diet (and the incorrect spelling of "indulge") aside to try these gummy bears. And honestly, I really wish I could have left these on the shelf because they were downright awful.

While the color of these gummies are bright and attractive, their texture is sticky — it's almost like someone had decided to leave the bag out in the sun all day and let all the candies congeal together. When I bit into the first candy, which may have been mango, apple, or pineapple, I found that it squished into my molars and turned into a vat of mush. There was absolutely no chew; it disintegrated after just one bite. The strawberry (or maybe cherry — at this point, I didn't even know), was equally as bad in the texture department. Sure, there is a decent bit of juiciness on the palate, but it has an aspartame-like flavor that makes you feel like you're chugging a diet strawberry soda and eating vodka-soaked boozy gummy bears at the same time.

Part of the problem here is that these candies are low-sugar, so they have to supplement their sweetness from another source. In this case, it's allulose. The candy puts the artificial flavor front and center, which makes it hard to enjoy more than a single candy at a time. I love Rob Lowe, Atkins' spokesperson, but even I think his trademark enthusiasm would waver after trying one of these bears.

I didn't have high expectations for Lily's, since when I ate its baking chocolate, I remember running to the trash can to spit it out. And while I didn't have that visceral of a reaction with its gummy bears, I still was not impressed by them.

The first big point of contention I had here was that these candies tasted like ... nothing. Like the other selections, even the low-sugar ones, had a little bit of fruity flavor and some sweetness, but this one was very restrained — too restrained, as its placing on this list indicates. They kind of felt like eating erasers. There's a plasticky undertone present, but the orange, lemon, raspberry, and strawberry candies all blend into one pile of disappointing mush. I didn't think that I would ever be asking a gummy bear brand to be a little bit sweeter — but here I am. Maybe it's because Lily's uses allulose in its candies and didn't want to fall into the same trap as Atkins and make something that was overwhelmingly artificial.

Though, this brand places marginally higher than Atkins on account of its texture. The bears are plump and have a slight chew to them, but only for a few bites. They fracture over your molars like a waxy Swedish Fish, and don't retain their rubberiness like a proper gummy bear should.

A friend of mine once swore that Albanese has the best gummy candy — and I hate to say that I disagree with that. When I opened the bag of these gummy bears, I immediately noticed that their texture felt soft and jelly-like — far from the rigid and toothsome Haribo candies I've come to know and love. These were squishy to the touch and almost felt wet — like the package had been punctured and moisture had crept in (which was not the case). When I bit in, the juiciness was definitely consistent and prevalent, but not in a good way. These gummy bears quickly became mealy and mushy in my mouth; I almost felt like I had to spit them out a couple of bites in.

The color of these bears is not as bright and punchy as it could have been. The candy looks just like it tastes: diluted. Though, I will give the brand some praise for its flavor variety, as each package contains 12 flavors — from classics like cherry and lemon to more unconventional selections like pink grapefruit and watermelon. However, I kind of felt that all of the flavors mushed into one, except for the orange-flavored candy, which did indeed taste like orange. The cherry gummy tasted a little more stale than other brands, while the mango bear (or perhaps it was the pink grapefruit — it's hard to tell) tasted like I was eating turf grass.

All in all, it was a mediocre bag of sweets that I wouldn't buy again. The flavor variety was solid, but the taste and texture was too out of left field for me.

This candy tastes like children's shampoo smells — and not in a good way. I'm all about giving people a lower-sugar option to satisfy their sweet cravings, but this is a candy that tastes far too artificial to be enjoyable in any capacity. Unlike the original Albanese candy, this one didn't have the same wet texture. Instead, the candies had a matte coating that was more reminiscent of a classic gummy bear. I also found its texture to be slightly more chewy, and a way better option than the original candies. But, it lacked the elasticky pull that I really wanted from the gummy bears.

The flavors here got really muddled and I couldn't easily discern which flavor was which. Plus, the flavors were, as I expected, brimming with artificiality. If you ate one or two blindfolded, you would know that these were not made with real sugar, since they have that super-sweet aftertaste that tastes chemical-like. However, the one redeeming factor that these lower-sugar candies had was that they had a diverse portfolio of flavors, including blue raspberry lemonade, alongside classics like strawberry and orange. If the candy was better executed, I would have been able to enjoy this diversity more.

I don't think anyone would ever eat these candies willingly, but they were still better than the brand's original candies — which was quite surprising. There are also far better options out there that pack in quality flavors without any of the bad aftertaste.

Albanese is, if anything, over-represented on this list. But, when I saw that the brand made an "exotic fruit" gummy bear, I knew I also had to get my hands on it. These gummies are supposedly made with "natural flavors" (though, lest we forget that they still are jam-packed with sugar and corn syrup). If anything, it's a valiant marketing attempt. The brand included eight flavors in this bag: Alphonso mango, Asian pear, black currant, blood orange, Crimson cranberry, Fuji apple, Queen pineapple, and Rubus raspberry (red raspberry) — which it touts are all added via "natural flavors."

This bag wasn't a far jump from the brand's original candies. The awkward, damp texture was just as present in this bag as it was in the original. The mango in this bag tasted the exact same as the mango in the original bag. But, several of the other flavors just had more going on than the original bag. The Fuji apple had a slight sourness to it, and the Queen pineapple had a more complex tartness to it than other pineapple-flavored candies I've had in the past. Meanwhile, the raspberry was delectably sour, and I would consider it to be the triumph of the bag.

However, I can't help but note that most people aren't eating gummy bears for their flavor complexity. I think that these candies were a bit overdressed for the occasion, but I appreciate that Albanese tried to offer something to please the gummy bear connoisseurs among us.

I think that this is the first time in the history of my candy rankings that a zero-sugar product actually scored in the upper-middle percentile, let alone above other products made by the same brand. But, I can report that Albanese really surprised me here. These sugar-free candies are plump — about double the size of the Albanese lower-sugar bears — the reason for which I can't explain. The flavors are diverse; each pack contains a selection of 12 different flavors, resembling the same list as the regular Albanese bag. The texture of the zero-sugar candies is less "wet" than the other Albanese candies, and they have a much better chewiness to them. I found their flavor to be just as expressive as the original Albanese; it was a little watered down, but still passable for a candy.

However, these candies are a "proceed at your own risk" selection. I read the Amazon reviews on this candy before I bought it, and noticed that other people reported that the product had some gastrointestinal side effects. This is likely due to the maltitol in the candies, which cannot be digested well by your stomach. The presence of this undigested sugar triggers osmosis in your gut, which can lead to some unsavory side effects, including flatulence. I personally didn't notice any of these myself, but since enough people shared this experience, I think it's worth noting.

My main worry with Black Forest was that it was going to give its gummy bears the same consistency as its fruit snacks — just in a different shape. And unfortunately, that was certainly the case with these candies. When you bite in, you don't get that gelatinous chew. They are soft, mealy, and easy to bite into with your teeth. In a couple of chews, it's gone.

If your molars don't like to work that hard, this is a candy you might want to look at. Its flavor wasn't as diluted as Albanese's selection, which is why it ranked slightly higher on my list. The flavors in this bag were also juicy and bright; each one clung on to my taste buds even after I swallowed. While the candy flavor diversity isn't great, as it's comprised only six standard flavors, including strawberry, cherry, and pineapple, it gets the job done. The candies that are in this bag have a solid, bright flavor that makes it very clear which one is which. You don't get the same flavor muddling as other, lower-ranked brands.

Is this the best gummy candy I've ever had? Far from it. But, I can appreciate that it's not as knock-you-over-sweet as some of the lower-ranking selections on this list. If you don't consider yourself as a "sweet tooth," this is a solid, approachable candy to sample. Just don't call it a "gummy" bear; "fancy fruit snack" is a far better and more fitting title.

Okay, now we're finally getting to the part of the ranking with the candies that are reminiscent of the old-school, candy shop gummy bears that we all know and love. Stop & Shop surprised me on this front, as it has a pack of store-brand candies that are not only affordable, but contains pretty sizable pieces of candy inside of it. Besides the size, I noticed that these candies had a pretty matte coating on them that didn't make them shiny, but still made them nonetheless appealing.

There's no indication of how many different flavors are in this bag, though I could pick out a few clear players: blue raspberry (which tasted just like the blue Jolly Ranchers candy), strawberry (which was sweet and a little artificial, but otherwise unremarkable), and orange (which tasted a little stale and not as juicy as other brands, but was passable for a candy). This brand, as a whole, is definitely sweet-leaning and will satisfy a screaming toddler in seconds. However, I (someone who lacks a sweet tooth) couldn't eat more than a few before I needed to put down the bag.

Overall, this candy is like the bare minimum for what should be marketable as a "gummy bear." You have a great texture that's bouncy and makes your molars work, but doesn't require that you take an ibuprofen afterwards. The flavor is bright, and yes, sweet — but it's candy, so what do you expect? But, it didn't have the "wow" factor as the top brand on my list, so it settles for a spot near — but not on — the top.

If you went to the store to buy a bag of gummy bears, this is what you would want to come home with. Sure, the bag notes that these candies are "artificially flavored," but it's to be expected from a candy. This brand sure isn't touting any health claims, but it did have the flavor I was looking for in this ranking. The candies, which did not come with the flavors listed on the bag, were bright in both color and flavor. The green apple (or what I think was green apple) had the same slight sourness as a Jolly Rancher candy, while the orange had the essence of artificial orange that is par for the course with a gummy candy. These gummy bears get the job done — and I doubt anyone is complaining about them.

The one point of concern I have with this brand is that it has a slight undercurrent of cleaning product-like flavor. It's not super noticeable until you take a whiff of the bag and are hit with the noxious, sugary fume. I could also taste it in the strawberry candy, which tasted almost rancid. Luckily, I could pick around these candies to find the flavors I liked, as there is more than enough in the bag to go around. The flavor wasn't as spectacular and well-rounded as my top pick on this list, but its texture and size was perfect.

Are we at all surprised that Haribo placed first on this list? I would hope not, considering it's one of the biggest and most well-known gummy candy brands out there. These gummy bears are toothsome, in all senses of the word. Your molars will need to do some serious work to chew through these tasty and sweet candies, but I personally follow the "work hard, play hard" philosophy here, since the flavorful reward you get from them is certainly worth it. The flavors are balanced and not overwhelmingly sweet, like Stop & Shop's candies. After you finish eating one, two, or 10, you don't feel bogged down or like you got hit by the sugar rush train. The flavor lingers just as long as it needs to, which makes this a very, very addictive candy to eat.

There may only be five flavors to choose from in this bag, but Haribo executes each one of them remarkably well. The pineapple is bright and tangy, while the raspberry is deep and flavorful. Haribo does't need to hide behind a ton of different flavors in its bag; it has the texture and the flavor to make it iconic enough.

There was a significant gap between Haribo and the lower-ranking candies, simply because this brand has the "whole package." I think Haribo could stand to add a couple more flavors to its bag, but I don't think it needs to. These candies are perfect just as they are and should be something that all candy brands aspire to achieve.

I snacked my way through all these gummy bear varieties on the same day to see which one came out on top. I tasted each and every flavor in the bag to assess its overall complexity and sweetness. Although they are a naturally sugary confection, the gummy bears should have a balanced sweetness that makes them easy to eat. I also examined the texture of the bears and ranked those that had a toothsome, gelatin-esque quality to them over those that easily squished and broke against my molars.

I also looked at the package as a whole to see if there was a diversity of flavors present and how well those flavors were executed. There needs to be a commitment to quality when it comes to gummy bears, so I would rather a brand have a small sapid selection than a massive variety of haphazard flavors.