Look for three things on the label: 0g of added sugar, a clearly disclosed sweetener, and electrolyte amounts listed individually rather than hidden in a "proprietary blend." Those three details tell you more than any "sugar-free" marketing claim on the front of the package.
Check the actual numbers
"Sugar-free" is a regulated term (under 0.5g of sugar per serving), but it doesn't tell you about calories, total carbohydrates, or what's used to sweeten the product instead. Many electrolyte and sports drink powders add 4–8g of sugar per serving for taste — reading the Supplement Facts panel is the only way to know for sure what you're getting.
Know your sweetener
Sugar-free doesn't mean sweetener-free. Common alternatives include sucralose, stevia, and monk fruit — each with a different taste profile and different personal preferences around them. Look for the sweetener listed clearly, not buried in a blend.
Watch for hidden fillers
Some powders bulk up their ingredient list with fillers or list electrolytes as part of an undisclosed blend, making it hard to know how much sodium or potassium you're actually getting. A transparent label lists each electrolyte with its amount and % Daily Value.
How HYDRATE! measures up
HYDRATE!™ has 0g of sugar and 10 calories per serving, sweetened with sucralose, with sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium each listed individually on the Supplement Facts panel.