The short answer: Poppi is a prebiotic soda — about 25–35 calories and 5 grams of sugar per can, built around apple cider vinegar. Reckon is a tart craft soda: a barley malt base, real sugar, 80–90 calories, caffeine-free, and zero functional ingredients. Flavor-first versus function-first.
Different starting points
Poppi starts with a formula: apple cider vinegar, prebiotics, fruit flavors, and a very low sugar number. It’s a functional beverage that happens to be fizzy, and it’s very good at being that.
Reckon starts with a recipe. Tart cherry or sun-ripe apricot flavor, a barley malt base, real sugar, carbonated water, and colors that come from black carrot and beta-carotene instead of a lab. There’s nothing functional in the can and we’re not going to pretend otherwise. It’s a soda. That’s the whole idea.
Side by side
| Reckon | Poppi | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Tart craft soda | Prebiotic soda |
| Signature ingredient | Barley malt base, cherry or apricot flavor | Apple cider vinegar + prebiotics |
| Calories (12oz) | 80 (Apricot) / 90 (Cherry) | ~25–35 |
| Sugar | 12–15g real sugar — less than half a typical cola | ~5g |
| Caffeine | None | None in most flavors |
| Artificial colors/sweeteners | None — black carrot and beta-carotene for color | Varies by flavor; check the label |
| Price (12-pack) | $35.99 direct | Roughly $18–24 at big-box retail |
| Made | Small-batch tart craft soda | Large national brand |
Poppi figures reflect published retail listings as of July 2026 and vary by flavor and store; check the can for specifics.
Price, and what you’re paying for
Poppi is cheaper per can — it’s a mass-scale brand on every big-box shelf. Reckon costs more because small-batch craft soda costs more to make. That trade is the honest one: you’re paying for the recipe and the craft, not for marketing about your microbiome. If price-per-can is the deciding factor, Poppi wins. If flavor-per-can is, keep reading.
Taste: tart flavor vs. tangy vinegar
Poppi’s signature tang comes from apple cider vinegar, softened with fruit flavor and a low dose of sweetness. Reckon’s tang comes from lactic acid, declared right on the can, balanced with real sugar. The difference shows up in the finish: Reckon Cherry ends on dark fruit; Apricot ends clean and dry. No vinegar note, no aftertaste to explain away.
Which one should you buy?
Buy Poppi if you want the lowest sugar and calories on the shelf, you like the ACV tang, and price-per-can matters most.
Buy Reckon if you want a caffeine-free soda that leads with tart fruit flavor — genuinely tart, never cloying, no artificial sweeteners. The Variety 12-pack (6 Cherry + 6 Apricot) is the easy way in.
Label note: Reckon’s recipe includes barley malt extract, so it contains wheat and is not gluten-free.
FAQ
Does Reckon have apple cider vinegar?
No. Reckon’s tartness comes from lactic acid, which is declared right on the can — not from vinegar.
Is Reckon caffeine-free like Poppi?
Yes. Every Reckon flavor is caffeine-free, with 80–90 calories and 12–15 grams of real sugar per 12oz can — less than half the sugar of a typical cola.
Want the bigger picture? See craft soda vs. prebiotic soda and Reckon vs. Olipop. Not too sweet. On purpose.