20 Faygo Soda Flavors, Ranked — And The Best One Shook Me

Based in Detroit, Michigan, Faygo Beverages, Inc. offers a winding road of flavors from classic to unorthodox. We set out to discover which flavors from the Sultan of Soda's lineup are worth trying and which ones are better off avoiding entirely. Of course, this ranking is still influenced by personal preference, so don't come for us in the comments section, folks. Fun fact: I gave myself a blister from opening so many caps in such a short timeframe, all in the name of this ranking.

Editor's Note: While Faygo Beverages Inc. did provide Cheapism with free samples for the sake of this ranking, our review remains impartial. 

As a Michigander, Faygo Redpop has had my heart since childhood. In Michigan, Redpop and Rock & Rye are the quintessential Faygo flavors that everyone flocks to. So, before I twisted a single cap for this taste test, I just knew Redpop would shine on the other side of a giant "1." Giving that title instead to a flavor I'd never tried before feels kind of like cheating on your hairdresser, but I have to be candid with you guys. 

Pineapple Orange came out of left field, and I am now a forever fan. It's basically like a tropical vacation in a bottle. There's a good mix of pineapple and orange flavors, although I would call this one pineapple-forward, for sure. It's super refreshing and, because it has so much zest, the sweetness isn't overpowering. I'm imagining this Faygo soda poured over ice and mixed with some Malibu rum and a splash of grenadine. Preferably in a glass with a cute little umbrella, enjoyed on a beach. Ambiance is important. 

Hi, Redpop. It's me. Listen, I know things are a little uncomfortable between us right now. I stepped outside of our committed relationship and made you Pineapple Orange's side piece, but I promise, I still love you. 

If you've had Big Red and are assuming this Faygo flavor is the same thing, you're dead wrong. Big Red is basically a combination of fruity flavors like cherry, strawberry, and apple, mixed with classic cream soda. Redpop, on the other hand, leans heavily into notes of strawberry — in fact, it kind of reminds me of those strawberry hard candies with the chewy filling inside. This is undoubtedly one of the best Faygo flavors. 

Naysayers will tell you this one tastes like cough syrup, but their taste buds must be out of whack because I have to plug my nose to take cough syrup, but I'll drink a bottle of Redpop any day of the week. Pro tip: Make sure your Redpop is either over ice or extra chilled, otherwise the flavor falls flat.

This stuff is explosively delicious. It's so good that I've already written an entire article devoted to it, which actually inspired me to go forth and conquer this ranking. Faygo Firework tastes like carbonated, melted bomb pops. I imagine if you mixed some Squirt and a couple of those melted popsicles together, you'd wind up somewhere near this Faygo soda. But why go to all that trouble when it's right here in a bottle, ready to go?

I am not normally a cream soda person (you'll hear more about that later), but if that flavor is present rather than primary, I can come around to it. Such is the case with Rock & Rye. This stuff has a cult following, and it's probably because the flavor is so much different than anything else you'll find in the coolers at your local gas station. It's got that cream soda base, but with notes of cherry (or perhaps black cherry) swirled throughout. I feel like this would absolutely work with some vanilla ice cream as a float.

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If you're someone who enjoys orange soda, you'll like Faygo Orange. It's zesty, sweet, and very obviously orange. This Faygo soda offers up a crisp bite that's brought back to center by its still-sugary composition. If you're looking to compare this to other big-name orange sodas like Fanta, Sunkist, and Crush, I'd say Fanta is the closest contender to Faygo Orange. It tastes like orange slice gummy candies ... with a little extra sugar coating.

Grape flavoring is so much different than the flavor of actual grapes, if you ask me. Faygo Grape is no exception. It's packed with artificial grape flavoring, but let's be honest: Artificial grape flavoring is pretty darn good. Its sweetness is well-rounded, albeit a touch overpowering at times, and it will turn your tongue purple, so there's that. This grape soda is A-OK in my book.

There are plenty of really delicious root beers out there, and although Faygo Root Beer doesn't necessarily stack up against Barq's, it's still a decent root beer. The flavor is deep and offers a nice bite, which I really appreciate. It's crisp, yet still creamy, and I detect the slightest hint of wintergreen, which if you ask me is a must in a good root beer.

Related: Cheerwine and More Regional Sodas the Rest of the Country Needs

Personally, I prefer the blue version of Faygo Moon Mist to the O.G. Whereas Moon Mist falls a little bit flat, I find that Moon Mist Blue brings a bit more bite. I'm not really a fan of blue raspberry flavoring and, while I'm not 100% sure that's what this drink is attempting to emulate, I do get a hit of berry flavor, but it's actually enjoyable here.

Related: The Most Delicious 'Dirty Sodas' You Can Make at Home

Peach-flavored drinks are all the rage, and I have to admit: The peach train is definitely one I've been on for a while. Peach rings are one of my favorite candies, in fact, and I feel like Faygo Peach taps those delicious sugary, gummy candies. It's all balanced by a hint of zest that I can only deduce comes from the general carbonation. 

Related: I Tried 16 Haribo Gummy Candies— the Best is the Gold Standard (and the Worst Is a Flavor Monstrosity)

I was really caught off guard by this stuff. For starters, I had never tried it before, and it's not really a flavor I've seen a lot in stores. Probably because it was popular in the '90s and only resurfaced in recent years after a long hiatus. With its blue bottle, I pegged it as a blue raspberry something or other. It was only after taking the first sip that I noticed the little lemon and lime on the bottle. This is a lemon-lime Faygo soda, you guys. There's also the slightest (and I do mean slightest) hint of cherry and grapefruit notes (almost like a splash of Squirt was poured in). 

I'm not sure how any of that makes sense with a blue bottle or with a name like "Arctic Sun," but that's what this is. It's decent, but kind of tastes more like 7Up than Sprite, and I'm a Sprite gal myself. Plus, it's less carbonated than big-name lemon-lime sodas, so in reality, it tastes closer to flat 7Up. 

I figured that because I liked Pineapple Orange so much, Faygo Pineapple would be right up there, especially since Pineapple Orange tasted predominantly pineapple. But apparently, that orange flavoring brings the balance this pineapple soda is severely lacking. I was shocked by how sweet this Faygo soda is. It could use some zest and more of a bite, but then, I guess that's exactly what Pineapple Orange delivers.

I don't drink cola save for a sip here and there, but when I did drink cola, Coke was my choice. When you've got such a strong preference with cola, other varieties fall (and taste) flat. That's what happened here. The Cherry Cola Faygo soda tastes sort of like Wild Cherry Pepsi, only the cherry flavoring is sweeter in this stuff, whereas Pepsi's has more tartness. This isn't undrinkable, but it's definitely not one of my favorite Faygo flavors either.

Faygo Moon Mist is basically Faygo's version of Mountain Dew, except it's missing that eyewatering fizz that Dew delivers, so this stuff tastes like a flat or diet Mountain Dew. Meh.

When my kids find out I pinned Candy Apple to the 14-spot on this roundup, they might disown me. But it's a risk I'm willing to take. I do not hate what Faygo is doing here. It's harnessing a classic treat and transforming it into a fizzy beverage. Good idea. There's even good execution, honestly. I taste way more apple than I do candy coating, and I was expecting the opposite, especially with the rich red color of this Faygo soda. At the end of the day, it's just not for me. It brings a bit too much tart and not enough of that crisp, refreshing flavor I prefer.

How can Faygo get one pineapple iteration so right and the rest so ... off? Just like with Faygo Pineapple, I went into this with high hopes of a comparable experience to the euphoria of slurping down Faygo Pineapple Orange. Didn't happen. I don't even taste pineapple in this. It's watermelon Jolly Rancher and watermelon Kool-Aid mixed together and you cannot convince me otherwise. 

Spelling out the words "raspberry" and "blueberry" does not change this from being your typical blue raspberry drink. That is what this is. It's super sweet, yet still tart, but I am simply not into the fake flavor that is blue raspberry. If you are, you might feel very differently about this one. I just ... simply cannot. 

I'm not the biggest fan of cherry-flavored drinks, but I do enjoy those classic glass bottle black-cherry sodas, so I remained hopeful for Faygo Black Cherry. Alas, it was all sugar, and I didn't get enough of that deep black-cherry flavor those old-timey beverages hone in on. Womp womp.

Related: Classic Soda Fountains That Will Make You Feel Like a Kid Again

I'm saying this a lot near the bottom of this ranking, but it's the truth: I'm just a big fan of ginger ale, so that could've influenced this one's poor position. But, comparing it to the likes of Vernors and Canada Dry, I have to say, Faygo's version just doesn't stand a chance. And as big as Vernors and Faygo both are in Michigan, this was a seriously bold move on Faygo's part. So, mad respect for that, at least.

Hanging my head as I say this, but yeah guys, I don't really like cream soda flavor in general, so here we are. This tastes like butterscotch to me, which should be reserved for things like cookies and blondies. Of all the times I popped a Werther's into my mouth at my grandma's house, never once did I think, "Someone should dissolve this into a carbonated soda." 

Faygo, you really came unhinged with this stuff. This has to be specifically formulated for children because BLECK! Just no. Upon twisting the cap off of this bottle of blue disgustingness, a waft of cotton candy smell violated my nostrils, and I winced through a swig. It does taste just like cotton candy, I'll give them that. But cotton candy should never be offered as a beverage flavor. Ever. 

Faygo offers a colossal lineup, and while the folks in Detroit were kind enough to provide us with a beautiful variety of 20 different varieties, there were still dozens we weren't able to sample for the sake of this ranking. Here's the rest of the lineup.

• Diet Arctic Sun
• Diet Cola
• Diet Creme Soda
• Diet Ginger Ale
• Diet Grape
• Diet Moon Mist
• Diet Orange
• Diet Redpop
• Diet Rock & Rye
• Diet Root Beer
• Diet Tonic
• Diet Twist
• Dr. Faygo
• Faygo 60/40
• Cherry Sparkling Water
• Club Soda
• Fruit Punch
• Gold
• Grapefruit Sparkling Water
• Jazzin' Bluesberry
• Lemon Lime Sparkling Water
• Orange Sparkling Water
• Original Sparkling Water
• Tonic
• Twist
• Ohana Kiwi Strawberry
• Ohana Lemon Iced Tea
• Ohana Lemonade
• Ohana Lemonade & Iced Tea
• Ohana Punch
• Ohana Raspberry Lemonade
• Ohana Strawberry Banana