Dragon Ball Super has done an excellent job at keeping Goku's story exciting by introducing new loveable friends, new powerful foes, and a crop of new Saiyans to the once-endangered race. Dragon Ball Super finally makes Broly a canon character as well as bringing in Saiyans from a completely different universe. Some of these Saiyans are unimaginably powerful and create new possibilities for stories.
As the Dragon Ball series progresses, the hierarchy of strength continually shifts. New Saiyan transformations emerge left and right, keeping fans on their toes. The most powerful Saiyan in one episode or chapter may be surpassed shortly after by another. Seeing Saiyans continue to surpass their limits is what makes Dragon Ball so fun.
Updated on November 21, 2022, by Michael Colwander: Between Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero and the continuation of the Dragon Ball Super manga following the Granolah arc, the answer to the question, "Who is the strongest Saiyan?" continues to yield new and exciting answers. Goku and Vegeta just keeep getting more competition.
17 Pan's Potential Is Still Untapped
Pan is Gohan and Videl's daughter, making her related to both Goku and Mr. Satan. With those genes, it's easy to see why Pan has the immense level of potential she has. Fans saw a sliver of that potential as she managed to destroy the Pilaf Gang's machinery and save Pilaf's Gang while flying through space during one of Dragon Ball Super's slice-of-life episodes.
In Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, Pan has taken an interest in training with Piccolo. However, Pan is still incredibly young, so she has little understanding of how to utilize her powers and potential, including the ability to fly. That said, she's already stronger than Gohan was at her age.
16 Paragus Trained The All-Powerful Broly
Paragus was a grizzled old Saiyan who took refuge on Planet Vampa with his son, Broly. During Broly's childhood, Saiyan scientists noticed Broly's incredible potential. King Vegeta decided to send Broly to an uninhabitable planet, threatened by what Broly could be capable of. Paragus fled Planet Vegeta to raise Broly on Planet Vampa and plot his revenge on King Vegeta.
Paragus isn't as strong compared to other Saiyans in Dragon Ball Super. In fact, he was unaware Saiyans were genuinely capable of transforming into a Super Saiyan. However, Paragus trained Broly and managed to keep Broly's strength under control. Of course, this training and method of control did lead Broly to experience immense trauma.
15 Bardock Went Toe-To-Toe With The Dragon Ball Super Manga's Latest Villain
Bardock was the famed father of Goku. Previously only seen in Dragon Ball specials and briefly in the manga, Bardock has seen an increased role in Dragon Ball Super despite his death at the hands of Frieza decades earlier. Prior to the destruction of Planet Vegeta, Bardock was tasked with conquering Planet Cereal along with other Saiyans.
Bardock developed a soft spot for a young Cerealian boy named Granolah and his mother, so much so that he protected Granolah from Gas – who later became the primary villain for the Granolah the Survivor saga. How Bardock defeated Gas decades prior became a focal point in Goku and Vegeta's fight against the newly wished "strongest in the universe" Gas.
14 Goten's Progress Has Stalled In Dragon Ball Super
Goten is Goku and Chi-Chi's second son and was born shortly after Goku's sacrifice during the Cell Games. Contrary to her raising of Gohan, Chi-Chi actually trained Goten at an early age. In the process, she accidentally triggered Goten's first Super Saiyan transformation.
Because iron sharpens iron, Goten often trains with Trunks, who also can transform into a Super Saiyan. Goten and Trunks are inseparable, leaving Goten with little means to pave his own path in Dragon Ball. Goten and Trunks played a large role during the Buu saga, but neither has made any meaningful impact or progress throughout Dragon Ball Super – other than finally aging in Super Hero.
13 Trunks Is Slightly Stronger Than Goten
Trunks is Vegeta and Bulma's son. Trunks is bolder and more arrogant than the childish and carefree Goten. During Dragon Ball Super, Trunks even had an opportunity to motivate his dejected future counterpart in a brief sparring match. Beyond that, Trunks has seen little action in Dragon Ball Super, just like Goten.
Trunks has long been established as being stronger than Goten. Their fight during the 25th Tenkaichi Budokai was the first piece of evidence. Goku also told Trunks to tone down his power so he and Goten were at equal strength to make fusion work.
12 Gotenks Has Become A Joke
Gotenks is noteworthy for being the first Saiyan fusion in Dragon Ball. Goku learned how to fuse in the afterlife, and decided to teach the ability to Goten and Trunks. Goku believed it would give the Z-Fighters the necessary edge to stop Buu. Fusion was a success and Gotenks was born. Unfortunately, Gotenks' immense power is countered by his immature and arrogant personality.
Gotenks can transform into a Super Saiyan 3, but Goten and Trunks' recent lack of training has made him extremely weak compared to even base form Vegeta – as seen in the Copy-Vegeta arc. Goten and Trunks fuses into Gotenks in Super Hero, but messed up the fusion. It's tough to know how powerful Gotenks truly is lately. The next Dragon Ball Super manga arc begins in December 2022 and will involve Goten and Trunks, so maybe Gotenks will reappear as well.
11 Cabba Has Become Vegeta's Protégé
Cabba was the first Universe 6 Saiyan introduced in Dragon Ball Super. This slender Saiyan represents a race of Saiyans who evolved and progressed much differently than Universe 7's Saiyans, resulting in a higher power floor in comparison. Like Paragus, Cabba had no knowledge of the Super Saiyan transformation.
It was never a part of the Universe 6 Saiyan lore. During the Tournament of Destroyers, Vegeta managed to teach Cabba how to transform. Cabba picked up on the Super Saiyan transformation quickly and was able to teach Caulifla how to transform through less emotional means. During the Tournament of Power, Cabba reached Super Saiyan 2 to stave off elimination, but it wasn't enough to overcome Frieza.
10 Caulifla Is A Saiyan Prodigy
Caulifla is one of the newer Saiyans fans and wastes no time showing everyone how powerful she truly is. Caulifla is overconfident, brash, and was always viewed highly in Sadala for her latent potential. Despite her intimidating demeanor, Caulifla shares similar traits to Goku in that she only wants to fight, grow stronger, and protect those she cares about – notably her best friend Kale.
Caulifla is a very quick learner, having obtained the Super Saiyan transformation thanks to the guidance of Cabba, becoming the first known female Super Saiyan. She later learns Super Saiyan 2 from Goku after witnessing him transform only once. Fans last saw Caulifla eager to learn Super Saiyan 3. Given her current progress, there's little reason to doubt she'll obtain this form before she appears again.
9 Kale Is Why Fans Shouldn't Judge A Book By Its Cover
Kale has subtly become the female version of Broly for her own universe. Despite her timid personality and lack of any real interest in fighting, she has the ability to transform into a Legendary Super Saiyan, just like Broly.
Kale initially struggles to control her power in this form, leaving destruction in her wake. Throughout the Tournament of Power, Kale does manage to slowly regain control and establish her powerful Super Saiyan 2 equivalent. If she's able to reach Super Saiyan 3 alongside Caulifla, few Saiyans may be able to match her strength.
8 Goku Black Is A God Amongst Mortals
While Goku Black wasn't a true Saiyan, he did have the body of a Saiyan. Goku Black is the body swap of Goku and Zamasu, courtesy of Zamasu's wish on the Super Dragon Balls. This allows Goku Black to access true God ki and powers, giving him the highest potential ceiling. Despite not understanding anything about Saiyans, or mortals in general, Goku Black is able to reach unfathomable levels of power as he gets used to Goku's body.
Goku Black's strength culminates with the terrifying, yet elegant, Super Saiyan Rosé transformation. Goku Black was able to maintain the upper hand on Goku, Vegeta, and Future Trunks. However, he himself was not strong enough to overcome the three Saiyans and needed the help of another iteration of Zamasu. The two Zamasus fused, but were eventually defeated by Future Trunks and his Spirit Sword.
7 Future Trunks Returned With A More Powerful Form
Future Trunks has shown his incredible power on many occasions in the main timeline. Once Trunks reached his iconic Super Saiyan Rage form, he was able to finally put an end to the wrath of Fused Zamasu. It's hard to know whether or not Trunks continues to train – especially since he and Mai seem to have settled down – but Future Trunks is one of the more powerful Saiyans in Dragon Ball Super.
6 Kefla Was Born From An Act Of Desperation
Caulifla and Kale are incredibly strong on their own. Combined? They're one of the strongest fighters in the Tournament of Power, which says a lot.
On the verge of elimination, Caulifla and Kate use the Potara earrings to form Kefla. Kefla's strength outclassed Goku regardless of the forms he used. It took until Goku was able to tap into Ultra Instinct a second time before he was able to get the upper hand on Kefla, ultimately eliminating her and the Universe 6 duo. Had it not been for Ultra Instinct, Kefla would've eliminated Goku and almost everyone else.
5 Vegeta Is Beginning To Pave His Own Path
Vegeta has come a long way since his early days in Dragon Ball Z, not only in terms of his character but also power. Before Goku learned his new and exciting Ultra Instinct technique, Vegeta was arguably more powerful as he unlocked his Super Saiyan Blue Evolved form prior to Goku perfecting Ultra Instinct.
Vegeta later began training specifically with Beerus after realizing Ultra Instinct wasn't for him. Through his training with Beerus, Vegeta learned to use the power of destruction by reaching his Ultra Ego form. Ultra Ego is much more physical and offensive than Ultra Instinct. Sadly, Ultra Ego didn't see as much action as fans had hoped during the Granolah the Survivor saga.
4 Goku Continues To Push His Limits
Despite being the outright star of Dragon Ball, Goku is not the strongest Saiyan out there – there are even a few other mortals that are more powerful than he is. Still, Goku should be feared by anyone he considers a threat. Goku has developed a consistent string of new transformations with his latest being Ultra Instinct, a non-Saiyan transformation.
After the Tournament of Power, Goku sought to better hone his Ultra Instinct abilities. Now able to transform at will, Goku wants to find the best way to apply this godly technique to his current fighting style. Toward the end of the Granolah the Survivor saga, Goku zeroed in on utilizing his Ultra Instinct -Sign- form to mix some aspects of UI with his emotion and desire to win.
3 Broly Is Canon & Stronger Than Ever
After becoming an official part of Dragon Ball canon, Broly quickly cemented himself as one of the strongest Saiyans in Dragon Ball Super. Broly had no trouble handling Goku and Vegeta, and that's only after just transforming into a Super Saiyan for the first time, making Broly easily the strongest Super Saiyan. It took Goku and Vegeta fusing to finally be able to defeat Broly.
Since their fight with Broly, fans have seen Goku and Vegeta reach all-new levels of power. In Super Hero, Broly is still learning to control his Legendary Super Saiyan abilities. Maybe that day will come in the next Dragon Ball film. Someone has to defeat Black Frieza, after all.
2 Gohan's Potential Has Finally Been Unleashed
Gohan was quite a formidable opponent in his youth, but by Dragon Ball Super, he had all but hung up his Gi to pursue his studies. After a resurrected Frieza destroyed Earth, Gohan realized he needed to at least keep up with his training. Gohan began training with Piccolo again. This allowed Gohan to nearly reach the end of the Tournament of Power.
After numerous teases throughout the Dragon Ball series, Gohan's potential was finally unleashed during Super Hero with his Beast transformation. Gohan's Ultimate form was already incredibly powerful, but a new transformation on top of it makes Gohan the most powerful Saiyan in Dragon Ball. At least, as far as individual Saiyans are concerned.
1 Vegito And Gogeta Are The Ultimate Saiyan
Taking two of the most powerful individual Saiyans and merging them into an unstoppable warrior feels unfair. Goku and Vegeta have fused a total of three times in canon, and five if counting Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn and Dragon Ball GT. By using the Potara earring, Goku and Vegeta make Vegito. By doing the fusion dance, they make Gogeta.
Both fusions have been confirmed to be equal in strength. The differences only lie in how the fusion is formed. Vegito was able to make a mockery out of Super Buu and hang with the godly Fused Zamasu. Gogeta was able to easily defeat Broly. There's no doubt Vegito and Gogeta are the strongest Saiyans in Dragon Ball. Especially considering what Goku and Vegeta are capable of now.