The present investigation was conducted to evaluate the use of four artificial diets that don't contain agar and less expensive for mass rearing the spiny bollworm as compared to the agar – based artificial diet. These four diets A, B, C and D contained dried active yeast, ascorbic acid, sorbic acid, methyl parahydroxy benzoate, starch, liquid milk, vitamin mixture and formaldehyde 34 - 38%, except diet A not containing starch. In addition to the essential ingredient in diet A is kidney beans and wheat grated, diet B is kidney beans and soybeans flower , diet C is kidney beans and diet D is kidney beans and yellow lentils .The obtained results showed that the mean larval and pupal durations were affected significantly by diets  A & B  and non-significantly by diets C & D as compared with control diet .The longest larval and pupal periods were on control diet and shortest were on diet A .Weight of larvae and pupae reared on diets A, B, C and D were significantly higher than those of the larvae and pupae reared on control diet .The larval fed on the diet A gave the highest larval and pupal weights, while those fed on control diet gave the lowest weights .The highest larval and pupal mortality percentages were on control diet followed by diets C, B, D and A. The lowest pupation and emergence percentages were on control diet and the highest were on diet A .The highest number of deposited eggs and hatchability percentage were observed on diet A followed by diets B, D and C and the lowest were on control diet .The growth index and fitness index were highest on diet A and the lowest were on control diet. Moreover, the total cost of ingredients reduced by 5911 , 43.88 , 43.75 and 45.24% per 1000 g. diet of diets A, B, C and D, respectively as compared to the agar – based control diet.