Best Protein Powders
“Best” here means the most protein for the calories, from data we transcribed and verified against each manufacturer’s nutrition label, not marketing claims. Every powder below is scored on protein per 100 calories, then lower sugar. To qualify, a powder needs at least 20g of protein per serving and a complete protein as its lead source, which is why collagen-led powders are excluded. Prefer a specific style? See the whey and dairy powders or plant-based powders lists, or read our full guide to choosing a protein powder.
Rankings recompute automatically as new verified products are added. Tap a column to sort; product lines with multiple flavours show their best scoring flavour.
| # | Product | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Isopure Zero Carb6 flavours | 25g | 100 | 25g | 0g | 0g |
| 2 |  Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Isolate2 flavours | 25g | 100 | 25g | ≤1g | 0g |
| 3 |  Nutricost Whey Protein Isolate13 flavoursvaries by flavour | 30g | 130 | 23.1g | ≤1g | 0g |
| 4 |  Isopure Low Carb3 flavours | 25g | 110 | 22.7g | 0g | ≤1g |
| 5 |  Ascent Native Fuel Whey12 flavoursvaries by flavour | 25g | 110 | 22.7g | ≤1g | 0g |
| 6 |  Dymatize ISO10014 flavours | 25g | 110 | 22.7g | ≤1g | 0g |
| 7 |  Naked Nutrition Naked Pea5 flavoursvaries by flavour | 27g | 120 | 22.5g | 2g | 0g |
| 8 |  PEScience Select Protein13 flavoursvaries by flavour | 24g | 110 | 21.8g | 0.5g | 0.5g |
| 9 |  Quest Protein Powder6 flavoursvaries by flavour | 24g | 110 | 21.8g | ≤1g | 0g |
| 10 |  Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Casein4 flavours | 24g | 110 | 21.8g | 2g | 0g |
How this ranking works
- Every nutrition value is transcribed from the manufacturer’s published nutrition label and verified by hand, with no third party food databases.
- Product lines are ranked, not individual flavours, so one product’s 20 flavours can’t fill the list. Each entry shows its best scoring flavour.
- A maximum of two lines per brand keeps the list diverse.
- Labels that don’t state sugar or fiber are treated as unknown (never as zero) and are excluded from sugar and fiber rankings.
- Want to hit a daily protein target? The Protein Pal app lets you scan any label and track your protein day by day.
Frequently asked questions
- Why is the ranking based on protein per 100 calories?
- Grams per serving can be inflated by simply making the scoop bigger. Protein per 100 calories measures how much of what you are actually consuming is protein, which is what makes one powder leaner than another at the same protein target.
- Why are collagen powders excluded?
- Collagen is not a complete protein: it lacks tryptophan and is low in the essential amino acids that drive muscle protein synthesis. It has its own uses, but it does not belong in a like-for-like ranking against whey and plant proteins.
More rankings
- Best Protein Bars
- Highest Protein Bars Per Calorie
- High Fiber Protein Bars
- Low Sugar Protein Bars
- Best Protein Bars for GLP-1 Users
- Best Whey Protein Powders
- Best Plant Based Protein Powders
- Leanest Protein Powders
- Best Protein Bars for Ozempic Users
- Best Protein Bars for Mounjaro & Zepbound Users
- Best Protein Powder for GLP-1 Users
- Protein Bars Without Sugar Alcohols
- Protein Bars Without Maltitol
- Protein Bars Without Artificial Sweeteners
- Protein Bars Without Seed Oils
- Best Protein Powders for Seniors
- Best Protein Powders for Menopause
- Easy to Digest Protein Powders
- Protein Powders Without Artificial Sweeteners
- Lactose Free Protein Powders
- Protein Powders Without Seed Oils
- All rankings and brands
