Best Protein 2026
We tested 56 protein products and ranked them by formulation quality, testing transparency, trust, and value. Here's what won.
We buy every product ourselves. Lab-tested and blind-studied. Our methodology
The winner: AGN Roots
Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate
Arguably the most certified grass-fed whey on the market: A Greener World (Entire Life on Pasture), Informed Sport, Informed Protein, ASPCA Shop With Your Heart, Truly Grass-Fed, Mindful Award (2021-2025). Every lot tested by LGC including nitrogen integrity (anti-spiking). 6.53g BCAAs/serving (claims industry-leading). Unflavored only — 2 ingredients. Sourced from family farms in southeastern coastal Ireland, cold-processed. At $1.53/serving, remarkable value for this certification stack. The transparency gold standard alongside Momentous and Transparent Labs.
All 56 products compared
| # | Source | Certs & COAs | Metals | Organic | No NF | No Gum | No Soy | No Sgr | Sweetener | Aminos | Review | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 |  AGN Roots Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate | 7.3 | Whey Isolate | Inf. Sport, Inf. Protein COA: Every lot | Tested | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | None | ✓ | Read → |
| #2 |  Transparent Labs Organic Vegan Protein | 6.6 | Pea + Rice | Inf. Choice COA: Every lot | Tested | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Stevia | ✓ | Read → |
| #3 |  Raw Organic Whey USDA Organic Grass-Fed Whey Protein | 6.4 | Whey Concentrate | Tested* COA: Batch | Tested | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | None | ✗ | Read → |
| #4 |  Transparent Labs 100% Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate | 6.4 | Whey Isolate | Inf. Choice, Inf. Protein COA: Every lot | Clean | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Stevia | ✓ | Read → |
| #5 |  Momentous Essential Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate | 6.2 | Whey Isolate | Inf. Sport COA: Every lot | CR Safe | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Monk Fruit Stevia | ✓ | Read → |
| #6 |  NOW Sports Whey Protein Isolate | 6.1 | Whey Isolate | Inf. Sport COA: Batch | Tested | ✗ | ✓ | ? | ✓ | ✓ | None (unflavored) Xylitol Stevia (flavored) | ✗ | Read → |
| #7 |  Levels Grass-Fed Whey Protein | 5.7 | Whey Concentrate | CLP COA: — | CLP | ✗ | ? | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Stevia Monk Fruit | ✓ | Read → |
| #8 |  Ascent Native Fuel Whey Protein | 5.6 | Whey Blend | Inf. Sport COA: None | Tested | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Stevia | ✓ | Read → |
| #9 |  Naked Nutrition Naked Pea Protein | 5.6 | Pea | NSF COA: — | Failed | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | None | ✓ | Read → |
| #10 |  Ritual Essential Protein Daily Shake | 5.6 | Pea | CLP COA: Every lot | CR Safe | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | None | ✓ | Read → |
| #11 |  Promix Grass-Fed Whey Protein | 5.5 | Whey Concentrate | Tested* COA: Every lot | Tested | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ? | None (unflavored) Coconut Sugar (flavored) | ✓ | Read → |
| #12 |  Natural Force Organic Grass-Fed Whey Protein | 5.4 | Whey Concentrate | Tested* COA: Batch | Tested | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Monk Fruit | ✗ | Read → |
| #13 |  BulkSupplements Whey Protein Isolate 90% | 5.3 | Whey Isolate | Inf. Sport, Inf. Choice COA: None | Ellipse A | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ? | ✓ | None | ✗ | Read → |
| #14 |  Dymatize ISO100 Hydrolyzed Whey Protein Isolate | 5.2 | Whey Isolate | Inf. Choice COA: None | CR Safe | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | Sucralose Stevia | ✓ | Read → |
| #15 |  Equip Foods Prime Protein (Grass-Fed Beef Isolate) | 5.1 | Beef Isolate | Tested* COA: — | Tested | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Stevia (flavored) None (unflavored) | ✓ | Read → |
| #16 |  Antler Farms New Zealand Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate | 5.0 | Whey Isolate | None COA: On request | CLP | ✗ | ? | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Stevia (flavored) None (unflavored) | ✓ | Read → |
| #17 |  Kaged Whey Protein Isolate | 5.0 | Whey Isolate | Inf. Sport COA: None | CLP | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Stevia Sucralose | ✓ | Read → |
| #18 |  Truvani Organic Plant-Based Protein | 5.0 | Pea + Pumpkin Seed + Chia Seed | Tested* COA: None | CR Safe | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Monk Fruit | ✗ | Read → |
| #19 |  Naked Nutrition Naked Whey | 4.7 | Whey Concentrate | NSF COA: None | Tested | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | None | ✗ | Read → |
| #20 |  Ora Organic So Lean & So Clean Organic Protein | 4.6 | Pea + Rice + Sacha Inchi | Tested* COA: — | Tested | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Stevia Monk Fruit | ✓ | Read → |
| #21 |  KOS Organic Plant-Based Protein | 4.5 | Mixed Plant Blend | Inf. Sport COA: Batch | CR Safe | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | Stevia Monk Fruit | ✗ | Read → |
| #22 |  Legion Athletics Whey+ | 4.5 | Whey Isolate | Labdoor COA: Batch | Tested | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | Stevia | ✓ | Read → |
| #23 |  Muscle Milk Genuine Protein Powder | 4.5 | Whey Blend | Tested* COA: Batch | Tested | ✗ | ✗ | ? | ✓ | ✗ | Sucralose Acesulfame-K | ✗ | Read → |
| #24 |  Rule One R1 Protein Whey Isolate | 4.5 | Whey Isolate | Inf. Choice COA: — | Tested | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ? | ✓ | Sucralose Acesulfame-K | ✓ | Read → |
| #25 |  Vega Sport Premium Protein (Performance Protein + Recovery) | 4.4 | Mixed Plant Blend | Tested* COA: — | CR Safe | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | Stevia | ✓ | Read → |
| #26 |  Jacked Factory Authentic ISO (Grass-Fed Whey Isolate) | 4.3 | Whey Isolate | None COA: None | Ellipse A | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Sucralose Stevia | ✗ | Read → |
| #27 |  Drink Wholesome Egg White Protein Powder | 4.2 | Egg White | Tested* COA: None | Tested | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Monk Fruit | ✗ | Read → |
| #28 |  Sprout Living Epic Protein Organic Plant Protein + Superfoods | 4.2 | Mixed Plant Blend | Tested* COA: None | CLP | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | None (Original unflavored) | ✗ | Read → |
| #29 |  Sunwarrior Warrior Blend Organic Protein | 4.2 | Pea + Hemp + Goji | Tested* COA: On request | Tested | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | Stevia | ✓ | Read → |
| #30 |  Manitoba Harvest Hemp Yeah! Max Protein | 4.1 | Hemp | Tested* COA: — | Tested | ✓ | ? | ✓ | ✓ | ? | None (unflavored) | ✓ | Read → |
| #31 |  Orgain Organic Plant-Based Protein Powder | 4.1 | Mixed Plant Blend | Inf. Sport COA: None | Failed | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | Stevia Erythritol | ✗ | Read → |
| #32 |  Isopure Zero/Low Carb Whey Protein Isolate | 4.0 | Whey Isolate | Inf. Choice, CLP COA: — | Clean | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | Sucralose | ✓ | Read → |
| #33 |  Garden of Life Raw Organic Protein | 3.9 | Mixed Plant Blend | NSF COA: None | Failed | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Stevia (flavored), None (unflavored) | ✓ | Read → |
| #34 |  Raw Nutrition / CBUM Itholate Protein | 3.8 | Whey Isolate | Inf. Protein COA: Batch | Tested | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | Sucralose | ✗ | Read → |
| #35 |  Cellucor Cor-Performance Whey | 3.7 | Whey Blend | Inf. Choice COA: — | Clean | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | Sucralose Acesulfame-K | ✗ | Read → |
| #36 |  Body Fortress Super Advanced Whey Protein | 3.6 | Whey Blend | CLP COA: Batch | Clean | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | Sucralose Acesulfame-K | ✗ | Read → |
| #37 |  Four Sigmatic Organic Plant-Based Protein with Mushrooms | 3.5 | Mixed Plant Blend | Tested* COA: — | Tested | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | Monk Fruit Coconut Palm Sugar | ✗ | Read → |
| #38 |  Nuzest Clean Lean Protein | 3.5 | Pea | Inf. Sport COA: — | Tested | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Thaumatin | ✓ | Read → |
| #39 |  Ghost Ghost Vegan Protein V2 | 3.4 | Mixed Plant Blend | None COA: None | Tested | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | Sucralose Acesulfame-K | ✓ | Read → |
| #40 |  PlantFusion Complete Protein | 3.4 | Mixed Plant Blend | Tested* COA: — | CLP | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | Stevia Monk Fruit | ✓ | Read → |
| #41 |  MyProtein Impact Whey Protein | 3.3 | Whey Concentrate | Inf. Choice COA: None | Tested | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | Sucralose (some flavors Ace-K) | ✗ | Read → |
| #42 |  BSN Syntha-6 | 3.2 | Whey Blend | Inf. Choice COA: None | CR Safe | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | Sucralose Acesulfame-K | ✗ | Read → |
| #43 |  Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey | 3.1 | Whey Blend | Inf. Choice COA: None | CR Safe | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | Sucralose Acesulfame-K | ✓ | Read → |
| #44 |  OWYN Only What You Need Plant Protein | 3.1 | Pea + Pumpkin Seed | Tested* COA: — | CR Safe | ✗ | ? | ? | ✓ | ? | Monk Fruit | ? | Read → |
| #45 |  Premier Protein Whey Protein Powder | 3.1 | Whey Blend | None COA: None | Tested | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | Sucralose Acesulfame-K | ✗ | Read → |
| #46 |  Bloom Nutrition Whey Protein Isolate | 3.0 | Whey Isolate | None COA: None | Tested | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | Sucralose Acesulfame-K Stevia | ✗ | Read → |
| #47 |  Aloha Organic Plant-Based Protein Powder | 2.9 | Mixed Plant Blend | None COA: — | Tested | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | Monk Fruit | ✗ | Read → |
| #48 |  Ghost Ghost Whey Protein | 2.7 | Whey Blend | Inf. Sport, Inf. Choice, NSF COA: None | CLP | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | Sucralose | ✗ | Read → |
| #49 |  PE Science Select Protein | 2.7 | Whey Blend | None COA: None | Tested | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | Sucralose Acesulfame-K | ✗ | Read → |
| #50 |  Alani Nu Whey Protein | 2.6 | Whey Isolate | None COA: None | Tested | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | Sucralose Acesulfame-K | ✗ | Read → |
| #51 |  SlimFast High Protein Smoothie Mix | 2.6 | Whey Blend | Tested* COA: None | Tested | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | Sucralose Added Sugar | ✗ | Read → |
| #52 |  Huge Supplements Huge Whey | 2.3 | Whey Blend | None COA: None | Tested | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ? | ? | Sucralose Acesulfame-K | ✗ | Read → |
| #53 |  Ryse Loaded Protein | 2.3 | Whey Blend | Tested* COA: None | Tested | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | Sucralose Acesulfame-K | ✗ | Read → |
| #54 |  Bowmar Nutrition Whey Protein | 2.2 | Whey Blend | NSF COA: None | Tested | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ? | ✓ | Allulose Rebaudioside M (Stevia) | ✗ | Read → |
| #55 |  1st Phorm Level-1 | 2.0 | Whey Blend | Inf. Choice COA: — | Tested | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | Sucralose Acesulfame-K | ✗ | Read → |
| #56 |  MuscleTech Nitro-Tech | 1.8 | Whey Blend | Inf. Sport, Inf. Choice COA: — | CR Safe | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | Sucralose Stevia | ✓ | Read → |
The top 5, ranked
AGN Roots
Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate
Arguably the most certified grass-fed whey on the market: A Greener World (Entire Life on Pasture), Informed Sport, Informed Protein, ASPCA Shop With Your Heart, Truly Grass-Fed, Mindful Award (2021-2025). Every lot tested by LGC including nitrogen integrity (anti-spiking). 6.53g BCAAs/serving (claims industry-leading). Unflavored only — 2 ingredients. Sourced from family farms in southeastern coastal Ireland, cold-processed. At $1.53/serving, remarkable value for this certification stack. The transparency gold standard alongside Momentous and Transparent Labs.
Transparent Labs
Organic Vegan Protein
Alongside Ritual, best transparency practices in plant protein. Public lot-matched COAs with Informed Choice certification. Organic, minimal ingredients, no gums. Contains brown rice protein which carries heavy metal risk, but their public COAs should show actual levels. Primarily DTC — limited retail availability. Strong value at $1.67/serving for a premium transparent brand.
Raw Organic Whey
USDA Organic Grass-Fed Whey Protein
The purest possible whey — literally ONE ingredient (organic whey protein concentrate). USDA Organic. No lecithin means worse mixability but zero additives. Flash pasteurized, cold-processed, no acid or bleach. Public test results on website. The 5 lb bulk at $1.44/serving makes this extremely competitive for organic. 84% protein by weight. For the consumer who wants nothing added — not even lecithin for mixing — this is it.
Transparent Labs
100% Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate
The transparency benchmark for whey protein. Every ingredient listed with exact mg amounts. Public COAs with lot matching. Informed Choice + Informed Protein dual certified. 88% protein by weight (highest in roundup — 28g from 32g scoop). Grass-fed. No gums, no soy, no artificial sweeteners. Sunflower lecithin. The only knock: contains natural flavors (but they disclose the exact amount at 840mg). CLP verified safe for heavy metals. Premium price justified by unmatched transparency. The brand name is their actual product philosophy.
Momentous
Essential Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate
The gold standard for third-party testing in protein powder — period. NSF Certified for Sport + Informed Sport dual certification is unmatched. Every batch COAs published via Light Labs. CR 2025 verified safe (#3 ranked). Grass-fed, no gums, no soy, natural sweeteners only (monk fruit + stevia). ProHydrolase digestive enzymes added. The trade-offs: only 20g protein per serving (lowest in whey roundup) and most expensive at $2.15+/serving. Contains natural flavors. Endorsed by Andrew Huberman. If testing and purity matter more than protein-per-dollar, this is the answer.
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