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If you’ve ever done a cursory search for a decent protein powder, you’ve probably seen droves of whey-based products claiming to be the best. And whey protein, which comes from milk, is a great option if you want to boost your protein intake (maybe in order to build muscle or to expand your snack options). It’s widely available, has loads of research to back its efficacy, and is a complete protein (meaning it contains the nine essential amino acids your body needs to function), Kelly Jones, MS, RD, CSSD, a board-certified sports dietitian for athletes and active women, tells SELF.
But given the absolute bounty of whey protein powders on the market, it can be tricky to know which ones are worth trying. That’s why we spoke to registered dietitians and put some best-selling brands to the test to find the stand-out options. We also got the scoop (heh) on how whey protein works and who it’s best-suited for.
Check out our favorites below. Many are Informed Choice for Sport Certified and National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) Certified for Sport, meaning they’ve been evaluated by third party organizations that test supplements to ensure they provide the benefits they claim to. (This is especially important because the FDA doesn’t require approval of dietary supplements like protein powder.)
Our top picks
- Best Overall: Thorne Whey Protein Isolate
- Runner-Up: Klean Athlete Klean Isolate
- Best Budget Pick: Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein Powder
- Most Exciting Flavor Options: Dymatize ISO100 Hydrolyzed Protein Powder
- Best for Baking: Ascent 100% Whey Protein Powder
- Best Splurge: Earth Fed Muscle Grass Fed Whey Protein Isolate
- Best Alternative to Cow Whey: Naked Goat Pasture Fed Goat Whey Protein Powder
In this article
FAQs
How much protein do you really need?
Everyone needs protein. It’s a key macronutrient that helps build and repair muscle, supports our immune system, and provides structure to our cells and tissues. The recommended daily protein allowance (RDA) for the average person is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight (which is about 0.36 grams per pound). If you’re an active person, the RDA bumps up to 1.4 to 2 grams of protein per kilogram (0.64 to 0.91 grams per pound), because protein plays a key role in workout recovery.
Ideally, you’re getting the majority of your protein from whole food protein sources like meat, dairy, eggs, beans, seeds, and veggies. But a supplement like protein powder can come in handy if you find that you aren’t meeting your protein needs with your meals alone.
What is whey protein powder?
Whey is a by-product of the cheese-making process, Maya Feller, MS, RD, CDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist and author of Eating From Our Roots: 80+ Healthy Home-Cooked Favorites from Cultures Around the World, tells SELF. It’s separated from the curd in milk and then dried into whey protein concentrate, Jones adds.
Whey concentrate and whey isolate are the two most common forms of whey protein you’ll see when shopping for protein powders. Concentrate contains more fat and slightly more lactose, while isolate is more filtered and contains less fat and lactose. Whey hydrosalate (or hydrolyzed whey) is another variety of whey protein, which is easier to digest than concentrate or isolate.
Is it safe to have whey protein powder every day?
Feller says it’s certainly safe to have a serving of whey protein powder every day, but it shouldn’t be your number-one source of protein (and it certainly should be treated as a meal replacement). Jones agrees: “If the majority of your protein intake is coming from protein powders, consider setting goals to increase whole food protein intake and use different types of protein powder while you're working on this habit change,” she says.
As for the best time to have whey protein—that’s really up to you. It makes a great post-workout snack for muscle recovery, but it can also provide a protein boost with your breakfast. Angie Asche, MS, RD, CSSD, owner of Eleat Sports Nutrition and author of Fuel Your Body: How to Cook and Eat for Peak Performance, previously told SELF, “It matters more about how much total protein you consume throughout your day as a whole, versus the timing.”
Is there anyone who should avoid using whey protein powder?
If you have a dairy allergy, you should definitely avoid whey protein powder and instead opt for a plant-based powder made with soy, brown rice, chia seed, or pea protein—which is also the better alternative for vegans and those who prefer to eat fewer animal-based foods. If you’re lactose intolerant and want to try whey protein, choose isolate over concentrate varieties, since they contain next to no lactose (though Jones says whey isolate can still cause stomach upset for some). Feller adds that people with kidney disease shouldn’t have too much protein (research has linked overconsumption of protein with kidney issues).
And if you find that artificial sweeteners or sugar substitutes like sorbitol or xylitol cause bloating or bother your stomach, make sure to check your protein powder’s ingredient list.
Shop the best whey protein powders
Ready to shake it up? Let’s get to the products, including budget-friendly favorites and expert-approved options.
Best Overall: Thorne Whey Protein Isolate
Amazon
Thorne
Pros
- Very smooth texture
- Well-executed, classic flavors
- Not too watery
- NSF Certified for Sport
Cons
- On the pricey side
- Contains sugar substitutes
Thorne is an expert-approved brand that takes its ingredients seriously. It thoroughly tests its products in clinical trials to verify their efficacy and the brand has previously partnered with the Mayo Clinic to conduct nutritional research. Your flavor options might be limited, but they’re tasty in a classic way. One SELF tester liked the chocolate, even though she found it a little sweet.
Another tester tried the vanilla and was pleasantly surprised by how much she enjoyed it. “I've never had protein powder just mixed with water before—only folded into smoothies—and it reminds me of the vanilla-flavored milk I would sometimes get at Costco as a kid. This is a compliment!” she says. “It's sweet and a little thick—I think too watery would be weird, and too syrupy would be gross—and the vanilla is like a vanilla bean ice cream. It makes getting some extra protein so much easier.”
Product specs
Protein per serving: 21 grams | Flavors: Chocolate, vanilla
Runner-Up: Klean Athlete Klean Isolate
Amazon
Klean Athlete
Pros
- NSF Certified for Sport
- Simple ingredients
- Blendable texture
Cons
- On the pricey side
- Contains sugar substitutes
Klean Athlete’s easy-to-blend, gluten-free Klean Isolate powder has been a top pick of ours for a long time (and it’s a favorite of Jones’s too). A key sign of its quality is its relatively brief ingredients list. Aside from whey, it contains a couple sweeteners, sunflower lecithin for texture, and salt, “which is important for rehydration and recovery after training,” Jones says.
Prefer your protein in smoothie form? You’ll be pleased to know that Amazon reviewers love how this powder blends. “I'm quite picky about how protein powder tastes with just water and how it mixes in a smoothie. This is the best NSF Certified, clean protein I've found,” one wrote. “Tastes great plain and mixes really well in a smoothie. Also gives me no stomach issues like a lot of other proteins I've tried.”
Product specs
Protein per serving: 20 grams | Flavors: Chocolate, unflavored, vanilla
Best Budget Pick: Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein Powder
Amazon
Amazon
Pros
- Less than $1.70 per serving
- Mixes well
- Informed Choice certified
- 20 flavor options
Cons
- Contains sugar substitutes
- Quality varies, depending on the flavor
Our tester was pleased with how easily this budget-friendly powder blended with plain old water. It mixed into a milky consistency and was genuinely tasty.
She tried both the vanilla ice cream and double rich chocolate flavors, and preferred the former, noting that it really did taste like melted ice cream. The chocolate variety, on the other hand, had a bit of an aftertaste that you sometimes get with protein supplements.
Product specs
Protein per serving: 24 grams | Flavors: Banana cream, chocolate coconut, chocolate hazelnut, chocolate malt, chocolate mint, chocolate peanut butter, cinnamon roll, coffee, cookies and cream, delicious strawberry, double rich chocolate, extreme milk chocolate, French vanilla crème, fruity cereal, mocha cappuccino, rocky road, strawberries and cream, strawberry banana, vanilla ice cream, white chocolate
Most Exciting Flavor Options: Dymatize ISO100 Hydrolyzed Protein Powder
Amazon
GNC
Pros
- 13 inventive flavor options
- Blends well
- Under $1.80 per serving
Cons
- Contains sugar substitutes
A good variety of flavors can keep your standard protein shake interesting—maybe one month you’re on a strawberry kick, but the following month you’re all about cinnamon cereal. Dymatize’s ISO100 Hydrolyzed Protein Powder and its baker’s dozen of flavors allows that freedom of choice. Our tester gave the vanilla variety a try and compared it to a milkshake—sweet, creamy, and smooth. She enjoyed it as both a post-workout refreshment and an accompaniment to her breakfast.
Product specs
Protein per serving: 25 grams | Flavors: Birthday cake, chocolate, chocolate peanut butter, cinnamon cereal, Cocoa Pebbles, cookies and cream, Dunkin’ Cappuccino, Dunkin’ Glazed Donut, Dunkin’ Mocha Latte, Fruity Pebbles, fudge brownie, strawberry, vanilla
Best for Baking: Ascent 100% Whey Protein Powder
Amazon
Amazon
Pros
- Formulated to blend smoothly
- Informed Choice for Sport Certified
- Less than $1.70 per serving
Cons
- Contains sugar substitutes
Asche previously recommended Ascent’s protein powders to SELF, due to the brand’s excellent protein content and third party testing. While it’ll whisk into water or your milk of choice, it’s also a great option for your high-protein baking projects, given its silky, blendable texture.
“Ascent Native Fuel has the best tasting vanilla I have ever tried,” wrote one Amazon reviewer. “Nice and creamy when taken cold; and no weird chemical flavor when cooked into oatmeal or baked goods.”
Product specs
Protein per serving: 25 grams | Flavors: Chocolate, chocolate peanut butter, mint chip, mocha, unflavored, vanilla
Best Splurge: Earth Fed Muscle Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate
Amazon
Earth Fed Muscle
Pros
- Delicious flavors and great texture
- High-quality ingredients
Cons
- Most expensive option on our list
- Contains sugar substitutes
Before she switched over to Earth Fed Muscle’s plant-based powder (just for the sake of variety), one SELF tester loved the brand’s Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate. And it’s easy to see why—the flavors are tasty, the protein content per serving is solid, and the brand partners with Irish farms that prioritize sustainability and animal welfare.
It’s on the pricier side for a protein powder, but this is where auto-ship options can help: If you subscribe to regularly scheduled deliveries on Earth Fed’s site, you can save 40% per order.
Product specs
Protein per serving: 24 grams | Flavors: Cookies and cream, chocolate, chocolate peanut butter, dark chocolate sea salt, mocha, unflavored, vanilla
Best Alternative to Cow Whey: Naked Goat Pasture Fed Goat Whey Protein Powder
Amazon
Amazon
Pros
- Simple, high-quality ingredients
- May be easier to digest for some
Cons
- On the pricey side
If you’re wary of cow-sourced whey due to lactose intolerance, consider trying Naked Nutrition’s powder that’s derived from goat’s milk, which may be easier for some people to digest. (The brand also has regular cow-sourced whey protein powders if you’re curious.)
It’s also a great option if you prefer protein powders with minimal ingredients. The unflavored variety of the Goat Whey Protein Powder has literally one ingredient, while the chocolate and vanilla varieties add coconut sugar and natural flavoring.
Product specs
Protein per serving: 23 grams | Flavors: Chocolate, unflavored, vanilla
Related:
- The Best Protein Bars, According to Dietitians and Editors
- 24 Tasty, High-Protein Snacks to Keep Your Energy Up
- The Best Nutritionist-Approved Blenders for Smoothies, Salsas, and More
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