Peruse the wellness aisles of your local health food store or browse the many online supplement shops, and you'll find a vast selection of protein powders to choose from: whey, casein, pea and soy among them. To help cut through the noise, I spoke with dietitians to find out what to look for, what to avoid and how to identify the right blend for you—and set out to identify a selection of the best protein powders that cater to a range of needs. Based on my findings, Optimum Nutrition’s Gold Standard Whey Protein is a solid option for most people, and it tastes good, too.
When you're shopping for protein powder, there are a few key things to keep in mind. First, think about the protein source: Whey and casein are complete options (that means they contain all of the necessary amino acids to effectively build muscle), while pea and hemp are plant-based for vegan or dairy-free diets. From there, consider the ingredient list to find blends with minimal additives and artificial sweeteners. And finally, you’ll want something that mixes well and actually tastes good. With all that in mind, these are some of the best protein powders of 2025, whether you’re looking to meet daily protein requirements, build muscle or replace a meal.
Best Protein Powder For Most People: Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey Protein
Best Protein Powder For Muscle Gain: Dymatize ISO100 Hydrolyzed Protein Powder
Best Protein Powder For Weight Loss: Optimum Nutrition Casein Protein Powder
Best-Tasting Protein Powder: Ghost Whey Protein Powder
Best Vegan Protein Powder: Orgain Organic Protein Powder
Best Unflavored Protein Powder: Naked Unflavored Whey Protein Powder
(Sponsored) You May Also Like: Gainful Customized Protein
Best Protein Powder For Most People
Few Ingredients, Many Flavors And A Wallet-Friendly Price
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Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey Protein
Protein per serving: 24 grams | Serving size: 1 scoop (31 grams) | Protein source: whey protein | Ingredients: Natural and artificial flavors, no added sugar | Servings per container: 29
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey Protein is one of the most popular protein powders on the market these days, and for good reason. The dietitians I spoke with backed it up as a great choice, especially if you’re new to protein powder or just want something simple and effective. With 24 grams of whey protein per serving, an easy-blending and good-tasting formula, and an affordable price, it’s a solid all-around pick that meets the needs of most people.
This powder comes in 15 flavors, including Rocky Road, which seems to have a devoted following all its own. None of the flavors have added sugar, but a few are sweetened artificially with sucralose. Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey Protein powder is technically not the cleanest product on the market (you can find options with fewer ingredients), nor is it plant-based, but if you’re looking for a reliable, no-fuss blend that gets the job done, this is it.
Best Protein Powder For Muscle Gain
Faster Absorption For Post-Workout Recovery
Dymatize ISO100 Hydrolyzed Protein Powder
Protein per serving: 25 grams | Serving size: 1 scoop (30 grams) | Protein source: Hydrolyzed whey protein | Ingredients: Natural and artificial flavors, no added sugar | Servings per container: 20
When it comes to muscle building, any complete protein source with enough protein and easy digestion can help facilitate gains, but Dymatize ISO100 Hydrolyzed Protein Powder takes it a step further. Made with hydrolyzed whey, the nutrients are broken down for fast absorption, so your muscles get what they need right away after a workout—the most important time for recovery. It also contains leucine, a key amino acid for muscle building.
Hydrolyzed whey can be easier to digest than regular whey, so it might be a better option if whey protein powders don’t sit well in your stomach. With that said, hydrolyzed whey still contains lactose, so it’s not a silver bullet if you’re lactose intolerant. Rather, it removes as much lactose as possible, so it might be an option, but I’d still recommend trying a sample to see how your stomach feels before buying a tub. Fortunately, whether you mix it with water, milk or a smoothie, it blends well.
Best Protein Powder For Weight Loss
Clean, Simple, High-Quality Ingredients
Optimum Nutrition Casein Protein Powder
Protein per serving: 24 grams | Serving size: 1 scoop (33 grams) | Protein source: Casein protein | Ingredients: Natural flavors, no added sugar | Servings per container: 25
Protein powder on its own isn’t a magic solution for weight loss, but it can play a role in helping you manage your nutrition. By keeping you fuller for longer, boosting your metabolism and helping prevent muscle loss (which keeps your metabolism higher as you shed body fat), protein powder is a great tool to have your in kit. And if you’re looking for a simple, clean protein to add to your weight loss journey, I like Optimum Nutrition’s Casein Protein Powder.
As performance nutrition coach Erin Sparrold explains, “casein powders can be helpful for weight loss becausethey take longer to digest and help with appetite control.” This occurs because, unlike whey, casein forms a gel in your stomach, releasing amino acids gradually to fuel your muscles and spur on your metabolism while keeping hunger in check. Granted, this blend is a bit on the pricey side, at over $2.00 per serving, but if you’re looking for a clean, effective option to help you with your weight loss journey, it’s a great choice.
Best-Tasting Protein Powder
Flavors That Make It Easy To Add Protein To Your Diet
Ghost Whey Protein Powder
Protein per serving: 25 grams | Serving size: 1 scoop (35 grams) | Protein source: Whey protein | Ingredients: Natural and artificial flavors, added sugar in certain flavors | Servings per container: 26
Ghost has a reputation for creating some of the best-flavored blends on the market. With familiar, fan-favorite options like Oreo Mint, Nutter Butter, Chips Ahoy and Cinnabon, the brand makes easy-to-drink and appealing blends that can satisfy most preferences. The consistency of the powder enables most of these formulas to be mixed into smoothies, shakes or even baked goods to get your protein in.
Of course, creating those nostalgic flavors means adding a few extra ingredients to the formula, and indeed there are more additives compared to other options on this list. If you’re comfortable with that, then Ghost may be for you. Delivering 25 grams of whey protein in each serving, Ghost nails the balance between great taste and quality protein, and is highly enjoyable to drink.
Sponsored
You May Also Like
A Powder You Can Personalize
Gainful Customized Protein
Protein per serving: 19 to 26 grams | Flavor(s): Sea salt caramel, cookies and cream, chocolate peanut butter, cinnamon toast and more | Servings per container: 14
This customizable powder is not only packed with between 19 and 26 grams of protein and nine essential amino acids per serving, but you can also choose from several different bases and flavor enhancers to create your ideal formula. Base options include whey, vegan, low-lactose whey and ketogenic, and flavors range from sea salt caramel to caffé mocha to strawberry cream. Plus, you can specify an intended use (weight loss, muscle growth or weight gain) so the powder is crafted to suit your specific needs. Use codeGAINFUL20 at checkout to get 20% off your first order.
Best Vegan Protein Powder
A Plant-Based Protein That's Easy To Digest
Orgain Organic Protein Powder
Protein per serving: 21 grams | Serving size: 2 scoops (46 grams) | Protein source: Plant protein (pea, brown rice, chia, mung bean) | Ingredients: Natural flavors, no added sugar | Servings per container: 20
If you’re vegan, vegetarian, lactose intolerant or just looking for a solid plant-based protein, Orgain’s Organic Protein Powder is a great pick. It combines pea, brown rice, chia and mung bean protein to hit all nine essential amino acids, giving you a complete protein source without any dairy. Plus, everything in it is organic, so you’re working with a clean, planet-friendly blend.
This is actually my go-to protein powder, and while I’ll eat just about anything, I find the vanilla flavor to be light, tasty and easy to pair with water or milk; it’s also highly digestible for me. It’s also one of the more accessible plant-based proteins—you can often find it at Costco for a great price. Just keep in mind that one serving is two full scoops, so the tub won’t last as long as you might expect if you’re following the recommended serving size.
With that in mind, there are plenty of other great plant-based options to choose from. Many of Sparrold’s dairy-free athletes prefer OWYN, and brands like Naked, Momentous and Vega have worthy options to choose from as well. Ultimately, I think Orgain strikes a the ideal balance between price, ingredient quality and convenience.
Best Unflavored Protein Powder
No Artificial Sweeteners, Colors Or Flavors
Naked Unflavored Whey Protein Powder
Protein per serving: 25 grams | Serving size: 2 scoops (30 grams) | Protein source: Whey protein | Ingredients: No artificial flavors, no added sugar | Servings per container: 30
If you want a no-frills, unflavored protein powder that won’t mess with the taste of your shakes, smoothies or whatever else you’re mixing it into, Naked’s Unflavored Whey Protein Powder is the way to go. It’s about as clean as it gets: The only ingredient in this formula is whey protein concentrate, so you’re getting high-quality protein without any additives, artificial colors or sweeteners.
Naked also stands out for its responsible sourcing. The whey comes from small, non-GMO dairy farms, where cows are grass-fed, free-roaming and raised without hormones. And if this unflavored whey protein doesn’t sit well with your stomach, Naked has a wide selection of unflavored protein options, including pea, brown rice and egg protein, making it easy to find something that works for you. (The brand also has several naturally flavored options, like double chocolate and strawberry, if you’re looking for something with a specific taste profile.)
MORE FROMFORBES VETTED
Why Trust Forbes Vetted
The Forbes Vetted team researches and writes dozens of health and wellness guides each year, and we cover products for every stage of the fitness journey, from supplements to supportive footwear to recovery tools.
- Author of this guide and Forbes Vetted gear editor Cam Vigliotta has over six years of experience reviewing outdoor, training and wellness equipment. With a degree in kinesiology, he understands how important it is to find clean, healthy supplements that help you recover, gain muscle or simply meet your personal dietary goals.
- This guide was reviewed by Forbes Vetted editorial director, Brinda Ayer, who’s a seasoned marathoner and fitness advocate, and has over a decade of experience in food and lifestyle journalism.
- The supplement industry is loosely regulated by the FDA and FTC, meaning plenty of products make bold claims without real proof, and some even contain unsafe ingredients. That’s why we worked with dietitians to find safe, effective protein powders and reliable information: Erin Sparrold is a performance nutrition coach with over 25 years of experience and the owner of ES Performance Nutrition; and Michelle Routhenstein, MS RD CDCES CDN, is a preventive cardiology dietitian and heart health expert at EntirelyNourished.com.
- By combining our own testing experience with insights from dietitians, we created a guide that works for everyone—from those looking to up their daily protein values to serious athletes looking to build muscle. Our goal is to recommend protein powders that aren’t just effective but also safe, transparent and suited to different health and fitness needs.
How We Chose The Best Protein Powders
We took a close look at what goes into transparent, simple protein powder, keeping a few key factors in mind:
- The type of protein makes a big difference, depending on your goals and dietary needs. We included options with whey for a complete slate of amino acids, hydrolyzed whey for quick absorption, casein for its satiety-promoting benefits and a plant-based option for those avoiding animal products. Outside of the options on this list, collagen protein blends are great for anyone looking to get their protein in while supporting their joints and skin; soy is a solid option for plant-based athletes who want a complete protein source; egg white protein is convenient for those with dairy allergies; and hemp is ideal for those who want a non-animal source and who only need a moderate amount of protein in each serving.
- What’s actually in each blend mattered just as much as the protein itself. We prioritized powders with simple, high-quality ingredients and, for the most part, steered clear of those packed with artificial sweeteners, fillers or unnecessary additives. That said, we did include one brand (Ghost) that makes delicious-tasting but comparatively more processed products.
- We looked for brands that clearly list their ingredients, break down the actual protein content per serving and offer a variety of flavors or protein sources.
- Effectiveness and safety were also top of mind, which is why we turned to registered dietitians for their take on which formulas actually support muscle growth, satiety and overall health—without the bold claims or questionable ingredients.
How To Shop For Protein Powder
When it comes to picking the right protein powder for you, there are a few things to keep in mind. It’s not just about the protein content, but also, what’s in the powder, where the protein comes from and even how it tastes. Here’s how to break it down:
Protein Source Or Type
The type of protein powder you consume can make a big difference in how well it works for your body and your diet. Animal-based proteins like whey are popular because they’re complete proteins, meaning they have all nine essential amino acids in consistent amounts. Not only that, but they’re fast-digesting as well, which is great after a workout.
If you’re a vegan, vegetarian or lactose-intolerant, plant-based proteins are a solid alternative—pea, brown rice, quinoa, chia, lentil and hemp proteins are common options. As Sparrold notes, plant proteins sometimes lack all the essential amino acids, but many blends combine different sources to make sure you’re getting everything you need.
Ingredients
When it comes to protein powder, simplicity is often the best choice. Try to avoid or limit powders that are packed with artificial sweeteners, fillers or preservatives. These extras don’t add to the blend’s nutritional value, and in some cases, they can do more harm than good.
“The shorter the ingredient list, the better,” explains Sparrold. “If a sweetener is involved, I look for protein supplements that [have] either stevia or monk fruit. I also avoid products that have carrageenan in them. This additive gives the shake a creamy texture but can have a negative impact on gut health.”
Also, keep an eye out for hidden sugars and unnecessary fillers. If you have any food sensitivities or allergies, it’s a good idea to double-check for things like soy, gluten or dairy in the ingredient list.
“Plant-based protein powders can be better for individuals with lactose intolerance, dairy sensitivities or those following a vegan diet,” says Routhenstein. “They can also be lower in saturated fat compared to whey and casein.”
Taste And Texture
Taste and texture can make or break your protein powder experience. If the powder is hard to mix or has a chalky, overly sweet taste, you might find yourself avoiding it after a while. If taste isn’t a primary concern, Sparrold recommends making your own shake or smoothie by combining protein powder with fiber, healthy fats, carbohydrates and greens.
“I like to start with a simple, clean base of protein powder and then choose other modular whole food components if I am trying to build a more well-rounded snack,” she says. “For fibers I will add chia seeds or some psyllium powder. For healthy fats, I will choose either a nut butter, avocado, hemp hearts or coconut oil. For carbohydrate energy, I will use oats, fresh or frozen fruits, and honey. For greater nutrient density, I will add fresh greens like spinach or kale.”
Look for powders that dissolve easily in water or milk, or that mix well in smoothies, oatmeal or even baked goods. Also consider whether the powder requires a blender or shaker bottle to get it smooth; you’ll want to keep that in mind for convenience’s sake, and so you’re prepared with the right gear.
