Best Protein Powder for the Money 2026: Cost per 25 g of Protein
By Erin Rose Updated October 1, 2026 How we score
The best protein powder for the money is Naked Whey Grass-Fed Whey Concentrate: $1.84 per 25 g of protein, the lowest list price of the 11 whey powders on a testing list that we link. Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey is close behind at $1.86. These are brands' list prices; stores often charge less, so compare the two tubs where you shop with the check below. Nutricost, the budget pick many guides name, is not on any testing list we searched.
Product links are affiliate links. We earn a commission if you buy; it never changes a score or the order.
Both tubs are sold on Amazon, which sets its own prices and changes them often. The buttons open the tub sizes priced here.
What 25 g of protein costs in each tested powder
| Product and size | Per 25 g | Protein in tub |
|---|---|---|
| Naked Whey Grass-Fed Whey Concentrate 5 lb, 76 servings, list $139.99Informed Choice | $1.84 | 1,900 g |
| Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey 5.05 lb, 74 servings, list $131.99Informed Choice | $1.86 | 1,776 g |
| Ascent Native Fuel Whey 2 lb, 29 servings, list $54.99Informed Sport | $1.90 | 725 g |
| Transparent Labs Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate 2 lb, 30 servings, list $64.99NSF Certified for Sport, Informed Choice | $1.93 | 840 g |
| Kaged Whey Protein Isolate 3 lb, 41 servings, list $84.99Informed Sport | $2.07 | 1,025 g |
| Isopure Low Carb Whey Isolate 4.51 lb, 62 servings, list $143.49Informed Choice | $2.31 | 1,550 g |
| Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Isolate 3 lb, 44 servings, list $103.49Informed Choice | $2.35 | 1,100 g |
| Thorne Whey Protein Isolate 30 servings, list $65.00NSF Certified for Sport, NSF/ANSI 173 | $2.58 | 630 g |
| Bare Performance Nutrition Whey Protein Isolate 25 servings, list $64.99NSF Certified for Sport | $2.60 | 625 g |
| Legion Whey+ Whey Isolate 2 lb, 30 servings, list $69.99NSF/ANSI 173 | $2.65 | 660 g |
| Vega Sport Premium Protein 19 servings, list $64.99, plant proteinNSF Certified for Sport, Informed Choice, NSF/ANSI 173 | $2.85 | 570 g |
| Momentous Essential Grass-Fed Whey Isolate 25 servings, list $69.99NSF/ANSI 173 | $3.50 | 500 g |
The lists: Informed Sport tests every batch before sale. NSF Certified for Sport names the lots it tested. Informed Choice screens shop-bought samples each month. NSF/ANSI 173 checks the label's contents.
Check the price in front of you: stores set their own prices, often below the brand's list price. Divide the tub's price by its grams of protein, then multiply by 25. Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey's 1,776 g tub at $100 works out to $1.41 per 25 g.
We only link products on a public testing list. What each list checks: third-party tested protein powder.
All 37 sizes we priced, including 10 not on a testing list
| Product and size | Per 25 g | A month |
|---|---|---|
| Cellucor C4 Whey 66 servings, list $82.99, sold out on the brand storeNot found | $1.26 | $38 |
| Ascent Native Fuel Whey 4 lb, 58 servings, list $89.99Informed Sport | $1.55 | $47 |
| Cellucor C4 Whey 28 servings, list $44.99, sold out on the brand storeNot found | $1.61 | $48 |
| Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey 10.18 lb, 149 servings, list $229.99Informed Choice | $1.61 | $48 |
| Vega Sport Premium Protein 44 servings, list $89.99, plant proteinNSF Certified for Sport, Informed Choice, NSF/ANSI 173 | $1.70 | $51 |
| Naked Whey Grass-Fed Whey Concentrate 5 lb, 76 servings, list $139.99Informed Choice | $1.84 | $55 |
| Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey 5.05 lb, 74 servings, list $131.99Informed Choice | $1.86 | $56 |
| Ascent Native Fuel Whey 1 lb, 15 servings, list $27.98Informed Sport | $1.87 | $56 |
| Ascent Native Fuel Whey 2 lb, 29 servings, list $54.99Informed Sport | $1.90 | $57 |
| Transparent Labs Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate 2 lb, 30 servings, list $64.99NSF Certified for Sport, Informed Choice | $1.93 | $58 |
| Kaged Whey Protein Isolate 3 lb, 41 servings, list $84.99Informed Sport | $2.07 | $62 |
| Naked Whey Grass-Fed Whey Concentrate 2 lb, 30 servings, list $62.99Informed Choice | $2.10 | $63 |
| GHOST Whey Protein 2 lb, 26 servings, list $54.99, sold out on the brand storeNot found | $2.12 | $63 |
| Isopure Low Carb Whey Isolate 7.5 lb, 103 servings, list $221.99Informed Choice | $2.16 | $65 |
| Isopure Zero Carb Whey Isolate 7.03 lb, 103 servings, list $221.99Not found | $2.16 | $65 |
| Nutricost Whey Protein Isolate 2 lb, 25 servings, list $65.97Not found | $2.20 | $66 |
| Orgain Organic Protein Plant-Based 2.03 lb, 20 servings, list $37.99, plant proteinNot found | $2.26 | $68 |
| Legion Whey+ Whey Isolate 5 lb, 60 servings, list $119.99NSF/ANSI 173 | $2.27 | $68 |
| Isopure Zero Carb Whey Isolate 4.23 lb, 62 servings, list $143.49Not found | $2.31 | $69 |
| Isopure Low Carb Whey Isolate 4.51 lb, 62 servings, list $143.49Informed Choice | $2.31 | $69 |
| Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Isolate 3 lb, 44 servings, list $103.49Informed Choice | $2.35 | $71 |
| Naked Whey Grass-Fed Whey Concentrate 1 lb, 15 servings, list $37.99Informed Choice | $2.53 | $76 |
| Thorne Whey Protein Isolate 30 servings, list $65.00NSF Certified for Sport, NSF/ANSI 173 | $2.58 | $77 |
| Isopure Low Carb Whey Isolate 2.91 lb, 40 servings, list $103.49Informed Choice | $2.59 | $78 |
| Isopure Zero Carb Whey Isolate 2.73 lb, 40 servings, list $103.49Not found | $2.59 | $78 |
| Bare Performance Nutrition Whey Protein Isolate 25 servings, list $64.99NSF Certified for Sport | $2.60 | $78 |
| Legion Whey+ Whey Isolate 2 lb, 30 servings, list $69.99NSF/ANSI 173 | $2.65 | $80 |
| Ascent Native Fuel Whey 15 single-serve packets, list $39.99Informed Sport | $2.67 | $80 |
| Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey 1.98 lb, 29 servings, list $74.49Informed Choice | $2.68 | $80 |
| Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey 0.68 lb, 10 servings, list $26.49Informed Choice | $2.76 | $83 |
| Vega Sport Premium Protein 19 servings, list $64.99, plant proteinNSF Certified for Sport, Informed Choice, NSF/ANSI 173 | $2.85 | $86 |
| Isopure Low Carb Whey Isolate 1.02 lb, 14 servings, list $39.99Informed Choice | $2.86 | $86 |
| Isopure Zero Carb Whey Isolate 0.96 lb, 14 servings, list $39.99Not found | $2.86 | $86 |
| Vega Sport Premium Protein 12 single-serve packets, list $42.49, plant proteinNSF Certified for Sport, Informed Choice, NSF/ANSI 173 | $2.95 | $89 |
| Legion Whey+ Whey Isolate 15 servings, list $39.99NSF/ANSI 173 | $3.03 | $91 |
| Momentous Essential Grass-Fed Whey Isolate 25 servings, list $69.99NSF/ANSI 173 | $3.50 | $105 |
| Orgain Organic Protein Plant-Based 10 single-serve packets, list $34.99, plant proteinNot found | $4.17 | $125 |
Not priced: Dymatize ISO100 Hydrolyzed Whey Isolate, Dymatize Elite 100% Whey, Garden of Life Sport Organic Plant-Based Protein, Garden of Life Sport Grass-Fed Whey Isolate, Klean Athlete Klean Isolate, Premier Protein 100% Whey Powder, NOW Sports Whey Protein Isolate. Each sells only through stores that set their own prices, or its store blocked our check, and we do not use Amazon prices.
Can you pay less than $1.84?
Yes. First, check store prices with the formula above. Second, bigger tubs bought from the brand cost less: Ascent's 4 lb tub (58 servings) is $1.55 per 25 g; Optimum Nutrition's 10.18 lb tub (149 servings) is $1.61 per 25 g. Our links open the tubs Amazon sells, which are smaller. No whey off the testing lists that was in stock costs less (Cellucor C4 Wheyhas cheaper sizes, but the brand's store showed them sold out).
For plant protein, the cheapest tested one is Vega Sport Premium Protein: $2.85 per 25 g in the 19-serving tub we link (NSF Certified for Sport + Informed Choice + NSF/ANSI 173). Its 44-serving tub is $1.70 on Vega's own store.
If you are drug-tested
Our pick is on Informed Choice. That list buys samples from stores. It does not name the batches it tested.
If you need a list that tests every batch or names the tested lots, the cheapest one we priced is Ascent Native Fuel Whey at $1.90 per 25 g (Informed Sport). NOW Sports Whey Isolate is on Informed Sport too, but we could not find a list price to compare.
Which tubs and flavors each list covers: third-party tested protein powder. Choosing between the two best-known names: Gold Standard vs ISO100.
Powder is a convenient option, not a requirement: food can cover your protein. How much you need: protein dosage guide.
Sources
- Prices: each brand's own list price, its regular one-time price, for every size it sells, checked October 1, 2026 to October 3, 2026. We quote no Amazon prices; Amazon is only where the buy links go.
- Protein per scoop: each product's label, checked against the Amazon listing we link to.
- Testing lists: each program's own list, searched between August 25, 2026 and September 22, 2026. NSF Certified for Sport listings were matched by flavor and package size. Details: third-party tested protein powder.
The unit is 25 g of protein, inside the 20 to 40 g per meal that sports-nutrition research uses (dosage guide). Scores built October 3, 2026.