Third-Party Tested Collagen 2026: Which Are Certified
Our pick: BulkSupplements Hydrolyzed Bovine Collagen Powder, on NSF Certified for Sport, $0.56 per 10 g at its list price. 6 of the 14 collagens we compare are on a public testing list.
By Erin Rose Updated October 20, 2026 How we score
Our recommendation
Buy BulkSupplements Hydrolyzed Bovine Collagen Powder
It is on NSF Certified for Sport, the strictest list we found. NSF checks that the tub matches its label and that contaminants stay under limits, and screens for drugs banned in sport. It is also our pick in the best collagen.
Buy on Amazon- Want another tested powder? Transparent Labs Grass-Fed Collagen is on Informed Choice, at $0.76 per 10 g, the lowest cost after our pick.
- Don’t eat beef? Codeage Marine Collagen is fish collagen on NSF/ANSI 173, at $1.22 per 10 g.
On a testing list (6)
An outside program checked each of these and lists it by name. Tap a badge to see the listing.
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Our pick · strictest testing
BulkSupplements Hydrolyzed Bovine Collagen Powder
11 g of collagen a serving · 500 g tub
$0.56 per 10 g
Buy on Amazon -
Momentous Collagen Peptides with Fortigel
16.8 g of collagen a serving · 30-serving tub
$1.09 per 10 g
Buy on Amazon -
Fish collagen, no beef
Codeage Marine Collagen
9 g of collagen a serving · 15.87 oz tub
$1.22 per 10 g
Buy on Amazon -
$1.24 per 10 g
Buy on Amazon -
Lowest cost after our pick
Transparent Labs Grass-Fed Collagen
22 g of collagen a serving · 30-serving tub
$0.76 per 10 g
Buy on Amazon -
$1.03 per 10 g
Buy on Amazon
Cost is 10 g of collagen at each brand’s own list price, as in our best collagen guide; Amazon’s can differ. We count a listing only when it names the same product, flavor and serving size as the tub we price.
Not on any testing list (8)
We also price Great Lakes Wellness; Country Life (tablets); Youtheory (liquid); Bulletproof; Ancient Nutrition; Vital Proteins; Codeage (multi); Nature's Truth (liquid). We found none of them on the 5 lists we searched. That does not mean a tub failed a test: brands pay to join. But no outside group is checking it for you.
You don’t need to buy anything if your tub is on a list above.
What does each program check?
The two NSF lists check what is in the tub. Informed Choice screens for drugs banned in sport.
| Program | What it tells you about a collagen |
|---|---|
| Informed Choice | Screens for drugs banned in sport, in samples it buys from stores at least once a month. It does not say it checks the collagen amount or heavy metals. |
| NSF Certified for Sport | Everything NSF/ANSI 173 checks, plus a screen for drugs banned in sport. This is the one to look for if you are drug-tested. |
| NSF/ANSI 173 | Checks that what the label says is in the tub, and that there are no unacceptable levels of contaminants. NSF audits each year and retests from time to time. |
A mark that fools people: some tubs carry an “NSF Certified Gluten-free” mark. It is a different NSF program. It checks for gluten only, not the collagen amount or contaminants. NSF’s own list shows the difference:
What NSF’s own list shows for two brands
How to read a brand’s own lab report
Some brands post lab reports from an outside lab. These are not the same as a public testing list, but you can read them yourself. Transparent Labs posts two, from Dyad Labs. Here is the one for the unflavored tub (lot 25091091):
Look at the method column. The protein line names a lab test (the Dumas method) and came to 20.7 g, inside its 18 to 24 g range. The collagen line, 22.2 g in a 22.2 g serving, names no method. So the report confirms the protein, not the collagen amount.
The brand’s second report is for its chocolate flavor (lot 25050618). It lists heavy metals per serving, each inside the limit on the report:
| Metal | Result | Limit on the report |
|---|---|---|
| Arsenic | 0.525 | under 10 |
| Cadmium | 0.298 | under 4.1 |
| Lead | 0.314 | under 0.5 |
| Mercury | <0.128 | under 0.3 |
What about heavy metals?
The one study we found tested fish and jellyfish collagen from several brands. No sample was over EU limits. Arsenic and lead were the highest found, and levels varied by brand (Cammilleri 2025). We found no such study of cow collagen, which is what most tubs are. Of the lists above, only the two NSF lists say they check contaminant levels. If this is your worry, pick an NSF-listed tub.
How to check your own tub
- Search NSF’s list by company and by product name. Big brands can be filed under a parent company, so search that name too.
- Match the product, flavor and serving size to your tub. A listing for a different flavor or pack is not your product.
- If you are drug-tested, search NSF Certified for Sport and the Informed Choice list.
- Ignore marks that test for one thing, like gluten-free or non-GMO. They say nothing about contents or contaminants.
Questions
Is Vital Proteins collagen third-party tested?
Yes. Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides is on NSF Certified for Sport and NSF/ANSI 173. NSF files it under Nestlé Healthcare Nutrition, so a search for “Vital Proteins” alone can miss it. The 20 oz “Advanced” tub, which adds vitamin C and hyaluronic acid, is a different formula and is not on either NSF list. Its marine collagen is not on any list we searched.
Sources
- NSF/ANSI 173 (info.nsf.org) and NSF Certified for Sport (nsfsport.com): searched by company and trade name. Informed Choice: the full certified-products list, read and saved September 29, 2026. Informed Sport and USP Verified: the full lists, read September 22, 2026.
- Transparent Labs certificates of analysis (Dyad Labs, a Mérieux NutriSciences company): unflavored lot 25091091; chocolate lot 25050618. Linked from the brand’s product page, read October 24, 2026.
- Cammilleri G, et al. Toxic metals and metalloids in collagen supplements of fish and jellyfish origin. Open Med (Wars). 2025;20(1):20251141. PubMed 40292256