Best Protein Powder (2026): 31 Checked for Testing and Cost

How many protein powders are tested?

We checked four public lists for each tub we link: NSF Certified for Sport, NSF/ANSI 173, Informed Sport and Informed Choice. Of the 31 powders in the table, 8 read “No testing listing found” because we found no listing for the tub we link. That is not a test result, and it does not mean the powder is unsafe. See which protein powders are third-party tested for the full list.

Few labels claim testing at all. Of 710 whey protein labels in the NIH label database, 147 mention any third-party testing and 9 mention heavy-metal testing. A label line is a claim, not a test result (NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database, read September 18, 2026).

Protein powder for weight loss or GLP-1 drugs

Use a powder with 20 g of protein or more and about 120 calories a scoop, in place of a snack. Naked Whey fits, at 120 calories a scoop. Protein helps you keep muscle while you lose weight, and that matters more on Ozempic, Wegovy or Zepbound (Mozaffarian 2025). See protein on GLP-1 drugs, or the best protein shakes if a bottle is easier on days you can’t eat much. Counting calories? See the best low-calorie protein powder.

How to choose a protein powder

Get 20 to 30 g of protein a scoop

In young men, about 20 g of protein after a workout built muscle as well as 40 g did (Moore 2009). Older adults need more at one time, about 30 g (Moore 2015). Every powder in the table below gives 20 to 32 g of protein a scoop.

On a budget? Compare the cost of 25 g of protein, not the tub

Tubs differ in scoop size and protein a scoop, so a cheap tub can cost more per gram. The table below does the math for you. Bigger tubs nearly always cost less per scoop.

Buy one on a testing list

Protein powder is not checked by the FDA before it is sold. A testing list is the easiest way to know someone outside the brand checked it. Informed Choice and Informed Sport test for drugs banned in sport. NSF Certified for Sport does that and also checks the label. NSF/ANSI 173 checks the label and sets limits for metals. If you are drug-tested for sport, buy a tub on Informed Sport or NSF Certified for Sport, such as BulkSupplements Whey Protein Isolate. See which protein powders are third-party tested.

Whey or plant

Plant protein builds muscle almost as well as whey, and strength gains are the same (Reid-McCann 2025). Choose plant if you avoid milk, and pick one with 30 g a scoop to make up the small gap.

Is protein powder safe?

For healthy adults, yes. Two things are worth knowing.

Lead

Consumer Reports tested 23 protein powders and shakes in 2025. Plant powders had about 9 times as much lead as dairy ones on average. Gold Standard was among the lowest: Consumer Reports said 1 to 2 scoops a day is fine. Consumer Reports did not test Naked Whey. Consumer Reports tested Vega under its old name (Vega Sport Premium Protein) and said 3 to 4 scoops a week. A 2025 Clean Label Project study of 160 powders found the same pattern. 77% of plant powders were over California’s Prop 65 warning level for lead, against 28% of whey powders.

Kidneys

If you have kidney disease, ask your doctor before adding protein powder. Extra protein can be a problem when the kidneys are already weak.

Questions people ask

How we picked

We left out ready-to-drink shakes (they have their own page) and tubs Amazon cannot sell today, such as Ascent’s 4 lb bag. We priced 31 protein powders on Amazon on November 6, 2026 and checked the testing lists for each tub we link (read dates are under the table). We worked out what 25 g of protein costs in each tub and read Consumer Reports’ 2025 lead results. How much protein you need and which kind to buy are in our protein guide. Our pick is unflavored; for other plain options, see the best unflavored whey.