What's the cheapest source of protein?
Enter any product's price, servings, and protein. See its USD per 10g protein, USD per gram leucine, and how it compares to eggs, whey, chicken, and Greek yogurt.
- Headline PCE + secondary $/10g protein in the same card
- Pick a protein source to see DAY (effective protein after digestion)
- Optional: $ per gram leucine — the MPS-decisive metric
- No retail-price scraping — your input, your numbers
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest source of protein?
Eggs, dairy (plain Greek yogurt, milk, cottage cheese), and bulk whey isolate consistently land in the "cheap" band — under $0.40 per 10g of protein. Chicken breast and canned tuna are usually "average" ($0.40–0.80). Protein bars, jerky, and premium powders are typically "premium" ($0.80+).
Why does this calculator use USD per 10g instead of per gram?
Per-gram numbers are tiny (cents) and hard to compare at a glance. Per-10g lands in the dollar range — a 10g serving is also roughly the smallest dose people think of when buying protein (a single egg, a small slice of cheese). The Reddit r/Fitness budget rule "$0.03/g" is the same as "$0.30/10g".
What does the "$ per gram leucine" metric tell me?
Leucine triggers muscle protein synthesis at ~2.5g per meal. $/g leucine reveals which protein gives you the most MPS-trigger for the money — and exposes sources like collagen as poor value for muscle building (collagen is ~2.5% leucine vs whey ~10.5%, so even at the same price per gram protein it costs ~4× more per gram of leucine).
Why don't you show live prices for products?
Live retail prices change daily and vary by region, sales, and store. Scraping them creates stale data that misleads users. This calculator is honest: you enter the price *you* see today, get a result that reflects *your* actual options. The reference comparisons below the result are heuristic orienting figures, not live prices.
Is whey isolate worth the premium over whey concentrate?
For most goals, no — concentrate is typically 25–35% cheaper per 10g protein and delivers nearly the same leucine content. Isolate makes sense if you need lower lactose, fewer carbs, or faster digestion. Run both through this calculator with their actual labels.