Best protein powders, ranked by leucine
Every isolate scores Platinum on density alone — so we rank by leucine per serving, the metric that actually decides whether one scoop triggers muscle protein synthesis.
Powder isn't always the cheapest protein, either — see how it stacks up against eggs, milk, and chicken in our cheapest-protein-per-gram ranking.
Ranked by leucine per serving
The metric that decides whether one scoop clears the muscle-protein-synthesis trigger. Secondary column is protein density.
| Product | Type | Leucine / 25 g | Density | DIAAS | Protein / serving | Sweetener | Certs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dymatize ISO100 Hydrolyzed 100% Whey Isolate | whey isolate | 2.7 g | 76.9% | 1.15 | 25 g | Artificial blend | Informed |
| NOW Sports Whey Protein Isolate | whey isolate | 2.7 g | 100% | 1.15 | 25 g | Stevia | Informed Sport |
| BulkSupplements Whey Protein Concentrate 80% | whey concentrate | 2.6 g | 76.7% | 1.07 | 23 g | Unsweetened | — |
| BulkSupplements Whey Protein Isolate 90% | whey isolate | 2.6 g | 93.9% | 1.15 | 27 g | Unsweetened | — |
| Transparent Labs 100% Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate | whey isolate | 2.6 g | 93.3% | 1.15 | 28 g | Stevia | Informed · HM-tested |
| Legion Whey+ | whey isolate | 2.6 g | 73.3% | 1.15 | 22 g | Stevia | — |
| Nutricost Whey Protein Isolate | whey isolate | 2.6 g | 92.3% | 1.15 | 30 g | Sucralose | — |
| Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey | whey blend | 2.6 g | 80% | 1.15 | 24 g | Acesulfame-K | — |
| Naked Nutrition Naked Whey | whey concentrate | 2.6 g | 83.3% | 1.07 | 25 g | Unsweetened | NSF · HM-tested |
| NOW Sports Whey Protein Concentrate, Unflavored | whey concentrate | 2.6 g | 73.8% | 1.07 | 24 g | Unsweetened | Informed Sport |
| Dymatize Elite Casein | casein | 2.5 g | 76.9% | 1.18 | 25 g | Artificial blend | Informed |
| Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Casein | casein | 2.4 g | 80% | 1.18 | 24 g | Artificial blend | — |
| NOW Sports Micellar Casein | casein | 2.4 g | 84.4% | 1.18 | 19 g | Unsweetened | Informed Sport |
| Naked Nutrition Naked Casein | casein | 2.4 g | 94.5% | 1.18 | 26 g | Unsweetened | NSF · HM-tested |
| Quest Nutrition Multi-Purpose Protein Powder | milk blend | 2.4 g | 96% | 1.18 | 24 g | Unsweetened | — |
| Ascent Native Fuel Micellar Casein | casein | 2.2 g | 90.9% | 1.18 | 25 g | Unsweetened | Informed Sport |
| Sunwarrior Warrior Blend Organic | plant blend | 2.1 g | 72% | 0.80 | 18 g | Stevia | — |
| NOW Sports Pea Protein | pea | 2.1 g | 96% | 0.82 | 24 g | Stevia | Informed Sport |
| Transparent Labs Organic Vegan Rice & Pea Protein | plant blend | 2.1 g | 64% | 0.80 | 24 g | Stevia | Informed · HM-tested |
| Truvani Plant Based Protein | plant blend | 2.0 g | 61.5% | 0.80 | 20 g | Monk fruit | — |
| NOW Sports Soy Protein Isolate | soy | 2.0 g | 88.9% | 0.90 | 20 g | Unsweetened | Informed Sport |
| Orgain Organic Protein | plant blend | 2.0 g | 56% | 0.80 | 21 g | Stevia | — |
| Vega Sport Premium Protein | plant blend | 1.9 g | 70.6% | 0.80 | 30 g | Stevia | NSF CSF |
| Garden of Life Sport Organic Plant-Based Protein | plant blend | 1.9 g | 70.6% | 0.80 | 30 g | Stevia | NSF CSF |
| KOS Organic Plant Protein | plant blend | 1.9 g | 47.1% | 0.80 | 20 g | Natural blend | HM-tested |
| Ka'Chava Whole Body Meal Shake | plant blend | 1.9 g | 41.7% | 0.80 | 25 g | Monk fruit | — |
Leucine, not protein, is the axis that matters
Horizontal: grams of leucine per 25 g of protein (the MPS trigger). Vertical: percent of calories from protein. The top-right corner is the whole ranking.
- 3 OPTIMUM NUTRITION
- 2 BULKSUPPLEMENTS ISOLATE
- 1 BULKSUPPLEMENTS CONCENTRATE
| Product | Type | Leucine / 25 g | Density | DIAAS | Protein / serving |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dymatize ISO100 Hydrolyzed 100% Whey Isolate | whey isolate | 2.7 g | 76.9% | 1.15 | 25 g |
| NOW Sports Whey Protein Isolate | whey isolate | 2.7 g | 100% | 1.15 | 25 g |
| BulkSupplements Whey Protein Concentrate 80% | whey concentrate | 2.6 g | 76.7% | 1.07 | 23 g |
| BulkSupplements Whey Protein Isolate 90% | whey isolate | 2.6 g | 93.9% | 1.15 | 27 g |
| Transparent Labs 100% Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate | whey isolate | 2.6 g | 93.3% | 1.15 | 28 g |
| Legion Whey+ | whey isolate | 2.6 g | 73.3% | 1.15 | 22 g |
| Nutricost Whey Protein Isolate | whey isolate | 2.6 g | 92.3% | 1.15 | 30 g |
| Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey | whey blend | 2.6 g | 80% | 1.15 | 24 g |
| Naked Nutrition Naked Whey | whey concentrate | 2.6 g | 83.3% | 1.07 | 25 g |
| NOW Sports Whey Protein Concentrate, Unflavored | whey concentrate | 2.6 g | 73.8% | 1.07 | 24 g |
| Dymatize Elite Casein | casein | 2.5 g | 76.9% | 1.18 | 25 g |
| Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Casein | casein | 2.4 g | 80% | 1.18 | 24 g |
| NOW Sports Micellar Casein | casein | 2.4 g | 84.4% | 1.18 | 19 g |
| Naked Nutrition Naked Casein | casein | 2.4 g | 94.5% | 1.18 | 26 g |
| Quest Nutrition Multi-Purpose Protein Powder | milk blend | 2.4 g | 96% | 1.18 | 24 g |
| Ascent Native Fuel Micellar Casein | casein | 2.2 g | 90.9% | 1.18 | 25 g |
| Sunwarrior Warrior Blend Organic | plant blend | 2.1 g | 72% | 0.80 | 18 g |
| NOW Sports Pea Protein | pea | 2.1 g | 96% | 0.82 | 24 g |
| Transparent Labs Organic Vegan Rice & Pea Protein | plant blend | 2.1 g | 64% | 0.80 | 24 g |
| Truvani Plant Based Protein | plant blend | 2.0 g | 61.5% | 0.80 | 20 g |
| NOW Sports Soy Protein Isolate | soy | 2.0 g | 88.9% | 0.90 | 20 g |
| Orgain Organic Protein | plant blend | 2.0 g | 56% | 0.80 | 21 g |
| Vega Sport Premium Protein | plant blend | 1.9 g | 70.6% | 0.80 | 30 g |
| Garden of Life Sport Organic Plant-Based Protein | plant blend | 1.9 g | 70.6% | 0.80 | 30 g |
| KOS Organic Plant Protein | plant blend | 1.9 g | 47.1% | 0.80 | 20 g |
| Ka'Chava Whole Body Meal Shake | plant blend | 1.9 g | 41.7% | 0.80 | 25 g |
Stirring a scoop into food instead of water? See how yogurts compare on protein or which protein cereals actually deliver.
Choosing between whey and casein? See our whey vs casein comparison for the density, leucine, and DIAAS numbers side by side.
Wondering if isolate is worth the extra money? See whey isolate vs concentrate — one brand's two formats, label-measured on both sides.
Don't want to buy a tub at all? Whole foods can get you there too — see which cheese has the most protein or check any product's tier with our calculate the protein in any food tool. Eating out instead? See fast food with the most protein, and if you're wondering whether a powder's amino-acid completeness matters, our complete protein foods guide explains why it's less of an issue than you'd think.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best protein powder for building muscle?
For pure muscle-protein synthesis triggering, the best protein powder is the one that clears the 2.5g leucine threshold per serving — Dymatize ISO100, NOW Sports Whey Isolate, and Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard all clear it at one scoop. Plant powders typically require 1.5 scoops to clear it because pea/rice leucine fractions are lower than whey.
Are protein powders worth the cost?
For 25g of high-quality protein, bulk whey isolate ($25–55 per 5lb tub) usually lands at $0.20–0.50 per 10g protein — competitive with chicken breast, cheaper than eggs at most supermarket prices. The "premium" tier is hydrolyzed isolate, grass-fed lines, and certified-for-sport tubs (NSF, Informed-Sport), which run $0.50–1.00 per 10g. Use the protein-per-dollar calculator to compare with your actual prices.
Whey vs casein vs plant protein — what should I pick?
Whey is fastest-digesting and highest-leucine — best for post-workout and breakfast. Casein digests slowly (3–7 hours) — best pre-bed to extend overnight amino acid release. Plant protein (pea, soy, or blends) works for muscle building if you hit the leucine threshold (often needs slightly larger servings); also the right call for vegans/lactose-intolerant.
Why is leucine more important than total protein on a powder label?
Leucine is the amino acid that signals MPS activation — total protein is the substrate, leucine is the trigger. A casein scoop with 25g protein but only 2.3g leucine misses the MPS trigger at 1 serving, while a whey isolate scoop with the same 25g protein and 2.7g leucine clears it. Per-scoop leucine, not per-scoop protein, is the right comparison axis for muscle building.