Heading into another new year, everyone wants the best protein powder for their goals.
And with beach season just around the corner, now is the perfect time to get in shape with the help of a high-protein diet.
The tricky part for most people is choosing a protein powder…
With all the options out there, it can be more than just a little confusing.
Luckily, we’ve reviewed literally hundreds of protein powders over the years…
And this year, we’ve hand-picked ten of the very best, based on our rigorous ‘LovelyList’ testing protocol.
So without further ado, here they are – the ten best protein powders for 2024.
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Apollo Protein
Apollo protein is our editor’s choice for this year’s LovelyList for excellence in flavor, sustainability, and packaging. This indie brand has been a long-time favorite among redditors and other die-hard protein fanatics because of its light, fluffy texture and drinkability. ... Read Full Review
- Light, fluffy texture
- Dessert-like flavors
- Sustainable ingredients
- Just 100 calories per serving
- On the pricier side
- Contains artificial sweeteners (sucralose)
- Can be hard to find in-stock
- Only available in one size
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Alani Nu Protein
Alan Nu protein is still one of, If not the best protein powder that I’ve tried in the last ten years, for a number of reasons. It tasted great, looks even better, and has an absolutely fantastic formulation. It comes in several creative, and fun flavors, and is probably the only product that I have recommended consistently to my readers.... Read Full Review
- Fantastic taste and texture
- Wonderful formula with no fillers
- Beautifully-designed packaging
- Great bang-for-your-buck cost
- Can be hard to find the good flavors
- The texture of the vegan version is not great
- Lack of ‘basic’ flavors like chocolate / vanilla
- Uses artificial sweeteners
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Dymatize ISO-100
Dymatize is literally the biggest protein brand on the planet right now, and I discovered exactly why. Their protein literally tastes amazing and comes in a ton of fun flavors. The ingredients / macros are solid, and it's priced fairly... Read Full Review
- It comes in several fun flavors
- The 'Fruity Pebbles' collab flavor is literally amazing
- Dymatize formula is really simple with no additives
- Packaging is really nicely designed
- Supporting a massive corporation
- Some flavors are a little bit chalky / gritty
- 3 grams of sugar is slightly higher than others
- Can be too expensive depending on where you buy it
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Podium Protein
Podium is one of the 'CrossFit-themed' brands backed by the likes of CrossFit legend Matt Frasier and influencers like Kelsey Kiel. Their protein powder comes in creative flavors like maple pancake and chocolate mud pie, and features 25 grams of protein per serving. With a rock-solid formula and beautiful packaging, this is one of my favorites for 2024. ... Read Full Review
- Tasty flavors like Maple Pancake (my favorite) and good texture
- Blend of Whey Isolate and Whey Concentrate
- High protein per serving (25g) with very little fats / carbs
- Beautiful packaging and decent cost per serving
- Uses artificial sweeteners (sucralose)
- Bulky plastic jar is unwieldy
- Cost is on the higher side
- Would like to see more conventional flavors
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CBUM Itholate Protein
Raw Nutrition’s CBUM Protein Itholate powder is one of the most polarizing products that I’ve reviewed lately. Not one for subtlety, the product is riddled with references to the brand’s larger-than-life founder, Chris Bumstead, who even went as far as to intentionally mis-spell the word ‘isolate’ to ‘itholate’ - which is is how he enunciates the word. The product itself is expensive, but marvelous. It’s tasty, well-formulated, and one of our favorites for this year.... Read Full Review
- Delicious flavors, including our favorite - Cinnamon Crunch Cereal
- Good quality formula, which uses 100% whey isolate
- Hefty 25g of protein per serving
- No unnecessary fillers or additives
- Incredibly expensive at over $2.00 per serving
- Contains artificial sweeteners (sucralose)
- May cause slight bloating
- Plastic packaging is over-sized, and clunky
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1st Phorm Level-1
Although it's pricey, the 1st Phorm protein is highly versatile, and excellent for anyone who needs a great-tasting, high-quality protein for weight-loss, or athletic performance goals.... Read Full Review
- Made in the USA in 1st Phorm's own factory
- Comes in eleven different fun flavors
- Bold, intense flavors make it fun to drink
- Solid macros with 24 grams of protein
- Added artificial flavoring ingredients
- Incredibly expensive
- Not available on Amazon
- Plastic tub is bulky
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Ryse Loaded Protein
Ryse protein is one of the most popular protein powders out there, and for good reason. It comes in an incredible menu of flavors, including some really neat collaboration flavors with 'Jet-Puffed' and even Skippy Peanut Butter. We love their formula, their packaging, and how they are priced fairly at just $1.67 per serving.... Read Full Review
- Creative formula with added MCT oil and fiber
- Incredible, extensive menu of flavors
- Sweet, delicious taste and smooth texture
- Fun branding and fair price point
- Higher calories than other proteins
- Some flavors are a little bland
- Not offered in smaller sizes
- Packaging could be more eco-friendly
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Ghost Whey
Ghost Lifestyle is one of my favorite supplement brands for a number of reasons, one of them being that they make an absolutely incredible whey protein. I love their Ghost Whey formula for it's unique 'colab' flavors, it's quality ingredients, and, of course, it's gorgeous packaging... Read Full Review
- Incredible flavor 'colabs' like Cinnabon & Chips Ahoy
- Transparency about where the proteins used
- Perfect amount of protein per serving (25g per scoop)
- Beautiful, distinctive packaging
- Hard to choose just one flavor
- Uses some artificial ingredients
- Some flavors are slightly chalky
- Doesn't come in smaller sizes
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Promix Protein
Promix is one of the trendiest brands out there right now, and for good reason. With their minimalist-packaging, and uber-clean formulas, this is a no-frills brand for the athlete that demands performance. I love how this brand commits to simple formulas, and gives complete peace of mind on what’s in their products. The taste isn’t anything to write home about, but I still use this product almost every day. ... Read Full Review
- Extra clean ingredients and nothing artificial
- Plenty of protein per serving (25 grams)
- Eco-friendly packaging and lovely aesthetics
- Several flavor options including unflavored
- Flavor/texture could be improved slightly
- On the expensive side
- Would like to see a fruit-themed flavor(s)
- Higher sugar content
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Seeq Clear Protein
Seeq protein is the leading 'clear protein' company, and their product is shaking up the protein industry in a big way. Instead of creamy, dairy-based shakes, Seeq has a refreshing, light taste and texture. Their formula is great, and we love how innovative this product is.... Read Full Review
- Light and refreshing taste
- Low calories with no added sugars
- No bloating or stomach issues
- Vibey, fun packaging
- Takes some getting used to
- Uses some artificial ingredients
- On the pricier side
- Plastic packaging
About the LovelyList Testing Method
Believe it or not, this is actually our 12th year doing the LovelyList – and each year the products seem to get better and better!
I’ve been testing proteins for over a decade, and have refined this tried & true testing protocol since starting the blog in 2010.
Here are the four categories that each protein is graded on:
- Flavor: How good does the protein taste – based on sweetness, flavor profile, and texture. Scores take into account our tasting-notes for each flavor available.
- Formula: Looking deeper at the ingredients – especially at which proteins are being used, along with the flavors and sweeteners utilized. Macros are also considered.
- Packaging: Aesthetics aren’t everything, but they certainly make a difference when it comes to the LovelyList. We grade each product on overall design quality, and sustainability.
- Value: We compare product quality to the overall price. Based on the quality of ingredients, and the flavors achieved, we determine if the product is priced fairly on a per serving basis.
As we head into our next year of awards, we’ll continue to refine our method to make sure we provide the best results possible.
Specialty Awards
Our top ten proteins are based on our LovelyList scoring system, but there are a few that are worth mentioning.
In addition to our standard top ten above, there are three other categories to recognize in this year’s roundup:
- Best Vegan Protein
- Best Meal Replacement Protein
- Most Innovative Protein (new for 2024)
These additional categories are designed to identify the three additional products that we consider ‘Lovely’…
Including a brand new ‘Most Innovative’ award, which we will be doing for the very first time.
Best Plant-Based Protein
Beam is one of the most well-rounded vegan products we have seen in quite some time.
The Beam brand has made a splash in 2024 with not only their product quality, but their exceptional branding and company ethos.
With an infectious energy and ‘never quit’ mantra, this brand is one to watch for 2024 and beyond.
Their flagship vegan protein impressed us with it’s smooth texture, and fair price-point.
Best Meal Replacement Shake
Meal replacement shakes are often packed with fillers and other unhealthy ingredients…
But we found one with an incredible formula this year that we have to mention, and it’s Shakeology.
This is a super high quality product, with great ingredients, and better flavor than all others that we tried this year.
Most Innovative New Product
Hi!, standing for ‘Human Improvement’ gets our award for most innovative because of it’s experimental formula.
The formula uses cricket protein instead of dairy, or plant-based sources…
Making it incredibly sustainable, not to mention a uniquely healthy nutrient profile.
We’re so impressed by Hi! Protein, and can’t wait to see where they go next…
And that’s ALL folks! I hope you have enjoyed reading our best protein powder for women list.
As always, be sure to check back regularly for more protein powder reviews…
I’m always finding fun new proteins to try, and you know I always post a fun review for each one.
- BPN Flight Pre Workout Review – Simple, Effective, & Affordable - February 22, 2024
- CBUM Protein Review – Is Chris Bumstead’s Brand Any Good? - January 13, 2024
- Beam Pre Workout Review – A Must Try for 2024 - January 9, 2024
