Best Protein Powder UK 2026
The best protein powder to buy in the UK for most people is Protein Works Whey Protein 360 GOLD, at 67p per 25g of protein in the 2.4kg bag on an OnTap subscription, or 59p with code WW12. That is under half the £1.42 per 25g of Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard in its 2.27kg tub.
Kevin, founder of WheyWise
Best for most people
Protein Works
Whey Protein 360 Gold
1.2kg bag
Buy Whey Protein 360 Gold →Direct from Protein Works
10% off with code WHEYWISE
Prozis
Supreme Whey Protein
907g bag
Buy Supreme Whey Protein →Direct from Prozis
64p per 25g of protein, a whey and soy blend
Bulk
Basic Whey Protein
2.5kg bag
Buy Basic Whey Protein →Live price across UK retailersSee all UK alternatives in the live comparison table →Quick answer
The best protein powder to buy in the UK right now for most people is Protein Works Whey Protein 360 GOLD. It gives 20g of protein in a 30g scoop and costs 67p per 25g of protein in the 2.4kg bag at £43.99 on an OnTap subscription, or 59p with code WW12, which is under half what Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard costs at £1.42 per 25g of protein in its 2.27kg tub. If you would rather pay for the most established name, Gold Standard is the benchmark, with 24g of protein a scoop. Whichever you choose, compare cost per 25g of protein, not the price on the tub.
This guide answers the question most people actually ask: which protein powder should I buy? Every pick below is priced per 25g of protein, the fairest way to compare a 600g pouch with a 4.8kg bag, using the prices retailers listed when we checked them for this update. If a powder has a reason to exist beyond price, such as taste, being dairy-free or packing more protein into each scoop, the section says so.
The best protein powders in the UK, by job
Protein Works Whey Protein 360 GOLD is the best protein powder for most people, at 67p per 25g of protein on an OnTap subscription and 20g of protein a scoop. Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard costs about twice as much but remains the most established name. The table gives one pick for each job this guide covers.
| Job | Pick | Protein per scoop | Cost per 25g of protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most people | Protein Works Whey Protein 360 GOLD | 20g | 67p (2.4kg, OnTap), 59p with WW12 |
| Premium benchmark | Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey | 24g | £1.42 (2.27kg), £1.23 (4.53kg) |
| Under £30 a bag | Protein Works Whey Protein 360 GOLD 1.2kg | 20g | 73p (£23.99) |
| Dairy-free | Protein Works Vegan Protein 360 GOLD | 82g per 100g | 54p (2kg) |
| Women cutting calories | PhD Diet Whey | 20g, under 100 calories | £1.21 (1kg) |
Protein Works prices from theproteinworks.com without a code unless stated; WW12 takes 12% off. Optimum Nutrition, PhD and Bulk prices from Amazon UK. Prices move, so check the live whey comparison before you buy.
Best for most people
Protein Works Whey Protein 360 Gold
1.2kg bag
A straightforward everyday whey at well under half the cost per gram of the premium names.
or compare all UK prices →Best for most people
Protein Works Whey Protein 360 Gold
1.2kg bagPros
- + 20g of protein in a 30g scoop
- + 67p per 25g of protein in the 2.4kg bag, 59p with code WW12
- + Unflavoured plus a wide flavour range in every bag size
Cons
- – 67g to 68g of protein per 100g, less dense than an isolate
- – Contains milk, so it is out if you avoid dairy
●Nutrition per scoop · 20.4g protein in 30g▼
Protein makes up 68%
of this 30g scoop · 113 kcal total
Which protein powder is best for everyday use after training?
For a shake every day after training, a plain whey concentrate is the right tool, and Protein Works Whey Protein 360 GOLD is the one we recommend. The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) position stand on protein and exercise puts most people who train at 1.4 to 2.0g of protein per kg of bodyweight a day, in doses of 20 to 40g. One scoop of GOLD is 20g of protein, so a scoop and a half after training sits in the middle of that range, at about 81p a shake from the 2.4kg bag on an OnTap subscription.
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard does the same job with more protein per scoop and a longer track record, but at £1.42 per 25g of protein in the 2.27kg tub you pay roughly twice as much for it every day. Timing matters less than people think: the ISSN says protein helps whether you take it before or after training. Our guide to when to take protein powder covers the detail.
What's the best protein powder for a first-time buyer?
If you have never bought protein powder, start with Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey in the smaller tub. It gives 24g of protein a scoop, mixes with just a shaker and tastes consistent across flavours, which makes it the safest first buy even though it costs more per gram. Stick to chocolate or vanilla, and leave isolates, clear whey and blends until you know what you like. Our best protein powder for beginners guide goes through the first-buy choices in full.
What protein powder under £30 is best for building muscle?
Under £30, the best bag for building muscle is Protein Works Whey Protein 360 GOLD in 1.2kg at £23.99, which works out at 73p per 25g of protein, or 65p with code WW12. Two cheaper bags sit under it on price per gram, but both give less protein per scoop, so you need more powder for every shake.
| Powder | Bag | Protein per 30g | Cost per 25g of protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein Works Whey Protein 360 GOLD | 1.2kg, £23.99 | 20g | 73p (65p with WW12) |
| Protein Works Whey Protein 360 BLACK | 1.2kg, £17.99 | 18g | 64p |
| Bulk Basic Whey | 1.25kg, £18.99 | About 17g | 68p |
BLACK is GOLD's cheaper sibling, with 59g of protein per 100g against 67g to 68g. Bulk Basic Whey is a whey and soy blend at 56g of protein per 100g. Both are fine if price per bag is the deciding factor, but for building muscle we would spend the extra £6 on GOLD and get 20g of protein from every scoop. For the full budget picture, see our best cheap protein powder guide.
Should you get whey or plant protein for muscle gain and recovery?
Get whey, unless you avoid dairy. In a 2018 analysis of commercial protein isolates, Gorissen and colleagues measured whey at 43% essential amino acids, against 21% to 22% for oat, lupin and wheat protein, and found that plant proteins vary widely in leucine. The same paper concludes that blends of different plant proteins come much closer to animal protein, which is why a blend is the plant protein to buy.
| Protein source | Essential amino acids, % of protein |
|---|---|
| Whey | 43% |
| Milk | 39% |
| Oat, lupin and wheat isolates | 21% to 22% |
Gorissen SHM et al. (2018), Protein content and amino acid composition of commercially available plant-based protein isolates, Amino Acids.
If you are dairy-free, Protein Works Vegan Protein 360 GOLD is the blend to buy: 82g of protein per 100g at 54p per 25g of protein in the 2kg bag. We go through the evidence in more depth in vegan protein vs whey.
Best dairy-free
Protein Works Vegan Protein 360 Gold
2kg bag
A plant protein blend for anyone who avoids dairy, priced below most whey.
or compare all UK prices →Best dairy-free
Pros
- + 82g of protein per 100g
- + 54p per 25g of protein in the 2kg bag
Cons
- – Plant blends need a slightly bigger serving to match whey on essential amino acids
●Nutrition per scoop · 24.6g protein in 30g▼
Protein makes up 82%
of this 30g scoop · 109 kcal total
Which protein powder tastes best and still has plenty of protein?
The best-tasting powder that does not skimp on protein is Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey in Double Rich Chocolate: 24g of protein a scoop, and WheyWise's founder Kevin finds it tastes of real chocolate even with water, without being too thick. His own favourite drink overall is Protein Works Clear Protein 360 in Sour Cherry & Apple, a juice-style clear protein that leaves no aftertaste. His full taste test is in the best tasting protein powder in the UK.
Premium benchmark, best for taste
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein
907g bag
The most established whey in the UK, and still the one to beat on taste and consistency.
Buy Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein →See the price on AmazonPremium benchmark, best for taste
Pros
- + 24g of protein a scoop
- + Mixes cleanly with water in a shaker
Cons
- – £1.42 per 25g of protein in the 2.27kg tub, about twice our top pick
●Nutrition per scoop · 23.6g protein in 31g▼
Protein makes up 76%
of this 31g scoop · 114 kcal total
What's the best protein powder for women who want to tone up and recover?
For women who want to tone up, PhD Diet Whey is our pick: it is built for a calorie deficit, with 20g of protein for under 100 calories, and costs £1.21 per 25g of protein in the 1kg tub. Women do not need a different protein from men; what matters is plenty of protein for the calories, a flavour you will drink daily and enough protein across the day. Our best protein powder for women guide compares the options.
What's the best protein powder for the money with at least 20g of protein a scoop?
Protein Works Whey Protein 360 GOLD is the best value powder that clears 20g of protein a scoop, at 62p per 25g of protein in the 4.8kg bag on an OnTap subscription, or 55p with code WW12. The cheaper bags in this guide all fall just short: BLACK gives 18g per 30g scoop and Bulk Basic Whey about 17g.
| Powder | Protein per scoop | 20g or more? | Cheapest cost per 25g of protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein Works Whey Protein 360 GOLD | 20g (30g scoop) | Yes | 62p (4.8kg, £81.49 OnTap) |
| Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard | 24g | Yes | £1.23 (4.53kg, £170) |
| Protein Works Whey Protein 360 BLACK | 18g (30g scoop) | No | 60p (4.8kg, £68.49 OnTap) |
| Bulk Basic Whey | About 17g (30g) | No | 64p (2.5kg, £35.99) |
A bigger scoop of BLACK will get you to 20g, so the 2p per 25g saving is real but small. If you would rather have fewer scoops and less sugar, GOLD is the better buy.
When is a whey isolate worth paying more for?
An isolate is worth the extra money if regular whey bloats you or you want the most protein for the fewest calories, because isolates are filtered to remove most of the lactose and fat. For everyone else, a concentrate such as GOLD does the same job for less. Our best whey isolate guide ranks the isolates by cost per 25g of protein.
How WheyWise compares protein powders
We compare every powder on cost per 25g of protein: the pack price divided by the grams of protein in the pack, times 25. That puts a 600g pouch and a 4.8kg bag on the same footing and stops a cheap-looking tub with little protein in it from winning. Prices come from each retailer's own listing, and code prices are only ever shown next to the price without the code.
To see every powder ranked this way right now, use the protein powder comparison, and check today's protein deals before you pay. Shopping for a specific goal? We also cover the best protein powder for weight loss, the best protein powder for muscle gain and the best protein powder for over 50s.
More guides on choosing a protein powder
- Best Reviewed Protein Powder of 2026: Ranked by Real UK Buyers
- What Is the Best Tasting Protein Powder in the UK? My 2026 Taste Test
- Best Mixing Protein Powder UK 2026: Easy Dissolving Picks
- Best Chocolate Protein Powder UK 2026: Taste and Price Checked
- Best Vanilla Protein Powder UK 2026
- Best Unflavoured Protein Powder UK 2026: Prices Checked
- Best Protein Powder for Smoothies, Oats, Coffee and Baking UK
- Can You Bake With Protein Powder? 5 Recipes That Work
Frequently asked questions
What protein powder do personal trainers recommend for people starting strength training?
Trainers recommend different brands, so there is no single answer, but the guidance they work from is consistent. The International Society of Sports Nutrition puts most people who train at 1.4 to 2.0g of protein per kg of bodyweight a day, taken in doses of 20 to 40g. A plain whey covers one dose: Protein Works Whey Protein 360 GOLD gives 20g of protein a scoop at 67p per 25g of protein in the 2.4kg bag on an OnTap subscription.
What's the best protein powder for a busy professional who trains before work?
Pick one that mixes with water in a shaker so you can drink it on the way to work: Protein Works Whey Protein 360 GOLD at 67p per 25g of protein in the 2.4kg bag on an OnTap subscription. If a milky shake at 7am does not appeal, Protein Works Clear Diet Whey GOLD is a juice-style drink at £1.37 per 25g of protein in the 1kg bag. Before or after training both work, so take it whenever fits your morning.
Is Protein Works a good brand?
Its customer record is strong. On Trustpilot, 84% of Protein Works' 53,645 reviews are five-star and 4% are one-star. The brand is British and sells direct from theproteinworks.com, and its Whey Protein 360 GOLD lists 67g to 68g of protein per 100g.
Do I need protein powder at all?
No. Food can cover your protein, and the International Society of Sports Nutrition says so. Powder is the practical way to add 20 to 25g of protein for well under £1 when meals fall short.
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789 products compared from 182 brands
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