Cheap Protein Powder UK 2026: Cheapest Whey Picks & Prices
The cheapest UK protein powders in August 2026, ranked by cost per 25g of protein. Why Myprotein is no longer the budget answer, and the lesser-known brands that undercut it.
Kevin, founder of WheyWise
Quick answer
The cheapest whey in the UK is no longer a Myprotein or Bulk flagship. As of August 2026 the one to beat is NutriSport 90+: a 5kg bag at \u00a358.99 from London Supplements works out at about 39p per 25g of protein, from a British manufacturer that has been making protein since the 1980s. Myprotein Impact Whey now sits nearer 72p to \u00a31.04 for the same 25g depending on where you buy it, because raw whey has gone from under $4 a pound in 2023 to around $11. If you want a name you recognise for not much more, Bulk's entry-level Basic Whey is around 46p and CNP Whey around 51p.
Cheap protein powder in the UK has changed. For years the answer was simply Myprotein or Bulk, buy the big bag, wait for a code. That answer has quietly stopped being true. Raw whey has gone from under $4 a pound in 2023 to roughly $11, and the big direct-to-consumer brands have passed it through. Myprotein Impact Whey, the powder that defined cheap UK protein, is now one of the pricier things per gram that we track.
This guide is a rebuild rather than a refresh. Every price below was checked against the retailer on 3 August 2026, and every cost per 25g of protein is calculated from the protein content on the label, not the bag weight. For the always-current version, the cheapest protein powder ranking re-sorts every time a price moves.
Cheapest protein powder by type (August 2026)
Cost per 25g of protein is the only fair way to compare a 76% powder in a 5kg sack against a 68% powder in a 1kg tub. Here is where each category actually starts today.
| Protein type | Cheapest picks we would actually buy | From / 25g protein | Live prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whey concentrate | NutriSport 90+, Bulk Basic Whey, CNP Whey | ~39p | Compare |
| Whey isolate | Naughty Boy ISO-9, Applied Nutrition Critical Whey | ~67p | Compare |
| Vegan | Protein Works Vegan Protein 360, Applied Nutrition Critical Plant | ~37p | Compare |
| Clear whey | Applied Nutrition Clear Whey, Protein Dynamix Clear Isolate | ~£1.05 | Compare |
Prices checked 3 August 2026. Cost per 25g of protein is derived from the retailer price and the declared protein per 100g. Clear whey is genuinely expensive right now, so treat anything under £1 per 25g in that category as a sale worth taking.
Why Myprotein is no longer the cheap answer
This is the biggest change since the last version of this guide, so it is worth being blunt. Buying the 4.5kg bag of Impact Whey direct from Myprotein currently works out at about £1.04 per 25g of protein. The best third-party price on a 2.5kg tub, around £51, still only gets you to roughly 72p. Neither is a bad product and neither is a scandal, but neither is cheap.
Impact Whey is still worth buying during an Impact Week code, and the flavour range is unmatched. But if you land on it by default because it is the brand you have heard of, you are now paying a recognition premium. The mechanics are covered in more detail in why Myprotein is so expensive and why UK whey prices are rising.
The three cheapest whey concentrates worth buying
There are cheaper listings than these three. There are not cheaper listings we would put our name to, because below this point you run into brands with no independent review history and, in a couple of cases, open accusations of padding the protein figure with cheap amino acids. These three all pair a low cost per gram with a real trail of customer reviews.
NutriSport 90+, the cheapest one we would actually drink
NutriSport has been manufacturing in the UK since the 1980s and is close to invisible in modern supplement marketing, which is a large part of why it is cheap. The 90+ is a whey isolate and micellar casein blend at 76g protein per 100g. At £58.99 for 5kg it lands at about 39p per 25g of protein, and the 2.5kg at £35.99 is about 47p. It carries 4.45 out of 5 from 846 verified reviews at London Supplements.
The honest caveat: taste and texture are the weak points. Reviewers consistently describe it as acceptable rather than enjoyable. This is a powder that spends its budget on protein rather than flavour engineering, which is the right trade if price per gram is what you came for.
Cheapest per gram
NutriSport Nutri Sport 90+ Protein 2.5kg
2.5kg bag
NutriSport 90+ is the cheapest UK whey we would actually recommend: a 76g-per-100g isolate and casein blend at roughly 39p per 25g of protein in the 5kg bag, backed by 846 verified reviews. It spends its budget on protein rather than flavour, so expect a plain shake.
Buy Nutri Sport 90+ Protein 2.5kg →See the price on AmazonCheapest per gram
Pros
- + 76g protein per 100g, whey isolate and micellar casein blend
- + Cheapest credible cost per gram in the UK, about 39p per 25g in the 5kg
- + 4.45/5 from 846 verified reviews at London Supplements
- + UK manufacturer running since the 1980s, no marketing premium
Cons
- – Taste and texture are plain, reviewers call it acceptable not enjoyable
- – Little brand presence, so fewer flavour options than the big names
- – Best price needs the 5kg bag from a discount stockist
●Nutrition per scoop · 27g protein in 30g▼
Protein makes up 90%
of this 30g scoop · 113 kcal total
NXT Nutrition Pure Whey Deluxe, the one that tastes like a premium powder
NXT is better known for its beef protein isolate, which is a shame, because Pure Whey Deluxe is one of the better budget whey blends in the UK. It is a tri-source formula of isolate, concentrate and hydrolysed whey at 80.7g protein per 100g, 22.5g in a 30g scoop. At £40.95 for 2.1kg from NI Supplements that is about 60p per 25g of protein.
It is not the cheapest here, but it is the one people finish. Of 49 reviews at NI Supplements, 78% are five star, with taste and mixability the two things named most often. A bag you enjoy at 60p beats a bag you abandon at 39p.
Best budget taste
NXT Nutrition NXT Pure Whey Deluxe 2.1kg + Free Gift
2.1kg bag
NXT Pure Whey Deluxe is the best-tasting powder near the bottom of the UK market: a tri-source blend at 80.7g protein per 100g for about 60p per 25g, with 78% five-star reviews praising taste and mixability. The one budget whey people actually finish.
Buy NXT Pure Whey Deluxe 2.1kg + Free Gift →See the price on AmazonBest budget taste
Pros
- + 80.7g protein per 100g, one of the highest in the budget tier
- + Tri-source blend of isolate, concentrate and hydrolysed whey
- + 78% five-star from 49 reviews, taste and mixability named most often
- + 22.5g protein per 30g scoop with only about 2g carbs
Cons
- – Around 60p per 25g, dearer than the cheapest options
- – Sold mainly through independent stockists, so stock varies
- – Smaller review base than the mainstream brands
●Nutrition per scoop · 24.2g protein in 30g▼
Protein makes up 81%
of this 30g scoop · 122 kcal total
Bulk Basic Whey, the cheap line hiding behind the famous one
Almost everyone who buys Bulk buys Pure Whey. Basic Whey is the entry tier, 72g protein per 100g, and at around £32.99 for 2.5kg it comes in near 46p per 25g of protein. That is roughly a third cheaper per gram than Pure Whey, which sits nearer 69p even at its best current price. The formula is plainer and the flavour list is shorter, but it is the same manufacturer and the same quality controls.
Best known brand
Bulk Basic Whey Protein
1.25kg bag
Bulk Basic Whey is the entry tier most Bulk buyers walk past: 72g protein per 100g at around 46p per 25g, roughly a third cheaper per gram than Pure Whey from the same manufacturer. The budget pick if you want a name you recognise.
or compare all UK prices →Best known brand
Bulk Basic Whey Protein
1.25kg bagPros
- + Around 46p per 25g, roughly a third cheaper per gram than Bulk Pure Whey
- + 72g protein per 100g from the same manufacturer and quality controls
- + Big-brand returns policy and customer service
- + 2.5kg bag is the value sweet spot
Cons
- – Shorter flavour list than Pure Whey
- – Plainer formula with no Informed Sport testing on this tier
- – Best prices are on marketplace listings rather than direct
●Nutrition per scoop · 21.6g protein in 30g▼
Protein makes up 72%
of this 30g scoop · 112 kcal total
Cheap brands most people have never heard of
Below the marketing budgets sits a tier of British manufacturers selling perfectly good whey to people who already know the brand from their gym. These are the ones worth a look, all in stock and priced within the last week.
- CNP Professional - founded by British bodybuilding champion Kerry Kayes, manufacturing in Manchester since 1998. CNP Whey is 71g protein per 100g, and a 2kg tub at around £28.99 is roughly 51p per 25g. Reviewers repeatedly single out that it is smooth rather than grainy. There is a full CNP price comparison if you want the whole range.
- Trained by JP - better known in coaching circles than on supermarket shelves. Performance Protein is 70g per 100g and a 2kg tub sits near 62p per 25g.
- XL Nutrition - a long-running British budget brand. XTRA Whey is 70g per 100g, 2kg around 62p per 25g.
- Sci-MX - a genuinely old UK name most lifters over thirty will recognise. Ultra Whey is 74g per 100g and lands near 76p per 25g, with a full Sci-MX range comparison on site.
Best British budget brand
CNP Professional CNP Whey 2kg Banana
2kg bag
CNP Whey is a proper British budget brand: made in Manchester since 1998, 71g protein per 100g, and about 51p per 25g in the 2kg tub. Reviewers single out how smooth it mixes, which is not a given at this price.
Buy CNP Whey 2kg Banana →Search Amazon for this productBest British budget brand
Pros
- + Manufactured in Manchester since 1998, founded by Kerry Kayes
- + 71g protein per 100g at roughly 51p per 25g in the 2kg tub
- + Reviewers consistently describe it as smooth rather than grainy
- + Fortified with AstraGin and added essential amino acids
Cons
- – Protein density is mid-range for the price
- – Direct-from-brand pricing is well above the stockist price
- – Some reported slow customer service responses
●Nutrition per scoop · 21.3g protein in 30g▼
Protein makes up 71%
of this 30g scoop · 115 kcal total
Protein Works and Bulk: the big names that still make sense
If you would rather buy from a brand with a customer service department and a returns policy, these two survive a value check.
Protein Works holds 4.7 out of 5 on Trustpilot from more than 46,000 reviews, the strongest review profile of any brand in this article. Whey Protein 360 GOLD is a phased-release blend at 20g protein per 30g scoop, and the 4.8kg tub works out around 96p per 25g. That is not budget territory, but it buys a genuinely well-liked powder: 87% of its 432 reviews are five star. Their vegan line is the better value story, covered below.
Best reviewed
Protein Works Whey Protein 360 - GOLD Innovation
2.4kg bag
Protein Works Whey Protein 360 GOLD is the best-reviewed powder in this comparison, 4.7/5 on Trustpilot across 46,000+ reviews, with a phased-release blend and digestive enzymes. At roughly 96p per 25g it is a taste-and-trust buy rather than a budget one.
or compare all UK prices →Best reviewed
Pros
- + 4.7/5 on Trustpilot from over 46,000 reviews, the strongest record here
- + 87% of its 432 product reviews are five star
- + Phased-release blend with added digestive enzymes
- + 20g protein in a 110-calorie 30g scoop
Cons
- – About 96p per 25g, so mid-range rather than budget
- – 68g protein per 100g is lower than the cheaper isolate blends
- – Sale pricing swings a lot, so timing matters
●Nutrition per scoop · 20.4g protein in 30g▼
Protein makes up 68%
of this 30g scoop · 113 kcal total
Bulk is covered above with Basic Whey. Worth knowing: Bulk runs several major sale events a year, and Pure Whey during one of those gets close to Basic Whey's everyday price while adding Informed Sport batch testing. If you are not in a rush, waiting for a Bulk sale is a legitimate strategy. The Bulk range comparison tracks the whole line.
Cheap whey isolate
Isolate gives you 85-92g protein per 100g with less fat and lactose, and it has been hit harder by the whey price rise than concentrate has. Realistically the cheap end now starts around 67p per 25g.
Naughty Boy ISO-9 is the best of the cheap isolates we track, at 90g protein per 100g and roughly 67p per 25g for the 2010g tub. Applied Nutrition Critical Whey is a blend rather than a pure isolate at 72g per 100g, but it is Informed Sport tested on selected flavours, which is rare at this price. Browse the cheapest whey isolate prices for today's figures, and read whey isolate vs concentrate if you are unsure the premium is worth paying at all.
Budget vegan protein
Vegan protein is the one category where prices have held up well, because pea and soy isolate have not tracked the dairy market. It is now routinely cheaper per gram than whey.
Protein Works Vegan Protein 360 GOLD is the standout: 82g protein per 100g in a 2kg pouch that regularly sits near 30p to 37p per 25g, which makes it cheaper per gram of protein than almost every whey in this article. Applied Nutrition Critical Plant is a soya, pea and brown rice blend at around 80g per 100g and roughly 52p per 25g. Both beat single-source pea isolates on amino acid profile.
Cheapest per gram overall
Protein Works Vegan Protein 360 - GOLD Innovation
2kg bag
Protein Works Vegan Protein 360 GOLD is the cheapest protein per gram we track, whey included: 82g protein per 100g at roughly 30-37p per 25g. A multi-source plant blend, so a better amino profile than single-source pea isolate.
or compare all UK prices →Cheapest per gram overall
Pros
- + 82g protein per 100g, higher than most whey concentrates
- + Around 30-37p per 25g, cheaper per gram than almost any whey
- + Multi-source plant blend, better amino profile than single-source pea
- + Backed by Protein Works' 4.7/5 Trustpilot record
Cons
- – Plant protein texture is grainier than whey
- – Price swings with Protein Works' frequent sale cycles
- – Flavour range narrower than the whey line
●Nutrition per scoop · 24.6g protein in 30g▼
Protein makes up 82%
of this 30g scoop · 109 kcal total
Compare the rest on the vegan protein price comparison.
Clear whey on a budget
Clear whey remains the worst value category in UK protein and the gap has widened. Nothing we track is genuinely cheap: the floor is around £1.05 per 25g of protein, roughly double a decent concentrate, and plenty of clear whey sits nearer £2. You are paying for the format, not the protein.
If you want it anyway, Applied Nutrition Clear Whey is the most consistently affordable, and Protein Dynamix Clear Protein Isolate is worth a look at 84g protein per 100g. Check the cheapest clear whey protein before buying, because the spread between the cheapest and dearest is enormous.
Five ways to pay less for protein powder
- Compare per 25g of protein, not per bag - a £59 sack can be half the price per gram of a £35 tub. The cheapest protein powder ranking does this calculation for you on every product we track.
- Buy from the discount stockists, not the brand - this is the biggest change in 2026. London Supplements, NI Supplements and Discount Supplements routinely undercut a brand's own site by 30-40% on the same product. NutriSport's own RRP for a 5kg bag is £113.76; London Supplements sell it at £58.99.
- Buy bigger bags - 2.5kg and 5kg still cut 15-30% off the per-serving cost versus 1kg. Just check the best-before date if you are buying 5kg and drinking one shake a day.
- Use discount codes - check the protein powder deals and discount codes page before you check out. Stacking a code on an already-discounted stockist price is the fastest saving available.
- Look past the brands you have heard of - marketing spend is baked into the shelf price. The four brands in the section above all cost less per gram than Myprotein, and alternatives to Myprotein has more.
What to avoid when buying cheap protein
The bottom of this market has real traps in it. These are the four worth knowing.
- Protein under 60g per 100g - you are buying maltodextrin and flavouring at protein prices. Several diet whey products that look cheap per kilo fail badly once you convert to cost per 25g of protein.
- Amino spiking - cheap free-form aminos such as glycine, taurine and leucine registering on a nitrogen test so the label can claim a higher protein figure than the whey alone supports. If the ingredients list names added single amino acids high up, be suspicious.
- Brands with no reviews outside their own retailer - a genuinely cheap powder from an established manufacturer is a bargain. A cheaper one from a brand with no independent trail is a gamble on something you have to drink daily for two months.
- Proprietary blends - if the label will not tell you how much of each protein source is in a scoop, assume the cheapest source dominates.
Cheap protein powder FAQs
What is the cheapest protein powder in the UK?
As of August 2026, NutriSport 90+ whey is the cheapest credible option we track: a 5kg bag at £58.99 from London Supplements is about 39p per 25g of protein, and the 2.5kg at £35.99 is about 47p. It is 76g protein per 100g and made in the UK. Cheaper listings exist but usually come from brands with little independent review history.
Is Myprotein still the cheapest protein powder?
No. Myprotein Impact Whey now costs roughly 72p per 25g of protein at the best third-party price and around £1.04 buying the 4.5kg direct. Raw whey has risen from under $4 a pound in 2023 to about $11, and Myprotein passed that through. It is still competitive during an Impact Week code, but it is no longer the default budget pick.
Is cheap whey protein worse quality?
Not necessarily, but the risk is higher at the bottom of the market. Cheap whey concentrate from an established UK manufacturer is typically 70-80g protein per 100g, the same core ingredient as pricier options. The genuine warning signs are protein under 60g per 100g, proprietary blends, and brands with no independent reviews at all.
Which cheap protein brands are actually reliable?
NutriSport (4.45 out of 5 from 846 reviews at London Supplements), NXT Nutrition Pure Whey Deluxe (78% five-star from 49 reviews at NI Supplements), CNP Professional (manufacturing in Manchester since 1998) and Protein Works (4.7 out of 5 on Trustpilot from over 46,000 reviews) all combine a low cost per gram with a real review history.
The bottom line
If you want the lowest cost per gram of protein in the UK right now and you do not mind a plain-tasting shake, buy NutriSport 90+ in the 5kg bag from a discount stockist. If you want something you will look forward to drinking, NXT Pure Whey Deluxe at around 60p is the best-reviewed powder near the bottom of the market. If you want a brand you recognise, Bulk Basic Whey at around 46p is the one to buy rather than Pure Whey.
What has not changed is the method. Rank on cost per 25g of protein, buy from the stockist rather than the brand, and ignore the name on the tub. The cheapest protein powder ranking does the first part automatically across 85+ UK retailers, and it updates every week.
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1,958 products compared across 85+ UK retailers
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