Best overall, dairy free
Protein Works
Vegan Soy Protein Black
1kg bag
Buy Vegan Soy Protein Black →Direct from Protein WorksGet 12% off your order
Back to Blogor buy on Amazon →See all UK alternatives in the live comparison table → 
or buy on Amazon →See all UK alternatives in the live comparison table →
Health & Ingredients
Dairy Free Protein Powder UK: Best Options for Lactose Intolerant Lifters
The best dairy-free protein powder in the UK is Protein Works Vegan Soy Protein BLACK. It has no milk, whey, casein or lactose, 84g of protein per 100g, and costs 36p per 25g of protein in the 4kg bag. If you avoid soya too, Protein Works Vegan Pea Protein BLACK is 39p.
KE
Kevin, founder of WheyWise
29 April 2026Updated 20 October 20268 min read
Dairy free and pea-based
Protein Works
Vegan Pea Protein Black
1kg bag
Buy Vegan Pea Protein Black →Direct from Protein WorksGet 12% off your order
Quick answer
If dairy upsets your stomach, the dairy-free protein to buy is Protein Works Vegan Soy Protein BLACK. It contains no milk, whey, casein or lactose, it has 84g of protein per 100g, and at 36p per 25g of protein in the 4kg bag it costs less than half as much as a typical whey isolate. Soy builds muscle as well as whey once you match your daily protein. If you avoid soya too, switch to a pea protein such as Protein Works Vegan Pea Protein BLACK at 39p, after checking the allergen box on its label.
Dairy free protein powder is any protein supplement that contains no milk-derived ingredients: no whey, no casein, no milk protein concentrate and no lactose. The main dairy-free options in the UK are soy protein isolate, pea protein, pea and rice blends, brown rice protein, hemp protein, egg white protein and beef protein isolate. Some people avoid dairy because of lactose intolerance, some because of a milk protein allergy, and some because whey simply does not agree with them.
This guide covers what dairy free means on a UK label, the difference between lactose free and dairy free (they are not the same), the best dairy-free protein sources, and which UK products are good value in 2026.
What does dairy free protein powder actually mean?
A dairy free protein powder contains zero milk-derived ingredients. That rules out whey concentrate, whey isolate, whey hydrolysate, casein, milk protein concentrate, and any blend that includes them. Milk is one of the 14 allergens that UK law requires to be highlighted in the ingredients list, so a quick scan of the bold ingredients tells you instantly.
The protein on a dairy-free product will be one of: soy protein isolate, pea protein isolate, brown rice protein, hemp protein, faba bean protein, sunflower or pumpkin seed protein, egg white protein or beef protein isolate. Many UK dairy-free powders combine two or more plant sources.
Dairy free is not the same as vegan. Egg white protein and beef protein isolate are both dairy free but not plant based. If you are switching for ethical reasons rather than digestive ones, look for a product labelled vegan rather than just dairy free.
Best overall, dairy free
Protein Works Vegan Soy Protein Black
1kg bag
The cheapest dairy-free protein from a mainstream brand we track, and soy is a complete protein that scores above whey on DIAAS.
or compare all UK prices →Best overall, dairy free
Pros
- + No milk, whey, casein or lactose
- + 84g of protein per 100g
- + 36p per 25g of protein in the 4kg bag at £47.99
Cons
- – Contains soya, one of the 14 allergens
- – Three flavours: Chocolate Silk, Vanilla Crème and Unflavoured
●Nutrition per scoop · 25.2g protein in 30g▼
Protein makes up 84%
of this 30g scoop · 110 kcal total
25.2g
Protein25.2g
Carbs1.5g
Fat0.4g
Other2.9g
Lactose free vs dairy free, what is the difference?
Lactose free and dairy free are not interchangeable, and mixing them up is the most common mistake UK buyers make.
Lactose free means the lactose sugar has been removed or broken down, but the milk proteins (whey and casein) remain. Whey isolate is naturally very low in lactose because filtration removes most of it, and some whey isolates are labelled lactose free, but they are still dairy.
Dairy free means no milk-derived ingredients at all. This is what you need if you have a milk protein allergy, follow a vegan diet, or react to milk protein itself rather than to lactose.
If your only issue is lactose and whey isolate sits well with you, an isolate gives you a dairy protein with very little lactose. Compare options on the UK whey isolate comparison. If you react to dairy itself, keep reading.
The best dairy free protein sources
Dairy-free protein in the UK splits into plant-based and animal-sourced.
Soy protein isolate. Most soy isolates we track carry 84g to 91g of protein per 100g, and soy is a complete protein on its own: it scores 91 on DIAAS, above whey at 85. Soy is one of the 14 UK allergens, so some people avoid it, but it is usually the cheapest dairy-free option per 25g of protein.
Pea protein isolate. About 76g to 86g of protein per 100g. High in lysine, lower in methionine and cysteine, which is why it scores 70 on DIAAS. It is the foundation of most UK vegan blends and tastes fairly neutral.
Brown rice protein. About 80g to 84g of protein per 100g, higher in methionine but low in lysine. It pairs well with pea, and on its own scores 47 on DIAAS.
Hemp protein. About 50g of protein per 100g, with more fibre and fat than the isolates. Earthy in taste, and usually a secondary source in blends.
Egg white protein. Animal-sourced but dairy free, with a complete amino acid profile. Harder to find in the UK and dearer than soy or pea. See what is egg white protein.
Beef protein isolate. No lactose and no milk, but niche and expensive. Worth considering mainly if you avoid both dairy and plant proteins. See what is beef protein isolate.
Best dairy free protein powders in the UK
Protein Works Vegan Soy Protein BLACK is the best dairy-free protein for most people, at 36p per 25g of protein. The table compares it with the dairy-free picks most UK buyers consider.
| Product | Protein source | Protein per 100g | Per 25g of protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein Works Vegan Soy Protein BLACK, 4kg | Soy | 84g | 36p |
| Protein Works Vegan Pea Protein BLACK, 4kg | Pea | 76g | 39p |
| Myprotein Impact Pea Protein, 2.5kg | Pea | 76g | 44p |
| Bulk Vegan Protein Powder, 2.5kg (Amazon UK) | Pea, soya, pumpkin seed, quinoa, flaxseed | 69g | 67p |
Prices from theproteinworks.com, myprotein.com and Amazon UK, 11 to 20 October 2026.
If you avoid soya as well as dairy, choose a pea protein and check the allergen box on the label. Soya must be highlighted in the ingredients like milk, so it is quick to spot. Note that Bulk Vegan Protein Powder contains soya alongside pea, pumpkin seed protein, quinoa flour and flaxseed, so it is not a soy-free choice.
Dairy free and pea-based
Protein Works Vegan Pea Protein Black
1kg bag
The cheapest pea-based dairy-free protein we track from a mainstream brand, for people who want to avoid both milk and soy.
or compare all UK prices →Dairy free and pea-based
Pros
- + 39p per 25g of protein in the 4kg bag at £47.99
- + 76g of protein per 100g
- + A single plant source, which makes the label easy to check
Cons
- – Pea scores 70 on DIAAS, so use a slightly bigger scoop than you would of soy or whey
●Nutrition per scoop · 22.8g protein in 30g▼
Protein makes up 76%
of this 30g scoop · 116 kcal total
22.8g
Protein22.8g
Carbs2.4g
Fat1.7g
Other3.1g
For more picks, including blends chosen for taste, see the best vegan protein powder UK guide, or sort every vegan powder we track on the vegan protein comparison.
Can dairy free protein build muscle as well as whey?
Yes, if you choose soy or a decent blend and match your daily protein. A 2025 meta-analysis in Nutrition Reviews pooled 30 randomised trials and found a small advantage to animal protein for muscle mass overall, but effectively none when the plant protein was soy, and no difference for strength across 14 trials. In a 2020 trial by Lynch and colleagues, 26g of soy matched the leucine in 19g of whey, and gains in lean mass over 12 weeks did not differ significantly.
Single-source pea or rice is where you give something away, because they score lower on protein quality. If you use one, increase the scoop by about a third. For the full evidence, see vegan protein vs whey.
Bottom line: A soy protein, or a pea and rice blend, builds muscle about as well as whey once you hit your daily protein target. Total daily protein matters far more than the source.
How to find the cheapest dairy free protein in the UK
The cheapest dairy-free protein is rarely the bag with the lowest sticker price. Plant proteins range from about 50g to 90g of protein per 100g, so always compare on cost per 25g of protein. Three things lower the price in practice:
Choose soy if it suits you. In our checks soy was about 9% cheaper per gram of protein than pea from the same brand: 36p against 39p at Protein Works, and 40p against 44p in Myprotein's big bags.
Buy bigger bags once you know you like it. The big bag was 8% to 14% cheaper per gram of protein than the 1kg bag across the products we checked, with Protein Works Vegan Soy Protein BLACK at 36p in 4kg against 42p in 1kg.
Use a code where one exists. Code WW12 takes 12% off at Protein Works, which brings Vegan Soy Protein BLACK to 31p per 25g of protein in the 4kg bag.
You can sort every dairy-free powder we track by cost per 25g of protein on the vegan comparison page and the plant-based comparison page. For supermarket options, see the UK supermarket protein guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is vegan protein or whey isolate better for a lactose-intolerant lifter trying to bulk?
Vegan protein, unless whey isolate already agrees with you. Whey isolate is filtered to remove most of the lactose, so many people with lactose intolerance get on with it, but it is still a milk product. For a bulk, where you are buying a lot of shakes, soy is also far cheaper: Protein Works Vegan Soy Protein BLACK costs 36p per 25g of protein in the 4kg bag, against £1.38 for Myprotein Impact Whey Isolate in the 2.7kg bag. Whey's one edge is leucine, so use a slightly bigger scoop of soy, about 26g for every 19g of whey.
Is whey isolate dairy free?
No. Whey isolate is made from milk, so it is a dairy product even though its lactose content is very low. If you have a milk protein allergy or follow a strict dairy-free diet, choose soy, pea, rice, hemp, egg white or beef protein instead. If your only issue is lactose, a whey isolate may still work for you.
What is the best dairy free protein powder in the UK?
Protein Works Vegan Soy Protein BLACK, at 36p per 25g of protein in the 4kg bag with 84g of protein per 100g. If you avoid soya as well as dairy, choose a pea protein such as Protein Works Vegan Pea Protein BLACK, at 39p per 25g of protein in the same size, and check the allergen box on the label.
Is pea protein dairy free?
Yes. Pea protein isolate is extracted from yellow split peas and contains no milk, lactose or other animal ingredient. It suits vegan, dairy-free and lactose-free diets.
Can I find dairy free protein in UK supermarkets?
Only a small range. Supermarkets carry few vegan or dairy-free protein powders, and specialist brands sell far more choice online, usually for less per gram of protein. Our UK supermarket protein guide covers what the big supermarkets stock.
Related reading
Health & Ingredients
Why Does My Protein Bar Taste Artificial? Ingredients to Avoid
Protein bars taste artificial mostly because of what replaces the sugar: polyols such as maltitol, usually paired with an intense sweetener such as sucralose. Polyols are also the usual reason bars cause wind and bloating. The Myprotein Layered Bar in Hotel Chocolat Salted Caramel has no maltitol and no intense sweetener.
8 min readHealth & Ingredients
When to Eat a Protein Bar: Around Training, Snacks and Long Days
A protein bar works before training, after it or as a snack if it fills a real gap in your protein. Timing matters less than total daily protein, which the ISSN puts at 1.4 to 2.0g per kg of body weight for people who train. This guide covers each use, from training to long days.
6 min readHealth & Ingredients
Can You Eat Protein Bars Every Day? How Many and What to Watch
One protein bar a day is a reasonable habit for most gym-goers if the rest of the diet is mainly whole food. The sweetener decides how a bar sits, because polyols such as maltitol can cause wind and loose stools in larger amounts. Here is how many bars make sense and what the UK warning means.
7 min readFind your cheapest protein
783 products compared from 181 brands
Sorted by best value per 25g of protein.
Compare all products