Best Protein Powders for 2020 – Fitness Savvy’s Top 7

With tons of options available in the market, picking the best protein powder might turn out to be slightly tricky. It’s difficult to produce a shortlist of the best protein powders and protein shakes around. After all, everyone has their own reasons for taking protein supplements, individual taste preferences, and personalised budget. Nevertheless, we think we’ve nailed it!

Introduction

First of all, you should ask yourself “what makes Fitness Savvy’s best protein powder guide special?”

The answer is simple:

We’ve considered scientific studies, macro profiles, nutritional info, and price, then thrown in some advice you won’t read anywhere else. For good measure, we’ve also quoted useful online reviews so you can see what other people think of the protein shakes in this list.

Not only do we highlight some of the best protein powders available, but we link to our comparison pages where you can watch videos, read reviews, and then compare prices from hundreds of retailers.

We trust you’ll agree that this makes Fitness Savvy’s guide the most useful one around.

A Quick Note on BCAA Content

BCAAs are a group of three essential amino acids: leucine, isoleucine and valine. They help to boost muscle growth and enhance exercise performance.

Some protein supplement packaging will state how many grams of BCAAs are in each serving. Other packets might say “contains naturally occurring BCAAs”.

You must remember this:

All whey, casein and plant-based protein shakes contain naturally occurring BCAAs.

Celebrity PT and personal trainer course expert Steele Williams suggests that if the packaging does not state how many grams the product contains, you can use this quick trick, assuming a 25-gram scoop of powder:

• whey protein: 5 – 6 grams
• casein protein: 4 – 5 grams
• soya protein: 4 grams
• other plant-based proteins: 3 – 4 grams

Fitness Savvy’s Top 7 for 2020

Now we’ve got that out of the way, here are our top 7 best protein powders for 2020.

Optimum Nutrition’s Gold Standard Whey is, hands down, the most popular protein shake there is. When it comes to whey protein, it sits on a throne and wears a crown, and looks down its super-ripped nose at the lower-level protein supplements as they fight to try and steal its glory.

For this reason, it commands a higher price than other supplements.

Taste

The main reason ON Gold Standard Whey is so popular is because of the taste. Simple. Let’s be honest, if it tasted like crap, it would never have grown so much in popularity – no matter how good the marketing was. It mixes easily (though we find a little thin), so for this reason, we add less water than the instructions recommend.

As usual, we have sifted through the online reviews so you don’t have to. Here is what people had to say about Gold Standard Whey:

This protein powder is the best I have had in a long time, before I had Bulk Powders and I have to say the quality difference was evident from the ver first use. This is easily mixed dissolving completely in water and milk and the taste is great not being too sweet or bitter. What else can I say? It’s great!

If you like bananas, you should probably get the banana flavoured one, yeah?

First time I have used this and it taste great but I don’t know why I didn’t go for the banana flavour, I like bananas

One reviewer provided some very valuable advice to save us all some time:

Make sure you thoroughly check the bottle for the scoop before you reach for the ‘contact us’ button as it is there, buried deep, just give it a shake.

Flavours

• Banana Cream
• Caramel Toffee Fudge
• Chocolate Mint
• Chocolate Peanut Butter
• Cookies and Cream
• Double Rich Chocolate
• Rocky Road, Strawberry
• Vanilla Creme
• Vanilla Ice Cream

Nutrition

Each 29-gram protein shake contains:

• 120 calories
• 24 grams of protein
• 3 grams of carbs
• 1 gram of fat
• 194 mg of sodium

Dietary

Overview

The main ingredient in Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey is whey protein isolate. This is the fastest acting protein around. To find out more about the different types of whey protein, check out our whey protein buying guide.

Gold Standard Whey is not cheap. Although the guys at Optimum Nutrition were kind enough to include some cool protein shake recipes on the back of the packaging (a nice little extra), we don’t feel it justifies the price.

Compare Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey Prices

Balancing macro profile and taste can be tricky when looking for a decent vegan protein powder. Enter Wyldsson’s Nutritional Vegan Protein.

With so many people looking for plant-based alternatives, this vegan protein comes in at a great price point, with decent flavours and a great macro profile.

Overall, this vegan protein supplement scored 4.4out of 5.

Taste

Here’s what people had to say about Wyldsson Nutritional Vegan Protein online:

Isn’t sickly sweet, artificial-tasting, or gritty

A pleasant chocolate taste that’s not too sweet – when you see the natural wholesome ingredients it makes it even better

Best vegan protein on the market!

Flavours

• Chocolate
• Vanilla

Nutrition

Each 35-gram protein shake contains:

• 128 calories
• 20 grams of protein
• 5.2 grams of carbs
• 2.1 grams of fat
• 0.6g salt

Dietary

Overview

When looking at the ingredients list, it’s hard to find something to dislike!

Compare Wyldsson Nutritional Vegan Protein Prices

Let’s cut to the chase: with so many protein shakes on the market, you’re going to want to know what makes Reflex One Stop Xtreme different. We looked online and discovered a total of 266 customer reviews. Overall, this all-in-one protein supplement scored 4.6 out of 5, making it the best protein powder for muscle growth.

Taste

You’ve guessed it. We’ve included some helpful reviews we found online:

This product not only tastes great but it also includes all you need for a great gym work out.

But don’t just take Danny’s word for it, here are some other opinions:

Definitely recommending this, only decent tasting water soluble protein shake that uses Steviol for sweetener that i could find at the time of ordering. Been using this for almost a year and its good

We’ll finish off with this short, but sweet summary:

Great product, great taste and does exactly what it says on the tin

Most of the unfavourable reviews ironically regard the taste – however – with the vast majority praising the flavours, we’re inclined to take this as a blip.

Flavours

• Chocolate
• Strawberry
• Vanilla

Nutrition

Each 39-gram protein shake contains:

• 55 grams of protein in each serving. The protein is blended from whey protein concentrate, milk protein and casein protein.
• Batch lab tested for protein content
• Organic, low GI carbs (organic oats and barley).
• Naturally occurring vitamins
• 3 grams of leucine
• 10.5 grams of BCAAs
• 5 grams of Creapure creatine monohydrate
• Beta-alanine
• 10 grams of glutamine
• Magnesium & zinc
• Stable probiotics and digestive enzymes

Dietary

Overview

All-in-one protein shakes are designed to pack all the ingredients needed to help improve training performance and recovery. Instead of buying separate products such as BCAAs and creatine, these supplements already contain suitable doses.

The list of ingredients for Reflex Nutrition’s One-Stop Extreme is – well – extreme! Maybe “exhaustive” is a better word, as you would probably need a recovery shake to revitalise after reading them and researching them all.

At the end of the day, if you’re looking for a protein powder that contains just about everything you’ve read about in fitness magazines – this is it.

Compare Reflex One Stop Xtreme Prices

Before discovering Bulk Powder’s awesome casein protein, we were big fans of PhD products. One great thing about this brand is that you’ll always find them on the shelves of your local supermarket. So, if you’re unable to buy some online, and you’ve just run out, you can always pop to Tesco or whatnot and grab some! We believe this particular product to be the best diet protein powder.

Taste

Of all the PhD protein shakes, Diet Whey is their most popular. It mixes to form a thick shake and tastes great. Some online reviews comment on how thick this particular product mixes, and understandably this could be viewed as a negative. However, the simple solution is to add more water.

Here’s what the awesome people who take time out of their busy days to write unpaid reviews thought:

Taste is wonderful, reminds me of melted chocolate icecream. No weird after taste at all. I am not big fan of protein powders, but this one is really tasty.

A seasoned veteran also left a helpful review, too:

I would definitely recommend this product. I have tried a few diet ones and this brings a ten from me

Other glowing reviews praise how it saved them from turning to the supplement-free dark side:

No word of a lie, this protein shake is what saved me from stopping taking these supplements

Regarding the small number of negative reviews on Amazon, the main issues seem to relate to the packaging being open. This can sometimes happen, and we recommend returning the product if you do find something similar, no matter where you buy it from.

Flavours

• Belgian Chocolate
• Vanilla
• Banana
• Strawberry
• Chocolate Mint
• White Chocolate
• Chocolate Orange
• Raspberry
• Chocolate
• Cherry Bakewell

Nutrition

Each 25-gram protein shake contains:

• 91 calories
• 17 grams of protein
• 2.75 grams of carbs
• 1.4 grams of fat
• Macro ratio % (protein, carbs, fat) 74/12/14

Dietary

Overview

Perhaps one of the best things about this shake is the combination of scientifically researched weight-loss ingredients. It includes CLA, flaxseed, green tea and l-carnitine – all of which show promise in aiding weight loss.

As the name suggests, this protein powder is aimed at those looking to slim down. If you are already overweight, your protein requirements will be lower, so the macro profile of 74/12/14 reflects this.

However, if you are not new to training, you should opt for a supplement with a higher protein percentage. In conclusion, this is a great protein supplement for those who are new to exercise and looking to slim down without sacrificing taste and texture.

Compare PhD Diet Whey 2kg Price

Whenever you find a compilation of best protein powders, whey protein nearly always tops the list. Whey protein is fast-acting, and for this reason, it is the preferred supplement to take post-workout.

Some hardcore gym-goers invest in whey protein to take after their workout and casein (a slower-release protein) for bedtime.

But if you could only choose one, which should it be?

Studies comparing both whey and casein protein, post-workout, found little difference in their effect on protein synthesis. Other studies also show casein protein to be beneficial when re-comping. For this reason, we give casein the upper hand and the number one spot on our list.

Taste

So, how does Bulk Powders Micellar Casein stack up? Well, when it comes to taste, this is certainly one of our favourite protein shakes. We’ve tried the chocolate and vanilla, and both taste awesome. While we’ve not tried the strawberry, we’re sure it will hold its own against the others.

As we said before, flavour is subjective. However, just to give you the complete picture, we have included comments other reviewers have left online.

Delicious! I look forward to a shake (I use milk, not water) a few times every week.

One reviewer stated that they started mixing with almond milk for a better experience:

I figured it goes better with almond milk. I feels less thick and doesn’t stick in the corners of the mouth when with almond milk. It also goes fine with greek yogurts and porridges.

Interestingly, this wasn’t the only review suggesting to mix with almond milk. Others had the same idea:

Nice flavour mixed with milk or almond milk.I think the protein is having a small effect and I’m not so achy when  I wake up in the morning after taking this.

Regarding negative reviews, one user was unhappy about something they found inside:

Not happy I found piece of plastic inside

Someone did pipe up to suggest that might have been the scoop! Another review we found was very detailed, insightful and descriptive:

yuck

We doubt the authenticity of this review because they neglected to use an exclamation mark. Anyone who genuinely thought this was “yuck” (to the point they deemed it necessary to write a one-word review on Amazon) would undoubtedly use an exclamation mark to firmly make their point, we’re sure you’d agree!

Flavours

• Chocolate
• Vanilla
• Strawberry

Nutrition

Each 30-gram protein shake contains:

• 108 calories
• 27 grams of protein
• 0.4 grams of carbs
• 0.4 grams of fat
• 0.092g salt

Dietary

Overview

This protein is great for those looking to cut down, re-comp, or lean bulk.

However, if you’re looking for a supplement with a ton of calories to add mass, this is not for you! Check out our item at number 4 for that.

Bulk Powders Micellar Casein is a fine protein supplement to take at any time of day. With only 0.4 grams of carbs and 0.4 grams of fat, it has a great macro ratio, if protein percentage is your main concern. We also find this powder mixes well to form a thick shake and is rather filling, unlike other whey supplements which can mix quite “thin” and taste watery.

This product makes it to our number one spot based on macro profile, the way it can be used, overall online reviews and our own experience. Fitness Savvy founder, Robin Young, used this exact product while he conducted his body re-composition experiment, where he added 8.4lb of muscle while losing 6.2lb of fat.

A 4kg bag can be picked up for as little as £45-50, also making this the cheapest protein powder on our list. This can be done by using a Bulk Powders discount codes on the Bulk Powders site, or purchasing on Amazon while on offer.

Compare Bulk Powders Casein Prices

If you’re looking to add mass, but finding it hard to get enough calories, you should probably consider investing in a weight gain protein shake, commonly referred to as a “mass gainer.” Possibly the best all-round gainer you will find is Hench Nutrition’s Hi-Calorie Mass Gainer.

These are great for those who find it difficult to eat enough food to put on weight. If you’re looking to slim down, this is not for you – especially considering it has 1,000 calories per serving!

Taste

The strawberry flavour gets a lot of love on Amazon, with many reviewers commenting on how the taste of other mass gainers put them off. We’ve skimmed the reviews so you don’t have to. Here are some of the comments regarding taste:

The strawberry flavour is gorgeous, I could drink it all day!

As with other protein powders like PhD Diet Whey, some users found it to be a little too thick. However, common sense prevailed!

If you make it according to the spec on the box it turns out to be extremely thick and it makes you literally wanna throw up.. The best solution I’ve found is to obv reduce the amount of cups of powder I add and add some water to thin it out.. – I’m very happy with this purchase and going to re-order another tub!

89% of the whopping 426 people reviewing this product gave it 4 or 5 out of 5 stars. Unfortunately, this score might be skewed by the fact that some people don’t understand how the scoring system works! Check out this 1-star review and judge for yourself:

Purchased this as decided to do bodybuilding, I got the strawberry flavour one. I just have one shake a day as it is 1000 cal. Very easy to drink i make mine in a blender for ease well done people at Hench

Flavours

• Banana
• Butterscotch
• Chocolate
• Strawberry
• Vanilla

Nutrition

Each 160-gram protein shake contains:

• 1,000 calories
• 55 grams of protein
• 130 grams of carbs
• 29 grams of fat
• Macro ratio % (protein, carbs, fat) 22/52/26

Dietary

Overview

Other mass gainers on the market fall into the “all-in-one” category. This means they contain added vitamins and minerals and are effectively a meal replacement. However, Hench Nutrition Hi-Calorie Mass Gainer does not contain these added extras.

This could be good or bad, depending on how you look at it. For what it is – a product whose purpose is to help you add mass – it does just that. However, we would recommend ensuring that you consume other important vitamins and minerals, primarily through your diet in the way of fruit & vegetables, and then maybe via a multi-vitamin supplement.

Based on taste, the sheer volume of calories, and the price, Hench Nutrition take the crown of best gainer for 2020. If you want to check out more options, head on over to our mass gainers page to find more products to compare.

Compare Hench Nutrition Hi-Calorie Mass Gainer Prices

Hench Nutrition, as we mentioned is only available through Amazon. Another great option (with better availability) is Serious Mass from supplement kings, Optimum Nutrition. While we haven’t prepared a detailed review on this page, you can still head over to the Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass product page to read up on this awesome mass gainer supplement, or simply compare prices below.

Compare Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass Prices

Pro JYM is a user-friendly protein blend that works in just about any situation. It’s a fan favourite with a wide range of highly-rated flavours.

We chose Pro JYM as the best protein powder because it’s made from high-quality ingredients and it’s versatile. If you only want to buy one protein, this is it. The formula contains science-backed levels of solid ingredients with full transparency, meaning the amount of each ingredient is listed on the label.

Taste

We haven’t tried this actual brand at Fitness Savvy (but will certainly be getting a tub in), however, here is what reviewers had to say about the taste:

The flavour is great. No lumps in shake. Highly recommend Jym over any brand.

I have tried every flavour, it’s very good!

One of the best proteins I have ever tried. the taste is amazing

Flavours

• Vanilla
• Mint Chocolate-Chip
• Banana
• Caramel
• Red Velvet Cake
• White Chocolate Raspberry

Nutrition

Each 40-gram protein shake contains:

• 150 calories
• 24 grams of protein
• 7 grams of carbs
• 3 grams of fat
• 210 mg sodium

Dietary

Overview

Pro JYM is a blend of whey, casein, and egg protein. A blend is good for two reasons: It provides fast- and slow-digesting proteins, so it boosts muscle protein synthesis for a long period while still providing quick protein after a workout. Second, it means you can just use one protein supplement for all your needs instead of having to buy a whey isolate for post-workout, casein for before bed, and so on.

This protein supplement gets 10/10 reviews for the quality, versatility (you can use it any time of day), and great flavours. Pro JYM has a rich, satisfying texture, although some customers find this makes it harder to mix in a shaker bottle. If that’s an issue, whipping it up in a blender will make a smooth, creamy shake.

Compare Pro JYM Protein Prices

Final Words

So, there you have it. We’ve picked seven of the best protein powders for 2020, which will help you attain that perfect body. If you found this useful, just hit the share buttons to let others know about Fitness Savvy!