Compiling a list of the best vegan protein powders used to be a lot easier. Plant-based options were few and far between. Now we’re spoiled for choice, and there’s no way even the most committed vegan athlete is going to chug their way through tubs of every brand’s offering. We asked the best protein powder brands to provide us with samples of their plant-based options and slurped our way through the lot to help you narrow down your options.
Vegan protein powders tend to use a variety of protein sources, with soy, pea, hemp and rice the most common. Often these sources are combined to create a complete protein—one that has all the essential amino acids. Soy is a complete protein, but if you've found soy doesn’t agree with you, a rice and pea pairing also forms a complete protein.
You don’t need to be particularly concerned about getting a complete protein, however—just aim to eat a range of good-quality proteins over the day. That’s the advice we got from Heather Russell, a dietitian at The Vegan Society, when we asked about vegan sources of protein. Russell also pointed out that it’s always better to get your protein from food, because food packs in more nutrients. “The only situation where I would suggest that someone uses a protein supplement is if they’ve tried their best to hit their protein target across the day but they’re struggling to do that,” says Russell.
If you need supplementation, take your pick from the best vegan protein powders we’ve tried.
The Best Vegan Protein Powders
To maximize your protein intake turn to this powder, which packs in a whopping 30g—as much as you could possibly need. The powder is made from peas, brown rice and pumpkin seeds, which combine to make a complete amino acid profile. One serving contains, at most, a minuscule 0.2g of sugar, and although the calories are slightly higher than in other brands we’ve tried, they’re not sky-high—and besides, if you are vegan those extra calories can come in handy.
When mixed with water, there are no lumps and the consistency is just right with no hint of graininess to the texture. There’s no earthy taste and I loved the quirkier flavors, especially tiramisu and banoffee.—Lucy Gornall
This is a fun twist on traditional protein powders, which tend to create a drink with a thick, smoothie-like consistency. Instead, Myvegan’s Clear Vegan Protein powder is mixed with water to make a juicy drink—a bit like squash or flavored water. There’s just 1g of sugar and a standard protein-to-serving-size ratio.
I found it highly refreshing after a workout, especially when mixed using ice-cold water. It’s low on the calorie front, contains added B vitamins and comes in a range of great flavors—my favorite is raspberry mojito. If you’re trying to resist the temptation of evening drinks after the gym, this might just slake that thirst.
The only downside is that it just doesn’t work in porridges, bakes or smoothies.—LG
If you’re looking for good value this is it, with the lowest price per serving while still hitting standard numbers for protein per serving. It also packs in a welcome 2g of fiber and while the 2.4g of fat is higher than elsewhere, it will make little difference to anyone who isn’t meticulously tracking their macros. It also has close to zero sugar and is low in carbs, so it works at any point throughout the day, from after a workout to afternoon snacking.
I did find the shake came out a little foamy when mixed with water, but it was still tasty and the flavors weren’t excessively sweet, even the vanilla maple.—LG
Even seasoned vegan protein shake drinkers might think earthy undertones are unavoidable with these plant-based shakes. Thankfully, Protein Works has put paid to this idea with its smooth, creamy and pleasant-tasting Vegan Wondershake.
I found the powder mixed easily to create an impressively thick shake, even when combined with chilled water. It left minimal residue behind when I poured it from my shaker into a glass, and the choc caramel biscuit flavor proved pleasant without being sickeningly sweet—something worth considering if you’re going to be knocking these back on a daily basis.
The “quadraplant” blend draws from four protein sources (pea, soy, brown rice and pumpkin) to deliver a clean 21g hit of protein per serving, as well as less than 100 calories and next to no fat or carbs.
It’s on the expensive side, but if you get the opportunity to pick this up at a discounted price then I recommend doing so.—Harry Bullmore
Maximuscle is one of the original protein supplement brands and its vegan protein powder is ideal for people who are after a quick post-workout protein hit. Plant Max has been created to taste great with water alone and it achieves that aim: I found that there were no lumps and the texture was smooth.
The flavor choice is still fairly limited, although the banana fudge offers something a little different. I usually find it’s safer to stick with basic flavors, but it did not disappoint.
Each serving contains a decent 20g dose of plant protein, using a mixture of pea protein isolate and brown rice protein. This powder also includes vitamin B12 and iron.—LG
This plant-based shake tastes incredible. It mixes well and the flavors really do hit that sweet spot—I particularly like the cocoa and jaffa orange.
Quantities of 26 micronutrients are present, including 100% of the Nutrient Reference Value (NRV) of B12, which is especially welcome because vegans are at risk of developing a B12 deficiency. There’s also a substantial 20g serving of protein, a prebiotic blend and slow-release carbs in the form of oats which deliver sustained energy and offer a healthy fiber hit.
There's a catch, which is that a recommended serving of this powder is 55g. That's almost double some of the other brands, and pushes up the calorie count, which is far higher than many competitors. After drinking it I felt full and didn’t think about eating for several hours.—LG
You’ll struggle to find a more milkshake-like vegan supplement than Orgain’s Organic Protein Powder. When mixed with water, it quickly gave a thick, creamy consistency that I thoroughly enjoyed.
The flavor was good too. Creamy chocolate fudge could easily have been overpoweringly sweet, but this shake managed to deliver a rich taste that felt like a treat without being sickly—just what I wanted after a hard workout.
I did find that, if I drank it slowly, some sediment could gather at the bottom of the shaker, but this was easy enough to remedy with a few flicks of the wrist. The larger (46g) serving sizes that probably contribute to the thicker texture also meant each tub only contained 20 servings.—HB
Historically, vegan protein powders haven’t always mixed particularly well, so I was pleasantly surprised to find the water-based mixture was silken in just a few shakes. It leaves minimal residue behind when poured into a glass (a relief when cleaning) and offers a healthy protein hit of 24g per 32g serving, combining pea and rice sources to create a complete amino acid profile for “muscle support and repair”.
However, one common plant-based protein powder problem it failed to shake was the grainy texture. Unlike Optimum Nutrition’s smooth, tasty chocolate whey, this consistency meant there could be no confusing this drink with a regular milkshake. The vanilla flavor was slightly underwhelming too, the taste was fine if a bit artificial. Overall, if you’re looking for a quick and easy way to help you hit your daily protein quota, this will do a good job. Just don’t expect to find yourself reaching for it when looking to satisfy your sweet tooth.—HB
Foodspring’s recently revamped recipes are a resounding success and the vanilla option is one of my new favorites. It’s not too sweet and mixes really well with water. It didn’t need too much shaking and the resulting drink was an ideal consistency.
The combination of pea, sunflower seed, hemp and chickpea results in a complete protein and there’s 20g-21g (depending on the flavor) of protein per 30g serving. The powder is enriched with vitamins B12 and B6, folic acid and biotin, as well as added calcium and zinc.—LG
Along with the 18g-20g of protein per scoop, you get a bunch of extras—so-called “superfoods” and other bits which may influence fat metabolism—but we’re more concerned with 100% of the daily NRV of B12. If you’re trying to keep carbs to a minimum, Musclemary might not be your best choice since it packs in 8.7g of the stuff.
The powder itself mixes great with water alone, there’s no chalkiness and the flavors are delicious.—LG
This protein powder meets the markers of the best vegan protein powders with around 20g of protein in a 30g serving, and keeps the calories low at close to 100. The butterscotch flavor tasted like a delicious dessert, although it comes dangerously close to being too sweet. If that sounds off-putting, try the peanut flavor, which is akin to peanut butter.—LG
