16 Store-Bought Protein Powders That Reviewers Swear Taste Great

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Whether you’re trying to make some gains or just need a little extra protein in your diet, protein powders are the way to go for many people. But with all of the brands and range of flavors available, it’s hard to know exactly where to start. It’s difficult to tell which ones will taste good based on packaging alone, and it’s an expensive gamble to make. Some taste like the flavor advertised, and others definitely don’t. They don’t mix well, can sometimes be gritty, and leave you with a weird aftertaste. In this article, we’re hoping to alleviate some of the stress of finding a flavor or brand that’s right for you. 

To decide which products to examine, we used both our own knowledge of brands and those that are listed as “best sellers” on the GNC website. After poring over reviews of some popular brands, we found some of the best-tasting protein powders. The following list contains best sellers and highly rated products, all in a variety of flavors and protein types. Whether you’re looking for something sweet, fruity, or vegan, this list does a great job of covering all bases. Now, nothing you buy will go to waste and expire on the shelf.

Ghost is a brand we’ve become very familiar with over the years. We see its iconic flavors and products in so many places like GNC, Target, and more. While its website doesn’t have product reviews, other third-party sellers do, which is where we did some digging. With all the flavors it offers, there were a few that stood out as having overwhelmingly positive product reviews. The first of which we noticed was its Nutter Butter flavor, a flavor made in collaboration with the iconic peanut butter cookie of the same name.

According to the reviews on the GNC website, the Nutter Butter flavor truly can’t be beat. On top of the delicious and decadent peanut butter flavor, the mix includes chunks of Nutter Butter pieces making it that much more enjoyable. Several reviewers mention that the taste is authentic to the sandwich cookie it’s based on and is amazing on its own or in recipes like protein pancakes or overnight oats. For the peanut butter lover, look no further than this protein powder.

Another one of Ghost’s collaborative flavors with rave reviews is Chips Ahoy. As lovers of chocolate chip cookies, we were excited to see so much positive feedback about this flavor. We have many fond childhood memories of trying to sneak Chips Ahoy cookies out of the package as quietly as possible and failing every single time. Some reviewers seem to find the flavor similarly nostalgic and liken the protein powder to dipping cookies in a glass of milk.

Similar to Ghost’s Nutter Butter flavor, Chips Ahoy also includes little pieces of chocolate chip cookie to enjoy in its protein powder. For anyone looking for tips on how to make a high-protein smoothie, the reviews lead us to believe that this is the flavor that would suit it best. Even for the reviewers who struggle to find a protein powder that they like, this seems to be a real winner.

Last of the Ghost protein flavors with overwhelmingly positive reviews is one of its collaborations with Cinnabon. Ghost has a standard cinnamon roll flavor, but the seasonal caramel pecan cinnamon roll seems to be quite popular. It seems like it’s well worth the wait, but you should be able to find it on Amazon if you’re feeling impatient. One review says that it’s one of the best flavors they’ve ever tried.

The reviews for this product discuss its sweet, decadent flavor with notes of caramel, toasted pecans, cinnamon, and icing. It’s definitely for those with a sweet tooth, but anyone looking for that kind of protein powder will surely be happy. Not only do users love this product on its own, but they also love it mixed in coffee or their favorite protein pancake recipes.

Not all protein powders are made the same, and Beam, also known as Be Amazing, proves just that. The brand offers a variety of flavors of its vegan protein powder. Rather than a whey-based protein powder that vegans should avoid, Beam uses pea protein. Not to mention, the protein powders are also gluten-free and contain no added sugar. 

A popular flavor appears to be brown sugar oatmeal, which is no wonder why it’s sold out so often. One of our favorite no-fuss breakfasts is a packet of brown sugar oatmeal, and according to the reviews, it tastes like just that. It’s described as sweet, not chalky, and perfect for mixing. Users seem to enjoy it on its own, with coffee, or added into oatmeal.

Like many protein powder brands, Beam partners with some other iconic names to make flavor combinations that are out of this world. Based on the reviews, Beam’s partnership with IHOP for its pancakes and syrup-flavored protein powder is well-liked. It offers two other pancake variations, blueberry and cinnamon, but its standard pancake flavor appears to be most popular.

In reading the reviews, the IHOP pancakes and syrup flavor smell and taste like the real thing. The texture is claimed to be smooth with no distinguishable aftertaste, making this plant protein a real winner. Unsurprisingly, users rave about the use of this powder to make protein pancakes that taste like digging your fork into your very own stack of fluffy pancakes with melted butter and pools of maple syrup. For anyone whose favorite meal of the day is breakfast, the reviews alone would have us running to purchase this before it sells out.

This is one of the few protein powders on this list that we’ve personally tried, so we can attest to how good it is. Unlike standard whey protein powders, this Mike and Ike collaboration is a clear whey isolate protein. When you mix it with water, the resulting beverage is a clear drink as opposed to a milky shake.

As the reviews state, this protein powder is both sweet and sour, making it taste just like your favorite watermelon candy. We like to add a splash of lemon juice to up the pucker factor, but it’s not needed. You can even freeze it to make a slush consistency for a post-workout treat or use it as an ingredient for a protein-packed watermelon aguas frescas. While the taste is amazing, the reviews do mention that it’s a little difficult to mix. As with every whey isolate protein powder we’ve tried, this seems standard. It’s not convenient, but the flavor payoff is more than worth it.

There’s nothing like an ice-cold, refreshing lemonade to cool down after a long, intense workout. Even better is when that lemonade is high in protein and helps refuel your body when you need it most. Like the Mike and Ike sour watermelon, this lemonade protein powder is also a clear whey isolate protein. These are our preferred types of protein powders to use during a workout because we find them far more refreshing than the standard shakes.

According to the reviews, this protein powder doesn’t taste far off from a real glass of lemonade. It’s not chalky and there’s no funky aftertaste, though the reviews do mention the issues with mixing it (much like other whey isolate proteins). But in terms of taste, it’s spot on. Reviewers who aren’t typically fans of the milky, shake-like protein powders swear by this and claim they’ve added it into their regular rotation. You can even add it to a simple lemonade recipe to increase the protein levels.

The PEScience cake pop flavor is described as yellow cake with vanilla icing, and the reviews seem to confirm this. One user review on the website talks about being impressed by the “sweet and slightly doughy flavor” of the cake pop protein powder, and finds it mixes into a smooth, creamy drink with both water and milk.

Other reviewers love the taste of the protein powder when incorporated with things like oatmeal or Greek yogurt. It’s not chalky and works well with most protein recipes and baked goods. Many reviewers do mention how sweet it is, which they like, but anyone without a sweet tooth may not be as big a fan. Although users seem to be huge fans of various PEScience flavors they’ve tried, cake pop is a clear winner.

With cake pop being the most popular vanilla-based flavor sold by PEScience, chocolate truffle is the most popular chocolate-based flavor. Though there are a few others to choose from, this one seems to be the most versatile. Reviews love the taste on its own, and when mixed with their favorite protein-rich recipes. One review states that they use it to make a protein hot chocolate drink, which sounds delectable during winter months.

When reading through the reviews, the overall consensus seems to be that, beyond this powder mixing easily, it isn’t powdery or gritty. It also works well when frozen into ice cream, as milkshakes, or in any baked protein treat. It’s also a great mix-in with breakfast items like yogurt and oatmeal, and it seems to taste better than the other chocolate flavors. Regardless of how you choose to consume it, the PEScience chocolate truffle protein powder sounds perfect for any chocolate lover.

Cinnamon is one of our all-time favorite spices, so we were excited to see so many positive reviews for the PEScience snickerdoodle flavor. It’s meant to taste like a buttery sugar cookie with a hint of cinnamon, and the reviews confirm that it does. It’s the only cinnamon-based flavor PEScience offers for its whey proteins, and we’re excited to read that it seems to have done it justice.

According to the reviews, PEScience sells the best-tasting protein powder supplements currently on the market. While that may be up for debate, the snickerdoodle flavor is clearly one of the most popular. Users love to use it in baking, mixed in oats, or on its own. In fact, many reviewers state that they are repeat buyers of this flavor. Even those who didn’t purchase it but received it as a free sample with their order are converts to this subtle cinnamon shake. We’ve never tried a cinnamon-based protein powder before, but this is one we’re certainly looking forward to.

The Ryse Skippy peanut butter collaboration is a fan favorite. Reviewers claim it smells and tastes exactly like a freshly opened jar of peanut butter, and tastes great on its own or combined with non-standard drinks like coffee. It’s also a pretty versatile flavor for recipes if you want to make anything with a strong peanut butter flavor.

In reading the reviews, the overall consensus is that the Ryse Skippy collab is one of the better tasting peanut butter protein powders on the market. It’s not chalky, it mixes well with water or milk, and it doesn’t have any strange aftertaste. It simply tastes like drinking peanut butter. One reviewer even described the taste as phenomenal, and if a peanut butter lover can’t get enough of it, then we know it must be good.

Our most-preferred milky protein shake flavor is strawberry, so we were excited to see this Ryse collaboration with Little Debbie to make strawberry shortcake roll protein-flavored protein powder. We rarely indulge in Little Debbie snack cakes these days, but we wouldn’t mind a protein powder that tastes exactly like them and reminds us of the snacks we got as a treat during childhood.

Looking through the reviews, strawberry shake fans will enjoy this protein powder. Amazon reviews for this Little Debbie flavor argue that it’s one of the best protein powders they’ve ever tasted. Ultimately, it sounds like a delicious and protein-filled alternative to eating the sugary snack cakes themselves.

We’re firm believers that anyone who thinks mint chocolate chip ice cream tastes like toothpaste has simply never actually tried it. It’s refreshing, it’s decadent, and it makes for a delicious and cool treat to enjoy any time of year. Thankfully, Ryse has a way you can indulge without worrying about how much sugar you’re consuming. Though it’s not a collaboration like the other flavors we covered here by Ryse, the mint chip ice cream flavor makes a name for itself.

Users love how it dissolves easily and say they’ve never had a protein powder quite as tasty. The mint chip ice cream flavor tastes exactly as it sounds, and when cold, it is indistinguishable from drinking some melted mint chocolate chip ice cream. Many users mention mixing it with Greek yogurt in their Ninja Creami to make their very own at-home, protein-rich mint chocolate chip ice cream that tastes just as good as a pint you could buy at the store.

Fruity cereal flavors like Froot Loops and Fruity Pebbles are a staple of childhood. Enjoying them as an adult is fun and filled with nostalgia, but the sugar content makes these more of a once-in-a-while treat. As much as we would love to eat either of these fruity cereals every single day, moderation is key. Thankfully, Optimum Nutrition offers a flavor of its protein powder that perfectly replicates this nostalgic treat.

Mixed with water or milk, reviewers claim this tastes just like the milk you would have leftover in a bowl of Fruity Pebbles. It’s not overly sweet and reminds users of their childhood. Some reviewers even enjoy using it in their favorite recipes, like ice cream, and adding fresh fruit to enhance the flavors. The reviews overwhelmingly recommend this flavor of Optimum Nutrition’s protein powder for anyone who yearns for a giant bowl of their favorite fruity cereals.

Whether your favorite desserts are fresas con crema or a plate of strawberry shortcake, strawberries and cream is an iconic flavor combination that needs no other introduction. Optimum Nutrition offers this flavor as a part of its line of whey protein powders, and users rave about it. The mixability is great, the macro nutrients are top tier, but the flavor is where this product really shines.

Reviewers state that the strawberries and cream protein powder isn’t chalky like other brands that they’ve tried, which is something a lot of people tend to look for when shopping for their supplements. Several reviews compare the taste to strawberry Nesquik, especially when mixed with milk or a dairy alternative. You could even try it with frozen strawberries to make a stronger strawberry-flavored milkshake that packs a punch. If you’re a lover of strawberry milk, this is a protein powder you need to get your hands on.

Chocolate-flavored protein powders are pretty common, regardless of what brand you’re looking at. However, it’s helpful to find the ones that stand out in a saturated market so you know you’re getting the best of the best. You want to find a chocolate protein that isn’t chalky, doesn’t taste too watered-down, and is as filling as it is delicious. Based on the reviews, Optimum Nutrition has perfected the chocolate protein with its double rich chocolate flavor.

Reviewers rave about the rich, chocolatey flavor and compare the taste to that of a chocolate smoothie or milkshake. They also love the versatility of the product as it can be used on its own as a shake, in coffee, or in lots of different protein recipes. One of the best parts is that it doesn’t have a gritty texture or leave behind a weird aftertaste. If you’re looking for the perfect, rich, indulgent chocolate protein powder, Optimum Nutrition’s double rich chocolate is where to find it.

A few factors came into play when deciding which protein powders we would examine. We started with those that we were particularly familiar with, like Myprotein and Ghost, and those we knew through word of mouth. We also went to the GNC website to see what products were considered “best sellers” among its listed protein powders.

Once we narrowed down what brands we were interested in looking at, we read through the first several pages of reviews to get a general overview of the most-reviewed flavors. There were a few instances where we found flavors that were mentioned frequently, but the overall consensus was negative, and therefore, those were not included. We wanted to make sure that of the reviews we read, we were able to find more than 10 that were positive and mentioned taste.