Every product we rank is scored on four things you can check yourself: what the protein actually costs, whether its testing is on a public record, how much of each calorie is protein, and how clearly the label tells you what is inside. This page explains exactly how each score is calculated, so you can reproduce any number on the site.
We do not score taste, mixability, digestive tolerance or how well a product suits your health. Those depend on you. Nothing on this site is medical advice. Read our health disclaimer.
The four measures
Each measure is first scored out of 25. The four are then weighted and added together for a total out of 100.
| Measure | What it asks | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Can you verify it? | Is the product’s testing on a public record kept by someone other than the brand? | 30% |
| Protein for your dollar | What does 30 grams of actual protein cost? | 25% |
| Protein efficiency | How many grams of protein come with every 100 calories? | 25% |
| How clear is the label? | Does the panel tell you how much of each ingredient is inside, and keep sugar and extras low? | 20% |
Verification carries the most weight because it is the one thing a shopper cannot see on the shelf. Price, calories and ingredients are printed on the tub. Whether an independent program has actually checked the product is not.
What the score bands mean
| Score | Band | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 75 and above | Top Tier | Strong across verification, value, protein efficiency and label clarity. |
| 55 to 74 | Recommended | Performs well in most areas; may suit a specific priority. |
| 40 to 54 | Fair | Has strengths, but higher-scoring alternatives exist in the same comparison. |
| Below 40 | Not Recommended | Trails the field under this model. |
A band describes how a product performed under this model. It does not mean a product is safe or unsafe, or right or wrong for you.
How each measure is calculated
Can you verify it? (30%)
| Points | What earns them |
|---|---|
| 25 | The product is listed by name in a third-party certification program’s public register, such as NSF Certified for Sport, Informed Sport or Informed Choice. |
| 18 | The brand publishes a product-specific laboratory report that names the product and the lot and shows the results. |
| 10 | The brand says the product is tested, but there is no public product-level record. |
| 0 | No qualifying public evidence was found. |
Certification listings can be flavor-specific, so a register entry only counts when it matches the exact product and flavor we scored. A lot-level laboratory report for a different flavor of the same product can earn the 18-point level, and when it does we say so on the product’s review. This measure tells you how much a buyer can check. It does not judge the quality of a laboratory, and it does not prove one product is safer than another.
Protein for your dollar (25%)
Tubs come in different sizes and scoops in different weights, so the price on the tub tells you very little. We convert every product to the cost of 30 grams of actual protein, roughly one scoop’s worth.
- Cost per gram of protein = price ÷ (servings × grams of protein per serving)
- Score = 25 × ($0.130 − cost per gram) ÷ $0.110, rounded to a whole number and kept between 0 and 25
- $0.020 per gram or less earns 25. $0.130 per gram or more earns 0.
Protein efficiency (25%)
This measures how much of what you are paying for, in calories, is protein. Protein has about four calories per gram, so 25 grams per 100 calories is close to the ceiling: nearly every calorie is protein.
- Score = 25 × (grams of protein per 100 calories − 8) ÷ 17, rounded to a whole number and kept between 0 and 25
- 25 grams per 100 calories or more earns 25. 8 grams or fewer earns 0.
How clear is the label? (20%)
Four yes-or-no checks, read straight off the printed panel:
| Points | Check |
|---|---|
| 10 | Every ingredient’s amount is shown. No blend hides its proportions. |
| 6 | Ten or fewer listed ingredients |
| 5 | 5 grams of added sugar or less per serving |
| 4 | No artificial colors |
Putting it together
Each measure’s score out of 25 is multiplied by its weight, and the four results are added. For example, a product scoring 13 for cost, 25 for verification, 20 for efficiency and 25 for the label earns 13 + 30 + 20 + 20 = 83. Every product review shows its own four figures so you can check the total.
The cut-off points on every scale are fixed in advance. They are not reset to the cheapest or most expensive product in a comparison, so a product’s score does not change just because another product is added or removed.
How products are chosen and checked
- The field. We compare recognizable products across budget and premium prices, different protein types and different evidence records. A comparison is a deliberately varied set, not a list of the best-selling products.
- What a product needs to be scored. A current listing for a specific flavor and size, a complete nutrition panel, and a readable ingredient list. Products missing any of these are left out rather than guessed at.
- One flavor, one size. Flavors in the same line can differ in calories, sweeteners and ingredients, so we score one documented flavor and size and show it beside the product. When an unflavored version has a complete record, we prefer it.
- Prices. Each price is tied to the exact flavor and size scored, and dated. Prices change, so check the store before you buy.
- When sources disagree. We use the record for the product we scored and note the disagreement on its review, rather than quietly choosing the more favorable figure.
What a commission does not change
Some links on this site earn us a commission. Products are scored before we look at whether they pay one, and a commission is never an input to any score. No brand pays for placement or sees a score before it is published. Read our affiliate disclosure.
If we get something wrong
If you find a figure that does not match a label or a public register, tell us using the email on our About page. We will check it, correct it if we are wrong, and note what changed.