If you’ve been training in the gym for any length of time now.
You’ve probably started to think about adding in some supplements to help you gain that extra edge.
But with so many brands, flavours, types and instagram influencers trying to sell you their ‘special blend’.
It can quickly become overwhelming and have you thinking:
“Which protein powder in Australia is actually the best? And how do I go about choosing one?”
With that in mind…
The top 10 protein powders in Australia are:
- Cyborg Sport Grass Fed WPI
- Switch Nutrition WPI
- International Protein Amino charged WPI
- Max’s Pro Series Whey Isolates 1.82kg
- Next Generation Hydro ISO WPI
- Body Science Athlete Standard Whey Protein – This product is blend of WPI/WPC
- Balance Nutrition WPI (NZ Made)
- Horleys Elite ICE WPI (NZ Made)
- Venom Protein WPI
- Bulk Nutrients WPI
We compare the best protein products Australia has to offer to give you our overview on what are the best protein supplements on the market, so you can make sure you pick the perfect product for your journey.
Today, we’re going to be discussing why they’ve made the list.
As well as what you should consider when picking a protein powder.
Let’s dive in.
Open Table of Contents
Best Protein Powders Australia – Comparison Table
| Features | Price Per Kilo | Protein Per Serve | Serves Per Kilo | Calories Per Serve |
| Cyborg Sport WPI | $69.50 | 25g | 34 | 106cals |
| Switch Nutrition WPI | $79.95 | 25.5g | 30 | 111cals |
| International Protein Amino Charged WPI | $63 | 35.3g | 25 | 152cals |
| Max’s Pro Series Whey Isolates | $60 | 23.3g | 33 | 110cals |
| Next Generation Hydro ISO WPI | $88.31 | 24g | 36 | 111cals |
| Body Science Athlete Standard Whey Protein | $55.50 | 26g | 30 | 133cals |
| Balance Nutrition WPI | $109.95 | 24.0g | 35 | 105cals |
| Horleys Elite ICE WPI | $79.95 | 26.4g | 33 | 76cals |
| Venom Protein WPI | $45 | 27g | 33 | 112cals |
| Bulk Nutrients WPI | $43 | 25.6g | 33 | 115cals |
What Makes a Great Protein Powder?
Recently, my brother and his fiancé have been trying to find a new rental place to live.
They’ve been scouring the realestate.com app, ready to pounce on any new listings that come onto the market.
There’s a lot to consider, like price, location, apartment vs. house – just to name a few.
However, they always feel like there’s never the perfect place.
And unless they spend more than they’re comfortable with, they end up compromising on something.
Trying to find a protein powder can sometimes feel similar.
(Yeh I know the analogy is a stretch, but try to go with me here).
There are so many different things to consider when choosing protein powder, it can sometimes feel overwhelming.
WPI vs WPC, flavours, brands, grass fed vs. not, price – you name it
Furthermore, if you’re pretty set on NOT spending a heap of money.
You can often find yourself compromising on something, whether that be taste, quality, protein content, etc.
So today, we’re going to first discuss the most important considerations when it comes to choosing one.
We hope that this can help you to think critically about what type of protein is best for your situation.
These considerations include:
- Protein Per serve / Type of Powder
- Amino Acid Profile
- Flavour
- Any digestive enzymes added?
- Any Artificial colours or flavours?
- Calories per Serve
- Price Per Serve
We’ve listed them in order of importance (for most people), however, depending on who you are, the order may differ.
For example, if you have an extremely strict budget, price per serve may need to be at the top.
Let’s break them down in more detail:
Protein Per Serve / Type of Powder
When you’re buying protein powder, you want protein yeh?
Unfortunately, not all protein powders are made equal, with many of them being filled with non-protein left-overs.
To cut a long story short, protein powder is derived from either milk or if you’re going a vegan option, plants (typically peas).
The manufacturers separate the proteins from the carbohydrates/fats, leaving with you a powder that’s highly concentrated with protein.
However, depending on the type of protein, this process is either more or less effective.
This is where we can make our first categorisation between different protein powders:
- Whey Protein Concentrate
- Whey Protein Isolate
- Whey Protein Hydrolyzed
- Plant Based Protein Powders
- Others
Whey Protein Concentrate
Whey protein concentrate (WPC) is usually the cheapest type of protein powder and typically contains the least amount of protein per serve/weight and most difficult to digest.
Prices in Australia start at around $30.00 per kilogram.
A typical serve could contain something like 2.8g total carbs, 1,9g fat, 22.3g protein, and 119 calories.
Because WPC has a higher concentration of substances other than protein, it is less easily digested than it’s more expensive counterparts that we’ll discuss next.
In saying this, WPC is still an excellent choice and this is not to say that you would have any problems digesting it.
Whey Protein Isolate
Whey protein isolate (WPI) is the next level up, usually about $5-10 more expensive than WPC of the same brand per kilogram. WPI has a higher concentration of protein powder per serve.
Prices in Australia start at around $40.00 per kilogram.
A typical serve could contain something like 1.3g carbs, 0.5g of fat and 25.6g of protein and 115 calories.
Whey Protein Hydrolyzed
Whey protein hydrolyzed (WPH) is the most concentrated form of protein powder, containing the least amount of carbs, fats and overall calories.
If you have issues eating dairy, WPH is also a great option as the proteins are already broken down into their amino acid protein, making them easier to digest.
Prices in Australia start at around $50.00 per kilogram.
A typical serve could contain something like 0.8g of carbs, 0.2g of fat, 21.7g of protein and 94 calories.
Plant Based Protein Powders
If you’re vegan, a plant based protein powder could be your first port of call when it comes to selecting a protein powder.
Furthermore, many people also find that plant based proteins are better on their tummy, being easier to digest.
There are many different types of plant based protein powders, including:
- Beans.
- Broccoli.
- Chickpeas.
- Greens.
- Lentils.
- Nut Butter.
- Nuts and Seeds.
- Peas
Prices in Australia typically start at around $30.00 – $40.00 per kilo, depending on which type you go for.
A typical serve could contain something like 1.3g of carbs, 2.4g of fat, 23.4g of protein and 123 calories.
Amino acid profile
Amino acids are like the little lego blocks which make up the larger molecular structure we call protein.
There are 20 different amino acids in protein, with different concentrations of each depending on the food we’re eating.
One of these proteins – leucine – is primarily responsible for the repair of muscle tissue.
As a result, we want to make sure that there is a relatively high amount of leucine in the protein powder we opt for.
You should be looking for your protein to be made up of 10% of Leucine, making roughly 3.0g per serve the benchmark.
The human body requires roughly 3.0g of Leucine per day, however if you’re looking to actively build muscle and/or increase athletic performance a study by Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition in June 2017 found that athletes need 700 – 3,000 milligrams (up to 3 grams) of leucine every 3 to 4 hours throughout the day which is several times the recommended daily intake.
Flavours
I’ve personally found that most people start by testing different flavours in a brand they like.
Then sticking with 1-2 that they enjoy.
More often than not, this is usually chocolate or vanilla.
But it entirely depends on the brand you choose and the flavour of theirs you enjoy.
Artificial colours and flavours
Have you ever opened a brand-new tub of protein and found it smelt like a science experiment not that ‘Cookie and Cream’ flavour you had in mind? That’s the artificial flavours, colours and sweeteners added in, often found in cheaper proteins to cut costs.
People with sensitive stomachs will find that artificial colours and flavours can lead to mild allergic reactions, digestive issues and not to mention the chemical like taste of the protein.
You will often find sweetener 955, Sucralose which is 600x sweeter than sugar, along with sweetener 950 which is 200x sweeter than sugar.
Sweeteners like these don’t break down in the body overly well and don’t agree with everyone’s tummy.
To avoid artificial sweeteners, Stevia has become a very popular substitute, this is found in protein powders like Switch Nutrition WPI.
Any digestive enzymes added
Protein powder – especially milk based ones – are often a little hard to digest as they are dairy based.
If you’re someone who can’t handle much more than a few slices of cheese.
You might find you need to opt for a protein powder that’s easier on the tummy.
Notably, one that comes with digestive enzymes added.
Calories per serve
This category is very closely linked to protein per serve.
In general, the higher the quality of protein powder, the lower the calories per serve.
You want to avoid the extra carbs and fats that come along with your protein powder.
Price per serve
Again, this category is very closely linked to protein per serve.
You want to opt for powders that have the lowest price per serve.
Whilst still maintaining a high concentration of protein per serve.
Is Protein Powder Necessary?
Protein powder is called a supplement for a reason.
It should ‘supplement’ an already well-balanced, nutritious eating plan.
If you’re trying to gain muscle, you should be aiming to hit at least 0.6 to 0.8 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight.
For a 170lbs (77kg) gym goer, this equates to between 102 and 136 grams of protein per day.
If you’re trying to preserve muscle while dieting, we recommend you should be aiming to hit at least 1.0 to 1.2 grams of protein per pound of body weight.
For a 170lbs (77kg) gym goer, this equates to between 170 and 204 grams of protein per day.
For most of us, trying to hit this without supplementation can be difficult without supplementation.
Especially if you’re a vegetarian or vegan.
As a result, protein powder can become a great way to help you hit this high protein target.
How Much Should I Spend on Protein Powder?
How much you spend on protein powder is like asking:
“How much should I spend on a house?”
It really depends on what your budget is and how important this aspect of your life is to you.
In general, you should spend around $30.00 – $60.00 per kilogram on protein powder in Australia. If you’re having about two serves per day, this could mean you’re going through about 1kg every fortnight, costing you $15.00 – $30.00 per week.
I personally look more towards the $30.00 end as I just want the basics and don’t have a tummy that requires higher quality powder.
However, I know gym goers who take their training very seriously and want the highest quality, spending more towards the $55.00 – $60.00 end of things.
10 Best Protein Powders Australia
In addition to the comparison table above, we spoke with founder of Supp7 Braden Goodes, an Australian based supplement company.
To get his take on each of these best protein powders in Australia.
Here we are:
Cyborg Sport Grass Fed WPI – Cyborg Sport – Grass Fed WPI Protein Powder | Supp7
Best For…
People looking to build lean muscle without added calories.
Why We Like It…
Cyborg Sport WPI is a Grass Fed protein powder, with the idea being happy cows, higher quality protein. It’s gum and thickener free making it easy to digest. It also comes in a large range of flavours.
Why We Don’t…
The price of Cyborg Sport WPI at $139 for a 2kg tub is quite expensive, this may be due to sourcing grass fed WPI.
The Details:
- 25g protein per serve
- 3.0g Leucine, 2g Isoleucine
- Sweeter 950 is naturally occurring, 955 is an artificial sugar substitute that’s not broken down by the body making it noncaloric
- Nil digestive enzymes added
- Not hydrolysed
- Gum and thickener free
- 106 calories per serve
- $139 for 2kg tub – $2.10 per serve
- Flavours – Chocolate Shake, Choc-Honeycomb, Vanilla Ice Cream, Caramel Sundae, Cookies and Cream, White Choc-Raspberry and Strawberry-Banana Smoothie
Switch Nutrition – WPI 95 – 100% Natural Hydrolysed Whey Protein Isolate + Digezyme
Best For…
Switch Nutrition WPI 95 is for people looking for a high-quality protein and often have troubles with digestion.
Why We Like It…
Switch Nutition WPI doesn’t cut any corners, with no artificial colours or flavours, added digestive enzymes and hydrolysed protein the days of a bloated stomach after consuming a protein shake are history.
Why We Don’t…
The only downside to wanting the ‘best’ of everything comes with price at $79.95kg.
The Details:
- Protein per serve – 25.5g
- Amino acid profile – Leucine 2.91g, IsoLeucine 1.89g
- Artificial colours and flavours – Natural Thickeners and sweetened with Stevia
- Any digestive enzymes added – Digezyme
- Hydrolysed protein – Partially broken down into its amino acid profile to make it easier to digest.
- Calories per serve – 111cals
- Price per serve – $79.95kg – $2.66 per serve
- Flavours – Unflavoured, vanilla Crème, Chocolate Milk, Peanut Brittle
International Protein Amino Charged WPI
Best For…
Amino Charged WPI is best for trainers/athletes looking to build lean muscle
Why We Like It…
We like Amino Charged WPI as it has such a high content of amino acid’s per serve and is a hydrolysed protein for absorption and digestion.
Why We Don’t…
Amino Charged WPI has added glutamine and arginine however the contents are one tenth of the daily recommended intake we wouldn’t consider them enough to completely replace a glutamine supplement.
The Details:
- Protein per serve – 35.3g protein per serve
- Amino acid profile – 640mg Glutamine (not a glutamine supplement as it’s recommended to take over 5g a day to assist in muscle building)
- Added Arginine for absorption – .36g (I wouldn’t say that’s a significant amount when a recommended dosage is 3g)
- 3.6g Leucine and 2.5g Isoleucine
- Artificial colours and flavours – no Artificial colours, sweetened with artificial sweetener Sucralose.
- Emulsifier Soy Lecithin which comes from soy but often other harsh chemical additives, can cause stomach upsets.
- Any digestive enzymes added – Nil
- Hydrolysed protein – Partially broken down into its amino acid profile to make it easier to digest.
- Calories per serve – 152cal
- Price per serve – 3kg $189 – $2.52 per serve
- Flavours – Chocolate, Vanilla, Banana, Cookies and Cream, Strawberry, Chocolate Raspberry, Caramel Popcorn
Max’s Pro Series Whey Isolate
Best For…
Max’s Pro Series Whey Isolates is best for people looking for a protein that also incorporates their daily glutamine supplement.
Why We Like It…
Max’s Pro Series Whey Isolates includes 4.5g of Glutamine per serve. Glutamine helps prevent muscle breakdown and promotes muscle growth as well as enhancing the immune system.
It’s also hydrolyzed for fast, easy digestion and is reasonably priced at $1.49 per serve.
Why We Don’t…
Some disadvantages to this protein are that it only contains 23.3g of protein per serve where I feel 25g+ should be a benchmark and only comes in two flavours Vanilla or Chocolate.
The Details:
- Protein per serve – 23.3g protein
- Amino acid profile – 2.2g leucine, 1.7g isoleucine, 4.5g Glutamine
- Artificial colours and flavours -Vegetable gum 412, Emulsifier Soy Lecithin, sweeteners 955, 950.
- Any digestive enzymes added – nil
- Hydrolysed protein for easier digestion
- Calories per serve – 110cals
- Price per serve $89.95 for 1.82kg – $1.49 per serve
- Flavours – Vanilla, Chocolate
Next Generation – Hydro-ISO WPI Protein Powder
Best For…
Hydro-Iso is best for people looking for a fast-absorbing Hydrolysed protein.
Why We Like It…
We like Hydro-Iso as it’s a pure protein without any fillers or gums and is hydrolysed to 16% making it easy to digest and absorb.
Why We Don’t…
The biggest disadvantage to Hydro-Iso is the price, coming in at $2.47 per serve and only comes in three flavours Chocolate, Vanilla and Iced Coffee.
The Details:
- Protein per serve – 24g per serve, hydrolysed to 16%
- Amino acid profile – 2.5g Leucine, 1.58g isoleucine
- Artificial colours and flavours – simply states ‘flavour’ and Sucralose.
- 2.5% instant coffee in the iced coffee flavour
- Any digestive enzymes added – nil
- Hydrolysed protein – Partially broken down into its amino acid profile to make it easier to digest.
- Calories per serve – 111
- Price per serve 3kg bag – $264.95 – $2.47 per serve
- Flavours – Chocolate, vanilla, iced coffee
Body Science Athlete Standard Whey Protein (WPI/WPC Blend)
Best For…
Body Science Athlete Standard Whey protein is best for people looking for a combination of fast and slow absorbing proteins to sustain them longer.
Why We Like It…
We like Athlete Standard Whey Protein as it contains high Leucine content of 3.27g of Leucine to 26g of Protein with added digestive enzymes.
Why We Don’t…
The only real downside to Athlete Standard Whey Protein is the fact is that it’s a blend of Whey Protein Isolate and Whey Protein Concentrate, for some this is a bonus for others they’re looking for that low fat, calories and protein purity that comes only with Isolate.
It also only comes in two flavours Chocolate and Vanilla.
The Details:
- Protein per serve – 26g
- Amino acid profile – Leucine – 3270mg, IsoLeucine 1900mg
- Artificial colours and flavours – Lecithin, Natural Flavour, sweetened with Steviol (Stevia)
- Any digestive enzymes added – Advanced Digestive Complex with Lactospore® Probiotic, Orafti® Prebiotic & DigeZyme® Digestive Enzymes
- Calories per serve – 133cal
- Price per serve – $149.95 2.27kg (81 serves) – $1.85 per serves
- Flavours – Chocolate, Vanilla
VPA (Venom) Whey Protein Isolate
Best For…
VPA Whey Protein Isolate is for people looking to build lean muscle and try multiple flavours whilst keeping costs low.
Why We Like It…
We like VPA Whey Protein Isolate as it’s an extremely cost-effective product at $1.36 per serve and offers a vast array of flavours.
Why We Don’t…
Some disadvantages to VPA Whey Protein Isolate include the colouring in some of the flavours and that it doesn’t include any digestive enzymes.
The Details:
- Protein per serve – 27g
- Amino acid profile – Leucine 3.1g, Isoleucine 1.9g
- Artificial colours and flavours – Flavoured with Cocoa, Sucralose and natural colours*, Soy Lecithin
- Any digestive enzymes added – Nil
- Calories per serve – 112cals
- Price per serve – $45kg – 33 serves a kilo – $1.36 per serve
- Flavours – Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry, Banana, Natural, Iced Coffee, Rainbow Ice Cream, Salted Caramel, Choc Banana, Choc Caramel, Choc Paradise, Choc Mint, Rich Mocha, Choc Coconut
Bulk Nutrients Whey Protein Isolate – WPI Powder Australia
Best For…
Bulk Nutrients Whey Protein Isolate is best for the everyday gym goer looking for a cost-effective whey protein isolate.
Why We Like It…
We like Bulk Nutrients WPI as it’s also extremely cost effective at $1.30 per serve with an extremely high Leucine to protein ratio containing 3.5g per 25.6g of protein.
Why We Don’t…
Some disadvantages to Bulk Nutrients is the flavouring of the product, I know quite a few people don’t love the taste of their proteins and it doesn’t include any digestive enzymes.
The Details:
- Protein per serve – 25.6g
- Amino acid profile – Isoleucine 1.54g, Leucine 3.5g per serve
- Artificial colours and flavours – Simply states ‘flavours’ (Doesn’t give specifics) and Sucralose
- Any digestive enzymes added – Nil
- Calories per serve – 115cals
- Price per serve $43kg – 33 serves – $1.30 serve
- Flavours – Chocolate, Vanilla, Banana, Choc Honeycomb, Choc Peanut, Cookies and Cream, Iced Coffee, Peppermint Slice, Raw, Salted Caramel, Strawberry, Vanilla Maple
Horleys Elite ICE WPI Protein Powder
Best For…
Horleys Elite ICE WPI is best for an athlete looking for a low-calorie, high BCAA protein
Why We Like It…
We like Horleys Elite Ice WPI as it contains 7.4g of BCAA per serve and is only 76 calories. The Leucine to protein ratio is 4g of Leucine for 26.4g of protein which is extremely high.
Why We Don’t…
Some disadvantages to Horleys Elite Ice is the thickeners, anticaking agents and emulsifiers that may cause stomach upsets for sensitive stomachs. It also only comes in three flavours Chocolate, Vanilla and salted caramel.
The Details:
- Protein per serve – 26.4g
- Amino acid profile – 624mg L-Glutamine, 839mg L-arginine, 4g Leucine, 1.8g Isoleucine (total BCAA’s – 7.4g)
- Artificial colours and flavours – Emulsifier 322 (soy Lecithin), thickener 455, anticaking agent 551, sweetener 955
- Any digestive enzymes added – nil
- Calories per serve – 76calories per serve
- Price per serve – $174.95 for 2.5kg – $2.10 per serve
- Flavours – Chocolate, Vanilla, Salted Caramel
Balance Nutrition WPI Protein Powder
Best For…
Balance Nutrition WPI is best for those looking for a New Zealand made protein with added digestive enzymes
Why We Like It…
We like Balance Nutrition WPI as it has the added digestive enzymes Bromelain and papain and is naturally sweetened.
Why We Don’t…
Some disadvantages to Balance Nutrition WPI is the price at $109.95 per kilo and only coming in two flavours Chocolate and Vanilla.
The Details:
- Protein per serve – 24g
- Amino acid profile – 2.8g Leucine, 1.4g Isoleucine, arginine 0.6g
- Artificial colours and flavours – Naturally sweetened with Thaumatin, Steviol Glycosides
- Emulsifier soy lecithin
- Any digestive enzymes added – Bromelain, papain
- Calories per serve – 105calories
- Price per serve – $109.95g – $3.14 per serve
- Flavours – Chocolate and Vanilla
