Protein powder can be an amazing supplement to your diet and to your fitness journey — a convenient, relatively cheap source of protein which can be used in all sorts of delicious foods like shakes, cookies, pancakes, and ice cream. Recently we made a detailed list of The Best Tasting Casein Protein Powders in 2023. But today a high-quality casein protein that tastes good can run you close to $2/scoop, which can start to make you question whether you really need protein powder or not. So today we’re going to present the best budget casein protein powders available today, with options ranging from good taste and decent price to passable taste and great price.
Over the last 20 years, I’ve tried most of the top protein powder brands in many different flavors. Coupled with public opinion from online reviews and social, I’ll give each of the powders a score from 0 to 10 based on how good they taste, along with their price per scoop, standardized to a serving containing 25g of protein. If you are also interested in whey protein, make sure to check out our list of The Best Budget Whey Protein Powders in 2023.
The 5 Best Budget-Friendly Casein Protein Powders, Ranked
5.
Kaged Muscle — Kasein (Chocolate Shake)
Taste: 7.2/10
Best deal at this moment:
Per scoop: $1.36
Per 25g protein: $1.36
Best flavors: Chocolate Shake
This casein powder is an all-around decent choice. For a whey protein, it would be mediocre at best, but for casein, it tastes pretty good and mixes well without much grittiness. The price of $1.36 per scoop may seem pretty high, but remember this is casein, not whey. Most of the big name brands are $1.50-2.00 per scoop, so this will save you some money while still tasting decent. Overall, this is a good choice if you’re looking for an affordable chocolate casein powder, but there are better options.
Try it out on Amazon today.
4.
PEScience Select
Taste: 8.5/10
Per scoop: $1.27
Per 25g protein: $1.32
Best Flavors: Snickerdoodle, Gourmet Vanilla, Chocolate Cupcake
Now, this protein isn’t pure casein, it’s about 50/50 between casein and whey. That being said, it tastes way better than any straight casein powder, and per scoop you’re still getting 12g of casein protein, so you still get some of the slow-digesting benefits while maintaining a great taste. Its thickness and delicious cookie flavor make it perfect for baking protein cookies, waffles, and other treats. If you don’t necessarily need a 100% casein protein powder, then a whey-casein blend like this might be the better option for you.
You can try it out on Amazon today.
3.
Bulk Supplements (Unflavored Only)
Taste: N/A, mixes well
Per scoop: $1.09
Per 25g protein: $1.09
This is my personal favorite for unflavored casein protein at $1.09 per 25g protein. Not only is it considerably cheaper than most casein protein powders on the market, but many people really prefer an unflavored casein powder to a flavored one. That way, you can avoid the issue of bad-tasting protein altogether and just add your own ingredients in to flavor your shakes. This is what I do now that my favorite casein protein has become so expensive, and rest assured that it doesn’t have any weird protein flavor — it is pretty flavorless.
Try it out on Amazon today.
2.
Six Star Casein Protein
Taste: 5/10
Per scoop: $0.61
Per 25g protein: $0.64
Best flavors: Triple Chocolate (only flavor)
Six Star is well known for being a cheap brand, and their casein protein is no exception. Does it taste good? No. Does it mix easily? No. Is it gritty? Yes. That said, it is by far the cheapest option on the market, which makes it a true budget option. My only tip if you go for this option would be to include other ingredients to make up for the poor taste. Also, the issue of texture and mixability can be avoided by blending, just FYI. It certainly wouldn’t be my choice of protein powder, but if you want to save a bit more and don’t mind the taste too much, it’s definitely worth considering.
Try it out on Amazon today.
1.
Nutricost Casein Protein
Taste: 7/10
Per scoop: $0.94
Per 25g protein: $0.98
Best Flavors: Vanilla
Nutricost puts a lot of emphasis on keeping their supplements affordable, and their casein protein is no exception. Of all the casein protein powders that I’ve tried, Nutricost has the best balance between affordability and taste. It’s not as cheap as Six Star, but the taste is a hell of a lot more bearable. At $0.94 per scoop with 24g casein protein, it is even cheaper than most whey protein nowadays. I would highly recommend this for anyone looking for a quality flavored casein powder and also is conscious about their food and supplement budget.
Try it out on Amazon today.
So, those are the top 5 budget-friendly casein protein powders based on my experience plus the hundreds of polls and online reviews I read through. Please leave a comment below and let me know if you agree or disagree with my selections, and let me know of any amazing protein powders that I missed!
— Mr. Bro