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 Vegan Protein Powders in 2023. But today a high-quality vegan protein that tastes good can run you over $2 per serving of 25g of protein, 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 vegan protein powders available on the market, going through a couple different protein sources, as well as some flavored and some unflavored options.
The Top 6 Best Budget Vegan Protein Powders, Ranked
6.
Naked Pea Protein (Chocolate)
Per scoop: $0.96
Per 25g protein: $0.96
Taste: 7/10
Naked Pea is a simple pea protein with just 3 ingredients: pea protein, coconut sugar, and cacao. This makes it a very nice option for those who don’t want a lot of additives and fillers in their protein powder. It can be a bit difficult to mix, but the taste is not bad, having a pretty strong cacao flavor. At $0.96 per 25g of protein, this is much more affordable than most of the leading vegan protein powders, and is a solid choice overall.
Try it out on Amazon today.
5.
Nutricost — Organic Pea Protein (Flavored)
Per scoop: $0.64 (20g protein)
Per 25g protein: $0.80
Best Flavors: Chocolate, Vanilla
Taste: 6/10
Nutricost puts a lot of emphasis on keeping their supplements affordable, and their vegan pea protein is no exception. This is the cheapest flavored vegan protein powder that I could possibly find, but the taste is a little questionable. Some people like it and some people find it vile and disgusting, but at $0.64 per scoop of 20g vegan protein, who am I to complain? In any case, I would give it a try if you are looking for a flavored vegan protein powder, since this is the cheapest you are going to find. Overall, it is a great budget option if you don’t mind the taste, so try it out and let us know what you think.
Try it out on Amazon today.
4.
Anthony’s — Premium Pea Protein (Unflavored)
Per scoop: $0.21 (8g protein)
Per 25g protein: $0.65
You’ll find that when it comes to vegan protein, unflavored powders are your friend. They are literally just the protein — no artificial flavors, no sweeteners, no fillers or anti-caking agents. That’s probably why all of the best budget options are unflavored powders. If you prefer to have a flavored powder for convenience, be sure to try the flavored options above. However, a lot of people actually prefer unflavored powders anyway, as they allow you to control the flavor and sweetness yourself by adding your own ingredients to your shakes. Anthony’s is a food and supplement brand well known for their simple and quality products, and this pea protein is exactly that.
Try it out on Amazon today.
3.
Nutricost — Organic Rice Protein (Unflavored)
Per scoop: $0.50 (20g protein)
Per 25g protein: $0.63
Another entry from Nutricost, but this time it is rice protein. This selection may be a bit controversial, but rice protein can be very effective, especially when taken together with pea protein. Pea protein is a very high quality and effective vegan protein source, but it is low in the amino acids cysteine and methionine. Rice protein’s high cysteine and methionine content mean that it perfectly complements pea protein, allowing you to get a more comprehensive amino acid profile. I would make sure to add quite a bit of flavor to this, because it does have an aftertaste which is a bit unpleasant for some people, including me.
Try it out on Amazon today.
2.
Nutricost — Organic Pea Protein (Unflavored)
Per scoop: $0.47 (20g protein)
Per 25g protein: $0.59
Yes, I know. Another protein powder from Nutricost. To be fair, there are only a handful of supplement brands with affordable vegan protein powders, and Nutricost happens to have a few different options. This is their unflavored pea protein, which is where they really knock it out of the park. Not only is it cheaper than the flavored protein, but it has a much lighter taste and smoother texture than the unflavored powders above. With 2 scoops, you could get 40g of pea protein for less than a dollar, which makes this an excellent option for those with a tight budget.
Try it out on Amazon today.
1.
Now Sports — Pea Protein
Per scoop: $0.52 (24g protein)
Per 25g protein: $0.54
Here it is, the cheapest vegan protein powder I could possibly find, and it’s a lot better than I expected. $50 for a massive 7-pound tub of pure, high-quality pea protein. It mixes well and has a very light flavor that won’t overpower other ingredients. So throw it in a blender with fruit, honey, coconut milk, etc., and enjoy a great high-protein shake. Unless you really want a flavored protein powder for convenience, there is no really reason not to get this protein from Now Sports, as it checks all the boxes on what you would want from a vegan protein.
Try it out on Amazon today.
So, those are the top 6 budget-friendly vegan 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!