When it comes to making gains, we know you want to get your hands on the best protein powder possible — and we’re throwing Premier Protein Powder into the ring. At BarBend, our testers use a standardized supplement testing methodology to rate products based on their formulation, ingredients, and safety and take input from expert registered dietitians.
As a certified nutrition coach, I always recommend whey protein powder to my clients (if they consume dairy). Whey is high-quality and bioavailable, so I was eager to review Premier Protein Powder to see how it stacks up to some of the other whey protein powders — of which we’ve tested dozens. Though pricey, I like some of the specs as a nutrition coach (and so does BarBend’s expert reviewer, an RD), and our testers like the taste. Let’s dive in.
Editor’s note: The content on BarBend is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. The opinions and articles on this site are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. It’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor before beginning a new fitness, nutritional, and/or supplement routine. Individual needs for vitamins and minerals will vary.
Each serving of Premier Protein Powder packs in 30 grams of protein and just one gram of sugar. It's also available in three flavors — Chocolate, Vanilla, and Cafe Latte.
Main Takeaways
- Premier Protein Powder is super high-protein (30 grams), low-carb, and pretty low in calories, making it one of the best protein powders for weight loss.
- This protein powder has solid reviews from customers who rave about its taste and texture; our expert tester agrees. However, it does use a small amount of artificial sweeteners.
- Premier Protein products have not been third-party tested and are pricier per serving than comparable brands.
Premier Protein Powder Specs
| Protein Per Serving | 30 grams |
| Calories Per Serving | 150 calories |
| Price Per Serving | $2.49 |
| Flavors | Chocolate Milkshake, Vanilla Milkshake, Café Latte With Energy |
| Sweeteners Used | Sucralose, cane sugar, monk fruit extract, stevia leaf extract |
| Third-Party Tested? | No |
Premier Protein Powder gives you 30 grams of protein, 2 to 3 grams of carbs, and 150 calories in two scoops. That’s about as high-protein, low-carb, and low-calorie as you can go in a protein powder. If you’re looking for the best protein powder for muscle gain, you may want something a bit higher-calorie — but you can always add whole foods to your shake to bulk it up.
BarBend’s expert reviewer Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, M.S., R.D.N., L.D. praises the macros split here: “Premier Protein‘s Whey Protein Powder is an efficient way to increase your protein intake without skewing your other macronutrients or exceeding your calorie goal. One serving provides 150 calories and 120 of those come from protein alone.”
Premier Protein Powder gets all its protein from whey protein concentrate and isolate. It comes in three flavors: Chocolate Milkshake, Vanilla Milkshake, and Café Latte. It has 1 gram of sugar from sucralose (an artificial sweetener) and the natural sweeteners monk fruit and stevia leaf extract. The chocolate flavor adds cocoa, and the café latte includes 95 milligrams of caffeine.
All three flavors contain less than 2% soluble corn fiber, sunflower lecithin, natural and artificial flavors, acesulfame potassium, xanthan gum, and salt. These give the powder its consistency and taste while helping preserve it, but some people prefer to avoid them (even at a low amount). Still, it’s gluten-free and soy-free, plus you get 160 milligrams of calcium and 160 to 270 milligrams of potassium.
The price may seem steep at $2.49 per serving. However, if you purchase it on Amazon, it comes down to $1.38 per serving. Although Premier Protein is a solid brand that has existed since 1997, it does not third-party test its products. This means that you can’t be sure what amounts the ingredients are in, how pure they are, or if the product contains any banned substances. Especially for competitive athletes in drug-tested divisions, this may weigh into your decision-making pretty heavily.
Even though Premier is not third-party tested, BarBend conducted its own testing. We worked with an accredited, third-party lab to test more than 150 protein powders for accuracy and purity. Premier landed in the top 50% overall, earning a C overall with a whole lot of A-level grades along the way (for pesticides, phthalates, bisphenols, and label accuracy). See our results below.
While this product isn’t necessarily marketed at any specific gender, you could consider it one of the best protein powders for women because you get 30 grams of whey protein. Whey protein may improve bone health and help prevent osteoporosis, which cis women may be at a higher risk of than cis men. (1) (There is not enough research done on trans and nonbinary people to make definitive conclusions, so trans folks should consult a trans-affirming nutrition professional if possible.)
Who Should Use / Who Shouldn’t Use Premier Protein Powder
Whey protein has all the essential amino acids your body needs to build muscle, and they’re readily available to be absorbed after training to boost muscle protein synthesis. However, whey comes from milk, so it’s not a vegan product. (2)
Recommended for:
- Anyone looking to boost protein intake for overall wellness
- People with weight loss goals — high protein and low calories help you stay full and potentially reduce cravings in a caloric deficit
- People looking to gain muscle — you get 30 grams of bioavailable whey protein per serving, making this a solid protein source
Not Recommended for:
- People who need vegan protein or are lactose-free or dairy-free
- People looking to gain a lot of mass might want higher calories
- Budget-conscious folks — though you can check Amazon for a lower price
Our Experience Using Premier Protein Powder
Let’s get into the details. We tested Premier Protein Powder to see what adding it to your supplement stack would be like and rated it on a scale of 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest) in multiple categories.
For on-the-go athletes, sometimes the best protein shakes are those you can mix in a shaker cup that tastes decent enough. You can’t always rely on access to your kitchen or blender for a midday workout, and you don’t want to miss out on your post-workout gains. With that in mind, here’s what we found, with bonus insight from our tester and from our expert reviewer, who is a registered dietitian.
Ingredients and Formulation
As a whey protein supplement, the dosage and formulation are excellent — 30 grams of protein, 160 milligrams of calcium, and 160 to 270 milligrams of potassium for 150 calories. Ingredient-wise, some artificial sweeteners and additives help sweeten and preserve the product. For those who don’t like the taste of artificial sweeteners or opt to avoid additives, I have to knock down a point and rate it a 4 out of 5.
Bourgeois, our expert reviewer and an RD, also appreciates the formulation of this supp. “I like this formula for those who need to increase their protein intake without worrying about their other macronutrients. It’s a fairly lean protein powder, with most of its calories coming from protein. I also like that it doesn’t contain any added sugar.”
All told — including the fact that this isn’t third-party tested (more on that later), Bourgeois gives this formula a 3.75 out of 5. “The macro ratio is ideal for those who want to boost their protein intake, but it contains some artificial ingredients, including artificial sweeteners and flavorings.”
[Related: Best Whey Protein Powders]
Taste
Our expert tester tried Premier Protein Powder and offered her insight on what the taste is like in water versus milk.
“I mixed the Vanilla Milkshake flavor just with water, and the artificial sweetener flavor really came through. However, if you blend it with a milk product, the taste is spot-on.” So if you want to really get the most out of the flavor here, toss it in with oat milk or another milk of your choice. She rates the overall taste a 4 out of 5, especially in milk.
Solubility
Here’s what our tester says to expect when mixing the powder in a shaker bottle versus a blender — spoiler: it’s good news.
“There was very little grittiness left. The serving size is two scoops, so when I mixed it in a shaker cup, I expected there to be a lot of clumps, but there weren’t. It’s even smoother in a blender.” She rates solubility a 4.25 out of 5 — pretty impressive, especially when you’re packing in so much protein into a single serving.
Price Per Serving
If you get Premier Protein Powder through their website, it’s $42.29 for 17 servings, which comes to $2.49 per serving. This may be a bit of a steep cost compared to similar companies, especially with artificial sweeteners and additives. If you go with Amazon, it’s $23.62 for 17 servings, which comes out to $1.38. Since we’re rating the company itself, I’m giving it a 3 out of 5 for price.
Third-Party Testing
The U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate dietary supplements; they don’t need to be proven safe or effective to be sold. Supplements may contain additives, banned substances, or ingredients not listed on the label. (3)
[Related: Best Protein Powders for Men]
Efficiency-wise, with protein powder, you can safely assume it “works” since it’s simply a method of conveniently boosting your protein intake. Safety-wise, however, we tend to like products that do third-party testing since the FDA isn’t involved in quality regulation here.
Though Premier isn’t third-party tested, BarBend conducted our own tests with an accredited, third-party lab. Premier scored in the overall top 50% amongst protein powders, but topped out in the top 10% (earning an A from us!) for pesticides, phthalates, bisphenols, and label accuracy. Because of this, we give Premier a 3.75 out of 5.
What to Consider Before Buying Premier Protein Powder
You want protein powder for a reason. It’s the quickest way to boost your protein intake (aside from eating whole food sources), which can help with muscle-building, weight loss, muscle recovery, bone health, and overall health. When choosing your brand, you’ll want to consider the following factors: macro and micronutrients, other ingredients, price, and safety. Our team of experts has tested over 100 protein powders, and here’s what we’ve got for Premier Protein.
- Protein Content: Premier Protein Powder offers 30 grams of whey protein concentrate and isolate.
- Fat and Carbs: There are 2 grams of fat in the chocolate milkshake and café latte flavors and 3 grams of fat in the vanilla milkshake flavor. For carbohydrates, there are 3 grams in the vanilla milkshake and café latte flavors, and 4 grams in the chocolate milkshake. Since these levels are so low, this isn’t a great meal replacement option.
- Price: This powder is in the mid-to-higher price range at $2.49 per serving.
- Sweeteners: It’s sweetened by one gram of sucralose (an artificial sweetener) and contains cane sugar, monk fruit, and stevia leaf extract.
- Micronutrient content: You get 160 mg of calcium, 160 to 270 mg of potassium, 170 mg of sodium, and 0.3 to 1.2 mg of iron. The Café Latte also contains 95 mg of caffeine.
- Third-party testing: Premier Protein Powder is not third-party tested.
Premier Protein Powder Vs. Competitors
Protein powder benefits are plentiful. We know you have plenty of options to choose from, so we compared the high-level specs with two competitors for whey protein. These other brands offer close to the same amount of protein and calories, which are important to a wide range of athletes. Transparent Labs and Sports Research are also reputable brands that customers love.
Premier Protein and Sports Research are similar — they use artificial sweeteners and the same additives with limited flavor options. Sports Research is cheaper per serving but has 25 grams of protein instead of 30. Transparent Labs differs from both brands — it doesn’t use artificial sweeteners, but it uses Stevia (considered a natural sweetener) and has no extra additives. It comes in 14 flavors, is cheaper, and has 28 grams of grass-fed whey protein isolate, which their site states is “virtually lactose-free.” (However, any amount of whey technically cannot be lactose-free.)
The most significant difference is that Transparent Labs and Sports Research do third-party testing, while Premier Protein does not (and both are cheaper). Transparent Labs is also significantly different from the other two because it has the fewest ingredients and most flavors.
| Premier Protein | Transparent Labs Whey | Sports Research Whey | |
| Price Per Serving | $2.49 | $1.99 | $1.45 |
| Protein Per Serving | 30 grams | 28 grams | 25 grams |
| Calories Per Serving | 150 | 130 | 150 |
| Flavors | 3 | 14 | 2 |
| Third-Party Tested? | No | Yes | Yes |
Places to Buy Premier Protein
Here’s where to get it:
- PremierProtein.com
- Amazon
- Target
- Walmart
- Walgreens
Customer Experience and Brand Reputation
Premier Protein has been around since the 1990s, and you’ve likely seen their products in stores. Customers (including our expert tester) seem to love the protein powder. Here’s what to expect based on other customers’ experience.
- Shipping:
- Time: If you order through the website (in the United States, excluding Alaska and Hawaii) on Monday through Friday, orders ship the same day and typically arrive within one business day. They have a zip code search function to determine when to expect your order.
- Price: Shipping costs $8.95 for orders up to $59; anything over that includes free shipping. All orders add a $1.25 fuel fee.
- Trial Period: Premier Protein offers a satisfaction guarantee for any product ordered through its website. If you are unsatisfied for any reason, you have 90 days to request a refund or replacement.
- Customer Reviews: Premier Protein has generally positive reviews from customers.
- Premier Protein Site: The chocolate milkshake flavor has a 4.4 (out of 5) rating out of 86 reviews, the vanilla milkshake gets a 4.3 out of 74 reviews, and the café latte has a 4.3 out of 73 reviews.
- Amazon Reviews: There’s more feedback on Amazon — over 55,000 reviews come out to a 4.4 rating.
- Customer Thoughts: Customers say it tastes great, blends easily, has a good texture, and they appreciate the protein-to-calorie ratio (so do our expert testers and reviewers). Some call it pricey. Others say it’s too sweet due to the artificial sweetener.
Our Final Verdict on Premier Protein
Premier Protein Powder is a high-protein whey supplement that tastes great and blends well (even in a shaker bottle), according to our tester and the majority of customer reviews. Though expensive on its home site, you can get it cheaper on Amazon. Its main drawbacks are that it’s not third-party tested and it contains artificial sweeteners and additives. It comes down to personal preference regarding ingredients, but as a nutrition coach, I like it for its 30 grams of muscle-building whey protein — and so does our expert reviewer RD.
FAQs About Premier Protein
Are the Premier Protein shakes good for you?
Each shake has 30 grams of whey protein, 160 calories, 1 gram of sugar, 5 grams of carbs, and 24 vitamins and minerals, so it sounds good. However, the pre-made protein drinks have more ingredients than the powders. They contain “natural and artificial flavors” and other additives, which some people may prefer to avoid, especially if they tend to experience gastrointestinal side effects from these ingredients.
Do you mix Premier Protein powder with water or milk?
You can mix Premiere Protein Powder with water or milk.
How much does Premier Protein Powder cost?
One tub of Premier Protein Powder from their website costs $42.29 for 17 servings or $2.49 per serving. On Amazon, a tub costs $23.62 for 17 servings, or $1.38 per serving.
References
- Hill, T.R., Verlaan, S., Biesheuvel, E. et al. A Vitamin D, Calcium and Leucine-Enriched Whey Protein Nutritional Supplement Improves Measures of Bone Health in Sarcopenic Non-Malnourished Older Adults: The PROVIDE Study. Calcif Tissue Int 105, 383–391 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00223-019-00581-6
- Devries, M. C., & Phillips, S. M. (2015). Supplemental Protein in Support of Muscle Mass and Health: Advantage Whey. Journal of Food Science, 80(S1), A8-A15.
- Ronis MJJ, Pedersen KB, Watt J. Adverse Effects of Nutraceuticals and Dietary Supplements. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol. 2018 Jan 6;58:583-601. doi: 10.1146/annurev-pharmtox-010617-052844. Epub 2017 Oct 6. PMID: 28992429; PMCID: PMC6380172.
