Complete Whey Concentrate Matrix: All 14 Products Compared (2026)
Whey concentrate is the budget hero of protein powder, and the 14 products in this matrix are all of them we track. Concentrate sits at 70-80% protein with a small amount of lactose and fat. It costs less per gram than any other dairy protein. Ranked by Value Score, with macros and price floor on one wide table.
How to Read This Matrix
Twelve columns, one row per product. The columns are: rank by Value Score, brand (links to the brand page), product name (links to the full live-price page), flavor, tub size in pounds, grams of protein per serving, total servings in the tub, calories per serving, cheapest in-stock price across our 12 tracked US retailers, the retailer at that price, the Value Score (0-100, higher is better), and short notes calling out the most relevant detail like grass-fed, hydrolyzed, or organic.
Why concentrate still wins on price
Concentrate skips the second filtration step that turns whey into isolate. That keeps the manufacturing cost low and the price per gram of protein the lowest in the dairy aisle. If you have no lactose sensitivity, this is where you should start your shopping.
The Matrix
Sorted by Value Score, highest first. Every product name links to its full live-price page. Every brand links to the brand page. Scroll horizontally if you are on mobile.
| # | Brand | Product | Flavor | Size (lb) | Protein / serv | Servings | Calories / serv | Cheapest | Retailer | Value Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Now Sports | Whey Protein Concentrate | Creamy Vanilla | 5 lb | 24g | 73 | 121 | $31.99 | Costco | 63 | Budget whey |
| 2 | Nutricost | Whey Protein Concentrate | Chocolate | 5 lb | 25g | 66 | 125 | $32.99 | Amazon | 58 | Budget whey |
| 3 | Nutricost | Whey Protein Concentrate | Vanilla | 5 lb | 25g | 66 | 125 | $32.99 | Amazon | 58 | Budget whey |
| 4 | Nutricost | Whey Protein Concentrate | Cookies & Cream | 5 lb | 25g | 66 | 125 | $33.99 | Amazon | 57 | Budget whey |
| 5 | Nutricost | Whey Protein Concentrate | Strawberry | 5 lb | 25g | 66 | 125 | $33.59 | Vitacost | 56 | Budget whey |
| 6 | Nutricost | Whey Protein Concentrate | Peanut Butter | 5 lb | 25g | 66 | 125 | $33.99 | Amazon | 56 | Budget whey |
| 7 | Nutricost | Whey Protein Concentrate | Mocha | 5 lb | 25g | 66 | 125 | $33.99 | Amazon | 56 | Budget whey |
| 8 | Body Fortress | Super Advanced Whey Concentrate | Strawberry | 2 lb | 30g | 28 | 160 | $17.98 | Walmart | 46 | Budget whey |
| 9 | Now Sports | Whey Protein Concentrate | Rich Chocolate | 2 lb | 25g | 30 | 130 | $17.99 | iHerb | 41 | Budget whey |
| 10 | Six Star Pro Nutrition | 100% Whey Concentrate | French Vanilla Cream | 5 lb | 22g | 60 | 150 | $34.99 | Walmart | 38 | Budget whey |
| 11 | Pure Protein | 100% Whey Concentrate | Vanilla Cream | 1.75 lb | 25g | 26 | 130 | $21.98 | Walmart | 30 | Budget whey |
| 12 | Optimum Nutrition | 100% Whey Protein Concentrate | Chocolate Shake | 2 lb | 24g | 27 | 130 | $27.99 | Walmart | 23 | Budget whey |
| 13 | Naked Nutrition | Naked Whey | Unflavored | 5 lb | 25g | 76 | 125 | $99.99 | Amazon | 22 | Grass-fed |
| 14 | Naked Nutrition | Naked Whey | Unflavored | 1 lb | 25g | 15 | 125 | $24.99 | Amazon | 17 | Grass-fed |
Top 5 Winners by Different Metrics
The single Value Score column is the right place to start, but it is not the only way to slice this matrix. Here are five different angles on the same product set:
How We Built This Matrix
Every row above is generated directly from our live product catalog. When the scraper checks each retailer (every two hours throughout the day), the cheapest in-stock price wins the right-hand column. Value Score is recalculated whenever a price changes. We do not score products that are out of stock at every retailer.
To learn more about how the Value Score combines price per gram with retailer reliability, label-claim accuracy, and third-party testing, read how it works and our editorial standards. The methodology is the same across every matrix on this site.
FAQ
How many whey concentrate products does this matrix cover?
This matrix covers 14 whey concentrate products from 7 different brands. It is a complete view of every product in this category that we currently track. New products are added as our scrapers find them and old products are removed when they go permanently out of stock.
How often is this matrix updated?
Prices are refreshed automatically every two hours across all 12 retailers we track. Value Score, ranking order, and the cheapest-retailer column update whenever a tracked price changes. You can see live scraper health at /scraper-status/.
Why is the cheapest product not always the highest Value Score?
Value Score combines price per gram of protein with retailer reliability, label-claim accuracy from third-party testing, and customer-reported flavor and mixability. A very cheap tub from a brand with a recall history or thin label disclosure can lose to a slightly more expensive tub from a brand that tests every batch. Read the full methodology at /how-it-works/.
Can I sort the matrix by a different column?
Not yet on this page. We rank by Value Score because that single number rolls in the most decision-relevant factors. If you want to sort by raw price, protein per dollar, or pack size, the /best-value/ live rankings page lets you filter and sort across every category.
Is whey concentrate lower quality than isolate?
Lower processed, not lower quality. Concentrate has more lactose, slightly more fat, and a bit less protein per scoop, but the amino acid profile is identical. For most lifters without lactose sensitivity, concentrate is the best price per gram of protein you can buy.
Where can I see live retailer prices for any product in this matrix?
Every product name in the matrix links to its full live-price page. On that page you will see all 12 retailers we track, their current in-stock prices, a price history sparkline, and a Value Score breakdown. You can also browse the full whey concentrate category at /whey-concentrate/.
See live whey concentrate rankings
Filter by brand, retailer, size, and Value Score on the full category page.
Browse Whey Concentrate →