The two biggest protein brands on the planet, side by side. Gold Standard sets the global benchmark; Impact Whey undercuts almost everyone on price per gram. We tracked every retailer to see which one actually wins for your goals.
Both brands sell dozens of SKUs, but the conversation always comes back to two tubs: Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey and MyProtein Impact Whey Protein. These are the products real shoppers actually cross-shop, and they sit at almost identical price tiers.
| Metric | ON Gold Standard 100% Whey (5 lb) | MyProtein Impact Whey (5.5 lb) |
|---|---|---|
| Tub size | 2,270 g / 5 lb | 2,500 g / 5.5 lb |
| Servings per tub | 74 | 75 |
| Protein per serving | 24 g | 22 g |
| Serving size | 30 g | 33 g |
| Total protein in tub | 1,776 g | 1,650 g (larger tub) |
| Lowest tracked price | $54.99 (Walmart) | $44.99 (MyProtein.com) |
| Cost per serving | $0.74 | $0.60 |
| Cost per gram of protein | $0.031 | $0.027 |
| Format | Whey blend (isolate + concentrate) | Whey concentrate base |
| Flavors tracked | 12+ across sizes | 8+ across sizes |
| Retailer reach | Walmart, GNC, Target, Bodybuilding.com, iHerb, Amazon, Vitacost, Tiger Fitness | MyProtein.com, Amazon, iHerb |
At the lowest tracked price points, Impact Whey delivers roughly 4 grams of additional protein for every dollar compared with Gold Standard. Across a year of daily use (one serving per day), the difference works out to around $50 in your pocket. That is real money, but it is also the entire margin of difference between the two brands. There is no chasm here.
One important wrinkle: Impact Whey is a straight concentrate-led formula, while Gold Standard leads with whey protein isolate as its primary ingredient. If you are comparing a like-for-like isolate, look at MyProtein Impact Whey Isolate at $54.99 for 5.5 lb (25 g protein per serving), which closes the gap dramatically against Optimum and even pulls ahead in pure isolate cost-per-gram.
Gold Standard has had 30 years to refine its flavor library. Double Rich Chocolate is one of the most ordered flavors in protein history, and the brand consistently scores high in independent taste tests. Vanilla Ice Cream, Cookies & Cream, Rocky Road, Banana Cream and Extreme Milk Chocolate are all reliable picks. Optimum mixes cleanly in a shaker with water or milk and rarely clumps, even at the bottom of a deep tub.
Impact Whey is a more polarizing flavor experience. Salted Caramel, Chocolate Smooth and Cookies & Cream are widely praised. Some plain or "natural" Impact Whey flavors lean thin and sweet compared with ON. MyProtein also stocks more adventurous options like Chocolate Brownie, Strawberry Cream and Banana, which appeals to drinkers who want variety beyond chocolate-and-vanilla.
This is where Optimum Nutrition flexes its biggest advantage. Gold Standard is everywhere: Walmart, Target, GNC, iHerb, Amazon, Bodybuilding.com, Vitacost, Tiger Fitness. You can pick it up on a normal grocery run, no shipping wait, no minimum order. We currently track Walmart at $54.99 as the cheapest mainstream retailer for the 5 lb tub, with iHerb close behind at $56.99.
MyProtein, by contrast, sells primarily direct through us.myprotein.com. You will find limited Impact Whey listings on Amazon and iHerb, but the brand's headline pricing only kicks in when you buy from the site, especially during the constant 35–55% off promotions that the brand runs almost weekly. If you wait for a sale, MyProtein routinely drops Impact Whey to under $35 for the 5.5 lb bag.
Both formulas are mainstream, sweetened whey products. Neither claims to be a clean-label, grass-fed, no-additive product (that is a different category, see our Transparent Labs vs Ascent comparison). Gold Standard 100% Whey leads with whey protein isolate, then adds whey concentrate and whey peptides, with sucralose and acesulfame potassium for sweetness. Impact Whey leads with whey concentrate and uses sucralose plus natural and artificial flavorings.
Per-serving macros land in roughly the same neighborhood: 24 g protein, 3 g carbs, 1 g sugar, 1 g fat for ON; 22 g protein, 2 g carbs, 1 g sugar, 2 g fat for MyProtein. Lactose content is similar (both contain it), so neither is a great fit if you are very dairy sensitive. For lactose-free, both brands also sell an isolate variant.
If you have a $50 budget and zero brand loyalty, buy MyProtein Impact Whey during one of its frequent site-wide promotions. You will get more protein per dollar than almost any other mainstream brand, and the 5.5 lb bag will last most lifters about two and a half months.
If you want to walk into a store today, want a flavor you already know you love, and want to never think about your protein again, buy Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey. Yes, you are paying a small premium for the convenience and the brand equity. For most people, that premium is worth it.
If you cannot decide: get the 2 lb Gold Standard tub at $26.99 as a "starter" while you wait for a MyProtein 35% off sale to land. That hedges both directions and you end up with two reliable tubs at a combined cost of about $60.
Yes. MyProtein is owned by UK-based The Hut Group and ships to the US from a domestic warehouse (Conshohocken, PA). Prices on us.myprotein.com are in USD, shipping is fast (typically 3–5 business days), and customer service operates on US hours. The brand has been actively pushing into the US market since 2016 and currently runs Black Friday-level discounts roughly twice a month.
Functionally similar but with refinements. The base formula (whey isolate plus whey concentrate plus whey peptides) has stayed remarkably consistent since the late 1990s. Optimum has tweaked the flavor system, the sweetener ratios and the mixability profile over the years, but the protein matrix is essentially the same product your gym buddy was scooping in 2005. That consistency is a feature: you know what you are getting in every tub.
Sometimes. MyProtein runs a rotating combination of: a sitewide percentage discount (typically 35–55%), a new-customer welcome discount, a referral discount, and a free-gift-with-purchase threshold. The sitewide percentage usually does not stack with the welcome discount but does stack with the gift threshold. The best deals land around major holidays and during random midweek "flash" sales. We track MyProtein price history on the Impact Whey product page.
Optimum Nutrition through Amazon Prime: same-day or next-day in most US metros. Optimum Nutrition through Walmart pickup: same-day if your local store stocks it. MyProtein direct: 3–5 business days from PA warehouse. If you need protein this week, ON is the play. If you can wait a few days for the sale price, MyProtein wins on cost.
Roughly, with caveats. Gold Standard Double Rich Chocolate and MyProtein Chocolate Smooth are the closest direct flavor comparison; most lifters prefer the depth of Gold Standard's chocolate. Gold Standard French Vanilla Crème vs MyProtein Vanilla: similar opinions, slight edge to ON. Where MyProtein wins clearly: Salted Caramel and Strawberry Cream, two flavors where Optimum's lineup is weaker. Order a small tub of MyProtein for the flavors ON doesn't do well, and keep ON for the chocolate-and-vanilla staples.