Nutricost Whey Protein Review

Some links in this article are affiliate links, which means we earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more.

After more than a decade of experience in the supplement industry, I’ve tried hundreds of different protein powders. As such, most of them start to blend together and it can be really hard for a product to stand out from the pack. 

For a long time, the unremarkable look of Nutricost made me skip right past it which, as it turns out, was a huge mistake.

Key Takeaways:

Honest Review Guarantee from FeastGood: Our testing team purchases each product 100% independently and uses the product for several weeks up to several months before writing a review. Learn more about our review process here.

• Nutricost Whey Isolate provides 30g of protein per serving and falls into the highest ranking category for protein percentage

• Nutricost is available for as little as $1.10 per serving, well below the average cost of protein powder which falls around $1.50

• Nutricost took the #1 spot for flavor and texture when we compared it head to head against 14 of the top selling chocolate protein powders

About Nutricost

Where a lot of brands like Ghost or Naked Nutrition have a very obvious and clear identity, Nutricost comes off as all around unremarkable. 

If I am being honest, when Nutricost protein came up on search engines and online retailer sites like Amazon, I usually skipped right past it. When browsing their website, Nutricost doesn’t have an obvious “About Us” section to their website that other brands do. If we take Ghost, for example, they have multiple pages and a variety of photos and videos highlighting their brand identity. 

The most we get from Nutricost is this page, titled Our Mission & Guarantee which features a brief write up describing their commitment to providing high-quality and simple formulas at a reasonable price. 

As someone who has been in the industry for more than a decade, I have seen more and more companies take this more minimalist approach whereby they save money on marketing and fancy packaging to help keep the cost of their products lower. 

Nutricost does have a blog section to their website, which I was impressed to see has had articles published as recently as one month ago. Other more recognizable brands, like Premier Protein, haven’t updated the articles section of their website since 2022. 

Nutricost offers a 60-day money back guarantee on their products, and promises that their protein powder is third party tested by independent and reputable labs. 

Overview of Nutricost Whey Protein

The macronutrient breakdown of Nutricost Whey Isolate is: 

• Protein: 30g  
• Carbohydrates:  2g
• Fat:  1g
• Sugar: 1g

This varies slightly by flavor. The above macronutrients are for the chocolate flavor, which I personally tested. 

Nutricost has between 130 and 140 calories per scoop, but always provides 30g of protein. This means that Nutricost provides between 85 and 92% protein per scoop, putting it into the highest category for protein percentage. 

*Note: the cookies and cream flavor has 160 calories and 5g of carbs because of the added cookie crumbs, making it 75% protein per scoop and falling into the “Good” but not “Excellent” category for protein percentage. Chocolate Peanut Butter is similar with 150 calories and 80% protein per scoop. 

Nutricost meets our criteria for a great quality protein source (85% protein per scoop or higher).

Highlights: What I Liked About Nutricost Protein

Amazing Taste & Mixability

When compared head to head with more than a dozen of the top selling chocolate protein powders on the market, Nutricost took the number one spot for taste and texture. 

I did a blind taste test of 15 different chocolate protein powders. I almost didn’t believe the results when Nutricost took the top spot for the best tasting protein. It has a delicious rich chocolate flavor without being too sweet.

The texture was smooth and creamy, with no chalky residue or clumps.

Affordable

Nutricost is available for as low as $1.28 per serving, even lower if you choose the “Subscribe and Save” feature which saves you an additional 20%.

We assessed more than 40 different protein powders on the market and found the average cost per serving to be around $1.50 per scoop. Depending on the size and flavor you purchase, Nutricost can be available for as little as $1.28 per serving. 

This value is amplified when we consider that Nutricost provides a full 30g of protein per serving, while most other brands fall closer to 25g per serving.

Drawbacks: What I Didn’t Like About Isopure Protein

Value Depends on Flavor Choices

Some flavors of Nutricost have more servings in the container, which makes the cost per serving lower. Flavors like Cookies and Cream or Peanut Butter which have more flavoring added offer fewer servings, increasing the cost per serving. 

Nutricost Whey is sold by weight (i.e. grams) and not by servings (e.g. 30 serving tubs). So for the unflavored protein, the 5lb container contains 65 servings. 

Other flavors, like Cookies and Cream or Chocolate Peanut Butter, have heavier flavoring added which drops the total servings as low as 55. This means that for the exact same cost, you are getting 10 fewer servings just because you chose a different flavor. 

Aside from the outliers mentioned above, most of the other flavors have very similar servings and therefore will provide similar value. 

Low Transparency of Third Party Testing

Nutricost states that they are independently third party tested, but doesn’t have the information easily available to access. 

In defense of Nutricost, nobody is required to have their testing results publicly displayed. 

That being said, many companies like Transparent Labs do this voluntarily. 

In a Reddit Forum, a few individuals detailed some varying experiences with Nutricost’s testing. One user asked for the Certificate of Analysis for his supplement, and it was provided to him within a reasonable time frame. This certificate verified that the product did not contain unsafe contaminants. 

This does not guarantee that the product is exactly what it claims to be, however. One user on the forum reported that they purchased a supplement from Nutricost and had it tested, only for the testing to reveal that the product wasn’t what it claimed to be. 

Ultimately, the third party testing from Nutricost does add a level of reassurance that your product does not contain unsafe levels of contaminants and won’t be inherently harmful to your health. 

Because the company has not invested in more thorough third party testing certifications like Informed Sport or NSF, it’s impossible to know for sure if your product is 100% at label claim. 

Nutricost Protein Review: My Experience

My first experience with Nutricost Whey was actually one where I didn’t know I was drinking Nutricost Whey. 

I was working on an article ranking the most popular chocolate protein powders and I put them head to head in a blind taste test so that I could assess them on flavor and texture without bias. 

Nutricost Isolate was the clear front runner among all chocolate protein powders. I was actually reluctant to believe it at first, so I mixed up a second scoop to taste test again to make sure that I didn’t make a mistake labeling the tubs. 

This has definitely become one of my favourite chocolate protein powders, and is my go-to when I want something that tastes great mixed just with water. I’ve also been using it with my Ninja Creami to make chocolate ice cream that myself and my family love. 

I found that even when mixed with just water, Nutricost still had a nice creamy texture that made it seem more filling than a traditional whey isolate. Even still, since the product is overall low calories and uses exclusively fast digesting whey isolate, this isn’t the best one for satiety. 

This protein does mix great into smoothies, coffee, and oatmeal so it makes a great addition to other meals and is a great post-workout protein.

Nutricost Whey Isolate is available in a 2lb and 5lb size. Since they fill every single flavor to the same weight, there are variations in the serving sizes. For example, flavors that are heavier to accomplish like the Cookies and Cream have fewer servings per tub (22) compared to the unflavored version which has 26. 

Because of this, the cost per serving of the 2lb tubs ranges from $1.80 to $2.13 per serving and the 5lb tub ranges from $1.27 to $1.51 per serving. 

Even with this disparity, since Nutricost offers a full 30 grams of protein per scoop, the 2lb tubs offer a very reasonable value and the 5lb tubs offer a great value. 

Overall, for consumers who are comfortable with sucralose and artificial flavoring, I think Nutricost is a clear stand out for a protein powder that checks the boxes of tasting great and coming at a good value. 

How Does Nutricost Stack Up Against Our Criteria For Whey Protein

At FeastGood, we have 8 different criteria for ranking whey protein powders.  Here’s how Nutricost Whey Isolate stacked up:

Nutrition label transparency 

Our rating: 5/5 

Nutricost Whey Isolate clearly labels all of the calories, carbs, and fats per serving. 

The Nutricost packaging is very simple and makes it very easy to find all of the important information at a glance. 

We can clearly see the quantity of protein (30g) as well as the fact that it is manufactured in a cGMP compliant facility and is third party tested. They also make it very clear how many servings are available in each tub, so there’s no attempt to hide the fact that different flavors may offer different serving sizes. 

My only disappointment is that Nutricost doesn’t clearly identify who their third party testing company is or if it’s possible to access the testing results as a consumer, which other brands like Transparent Labs do. 

Fat content transparency 

Our rating: 5/5

Nutricost clearly identifies the fat content, (0.5g-1.5g depending on the flavor) including the trans fats and saturated fat content. 

Effective ingredients 

Our rating: 3.5/5

Nutricost Whey Isolate uses a pure whey isolate, but does contain several additives like lecithins, gums, and artificial flavors and sweeteners. 

While these are all safe additives, some consumers are choosing to opt for products with fewer additives. 

Furthermore, while Nutricost advertises that they use “Only The Best, Great Quality Isolate”, they don’t provide any indication of how they substantiate that claim. Since they also don’t publicly disclose their testing results, we are left with no option but to take their word for it. 

Protein percent of calories

Our rating: 4/5

Because of the varying calorie content of the flavors, the protein percentage of Nutricost Whey Isolate ranges from 75% (good) to 92% (excellent). 

Here we take how many calories come strictly from protein (in this case 120 calories) and divide that by the total number of calories found in the protein (130 to 160, depending on flavor) to find out the protein percentage per scoop. 

An excellent protein source is one that is greater than 85% protein per scoop, with the good category being a range of 75-84%. Proteins that range from 65% to 74% we consider “acceptable” with anything below 65% being considered inadequate.  

Depending on the flavor, Nutricost Isolate ranges from barely scraping into the “good” category to being well into the “excellent” range. 

Despite this variation, Nutricost does offer a good protein source and a high total amount of protein at 30g per scoop.

Taste/flavor

Our rating: 5/5

In a blind taste test against more than a dozen other chocolate protein powders, Nutricost Whey Isolate was the clear winner for taste and texture. 

I haven’t tried any other flavors yet, so I can only speak to my experience with the chocolate flavor, which was obviously a positive one. 

The nutricost chocolate protein had a rich, chocolatey flavor without being overly sweet. I didn’t find it had any unpleasant aftertaste. 

Mixability

Our rating: 5/5

Nutricost mixes easily and entirely with a creamy texture. I don’t have to use a special shaker ball or blender to get it to dissolve entirely. 

Nutricost Isolate also mixes really easily into oatmeal, yogurt, and coffee. 

Texture (Thick or Thin)

Our rating: Thick

For a pure isolate protein, Nutricost mixes up with a thick, creamy texture. 

Satiety

Our rating: 3/5

Since it is a pure isolate protein, Nutricost Isolate does not provide much satiety past an hour or two. 

If you were to mix this into something more calorie dense than water like milk or almond milk, you could stretch out the satiety. 

The protein will also help with satiety for foods that it gets added to like yogurt, smoothies or oatmeal. 

Who Is Nutricost Whey Isolate For? 

Nutricost Isolate is for: 

• Anyone looking for a good post-workout protein powder

• Individuals looking to optimize taste and cost per serving

• Someone looking for a delicious chocolate protein powder

• Individuals who want a protein that mixes well into smoothies or recipes

• Keto dieters

Who Shouldn’t Take Nutricost Whey Isolate?

Isopure Whey protein is not for: 

• Someone looking to avoid any artificial flavors, colors, or additives 

• Individuals who want their protein powder to provide satiety or act like a meal replacement

Nutricost Customer Reviews

On the Nutricost website, the Isolate has a 4.5 out of 5 star rating with 81% of users rating it 4 stars or higher, and 6% of users rating it as one star. 

Reviews directly from company websites do tend to be a bit higher, since individuals shopping directly from a company website are more likely to already be fans of the brand compared to retailers like Amazon. 

In this case, however, the website does seem to be representative of the masses because on Amazon.com, Nutricost has a rating of 4.4/5 with more than 8600 reviews. 

Amazon shows that 85% of users give this product a 5/5 rating with 6% ranking it at one star, very similar to the Nutricost Website.

The vast majority of the 4 and 5 star reviews credit the good taste and value. Similar to my experience, some users report that they don’t experience any unpleasant aftertaste and most users agree that it mixes really well. 

Users also report that they don’t experience any issues with digestibility. As someone with a dairy sensitivity, I also didn’t notice any negative side effects from Nutricost Isolate. 

I always read through the lowest reviews to see if there are some common complaints that consumers have. 

Most of the complaints are due to manufacturer defect concerns. Some users have had products that smell/taste like spoiled milk or have apparently foreign material mixed into the powder. There are also some reports of individuals receiving products that are at or past their expiration date, but since those reviews are coming from Amazon, it’s more likely to be an Amazon issue than a Nutricost one. 

Nutricost Promotions & Discounts

Nutricost has a very attractive Subscribe & Save Feature which saves you 20% off your order. Taking advantage of this drops the cost per serving of Nutricost as low as $1.02 for the unflavored option and around $1.10 for the flavored ones. 

The 2lb tubs come in around $1.65 per serving with this feature. 

While I don’t see any indication of a rewards or points program on their site, they do offer free shipping within the continental US on all orders over $59 and they offer a 60 day money-back guarantee on all products. 

Where To Buy Nutricost? 

To take advantage of free shipping or the subscribe and save feature, or to get your 60 day money back guarantee, you have to order directly from the Nutricost website. 

You can also find Nutricost Whey Isolate on Amazon.com, but at the time that this article is being written, Amazon does not carry all of the flavor options. 

It can also be found at iherb.com and target.com, and Nutricost.com has an application form for wholesalers on their website so it’s possible that you can find other local and online retailers who carry their products. 

Nutricost Alternatives? 

Transparent Labs Grass-Fed Whey

In my blind taste test, I separated the naturally-flavored proteins from the ones with artificial sweeteners to try to level the playing field. 

Among the half dozen naturally flavored chocolate proteins, Transparent Labs took the #1 and #2 spots with their Dark Chocolate and Milk Chocolate flavors, respectively. 

Transparent Labs has appeared to do what few other naturally flavored brands have accomplished, which is to deliver a product that is high quality with minimal additives that tastes great and mixes well. 

As such, for individuals who are looking for a high quality whey isolate, but want to avoid artificial flavors and colors then I recommend the Transparent Labs Grass-Fed Whey Isolate. 

It has a similar protein content to Nutricost, with 28g per scoop and has a similar calorie range. Transparent Labs offers between 80 and 93% protein per scoop, depending on the flavor which also falls closely in line with Nutricost. 

One advantage that Transparent Labs has over Nutricost is that they are Informed Protein and Informed Choice certified, which means that they have a verifiable guarantee of their protein quality. 

Transparent Labs protein costs between $1.73 and $2.00 per serving, which is also very similar to Nutricost. 

With 14 different flavor varieties, Transparent Labs offers an appealing alternative for customers who prioritize all natural ingredients and third party testing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where Is Nutricost Made? 

Nutricost is made and tested in the USA using globally sourced ingredients.

What Is Nutricost’s Shipping Policy? 

Nutricost aims to process orders within 1-2 days with an additional 3-5 days for shipping. They offer free shipping in the continental US for orders over $59.

What Is Nutricost’s Return Policy? 

Returns can be submitted on the website. You can pay a $2.98 order protection fee at checkout and you are not charged the shipping fee to do returns on that order. If you did not purchase this return protection, then you are responsible for shipping costs to return your order. They offer a 60-day return guarantee, found here.

Is Nutricost Whey Isolate Good For Weight Loss? 

Nutricost is low calorie and low carb, which makes it a great way to get more protein in your diet. This can support fat loss when paired with appropriate diet and exercise. There are no specific ingredients in Nutricost Isolate to result in weight loss. 

Is Nutricost Whey Isolate Gluten Free? 

Most flavors of Nutricost Whey Isolate Are Gluten Free. Cookies and Cream is NOT gluten free. 

What Are The Best Ways To Mix Nutricost Whey Isolate? 

Nutricost is great mixed with water, milk, or any milk alternative. It does not require a fancy shaker or blender to dissolve entirely. It can also be added to coffee, smoothies, or stirred into yogurt and oatmeal.  

What Flavors Are Available For Nutricost Whey Isolate? 

Nutricost Whey Isolate is available in 11 options: Chocolate, Vanilla, Mocha, Salted Caramel, Strawberry Milkshake, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Cake Batter, Strawberry Acai, Cookies and Cream, Matcha, and Unflavored.

Can you use Nutricost Whey Isolate as A Meal Replacement? 

On its own, Nutricost Whey Isolate is not a suitable meal replacement. It is high in protein, but does not contain carbs or fats making it an unbalanced meal. It also uses strictly fast digesting whey isolate and does not provide a lot of satiety. Pair it with some whole foods like fruit/veg and nuts to make a balanced meal.

When Is The Best Time To Take Nutricost Whey Isolate?

Nutricost Isolate can be enjoyed any time of day. It is a great post-workout option, and can be added to any meal or snack. 

How To Contact Nutricost 

Nutricost is available by phone at 866-438-3694 or by email at support@nutricost.com. 

Their headquarters is in Vineyard, Utah.

If you prefer a more casual relationship, you can follow Nutricost on Facebook, X, Pinterest, Instagram, Youtube, and TikTok.