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After thorough testing, Transparent Labs and BPN protein powders have both received a top-tier rating from the team at FeastGood. To decide which one takes the top spot, I used the criteria below to compare them head-to-head.

• Ingredients
• Quality Assurance (brand trust)
• Protein Percentage
• Cost
• Taste
• Texture & Mixability

Although both are great products, it was no surprise that Transparent Labs protein powder came out on top. As far as protein powders go, Transparent Labs is tough to beat, especially when it comes to protein percentage per scoop, this is where it really stands out.

Key Takeaways

• Transparent Labs is a little more expensive than BPN ($2.00 per serving vs. $1.85), but the higher price can make sense because of its strict testing and premium ingredients (like grass-fed whey).

• Both taste great and mix easily. If you want something that keeps you fuller, BPN wins since it’s a whey concentrate + casein blend (instead of a whey isolate).

• Transparent Labs also has a higher protein percentage per serving (75–86%) compared to BPN (71–77%), which can help justify the extra cost.

What is Transparent Labs Protein Powder?

Transparent Labs Protein Powder is a whey isolate made by the supplement company Transparent Labs. They take pride in being a brand rooted in quality and “transparency” with their ingredients.

Transparent Labs goes above and beyond with quality assurance. They share results from every single batch they produce, and they list the exact ingredients and doses in ‘mg’ right on the label.

Their whey isolate is made from grass-fed whey, meaning the cows are pasture-fed a natural diet instead of being fed grains indoors through mechanical systems. This helps set Transparent Labs apart from the industry standard, since pasture-fed cows have been linked to higher-quality milk with more nutrients.

It also has a very minimal ingredient list. Each flavor only has about 4–5 total ingredients, usually whey protein, natural flavors, salt, and stevia. Some flavors add a 5th ingredient like cocoa or peanut flour. A protein powder ingredient list this simple and clean is almost unheard of.

Even without artificial flavors or sweeteners, Transparent Labs Protein Powder tastes great. It comes in 20 different flavors, and it mixes easily into both liquids and food.

The price is definitely on the higher end at $2.00 per serving, but you can bring it down to $1.80 if you sign up for the subscription. Considering the quality, that actually makes it a pretty reasonable price.

Macronutrient Breakdown for Transparent Labs Protein Powder

*Calories and Macros below are for the Milk Chocolate Flavour

Calories	130 calories
Protein	28 grams
Carbs	1 gram
Fat	1 gram
Sugar	1 gram

The majority of Transparent Labs protein flavours are 130 calories per serving, with only a few flavors hitting 140 or 150 calories.

However, every flavor stays consistent with protein at 28g per serving. That means that Transparent Labs protein percentage falls between 75-86%. 

For reference, the FeastGood criteria for protein percentage is as follows:

• Excellent: More than 85% per scoop
• Good: 75-84% per scoop
• Acceptable: 65-74% per scoop
• Inadequate: less than 65% per scoop

This puts Transparent Labs Whey in the Good-Excellent range for protein percentage.

Pros:

• Extremely Clean Ingredients and Thoroughly Tested: If you are looking for a whey protein with the most minimal ingredient list possible, Transparent Labs Whey is a great choice. It only uses 4-5 ingredients, all of which are very simple. It doesn’t use any artificial ingredients, and you can rest assured that it is free of any harmful substances due to the in-depth third-party testing that each batch of product goes through.

• Uses High Quality Grassfed Whey: Transparent Labs utilizing grassfed whey protein in their products is a fantastic way to boost nutrient content. When compared to conventionally raised cows, grassfed dairy has been shown to provide higher levels of nutrients like Omega-3’s, protein, CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), beta-carotene, and alpha-lipoic acid.

• Great Tastes and Mixes Well With No Chunks: Transparent Labs Whey protein boasts 20 different dessert like flavors and has a fantastic taste without the aftertaste that artificial sweeteners can cause. It also mixes easily without leaving any chunks, whether you choose to mix it in water, milk, or your favorite snack like oatmeal or yogurt.

Cons:

• The Cost Per Serving is Well Above Average: Although the cost of Transparent Labs Whey is considered high at $2.00 per serving, you can bring this cost down to a fairly reasonable price of $1.80 per serving if you sign up for the subscription.

• Not Very Satiating When Consumed on its Own: Since it is a whey isolate, it digests faster (compared to whey concentrate and casein) and will leave you feeling hungry more quickly when you take it on its own. To help combat this, you can pair your whey isolate with highly satiating foods like whole milk or peanut butter (blended into a smoothie)

Who Should Take It?

Transparent Labs is a great protein powder option for athletes who prioritize quality ingredients and a minimal ingredient list. It is a good choice for individuals who don’t mind a higher price point if it means a premium product with top notch ingredients.

Want more info? Read my full review of Transparent Labs Whey Protein here.

What Is BPN Protein Powder?

BPN (Bare Performance Nutrition) protein powder is designed around endurance and high-performance training, more specifically marathons, ultras, and ironman races. Although this protein powder could easily be used without competing in endurance events.

This protein powder uses a blend of whey concentrate and casein protein, which makes it a highly satiating protein blend. The combination of medium and slow digesting proteins help to support muscle recovery while helping you to feel more full compared to your average whey isolate protein powder.

With a price of $1.85 per serving, BPN is definitely one of the higher priced protein powders on the market, and is well above the industry average of around $1.50 per serving.

The higher price can be somewhat justified when you look at the fact that BPN is NSF Sport Certified, meaning that every single batch of product is tested for product purity along with banned substances like heavy metals or contaminants.

BPN uses high quality natural sweetener options like stevia and monk fruit sweetener, which tend to be a bit pricier. While they drive up the price of the product slightly, they are a great option for those looking for a great tasting protein powder that does not contain artificial sweeteners.

Macronutrient Breakdown of BPN Protein Powder

*Calories and macros below are for the Salted Caramel flavor.

Calories	130 calories
Protein	25g
Carbs	3g
Fat	2g
Sugar	2g

Depending on the flavor, one scoop has about 130–140 calories. But every flavor still gives you 25g of protein per scoop. So the percent of the scoop that’s protein changes a little by flavor, about 71–77%.

Using the Featgood criteria, BPN protein powder falls in the “Acceptable” to “Good” range depending on the flavour that you choose.

Pros:

• Third-Party Tested and Uses Clean Ingredients: With BPN, you can feel good knowing the label matches what’s actually in the tub. Their third-party testing also helps confirm there aren’t harmful substances or contaminants. On top of that, BPN uses a short, simple ingredient list, sticks to natural flavors and sweeteners, and is naturally gluten free.

• Tastes Great and Mixes Well: Even with the absence of artificial flavors and sweeteners, BPN protein powder tastes amazing and comes in 10 different dessert-like flavors to choose from. It mixes easily and seamlessly in water or milk, but can also be mixed easily into different foods like oats and yogurt. It provides a thicker and creamier consistency compared to whey isolates.

• Leaves you Feeling Fuller Compared to Whey Isolates: Since BPN utilizes two different protein sources; whey concentrate and casein, it will help to support muscle recovery while also keeping you fuller for longer compared to a whey isolate. More specifically, many individuals favor casein protein for its satiating effects.

Cons:

• It’s Expensive: At full price, BPN protein powder costs $1.85 per serving, which is above the average cost of a protein powder, but is a justified cost considering it’s higher quality ingredients and NSF Sport certification. You can bring this cost down to $1.57 if you sign up for the subscription, which is just above the average industry cost.

• Not Great For Anyone Who is Lactose Intolerant: If you are someone who is sensitive to dairy, more specifically the lactose in dairy, then this protein powder will likely not be suitable for you, since it has a higher lactose content compared to many whey isolate protein powders.

Who Should Take It?

BPN protein powder is a strong pick for endurance and/or elite athletes who want to support recovery with a high-quality protein that’s third-party tested and certified free of harmful and banned substances. It’s best for athletes who digest casein well and prefer a naturally sweetened product without artificial flavors.

Want more info?  Read my full review on BPN Whey Protein Review here.

Main Differences: BPN vs. Transparent Labs

Ingredients

The Winner: Transparent Labs

Both powders have solid ingredient lists with no artificial flavors or colors, but Transparent Labs keeps things even simpler. BPN does use gums like guar gum and xanthan gum, which some people try to avoid. It also lists soy on the label, and that can be a dealbreaker for some people.

Protein Percentage

The Winner: Transparent Labs

There was no contest here, while both protein powders fall at least under the “Good” range for protein percentage, many flavors of Transparent Labs fall under the “Excellent” category, hitting an impressive 86% protein percentage per serving.

Quality Assurance

The Winner: Transparent Labs

Both brands do a fantastic job of third-party testing and providing quality assurance of their product, but Transparent Labs wins out in this category simply because of their publicly accessible CoAs (Certificate of Analysis), their multiple independent verifications, and the fact that they openly post full lab reports of their tested products.

Cost

The Winner: BPN

At full cost, BPN beats out Transparent labs at $1.85 per serving versus $2.00 per serving. Even when both protein powders are purchased on a subscription, BPN is still the winner at $1.57 per serving compared to the Transparent Labs subscription at $1.80 per serving.

Taste

The Winner: Transparent Labs

While taste and flavor preference is a fairly subjective experience, both products did a great job of creating a product with great taste while avoiding artificial ingredients. Transparent Labs only wins this category because they offer 10 more flavors to choose from compared to BPN.

Texture & Mixability

The Winner: Tie

Both Transparent Labs and BPN have a great mixing protein powder that doesn’t leave any chunks or chalkiness when mixing. BPN has a slightly thicker texture due to it being a whey concentrate/ casein blend, while Transparent Labs has a slightly “thinner” texture. Again, whichever one you prefer will come down to personal preference.

Final Winner: Transparent Labs

If you want the best overall option, Transparent Labs takes the win. It has the higher protein percentage per scoop (75–86%), an unusually clean 4–5 ingredient formula, and stronger transparency around testing with easy-to-find batch reports.

That said, BPN is still a great pick if you care more about feeling full (thanks to the whey concentrate + casein blend) and want a slightly lower cost per serving.

Reference

Alothman, M., Hogan, S. A., Hennessy, D., Dillon, P., Kilcawley, K. N., O’Donovan, M., Tobin, J., Fenelon, M. A., & O’Callaghan, T. F. (2019). The “Grass-Fed” Milk Story: Understanding the Impact of Pasture Feeding on the Composition and Quality of Bovine Milk. Foods, 8(8), 350. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods8080350