Transparent Labs vs. Levels Protein: Which is Better?

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Transparent Labs has been the #1 ranked whey protein powder at FeastGood.com for a long time. Our coaches, writers, and clients use it, and we recommend it often. But is it really worth the hype?

With its premium price tag, it’s fair to ask whether a more budget-friendly option like Levels Whey can offer the same grass-fed whey benefits for less.

In this article, I’ll compare Transparent Labs and Levels head-to-head across our eight key protein powder criteria, so you can decide which one is the better fit for your goals, preferences, and budget.

In a Hurry?  Here’s The Winner

Nothing in this comparison could shake the crown off of Transparent Labs in terms of its absolute overall value.  However, depending who you are, what you’re after in terms of features, and your budget, there are still reasons to lean on Levels.  Check out the full article below to learn why.

Key Takeaways

• Transparent Labs is a grass-fed whey isolate protein powder providing 93% of calories from protein, depending on flavor. Whereas, Levels protein is a grass-fed whey concentrate protein powder providing 74% of calories from protein

• Both brands boast a short list of clean ingredients with no artificial sweeteners, flavors, thickening agents, soy or gluten

• Both brands claim to be third-party certified, but only Transparent Labs backs it up with NSF-Certified for Sport and Informed Choice labeling and certificates of analysis available on its website

• Transparent Labs is priced at a premium of >$2.00/scoop whereas Levels Whey Protein is a bargain at ~$1.10/scoop

What is Transparent Labs Whey Isolate?

This is a whey protein isolate formula designed to deliver a high percentage of protein with minimal carbs, fats, or fillers. The focus here is purity — from a brand name that literally includes the word “transparent.”

Next, the fact that it is a whey protein isolate means that the raw ingredient of milk powder has gone through a high level of refinement to isolate only the protein, leaving minimal fats or carbohydrates.  

This means that a very high percentage of the overall calories (at least 93%) in Transparent Labs comes from protein.  Plus, with virtually no carbohydrates, all of the naturally occurring milk sugar (lactose) is removed, making Transparent Labs a perfect choice for anyone suffering from lactose intolerance.

In addition to leaving out the lactose, Transparent Labs’ short list of clean, simple ingredients also makes us love it for what else it doesn’t have: artificial sweeteners and thickening agents, and soy-based additives.  We can also rest easy that it doesn’t have any banned performance enhancing substances.

How can we be so sure?  Transparent Labs is more than a catchy brand name: each batch is third-party tested (Informed Choice and NSF Certified for Sport) with certificates of analysis available on the website.

Finally, Transparent Labs’ whey protein powder is sourced from grass-fed cows, who typically have a higher quality of life than cows raised in a conventional feeding lot.  If animal welfare is important to you, this can also be a selling point. 

It probably comes as no surprise that all of the benefits above mean that you can expect to make a higher investment in Transparent Labs than in other protein powders because you’re making a higher investment in yourself and your goals: the average cost is >$2.00/scoop, compared to ~$1.30-$1.50/scoop for the average protein powder on the market.  

As you’ll see from our head-to-head criteria later in the article, we believe the extra cost is justified, but not necessary for all individuals, based on their goals, preferences, and budget.

Pros

• Highest protein content of all whey protein powders we’ve reviewed, at ~93% protein per scoop (varies slightly by flavour)
• Short list of simple, clean ingredients with no artificial sweeteners or thickeners
• Great taste and mixability
• Third-party tested
• Lactose-free
• Grass-fed whey

Cons

• Premium price point at >$2.00/scoop

Who Should Take It?

• Individuals who want the highest-protein, high-quality whey powder

• Athletes who need third-party tested, banned-substance-free supplements

• Individuals who need a lactose-free option

• Individuals sensitive to artificial sweeteners or thickeners

• Individuals who prefer grass-fed whey for animal welfare reasons

What is Levels Whey Protein Powder?

Like Transparent Labs, Levels also positions itself in the “clean” protein space, with an emphasis on better ingredients and nutrient profile than most mainstream protein powders. Their website boasts: “Nothing Fake. Ever.”  It’s naturally-flavored with no artificial sweeteners, no soy, and no gluten. 

Unlike Transparent Labs, Levels is a whey protein concentrate, not an isolate.  This means that there is less refinement during processing, and fats and carbohydrates (including lactose) are left behind in the final product.  

This means that only 74% of the overall calories in Levels Whey comes from protein.  The remaining calories come from fat (17%) and carbohydrates (9%).  Levels Whey protein is not suitable for someone who is lactose-intolerant.

While Levels protein does claim to be third-party tested, there are no certificates of analysis on its website like there are for Transparent Labs, and no markings for Informed Choice or NSF Certified for Sport on its labels.

Levels Whey protein powder is sourced from grass-fed cows, so the same animal welfare benefits can be achieved by choosing this protein powder.

Unfortunately, Levels protein really falls short when it comes to taste.  My colleague Jen Vibert “nearly wanted to spit it out because it seemed flavorless and extremely bitter.”  You can read all about her experience with the brand in her full-length review.

Where Levels really shines is its price point: at as little as $1.10/scoop (when buying in bulk), it can’t be beat in terms of the value for a naturally-flavored grass-fed whey protein powder.  For someone who has to carefully budget how to best make gains, this tradeoff between price and taste can be well worth it.

One of the best ways to overcome the complaints about texture and flavor is to mix Levels Whey protein powder into smoothies with other ingredients, or stir it into oatmeal or yogurt, where the flavors of the other foods will make up for its taste, and the texture will be masked compared to mixing it with just water.

Pros

• Budget-friendly at ~$1.10-$1.78/scoop 
• Short list of simple, clean ingredients with no artificial sweeteners or thickeners
• Naturally sweetened with stevia and monk fruit
• Third-party tested for heavy metal content
• Grass-fed whey

Cons

• Only 74% protein content per scoop (“reasonable”) according to our guidelines
• Gritty texture
• Poor flavor (ranking at the bottom of our review of chocolate protein powders)

Who Should Take It?

• Budget-conscious gym-goers and athletes

• Individuals sensitive to artificial sweeteners or thickeners

• Individuals who want a whey concentrate with extra carbs and fats for bulking

• Individuals who prefer grass-fed whey for animal welfare reasons

Main Differences: Transparent Labs Whey Isolate vs. Levels Whey Concentrate Protein Powders

Ingredients

The Winner: Tie

Both Transparent Labs and Levels Whey Protein have short lists of all-natural ingredients with no artificial sweeteners, flavors, soy, gluten or other artificial additives like thickening agents.  They rely on stevia and monk fruit for sweetness and natural flavoring options like peanut flour, cocoa powder and vanilla extract.

Quality Assurances

The Winner: Transparent Labs

Both Transparent Labs and Levels Whey Protein claim to be third-party tested, but only Transparent Labs actually has Informed Choice and NSF Certified for Sport seals on its labels.  Transparent Labs also makes certificates of analysis for each batch available on its website.

Levels Whey Protein does not have these certifications and does not offer information about or access to its testing results on its website.

I have competed in sanctioned powerlifting competitions that require me to comply with the regulations of the World Anti-doping Agency (WADA).  I would not feel comfortable using Levels Whey protein powder leading up to or during a competition, whereas I would completely trust Transparent Labs.

Protein Percent of Calories

The Winner: Transparent Labs

This was absolutely no contest, if you’re looking for a protein powder that is indeed mainly protein!  Transparent Labs consistently ranks at the top of our category, boasting 93% of calories from protein.

That said, if you are looking to add muscle mass, you might actually want a protein powder that also provides other macronutrients and additional calories, to assist with bumping up your total calorie intake for the day.  Since Levels protein only provides 74% of calories from protein, each scoop will also provide calories from carbohydrates and fat, which can help with reaching these macronutrient targets in liquid form to reduce feeling uncomfortably full from too much solid food.

Drinking your calories isn’t recommended in a deficit (in order to manage hunger levels), but the opposite is true when it comes to strategies to put on weight.

Taste/Flavor

The Winner: Transparent Labs

This is the next category that was an absolute slam-dunk for Transparent Labs.  We’ve tried every single flavor of Transparent Labs protein powder, and they are all delicious.  Levels Protein powder fell to the bottom of the list in two different protein powder taste reviews.

While there are strategies for overcoming the poor taste of Levels Protein, when it comes to ranking them just as they are, Transparent Labs is far superior.  That said, if Levels protein is the right choice for your budget, we’re not going to leave you hanging: I’ve written an entire article on how to make protein shakes taste better.

Mixability

The Winner: Transparent Labs

Transparent Labs mixes well with either water or milk.  It doesn’t matter if you’ve just got a shaker cup or a high-powered blender; Transparent Labs dissolves well without any clumps.

Levels Protein powder does not mix easily with water or milk, meaning it’s not a good choice if you’re the type to just grab a shaker cup and mix up your protein powder with water while on the go.

Texture

The Winner: Transparent Labs

Transparent Labs  

Transparent Labs takes the cake here, too.  Whether mixed with just water in a shaker cup, or blended into a fancy smoothie or protein ice cream, Transparent Labs delivers a smooth, creamy experience. 

Our taste testers found Levels protein gritty, leaving noticeable residue inside the cup as well as in the mouth.

Satiety

The Winner: Levels Protein

Satiety (how full and satisfied you feel after eating or drinking, and for how long) is often linked to how long it takes to digest what you’ve consumed.  

Whey protein isolate is absorbed at a rate of about 10 g/hour.  Whey protein concentrate takes longer to digest (about 8 g/hour) because your body also needs to break down the fat and carbohydrates included in this type of powder.

Since Levels protein is a whey concentrate protein powder, it will keep you feeling fuller for longer than Transparent Labs’ whey isolate protein powder.  

Keep in mind, however, that whether this is “good” or “bad” depends on your goals – as I said above, if you’re bulking, you might prefer a LESS satiating protein powder.  It really depends on your goals, your macronutrient targets, and your personal experience in terms of what makes it easiest to stay on track.

Cost

The Winner: Levels Whey Protein

Even at the least economical price point (buying a small size at a cost of $1.78/scoop), Levels Protein is significantly less than Transparent Labs.  When buying the largest formats of Levels Protein, the cost works out to just $1.10/scoop, which is well below the average cost of protein powder (~$1.30/scoop), and especially impressive in the category of naturally-flavored, grass-fed whey protein.

Where To Buy

Transparent Labs Whey Protein

Feastgood.com proudly recommends Transparent Labs Whey Protein as our #1 choice for protein powder.

Levels Whey Protein

At Feastgood.com we never want cost to be a barrier for reaching your fitness goals, so we want to point out that Levels website has a Subscribe & Save feature to save 10% of its products.  

What Other Experts Are Saying

• Transparent Labs brand ambassador UFC Fighter Max Holloway used Transparent Labs to fuel his preparation for UFC 308.  While he was ultimately bested in the bout, he knows that no one fight defines a career: it’s the process and journey that matter, and not the final destination.  His values of resilience, determination, and a relentless pursuit of excellence are values shared by the team at Transparent Labs.

• Levels Protein has moved away from the idea of using high-profile athletes and social media influencers to promote its brand, and is using AI-powered creativity in its “Founding Udders” program, inviting “real-world Joes and Janes” to be ambassadors or influencers for the brand.