Transparent Labs vs Thorne: Which Protein Is Better?

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

There are two protein powders that strive to be the “healthiest” protein powders on the market: Transparent Labs and Thorne.  

Transparent Labs is known for using the most natural ingredients possible with rigorous 3rd party testing standards.  

And, similarly, Thorne promotes its products as having the “purest” ingredients that are 100% backed by science. 

So, given these claims, which protein is better?  Which one should you buy if you value natural, pure, and healthy ingredients? 

I’ve just spent a month testing each protein, and today, I’m going to give you the final verdict after comparing each brand head-to-head across the following categories: 

• Ingredients
• Quality Assurances
• Protein Percent of Calories
• Taste
• Mixability
• Texture
• Satiety
• Cost

Note: If you want to read our in-depth individual reviews of each of these proteins, check Transparent Labs here and Throne here.

No Time to Read? Here’s The Winner:

Transparent Labs came out on top. 

However, Thorne Protein is also an excellent choice and has its place, especially if you are a drug-tested athlete (more on this below).

Note: I’ll refer to Transparent Labs Whey Isolate as ‘TL whey isolate.’

Key Takeaways

• TL whey isolate uses a grass-fed protein and is free of artificial additives. It has 86% protein percent of calories; each scoop provides around 28 grams. This makes TL whey isolate an excellent source of protein content. Thorne protein is also an isolate but contains some artificial additives, and its protein content is 84% or around 21 grams of protein per scoop. This makes Transparent Labs a slightly higher protein percentage. 

• TL whey isolate is ideal for people looking for a clean-label protein supplement that uses natural ingredients like stevia, salt, and cocoa powder. In comparison, Thorne Protein is often the go-to option for athletes who undergo drug testing and are required by their governing body to choose NSF-certified supplements.

• Both products are known for their high safety standards, transparency, and rigorous testing. However, Transparent Labs offers around 7 grams more protein per serving and costs $0.07 less per serving, making it the ideal choice for those looking to get the best bang for the buck.

What Is Transparent Labs Whey Isolate?

As its name suggests, Transparent Labs prides itself on transparency. The company tests each batch of its products and shares the results on its website for everyone to see. This allows you to verify each tub’s quality and purity. 

Unlike some products, TL also lists the exact ingredients and their respective dosages down to the milligrams, which can help you make more informed decisions.

Looking for quality and purity data on a Transparent Labs supplement you’ve gotten? Head to their certificate of analysis page, navigate to your product and batch, and see the results. 

I recently had a vanilla flavor with lot number 24121223. The results of the analysis were on their website for me to review. 

Now, TL whey isolate is 100% grass-fed. This means two things:

First, as an isolate, this is a more refined product with a higher protein content of around 86%. This means a 30-gram scoop generally provides 27.5-28 grams of high-quality protein. 

To put this into context, some protein powders I’ve tested have had as little as 60-70% protein per serving, or around 18-21 grams per scoop.  

For example, Pure Protein has 60%, Kirkland has 76%, and MuscleTech has 57%. 

Second, grass-fed dairy products come from the milk of cows fed a diet primarily based on grass. This diet is considered healthier than that of conventional cows, which mainly consists of multiple types of grains, silage, and supplements, some of which are not openly disclosed.

Additionally, TL whey isolate has limited ingredients: stevia, salt, and natural flavors. This means the product is without artificial ingredients that are all too common in the supplement industry today, such as thickeners, sweeteners, artificial colors, etc. 

The price per serving is $2.00, which is more expensive than the average of $1.34 (based on our evaluation of 30+ protein brands). However, given the brand’s excellent reputation and emphasis on transparency, along with the product’s high protein content, good mixability, and texture, the cost is justified and well worth it.  Keep in mind, the average cost also includes protein powders that are lower in quality.

Pros

• 92-93% protein content (27.5-28 grams of protein per scoop)
• Simple ingredient list with no artificial additives
• Grass-fed whey protein
• Each batch is third-party tested (results available on their website)
• Rich taste and multiple flavor options
• Mixes well and doesn’t end up with chunks

Cons

• It costs more than the average of $1.34 per serving

Who Should Take It?

Transparent Labs Whey Isolate is perfect for:

• Average trainees and gym-goers who look for a quality product to boost their protein intake

• Those who don’t mind paying a bit extra for quality, transparency, and peace of mind

• People looking for a good grass-fed whey protein isolate

• Those who want the benefits from an animal-based protein but are sensitive to lactose (given the high protein content, TL whey isolate has negligible amounts of milk sugars)

What is Thorne Protein?

Thorne is another company that stands out with good qualities like emphasis on scientific data, innovation, and the focus on educating its client base. 

One way the company helps educate clients is through online quizzes, which you can see here. While not as advanced, these quizzes can be helpful for beginners who don’t know where to start or might want to get a particular product for the wrong reasons.

For instance, I took the protein powder quiz and liked how quickly the quiz guided me to the right protein for my goals. In addition to providing helpful information to educate people, the quiz is designed to help users find the best product and clarify why they want a specific supplement.

Other quizzes (including B-complex and Sleep) are more thorough and consider multiple things before recommending a product or stack.

Thorne supplements also have an NSF Sport certification, which makes them an attractive option for some competitive athletes. This is because some governing bodies require their athletes to take NSF Sport-certified supplements only. 

Thorne Protein is an isolate, with each serving having 84% protein percent of calories, or 21 grams per scoop. 

This protein percentage is considered good based on FeastGood.com’s criteria (75-85% protein content). TL whey isolate falls into the excellent category, which is when a product has more than 85% protein per serving.

In addition to the whey isolate, this product also has bromelain and papain, which are digestive enzymes that help break down protein peptides (chains). This can help with digestion and potentially reduce the risk of side effects like bloating or gas.

Also, similar to Transparent Labs, Thorne is committed to producing high-quality products free of artificial coloring agents and sweeteners. Their protein has natural sweeteners but still tastes great.

One drawback of Thorne’s protein is that it only comes in vanilla and chocolate flavors, while TL protein is offered in over a dozen different flavor options. 

Pros

• Only 109 calories per scoop
• 80% protein per serving
• NSF Sport certification
• It has two digestive enzymes: bromelain and papain
• Good texture and mixability
• Free of artificial coloring and sweeteners

Cons

• It costs $2.07 per serving, which is well above the average
• Only chocolate and vanilla flavors are available
• Not the highest amount of protein per serving (21g per scoop)

Who Should Take It?

Thorne Protein is ideal for:

• Athletes whose governing body requires them to only take NSF Sport-certified supplements

• Those who love vanilla and chocolate flavors and don’t mind sticking to them

• People who want to lose fat and are looking for a protein powder with as few calories as possible per scoop

• People who have had digestive issues from other whey proteins but still want to stick to a dairy-based protein

• Those who value clean-label supplements free of artificial coloring and fillers

Main Differences: Transparent Labs Whey Isolate vs Thorne Protein

Ingredients

The Winner: Transparent Labs

Thorne stands out among many protein powders with a quality ingredient list. This protein isolate is almost entirely free of artificial additives and has natural alternatives like cocoa powder, stevia, and evaporated cane juice sugar that enhance its taste. 

The product also has xanthan gum and carboxymethylcellulose gum (also known as cellulose gum) that serve as thickening agents and help improve the protein’s texture and how it feels in your mouth. 

While both are artificial additives, they are commonly used in the food industry and are considered safe by the FDA.

Transparent Labs wins in this first category because it is an all-natural product. You have grass-fed whey protein isolate, stevia, salt, peanut flour, cocoa powder, and natural chocolate flavor. 

The product is free of artificial sweeteners, coloring agents, preservatives, and gluten.

Quality Assurances

The Winner: Tied

Thorne values transparency and honesty, which is why all the ingredients in its products are listed on the label. Nothing is hidden behind a proprietary blend, and the quantities of ingredients per serving are visible.

The company’s protein is also NSF Sport-certified, contributing to the brand’s reputation and trustworthiness. Athletes who undergo drug testing often consider Thorne because governing bodies require them to take NSF Sport-certified products.

Transparent Labs is also fantastic because it lives up to its name and promises to deliver safe and effective supplements. Like Thorne products, you can see all the ingredients listed on supplement labels with their respective quantities or percentages per serving.

They also test each batch of their products and publish the analyses on their website. Find your product’s lot number to access the results and see when the test was conducted.

Protein Percent of Calories

The Winner: Transparent Labs

Transparent Labs is the winner because it has 86% protein. On the other hand, Thorne Protein has 84% protein per scoop.

TL whey isolate has around 130 calories per serving and offers 27.5-28 grams of protein, whereas Thorne has 100 calories and 21 grams of protein.

Taste/Flavor

The Winner: Transparent Labs

This is one of the more subjective categories to compare, but Transparent Labs wins again.

TL whey isolate comes in 15 flavors, including less common options like milk chocolate, oatmeal chocolate chip, and blueberry pancakes. The taste was milder (not overly sweet) but still quite enjoyable. 

I’ve tested each flavor of Transparent Labs, which you can watch here: 

Peanut Butter, Dark Chocolate, and Mocha Latte were the obvious top 3 favorites for me when it came to the strength of flavor, balanced sweetness, and being true to taste.

However, Transparent Labs stopped producing Peanut Butter, so Dark Chocolate is now my #1. 

In contrast, Thorne Protein only has two flavors: chocolate and vanilla. 

This is fine if you prefer the classics, however, it’s not enough for people who want to try different flavors. Getting the same thing over and over can get old pretty fast.

I personally tested the Chocolate flavor, which was nice and rich but tended towards the bitter side (closer to dark chocolate than milk chocolate). 

I enjoyed the chocolate flavor, but its bitterness caught me off guard the first time I tried it. 

Mixability

The Winner: Tied

Both products mixed well with water and milk and it didn’t take much to get a smooth protein shake with no clumps. 

They also mix well in yogurt and were fantastic additions to my oatmeal bowls. I had no trouble mixing either product.

Texture (Thick or Thin)

The Winner: Tied

TL whey isolate mixes quite well and has a smooth texture, even when using water instead of milk. Its rich and creamy texture makes every protein shake enjoyable. 

Thorne Protein is also great in this regard, and I didn’t notice any significant differences between the textures when mixed with water or milk. 

Because of that, I don’t think either product came up on top in this category.

Satiety

The Winner: Tied

TL whey and Thorne Protein are both isolates, which means both digest reasonably quickly and are unlikely to keep you feeling full for a long period. 

When testing for this category, I mixed a scoop of protein powder with five ounces of 2% milk and had my shake around 8 AM. In my experience, TL whey kept me feeling full slightly longer than Thorne, but the difference wasn’t big.

Cost

The Winner: Transparent Labs

TL whey isolate costs $2.00 per serving, well above the average of $1.34 based on our review of 30+ protein products of various types and sizes.

However, Thorne Protein is slightly more expensive at $2.07 per serving. 

It’s not a huge difference, but given that Transparent Labs whey isolate has a higher protein percent of calories, it offers a better bang for the buck.

Where To Buy

Transparent Labs Whey Protein

Transparent Labs Grass-Fed Whey Isolate is the top protein powder FeastGood.com recommends.

Thorne Protein

The combination of high quality, thorough testing, certification, good taste, and mixability, Thorne Protein is a worthy contender to Transparent Labs.

What Other Experts Are Saying

• Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson (The Mountain from Game of Thrones), Europe’s Strongest Man, a multiple-time winner of the World’s Strongest Man competitions, and winner of the Arnold Strongman Classic, has been a brand ambassador for Transparent Labs since 2020.
  
  He openly promotes TL products and shows how he uses them in his everyday life and training.
  
  A couple of years ago, The Mountain did a weight-loss transformation challenge and praised Transparent Labs Whey Isolate as a significant part of his results. Watch this video where his wife Kelsey Henson used TL whey isolate to make his favorite pancakes.

• Abby Reymond, a Team USA weightlifter, has partnered with Thorne on multiple occasions. Above all, she’s stated that quality matters most to her, “Thorne values the quality and integrity of every ingredient in every product. They practice rigorous testing methods, have world-renowned facilities, and have an entire line of NSF Certified for Sport products to advance the clean sport movement.”
  
  Among Thorne’s products, here are her favorites: whey protein, creatine, and vitamin D-5000.