Do protein powder brands lie about serving sizes?

Not exactly lying, but they manipulate serving sizes to make their products appear cheaper. Some brands use smaller scoops (20-25g) to lower the 'per serving' cost, while others use larger scoops (35-40g). This makes direct comparison by serving impossible. Always calculate price per 100g protein instead.

Price per 100g protein accounts for serving size games and filler content.

A 2lb tub of 80% protein isolate contains 725g of actual protein, while 70% concentrate contains only 635g.

Do protein powder brands lie about serving sizes?

Not exactly lying, but they manipulate serving sizes to make their products appear cheaper. Some brands use smaller scoops (20-25g) to lower the 'per serving' cost, while others use larger scoops (35-40g). This makes direct comparison by serving impossible. Always calculate price per 100g protein instead.

What is the real cost of protein powder?

The real cost is price per 100g of protein, not container price or cost per serving. Calculate this by: (Container price ÷ total protein grams) × 100. This reveals the true cost regardless of serving size games or container weight tricks.

How do brands hide expensive protein powder?

Brands use multiple tactics: smaller containers that look cheaper per tub, larger serving sizes that reduce 'servings per container', high filler content that increases container weight without adding protein, and confusing unit pricing (per scoop vs per 100g).

Is protein powder priced by weight accurate?

No, price per pound or kilogram is misleading because protein concentration varies. A $10/lb powder at 70% protein costs $14.29 per 100g protein, while a $12/lb powder at 90% protein costs just $13.33 per 100g. Always calculate by protein content, not total weight.

Hidden Costs in Protein Powder Pricing: Serving Size Tricks

Q: Why do protein powder serving sizes vary so much?

Serving sizes are chosen by the brand, not standardized. A smaller serving size makes the 'per serving' protein and cost look lower, while a larger serving can make the protein content look higher. Both strategies are marketing tactics. The only fair comparison is price per 100g of actual protein.

A $35 protein powder might seem cheaper than a $40 option—but serving sizes, container weights, and protein concentrations vary widely between brands. The "cheaper" option often costs more per gram of protein. Here are the pricing tricks to watch for.

The Serving Size Illusion

Serving sizes are not standardized—each brand chooses their own scoop size as a marketing tactic. A smaller serving size makes the 'per serving' cost look lower, while a larger serving can make the protein content look higher. The only fair comparison is price per 100g of actual protein.

Serving sizes are not standardized. Each brand chooses their own scoop size, and this choice is a marketing tactic—not a nutrition recommendation:

The "Small Scoop" Trick

Brand uses a 21g scoop to make their product seem cheaper per serving.

Scoop size: 21g
Protein: 15g
Servings: 43 (907g tub)
Price: $35
Looks like: $0.81 per serving

The "Large Scoop" Trick

Brand uses a 35g scoop to make their protein content look higher.

Scoop size: 35g
Protein: 25g
Servings: 26 (907g tub)
Price: $35
Looks like: $1.35 per serving

Same price, same container weight—but one looks 40% cheaper per serving. This is why comparing by serving size is meaningless.

The Container Weight Deception

Brands also play games with container sizes. Here's a classic comparison that trips up shoppers:

Product A (Better Value)

Container: 2lb (907g)
Price: $45
Protein %: 80% (isolate)
Total protein: ~725g
Real cost: $6.21 per 100g protein

Product B (Looks Cheaper)

Container: 5lb (2.27kg)
Price: $85
Protein %: 70% (concentrate)
Total protein: ~1,590g
Real cost: $6.89 per 100g protein

Product B is $40 cheaper and has more than double the weight—but it's actually 11% more expensive per gram of protein. The larger container creates an illusion of value that doesn't exist once you account for protein concentration.

The Filler Factor

Not all weight in a protein tub is actual protein. Concentrates and mass gainers contain significant fillers:

Whey concentrate (70-80% protein): 20-30% fillers (fat, carbs, moisture)
Whey isolate (90%+ protein): Under 10% fillers
Mass gainers: Often 50% or less protein by weight

When you buy a 2lb tub of 70% protein concentrate, you're paying for 1.4lb of protein and 0.6lb of...everything else. That "everything else" isn't building muscle.

Price Per Pound vs Price Per 100g Protein

Even comparing by price per pound is misleading. Here's why:

Product	Price Per Lb	Protein %	Price Per 100g Protein
Budget Concentrate	$8.00	75%	$5.90
Premium Isolate	$12.00	92%	$6.10
Mass Gainer	$7.00	50%	$7.72

The "cheapest" per pound option (mass gainer at $7/lb) is actually the most expensive per gram of protein. This is why price per 100g protein is a more accurate comparison.

The "Servings Per Container" Shell Game

Watch how brands manipulate servings to hit price points:

Brand wants to hit a $39.99 price point

If they use 30g scoops at 25g protein each:

Target price: $6.50/100g → 615g protein needed → 25 servings → 750g tub

If they use 32g scoops at 24g protein each (slightly diluted):

Same 750g tub → 23 servings → $1.74 per serving "looks" worse, so they use 28g scoops...

The math gets complex, but the takeaway is simple: serving counts are engineered, not natural. Don't base value on servings per container.

Flavor and Sweetener Markups

Premium flavors and natural sweeteners can add $1-3 per 100g protein:

Unflavored: Base price, no markup
Basic flavors (vanilla/chocolate with sucralose): +$0.50-1/100g
Premium flavors: +$1-2/100g
Natural sweeteners (stevia/monk fruit): +$1-2/100g

A $15 premium for "natural chocolate" might get you the same protein as the unflavored version—just with fancier flavoring. If taste matters, it's worth it. If you mix your protein into smoothies, unflavored saves significant money.

How to See Through the Tricks

The only way to fairly compare protein powders is to calculate price per 100g of actual protein:

Price Per 100g Protein =

(Container Price ÷ Total Protein Grams) × 100

Where Total Protein = Protein per Serving × Servings per Container

This metric accounts for serving size games, container weight tricks, filler content, and protein concentration. Lower numbers equal better value.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are protein powder serving sizes different?

Brands choose serving sizes based on marketing goals, not nutrition science. A smaller serving makes the "per serving" cost look lower, while a larger serving can make the protein content appear more impressive. There's no standard serving size in the supplement industry.

Is 2lb of protein powder always the same amount?

No. A 2lb tub of 80% protein isolate contains 725g of actual protein, while a 2lb tub of 70% concentrate contains only 635g. That's a 14% difference in actual protein for the same weight—and you're paying for both.

What is a fair price for protein powder?

Fair value depends on the type. Under $6/100g is excellent for whey concentrate, under $7/100g is good for whey isolate, and under $10/100g is solid for plant protein. Anything over $9/100g for whey or $15/100g for plant protein is poor value unless you have specific dietary needs.

Do expensive protein powders have more protein per serving?

Sometimes, but this is often a serving size game. A $60 powder with a 30g serving at 25g protein is the same as a $30 powder with a 30g serving at 25g protein—same protein, double the price. Always check price per 100g, not "per serving" claims.

Compare Without the Tricks

Our comparison tool automatically calculates price per 100g protein for every product, cutting through serving size games and container weight deception. See what you're actually paying for.