Building muscle as a vegan can be tricky. A lot of protein powders contain whey protein, which comes from cow’s milk. However, there are plenty of different plant-based protein sources you can opt for instead, if you’re looking for vegan alternatives. If you don’t know your pea from your pumpkin seed, we spoke to the experts, and tried and taste-tested a range of options for every preference and budget.
“Pea, rice, hemp or soy as single-ingredient powders are all great options. Or, a blend of those along with pumpkin seed powder (which is rich in magnesium, zinc, and other essential nutrients) and quinoa works well,” says VeganMacros101 vegan fitness influencer and nutritionist Vicki Jones. “Something to take into consideration is that blend formulas usually digest the best and also have the smoothest texture! Pea, rice or hemp can be a little chalky.”
Ryan Adams, the founder of vegan nutrition coaching programme Slim and Sustain, suggests looking for a protein powder with as few ingredients as possible. “Some vegan protein powders use a long list of artificial ingredients for flavour,” advises Adams. “I think some stevia to provide sweetness is perfectly acceptable, but when something has lots of refined sugars, things like maltodextrin, which is commonly used as a filler in all protein powders, or artificial sweeteners like sucralose, then it’s not so great. It’s also best to avoid vegan protein powders that contain large quantities of vegetable oils or added fats, which are used to give a richer taste.”
After mixing, sipping, and sometimes cooking with the vegan protein powders below, it was NGX bodyfuel that reigned supreme. The DNA nutrition test and report are incredibly expensive, but its personalised approach is impressive. For something more affordable, Innermost health protein packs in the most protein of all the powders we tried, while providing immune support.
How we tested
Our experts tested a range of leading vegan protein powders. All of the powders were assessed on the following criteria:
- Taste: While highly subjective, we gave our opinion on the flavour, noting whether it was particularly sweet, earthy, or artificial-tasting, and if it was a strong flavour. We tried the powders in water primarily, but we also whizzed them into smoothies, added them to pancake mix and stirred them into porridge (weaker or unflavoured powders tend to be best for cooking). It was also important that the powders came in a variety of flavours, meaning it’s more likely there will be one to suit your palate, so we noted the number of flavours available.
- Nutrition: We noted and compared the type and amount of protein, and any other nutritionally beneficial ingredients and their claimed benefits. Where relevant, we noted the calories.
- Consistency: We mixed the powder with just water, as per the packet instructions, and made a note of mixability, paying attention to whether the resulting drink was bitty or smooth.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Zoe Griffin has been contributing to IndyBest for years. As a triathlete, she spends her free time pounding the pavement, racking up miles on her bike and enduring lengths in the pool, giving her ample opportunity to test out a wide range of sports equipment and essentials, from googles to Garmin sports watches. She’s committed to finding protein powders that pack in all the good stuff and that actually taste good enough to savour, rather than swig.
Alice Barraclough is a fitness and wellbeing writer with a decade of experience in fitness reviews and reporting. Alice has reviewed activewear brands, foam rollers, protein bars and more for IndyBest – like all our reviews, everything in Alice’s round-ups has been through thorough real-world testing.
The best vegan protein powders for 2025 are:
- Best overall – NGX bodyfuel: £299.99, Nutri-genetix.com
- Best budget option – Bulk vegan protein powder: £8.99, Bulk.com
- Best award-winner– Innermost health protein: £29.95, Liveinnermost.com
- Best for women – Free Soul vegan protein blend: £23.39, Amazon.co.uk
