Best Protein Bars (2025): 12 Options to Satisfy Cravings and Make Gains

With 23 grams of carbs per bar, the Transparent Labs Grass-Fed Protein+ Bars are a solid choice for anyone needing a convenient way to satisfy their carb and protein macros for the day. They taste good, too. Kate Meier, GGR’s Senior Director of Content and a certified personal trainer, rated the taste 4 out of 5 stars, commenting, “They have a very clean peanut butter and chocolate taste. The pieces of chocolate are real, delicious, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate.”

Like all Transparent Labs products, these grass-fed protein bars contain all-natural ingredients. They’re free from artificial flavors, dyes, or sweeteners, and they don’t include any sugar alcohols. Their ingredients are gluten-free, but the company still recommends proceeding with caution if you must avoid gluten since they don’t test the protein bars for traces of gluten.

These are not a low-fat or low-calorie option. Kate described them as more of a meal than a snack since they have close to 300 calories and 16 grams of fat. We recommend them primarily for people looking to bulk. If you are trying to cut or maintain your weight, though, you can still eat them—you’ll just have to be mindful of the calories in your other daily meals and snacks to make sure you don’t go overboard.

RELATED: What Should My Macros Be?

Additionally, each bar contains only 15 grams of protein. We typically look for at least 20 grams of protein in a protein bar, so we rated the Transparent Labs product 3.5 out of 5 stars for its formulation.

Legion is a brand built on a selling point that they use 100% natural ingredients, including plant-based carbs, prebiotic fiber, and whey and milk proteins in the brand’s protein bars. You won’t find any artificial sweeteners, food dyes, or flavors in these bars.

We also really like the macro profile on these bars and rated their formulation a 4.5 out of 5. They have 24 grams of carbs, 20 grams of protein, and 12 grams of fat. There are 9 grams of prebiotic fiber, which may support gut health, but if you have too much of it (as in consuming multiple bars in one sitting), you may also find yourself running to the bathroom often.

We love Legion’s transparency. The site is covered in links to studies supporting their choice of ingredients, and the Legion protein bar is tested in an ISO 17025 accredited lab (which is also important if you’re an athlete who may be subject to drug testing). Our product testers rated these bars 5 out of 5 stars for label transparency and third-party testing.

We’ll admit that sometimes, the “all-natural” bars tend to taste … well, not great. However, we had half a dozen people bite into the Legion Protein Bars, and we received mostly positive reviews on the taste.

RELATED: Legion Whey Protein Review

“I didn’t want to finish the cookie dough bar (it didn’t taste dough-y enough for me), but I wanted to finish the chocolate peanut butter one,” says GGR senior director of content and personal trainer Kate Meier. While she only rated the cookie dough bar 3 out of 5 stars for taste, she gave the chocolate peanut butter one a higher score of 4 out of 5.

Looking for a low-carb solution that’ll satisfy your sweet tooth craving? Look no further than IQBAR Brain and Body Plant Protein Bars. Although they don’t provide as much protein as other options on this list (just 12 grams per bar), most contain just two to three grams of net carbs.

“These are great for those trying to increase protein intake while on a low carb diet, but there are far more efficient options to get your protein in if you don’t adhere to such a diet,” says Destini Moody, RD, CSSD, LD, rating the formulation a 3 out of 5.

“I like the novel ingredients like prebiotic fiber and lion’s mane. I also appreciate the minimal ingredients (take notes other protein bar brands!),” she says. “I do wish the protein source was something more high quality like whey rather than nuts and “pea protein crisps.”

If you’ve tried plant-based protein powder or bars before, you probably know they aren’t always the tastiest. While IQBAR did an admirable job with some flavors, our team rated the taste a 3 out of 5.

“The Chocolate Sea Salt is the best but none of them are stellar, in my opinion,” says director of content Nicole Davis. “I’m just generally not a fan of plant proteins because of that grassy undertone, which these also have.”

Similarly, these plant-based bars earned solid-but-unspectacular remarks for texture. Nicole also rated them a 3 out of 5 in this category.

“They’re really chewy and a little dry. No coating on the outside either, but they do have chips inside which is good to break up the texture a bit,” she explains.

Luckily, though, these low-carb bars are low-priced. At $1.97 per serving, they earn a 4-out-of-5 rating for price. So, if you’re trying to stay plant-based and keep your carbs (and budget) in check, IQBAR is a solid option.

RXBAR Protein Bars have been a go-to snack for me for years. They’re one of the best clean protein bars on the market, satisfying criteria for people who eat a paleo diet, follow the Whole30, or eat gluten-free. While the protein content isn’t the highest of all the bars on the list, let me make my case. 

I think there’s much more to a good protein bar than the protein content alone. RXBAR has successfully done what I have seen no other brand do: Create a satisfying, tasty, good-textured bar with all-natural ingredients without the need for refrigeration. 

Made with dried egg whites, dried dates, nuts, and sometimes, chocolate and/or salt. That’s it. Really. Thanks to the egg whites, each RXBAR Protein Bar packs 12 grams of protein, and thanks to the dates and nuts, you get a collection of vitamins and minerals as well. You’ll also see “natural flavors” on the ingredients list, which includes plant extracts, oils, and/or essences from spices, fruits, or other plants. We rated the ingredients and flavors 4 out of 5 stars.

I will say, the ultra-chewy texture isn’t for everyone, and sometimes it kills the vibe for me when I don’t want to work for my food. (It really does take a while to get these down.) Still, we gave the texture 4 out of 5 stars because there’s no chalkiness; they aren’t dry; and besides, thoroughly chewing your food is purportedly good for satiety and nutrient absorption.¹

If you’re looking for flavor recommendations, my favorites are Chocolate Sea Salt and Chocolate Coconut. Other GGR folks like the Blueberry, Mint Chocolate, and Strawberry flavors.

Our pick for the best-tasting protein bars goes to the Onnit Protein Bites. GGR’s senior director of content, Kate Meier, and some athletes from her weightlifting gym tested them and rated them 4 out of 5 for taste. “They taste like candy bars! The Cookies and Cream flavor is dangerous,” Kate commented. If you’re tired of protein bars that taste chalky or artificial, these could be an excellent option.

They are lower in protein than the other bars on this list—one serving only has up to 9 grams of protein. “I would view this as a healthier option for dessert when you feel like you need something sweet,” Kate advised. They also have a long list of ingredients. Many of them are fruit and vegetable extracts, but because of the macro profile, we could only rate them 2.5 out of 5 stars for formulation.

RELATED: Best Protein Bars for Weight Loss

Kate did praise the texture, however, and rated it 5 out of 5 stars. She compared the Chocolate Coconut Cashew protein bites to a Mounds bar. “Chewy, moist…chef’s kiss,” she remarked.

Director of content Nicole Davis tried the Peanut Butter Pieces flavor of the Jacked Factory Authentic Bars and was very pleased with the taste and texture, giving them a perfect 5 out of 5. “These are really good,” she says. “They taste exactly like a peanut butter Perfect Bar but with Reeses Pieces in it—same texture and everything!” 

“If you are a PB lover, you’ll die for this flavor! Also, they’re sweetened with honey, which you can taste. These don’t have any artificial flavor about them, something I find is noticeable in other protein bars”

The texture is also great, Nicole says; it didn’t give her dirt or chalk vibes like many protein bars do. The bars earned another perfect score in the texture category.

From a nutritional standpoint, the Authentic Bars could stand to improve, so we rated them only 2 out of 5 stars for their macro breakdown. “This would be a great dessert or treat-type bar,” Nicole says. “At only 15 grams of protein and 270 calories, it’s not the best from a protein standpoint, but it definitely feels like a healthier version of a candy bar. I’ll also say that for the calories, it feels small. But yum!”

The high calorie content is the main reason we recommend these as the best protein bars for muscle gain: Yes, more protein would be nice, but calories are ultimately just as important in the muscle-building process. You can’t build muscle without being in a caloric surplus, so dig in! Also check out our Best Protein Bar For Bodybuilding roundup for some more of our top muscle-building picks!

RELATED: Best Protein Powder for Men

In the name of honesty, I’m going to first share that our product tester did not enjoy these vegan protein bars in the slightest, finding them unbearably dry and chalky. That said, our tester is not vegan and we’re acutely aware that people who are not vegan are not used to a vegan palate. For that reason, we rated the taste 3 out of 5 stars and the texture 2 out of 5 stars.

Additionally, the customer reviews on the 1st Phorm Vegan Power Pro bars are generally very positive. We assume that people who actively purchase vegan protein bars find the taste and texture to be better than okay, so we still chose the 1st Phorm Vegan Power Pro Bars as our best plant-based protein bar.

RELATED: Best Vegan Protein Powder

Plus, nutritionally, these 1st Phorm Protein bars are sound: They include 15 grams of protein from pea protein (they’re soy-free), they do not include any artificial sweeteners, and the ingredients lists are free from words that make you squint your eyes. And if you’re looking for the best gluten-free protein bars, you’ll likely appreciate that these don’t contain any gluten at all.

The calorie count is quite high for the protein content. These have 260 to 280 calories depending on the flavor—but that’s because of the nuts and nut butters used. Overall, their formulation earned 4 out of 5 stars from our product reviewers.

While our tester would recommend a different product for people who can/want to eat whey protein, we appreciate the simple ingredients list and suitability for multiple diet types.

Pure Protein is a popular budget-friendly brand that makes a lot of nutritional products, including some of the best protein shakes and protein bars. Kate Meier, GGR senior director of content, tested the Pure Protein Bars in chocolate peanut butter and said they taste like candy. 

“I think these are probably the most candy-bar-like protein bars I’ve ever had,” she says. They are a little chalky—like VERY little—not in the way you taste with other protein bars.” Based on these comments, it should come as no surprise that they earned a solid 4 out of 5 for both taste and texture.

RELATED: Best Protein Powder for Women

As for the texture, it’s “similar to something like a Snickers or a Milky Way,” Kate explains. “Very nougaty.”

Pure Protein Bars have a pretty standard protein content of 20 grams per bar and a decent nutritional profile: 200 calories; 6 grams of fat; 16 grams of carbohydrates; and a vitamin blend. Note, though, that although these are some of the best low-sugar protein bars (they only have 2 grams of sugar), Pure Protein uses the sugar alcohol maltitol for sweetness. 

These bars are definitely not what we’d call au naturel, so we gave their ingredient list just 2 out of 5 stars. But they taste good, provide protein, and our tester didn’t experience any digestive problems. You can read out Pure Protein Bar review for more information.

Once upon a time, I was a Quest Bar fiend. I kept Quest Bars in my gym bag, school backpack, work bag, desk drawer, car console… You name it. Eventually, I lost the hyperfixation and actually became quite disgusted with Quest Bars—even my previously beloved Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough flavor. 

RELATED: Best Pre-workout for Women

So when I got the news that we’d be writing a guide to the best protein bars, I snapped at the opportunity to return to my old obsession and see if anything had changed (with me or with the formula. This was a twofold experiment). 

Of course, I bought none other than Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. When the package arrived, I gingerly peeled back a corner of the wrapper and nibbled, wondering if I’d be able to stomach the thing. 

RELATED: Best Protein Bars for Diabetics

Good news: Apparently all it takes is six years to overcome the nauseating effects of a hyperfixation food. More good news: These bars taste exactly like I remember, and I rated them 4 out of 5 stars for flavor. But they are protein bars, so it’s not like eating a real cookie, despite what the customer reviews might indicate.

For a snack with 20 grams of protein, 12 grams of fiber, and only 1 gram of sugar, it’s not half bad. They are dense and chewy, though, leading me to score them 3.5 out of 5 stars for texture. These are higher in fat than some other bars, with 9 grams per bar, and I’d be remiss not to call out the use of sugar alcohols.

RELATED: Best Low-Sugar Protein Bars

Quest Bars contain erythritol, a sugar alcohol known to cause digestive upset in some people. I don’t experience any negative effects from eating one Quest Bar every now and then, but people who are sensitive to sugar alcohols may want to avoid these. Since they aren’t the cleanest protein bars around, I gave them a score of 3.5 out of 5 for formulation.

RELATED: Best Pre-Workout

The Misfits Plant-Powered Protein Bar provides 15 grams of protein from pea and soy sources, making it acceptable for people who follow vegan, vegetarian, and lactose-free diets. These bars are also certified gluten-free. They do have sugar alcohols and have a higher carb content (around 24 grams per bar). But since they have a decent amount of protein and are suitable for a wide range of dietary preferences, we rated them 3 out of 5 stars for ingredients and nutritional breakdown.

For people who can’t or don’t want to consume dairy products, finding a protein bar that actually tastes good and delivers a decent amount of protein is tough. Most protein bars include some form of whey or another milk-derived protein, ruling them out for those with lactose intolerance. 

I tested the Misfits protein bars and, to my surprise, was not as taken aback as I usually am by vegan food products. (I really, really don’t find vegan options to be tasty, usually). While I can’t say these are a favorite of mine, I do appreciate the absence of a chalk-ified interior. I scored them 4 out of 5 stars for texture and 3.75 out of 5 stars for taste.

RELATED: Best Protein Bars for Women

I chose the Cookie Butter flavor (obviously) and was pleased overall at the chocolatey coating, chewy caramel-like layer, and crispy nougat-like bits. Some customer reviews say that these bars are way over-hyped and the flavor is overrated, and I’d have to agree—they’re good, but on the relative scale that they’re vegan and lactose-free. Again, it’s likely that someone who eats a vegan diet would find these much more flavorful than someone who’s used to rich milk proteins and chocolate. 

If you eat meat and haven’t tried an EPIC Bar yet, what are you doing with your life? I’m not joking. It’s time to feast! EPIC Bars by EPIC Provisions are a newer take on both protein bars and jerky, because they’re not what you’d expect from either one. Low in carbs and made with a high-quality protein source, EPIC Bars are a solid choice for the best low-carb protein bar.

EPIC Bars are made from various grass-fed animal proteins and contain some phenomenal flavor combinations. I’ve enjoyed every flavor I’ve tried and rated the taste a perfect 5 out of 5. My favorite, and the type I’ve been consistently munching on for a few years now, is the Bison Bacon Cranberry bar. Other popular flavors include chicken sriracha, beef jalapeno, and venison sea salt pepper. There are currently nine savory flavors, and you can try them all if you buy the variety pack. 

For texture, I gave these bars 4 out of 5 stars. They’re very soft, as if you’re eating fall-off-the-bone ribs from a cookout. They’re friendly for those who eat paleo, keto, or gluten-free diets, as well as people who follow the Whole30. 

The protein content ranges from 7 to 12 grams depending on the flavor, and we know that’s not enough to call them the best high-protein bars. But, they also only contain 90 to 170 calories, so the ratio isn’t all that askew. We rated the formulation and nutritional breakdown 4.5 out of 5 stars overall. The best protein-to-calorie ratio is found in the chicken BBQ flavor, which has 90 calories and 11 grams of protein. 

EPIC bars are also low in added sugar across the board and have meat as the first ingredient. Seasonings and binding agents round out the short ingredient lists. 

RELATED: Best Pre-workout for Men

Orgain Organic Protein Bars fit the bill for best organic and a great vegan option, according to product tester Lauren Strong. “These are really good, and that’s even with them being a vegan and soy-free option,” she says. 

“I liked the texture; it resembles the texture of cookie dough (soft, chewy, doughy) which is nice because it matches the flavor,” she says, scoring the texture 5 out of 5 stars. “There is a little of that aftertaste you get from some of these artificial ingredients like erythritol, and the texture is a bit dry, but that’s to be expected with a vegan product, I think.”

Despite the sugar alcohol content, Lauren said she didn’t experience any digestive discomfort after eating these protein bars and gave them 5 out of 5 stars for side effects. They’re lower in protein than others on the market, with just 10 grams. That’s not a bad amount for a vegan option in our opinion, but we still scored them 3.5 out of 5 stars for formulation.

RELATED: Best Protein Bars for Men

Orgain Organic Protein bars are certified USDA organic and certified non-GMO, gluten-free, and kosher. At 150 calories, they’re a great organic snack. It’s no wonder Orgain tops the list of the best organic protein powders.