Best Clear Whey Protein Drinks (2026): Our 7 Favorites After Extensive Testing

Taking our top spot for clear whey protein powders is 1st Phorm Phormula-1 Clear, which earned high marks in taste, solubility, formulation, and more. In particular, our product tester, Carter Coughlin, gave it high praise for not giving him any digestive issues, since it is lactose-free. “I’ve finally found a whey that’s enjoyable and easy on the stomach,” he said, rating the drink at 5 out of 5 for its lack of negative side effects.

Phormula-1 Clear also earned a 5 out of 5 in both taste and solubility. Carter tried the Watermelon variety and liked it a lot, saying, “It tastes like a nice, refreshing juice. It’s exactly what I’d want after a run.”

The protein drink also mixed completely after shaking it in a bottle for a few seconds, although it did form a foam layer (that eventually settled after a couple of minutes). What’s even more impressive is that the clear whey doesn’t separate after a while like many classic protein powders can. “I’ve had a drink with me for hours and have never seen any separation,” Carter added. 

One scoop of Phormula-1 Clear offers 22 grams of protein, which is a solid amount for a clear whey drink. Additionally, it lacks any fat or carbohydrates, meaning it’s a perfect powder for people looking only to boost their daily protein intake. It does use sucralose, however, which is an artificial sweetener, so it earns a 4 out of 5 for its formulation. If artificial sweeteners are a no-go for you, consider checking out some of the best protein powders for sensitive stomachs.

Although 1st Phorm third-party tests all their products, Phormula-1’s testing isn’t done by a major organization, so it gets a 3 out of 5 for the category. The main drawback is the price, which comes out to about $2.78 per serving, and a subscription only drops the price down to $2.50. We rate the price at a 1 out of 5, though 1st Phorm does offer a “110% money-back guarantee,” where dissatisfied customers can initiate a return for a full refund plus 10% (minus shipping costs).

Legion has become a trusted supplement brand for its use of natural ingredients and lack of fillers and junk—and Legion’s Clear Whey+ Protein Isolate is no different. Using stevia, a natural sugar alternative, this clear whey is both sugar-free and naturally sweetened and flavored. It earns a perfect 5-out-of-5 score for its formulation, since it also sources its whey from grass-fed and hormone-free cows.

Even better, Legion displays full transparency across the label and on the brand’s site, showcasing certificates of analysis from its third-party lab tests. While this is a great practice not done by most other companies, Legion doesn’t get a perfect score for third-party testing, as they lack certifications from major organizations like NSF or Informed Choice. They still receive a 4 out of 5 for transparency, though.

Out of the three flavors for this sugar-free protein powder, our product tester tried out Strawberry Lemonade and thought the taste was solid, giving it a 4 out of 5 for the category. “I liked the taste, and I felt like it had a nice balance between sweet and sour, especially for a more tart flavor,” our tester added.

Clear whey has a reputation for mixing well, much better than your typical whey protein. However, Legion Clear Whey+ struggled with solubility, earning a 3.5 out of 5. “I had to shake for a bit, and still had a couple clumps of powder rise to the top once it settled,” our tester recalled. She also had to let the foam settle for a few minutes—a common occurrence with clear whey.

Another drawback to Legion Clear Whey+ is its price: Without a subscription, it’ll cost you about $3 for each serving, making it one of the more expensive protein drinks we’ve tested. Subscribing for monthly deliveries drops the price down to $2.10 for your first order, but it’s still a pricey protein shake, earning a 1 out of 5 for its cost. Still, with its lab-tested transparency and strong formulation, it may be worth the price for some gym-goers. 

Most of the clear whey protein powders we recommend are low-carb, but Wellah Clear Whey Protein stands out for a couple of reasons. For starters, it’s very lean. It has 20 grams of protein, 1 or 2 grams of carbohydrates (depending on the flavor), and no more than 100 calories per scoop. There are also no added sugars or hidden-carb fillers, just like those in our roundup of the best low-carb protein powders. As such, it earns a solid 4.5 out of 5 for its formulation.

It comes in three flavors, and according to our tester, it tastes pretty good, too. He gave the taste a perfect 5-out-of-5 rating and admitted, “I’m usually not a fan of clear protein drinks, but this is one of the better ones that I’ve tried. I honestly like this drink much more than I was expecting.”

Like some of the other clear wheys on the market, Wellah’s Clear Whey can get foamy when using a shaker bottle, but our tester still gave it a 4 out of 5 for solubility since it stays mixed once the foam settles. Wellah actually uses an anti-foaming agent—made of organic ingredients—within the formulation to help mitigate the foam that develops from shaking the drink. “I was surprised at how quickly the foam dissipated,” added our tester.

Our tester also notes that this protein drink went down easily with no exhibited side effects, earning a 5 out of 5 for the category. However, one minor drawback to this clear protein is its container size; one tub only contains 10 servings. If you plan to take this daily, it won’t last much longer than a week before you need to order another. Subscriptions are only monthly, too, so it may not be the best option if you’re looking for a daily protein drink.

It’s also not third-party tested, or, at least, Wellah doesn’t provide any information about third-party testing. While this doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t get it, it does indicate that there’s no independent verification for purity, potency, or quality. Despite this, however, the brand is pretty transparent, otherwise: They list all ingredients on the label and don’t include any proprietary blends, so you know what you’re getting.

If you’re looking for one of the best-tasting protein powders on the market, you won’t go wrong with Seeq. GGR Editor and certified personal trainer Amanda Capritto and GGR Head of Content Nicole Davis, CPT, PN1-NC tested different flavors and gave them a 4.75 out of 5 for taste, so it was an easy call to label it our best-tasting clear whey drink. Additionally, Seeq scored at least a 4 out of 5 in several other categories according to our methodology, so for those looking for a clean, lean whey protein that tastes great, this one delivers.

As far as flavors go, Seeq is available in eight fruity options. Amanda tried the Blue Razz Freeze and said it tasted like juice and that she “liked it a lot.” Nicole went with Mango Pineapple and said she was “actually shook” by how good it is.

“I get easily burnt out on typical protein flavors like vanilla and chocolate, and I think alternating with something like this will do the trick,” Nicole says. “I love how it’s more of a juice than a shake—that tricks my brain into thinking it’s something different.”

But taste isn’t the only thing we liked about this one. It also got a 4.5 out of 5 for both formulation and solubility. The macronutrient profile is great; it has 22 grams of protein, which is slightly higher than most, with 100 calories and 1 gram of carbohydrates per serving. It’s also gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free, so it’s pretty allergy-friendly.

As for solubility? It blends in well, but it has the same foaming problem as some of the other clear whey proteins we’ve examined. The foam eventually settles, though, and while Amanda said it was slightly grainy, she could barely tell.

Interestingly, both of our testers experienced some digestive discomfort (Amanda called it “stomach bumbling”) the first day they drank this. That said, neither of them had any side effects after that, so it may just take a little getting used to.

One more thing to note: Everything from Seeq is final sale. Because of this, Amanda and Nicole gave the brand a 1 out of 5 for customer service. Most other companies have some sort of return or refund option in place.

For our comprehensive thoughts about Seeq, read our full Seeq protein powder review.

MyProtein Clear Whey Isolate is our budget pick, but don’t get it twisted: A lower price doesn’t mean lower quality.

Our tester, Erin Chancer, CNC, CPT, liked it and said it “was really good, very different from most whey isolates I’ve tried.” It scored at least a 4 out of 5 in all categories and, overall, we were really impressed.

It has 20 grams of protein per serving with just 80 calories and less than 1 gram of carbohydrates, so it’s essentially pure protein. This earned it a 4.5 out of 5 for formulation, but admittedly, the ingredient list isn’t the best. 

While the exact ingredients depend on the flavor you choose, they all have a mix of artificial flavors and sweeteners. We like to see natural flavors, colors, and sweeteners, but this can be a personal decision, so that might not be a deal-breaker for you.

RELATED: MyProtein Pre-Workout Review

There are eight flavors, from basic Lemonade and Cola to more out-of-the-box options like Jelly Belly Sizzling Cinnamon. Erin tried the MIKE AND IKE Screamin’ Sour Cherry flavor and said it tasted exactly like the candy, rating it a 4.3 out of 5.

“The taste is fantastic; I used more water-to-scoop than is recommended, and it still had plenty of flavor. If you’re a fan of the candy, you’ll probably like this a lot,” she says, adding that there’s a bit of a “zing” because it’s a sour mix, so those with sensitive teeth or gums may want to choose one of the other flavor options.

MyProtein also opts into third-party testing and states that the brand’s protein powders are LabDoor-tested, but it’s unclear whether or not that carries over to the clear whey.

All in all, we were happy with this clear whey, and the customer reviews on the site are largely positive, too.

If you like the idea of a pre-made drink over a powder, Protein2o is the one for you. At 15 grams of protein per bottle, it’s not as high in protein as some other options on our list, and expert tester Nicole Davis, CPT, PN1-NC said she never felt quite as full from drinking one of these as she does from one of the best protein shakes. Because of this, she gave it a 3 out of 5 for formulation. That said, we still think it’s a good option to pair with a meal or a small snack to boost your protein intake a little bit.

In addition to being lower in protein, this drink is also higher in carbs. It has 7 grams per serving, but 5 grams come from erythritol, which is a sugar alcohol that doesn’t have an impact on your blood sugar¹. If you’re counting net carbs, that means you’ll get 2 grams from this bottle.

Nicole ordered the variety pack so she could try all three flavors, and ultimately gave it a 4 out of 5 for taste. She said the Wild Cherry tastes a bit like cough syrup (unsurprising for cherry-flavored anything), but the Peach Mango and Dragonfruit Blackberry are good, albeit very sweet. She does recommend drinking them cold, though.

While this is a pre-made drink, the whey protein in it can settle a bit; if you don’t shake it up, there’s a weird mouth feel when you drink it, according to Nicole. Accordingly, she gave it a 4 out of 5 for solubility. 

“It sort of coats your mouth. My husband tried it and was very off-put by it, at first. I think it’s fine—it’s definitely not as smooth as a pre-made protein shake in chocolate or vanilla that you might be used to, though,” she says. 

Because it’s pre-bottled, you pay a little more for the convenience factor. One bottle costs $2.75, while most clear whey protein supplements break down to about $1.75 per serving. This higher cost (combined with a lower protein content) earned it a 3 out of 5 for price.

If you’re looking for one of the best clean protein powders, check out Isopure—they’re all about clean ingredients. This clear whey protein has just five ingredients: whey protein isolate, natural flavor, citric acid, stevia leaf extract, and fruit and vegetable color blends that vary depending on which flavor you choose. This clean ingredient list combined with the impressive macronutrient profile—20 grams of protein, 2 grams of carbs, and 90 calories—earned it a 4 out of 5 for formulation during former GGR Performance Editor and CPT Anthony O’Reilly’s testing.

It’s worth noting that, because of the fruit and vegetable blends, this clear whey does have 1 to 2 grams of sugar, depending on the flavor you choose. Most don’t have any sugar, but the trade-off is that they contain artificial sweeteners and colors.

RELATED: Isopure Protein Review

Anthony tried the Mango Lime and wasn’t a huge fan of that particular flavor, saying the lime overpowered the mango and it was “watered down and artificial-tasting.” Still, it was OK and got a 3 out of 5 for taste. (There are five other flavors to choose from, by the way.)

Price is where this one lost some points. Each tub has only 16 servings (one of the smallest quantities on this list) and the tub is $41.99. This breaks down to roughly $2.62 per serving. That said, you often get what you pay for, and Isopure uses higher-quality ingredients with no artificial sweeteners, flavors, dyes, or other fillers. If this is important to you, we certainly think it’s worth the extra cost.

And while Isopure doesn’t send its supplements for third-party testing, the brand has a long-standing, positive reputation and says the products are tested in-house and follow World Anti-Doping Agency guidelines, which is good news for competitive athletes.