Optimum Nutrition vs Transparent Labs vs Ghost Whey (2026): 3 Proteins I’ve Used, Priced Per Serving

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Quick picks

Here’s the short version. Full details on each pick are below.

Pick	Protein per scoop	Cost per scoop	Best for	Buy
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey (5 lb)	24 g	$1.31 to $1.43	Lowest cost per gram of protein	Amazon
Transparent Labs Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate (30 servings)	28 g	$2.17	Most protein per scoop, all isolate	Amazon
GHOST Whey Protein (2 lb, 26 servings)	25 g	$2.12	Fun flavors and a fully disclosed label	Amazon

Prices and the full math are in the comparison table and picks below.

Why these three: I’ve used all three of these, and I’d recommend any of them. This isn’t a “best of 15 powders I read about” list. It’s the three tubs I actually know, compared on the numbers that decide what you pay.

Why I made it: I couldn’t find one page that puts all three side by side. The comparisons I found go two at a time (ON vs Transparent Labs, or Ghost vs ON). One of them prices Gold Standard at “about $1.10 per serving,” but on Oct 28, 2026, the cheapest Gold Standard tub I found on Amazon worked out to $1.31 per scoop. Protein prices move a lot by size and flavor, so I did the math for the exact tubs I’m linking.

How I built it: prices, ratings, scoop counts, and protein per scoop come from the Amazon listings on Oct 28, 2026. Prices aren’t live, and the same brand can cost very different amounts by flavor, so check the price per serving in your cart before you buy.

Comparison table

Pick	Tub size	Scoops	Protein per scoop	Protein type (per listing)	Price (Amazon, Oct 28 2026)	Cost per scoop	Cost per 25 g protein	Rating
ON Gold Standard, Vanilla Ice Cream, 5 lb	5 lb	73	24 g	Whey isolate and concentrate	$95.30	$1.31	$1.36	4.7 (49,555)
ON Gold Standard, Double Rich Chocolate, 5 lb	5 lb	74	24 g	Whey isolate and concentrate	$105.99	$1.43	$1.49	4.6 (100,914)
Transparent Labs Grass-Fed Whey Isolate, Milk Chocolate	1,047 g (36.93 oz)	30	28 g	Whey isolate, grass-fed	$64.99	$2.17	$1.93	4.7 (2,219)
GHOST Whey, Milk Chocolate, 2 lb	2 lb	26	25 g	Whey isolate, concentrate and hydrolysate blend	$54.99	$2.12	$2.12	4.4 (5,479)

The per-serving math

Here’s how I got those numbers, so you can redo it with whatever price you see:

Cost per scoop = tub price ÷ scoops. Example: $95.30 ÷ 73 = $1.31.
Cost per 25 g of protein = cost per scoop ÷ protein per scoop × 25. Example: $2.17 ÷ 28 × 25 = $1.93.

The second number is the fair one, because the scoops aren’t equal. Transparent Labs costs more per scoop than Ghost ($2.17 vs $2.12), but each scoop has 3 more grams of protein, so per gram it comes out a little cheaper. Gold Standard wins on cost either way, mostly because the 5 lb tub spreads the price over 73 or 74 scoops.

Over a month of one scoop a day (30 scoops), that’s about $39 for Gold Standard Vanilla Ice Cream, $65 for Transparent Labs, and $63 for Ghost at these prices.

The picks

1. Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey (5 lb): best value

This is the one I’d point most people to if price matters. I’ve used it, and the numbers back it up. The 5 lb Vanilla Ice Cream tub was $95.30 for 73 scoops, which is $1.31 a scoop for 24 g of protein. The 5 lb Double Rich Chocolate was $105.99 for 74 scoops, $1.43 a scoop. Same powder, different flavor, $10 apart, so it pays to check a couple of flavors. The listing says it’s a whey isolate and concentrate blend, banned-substance tested, with 5.5 g of naturally occurring BCAAs per scoop. It also has the deepest track record here: 100,914 ratings on the Double Rich Chocolate alone. If you’d rather not commit to 5 lb, the 2 lb Double Rich Chocolate was $48.83 for 29 scoops ($1.68 a scoop), still the cheapest per scoop of the three brands. Check price on Amazon

2. Transparent Labs Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate: most protein per scoop

This is my pick if you want the most protein in each scoop and a short ingredient list. I’ve used it and recommend it. The listing says it’s 100% whey isolate from grass-fed cows, with 28 g of protein per serving, and no artificial sweeteners, food dyes, gluten, or preservatives. The Milk Chocolate tub was $64.99 for 30 servings, $2.17 a scoop or $1.93 per 25 g of protein, rated 4.7 from 2,219 ratings. The French Vanilla tub was the same $64.99 for 30 servings. It costs more than Gold Standard, so this is the one I’d buy when the cleaner label is worth it to you. Transparent Labs also sells direct on its own site, but I priced the Amazon listing. Check price on Amazon

3. GHOST Whey Protein (2 lb): best for flavor variety

Ghost is the one I’d grab if you get bored of the same shake every day. I’ve used it and recommend it. The brand is known for cereal and snack collab flavors. Amazon had Milk Chocolate, Cereal Milk, Lucky Charms Cereal Milk, Cocoa Puffs Cereal Milk, Trix Cereal Milk, and Peanut Butter Cereal Milk when I checked. The Milk Chocolate 2 lb tub was $54.99 for 26 servings, which is $2.12 a scoop for 25 g of protein, rated 4.4 from 5,479 ratings. The listing says it’s a blend of whey isolate, concentrate, and hydrolysate. Ghost prints the exact grams of each on the tub, with no proprietary blends. It’s soy and gluten free and uses sunflower lecithin instead of soy, per the listing. Serving counts vary a little by flavor (I saw 26 and 27), so check yours. Check price on Amazon

How to choose

Start with cost per 25 g of protein, not tub price. A cheaper tub with fewer or smaller scoops can cost more per gram.
Check the flavor. Gold Standard’s 5 lb tubs were $95.30 or $105.99 depending on flavor. Price the flavor you’ll actually drink.
Want all isolate? Transparent Labs is the only one of the three that’s all isolate, per its listing. Gold Standard and Ghost are blends.
Bigger tubs save money. Gold Standard’s 2 lb tub was $1.68 a scoop, and the 5 lb was $1.31 to $1.43.
Stack it with creatine. If you’re building out your supplement shelf, my best budget creatine guide does the same per-serving math for creatine.

FAQ

Which of the three has the most protein per scoop? Transparent Labs, at 28 g per serving, per its listing. Ghost lists 25 g and Gold Standard lists 24 g.

Which is cheapest? Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard in the 5 lb tub. The Vanilla Ice Cream flavor worked out to $1.31 a scoop and $1.36 per 25 g of protein when I checked.

Is Transparent Labs sold on Amazon? Yes. I found its grass-fed whey isolate on Amazon in several flavors at $64.99 for 30 servings. It’s also sold on Transparent Labs’ own site.

How much protein should I have a day? That depends on you, and I’m not a dietitian. If you’re not sure, ask your doctor or a registered dietitian.

Honorable mention: a popular powder I haven’t used

Dymatize ISO100 Whey Isolate, Gourmet Vanilla (1.3 lb, 20 servings). This one came up again and again while I was researching, with 25 g of protein per serving and a 4.5 rating from 21,172 ratings. It was $42.48 for 20 servings, about $2.12 a scoop. It isn’t on my main list only because I haven’t used it myself, and this post sticks to the three I have. Check price on Amazon

Prices are snapshots from the date shown and aren’t live. I’m a fitness enthusiast, not a dietitian or doctor. If you have allergies, a medical condition, or questions about how much protein you need, check with a pro before adding a supplement.