Gainful Everyday Whey Protein Powder
Consumers who want Informed Sport-certified whey with customizable flavor options
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey
Budget-conscious gym-goers who want proven, great-tasting protein at the best value
Score Comparison
Pricing & Features
Making Your Decision
When to Choose Gainful Everyday Whey Protein Powder
Consumers who want Informed Sport-certified whey with customizable flavor options
Gainful offers a unique approach with its customizable flavor system atop a clean, Informed Sport-certified whey base. The ingredient quality is high and the certification credible, but the premium pricing and smaller portions make it one of the more expensive options per serving.
Strengths
- Informed Sport certified with batch-level testing for banned substances
- Clean ingredient list with no artificial sweeteners, colors, or fillers
- Customizable flavor system with separate stick packs for flavor variety
Limitations
- Higher cost per serving at $2.79 due to smaller container sizes
- Unflavored base requires purchasing separate flavor sticks
- Less widely available than established brands — primarily direct-to-consumer
When to Choose Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey
Budget-conscious gym-goers who want proven, great-tasting protein at the best value
Gold Standard has been the world's best-selling protein powder for over a decade, and the value proposition is hard to beat — 74 servings at $1.08 each with Informed Choice certification. The trade-off is artificial ingredients and a whey blend rather than pure isolate.
Strengths
- Informed Choice certified — the most popular protein powder worldwide for a reason
- Outstanding value at $1.08/serving with 74 servings in the 5lb size
- Excellent taste and mixability across 20+ flavor options
Limitations
- Contains artificial flavors (acesulfame potassium) and soy lecithin
- Uses whey blend (isolate, concentrate, peptides) rather than pure isolate
- Does not publish independent lab test results or batch-level COAs
