Best Protein Bars For Muscle Growth & Taste (Updated for 2024)

Great Options to Satisfy Cravings and Keep Gains Going

Protein bars are designed to serve as a convenient source of nutrition aimed at providing the best tasting, protein-packed  snacks or meals for athletes, gym-goers, and everyday people. They are aimed to keep nutrition at the top of the list and aid in muscle growth, whether the consumers prefers either vegan or whey protein. Whether you are looking to bulk up without putting on too much fat, get shredded, or even just maintain, these options can be a great treat to spice up your diet. That being said, what are the best protein bars of 2024?

If you’ve ever walked through the isle at a store, boxes upon boxes of protein bars line the shelves and the choices become so overwhelming, you often just give up. And we don’t blame you, which is why we provided this list of the best options of bars for your bodybuilding goals for 2024.

Don’t let an overly saturated market keep you from seeing great gains and while many companies claim their products can serve as solid meal replacements, it is important to remember that many bars are loaded with sugar and other additives that you just don’t need from a bar. This list has some of the best bars, vegan, non-vegan, and non-dairy on the market today to make your life a little easier when it comes to choosing the right protein bar.

Check out our list of the Best Protein Bars as you aim to continue your health hunt to aid in your overall growth, performance, and wellness for the best protein bar. We seek to make your life easier by providing you with a solid list to start to narrow down your search as you look for nothing but the best for your fitness, health, and wellness goals.

Best Protein Bars For 2024

• Best Protein Bar Overall: MyProtein Layered Protein Bar
• Best Tasting Protein Bar: Onnit Protein Bites
• Best Post-Workout Protein Bar: Jacked Factory Authentic Bars
• Best Protein Bar For Muscle Gain: MyProtein Layered Protein Bar
• Best Whey Isolate Protein Bar: Jacked Factory Authentic Bars
• Best Protein Bar for Weight Loss: Onnit Protein Bites
• Best Non-Dairy Protein Bar: Ka’Chava Snack Bar
• Best Natural Protein Bar: RX Bar
• Best Protein Bar For Tackling Cravings: Quest Nutrition Protein Bar
• Best Protein Bar For Energy Metabolism & Support: GNC Total Lean Layered Protein Bar
• Best Vegan Protein Bar: Ka’Chava Snack Bar
  

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Best Protein Bar Overall

Your protein bar should reflect your nutritional needs, as well as your fitness needs, and silence your sweet tooth. A good all-around bar will work to offer quality ingredients, quality benefits, and only the best results for you.

MyProtein Layered Protein Bar

Calories	220
Protein	20g
Carbs	10g
Fat	9g
Sugar	4g
Flavors	Birthday cake, chocolate brownie, chocolate coconut, chocolate peanut butter, cookies and cream, peanut bitter and jelly

MyProtein’s Layered Bar delivers a delicious protein packed product. The Layered Bar is just that, layered. It consists of five indulgent layers and a soft core to easily satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth, all in a nutritious manner. Each bar comes in around only 220 total calories, with 9 grams of fat, 19 grams of carbs, and 20 grams of protein. It is the perfect protein bar, as every flavor tastes great and has some fantastic macros to go along with it.

Pros

• Great ratio of macronutrients
• Great Flavor
• From a reputable company in MyProtein

Cons

• Only available on their website
• Tend to be a bit dry

Price: $18.99/12 Bars

Check out our individual review for MyProtein Layered Bars!

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Best Tasting Protein Bar

Protein bars can often times have rather unwanted tastes and textures. Sometimes the texture can be chalky or powdery, or the taste can be dry and bland, and sometimes the bars can taste just downright disgusting.

Onnit Protein Bars

Calories	230
Protein	16g
Carbs	26g
Fat	8g
Sugar	5g
Flavors	Vanilla almond, chocolate mint fudge, blueberry walnut crunch

Onnit Protein Bars come in as a top option for a good tasting protein filled snack. High in protein and fiber, along with beneficial fats, these low-sugar bars eat like a treat. Designed with health in mind, Grass-fed Whey Protein Bars support the nutritional needs of people on-the-go, as well as elite athletes. The flavors are fantastic as well, as opposed to just the plain old “chocolate chip” or “chocolate peanut butter”, Onnit offers vanilla almond, chocolate mint fudge, and blueberry walnut crunch; and these flavors can satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth.

Pros

• Great Flavors
• Good macros

Cons

• Premium priced option

Price: $39.95 for 12 bars

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Best Post-Workout Protein Bar

The post-workout can be crucial, as recovery is where the most growth occurs. For those of us looking to enhance our post-workout routine, a quality protein bar is exactly what we need to see the best results. Packed with protein and added ingredients, this will ensure a positive post-workout experience.

Jacked Factory Authentic Bar

Calories	280
Protein	15g
Carbs	27g
Fat	14g
Sugar	20g
Flavors	Birthday Cake, Peanut Butter Candy, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Coconut Cashew, Kitchen Sink, Mint Chocolate Chip

Jacked Factory Authentic Bar is a great protein bar with authentic ingredients, taste, and results. This decadent high protein bar is made with real ingredients and whey protein isolate for that clean, filtered protein to help with muscle growth and recovery. With no artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols, this bar is exactly what you need to round out a great dietary routine. No gut wrenching fibers and awesome flavors are matched by honesty and transparency with this amazing option for a great snack.

Pros

• High in protein and uses whey isolate
• No artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols
• Made with real ingredients
• Great flavors

Cons

• Comparable to less expensive bars

Price: $29.99/12 Bars

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Best Protein Bar For Muscle Gain

What you consume is more important than you think if you are someone looking to boost muscle gain. A protein bar with top tier ingredients can do just that. With ingredients designed to aid in muscle growth and your overall performance goals, you can hit success much faster.

MyProtein Layered Protein Bar

Calories	220
Protein	20g
Carbs	10g
Fat	9g
Sugar	4g
Flavors	Birthday cake, chocolate brownie, chocolate coconut, chocolate peanut butter, cookies and cream, peanut bitter and jelly

MyProtein’s Layered Bar makes the list yet again, and as we said, MyProtein delivers a delicious protein packed product, which is great for muscle gain. The Layered Bar is just that, layered. Five indulgent layers with a soft core to satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth, and with great macros. Each bar comes in around only 220 total calories, with 9 grams of fat, 19 grams of carbs, and 20 grams of protein. It is the perfect option in this category for muscle gain, as every flavor tastes great and has some fantastic macros to go along with it and help build you up.

Pros

• Great ratio of macronutrients
• Great Flavor
• From a reputable company in MyProtein

Cons

• Only available on their website
• Tend to be a bit dry

Price: $18.99/12 Bars

Check out our individual review for MyProtein Layered Bars!

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Best Whey Isolate Protein Bar

Protein sources can come from many different places but whey isolate is a premium source great for those who want majority protein. A bar made with whey isolate can ensure great protein intake while also aiding in things like muscle growth and weight loss.

Jacked Factory Authentic Bar

Calories	280
Protein	15g
Carbs	27g
Fat	14g
Sugar	20g
Flavors	Birthday Cake, Peanut Butter Candy, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Coconut Cashew, Kitchen Sink, Mint Chocolate Chip

Jacked Factory Authentic Bar is making the list again, as it is a great protein bar with authentic ingredients, taste, and results. As stated above, it is a high protein option and is made with real ingredients and whey protein isolate for that clean, filtered protein that can help with muscle growth and recovery. It contains no artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols, this bar is exactly what you need to round out a great dietary routine. No gut wrenching fibers and awesome flavors are matched by honesty and transparency with this choice for a good bar.

Pros

• High in protein and uses whey isolate
• No artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols
• Made with real ingredients
• Great flavors

Cons

• Comparable to less expensive bars

Price: $29.99/12 Bars

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Best Protein Bars for Weight Loss

When you are trying to lose weight, the diet can be grueling, you could use a sweet treat every now and then that won’t hinder your goals or progress too much! Protein bars can be great to satisfy your cravings without effecting progress, but you have to keep an eye on which ones you select.

Onnit Protein Bars

Calories	230
Protein	16g
Carbs	26g
Fat	8g
Sugar	5g
Flavors	Vanilla almond, chocolate mint fudge, blueberry walnut crunch

Onnit Protein Bars are making this list again, and as stated above they high in protein and fiber, along with beneficial fats, these low-sugar bars eat like a treat. Designed with health in mind, Grass-fed Whey Protein Bars support the nutritional needs of people on-the-go, as well as elite athletes. The flavors are fantastic as well, as opposed to just the plain old “chocolate chip” or “chocolate peanut butter”, Onnit offers vanilla almond, chocolate mint fudge, and blueberry walnut crunch; and these flavors can satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth.

While it says that they are 26 grams of carbs per bar, they actually come in around 10-11 grams of net carbs per bar, because of the fiber and sugar. This is a great low carb snack to curb your sweet cravings!

Pros

• Great Flavors
• Good macros

Cons

• Premium priced option

Price: $39.95 for 12 bars

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Best Non-Dairy Protein Bars

Protein bars often contain dairy, and this is not something that everyone likes to consume, whether it be due to gut issues with handling dairy digestion or because they do not like animal products. However, there are plenty of non-dairy options in bar form, so what is the best one?

Ka’Chava Snack Bars

Calories	210
Protein	13g
Carbs	16g
Fat	14g
Sugar	2g
Flavors	Dark Chocolate, Peanut Butter

Ka’Chava Snack Bars are packed with protein great for those looking for a plant-based, whole food option. Providing clean fuel, you will find this bar to be great for your daily routine. With 16 grams of carbs, this bar is keto friendly and with 2g of sugar you get all the taste without the guilt. An impressive plant-based protein bar, this is vegan, dairy-free, gluten and soy free, non-GMO, and soy-free. Great flavors and packed with protein, this is solid for those in need of something without dairy.

Pros

• Plant-based option
• Clean ingredients
• Low sugar bars

Cons

• Not as much protein as some other bars

Price: $39.95/12 Bars

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Best Natural Protein Bar

A natural protein bar is what we want because it doesn’t contain anything artificial. Many of these bars can unfortunately contain junk ingredients or ingredients made in a factory, which can hinder not only our goals but also our health and appearance. To maintain our health and essential needs, a natural bar can certainly be right for you.

RXBar

Calories	210
Protein	12g
Carbs	23g
Fat	9g
Sugar	13g
Flavors	Coconut Chocolate, Maple Sea Salt, Chocolate Chip (Plant-Based), Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter Chocolate, Blueberry, Chocolate Sea Salt, Banana Chocolate Walnut, Mixed Berry, Mint Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter (Plant-Based), Chocolate Raspberry, Vanilla Almond

RXBar is a great protein bar made with real and simple ingredients. With 9 ingredients or less, this bar is packed with high-quality protein with plenty of fiber perfect for an addition to breakfast, a midday snack, or anytime near a workout. Great flavors and texture ensure you never grow bored of the taste and that this bar can work for those performance and lifestyle goals with ease.

Pros

• Real, simple ingredients
• Plenty of protein
• Good amount of fiber
• Great for any time of day

Cons

• Can be a bit chewy for some

Price: $18.89/12 Bars

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Best Protein Bar For Tackling Cravings

Protein bars should not only keep you full to pump you with nutrients, but also eliminate cravings that you may get when trying to stick to a diet. By getting rid of cravings you are well on your way to less snacking and weight loss.

Quest Nutrition Protein Bar

Calories	210
Protein	20g
Carbs	22g
Fat	10g
Sugar	1g
Flavors	Birthday Cake, Blueberry Muffin, Caramel Chocolate Chunk, Chocolate Brownie, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Chocolate Hazelnut, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Chocolate Sprinkled Doughnut, Cinnamon Roll, Cookies & Cream, Double Chocolate Chunk, Lemon Cake, Maple Waffle Protein, Mint Chocolate Chunk, Mocha Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter Brownie Smash, S’mores, White Chocolate Raspberry

Quest Nutrition protein bars are made with complete, dairy-based proteins to provide your body with 9 essential amino acids to help with muscle growth. With a lot of flavors to choose from, each bar is a sweet treat with less than 2g of sugar in each bar to satisfy cravings to keep you full longer. With up to 21g of protein and 16g of fiber per bar, net carbs round out to 4-6g giving you a really great ratio of all of those macronutrients you need for fuel, growth, and recovery along with your diet needs. With a solid protein blend and not a lot of ingredients, this bar comes out to be a great option for those looking to satisfy cravings while also seeing gains from a protein packed snack with clean ingredients to provide energy and build muscle.

Pros

• There are a multitude of flavors to choose from
• Ratio of macronutrients is perfect
• High in protein and one of the best tasting bars
• Little sugar

Cons

• May be hard to digest for some
• Does contain sucralose as well

Price: $24.99/12 Bars

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Best Protein Bar For Energy & Metabolism Support

A protein bar should be easy on your stomach and allow for quick energy. Designed for convenience, you should be able to use these bars for all your goals so you maximize all sources of fuel.

GNC Total Lean Layered Protein Bar

Calories	190
Protein	16g
Carbs	14g
Fat	8g
Sugar	5g
Flavors	Whipped Chocolate Mousse, Girl Scouts Coconut Caramel

GNC Total Lean Layered Protein Bar is a great protein bar to satisfy hunger and provide for lean, high quality protein support for muscle growth. Being gluten-free, and with great flavors, you can enjoy this bar and get all of the benefits without the guilt. At 190 calories per bar and with 16g protein, 8g fat, and 14g carbs, this provides a perfect ratio for all of these macronutrients for your diet. Made with a protein blend of whey concentrate and isolate, as well as other ingredients to fuel muscle growth, repair damaged muscle, and aid in other bodily functions, this meal replacement bar is perfect for a pre-workout boost or a post-workout recovery protein packed snack while also being great tasting to boost your protein intake and help lose weight.

Pros

• Great ingredients
• 190 calories and 16 grams of protein
• Delicious flavors

Cons

• It does contain sucralose and maltodextrin
• High amount of sugar adds to the taste but may not be compatible with certain diets

Price: $11.99/5 bars

Check out our individual review for GNC Total Lean Layered Protein Bar!

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Best Vegan Protein Bar

Being vegan limits your options on a lot of foods, protein bars being one of them. The bars can contain things like dairy or egg products, or other things that vegans cannot eat. However, there are options for that.

Ka’Chava Snack Bars

Calories	210
Protein	13g
Carbs	16g
Fat	14g
Sugar	2g
Flavors	Dark Chocolate, Peanut Butter

Ka’Chava Snack Bars makes the list again, as they are packed with protein great for those looking for a plant-based, whole food option. Providing clean fuel, you will find this bar to be great for your daily routine. With 16 grams of carbs, this bar is keto friendly and with 2g of sugar you get all the taste without the guilt. An impressive plant-based protein bar, this is vegan, dairy-free, gluten and soy free, non-GMO, and soy-free. Great flavors and packed with protein, this is solid for those in need of something without dairy.

Pros

• Plant-based option
• Clean ingredients
• Low sugar bars

Cons

• Not as much protein as some other bars

Price: $39.95/12 Bars

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Benefits Of Protein Bars: Whey Protein Isolate, Pea Protein, Or Other Protein Sources

Protein bars have great benefits to your growth and recovery while also aiming to keep you full. Benefits of these snacks include:

• Packed with protein: Provide enough protein content to offer growth and keep you full while still allowing for proper digestion (1). This will also aid in muscle building and maintenance and workout recovery from protein like vegan sources, whey protein isolate, or others (2).
• Full of fiber: Keep you full longer and moving regularly which is an important piece for your body to properly function and keep weight off (3).
• Short on sugar (if any at all): Be careful of added sugar and other sweeteners that ruin the health benefits of a good bar and ruin all of your dietary work thus far, especially for certain diets, like those who are vegan.
• Inexpensive and convenient: Don’t break the bank for a protein bar that will only provide some benefits and really look for one that will give you everything you need (and deserve) from a bar.

How Much Are These Protein Bars?

Finding the right protein bars can be challenging. Those more premium bars will cost more money so knowing how much may help make your decision a little easier. We’ve broken down our list so you can see the overall price as you compare amongst our Best Protein Bars list.

Category	Product	Price
Best Protein Bar Overall	MyProtein Layered Protein Bar	$18.99/12 bars
Best Tasting Protein Bar	Onnit Protein Bites	$39.95/12 bars
Best Post-Workout Bar	Jacked Factory Authentic Bars	$29.99/12 bars
Best Protein Bar for Muscle Gain	MyProtein Layered Protein Bar	$18.99/12 bars
Best Whey Isolate Bar	Jacked Factory Authentic Bars	$29.99/12 bars
Best Protein Bar for Weight Loss	Onnit Protein Bites	$39.95/12 bars
Best Non-Dairy Protein Bar	Ka’Chava Snack Bars	$39.95/12 bars
Best Natural Protein Bar	RX BAR	$18.89/12 Bars
Best Protein Bar for Tackling Cravings	Quest Nutrition Protein Bar	$24.99/12 Bars
Best Protein Bar For Energy Metabolism & Support	GNC Total Lean Layered Protein Bar	$11.99/5 bars
Best Vegan Protein Bar	Ka’Chava Snack Bars	$39.95/12 bars

What To Consider Before Buying

Before buying your protein bar, there are some important factors to consider so you get the best product possible.

Calories

Protein bars should reflect your lifestyle and goals and should not be particularly high in calories. While some may be higher than you would like, if the added benefits outweigh this, consider strategically putting it in your routine to not hurt your gains.

Protein

It is called a protein bar for a reason and your protein source matters. You want to make sure your bar as ample amounts of protein to keep you full and aid in muscle growth and has as much protein as you would get in a meal. The right bar will have a great balance of macronutrients with a priority put on protein, regardless of source be it plant-based or whey protein isolate, for example.

Sugar

It is important that you enjoy what you eat especially when it comes to these bars, however, if a company just adds sugar then it takes the point away from a protein bar. While you want to enjoy it, it shouldn’t just be a candy bar replacement with added sugar.

Added Ingredients

Made with whole food ingredients, your protein bar should have those added ingredients that work well for all your gains. Fiber and other digestive enzymes are also helpful to absorb these nutrients and not cause any discomfort. Not all protein bars will have this, but it is good to consider for the best tasting options.

How We Choose

When choosing this list of the best protein bars, we wanted to focus on three things: reputability of the company, taste and effectiveness, and price. Each company should be working for you and the name of the brand matters. We look at those trusted companies who work tirelessly to produce the best protein bars around. We also know your bar should taste good and be effective for keeping you full and working on producing more gains. These bars have both of those covered and you shouldn’t settle for anything less. We also know people look for vegan and non-vegan sources and we take that into consideration as well. Lastly, price matters. We know it can be expensive to find a good bar and these above are perfect for all your goals while still being affordable options.

FAQ Section

What is the best protein bar?

MyProtein Layered Protein Bars. These are delicious and nutritious for all of those health and fitness needs. A great ratio of carbs, protein, and fats ensures you have plenty of fuel to power those workouts and daily activities, not to mention they taste great.

What makes a protein bar great?

Protein bars should offer the right balance of macronutrients with the highest amount being protein, either vegan sources or whey. Often times, protein bars will have a lot of fat and carbs that don’t match the amount of protein. They should also taste good and be effective in their goal of providing you with the best nutrients and ingredients so you progress with your goals.

Can protein bars be used as meal replacements?

Protein bars can be used as meal replacements but sparingly. It is always best to eat a whole food meal so you don’t miss out on any nutrients, or even looking to products designed for meal replacements is a great place to start as well.

When is it best to eat a protein bar?

Protein bars are great for many occasions. For your pre-workout or post-workout fuel, they can really prove to be worth your while. On busy days, taking one or two on the go is a great option when looking to stay on your diet and eliminate the desire to snack too much.

On the whole, are protein bars healthy?

That is a tough question as it really depends on the bar that you choose. Protein bars can be healthy if they have the right balance of macronutrients and don’t contain artificial flavors, sweeteners, or sugar alcohols. Doing your research is the best way to determine if the bar of your choosing is a healthy option for you, as well as if it fits your dietary needs, for example those who are vegan.

Wrap Up

Protein bars should work for your benefit and your benefit only. While they should taste good, they should also provide for overall quality health benefits and it is possible to have both. These bars listed above are really great sources of protein, vegan and not, that taste good and will give you that boost to fuel a workout, recover from tough training, or offer a healthy snack during the day as you power through to the end.

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References

1. Paddon-Jones, D.; et al. (2008). “Protein, weight management, and satiety”. (source)
2. Pasiakos, S.; et al. (2015). “The effects of protein supplements on muscle mass, strength, and aerobic and anaerobic power in healthy adults: a systematic review”. (source)
3. Clark, M.; et al. (2013). “The effect of fiber on satiety and food intake: a systematic review”. (source)