The best dairy-free protein powders, compared

Dairy-free protein powder used to mean one thing: pea. Now there are six protein types to choose from, and each one solves a different problem. This guide picks one widely sold, short-label example of each, with the numbers from each brand's own label.

One disclosure up front: I run Cantein, a hemp protein company, and Cantein is one of the picks. It isn't ranked first because I said so. Each pick is matched to the person it fits, and the sections below say plainly where the others beat us.

The short list

Pick Protein type Protein per scoop Leucine per scoop Ingredients Price per 20g protein Best for
Cantein Unflavored Hemp (seed) 28g in 35g 1.80g 1: organic hemp protein $1.79 No dairy, no legumes, shortest label
Naked Pea (unflavored) Pea (legume) 27g in 30g 2.52g 1: yellow pea protein $0.86 Most protein for the money
Naked Rice Brown rice (grain) 25g in 30g 2.06g 1: organic sprouted brown rice protein $0.79 Lowest cost, no legumes
NOW Sports Soy Protein Isolate Soy (legume) 20g in 24g 1.81g 1: soy protein isolate $1.18 A complete plant protein that's been around for decades; Informed Sport tested
Naked Egg Egg white 25g in 31g 2.33g 2: egg white protein, sunflower lecithin $1.45 Dairy-free but not vegan
Orgain Organic Protein, Vanilla Bean Pea, brown rice, mung bean, chia 21g in 46g 1.77g A blend with a creamer base, stevia, inulin, and gums $1.81 Ready-to-drink taste, sold everywhere

Prices are one-time list prices on each brand's own site, checked October 2, 2026, divided out to a common 20g of protein. They change often, and subscriptions and sales are usually cheaper. Leucine comes from each brand's published amino acid profile.

First: whey isolate isn't dairy-free

Whey isolate is filtered until very little lactose is left. Naked Whey Isolate, for example, states 0.1g of lactose per serving. That can make it fine for many people with lactose intolerance.

But whey is a milk protein, and its label says "Contains: Milk." If you have a milk allergy, or you avoid dairy for any reason other than lactose, whey isolate is out. Lactose intolerance is a problem digesting milk sugar; a milk allergy is an immune reaction to milk protein. The fix is different for each.

The picks, one by one

Cantein Unflavored: for no dairy and no legumes

Hemp is a seed, not a legume, and it has all nine essential amino acids from one plant. Cantein Unflavored is one ingredient: organic hemp protein, mechanically cold-pressed. A 35g scoop has 28g of protein, 2g of fiber, and 0mg of sodium. Vanilla and chocolate have 22g, sweetened with organic monk fruit, with 0g added sugar.

  • Where it wins: no dairy, soy, pea, gums, or stevia, and USDA Organic. We publish our heavy-metal results: in September 2025 Eurofins tested a sample, and a scoop of unflavored had 0.22µg of lead (full results).
  • Where it loses: it costs more per gram of protein than pea, rice, or soy. Lysine is hemp's limiting amino acid, at about 33mg per gram of protein, so a lysine-rich food elsewhere in the day helps. It tastes like the seed, and it thickens if it sits.
  • Origin: our hemp is grown in Heilongjiang, China. The other hemp brands in the US mostly source from Canada.

Naked Pea: the most protein for the money

One ingredient, yellow pea protein, 27g per 30g scoop and about 2.5g of leucine. At $0.86 per 20g of protein, it's the value pick if pea agrees with you. Pea is a legume, so if beans and lentils bother you, pea may too. Our guide to pea protein alternatives covers what to check before giving up on it.

Naked Rice: the cheapest per gram

Organic sprouted brown rice protein, 25g per 30g scoop, $0.79 per 20g of protein. Rice is a grain, so it's an option if you avoid legumes. Rice protein runs low in lysine, which is why most brands blend it with pea. A plain rice powder keeps the label short but leaves the lysine to the rest of your diet.

NOW Soy Protein Isolate: complete, simple, tested for sport

One ingredient, 20g per 24g scoop, with Informed Sport and Non-GMO Project marks on the label. Soy is a complete protein with plenty of lysine. It's also a legume and one of the major food allergens, and some people simply prefer to avoid it.

Naked Egg: if you eat eggs and want dairy-free

Egg white protein with a little sunflower lecithin, 25g per scoop and about 2.3g of leucine. It's a complete animal protein without milk. It isn't vegan, egg is a major allergen, and it has 380mg of sodium per serving.

Orgain Organic Protein: the one that tastes like a shake

The most widely stocked plant protein in the US. Two scoops (46g) give 21g of protein from pea, brown rice, mung bean, and chia, with a creamer base. That creamer, plus organic stevia (Reb A), agave inulin, acacia, guar gum, and xanthan gum, is why it tastes richer than a single-ingredient powder. It's also the list to check if shakes upset your stomach. More on that in our sensitive stomach guide.

How to choose

  • Lowest cost: rice or pea.
  • Most leucine per scoop (for muscle, especially after 50): pea or egg white. See protein powder after 50.
  • Legumes bother you: hemp, rice, or egg white.
  • You want vegan and a complete protein from one source: hemp or soy.
  • You want it to taste like a milkshake with just water: a flavored blend, accepting the longer label.
  • You avoid stevia: see protein powder without stevia.

Whatever you buy: ask about heavy metals

Plant proteins take up what's in the soil, and Consumer Reports' 2025 testing found lead in many protein powders, plant-based ones especially. Of the brands above, most say they test, but none besides Cantein posts its heavy-metal results on its site. Ask for lot-level results for lead, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury. Our lead in protein powder guide explains how to read them.

The short version

Pick the protein type your body agrees with first, then the brand. Pea and rice are the value picks. Egg white is the dairy-free animal option. Soy is the classic complete plant protein. Hemp is for people who want no dairy, no legumes, and one ingredient, and who'll pay a bit more for that.

I run Cantein, so weigh my view of hemp accordingly. Every number above comes from each brand's own product page or label, checked October 2, 2026; labels and prices change, so check before you buy. Not medical advice. If you have a food allergy, read every label yourself.

Sources

Buying guides: Dairy-free protein powder · Sensitive stomach · Over 50 · Without stevia · Hemp protein compared · All Learn pages