Overview
This is my personal tier list of protein bars. I have tried a couple of different protein bars in my day, and this is my ranking of them based on taste, texture, nutrition, and cost. Nothing on here is for a specific flavor, just the brand overall.
In my ideal world, a protein bar would be high in protein, low in calories, and taste good. I also want it to be affordable. The bars on this list are ranked based on how well they meet those criteria.
The most important nutritional criteria for a protein bar is it's protein percentage. This is represented by the following formula: (grams of protein ÷ calories) × 100. A good protein bar should have a protein percentage of at least 10%.
Table of Contents
Protein Bars
Aloha - D Tier
Right out the gate, Aloha is slacking in the protein category. With only 14 grams of protein and 240 calories, this is a pretty poor protein to calorie ratio. They are plant based though, and advertise as using healhier ingredients.
Aloha is always on sale at my store, probably because of the poor protein to calorie ratio. They have a decent amount of flavors, including Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Chocolate Mint, and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip.
Price: $1.90
Protein: 14 g
Calories: 240
Protein Percentage: 5.8%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.14
Atkins - B Tier
Atkins is the original low carb company. Their protein bars only have 3 g of net carbs, being sweetened with sugar alcohols and sucralose. Their protein to calorie ratio is fine, but not great. They have quite a lot of fiber, and a high amount of fat, which is not ideal for a protein bar.
The texture is soft and chewy, with a chocolate coating. They have a decent amount of flavors, including Chocolate Peanut Butter and Strawberry Shortcake.
Price: $1.57
Protein: 17 g
Calories: 190
Protein Percentage: 8.9%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.09
Barebells - A Tier
Thesse candy-bar style protein bars are top tier for taste and protein percentage, with a chocolate coating and a soft, chewy interior. Each bar has 20 grams of protein and only 200 calories, making them a high protein snack. Popular flavors include Caramel Cashew, Cookies & Cream, Salted Peanut Caramel, and Chocolate Dough.
Cost aside, there's no reason to ever eat a candy bar when these things exist. Except cost isn't aside, and these tend to be quite pricy, dropping them down from S to A tier.
Price: $2.45
Protein: 20 g
Calories: 200
Protein Percentage: 10.0%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.12
Built - F Tier
F tier. Straight to jail. This is the only protein bar that I have ever spit out and threw out the rest of the bar. The taste was fine, but the texture was absolutely disgusting. Like a cross between a bad marshmallow and a gummy bear, but chocolate flavored.
For reference, I had the Brownie Batter flavored bar. It at least as a good protein to calorie ratio though, with 17 grams of protein and only 140 calories. Odd that it's pretty low in fat and contains 6 g of added sugar, while still having a high protein to calorie ratio.
Price: $1.67
Protein: 17 g
Calories: 140
Protein Percentage: 12.1%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.10
Clif Builders - D Tier
Clif Builders is different from the standard Clif Bar, as they contain a bit more protein, with less fat and carbs. Still though, the protein ratio on the Builder bars is very poor, and there's nearly as much added sugar as there is protein.
Their most popular flavor seems to be the Chocolatey Peanut Butter flavor, with a soft and chewy texture, similar to the standard Clif Bar. They have a chocolate coating with a decent amount of fiber, but the protein to calorie ratio is still poor.
Price: $1.67
Protein: 20 g
Calories: 290
Protein Percentage: 6.9%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.08
David - C Tier
David stands out for having by far the best protein to calorie ratio of any protein bar on this list. With 28 grams of protein and only 150 calories, this is a great option for anyone looking to get a lot of protein without consuming too many calories. These stand-out gold wrapped bars come many flavors, including Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk, and Fudge Brownie.
However,they're extremely expensive and tend to give people tons of digestinal issues, plus their inclusion of EPG (esterified propoxylated glycerol) is highly controversial and potentially dangerous.
Price: $3.33
Protein: 28 g
Calories: 150
Protein Percentage: 18.7%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.12
Fit Crunch - B Tier
Fir Crunch definitely looks like a candy bar, and it tastes pretty similar to one too, using a blend of added sugar and sugar alcohols to sweeten their bars. They have a mediocre protein to calorie ratio, with 16 grams of protein and 190 calories.
The texture is soft and chewy, with a chocolate coating. Unfortunately, they're a bit lower in protein than I would hope, and they contain a few inches worth of ingredients.
Price: $1.58
Protein: 16 g
Calories: 190
Protein Percentage: 8.4%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.10
Go Macro - D Tier
Go Macro is a tasty, organic, plant-based, and whole-foods focused bar. They use faily minimal ingredients that you've actually heard of, which is a nice change of pace from the other protein bars on this list.
But a protein bar these are not. They're a bar with a bit of protein, not a protein bar whatsoever. Plus they have 6 g of added sugar and they're super expensive, so that's gonna have to be a no from me dawg.
Price: $2.57
Protein: 10 g
Calories: 280
Protein Percentage: 3.6%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.26
IQ Bar - D Tier
IQ Bar is a plant based protein bar that advertises itself as clean. But the protein to calorie ratio is pretty poor, with only 12 grams of protein and 180 calories. They do have a good amount of fiber though, which is nice.
Price: $2.08
Protein: 12 g
Calories: 180
Protein Percentage: 6.7%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.17
Kind Protein - C Tier
Kind has a couple different types of protein bars, but I'll be going with the Kind Protein Max, which has the best protein to calorie ratio of the bunch. With 20 grams of protein and 250 calories and no added sugar, this is a mediocre protein bar in terms of protein content.
They're high in fat, but at least that's premoninantly from nuts instead of added oils. They do have a bunch of fiber as well.
The texture is soft and chewy, with a chocolate coating and crunchy nuts. They have a decent amount of flavors, including Crispy Chocolate Peanut Butter and Raspberry Cocoa Crisp.
Price: $1.95
Protein: 20 g
Calories: 250
Protein Percentage: 8.0%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.10
Kirkland - B Tier
The Kirkland protein bars are basically Costco brand rip of Quest bars. They're nearly identical to Quest in terms of macros, while coming at a much cheaper cost.
They have a much more dense texture and blander flavor though. If you prioritize cheap protein over taste, then go with Kirkland. If you prioritize taste, go with Quest.
Price: $1.32
Protein: 21 g
Calories: 190
Protein Percentage: 11.1%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.06
Lenny & Larry's - D Tier
Lenny & Larry's advertise as a cookie-fied bar rather than a protein bar, and it shows in the macros. Compared to a candy bar or cookie, these have a fantastic taste and excellent macros.
But compared to a protein bar, these have a fairly poor protein to calorie ratio, with 5 g of added sugar. A tasty and fairly healthy snack, yes. A protein bar, no.
Price: $1.47
Protein: 12 g
Calories: 160
Protein Percentage: 7.5%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.12
MET-Rx - D Tier
MET-Rx advertises not as a protien bar, but as a meal replacement bar. While 30 g of protein sounds like a lot, it also has 400 calories and 22 g of added sugar. The protein to calorie ratio is very poor, and the added sugar is substantial.
These bars are great during or after a very hard workout to replenish calories and sugar in your body, but not a great option for for a protein bar or snack on the go.
Price: $3.95
Protein: 30 g
Calories: 400
Protein Percentage: 7.5%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.13
No Cow - B Tier
As you can probably guess from the name, No Cow is a plant based protein bar. They have a great protein to calorie ratio, with 20 grams of protein in 210 calories. There's an astounding 14 g of fiber and no added sugar, with the sweetness coming from erythritol, stevia, and monk fruit; no artificial sweeteners.
The texture is soft and chewy, with a chocolate coating. However, they're very expensive, knocking it down a peg.
Price: $2.75
Protein: 20 g
Calories: 210
Protein Percentage: 9.5%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.14
One Protein - A Tier
Outside of Quest, One is probably the most popular protein bar brand. Their protein to calorie ratio is pretty standard, with about 20 g of protein per 220 calories, as well as no added sugar. I wish their protein percentage was a touch higher, but they taste great and aren't too terribly priced.
One has got to have some of the most flavors of any protein bar. Happy Birthday, S'mores, Peanut Butter Cup, Maple Glazed Doughnut, BLueberry Cobbler, Almond Bliss, etc. Additionally, theyre owned by Hershey's, giving them a ton of branded flavors, such as Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, Hershey's Cookies & Creme, and Hershey's Chocolate. These branded ones tend to be a bit lower in protein and higher in sugar, but with a more candy bar like taste.
Price: $2.08
Protein: 20 g
Calories: 220
Protein Percentage: 9.1%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.10
Perfect Bar - D Tier
Why is it called a perfect bar? Because it certainly isn't the perfect protein bar. With only 15 g of protein in 330 calories, this has one of the worst protein to calorie ratios on this list. Plus they have 20 g of fat and 12 g of added sugar, with only 3 g of fiber.
As a protein bar, these suck. As a moderately healthy snack bar, these are fine. They're high in fat and sugar from nuts and honey, but fall into a similar trap as Go Macro and Rx, in that they're a bar with protein, not a protein bar.
Price: $3.63
Protein: 15 g
Calories: 330
Protein Percentage: 4.5%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.24
Power Crunch - D Tier
I've been seeing Power Crunch on sale at my grocery store for just $0.99 a bar on sale. Why? Probably because they're bad protein bars, with a measly 13 g of protein in 220 calories and 5 g of added sugar.
Plus I'm not a fan of wafer based candies (think KitKats), so I'm gonna have to pass on these. At least they're not dense and grossly chewy though. They have a decent amount of flavors, including Peanut Butter Fudge, Cookies & Creme, and Strawberry Cream.
Price: $1.37
Protein: 13 g
Calories: 220
Protein Percentage: 5.9%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.11
Pure Protein - S Tier
These have got to be the most slept on protein bars of all time. Not only do they have a great protein to calorie ratio and are affordable, but they don't taste like cardboard.
I've had a couple different flavors, including Chocolate Deluxe and Chocolate Peanut Caramel, and they were both delicious. There is none of that dense and gross protein bar texture and flavor here. I would highly recommend these to anyone looking for a good protein bar.
Price: $1.58
Protein: 21 g
Calories: 180
Protein Percentage: 11.7%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.08
Quest - A Tier
Quest is one of the OGs in the protein bar game. They have probably dozens of different flavors, and are all pretty great. Their top 2 flavors are likely Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Cookies & Cream, but they also have a bunch more, like S'Mores, White Chocolate Raspberry, Blueberry Muffin, and Birthday Cake.
A standard Quest bar tends to have about 21 g of protein in 190 calories, making it one of the better protein to calorie ratios on this list, plus with no added sugar and 10 g of fiber.
Their taste is generally good, but they could be a bit dense, chewy, and dry. They're a solid option for the macros, but can sometimes be expensive. If you don't mind a worse taste and texture, but at a cheaper cost for a very similarly styled bar, go with Kirkland. If you want a better taste and texture, but at a higher cost, go with Quest.
Price: $2.20
Protein: 21 g
Calories: 190
Protein Percentage: 11.1%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.10
Rx Bar - C Tier
Rx is my favorite snack bar on this list, for their taste, texture, and ingredients list. What you see is what you get with these, as Rx bars only have a few simple ingredients, such as nuts, dates, and egg whites.
However, I will admit, they're not a protein bar. They're a date and nut bar with some egg white protien powder. A LaraBar with a bit of protein.
I appreciate that they use dates instead of added sugar for natural sweetness, and nuts instead of oils for healthy, whole-food fats. But 12 g of protein per 200 calories is a very poor protein to calorie ratio. They're one of the best and healthiest packaged snacks you can but, but not a protein bar.
Also, did you know that Rx Bars and David bars were invented by the same person (Peter Rahal). Those things could not be more different. The former is a whole-foods snack bar, and the latter is an ultra-processed protein bar.
Price: $1.75
Protein: 12 g
Calories: 200
Protein Percentage: 6.0%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.15
Think - C Tier
Finally, we have Think bars. These are a pretty standard protein bar, with 20 g of protein in 230 calories. Their protein to calorie ratio isn't bad but isn't great.
One thing knocking these down is that they only have 1 g of fiber, with "butt bomb" amount of sugar alcohols (11 g). At least there's no added sugar, but they do have a high amount of fat.
They have a soft and chewy texture, with a chocolate coating, but the taste is pretty mediocre. It feels like sustenance, but not very satisfying. Popular flavors include Creamy Peanut Butter, Lemon Delight, and Cookies & Creme.
Price: $2.00
Protein: 20 g
Calories: 230
Protein Percentage: 8.7%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.10
Final Ranking
S TIER
A TIER
B TIER
C TIER
D TIER
F TIER
This is my personal tier list of protein bars. I have tried a couple of different protein bars in my day, and this is my ranking of them based on taste, texture, nutrition, and cost. Nothing on here is for a specific flavor, just the brand overall.
In my ideal world, a protein bar would be high in protein, low in calories, and taste good. I also want it to be affordable. The bars on this list are ranked based on how well they meet those criteria.
The most important nutritional criteria for a protein bar is it's protein percentage. This is represented by the following formula: (grams of protein ÷ calories) × 100. A good protein bar should have a protein percentage of at least 10%.
Table of Contents
Protein Bars
Aloha - D Tier
Right out the gate, Aloha is slacking in the protein category. With only 14 grams of protein and 240 calories, this is a pretty poor protein to calorie ratio. They are plant based though, and advertise as using healhier ingredients.
Aloha is always on sale at my store, probably because of the poor protein to calorie ratio. They have a decent amount of flavors, including Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Chocolate Mint, and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip.
Price: $1.90
Protein: 14 g
Calories: 240
Protein Percentage: 5.8%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.14
Atkins - B Tier
Atkins is the original low carb company. Their protein bars only have 3 g of net carbs, being sweetened with sugar alcohols and sucralose. Their protein to calorie ratio is fine, but not great. They have quite a lot of fiber, and a high amount of fat, which is not ideal for a protein bar.
The texture is soft and chewy, with a chocolate coating. They have a decent amount of flavors, including Chocolate Peanut Butter and Strawberry Shortcake.
Price: $1.57
Protein: 17 g
Calories: 190
Protein Percentage: 8.9%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.09
Barebells - A Tier
Thesse candy-bar style protein bars are top tier for taste and protein percentage, with a chocolate coating and a soft, chewy interior. Each bar has 20 grams of protein and only 200 calories, making them a high protein snack. Popular flavors include Caramel Cashew, Cookies & Cream, Salted Peanut Caramel, and Chocolate Dough.
Cost aside, there's no reason to ever eat a candy bar when these things exist. Except cost isn't aside, and these tend to be quite pricy, dropping them down from S to A tier.
Price: $2.45
Protein: 20 g
Calories: 200
Protein Percentage: 10.0%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.12
Built - F Tier
F tier. Straight to jail. This is the only protein bar that I have ever spit out and threw out the rest of the bar. The taste was fine, but the texture was absolutely disgusting. Like a cross between a bad marshmallow and a gummy bear, but chocolate flavored.
For reference, I had the Brownie Batter flavored bar. It at least as a good protein to calorie ratio though, with 17 grams of protein and only 140 calories. Odd that it's pretty low in fat and contains 6 g of added sugar, while still having a high protein to calorie ratio.
Price: $1.67
Protein: 17 g
Calories: 140
Protein Percentage: 12.1%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.10
Clif Builders - D Tier
Clif Builders is different from the standard Clif Bar, as they contain a bit more protein, with less fat and carbs. Still though, the protein ratio on the Builder bars is very poor, and there's nearly as much added sugar as there is protein.
Their most popular flavor seems to be the Chocolatey Peanut Butter flavor, with a soft and chewy texture, similar to the standard Clif Bar. They have a chocolate coating with a decent amount of fiber, but the protein to calorie ratio is still poor.
Price: $1.67
Protein: 20 g
Calories: 290
Protein Percentage: 6.9%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.08
David - C Tier
David stands out for having by far the best protein to calorie ratio of any protein bar on this list. With 28 grams of protein and only 150 calories, this is a great option for anyone looking to get a lot of protein without consuming too many calories. These stand-out gold wrapped bars come many flavors, including Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk, and Fudge Brownie.
However,they're extremely expensive and tend to give people tons of digestinal issues, plus their inclusion of EPG (esterified propoxylated glycerol) is highly controversial and potentially dangerous.
Price: $3.33
Protein: 28 g
Calories: 150
Protein Percentage: 18.7%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.12
Fit Crunch - B Tier
Fir Crunch definitely looks like a candy bar, and it tastes pretty similar to one too, using a blend of added sugar and sugar alcohols to sweeten their bars. They have a mediocre protein to calorie ratio, with 16 grams of protein and 190 calories.
The texture is soft and chewy, with a chocolate coating. Unfortunately, they're a bit lower in protein than I would hope, and they contain a few inches worth of ingredients.
Price: $1.58
Protein: 16 g
Calories: 190
Protein Percentage: 8.4%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.10
Go Macro - D Tier
Go Macro is a tasty, organic, plant-based, and whole-foods focused bar. They use faily minimal ingredients that you've actually heard of, which is a nice change of pace from the other protein bars on this list.
But a protein bar these are not. They're a bar with a bit of protein, not a protein bar whatsoever. Plus they have 6 g of added sugar and they're super expensive, so that's gonna have to be a no from me dawg.
Price: $2.57
Protein: 10 g
Calories: 280
Protein Percentage: 3.6%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.26
IQ Bar - D Tier
IQ Bar is a plant based protein bar that advertises itself as clean. But the protein to calorie ratio is pretty poor, with only 12 grams of protein and 180 calories. They do have a good amount of fiber though, which is nice.
Price: $2.08
Protein: 12 g
Calories: 180
Protein Percentage: 6.7%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.17
Kind Protein - C Tier
Kind has a couple different types of protein bars, but I'll be going with the Kind Protein Max, which has the best protein to calorie ratio of the bunch. With 20 grams of protein and 250 calories and no added sugar, this is a mediocre protein bar in terms of protein content.
They're high in fat, but at least that's premoninantly from nuts instead of added oils. They do have a bunch of fiber as well.
The texture is soft and chewy, with a chocolate coating and crunchy nuts. They have a decent amount of flavors, including Crispy Chocolate Peanut Butter and Raspberry Cocoa Crisp.
Price: $1.95
Protein: 20 g
Calories: 250
Protein Percentage: 8.0%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.10
Kirkland - B Tier
The Kirkland protein bars are basically Costco brand rip of Quest bars. They're nearly identical to Quest in terms of macros, while coming at a much cheaper cost.
They have a much more dense texture and blander flavor though. If you prioritize cheap protein over taste, then go with Kirkland. If you prioritize taste, go with Quest.
Price: $1.32
Protein: 21 g
Calories: 190
Protein Percentage: 11.1%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.06
Lenny & Larry's - D Tier
Lenny & Larry's advertise as a cookie-fied bar rather than a protein bar, and it shows in the macros. Compared to a candy bar or cookie, these have a fantastic taste and excellent macros.
But compared to a protein bar, these have a fairly poor protein to calorie ratio, with 5 g of added sugar. A tasty and fairly healthy snack, yes. A protein bar, no.
Price: $1.47
Protein: 12 g
Calories: 160
Protein Percentage: 7.5%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.12
MET-Rx - D Tier
MET-Rx advertises not as a protien bar, but as a meal replacement bar. While 30 g of protein sounds like a lot, it also has 400 calories and 22 g of added sugar. The protein to calorie ratio is very poor, and the added sugar is substantial.
These bars are great during or after a very hard workout to replenish calories and sugar in your body, but not a great option for for a protein bar or snack on the go.
Price: $3.95
Protein: 30 g
Calories: 400
Protein Percentage: 7.5%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.13
No Cow - B Tier
As you can probably guess from the name, No Cow is a plant based protein bar. They have a great protein to calorie ratio, with 20 grams of protein in 210 calories. There's an astounding 14 g of fiber and no added sugar, with the sweetness coming from erythritol, stevia, and monk fruit; no artificial sweeteners.
The texture is soft and chewy, with a chocolate coating. However, they're very expensive, knocking it down a peg.
Price: $2.75
Protein: 20 g
Calories: 210
Protein Percentage: 9.5%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.14
One Protein - A Tier
Outside of Quest, One is probably the most popular protein bar brand. Their protein to calorie ratio is pretty standard, with about 20 g of protein per 220 calories, as well as no added sugar. I wish their protein percentage was a touch higher, but they taste great and aren't too terribly priced.
One has got to have some of the most flavors of any protein bar. Happy Birthday, S'mores, Peanut Butter Cup, Maple Glazed Doughnut, BLueberry Cobbler, Almond Bliss, etc. Additionally, theyre owned by Hershey's, giving them a ton of branded flavors, such as Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, Hershey's Cookies & Creme, and Hershey's Chocolate. These branded ones tend to be a bit lower in protein and higher in sugar, but with a more candy bar like taste.
Price: $2.08
Protein: 20 g
Calories: 220
Protein Percentage: 9.1%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.10
Perfect Bar - D Tier
Why is it called a perfect bar? Because it certainly isn't the perfect protein bar. With only 15 g of protein in 330 calories, this has one of the worst protein to calorie ratios on this list. Plus they have 20 g of fat and 12 g of added sugar, with only 3 g of fiber.
As a protein bar, these suck. As a moderately healthy snack bar, these are fine. They're high in fat and sugar from nuts and honey, but fall into a similar trap as Go Macro and Rx, in that they're a bar with protein, not a protein bar.
Price: $3.63
Protein: 15 g
Calories: 330
Protein Percentage: 4.5%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.24
Power Crunch - D Tier
I've been seeing Power Crunch on sale at my grocery store for just $0.99 a bar on sale. Why? Probably because they're bad protein bars, with a measly 13 g of protein in 220 calories and 5 g of added sugar.
Plus I'm not a fan of wafer based candies (think KitKats), so I'm gonna have to pass on these. At least they're not dense and grossly chewy though. They have a decent amount of flavors, including Peanut Butter Fudge, Cookies & Creme, and Strawberry Cream.
Price: $1.37
Protein: 13 g
Calories: 220
Protein Percentage: 5.9%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.11
Pure Protein - S Tier
These have got to be the most slept on protein bars of all time. Not only do they have a great protein to calorie ratio and are affordable, but they don't taste like cardboard.
I've had a couple different flavors, including Chocolate Deluxe and Chocolate Peanut Caramel, and they were both delicious. There is none of that dense and gross protein bar texture and flavor here. I would highly recommend these to anyone looking for a good protein bar.
Price: $1.58
Protein: 21 g
Calories: 180
Protein Percentage: 11.7%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.08
Quest - A Tier
Quest is one of the OGs in the protein bar game. They have probably dozens of different flavors, and are all pretty great. Their top 2 flavors are likely Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Cookies & Cream, but they also have a bunch more, like S'Mores, White Chocolate Raspberry, Blueberry Muffin, and Birthday Cake.
A standard Quest bar tends to have about 21 g of protein in 190 calories, making it one of the better protein to calorie ratios on this list, plus with no added sugar and 10 g of fiber.
Their taste is generally good, but they could be a bit dense, chewy, and dry. They're a solid option for the macros, but can sometimes be expensive. If you don't mind a worse taste and texture, but at a cheaper cost for a very similarly styled bar, go with Kirkland. If you want a better taste and texture, but at a higher cost, go with Quest.
Price: $2.20
Protein: 21 g
Calories: 190
Protein Percentage: 11.1%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.10
Rx Bar - C Tier
Rx is my favorite snack bar on this list, for their taste, texture, and ingredients list. What you see is what you get with these, as Rx bars only have a few simple ingredients, such as nuts, dates, and egg whites.
However, I will admit, they're not a protein bar. They're a date and nut bar with some egg white protien powder. A LaraBar with a bit of protein.
I appreciate that they use dates instead of added sugar for natural sweetness, and nuts instead of oils for healthy, whole-food fats. But 12 g of protein per 200 calories is a very poor protein to calorie ratio. They're one of the best and healthiest packaged snacks you can but, but not a protein bar.
Also, did you know that Rx Bars and David bars were invented by the same person (Peter Rahal). Those things could not be more different. The former is a whole-foods snack bar, and the latter is an ultra-processed protein bar.
Price: $1.75
Protein: 12 g
Calories: 200
Protein Percentage: 6.0%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.15
Think - C Tier
Finally, we have Think bars. These are a pretty standard protein bar, with 20 g of protein in 230 calories. Their protein to calorie ratio isn't bad but isn't great.
One thing knocking these down is that they only have 1 g of fiber, with "butt bomb" amount of sugar alcohols (11 g). At least there's no added sugar, but they do have a high amount of fat.
They have a soft and chewy texture, with a chocolate coating, but the taste is pretty mediocre. It feels like sustenance, but not very satisfying. Popular flavors include Creamy Peanut Butter, Lemon Delight, and Cookies & Creme.
Price: $2.00
Protein: 20 g
Calories: 230
Protein Percentage: 8.7%
Cost per gram of Protein: $0.10
Final Ranking
S TIER
A TIER
B TIER
C TIER
D TIER
F TIER
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