Best protein bars 2025, tried and tested by experts

Below, you'll find our picks of the best protein bars to choose right now. We've awarded marks for flavour, texture and ingredients, so all you need to do is find your favourite.

Best protein bars at a glance

• Best white chocolate protein bar: Barebells white salty peanut protein bar, £23.99 for 12
• Best chocolate protein bar: Protein Works Loaded Legends choc fudge flavour, £29.99 for 12
• Best fruity protein bar: Battle Bites high-protein bar jaffa bake flavour, £19.99 for 12
• Best protein bar for building muscle: 33 Fuel Eroica natural protein bars, £21.99 for 5
• Best caramel protein bar: Grenade Carb Killa chocolate chip salted caramel protein bar, £27 for 12
• Best protein bar for a workout: Fulfil white chocolate caramel vitamin protein bar, £40 for 15
• Best cheap protein bar: Lidl salted caramel Gain Bar, £1.29 for 1

Best protein bars to buy 2025

Barebells white salty peanut protein bar

• Available from Barebells (£23.99 for 12), Amazon (£25.40 for 12), Ocado (£2.70 for 1)

Best white chocolate protein bar

Star rating: 5/5

• Grams of protein: 20g per bar
• Calories per serving: 209 kcal
• Type of protein: milk protein, collagen peptides
• Carbohydrates per serving: 14g (1.5g sugar)

We thoroughly enjoyed this delicious bar. With a chewy texture, caramel-coated peanuts and a white chocolate coating, it really feels like a treat. For anyone put off by the typical flavours and textures of most protein bars on the market, this would be a great choice.

Available from:
Barebells (£23.99 for 12)
Amazon (£25.40 for 12)
Ocado (£2.70 for 1)

Protein Works Loaded Legends choc fudge flavour

• Available from Protein Works (£2.79 for 1) and (£29.99 for 12)

Best chocolate protein bar

Star rating: 5/5

• Grams of protein: 14g per 47g bar
• Calories per serving: 163 kcal
• Type of protein: soy protein, milk protein, wheat protein
• Carbohydrates per serving: 15g (1.4g sugar)

This bar has a really moreish texture similar to nougat, with a delicious dark chocolate coating. It's also a good size: compared to some of the heftier bars we tried, this was perfect for a light snack and won’t sit heavily in your stomach. It also stacks up an impressive amount of fibre, which contributes to feelings of fullness.

Battle Bites high protein bar jaffa bake flavour

• Available from Boots (£2 for 1), (£24.99 for 12)

Best fruity protein bar

Star rating: 5/5

• Grams of protein: 20g per bar, 10g per piece
• Calories per serving: 240 kcal per bar, 120 kcal per piece
• Type of protein: whey and soy protein, bovine collagen
• Carbohydrates per serving: 19g per bar (2g sugar), 9.6g per piece (1g sugar)

This zesty bar has an orange caramel and chocolate centre, with crispy chunks of biscuit. This bar comes split in two smaller segments, which is great if you're tracking calories, or don't need the whole bar.

Available from:
Boots £2 for 1
£24.99 for 12

33 Fuel Eroica natural protein bar

• Available from Fuel (£21.99 for 5)

Best protein bar for building muscle

Star rating: 4/5

• Grams of protein: 20g per double-bar pack (100g)
• Calories per serving: 409 kcal
• Type of protein: almonds, egg whites, rice
• Carbohydrates per serving: 43g (38g sugar)

This whopper of a bar is considerably larger than many others on the market. Made with all-natural ingredients, including egg whites and almonds, it's a great energising choice for runners, cyclists and endurance athletes – though it is high in sugar and calories, so best used to fuel intense exercise rather than as an everyday snack. Bars come in two 50g pieces, so you could split them up, for example for pre- and post-workout.

Available from:
Fuel (£21.99 for 5)

Grenade Carb Killa chocolate chip salted caramel protein bar

• Available from Grenade (£27 for 12), Ocado (£10.15 for 4), Muscle Food (£2 for 1)

Best caramel protein bar

Star rating: 5/5

• Grams of protein: 20g per bar
• Calories per serving: 226 kcal
• Type of protein: calcium caseinate, whey protein isolate, bovine collagen
• Carbohydrates per serving: 20g (1.4g sugar)

Tasters enjoyed the soft nougat centre with a layer of salted caramel, topped with chocolate chips. Although these bars have the slight chewy texture you often get with protein bars, it’s not unpleasant. These contain beef gelatine, so aren't suitable for vegetarians.

Available from:
Grenade (£27 for 12)
Ocado (£10.15 for 4)
Muscle Food (£2 for 1)

Fulfil white chocolate caramel vitamin protein bar

• Available from Tesco (£2.90 for 1), Holland & Barrett (£40 for 15)

Best protein bar for a workout

Star rating: 5/5

• Grams of protein: 20g per 55g bar
• Calories per serving: 211 kcal
• Type of protein: whey and soya protein, collagen hydrolysate
• Type of sweetener: maltitol, erythritol, sucralose
• Carbohydrates per serving: 16.1g (2.1g sugar)

Tasters enjoyed the crunchy-chewy textures of this bar, especially its squidgy caramel centre. The white chocolate adds sweetness and there's no chalky aftertaste, which means this bar feels like a real treat. This would be a great option if you're energising up pre- or post-workout.

Available from:
Tesco £2.90 for 1
Holland & Barrett £40 for 15

Lidl salted caramel Gain Bar

• Available from Lidl, in store only (£1.29 for 1)

Best cheap protein bar

Star rating: 4/5

Lidl have released their own protein bars and, impressively, they stand up to big-name brands. They contain over 20g of protein per bar, but for around half the price of other bars. You get double caramel too, with a light, fluffy caramel centre and a layer of caramel on top. Despite the low sugar claim, the bar is very sweet so it might not be right for everyone, but if you want a decadent protein bar that acts as a treat as well, this is great choice. We would happily buy it again.

Available from:
Lidl, in store only (£1.29 for 1)

How to choose a protein bar

Choosing a the right protein bar will depend on your personal requirements and goals. For example, if you're looking to gain weight or build muscle, you might want a bar that's higher in calories and carbohydrates. If you want to fuel for a workout without going over your daily calories, you might want one which is lower in calories or sugar. Once you have determined your goals, look at the back of the pack to see the nutritional information. This should help you determine if a bar is right for you.

Don't forget, not all protein bars are vegetarian, and many aren't vegan, as they use whey and other types of animal-based protein.

What we looked for in protein bars

Taste and texture: is the flavour pleasant? Is the texture palatable?

Type of protein: whey or plant-based? Concentrate, isolate or hydrolysate?

Nutrient profile: how much protein per serving? What about calories, fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates and sugars?

How we tested protein bars

All bars were taste-tested by the team, with notes made according to our testing criteria. We included samples from a range of brands with differing protein types, flavours, ingredients and price points.

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