The Best Protein Sodas, Ranked
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Soda is the latest victim to be proteinified; here’s what we think of 6 popular options.
Our society is more health-conscious than ever before, and the addition of protein to virtually every food on grocery store shelves is evidence of that. Protein is a vital nutrient that builds and preserves muscle mass, helps us stay full, and packs just 4 calories per gram — the same as carbohydrates and less than half the 9 calories per gram in fat.
If you’re a new entrant into the protein rat race, increasing your intake just got easier. A handful of brands — some new, some established — are offering carbonated (and a few non-carbonated) protein drinks that mimic your favorite sodas and seltzers. The protein per serving isn’t huge in most of them, but that’s kind of the point. The best protein sodas make a small but meaningful dent in your daily protein goal while giving you a fizzy, flavorful alternative to another shake or scoop of powder.
The Best Protein Sodas
- Best Overall: Proda
- Best Clear Protein Drink: Be LOVE Power + Restore
- Best High-Protein Soda: Bucked Up
- Best-Tasting Protein Soda: Sky Pop
- Best Caffeinated Protein Soda: Barebells
- Best Seltzer-Style Protein Soda: Waay
Best Overall: Proda
Proda is co-owned by beverage-industry veteran Jeff Church and actor Matthew Postlethwaite, who was inspired to start the company after watching a family member grapple with a protein deficiency. The duo launched the brand in April 2026 with 7 flavors, ranging from soda staples like Root Beer and Lemon Lime to more novel options like Shirley Temple.
Each can is 40 calories with 10 grams of protein, and the brand is angling to be a pure soda replacement — the pops are carbonated and prioritize flavor over additional ingredients like vitamins and caffeine. It’s a soda that happens to have protein. The 10 grams per serving is a nice protein bump, not the hefty dose you’re probably used to from ready-to-drink shakes that deliver 20 to 30 grams per serving. And despite using whey protein isolate, Proda is lactose-free and contains no added sugar, relying on stevia for sweetness.
Best Clear Protein Drink: Be LOVE Power + Restore
Be LOVE Power + Restore is taking advantage of the budding protein-drink market with an offering that’s genuinely different. It isn’t a protein shake. It’s not a soda. And it’s not a straight-up collagen drink, either. Instead, each slim can delivers a significant 15 grams of protein, including 5 grams of collagen, in 6 non-carbonated flavors. The packaging and light, fruity flavors make it look more like one of the canned spritzers that flooded the market in the 2020s than a traditional protein drink.
A 5-gram increase over most of the options on this list doesn’t seem like much, but it adds up. If you’re aiming for 100 grams of protein per day, two cans get you nearly a third of the way there for just 140 calories. Each can also provide 5 grams of collagen, an abundant protein in your body that helps provide structure to your skin, tendons, bones, and other connective tissues. It’s a nice bonus, though we’d view the 15 grams of total protein — not the collagen — as the main selling point.
Best High-Protein Soda: Bucked Up
If you’re tired of thick protein shakes but have above-average protein needs, this is the drink for you. Bucked Up is an established supplement company that sells all the classics: protein powder, pre-workout, creatine, and more. Its protein soda is made with whey protein isolate, is carbonated, comes in 8 flavors, and packs 25 grams of protein — a meal’s worth for some people — into each can.
One hundred calories per can seems like a lot compared to the other options on this list, but essentially all of those calories come from protein. There’s also a tradeoff to packing that much protein into a soda: More protein can affect the flavor of the drink. So, we think it’s best to approach Bucked Up as a lighter, carbonated alternative to a traditional protein shake rather than a soda-first replacement.
Best-Tasting Protein Soda: Sky Pop
We chose Sky Pop (formerly Don’t Quit!) as our best-tasting protein soda because, well, it tastes pretty damn good for a drink with 10 grams of protein. It also sticks to familiar soda territory with 7 classic flavors, including Root Beer, Orange, Grape, and Cola. If you’re primarily looking to replace your regular soda with something that sneaks in a little extra protein, Sky Pop makes a strong case.
Like Proda, Sky Pop is a soda-first beverage. Each can deliver a modest 10 grams of whey protein isolate — enough to make a difference in your daily total, but considerably less than you’d get from a traditional protein shake. It’s also sweetened with sucralose, helping keep each can to just 45 calories without sacrificing the sweetness you’d expect from a soda.
Best Caffeinated Protein Soda: Barebells
Known for its crispy and chewy protein bars, Barebells is doubling down on its reputation by entering the increasingly crowded protein soda space. The calories, protein content, and protein source are similar to several of our other picks, but the whopping 200 milligrams of caffeine is what sets it apart from everything else on this list.
This isn’t a knock on Barebells, but this drink is pulling overtime as a protein source, soda, and energy drink. And it covers all three bases pretty well: It tastes good, bumps your protein intake up by 10 grams, and delivers a serious dose of caffeine for just 50 calories. Obviously, if you’re sensitive to caffeine, this pick — which packs roughly as much caffeine as two cups of coffee — probably isn’t for you. We’d also be mindful of other caffeine sources throughout your day, especially if you regularly drink coffee, pre-workout, or energy drinks.
Best Seltzer-Style Protein Soda: Waay
Waay is marketed toward the everyday person who wants a small protein boost without making it their entire personality. The slim, understated can doesn’t scream protein drink, and Waay keeps its ingredient list relatively simple, using whey protein isolate and collagen for protein, and monk fruit and stevia for sweetness, while forgoing sugar alcohols and sucralose.
In terms of flavor, Waay is very citrus-forward, and its texture and mouthfeel resemble a seltzer more than a traditional soda. That distinction is really what sets it apart from the rest of this list. If you’d reach for a LaCroix over a Coke — or generally prefer bubbly water that’s lighter and less aggressively sweet — Waay is probably going to suit you best.
What to Consider Before Buying a Protein Soda
Protein soda is still soda, but there’s a little more to consider than which flavor sounds best. Protein content varies considerably between brands, and calories, caffeine, and other added ingredients can also differ. Here’s what to look for before cracking open a can.
Protein Content
If you’re consulting the internet about protein soda, then you’re probably looking to up your protein intake. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults consume 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (about 0.55 to 0.73 grams per pound) daily. Athletes and active adults looking to build or maintain muscle may benefit from higher intakes, depending on their training and goals.
Knowing roughly how much protein you need can help inform the type of protein soda you choose. The sodas on our list range from 10 grams of protein per can up to 25 grams, which is firmly protein-shake territory. If you’re looking for a modest bump in your daily intake, a 10-gram soda may be plenty. A dedicated lifter trying to build muscle, on the other hand, may get more mileage out of a can packing 20 to 25 grams.
Total Calories
Protein is one of three main macronutrients, with carbohydrates and fats being the other two. A gram of protein or carbohydrates contains about 4 calories, while a gram of fat contains about 9. You don’t need to constantly calculate the macros in everything you eat, but understanding that math can provide some context for what you’re drinking. A protein soda with 100 calories, 25 grams of protein, and virtually no carbs or fat, for example, derives essentially all of its calories from protein.
Calories may matter more if you’re trying to lose or maintain weight. Fortunately, most of the protein sodas on this list contain little to no fat and relatively few carbohydrates, keeping their overall calorie counts low. Just remember that calories from drinks still contribute to your daily intake, even when most of those calories come from protein.
Taste
You’re also searching for a soda, so in addition to being protein-conscious, we’ll assume you care about how the thing tastes. Packing protein into a clear, carbonated drink without compromising its flavor or texture is a tall order — these aren’t going to taste like Coca-Cola.
That said, the protein sodas on this list range from good enough to legitimately tasty. As substitutes for regular soda, they work surprisingly well. Plus, you’re killing two birds with one kettlebell: satisfying your sweet tooth while adding some protein to your day.
Additional Ingredients
Protein isn’t necessarily the only active ingredient in the can. Some protein sodas contain caffeine, vitamins, or other added ingredients, so read the label before you drink one. Otherwise, a caffeine-sensitive person could unknowingly down 200 milligrams only to realize their mistake while staring at the ceiling at 3 a.m.
Pay particular attention to caffeine if you drink protein soda later in the day or already get caffeine from coffee, energy drinks, or pre-workout. And if you have a medical condition that requires you to limit certain nutrients or ingredients, check the nutrition and ingredient labels and talk with your healthcare provider when necessary.
How We Chose the Best Protein Sodas
Protein soda is a relatively new category, and there aren’t yet hundreds of options crowding store shelves. We researched and tried the most popular protein soda brands we could find, and compared their nutrition profiles. From there, we ranked our favorites based on taste, protein content, nutritional value, and how well each drink delivered on its promises.
Nutrition Profiles
Protein sodas will have similar calories, protein content, and additional ingredients across brands. We took a close look at each soda on this list to spot those similarities and differences, so you know what you’re getting from each can. Some contain caffeine while most don’t; others offer a modest amount of protein, while a few pack as much as a traditional protein shake.
Of course, you can figure all of this out by reading every nutrition label yourself, but our goal is to be a one-stop resource where you can compare popular protein sodas with your goals in mind and make a better-informed decision a little quicker.
Varying Needs
Some people want to increase their protein intake for health reasons. Others are looking for creative ways to hit a demanding protein target, and some folks just want a higher-protein alternative to regular soda. Whatever your “why” is, we tried to include a range of protein sodas with different protein amounts, calorie counts, flavors, and ingredient profiles.
That also means we didn’t simply rank these drinks from most to least protein. A 25-gram protein soda may make sense for someone who struggles to hit their daily target, while a 10-gram option might be a better fit for someone who mostly wants a better-tasting afternoon drink with a little extra protein.
FAQs
Protein soda is a protein drink designed to mimic the flavors, taste, and texture of traditional soda. Unlike the thick, creamy protein shakes you’re probably used to, protein soda is typically clear, carbonated, and fruit- or soda-flavored. Most protein sodas on our list provide about 10 grams of protein per serving, though some pack considerably more.
Protein soda isn’t inherently good or bad, and whether it makes sense for you depends largely on your goals. If you’re looking to increase your protein intake or reduce your overall calorie intake, protein soda can be a useful substitute for traditional soda. Most options contain significantly fewer calories than regular soda while providing 10 to 25 grams of protein per can.
That doesn’t make protein soda a health food, though. Think of it as another convenient way to add protein to your diet while scratching the itch for something sweet and fizzy.
Of the protein sodas on our list, Bucked Up has the most protein at 25 grams per can, which puts it in the same ballpark as many traditional protein shakes. At 100 calories per serving, it’s also the highest-calorie protein soda on our list, but those extra calories come primarily from the additional protein.
Bottom Line
Protein soda won’t replace a real meal or a full protein shake, but it’s a genuinely useful way to sneak 10 to 25 grams of protein into your day while scratching the itch for something sweet and fizzy. The best protein soda for you really comes down to your personal wants and goals: reach for Proda if you want a true soda-first swap, Bucked Up if you want a shake-level 25 grams, and Barebells only if you actually want the caffeine — and aren’t already loaded up on coffee. Put simply, pick the one that fits your protein target and your palate, drink it cold, and see if it’s a drink you want in your daily rotation.
