Best protein bars per calorie
Which bars give you the most protein for the fewest calories, using only the numbers on the label.
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A protein bar is supposed to be a shortcut: a decent hit of protein without a whole meal's worth of calories. But "20 g protein" on the wrapper doesn't tell you much on its own. A 20 g bar at 150 calories and a 20 g bar at 220 calories are very different deals if you're watching your intake. That's why our leaderboard ranks everything by grams of protein per 100 calories.
We currently track 36 bars from David, Quest, Pure Protein and think!. Here's how they stack up, using only the numbers printed on each brand's published nutrition info.
The top bars by protein per 100 calories
| # | Bar | Protein | Calories | Protein / 100 cal | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Gold Protein Bar (all 8 flavors) | 28 g | 150 | 18.7 | label |
| 2 | David Bronze Protein Bar (all 4 flavors) | 20 g | 150 | 13.3 | label |
| 3 | Quest Crispy Hero – Cookies & Cream | 18 g | 150 | 12.0 | label |
| 4 | Quest Protein Bar – Double Chocolate Chunk | 20 g | 170 | 11.8 | label |
| 5 | Quest Protein Bar – Birthday Cake, Blueberry Muffin, Mint Chocolate Chunk, Lemon Cake, Pumpkin Pie | 20 g | 180 | 11.1 | label |
| 6 | Quest Protein Bar – Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Cookies & Cream | 21 g | 190 | 11.1 | label |
| 7 | think! Crispy Squares – Chocolate Crunch | 15 g | 140 | 10.7 | label |
| 8 | Pure Protein Bar – Brookie, Chocolate Mint Cookie | 19 g | 180 | 10.6 | label |
Flavors with identical label numbers are grouped into one row. See every flavor on the full leaderboard.
What stands out
David Gold is in a league of its own. At 28 g of protein for 150 calories, every Gold flavor we list scores 18.7 g per 100 calories. That's not just the best bar on the site; it's in the same range as many ready-to-drink shakes. The next-best bar is David's own Bronze line at 13.3.
Same calories, very different protein. David Gold and David Bronze are both 150 calories, but Gold has 28 g of protein and Bronze has 20 g. If you only looked at the calorie count you'd think they were interchangeable. They aren't.
Quest is consistent, not spectacular. Most classic Quest Protein Bars land between 10.5 and 11.8 g per 100 calories: 20 g–21 g of protein for 170–190 calories, depending on flavor. Double Chocolate Chunk is the leanest of the classic line at 170 calories. The Crispy Hero Cookies & Cream bar edges ahead at 12.0 because it's only 150 calories, even though it has a bit less protein (18 g).
Flavor matters, even inside one brand. Quest's Crispy Hero Peanut Butter & Jelly comes in at 16 g of protein and 210 calories, or 7.6 per 100 calories. That's the lowest bar on our list, from the same product line as the Cookies & Cream bar that ranks third. Always check the specific flavor, not just the brand.
Pure Protein and think! sit in the middle. The best Pure Protein bars we track (Brookie and Chocolate Mint Cookie) are 19 g for 180 calories (10.6). The think! Crispy Squares Chocolate Crunch is smaller, 15 g for 140 calories, which works out to 10.7. Fruity PEBBLES and Strawberry Greek Yogurt from Pure Protein come in at 10.5.
The "dessert-style" bars cost more calories. Quest Stacks Cinnamon Brown Sugar and Pure Protein AMMMAZE Blackout Cake both carry 20 g of protein but 220 calories, for 9.1 per 100 calories. Nothing wrong with that if you want something that eats like a treat, but it's the price of the extra indulgence.
How to use this list
- If you're counting calories, start at the top of the table. Moving from a 220-calorie bar to a 150-calorie one saves 70 calories and, in the David Gold case, adds 8 g of protein.
- If you just want more protein per bar, look at the Protein column instead. Ranking by per-calorie doesn't reward big servings.
- Taste still matters. The best bar on paper is useless if you won't eat it. Our leaderboard has shared 👍/👎 taste votes next to every product. They never change the rank, but they're a good tiebreaker.
- Price isn't in this ranking. We've only confirmed prices for a handful of bars so far, so we're not ranking bars by cost yet. See protein per calorie vs protein per dollar for how we think about that.
Caveats
These are label numbers, not lab tests. Labels are allowed some rounding, and recipes change. For the Pure Protein and think! bars we recorded the numbers from the brand's product pages, which list "1 bar" without a gram weight, so double-check the wrapper. We also only track the bars listed here; there are plenty of good bars we haven't added yet. If yours is missing, it's not a verdict on it.
Want the full sortable list, including shakes, snacks and fast food? Open the leaderboard.
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Disclaimer: All numbers come from manufacturer labels, brand websites and restaurant nutrition pages on the dates shown on the leaderboard. They can change without notice, vary by location, flavor or customization, or differ from the product in your hand. Always check the current label. This article is general information only and is not medical, dietary or health advice.