Core Power vs Premier Protein
Two of the best-known ready-to-drink shakes, compared on protein per calorie and price.
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Premier Protein and fairlife Core Power sit next to each other in a lot of stores and a lot of carts. We compared Premier's shake with both Core Power strengths using each brand's published label, plus the Amazon prices we recorded on 2026-10-30.
Verdict: Premier Protein scores higher per calorie (18.8) than either Core Power (18.3 for 42g, 15.3 for 26g), and at the Amazon prices we recorded it was also cheaper per 10 g of protein. Core Power 42g has the most protein per bottle (42 g).
Side by side
| Per serving | Premier Protein Shake | fairlife Core Power 26g | fairlife Core Power 42g |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serving | 1 shake (11.5 fl oz) | 1 bottle (14 fl oz) | 1 bottle (14 fl oz) |
| Protein | 30 g | 26 g | 42 g |
| Calories | 160 | 170 | 230 |
| Protein / 100 cal | 18.8 | 15.3 | 18.3 |
| Calories per 10 g protein | 53 | 65 | 55 |
| Leaderboard rank | #16–#21 of 143 | #47–#49 of 143 | #30–#32 of 143 |
| Price / serving | $1.67–$2.67 3 of 6 flavors priced | Not confirmed | $4.00–$4.75 |
| $ / 10 g protein | $0.56–$0.89 3 of 6 flavors priced | — | $0.95–$1.13 |
| Flavors tracked | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| Source | label 1 label 2 label 3 label 4 label 5 label 6 | label 1 label 2 label 3 | label 1 label 2 label 3 |
Flavors included (same label numbers unless the table shows a range):
- Premier Protein Shake: Chocolate, Vanilla, Caramel, Strawberries & Cream, Cinnamon Roll, Pumpkin Spice
- fairlife Core Power 26g: Vanilla 26g, Chocolate 26g, Strawberry Banana 26g
- fairlife Core Power 42g: Vanilla 42g, Chocolate 42g, Strawberry 42g
Where the prices come from (one-time snapshots, per serving at that pack size, not store shelf prices): Premier Protein Protein Shake – Chocolate: $19.99 for 12-pack on Amazon (sold by Amazon.com), one-time price seen 2026-10-30; Premier Protein Protein Shake – Vanilla: $19.99 for 12-pack on Amazon (sold by Amazon.com), one-time price seen 2026-10-30; Premier Protein Protein Shake – Strawberries & Cream: $31.98 for 12-pack on Amazon (sold by Amazon.com), one-time price seen 2026-10-30; fairlife Core Power – Vanilla 42g: $57.04 for 12-pack on Amazon (sold by Amazon.com), one-time price seen 2026-10-30; fairlife Core Power – Chocolate 42g: $47.98 for 12-pack on Amazon (sold by Amazon.com), one-time price seen 2026-10-30; fairlife Core Power – Strawberry 42g: $57.03 for 12-pack on Amazon (sold by Amazon.com), one-time price seen 2026-10-30.
What the numbers say
Premier vs Core Power 26g: Premier has 4 g more protein for 10 fewer calories (30 g and 160 calories vs 26 g and 170). It wins both columns.
Premier vs Core Power 42g is closer than the scores suggest. Matching the 42 g in one Core Power 42g bottle would take 1.4 Premier shakes, which is 224 calories, versus 230 for the single Core Power. That's a 6-calorie difference for the same protein, so the real choice is serving size, taste and price.
Price is where Premier pulls away. We recorded Amazon 12-pack prices for 3 Premier flavors ($1.67–$2.67 a shake, $0.56–$0.89 per 10 g of protein) and all three Core Power 42g flavors ($4.00–$4.75, $0.95–$1.13 per 10 g). Even the priciest Premier flavor we saw was cheaper per gram of protein than the cheapest Core Power 42g. Prices move constantly, so treat this as a snapshot.
Which one should you pick?
- Calories are your budget: Premier Protein Shake (18.8 g protein per 100 calories).
- Most protein in one serving: fairlife Core Power 42g (42 g).
- Price: at the prices we recorded, Premier Protein Shake is the cheapest per 10 g of protein ($0.56–$0.89, vs $0.95–$1.13 for fairlife Core Power 42g). We haven't confirmed a price for fairlife Core Power 26g.
- Taste: check the shared 👍/👎 votes next to each product on The Hoard Board. They never change the rank, but they make a good tiebreaker.
Caveats
Premier bottles are 1 shake (11.5 fl oz); Core Power bottles are 1 bottle (14 fl oz). Serving sizes differ between products, so compare the protein and calories, not the package. All nutrition numbers come from the published sources linked in the table, checked between 2026-10-26 and 2026-10-29. We rank by grams of protein per 100 calories only; we don't track sugar, fat, sodium, ingredients or allergens. This is general information, not dietary advice.
See every product side by side on The Hoard Board, our full leaderboard, or read how we rank.
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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.