Quest 45g Protein Milkshake vs Core Power 42g
The two biggest bottled shakes we track, head to head.
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If you want one large shake with 40+ grams of protein, these are the two bottles we track. Both are built for a big serving, so the question is which one gives you more for the same calories, and what it costs.
Verdict: Quest's 45g milkshake wins narrowly: 45 g vs 42 g at the same 230 calories, so 19.6 vs 18.3 per 100 calories.
Side by side
| Per serving | Quest 45g Protein Milkshake | fairlife Core Power 42g |
|---|---|---|
| Serving | 1 bottle (14 fl oz) | 1 bottle (14 fl oz) |
| Protein | 45 g | 42 g |
| Calories | 230 | 230 |
| Protein / 100 cal | 19.6 | 18.3 |
| Calories per 10 g protein | 51 | 55 |
| Leaderboard rank | #8–#10 of 143 | #30–#32 of 143 |
| Price / serving | $4.75 | $4.00–$4.75 |
| $ / 10 g protein | $1.06 | $0.95–$1.13 |
| Flavors tracked | 3 | 3 |
| Source | label 1 label 2 label 3 | label 1 label 2 label 3 |
Flavors included (same label numbers unless the table shows a range):
- Quest 45g Protein Milkshake: Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry
- 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): Quest 45g Protein Milkshake – Vanilla: $56.99 for 12-pack on brand site, seen 2026-10-30; Quest 45g Protein Milkshake – Chocolate: $56.99 for 12-pack on brand site, seen 2026-10-30; Quest 45g Protein Milkshake – Strawberry: $56.99 for 12-pack on brand site, 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
Same calories, same bottle size. Both list 230 calories in a 14 fl oz bottle. The whole difference is 3 g of protein, which works out to 51 vs 55 calories per 10 g of protein.
Price depends on the flavor. We recorded all three Quest flavors at $4.75 a bottle (brand-site 12-pack), or $1.06 per 10 g. Core Power 42g was $4.00 for Chocolate and $4.75 for Vanilla and Strawberry on Amazon ($0.95–$1.13 per 10 g). At the same $4.75, Quest's extra 3 g makes it cheaper per gram than Vanilla or Strawberry Core Power; Chocolate Core Power at $4.00 was the cheapest per gram of the bunch.
Both are near the top for total protein. Only two things on our whole leaderboard have more protein in one serving than the Quest milkshake: Legendary Foods Protein Pasta Plus – Mac & Cheese (47g) (47 g) and McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese (48 g).
Which one should you pick?
- Calories are your budget: Quest 45g Protein Milkshake (19.6 g protein per 100 calories).
- Most protein in one serving: Quest 45g Protein Milkshake (45 g).
- Price: cost per 10 g of protein overlaps depending on flavor and pack: fairlife Core Power 42g $0.95–$1.13; Quest 45g Protein Milkshake $1.06.
- 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
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.