Starbucks protein latte vs protein matcha
Four Starbucks protein drinks, Grande, side by side.
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Starbucks' protein drinks all promise a lot of protein, but calories vary widely. We compared the four protein lattes and matchas we track, all Grande, using Starbucks' published nutrition info.
Verdict: The Iced Sugar-Free Vanilla Protein Latte wins (14.5). The Iced Protein Matcha has the most protein (31 g) and comes second (11.9).
Side by side
| Per serving | Iced Sugar-Free Vanilla Protein Latte | Iced Vanilla Protein Latte | Iced Protein Matcha | Protein Matcha (hot) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Serving | Grande (16 fl oz) | Grande (16 fl oz) | Grande (16 fl oz) | Grande (16 fl oz) |
| Protein | 29 g | 29 g | 31 g | 28 g |
| Calories | 200 | 270 | 260 | 300 |
| Protein / 100 cal | 14.5 | 10.7 | 11.9 | 9.3 |
| Calories per 10 g protein | 69 | 93 | 84 | 107 |
| Leaderboard rank | #52 of 143 | #86 of 143 | #70 of 143 | #104 of 143 |
| Price / serving | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| $ / 10 g protein | — | — | — | — |
| Flavors tracked | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Source | label | label | label | label |
What the numbers say
Sugar-free saves 70 calories. Both vanilla protein lattes list 29 g; the sugar-free version is 200 calories and the regular 270. Same protein, a much better score.
Iced matcha beats hot matcha on both numbers. As published, the Iced Protein Matcha has 3 g more protein and 40 fewer calories than the hot Protein Matcha (31 g / 260 vs 28 g / 300). They're built differently, so check both if matcha is your order.
One to skip if protein is the goal: the Starbucks Vanilla Protein Cream Cold Brew (Grande) has just 17 g for 300 calories (5.7), less than half the sugar-free latte's score. Even the best Starbucks drink ranks #52 of 143, behind every bottled shake we track.
Which one should you pick?
- Calories are your budget: Iced Sugar-Free Vanilla Protein Latte (14.5 g protein per 100 calories).
- Most protein in one serving: Iced Protein Matcha (31 g).
- Price: we haven't confirmed prices for any of these yet, so this comparison says nothing about value for money.
- 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
Starbucks drinks are handmade; milk choice, size and extra syrup or foam change the numbers. Restaurant numbers are for the standard U.S. recipe as each chain lists it, without sauces, sides or customization, and menus vary by location. We don't have restaurant prices. All nutrition numbers come from the published sources linked in the table, checked between 2026-10-28. 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.