11 Protein Sodas, Ranked From Worst To Best

The consumption of protein has become increasingly popular over the years, spurring the release of more and more protein-enhanced products. While protein shakes as we know them can be traced back to the mid-20th century, there are a seemingly endless number of brands of protein powders on the market. Beyond powder mixes, there are protein chips, protein bars, and even protein sodas.

Since many protein soda options are fairly new, I decided to try a variety of options from four different brands, then rank them from worst to best. Each of these brands makes its sodas with whey protein isolate, which is akin to whey protein in protein shakes, only with the lactose and fat content removed. This helps the protein mix seamlessly when making a soda, which is then carbonated and sold in cans.

Each of the 11 cans I sampled for this article contains between 15 and 30 grams of protein, with flavors ranging from classic soda options to unique and interesting ones. When taste testing, I focused on a few criteria, such as sweetness level, balance of flavors, and the presence of any fake sugary taste. I also kept in mind that these are called sodas for a reason, so I compared how these drinks would stack up to the craving of an actual soda.

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

The Bucked Up peach mango contains 25 grams of protein and no sugar. On the 16-ounce can, there's an image of a peach and a mango. Since there are juicy looking fruits right on the front of the product, I assumed this soda would taste nice and fresh. Unfortunately, it didn't, and I wasn't a fan at all.

Neither fruit flavor came across as if it was natural. The mango actually reminded me of an Italian ice flavor that was made with too much sugar, while the peach skated by, only leaving a strange aftertaste in the mouth. Plus, even though this drink had zero sugar, it tasted incredibly sugary to me. There was an overwhelming sweetness after each sip that stuck around in the back of the tongue and throat, which didn't make me want to drink any more.

Simply put, out of every protein soda flavor on this list? The Bucked Up peach mango is the one I definitely wouldn't drink again, so it comes in last place.

The Don't Quit! fruit punch soda comes in a retro-looking can featuring a simple a palm tree on the front. The can is a bright red color, which is reminiscent of the fruit punches I used to drink as a child. Now, this soda — which has 15 grams of protein in each 12-ounce can — may have come in tenth place on my list. But I want to make it clear that I didn't think this brand's fruit punch was bad; rather, it simply didn't appeal to me as much as the higher-ranked protein sodas.

Though the drink bursts with flavor, it's hard to tell what specific flavors are shining through. It had qualities that reminded me of an energy drink, in fact: There's a lot going on, but you're just not sure what.

Ultimately, this felt more like a fizzy drink with a sweet and sour profile than a true soda to me. It wasn't unenjoyable in any way, but it wasn't something that excited me, either. I'd drink this protein soda if I was offered it again, but it's not something I'd choose to go out and buy.

Served in a bright blue can holding 16 ounces, the Bucked Up banana pineapple soda contains a combination of flavors I personally found odd. But with 25 grams of protein, I was willing to give a fair shot, and I was slightly surprised by my enjoyment of it.

The pineapple flavoring actually had a very natural taste to it, with hints of tart citrus bursting through. But the banana portion had more of an artificial taste, tasting exactly like a banana Laffy Taffy (with a joke on its wrapper). Now, don't get me wrong: That's a delicious candy. However, I wasn't entirely sure how I felt about a mixture of real-tasting pineapple with fake banana flavor.

Still, as I continued to take sips, the mixture ended up being pretty tasty. It certainly wouldn't be the first flavor I'd choose, hence its lower placement. Yet I enjoyed the bite from the pineapple and a soft sweetness to the banana, so it doesn't come in last place.

I'm not going to lie: I was definitely expecting a flavor similar to the Chick-fil-A frosted lemonade – one of my favorite treats – inside this bright yellow 16-ounce can. While this protein soda wasn't quite that, it was still enjoyable. The drink actually tastes like the powder lemonade mix I used to make as a child — though it tasted even better with the carbonation added by Clear Protein. It's not a natural lemonade flavor by any means, which kept it from ranking higher, but it's still bright, tart, and refreshing.

Now, there are two other Clear Protein flavors on this list yet to come. Even though the frosted lemonade was my least favorite, I will say that I still enjoyed it. I appreciated the nostalgic lemonade taste that it had, and simply felt it was a little too sweet to be able to enjoy the whole can. Since the purpose of these protein sodas is to get the entire serving of protein, it wouldn't be ideal if you couldn't finish the entire thing, which kept this in eighth place.

Genius Gourmet sells one flavor of protein soda (or sparkling protein as it's labeled): Blue raspberry lemonade. It's available exclusively at Costco, and has the highest amount of protein out of every drink on this list with 30 grams. The 12-ounce can is sleek, bright blue, and features images of lemons and blue raspberries amongst a splash of water; this made me think that it would be very light and refreshing. Now, when I took my first sip of this drink, it wasn't the flavor I was expecting ... but then I immediately began to enjoy it.

While I didn't necessarily get the "lemonade" part of the drink, the blue raspberry definitely shined. It actually tasted as if you took a blue jolly rancher and turned it into a drink (but with less sugar). I wouldn't say that this drink fits into the "naturally flavored" category, as it's more of a candy-like treat. It also doesn't feel like a true soda, and I'd say it's more comparable to an energy drink like a Celsius or one of the Alani Nu flavors, which kept it from ranking higher than seventh. Then again, this drink still has an enjoyable level of sweetness, which might just hit the spot after a hard workout at the gym.

As someone who never quite enjoys grape flavored items, I tried to give this taste test an objective perspective. This can comes in a 12-ounce serving, has 20 grams of protein, and is a bright purple color with a cluster of grapes shown in an image on the front. I was curious to see if this flavoring could actually capture the taste of real grapes, however most grape-flavored things fail to do so. With my first sip, I thought that it tasted just like a grape popsicle, with a dash of fizzy-ness added to it. As a child, I did enjoy grape popsicles, so I could get onboard with the nostalgia of that type of grape flavoring.

Overall, this classic grape soda was bursting with flavor, and was very sweet. It did have a touch of that "fake sugar" taste, which brought me back to that sensation that I was drinking an energy drink versus a classic soda. Despite that, it was actually an enjoyable drink, and if it were sold in a variety pack with the other Clear Protein flavors that I like, I'd buy it. It's a good option if you're looking for something carbonated, sweet, yet still fresh tasting.

Sticking with the grape flavored sodas, the Don't Quit! version was slightly better than the Clear Protein. This one actually tasted like grape sodas that I've had in the past, making it a better contender for something to grab if you're craving an actual soda. As I've said, grape isn't my flavor of choice, however I do think that this specific protein version was more authentically fit to be called a grape soda. It was a lot less sweet, felt very crisp on the tongue, and had a refreshing grape flavor that glided along the pallet nicely.

When comparing this version to the Clear Protein, the Don't Quit! doesn't burst with as much grape flavor. However, I think that made it taste a bit more authentic in terms of what I've experienced in a grape soda. I know many people compare grape flavored things to cough syrup, and while I definitely relate to that aversion, I don't think the Don't Quit! grape flavor falls into that category. It has more of a crisp, carbonated texture that is slightly flavored with the sweet and tart grape notes. I'd definitely buy this can again, so it kicks off the top five.

Out of every brand in this ranking, I believe Don't Quit! has truly mastered the classic soda options amongst flavors, making it a great replacement for a regular soda. If you love orange soda and need a protein kick, then, I definitely recommend the Don't Quit! orange. It's served in a bright orange can reminiscent of some of my favorite orange soda brands, though it has 15 grams of protein, and is actually clear rather than bright orange.

When I took my first sip of this soda, I was completely surprised to discover it tasted exactly like a classic orange soda. It was light, extremely refreshing, and had the perfect kick of orange flavor. It also wasn't too sweet or too tart, and was a very well-balanced soda. I also enjoyed the aftertaste of this drink, which made me want to continue drinking it sip after sip.

This is a flavor that I not only enjoyed, but will be craving from here on out (even if it couldn't quite crack the top three). This could easily replace any orange soda that I enjoy, in fact, and with an added bonus of protein, I'll be getting a bit of nutrients along the way, as well.

Having a cherry lime flavored drink near the top of my rankings wasn't on my bingo card, yet here we are. This Clear Protein cherry lime flavor comes in a 16-ounce can with 20 grams of protein. Now, I wasn't entirely sure how the cherry and lime flavors would go together in a soda form (unless it had a cola-type base). But I'm happy to say it was enjoyable enough to come in third place overall.

Initially, I was hit with a nostalgic memory of one of my favorite treats to get among Rita's Italian Ice flavors. This soda tastes exactly like Rita's cherry ice, especially when drunk ice cold. In particular, when it comes to the aftertaste? I truly wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a bite of the Italian ice or a sip of the soda. While there was a slight hint of a fake sugar flavor popping through, the lime almost rushed to cover it up as I drank.

Ultimately, the lime ended up balancing the sweetness of the drink, while the cherry was the star of the show. Although I wouldn't say this can was comparable to any type of soda I've had, it's enjoyable as a an entity of its own, and I'd definitely choose to buy it in the future.

I'm a huge fan of orange cream sodas, so I was very curious to see if Bucked Up could make a successful protein version. This 16-ounce can has 25 grams of protein, and has a photo of orange creamsicle ice creams on the front. I was completely amazed when I took my first sip that the drink actually tasted just like an orange creamsicle. Out of every can on this list, the photo of the front of the Bucked Up orange cream was the only one that truly represented exactly what the drink tasted like, helping it come in second place.

The one thing that I couldn't wrap my head around was how Bucked Up achieved such a delightful creaminess in the soda. While the drink is fizzy at first, the orange bursts through, though the finish is very soft and creamy. It truly felt like witchcraft to me, because the drink was very thin and light, yet it tasted and felt like it had melted ice cream inside. This is definitely going to be one of my favorite treats to have after a workout, especially in the summer months when I'm craving a refreshing yet sweet treat. Plus, the 25 grams of protein is an added bonus, making this a well-rounded and enjoyable beverage in every aspect.

Root beer is one of my absolute favorite soda flavors in general, and Don't Quit offers a perfect protein variation of it. I was delighted by the classic root beer aroma upon opening the 12-ounce can (which has 15 grams of protein and zero grams of sugar). And while I didn't expect this protein soda to be clear, it doesn't contain any artificial colorings in the mixture, so it's wasn't entirely surprising. 

Frankly, this protein soda could be switched with any sugar-free root beer flavor and I wouldn't know the difference. I noticed hints of licorice, molasses, and cinnamon, which created the well-known root beer flavor. There was also an ideal balance of sweetness and a slight creaminess that tied it all together. Plus, it had the right amount of carbonation, making it a light, fizzy, and enjoyable option.

More than that, even though this soda is sugar free, I didn't notice any faux sugar taste while drinking it. Overall, the Don't Quit! root beer is going to be a staple in my kitchen, providing a snack when I need a tasty soda but could benefit from a protein boost.

When tasting these protein soda flavors, I focused on one main factor when determining the rankings order: Would I buy this can again? Of course, I focused on a few additional factors within that question. This included whether or not a fake sugar taste overtook the soda, whether the flavors listed on the can were representative of the drink, if the soda actually tasted like a true soda, and if I'd drink the whole can in one sitting.

Focusing on these aspects actually made it very easy to rank the sodas. I was clearly able to see which ones I thoroughly enjoyed, and separate those from the ones I'd rather not spend money on again.