7 Starbucks Protein Drinks, Ranked Worst To Best

You might have noticed there's an uptick in protein and protein-maxxing edible products. There are so many protein items on the shelf these days, beyond the typical, well-known high-protein ingredients like lentils and chicken. I'll be real with you: I have tried a lot of these, both for work and just for fun. I love trying items and wanted to test a bunch of Starbucks protein beverages. I selected nearly everything on the designated protein menu, but you can incorporate the protein into many types of beverages. For example, I could go to my Starbucks app, select a drink such as Iced Mango Cream Chai, and customize my milk to protein-boosted milk.

I have tried a lot of protein beverages, so I'll say Starbucks' selection is solid — not out of this world but not bad either. A lot of what someone deems a favorite comes down to personal preference, so my least favorite may very well be your go-to; sorry about that. However, for this article, I decided to rank them based on flavor intrigue and balance of the flavors. I wanted a flavorful, interesting drink that I would be happy to reorder. Let's dive into the ones I tried, starting from the bottom up. Ready to get your protein on? I have two top drinks I think are worth adding to your next Sbux order.

I like matcha lattes because they're a nice balance of matcha's grassy flavor and the creaminess of milk. It strikes a tasty balance that makes it easy to slurp down. Unfortunately, I find that Starbucks' Iced Protein Matcha isn't very flavorful, with a mildness that waters down the drink. This iteration leans too light on the matcha with an overwhelming milkiness. It's not that it tastes bad; it just isn't very strong, and I can't see this being an enticing option when there are other more flavorful and interesting things on the menu. 

The rest of the upcoming drinks have a little more oomph to them that makes them more compelling to purchase. This isn't even a Starbucks problem; it's just the way a protein-boosted milk (made with whey protein powder, in this case) tastes. I have noticed this creamy, milky aftertaste in many protein drinks that use whey. If you want this, I recommend customizing it to add another scoop of matcha. The iced matcha isn't inherently terrible, but I wouldn't want to pay the Starbucks price for a drink that is far too plain. It might be better to make a matcha latte at home instead and supplement it with an affordable protein source on the side.

I don't have any major gripes with the Iced Vanilla Protein Latte, but it isn't particularly memorable, either. I can't sit here and tell you to run out and grab one, but I can understand why it may appeal to many Starbucks customers. It's simply a protein-boosted spin on a very classic drink: vanilla latte. Here, we see the espresso, vanilla syrup, ice, and protein milk combined to create a simple coffee drink. Again, the whey element makes this milkier than a standard iced vanilla latte, and therefore, a bit blander than I'd want to pay for. 

I want a richer, deeper espresso flavor, and I don't get that here. Vanilla itself is a smidge boring, but that also makes it ideal for regular purchases. Still, I'd get the basic vanilla latte instead of this one since that beverage better showcases the espresso — a vital part of a latte. This is an easy option but not something I'd be excited to get again. I find the espresso is slightly stronger here than the matcha is in the iced protein matcha, helping it get a slight lead in the ranking. This gets the job done in bridging the gap between a good-flavored product and a protein-rich one, but I think some others are slightly more exciting.

Many people don't necessarily like the taste of a sugar-free drink, and while I totally understand that and can taste the difference myself, there are some times when you just want something that isn't quite as laden with sugar. In this case, the Iced Sugar-Free Vanilla Protein Latte could be a good pick. When it comes to taste alone, I think the sugar-free vanilla iteration of the protein latte is a little more dynamic. That sugar-free aftertaste I typically detect only adds more dimension to the iced creation, where the standard vanilla was a little plain.  

This one has a sharper taste, with a hint of vanilla sweetness that still makes it pretty dang tasty. The sugar-free syrup's aftertaste isn't overwhelming thanks to the protein milk's enveloping milkiness and the strength of the espresso. I don't want to get this ultra frequently, but I would choose it over anything so far because it's a good combination of classic flavors with a slightly more noticeable punch than the previous latte. This still contains a small amount of sugar, so if you want a 100% sugar-free drink, there is a range of options you can find at Starbucks.

For similar reasons as the previous sugar-free latte, this matcha variety does a good job of letting all of the flavors shine. There is a hint of bitter grassiness from the matcha, then we have the milky protein base, and then the strength of the sugar-free syrup comes to the forefront, too. At least here, there are some additional flavors compared to the plain protein matcha latte that make it taste considerably more interesting and sippable. While this isn't my favorite matcha, the Iced Sugar-Free Vanilla Protein Matcha is a strong contender in the context of Starbucks' protein beverages. 

It's a well-rounded beverage that's pretty easy to drink without being overly sweet. I find that the sugar-free vanilla syrup offers a distinct type of sweetness that isn't as straightforward as a sugar-based option. That lingering aftertaste kind of enhances the dynamic. I would also recommend customizing this to taste, such as using just a couple of pumps of syrup rather than the designated three for a grande. As it is, I prefer the taste of the protein milk, matcha, and sugar-free vanilla syrup over the sugar-free vanilla latte; it's just a hair bit more exciting and takes fourth place.

Cold brews are typically a little mellower than a brewed coffee or an espresso, making them a good choice if you aren't typically a fan of a bitter coffee beverage. I can really appreciate this factor, which is one reason the Vanilla Protein Cream Cold Brew ranks so high, but I also think the protein cream topper really adds a flavorful burst to the drink. This beverage uses cold brew and vanilla syrup, as well as vanilla cold foam infused with protein. It starts as two separate entities but becomes even creamier as you sip and swirl the beverage. 

I find this is a great option because the vanilla sweet cream makes the drink even smoother and offers a richness that a latte with 2% milk cannot offer. This is somewhat indulgent without feeling overly cloying like a Frappuccino might. I like the distinct layers that offer a unique flavor profile and level of intensity that other drinks don't, which is why it's pretty high in the ranking. I deem it one of the best options for a protein beverage from Starbucks. If you want more coffee and caffeine but the same amount of cold foam, you can simply order a larger size — so it ultimately isn't as creamy.

The Iced Vanilla Protein Cream Shaken Espresso makes for a great regular drink if you plan to visit Starbucks frequently. That is because it has relatively plain flavors compared to things like fruity Refreshers or Pistachio Cold Brew. My favorite part of the drink is the espresso's potency. It is much stronger and more noticeable than in any of the previous latte iterations, which are heavier on the milk. 

This drink uses Starbucks Blonde Espresso Roast, a warming brown sugar syrup, and a touch of cinnamon powder. It calls for oat milk, which I feel has a heartier, velvety mouthfeel than the 2% in other lattes. To top it all off (literally), you get the vanilla protein cold foam loaded over the final product. The creamy cold foam topper makes a really delicious addition, but I also find it's a better use of protein since it doesn't overwhelm the entire drink. As I take a sip, I get the sweetened espresso base, a bit of oat milk, and then the luscious protein foam. It doesn't muddy up the drink itself; that, along with the espresso-forward taste (stronger than anything else on this list), gives this high marks as my second-place sipper. My favorite iced latte from Starbucks also uses the blonde espresso, so I am not surprised at this placement.

If you are a banana hater, stop right here and pretend like my No. 2 choice is where this article ends. I know banana is a polarizing flavor, so my second pick is honestly really fantastic and would probably be my go-to when I want something a little more mellow. However, this banana-and-matcha combination creates a thoroughly enticing beverage. It took everything in me to sip it slowly rather than gulp it down. Of all the beverages, Iced Banana Protein Cream Matcha was the first to go and the one I committed to finishing during my taste test. 

This sipper calls for the matcha powder scoops, 2% milk, the classic syrup, ice, and banana protein cold foam. The key here is that the protein is in the cold foam, not in the drink itself. This yields a more interesting and flavorful matcha beverage, and I think the banana flavoring is strong enough to combat that ultra-milky whey flavor. It creates a combination that's easy to stick with. This is the most interesting and memorable of the protein drinks, and therefore it's my top choice to turn to again.

I wouldn't necessarily go to Starbucks for protein drinks every week, but if I were to pick one on a monthly run, purely based on taste, this is the clear winner. The non-protein version of the drink was my No. 1 pick for Starbucks matcha lattes, too, so it's definitely a favorite of mine.

I have tried various protein drinks from Starbucks over several months but never really lined them up to try them side by side, so this was fun. I think there's no objective best or worst; it boils down to one's personal preferences. If you like a mild matcha, the Iced Protein Matcha may very well be your favorite, or perhaps banana-flavored drinks give you the heebie-jeebies. With that in mind, I picked a bunch of protein drinks from the menu to try and judged them on how interesting the overall flavor was and whether the protein element worked with the rest of the ingredients. 

My top drinks were more potent with more intense flavors, while lower-ranking options were mild and a bit boring. I think you can achieve most of the lower-ranking ones quite easily at home with your favorite matcha or espresso, a protein source (like a really good-tasting store-bought protein powder or ultra-filtered milk), and syrup. The top drinks are slightly more complex, flavorful, and delicious, making them a worthy purchase.