Optimum Nutrition vs Myprotein: Is Premium Worth It?
Quick Verdict
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard delivers better taste, mixability, and a higher protein dose per serving. Myprotein Impact Whey costs roughly half the price. Both build muscle equally well — you’re paying for the experience, not better results.
Nutritional Comparison
| Metric | ON Gold Standard | Myprotein Impact Whey |
|---|---|---|
| Serving size | 30.4g (1 scoop) | 25g (1 scoop) |
| Protein | 24g | 21g |
| Calories | 120 kcal | 103 kcal |
| Fat | 1.5g | 1.9g |
| Carbs | 2g | 1.0g |
| Sugar | 1g | 1.0g |
| Protein % | 79% | 84% |
| Type | Isolate + concentrate blend | Concentrate |
ON uses a blend of whey isolate and concentrate, giving it a slightly higher protein content per scoop. Myprotein’s smaller scoop actually has a higher protein percentage, but delivers less total protein.
Price Comparison
| Factor | ON Gold Standard | Myprotein Impact Whey |
|---|---|---|
| Price (908g) | ~£30 | ~£20 (1kg) |
| Cost per serving | ~£0.99 | ~£0.60 |
| Sale price per serving | ~£0.80 | ~£0.39 |
| Price per gram of protein | £0.041 | £0.029 |
Myprotein is 30–50% cheaper depending on whether you catch a sale. Over a year of daily shakes, that adds up to roughly £100–200 savings.
Taste and Mixability
ON Gold Standard: This is where ON justifies the premium. Double Rich Chocolate is legendary — smooth, creamy, and genuinely enjoyable. Mixes completely in a shaker with no clumps. Every flavour ON releases is at least “good.” The consistency across flavours is remarkable.
Myprotein Impact Whey: Chocolate Smooth and Salted Caramel are excellent, but quality varies across the 60+ flavour range. Some are too sweet, others are bland. Mixes well but with occasional light clumping. You need to find “your” flavour.
Brand and Trust
Optimum Nutrition has been around since 1986 and Gold Standard is the world’s best-selling protein powder. Independent testing consistently confirms label accuracy. Myprotein (owned by THG/The Hut Group since 2011) is the UK’s largest online supplement retailer with Informed Sport certification on many products.
Both are trustworthy, but ON’s longer track record and premium positioning give some buyers extra confidence.
Who Each Brand Suits
Choose Optimum Nutrition if you:
- Value taste and mixability above all else
- Want a protein you’ll genuinely look forward to drinking
- Prefer a proven, premium brand
- Don’t mind paying more for a better experience
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey
Choose Myprotein if you:
- Want the best price per gram of protein in the UK
- Enjoy trying lots of different flavours
- Buy supplements during sales for maximum savings
- Know that the protein itself builds the same muscle regardless of brand
Final Recommendation
If you can afford it and taste matters to you, ON Gold Standard is worth the premium. If you’re pragmatic about supplements and see protein powder as fuel rather than a treat, Myprotein at half the price makes more financial sense. The muscle-building results will be identical.
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