Best Protein Drinks Under 180 Calories
PRIME Shakes win: 32g of protein for 150 calories. For the most protein per calorie, pick Spylt or Protein Pop.
Top picks
Most protein per bottle
PRIME Shakes, Cookies & Cream32 g protein · 150 cal · 21.3 g per 100 cal
Lactose-free, shelf-stable 11 oz bottle.
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15 shakes ranked by protein per calorie
- 20 g9022.2 g
- 22 g10022 g
- 32 g15021.3 g
- 30 g15020 g
- 30 g15020 g
- 30 g15819 g
- 30 g15819 g
- 30 g15918.9 g
- 24 g13018.5 g
- 22 g12018.3 g
- 25 g15016.7 g
- 26 g16016.3 g
- 25 g16015.6 g
- 20 g16012.5 g
- 15 g1609.4 g
![SUPER COFFEE Protein+, Keto Protein Coffee (0g Added Sugar, 25g Protein, 150 Calories) [Mocha] 12 Fl Oz, 12](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fm.media-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F71ZhR1nWsRL._AC_UL320_.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
30g shakes
Most 30g bottles sit at 158 to 160 calories, so protein stops being the tiebreaker. Pick on price per bottle, flavor and caffeine. PRIME, Ensure Max Protein and nurri get 30g or more in 150 calories.
Clear protein
Protein Pop (22g, 100 calories) is the best clear bottle, with Protein2o (15g, 70) close behind. Clear is a texture, not a source: all three use whey, so they aren't dairy-free.
Milk drinks
Plain milk misses: Horizon 1% boxes give 8g for 111 calories, and 8g is not more than 8g. Ultra-filtered is the move. nurri is the cleanest 30g milk shake at 150 calories, and Spylt wins per calorie but carries 60mg of caffeine.
Protein coffee
- nurri Mocha: 30g, 150 calories, 80mg caffeine. The pick.
- Premier Café Latte: 30g, 160 calories.
- Super Coffee Protein+: 25g, 150 calories, 80mg caffeine.
- Atkins Mocha Latte: 15g for 169 calories. Skip it.
Powders
The label is one scoop with water. Anything you add counts. Levels Whey (25g, 100 calories) and Myprotein Clear Whey (20g, 80) leave the most room under the cap. A Levels scoop in a Horizon 1% milk box is 211 calories, which is over.
Meal replacements
A meal replacement under 180 calories is a snack, whatever the label says. Kate Farms 1.0, Ensure High Protein and HMR 800 all land near 10g of protein per 100 calories, half of a good 30g shake.
Dairy-free
Lactose-free is still milk: nurri and Darigold FIT are out if you avoid dairy. Kate Farms High Protein (25g pea protein, 160 calories) is the best dairy-free bottle. More in plant based high protein snacks.
How we rank
Every product here lists more than 8g protein, 180 calories or fewer per serving. Anything that misses either line is out, with no exceptions.
We rank by protein per 100 calories, using the protein, calories and price on the Amazon listing as last checked on Nov 5, 2026. Listings whose numbers can't all be true are held back until we check the label. Confirm the live listing and the package before you buy.
180cal earns a commission on Amazon purchases. It never changes which products pass or how they rank.
Questions about protein drinks under 180 calories
What is the best protein drink under 180 calories?
For 30g in one bottle, PRIME Shakes Cookies & Cream (32g, 150 calories), Ensure Max Protein and nurri (30g, 150 calories) lead. For the most protein per calorie, Spylt (20g, 90 calories) and Protein Pop Clear (22g, 100 calories) win.
Can a protein shake have 30g of protein and fewer than 120 calories?
No. Protein has 4 calories per gram, so 30g of protein is 120 calories before any carbs or fat. The leanest 30g bottles on this page, PRIME, Ensure Max Protein and nurri, list 150 calories.
Does protein powder count as under 180 calories?
The label covers one scoop mixed with water. Milk, fruit or nut butter add calories on top. A 100-calorie scoop in a 111-calorie milk box is 211 calories, which is over the cap.
Are lactose-free protein shakes dairy-free?
No. Lactose-free shakes like nurri and Darigold FIT are still made from milk. For dairy-free, pick a plant shake such as Kate Farms High Protein (25g pea protein, 160 calories).
Are clear protein drinks dairy-free?
Usually not. Protein Pop, Protein2o and Myprotein Clear all use whey protein isolate, which comes from milk. Clear describes the texture, not the source.
Can a meal replacement shake be under 180 calories?
Only if it is really a snack. Under 180 calories is a snack by any measure, and most shakes sold with meal language land near 10g of protein per 100 calories, about half of a good 30g shake.