Is there a clean whey under $1 per 25g of protein?

Shoppers ask for clean and cheap in the same breath. On WheyIndex, “clean” means the formulation half of the Quality Index: six ingredient checks for artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, sweeteners, fillers/thickeners, and high-fructose corn syrup. Cheap means cost per 25g of protein, not tub sticker price.

Yes. One live US example clears both bars on the same product page.

Live US example under the $1 line

Muscle Feast Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate, Chocolate, 5 lb locked from the product page on 20 Sep 2026 (CEST):

Field	Live value
Quality Index	94/100 Excellent
Cost per 25g protein	$0.91
Sugar per 25g protein	0.1g
Formulation checks	6 of 6

Index leads. At 94 it sits in the Excellent band (≥80). Formulation passes all six checks. Sugar is near zero at 0.1g per 25g protein. Then the money check: $0.91 per 25g sits under the $1 line.

Tub price on the page was $69.99 for 94 servings at 20.5g protein each. That math only becomes comparable after you normalize to $/25g. Other packs and flavors can land differently; cite the URL you mean.

Index first, then dollars

Every scored product gets an Index from 0 to 100:

• 60% formulation: the six ingredient checks above
• 30% sugar: scored from sugar grams per 25g of protein
• 10% value: lower cost per 25g inside the same sales market scores higher

Full detail: How the Index works. Scores are a comparison model, not a lab safety assay, and they are not for sale.

Cost per 25g is the supporting unit:

Cost per 25g = (cost per serving ÷ protein grams per serving) × 25

A cheap tub can still be expensive protein if scoops are light on protein. The guide walks the formula and a shopping checklist: Tub price is a lie: cost per 25g of protein.

Re-check on Compare

Prices move. Open Compare, put your finalists on one screen, and read Index, $/25g, and sugar per 25g together. For a formulation-first browse, the no artificial ingredients whey category lists natural-leaning powders; many cards can show Unscored when evidence is incomplete, so always confirm Index on the product page before you treat a listing as a winner.

Same-day note: another high-Index isolate (Myprotein Impact Whey Isolate unflavored) locked at Index 100 with $1.09 per 25g. Strong Index, just above the $1 line this pull. It is outside the under-$1 claim.

Before you buy

Look up the powder on wheyindex.com. Read today’s Index first, then $/25g and sugar per 25g on the product page. Refresh if the listing has moved, then decide.