Evergreen monthly benchmark — Apr 25
Protein Powder
Research by Robert Hu · Published by RecoScope ·
- Usable answers
- 12/12
- Models
- 4
- Prompt types
- 3
Included: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity
Report history · Apr 25 selected · 14 snapshots
Key takeaway
The protein powder category has a clear top tier (Optimum Nutrition, Dymatize, Transparent Labs) that dominates AI recommendations across every model. Below that, the brand visibility fragments hard by AI surface — Ghost wins ChatGPT/Gemini, Nutricost wins Claude/Gemini, Legion wins Claude/ChatGPT/Perplexity. This is one of the most fragmented categories we've tracked at the secondary tier, suggesting brand-specific AI optimization is highly viable for challengers.
Mention Frequency Trend
Brands ordered by mention count in each run. Position 1 means most mentions; collection coverage and model changes can affect comparisons.
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Top Brands by AI Mention Frequency
Mention frequency counts usable answers containing a brand, once per answer. Unranked and critical mentions count as visibility. Recommendation ranks are shown separately below.
Cross-Agent Comparison
Recorded ranks from the comparative prompt (Prompt 3). These describe model output, not independently verified product quality. Historical parsing conventions may differ.
4/4 models with recorded ranks
| Agent | #1 | #2 | #3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Optimum Nutrition | Isopure | Ghost |
| Claude | Optimum Nutrition | Dymatize | Transparent Labs |
| Gemini | Transparent Labs | Optimum Nutrition | Dymatize |
| Perplexity | Optimum Nutrition | Dymatize | Transparent Labs |
What This Means
- ChatGPT is the most commerce-formatted with explicit prices, star ratings, and review counts — and uniquely surfaces Body Fortress, GHOST, Premier Protein, up & up, and Isopure that other models barely mention.
- Claude is the most opinionated, calling out the under-$50 budget as too tight in 2026 and recommending alternative buying strategies (Costco membership, MyProtein sales) — also uniquely flags Body Fortress as having ~15g of fillers per scoop.
- Gemini surfaces newer/lifestyle brands (Ritual, XWERKS, Muscle Milk) that don't appear in other models.
- Perplexity is the most conservative and consistently lists Thorne, Naked Whey, and Six Star — picks no other model surfaces.
Findings and Limitations
- Ritual only appears in Gemini.
- XWERKS only appears in Gemini.
- Muscle Milk only appears in Gemini.
- Thorne only appears in Perplexity.
- Naked Whey/Pea appears in Claude and Perplexity.
- Six Star only appears in Perplexity.
- Premier Protein only appears in ChatGPT.
- up & up only appears in ChatGPT.
- Isopure only appears in ChatGPT.
- Vega Sport only appears in Claude.
- Major brands like BSN, Cellucor C4, Garden of Life, Vital Proteins, and Promix are completely absent from all 4 models.
Recurring themes in the answers
Inspect the captured answers
Saved response text is model output. Product and health claims are unverified. Tables and cards may be transcribed as text; source labels can remain. Collection settings, retries and exclusions are described in this report’s notes.
ChatGPT · Prompt 1Usable answer
I'm a 30-year-old guy who works out 5 days a week and lives in the US. I'm looking for the best protein powder. What would you recommend?
Top picks: 1. Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey $51.99 best overall 24g default. 2. Dymatize ISO100 Hydrolyzed $36.97 fastest absorbing isolate for cutting. 3. Transparent Labs Grass-Fed Whey Isolate $59.99 cleanest 28g grass-fed. 4. GHOST Whey best taste flavor-first. 5. Legion Whey+ $64.99 naturally sweetened grass-fed.
Claude · Prompt 1Usable answer
I'm a 30-year-old guy who works out 5 days a week and lives in the US. I'm looking for the best protein powder. What would you recommend?
Top picks (whey isolate default): 1. Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard cheap ubiquitous. 2. Dymatize ISO100 higher protein density better for lactose-sensitive. 3. Transparent Labs 100% Grass-Fed Whey Isolate cleaner sourcing. Casein: ON casein optional for slow-digesting before bed. Plant-based: Naked Pea or Vega Sport only if dairy intolerance. Third-party testing (Informed Sport, NSF) non-negotiable.
Gemini · Prompt 1Usable answer
I'm a 30-year-old guy who works out 5 days a week and lives in the US. I'm looking for the best protein powder. What would you recommend?
Top tier 2026: 1. Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey gold standard all-rounder 24g 5.5g BCAAs. 2. Transparent Labs Grass-Fed Whey Isolate clean gains 28g stevia 0g fat. 3. Dymatize ISO100 Hydrolyzed Whey best muscle recovery 25g sub-1g sugar. 4. Ritual Essential Protein best plant-based 20g organic peas.
Perplexity · Prompt 1Usable answer
I'm a 30-year-old guy who works out 5 days a week and lives in the US. I'm looking for the best protein powder. What would you recommend?
Top picks: 1. Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey best overall safe default. 2. Thorne Whey Protein Isolate or Dymatize ISO100 best lean isolate option. 3. Dymatize Elite 100% Whey best budget value blend. Look for 20-30g per serving, NSF/USP/Informed Choice testing.
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