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XWERKS
XWERKS
XWERKS
Xwerks Grow
Xwerks Grow
100% Whey Isolate · NZ Grass-Fed
$69
$2.30 / serving · 30 servings
Nutricost Whey Protein Concentrate
Nutricost Whey
Whey Concentrate · Source Unknown
$43
~$0.87 / serving · ~49 servings (5 lb)
The Question
Is Cheap Protein Actually Cheap?

Nutricost is one of the most affordable protein powders on the market at ~$0.87/serving. Xwerks Grow is $2.30. That's a 2.6x price difference. But the products are fundamentally different — isolate vs. concentrate, grass-fed vs. undisclosed, stevia vs. sucralose, 110 calories vs. 130. Here's what that gap buys you.

Side by Side
10 Differences That Matter
1
Xwerks Grow
Whey Isolate
~90% protein by weight. Filtered to remove fat, lactose, carbs.
Nutricost
Whey Concentrate
~80% protein by weight. Retains more fat, lactose, and carbs.
2
Xwerks Grow
25g protein / 110 cal
Maximum protein density per calorie.
Nutricost
25g protein / 130 cal
20 extra calories from fat and carbs with the same protein.
3
Xwerks Grow
0.5g fat
Micro-filtration removes nearly all fat.
Nutricost
2.5g fat
5x more fat per serving. Concentrate retains milk fats.
4
Xwerks Grow
1g carbs / 0g sugar
Virtually zero carbs and sugar.
Nutricost
2–4g carbs / 2g sugar
Concentrate retains lactose, adding sugar and carbs.
5
Xwerks Grow
NZ Grass-Fed
New Zealand pasture-raised. No rBGH, antibiotics, or pesticides.
Nutricost
Not Disclosed
No grass-fed claim. Source country not stated.
6
Xwerks Grow
Stevia (natural)
Plant-derived, zero-calorie. No artificial sweeteners.
Nutricost
Sucralose (artificial)
Artificial sweetener linked to potential gut microbiome disruption.
7
Xwerks Grow
Virtually Zero Lactose
Isolate filtration removes lactose. Suitable for most intolerant.
Nutricost
Contains Lactose
Concentrate retains significant lactose. May cause bloating.
8
Xwerks Grow
BCAAs: 6g+
Including ~2.7g leucine for muscle protein synthesis.
Nutricost
Not Listed
BCAA content not disclosed on label.
9
Xwerks Grow
Cold Micro-Filtered
Acid-free, bleach-free. Preserves native micro fractions.
Nutricost
Not Disclosed
Processing method not stated. GMP facility only.
10
Xwerks Grow
$2.30 / serving
Premium price for premium product.
Nutricost
$0.87 / serving
One of the cheapest proteins available.
The Fundamental Difference
Isolate vs. Concentrate
This isn't a flavor or branding difference — it's a fundamentally different product. Whey isolate is filtered to ~90% protein by weight, removing nearly all lactose, fat, and carbs. Concentrate is ~80% protein, retaining significantly more of what you don't want.
The result: Grow delivers the same 25g of protein in 20 fewer calories, with 5x less fat, half the carbs, zero sugar, and virtually zero lactose. Per gram of actual protein, isolate is simply a purer product.
  • Isolate: ~90% protein by weight — the purest form of whey. Extra filtration removes fat, lactose, and carbs.
  • Concentrate: ~80% protein by weight — less filtered. The remaining 20% is fat, carbs, and lactose.
  • 110 cal vs. 130 cal for the same protein — those 20 extra calories per serving add up to 600+ extra calories per month.
  • Lactose sensitivity — isolate is virtually lactose-free. Concentrate retains enough lactose to cause discomfort in sensitive individuals.
Read the Label
What's actually in each scoop
Both products have relatively short ingredient lists. But the differences are significant: Grow uses stevia. Nutricost uses sucralose. Grow is soy-free. Nutricost contains sunflower lecithin (not soy, but still an emulsifier). And Grow's whey comes from a disclosed, certified source.
Xwerks Grow — Chocolate
Whey Protein Isolate, Cocoa Powder, Natural Flavors, Xanthan Gum, Stevia
Nutricost — Vanilla
Whey Protein Concentrate (Whey Protein Concentrate, Sunflower Lecithin), Natural Flavors, Sodium Chloride, Sucralose
The Real Cost
$0.87 sounds great. Until you do the math.
Nutricost is cheap. Genuinely cheap. At $0.87/serving it's one of the most affordable protein powders available. If budget is the only consideration, it does the job of delivering 25g of protein.
But you're getting a fundamentally different product: more calories, more fat, more sugar, more lactose, artificial sweetener, and protein from an undisclosed source processed in an undisclosed way. The $1.43/serving difference between Nutricost and Grow is the gap between commodity protein and premium protein.
  • $0.87 vs $2.30 per serving — Nutricost wins on price, no question. That's its primary value proposition.
  • But: 20 extra calories per serving — 600+ extra calories per month from fat and carbs you don't need.
  • Sucralose vs. stevia — artificial vs. natural sweetener. A daily supplement adds up over months and years.
  • Unknown source vs. NZ grass-fed — when you take something every day, where it comes from matters.
  • No third-party transparency — Nutricost claims independent testing but doesn't disclose the lab or results. Grow provides full sourcing transparency.
100% Isolate · NZ Grass-Fed · Stevia · 5 Ingredients
You get what
you pay for.

25g of the purest whey protein isolate available. Grass-fed, New Zealand sourced. Naturally sweetened. No sucralose, no concentrate, no mystery sourcing.

Shop Xwerks Grow — $69
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*Comparison based on publicly available label information for Nutricost Whey Protein Concentrate (Vanilla, 5 lb) and Xwerks Grow (Chocolate). Pricing reflects retail MSRP at time of writing. Nutricost is a trademark of Nutricost LLC.