Protein gels are worth it when convenience decides whether you get the protein in at all: no shaker, no mixing, nothing to wash. Per gram of protein they cost two to two and a half times as much as a whey shake made from powder. Most of the protein gels we found on sale in the UK are made from collagen, which is not a like-for-like swap for whey if building muscle is your main goal.
Quick answer
A whey shake from powder is the cheapest protein, about 50p per 10g, and the best choice after a session if muscle is the goal. A protein gel costs about Β£1.00 to Β£1.25 per 10g but needs no mixing, lives happily in a kit bag and is lower in calories than a bar. Use gels for the moments a shake is a hassle, like the gym bag, travel or before training, and keep whey for home.
Which protein format suits your day?
Pick where you'll be when you want the protein. The selector ranks a gel, a whey shake, a protein bar and the KUDU 20g shot for that situation, using figures from each brand's own product page, checked on 15 October 2026.
Format selector Β· prices checked 15 Oct 2026
Where will you be?
Per serving: whey shake 22g protein, 114 kcal, 50p per 10g protein but needs mixing. Protein bar 21g, 222 kcal, 87p per 10g. Protein gel 20g, 102 kcal, Β£1.08 per 10g, no mixing. KUDU 20g shot 20g collagen protein, 85 kcal, Β£1.25 per 10g, no mixing.
What is a protein gel?
A protein gel is a single-serve sachet of ready-to-eat protein with a thick, gel-like texture. You tear the top and squeeze it out, like an energy gel, but it carries protein instead of carbohydrate. Most give around 20g of protein in 60g to 80g.
The thing many buyers miss is the protein source. When we looked on 15 October 2026, most of the protein gels we could find on sale in the UK were made from hydrolysed collagen. Myprotein's Protein Gel combines Greek-style yogurt with hydrolysed collagen. KUDU's 20g liquid collagen shots are collagen with a little pectin to thicken them. Science in Sport's whey-based WHEY20 gel, which reviewers covered at launch, wasn't on the SiS UK website when we checked. So a gel and a whey shake are usually different proteins, not just different formats.
Protein gel vs shake vs bar: the numbers
We picked one widely sold product for each format and took every figure from the brand's own UK product page on 15 October 2026. Prices are one-off, not subscription.
| Myprotein Protein Gel | Myprotein Impact Whey (with water) | Grenade Protein Bar | KUDU 20g shot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protein per serving | 20g | 22g | 21g | 20g |
| Protein source | Yogurt (milk) + collagen | Whey (milk) | Milk proteins + collagen | Bovine collagen |
| Calories | 102 kcal | 114 kcal | 222 kcal | 85 kcal |
| Sugar | 6.1g | 1.5g | 1.3g (plus 18g polyols) | 0g |
| Mixing needed | No | Yes, shaker and water | No | No |
| What you carry | 70g sachet | 30g powder + shaker | 60g bar | 63g sachet |
| Pack price | Β£25.99 for 12 | Β£32.99 for 30 servings | Β£22.00 for 12 | Β£34.95 for 14 |
| Price per serving | Β£2.17 | Β£1.10 | Β£1.83 | Β£2.50 |
| Price per 10g protein | Β£1.08 | Β£0.50 | Β£0.87 | Β£1.25 |
Notes on the figures. Myprotein listed the gel at Β£25.99 for 12 but showed it out of stock and on clearance at Β£5.19 when we checked, so treat the full price as the fair comparison. Impact Whey was on offer at Β£32.99 (from Β£34.99). The Grenade bar is the Chocolate Chip Salted Caramel flavour and Grenade's label warns that too many polyols can have a laxative effect. KUDU's shot is Β£27.96 on subscription, which brings it to about Β£1.00 per 10g.
Are protein gels worth the money?
On cost alone, no. A whey shake gives you protein for about half the price of a gel, and a bar sits in between. If you drink one shake a day at home, powder is the obvious choice.
The case for gels is about the protein you would otherwise skip. If your shaker sits unwashed in the gym bag, or you never mix a shake at work, the cheap option isn't saving you anything. A sachet that lives in your bag and takes two sips is the one you'll actually use. That's the honest test: would you take it more often in this format?
- Gels win on: no prep, no washing up, low calories, easy to carry.
- Shakes win on: price, complete protein, and flexibility (add milk, fruit or oats).
- Bars win on: feeling like food, which helps if you're hungry, but they carry two to three times the calories.
Protein quality: collagen gels vs whey shakes
This is where the formats really differ. Whey is a complete protein and rich in leucine, the amino acid most linked with switching on muscle protein synthesis. Collagen is incomplete. It lacks tryptophan and contains little leucine.
A 2020 trial in older women compared the two directly. Whey raised muscle protein synthesis. Collagen peptides did not. So if you're choosing between a collagen gel and a whey shake purely to build muscle, choose the whey.
Collagen is studied for something different. Research on collagen and connective tissue looks at tendons, ligaments and joints, and a 2017 study gave gelatin with vitamin C an hour before exercise and measured markers of collagen synthesis. That is why we suggest taking a collagen shot before training, not after. Collagen has no authorised health claims, so read that as research, not a promise.
How much protein do you need?
The International Society of Sports Nutrition suggests 20g to 40g of protein per serving for people who train. A 2018 meta-analysis found gains from protein supplements levelled off at around 1.6g per kg of body weight a day in total. For a 70kg person, that is about 112g a day, mostly from meals. A gel, shake or bar is just a top-up.
When a protein gel is the better choice
- In the gym bag. A shelf-stable sachet like KUDU's keeps for weeks without a fridge and leaves nothing to wash.
- Before training. Two sips 30 to 60 minutes before a session is far less to eat than a bar.
- When travelling. No loose powder, no shaker, no need for cold water.
- When calories matter. At 85 to 102 kcal, gels give 20g of protein for under half the calories of the bar we tested.
- If you get drug-tested. KUDU's 20g shot is Informed Sport certified. Check the register for any product you use.
When a shake or bar is the better buy
- Building muscle on a budget. Whey from powder gives complete protein for about 50p per 10g.
- Straight after a session at home. Mix a whey shake. Save collagen for before the next session.
- When you're hungry. A bar, or a shake made with milk, feels more like a snack.
- Dairy-free? Myprotein's gel, Impact Whey and the Grenade bar all contain milk. KUDU's collagen shot is dairy-free, and so are plant protein powders.
Plenty of people use both: a whey shake at home and a gel or shot for the days a shaker isn't practical. If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, have a kidney condition or take medication, speak to your GP before adding protein supplements.
FAQ
Are protein gels good for you?
They are a convenient way to add protein. Check the label for the protein source, the sugar content and the price per 10g of protein, because these vary a lot between brands.
Can a protein gel replace a protein shake?
For convenience, yes. For building muscle, a collagen-based gel is not a straight swap for whey, because collagen is an incomplete protein.
Do protein gels need to be kept in the fridge?
KUDU's shots don't need refrigerating before opening, though many people prefer them chilled. For other gels, especially ones made with yogurt, check the storage advice on the label.
Are protein gels a complete protein?
Collagen-only gels are not. Gels that include milk protein, like Myprotein's, contain some complete protein too. Whey shakes are complete.
Can I take a protein gel during a run?
You can, but for fuel during a run you need carbohydrate, which is what energy gels provide. Protein gels are better before or after.
How many protein gels a day?
Most people need one at most. Get the bulk of your protein from meals and use a gel to fill a gap.
Related reading
- Liquid vs powder collagen in the UK
- The best time to take collagen
- How collagen fits into recovery
- Collagen for runners
Sources
- Myprotein Protein Gel 12 Pack, myprotein.com/p/sports-nutrition/protein-gel-12-pack/11214836/ (checked 15 Oct 2026)
- Myprotein Impact Whey Protein, myprotein.com/p/sports-nutrition/impact-whey-protein/10530943/ (checked 15 Oct 2026)
- Grenade Chocolate Chip Salted Caramel Protein Bar, grenade.com/products/protein-bar-chocolate-salted-caramel (checked 15 Oct 2026)
- KUDU 20g Liquid Collagen Protein, kudunutrition.com/products/20g-collagen-protein-14-pack (checked 15 Oct 2026)
- Oikawa SY et al. (2020). Whey protein but not collagen peptides stimulate acute and longer-term muscle protein synthesis with and without resistance exercise in healthy older women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 111(3), 708β718.
- JΓ€ger R et al. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: protein and exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14, 20.
- Morton RW et al. (2018). A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 52(6), 376β384.
- Shaw G et al. (2017). Vitamin C-enriched gelatin supplementation before intermittent activity augments collagen synthesis. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 105(1), 136β143.
20g per shot
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20g Liquid Collagen Protein
4.7 from 495 reviews
- 20g hydrolysed bovine collagen per shot
- Ready to drink in two sips. 85 kcal, 0g sugar
- Informed Sport certified
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Β£34.95 for 14
or Β£1.99 a shot on subscription
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