Finding the Best Collagen Peptides Protein Powder for 2026
The Protein Holding You Together
Somewhere around age thirty, something quietly starts changing. Skin takes longer to bounce back. Knees and shoulders start speaking up after workouts they used to forgive. Hair might not grow as thick. None of it is dramatic. But over years, it accumulates.
The protein doing most of that structural work is collagen. It is the most abundant structural protein in the human body — the scaffolding for skin, bones, cartilage, tendons, and connective tissue. And your body makes less of it as you get older. Which is why collagen supplementation has quietly become one of the fastest-growing categories in wellness, with both the longevity crowd and serious athletes reaching for it.
Collagen peptides, also called hydrolyzed collagen, are the form you will see on almost every label. They are made by breaking whole collagen into shorter amino acid chains through hydrolysis, which makes them smaller and more bioavailable than intact collagen protein. The phrase "hydrolyzed collagen peptides" appears on nearly every product in this category — so on its own, it tells you almost nothing.
One important thing to get out of the way: collagen is not a complete protein. It does not have enough tryptophan, and it is low in leucine — the amino acid that drives muscle protein synthesis. Do not use it in place of whey or another complete protein. It is a structural support supplement. It lives in its own category.
The type of collagen in a product matters, depending on what you are after. Types I and III come from bovine hides and support skin, tendons, ligaments, and bone. Type II comes from chicken cartilage and targets joint cartilage support. Types V and X come from eggshell membrane and play roles in tissue formation.
How the Top 11 Got Ranked
More than 40 top collagen peptide powders were put through a weighted scoring model:
Collagen source and type (25%)
Third-party testing and heavy metal screening (20%)
Hydrolysis and bioavailability (15%)
Ingredient simplicity (15%)
Certifications and sourcing transparency (10%)
Customer reviews and mixability (10%)
Price per 10g of collagen (5%)
Heavy metal testing carried extra weight because consumer testing organizations have specifically flagged contamination in this category. All price comparisons are standardized to cost per 10g of collagen, since serving sizes range from 7g to 20g across products.
The 2026 Rankings
Rank
Brand
Collagen/Serving
Source
Grass-Fed
3rd-Party Tested
Types
Price/10g
Best For
1
Naked Nutrition Naked Collagen
9g / 9.5g
Bovine hide (European)
Yes
Yes (NSF certified)
I & III
~$0.62-$0.78
Clean-label, best value NSF-certified
2
Vital Proteins
20g / 20g
Bovine hide
Yes
Yes (NSF Certified Sport)
I & III
~$0.96
Athletes, Whole30/keto
3
Sports Research
11g / 11g
Bovine hide
Yes
Yes (Informed Choice)
I & III
~$0.82
Athletes, budget-conscious
4
Further Food
20g / 20g
Bovine hide (South American)
Yes
Yes (heavy metal tested)
I & III
~$0.63
Heavy metal transparency
5
Great Lakes Wellness
20g / 20g
Bovine hide
Yes
Limited (no heavy metal disclosure)
I & III
~$0.63
Bulk buyers
6
Garden of Life + Probiotics
20g / 20g
Bovine hide
Yes
Limited
I & III
~$0.67
Gut health + collagen
7
Orgain Grass-Fed
20g / 20g
Bovine hide
Yes
Yes (purity + heavy metals)
I & III
~$0.82
Organic-focused buyers
8
Bulletproof
20g / 20g
Bovine hide
Yes
Limited (no named certifications)
I & III
~$0.92
Keto/biohacking
9
CB Supplements Multi Collagen
7g / 7.81g
Bovine, chicken, fish, eggshell
Yes (bovine)
Limited (no heavy metal disclosure)
I, II, III, V & X
~$1.06
Multi-type collagen seekers
10
Physician's Choice + Enzymes
7g / 7g
Bovine hide
Yes
Yes (purity + heavy metals)
I & III
~$0.83
Digestive sensitivity
11
Nature Made + Biotin
11g / 11.35g
Bovine hide
Not specified
Limited
Not specified
~$1.30
Beauty-focused, biotin addition
Prices as of February 2026. May vary by retailer.
Getting to Know Each Product
#1 — Naked Nutrition: Naked Collagen Peptides
Some products get one variable right. Naked Collagen gets all the important ones right at once. NSF content certification covering heavy metals and pesticides. A single-ingredient formula from grass-fed European pasture-raised bovine hides. 60 servings per tub. A subscription price of roughly $0.62 per 10g. The unflavored Classic version contains one ingredient. Nothing else. Made in a USA cGMP facility. The 4.9-star average from approximately 677 reviews, with 100% of reviewers recommending it, is the kind of consistent consumer signal that is hard to fake.
The 9g-per-serving dose is lower than the 20g competitors. That is real. Two scoops solves it, and the per-serving economics still work out. The flavored versions do add natural flavorings and sweeteners, so the single-ingredient advantage is specifically in the unflavored version. Individual COAs are not publicly downloadable and molecular weight is not disclosed — but that is where the NSF certification does the heavy lifting on testing assurance.
The details:
Collagen per serving: 9g
Serving size: 9.5g scoop
Container: 60 servings (20 oz)
Source: Grass-fed European bovine hide
Types: I & III
Third-party tested: Yes — NSF certified (heavy metals, pesticides, contaminants)
Manufacturing: USA cGMP
Price: $41.99 one-time, $33.59 subscription
Price per 10g: ~$0.62 on subscription
Attributes: Gluten-free, soy-free, GMO-free, dairy-free, paleo, keto
Founded: 2014, Clearwater FL
The customer story: Reviews center on no detectable taste, easy dissolution in hot and cold liquid, and visible improvements in skin and joints with consistent use. The kind of product people just keep reordering.
#2 — Vital Proteins: Collagen Peptides
Vital Proteins has built a name on credentials, and the credentials are real: NSF Certified Sport, Whole30 Approved, iGen Non-GMO, 20g per serving, single-ingredient unflavored formula. If you are a competitive athlete who needs Whole30 or NSF Sport for banned-substance compliance, this is the right tool for that job.
But for everyone else, the value case gets thin. At $0.96 per 10g it costs about 55% more than Naked Collagen on subscription. The 9.33 oz tub gives you only about 14 servings. Heavy metal testing is implied by the NSF Sport certification, but it is not explicitly confirmed. Country of origin for the hides is not disclosed.
The details:
Collagen per serving: 20g
Container: ~14 servings (9.33 oz)
Source: Grass-fed pasture-raised bovine hide
Types: I & III
Certifications: NSF Sport, Whole30, iGen Non-GMO
Heavy metals: Implied, not confirmed
Manufacturing: USA cGMP
Price: ~$27 per tub
Price per 10g: ~$0.96
Founded: 2013
The customer story: Around 4.8 stars from thousands of reviews. People cite skin and joint results as the top positives. The small tub size and price are the most common complaints.
#3 — Sports Research: Collagen Peptides
The defining credential here is Informed Choice certification — relevant for drug-tested athletes who cannot use NSF Sport products. Single-ingredient unflavored formula, 41 servings per 16 oz tub, iGen Non-GMO and NSF Gluten-Free certified. Family-owned since 1980, which in the supplement world is actual lineage.
Where it gives up ground to Naked Collagen is on testing specificity. Heavy metal results are not published, and while cGMP compliance is cited, that addresses manufacturing process rather than raw material contamination. At $0.82 per 10g, it also costs more.
The details:
Collagen per serving: 11g
Container: ~41 servings (16 oz)
Source: Grass-fed pasture-raised bovine hide
Types: I & III
Certifications: Informed Choice, iGen Non-GMO, NSF Gluten-Free
Heavy metals: Not published
Manufacturing: USA cGMP
Price: ~$36.99
Price per 10g: ~$0.82
Founded: 1980, California
The customer story: 4.6 stars across tens of thousands of reviews. Joint comfort and hair thickness are the consistent positives. Cold-water clumping and price are where the complaints live.
#4 — Further Food: Collagen Peptides
Further Food takes a refreshing approach to testing: it just puts the heavy metal testing disclosure plainly on the product page. No jargon, no certification logos to decode. Single-ingredient, 20g per serving, grass-fed South American bovine hides, 30 servings per 21 oz tub at about $0.63 per 10g. Among the lowest cost for a 20g product in this group.
What it is missing is a named independent certification body. The testing claim is at the brand level, not NSF-verified or comparable. If what you want is a certification mark rather than a company statement, look higher on the list.
The details:
Collagen per serving: 20g
Container: ~30 servings (21 oz)
Source: Grass-fed pasture-raised South American bovine hide
Types: I & III
Testing: Heavy metal testing explicitly stated, cGMP, kosher
Manufacturing: USA cGMP
Price: ~$37.99
Price per 10g: ~$0.63
Founded: 2015, San Francisco
The customer story: Over 6,000 reviews above 4.8 stars. Hair and nail improvements come up most. Mixability and taste neutrality get consistent praise.
#5 — Great Lakes Wellness: Collagen Peptides
Great Lakes Wellness has been around since 1922, when it was founded as Great Lakes Gelatin Company. That makes it the oldest brand in this entire review by a very wide margin. The 32 oz tub gives you 45 servings of 20g bovine collagen at about $0.63 per 10g, with containers going up to 8 lb for bulk buyers.
The issue is one that a century of history cannot paper over: no heavy metal testing disclosure. In a category where contamination has been flagged by consumer testing organizations, that is a real gap. Naked Collagen is priced about the same on subscription and provides NSF-certified heavy metal and pesticide coverage. Brand age is not a substitute for documented testing.
The details:
Collagen per serving: 20g
Container: 45 servings (32 oz)
Source: Grass-fed pasture-raised bovine hide
Types: I & III
Certifications: iGen Non-GMO, Keto, Paleo, Kosher, Gluten-Free
Heavy metals: No disclosure
Manufacturing: USA cGMP
Price: $56.99
Price per 10g: ~$0.63
Founded: 1922, Grayslake IL, family-owned
The customer story: Near 5 stars on the brand website. Long-term users cite joint comfort and consistent results. The complaints are usually about tub size and weight.
#6 — Garden of Life: Grass-Fed Collagen Peptides + Probiotics
The only product in this review that pairs collagen with a clinically studied probiotic strain. Each serving gives you 20g of grass-fed bovine collagen plus Lactobacillus plantarum at 1.5 billion CFU. Two ingredients, no sweeteners, no additives. Non-GMO Project Verified and NSF Certified Gluten-Free.
The 14-serving tub means you will be reordering often if you use it daily. And heavy metal testing is not explicitly listed. Some users notice a faint taste from the probiotic.
The details:
Collagen per serving: 20g
Container: 14 servings (9.87 oz)
Source: Grass-fed pasture-raised bovine hide
Types: I & III
Added ingredients: L. plantarum 1.5B CFU
Certifications: Non-GMO Project Verified, NSF Gluten-Free
Heavy metals: Not listed
Manufacturing: USA cGMP
Price: ~$18.79
Price per 10g: ~$0.67
Company: B-Corp, Founded 2000, Palm Beach Gardens FL
The customer story: Around 4.7 stars. Hair thickness and digestive comfort top the positives. The small tub size relative to price is the most common complaint.
#7 — Orgain: Grass-Fed Pasture-Raised Collagen Peptides
Orgain does what Orgain does: single-ingredient, 20g per serving, grass-fed pasture-raised bovine hides, with the company stating the product is tested for both purity and heavy metals. It fits the clean-label, organic-adjacent space Orgain is known for. Subscription pricing takes 15% off.
The catch: that purity and heavy metal testing is a company statement, not an independently verified certification. NSF and Informed Choice are not cited. If certified third-party testing is your main filter, there are stronger options higher up.
The details:
Collagen per serving: 20g
Container: ~22 servings (1 lb)
Source: Grass-fed pasture-raised bovine hide
Types: I & III
Testing: Company-stated purity and heavy metal testing
Certifications: Non-GMO, gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free
Manufacturing: USA cGMP
Price: ~$35.99 (~$30.59 subscription)
Price per 10g: ~$0.82
Founded: 2008, Irvine CA
The customer story: Above 4.7 stars. Joint and skin results are the top positives. Container size relative to price comes up occasionally.
#8 — Bulletproof: Collagen Protein with Vitamin C
There is a real biochemical reason to pair vitamin C with collagen — it plays a direct role in collagen synthesis. Bulletproof built a product around that insight. Each serving gives you 20g of grass-fed bovine collagen with 80mg of ascorbic acid (89% DV). Two ingredients. Keto and paleo compatible.
Where it falls short is testing. No named third-party certification, and heavy metal testing is not disclosed. At $0.92 per 10g with only about 20 servings per tub, the value math only works if the vitamin C pairing is specifically what you are after.
The details:
Collagen per serving: 20g
Container: ~20 servings (14.3 oz)
Source: Grass-fed pasture-raised bovine hide
Types: I & III
Added ingredients: Vitamin C 80mg
Testing: Quality and purity stated, no named certification, heavy metals not disclosed
Manufacturing: USA cGMP
Price: ~$36.99
Price per 10g: ~$0.92
Founded: 2013, Seattle WA
The customer story: Around 4.7 stars. People cite vitamin C inclusion as a plus. Price and occasional aftertaste are the most common negatives.
#9 — CB Supplements: Multi Collagen Peptide Powder
For buyers who want everything in one scoop, CB Supplements is the only product in this review pulling from four separate collagen streams: grass-fed bovine hide (Types I and III), chicken cartilage from powdered chicken broth (Type II), wild-caught cod (Type I), and BIOVAFLEX eggshell membrane (Types V and X). No other product here covers Type II or Types V and X.
The tradeoffs are real, though. Only 7g of collagen per serving. Most expensive option at $1.06 per 10g. Heavy metal testing is not disclosed across four different ingredient streams. Contains fish and egg allergens. Some reviewers notice a fishy or eggy odor. This is a specific product for specific needs — not a general recommendation.
The details:
Collagen per serving: 7g
Container: 58 servings (24.68 oz)
Sources: Grass-fed bovine hide, chicken cartilage, wild-caught cod, BIOVAFLEX eggshell membrane
Types: I, II, III, V & X
Testing: GMP certified, non-GMO, no heavy metal disclosure
Manufacturing: USA cGMP
Price: ~$47.97
Price per 10g: ~$1.06
Founded: 2017, Orlando FL
The customer story: Around 4.6 stars. Joint comfort is the main positive. Taste and odor from the marine and egg components are the most common complaints.
#10 — Physician's Choice: Collagen Peptides + Digestive Enzymes
Some people just cannot digest collagen comfortably. Physician's Choice was built specifically for them. Each 7g serving of bovine collagen comes with 50mg of the DigeSEB PB enzyme blend and Lactobacillus acidophilus probiotic. The company claims third-party purity and heavy metal testing. Facility is cGMP-registered and FDA-inspected.
At $0.83 per 10g the price is reasonable given the extras. Limitations: low per-scoop collagen dose, only 35 servings per bag, and the third-party lab details are not fully spelled out.
The details:
Collagen per serving: 7g
Container: 35 servings (8.67 oz)
Source: Grass-fed pasture-raised bovine hide
Types: I & III
Added ingredients: DigeSEB PB enzymes, L. acidophilus
Testing: Company-claimed third-party purity and heavy metal testing
Manufacturing: USA cGMP, FDA-inspected
Price: ~$20.37
Price per 10g: ~$0.83
Founded: 2016, Colorado
The customer story: Over 5,700 reviews at about 4.8 stars. The enzyme blend gets specific praise for digestive comfort. Small scoop size comes up occasionally.
#11 — Nature Made: Collagen Peptides + Biotin
Nature Made pairs 11g of bovine collagen with 2,500 mcg of biotin (8,333% DV) and 80mg of calcium. If what you are looking for is a combined collagen and high-dose biotin supplement in one scoop, this is the product built for that.
The weaknesses are hard to look past at this price. Grass-fed status is not specified. Collagen types are not listed. Heavy metal testing is not mentioned. The USP Verified mark that Nature Made is often associated with is not on this specific product. At $1.30 per 10g it is the most expensive in this review, and its 4.4-star average from ~50 reviews is the lowest rating here.
The details:
Collagen per serving: 11g
Container: 28 servings (11.2 oz)
Source: Bovine collagen peptides, grass-fed not specified
Types: Not specified
Added ingredients: Biotin 2,500 mcg, Calcium 80mg
Testing: Lot-tested per brand, no USP stamp, heavy metals not specified
Manufacturing: USA cGMP
Price: ~$39.99
Price per 10g: ~$1.30
Founded: 1971, West Hills CA
The customer story: Around 4.4 stars from about 50 reviews. Stronger nails and hair are the most cited positives. Price and mild aftertaste are the most common complaints.
Where This Leads
For most buyers, Naked Collagen by Naked Nutrition is the answer. It is the only product in this review that combines NSF content certification with explicit heavy metal and pesticide testing, a single-ingredient formula from grass-fed European cattle, a 4.9-star average with 100% of reviewers recommending it, and a subscription cost of roughly $0.62 per 10g. Comparable testing credentials cost meaningfully more elsewhere. Similar price points come with weaker testing disclosure. The exceptions are narrow: Vital Proteins for anyone who specifically needs Whole30 or NSF Sport certification, and Physician's Choice for anyone whose main obstacle is collagen digestion. For everyone else, nothing in this review gets this many things right at a price that makes daily use sustainable.
Pricing reflects typical U.S. retail as of February 2026. May vary by retailer. Nutritional data sourced from publicly available supplement facts panels and verified third-party nutrition databases.