The 10 Best Collagen Powders

Over the past few years, I’ve tested dozens of different collagen powders. In this article, I’ll share my favorite products.

One thing all the dietary supplements mentioned in this article have in common is that they’re free of irritating and pro-inflammatory ingredients, such as wheat, soy, added sugars and artificial sweeteners.

But before we get into my list of the best collagen supplements, let’s briefly go over some of the basics, including the health benefits of collagen supplementation.

If you’ve already decided to make collagen supplements a part of your regular diet, you can jump right to my favorite products.

What Are Collagen Peptides?

Collagen is a protein. In fact, it’s the most abundant type of protein in your body and, in particular, in your connective tissue (such as joints, ligaments, tendons and muscles). Think of collagen as a building block for tissue; without it, the body can neither build new tissue nor repair damaged tissue.

Collagen Types

Based on the current scientific research, there are at least 16 types of collagen. Most supplements contain one or more of the following main types:

• Type I: 90% of the collagen in your body is Type I, which is used to provide structure to connective tissue, skin, tendons, etc.
• Type II: Used for elastic cartilage to cushion joints.
• Type III: Supports the structure of muscles, blood vessels and organs.
• Type IV: The main component of the basement membrane in your skin. It acts as a barrier between tissue compartments.
• Type V: Similar to Type IV, Type V collagen is a fibrillar collagen that’s found between the dermal and epidermal layers of the skin and placental tissue.
• Type X: Found in specialized cells (hypertrophic chondrocytes) that are responsible for bone growth.

Please note that some brands (e.g., Ancient Nutrition) claim to offer supplements containing multiple types of collagen. However, those brands typically don’t specify how much of the more exotic collagen types are in their products. That’s usually a red flag in the sense that the product contains insignificant amounts of those collagen peptides to have any meaningful effect on your body.

In other words, don’t fall for marketing claims unless the brand can back them up with data confirming the actual amounts of their ingredients.

Health Benefits of Collagen Supplements

Most people I’ve talked to consider using collagen supplements for one or more of the following reasons:

• Support gut health.
• Improve bone health.
• Increase skin hydration
• Improve skin elasticity (and skin health in general, including the reduction of fine lines).
• Support joint health and relieve joint pain.

It’s worth mentioning that the body can make collagen from the protein in your diet — specifically the amino acids in the protein you consume.

However, you produce less collagen as you age, which is why it’s important to consume sufficient amounts of protein. Leveraging collagen supplements is another viable choice for those who have trouble getting enough collagen from whole food sources, as well as those who have increased collagen demands due to physical activity or other lifestyle factors.

One of the best ways to ensure your body has enough collagen to function optimally is to consume sufficient amounts of high-quality protein — ideally from animal sources such as meat and seafood. Without getting enough protein from your diet, your body won’t be able to make enough collagen to fulfill its needs.

I follow an animal-based diet and consume significant amounts of protein. However, I still add a scoop of a high-quality collagen powder into my post-workout coffee — often together with a scoop of Equip’s grass-fed beef protein powder and heavy cream to further boost muscle protein synthesis.

If you’re interested in learning more, you can read my article about the scientific benefits of collagen powder supplementation.

The 10 Best Collagen Powder Supplements

While I can recommend all of the products mentioned in this article, the comparison table above might help you pick a product that’s right for your dietary lifestyle and budget. Currently, my favorite product and the one we use at the Kummer household is Equip Grass-Fed Collagen.

You can’t go wrong with any of the products mentioned in this review, so I decided to list them alphabetically rather than give them arbitrary rankings.

Ultimately, the best choice for you comes down to your personal preferences and budget.

1. Ancient Nutrition Multi Collagen Protein

What I like about Ancient Nutrition’s Multi Collagen Protein is that it contains four different sources of collagen, including:

• Hydrolyzed bovine collagen peptides from pastured cattle.
• Chicken bone broth collagen concentrate from cage-free hens.
• Hydrolyzed fish collagen peptides.
• Eggshell membrane collagen.

Much as with regular protein powder, the body absorbs and metabolizes collagen powder from various sources at different rates. As such, getting a variety from a single product is a plus.

Additionally, Ancient Nutrition’s collagen powder contains different types of collagen, including Type I, II, III, V and X.

Unfortunately, Ancient Nutrition doesn’t divulge how much of each collagen type the product contains. When I asked them about the details, a representative for the company responded with the following statement:

I apologize, however, this information is deemed proprietary. We do not disclose the exact percentages. The ingredients are listed like a recipe; the first ingredient is the most and the last ingredient is the least on the label.

— Ancient Nutrition

To me, that means the product likely contains only insignificant amounts of collagen Types II, V and X.

Multi Collagen is available as an unflavored or flavored powder, or as capsules. A regular tub with 45 servings costs $49.95, resulting in a cost per serving (10 grams of collagen) of $1.11.

Buy Ancient Nutrition on Amazon

You can also get Multi Collagen directly from the Ancient Nutrition, and there’s a 15% discount if you sign up for a subscription. However, the product is usually still less expensive on Amazon.

2. Bubs Naturals Collagen Protein

Bubs Naturals collagen protein contains only a single ingredient — hydrolyzed bovine collagen from pasture-raised and grass-fed cattle — and mixes easily with both hot and cold liquids.

What I like about this product is that it’s both Whole30 approved and certified by NSF. The latter is an important label if you’re a professional athlete, as it ensures the supplement doesn’t contain any potentially illegal or unsafe ingredients that could get you into hot water during a doping test.

The other thing I really like about this collagen protein powder is that Bubs Naturals donates 10% of the proceeds from sales to charity in honor of Glen “Bub” Doherty, a former Navy SEAL and CIA officer who was one of four people killed in the infamous 2012 Benghazi attack. Doherty was a friend of the company’s founders.

I’ve been using Bubs Naturals (both their collagen and MCT oil powder) for the past several weeks in my post-workout shakes.

28 servings of this collagen protein costs $43 with a one-time purchase. That means you’d pay about $1.54 per serving and $0.77 per 10 grams of collagen.

Shop Bubs Naturals

3. Bulletproof Collagen Protein

The unflavored version of Bulletproof Collagen Protein consists of 100% hydrolyzed Type I and III collagen from pasture-raised cows. Remember, Type I makes up the majority of all collagen in the human body.

Bulletproof was one of the first collagen powders we bought after we started with the paleo diet five years ago. What I like about Bulletproof’s product is that it mixes easily, without clumping, and that the unflavored version doesn’t contain any extra ingredients. 

Personally, I’d stay away from the flavored versions because they contain a bunch of ingredients you don’t need, including sugar alcohol, sugar and fibers.

If you buy the 20-serving container, each serving costs approximately $1.76, resulting in a price of $0.88 per 10 grams of collagen.

Shop Bulletproof

To get this product for less per serving, you can buy a larger 60-serving container. If you subscribe, you can save an additional 15%. You can also buy Bulletproof Collagen Protein on Amazon, as well as at most Whole Foods locations.

4. Equip Grass-Fed Collagen

Equip is one of my favorite supplements brands because of its focus on ingredient quality. I also personally know the owner (Dr. Anthony Gustin) and his views on nutrition and wellness very much align with my own.

What I like about Equip’s Grass-Fed Collagen is that it’s derived from 100% grass-fed cows and does not contain any artificial ingredients. In fact, the unflavored version contains only a single ingredient: hydrolyzed bovine collagen.

The chocolate version is absolutely delicious and contains cocoa powder, sea salt, natural flavors, organic acacia fiber and stevia extract. For the past few weeks, I’ve been adding a scoop or two of this collagen powder into my post-workout coffee and love how easily the powder dissolves without clumping.

I also tried it with both water and grass-fed whole milk, and it was equally delicious.

Each pouch of Grass-Fed Collagen costs $43.99 and contains 30 servings with 15 grams of collagen each. That means you’ll pay about $1.47 per serving, or $0.98 per 10 grams of collagen.

To score this collagen powder for a lower price you can use my discount code MK15 and get 15% off. You can combine my code with a subscription to get an additional 15% discount.

Shop Equip Grass-Fed Collagen

You can also buy Equip Grass-Fed Collagen on Amazon, but for a slightly higher price.

5. Great Lakes Wellness Collagen Peptides

Great Lakes Wellness offers a variety of different collagen powder supplements. I’ve tried several of them, including one with extra medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs).

Besides the relatively low price of $0.66 per 10 grams of collagen, I appreciate that the company’s collagen supplements are keto, paleo, kosher and halal certified.

There isn’t really much else to say about this product. It checks all the boxes and doesn’t have any cons as far as I can identify.

Shop Great Lakes Wellness Collagen Peptides

You can also buy Great Lakes Wellness on Amazon.

6. Mindbodygreen Beauty & Gut Collagen+

Beauty & Gut Collagen+ is arguably the fanciest collagen powder I’ve ever used. The product contains hyaluronic acid and additional vitamins and minerals to support the body, while utilizing the collagen to improve skin repair and hair/nail growth.

The major downside to this product is its price. A pouch containing 20 servings costs $70, which amounts to $3.50 per serving or $1.98 per 10 grams of collagen. While you can lower that price to $1.67 per 10 grams of collagen if you subscribe, it’s still more expensive than most of the other products in this roundup.

The other thing I have reservations about is the inclusion of curcumin and broccoli seed extract. While both substances are hailed as antioxidants, they’re also pro-oxidant and can cause oxidative stress.

As a result, this collagen protein might not be suitable if you follow a strict carnivore diet that aims to exclude plant-based toxins.

Shop Mindbodygreen

As of this writing, Mindbodygreen Beauty & Gut Collagen+ isn’t available on Amazon.

7. Naked Nutrition Naked Collagen

Over the years, I’ve used various products from Naked Nutrition because I appreciate the company’s focus on high-quality products with simple ingredients.

Naked Collagen adheres to this philosophy by containing only a single ingredient: hydrolyzed collagen peptides from European pastured-raised and grass-fed bovine hides.

Naked Collagen is only available unflavored. That means the powder is pretty much tasteless and you can easily mix it with any hot or cold beverage.

In addition to the product’s high solubility, it’s also relatively affordable. One tub with 60 servings costs $41.99, which breaks down to $0.70 per serving and $0.78 per 10 grams of collagen.

Shop Naked Collagen

You can also buy Naked Collagen on Amazon.

8. Perfect Keto Collagen

Perfect Keto is one of my favorite keto supplements suppliers, and their collagen protein powder was specifically made for people who follow a ketogenic lifestyle — thanks to the inclusion of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). However, be aware that the inclusion of MCTs means this collagen powder has more calories than other products in this review.

Much like all the other products I mention in this article, Keto Collagen is made with hydrolyzed bovine collagen peptides from grass-fed cows.

Perfect Keto’s collagen supplement is available unflavored and in six delicious flavors, including chocolate, cinnamon toast, peanut butter, salted caramel, strawberry and vanilla. Regardless of your choice, none of the flavors contain any harmful or inflammatory ingredients.

A tub containing 20 servings costs $43.99 (or $2.20 per serving). Considering that the product contains 5 grams of MCTs, I think the higher price is fair.

Shop Perfect Keto

To get Keto Collagen for less, you can use the discount code michael20 and save 20%. You can also subscribe and score an additional 15% off. Perfect Keto Collagen is also available on Amazon.

9. Primal Kitchen Collagen Fuel

Primal Kitchen Collagen Fuel is another super-clean supplement that contains nothing but Type I and III collagen peptides from grass-fed bovines.

The powder is available unflavored or in one of the following (most of which I haven’t had a chance to try):

• Chocolate coconut
• Golden turmeric
• Peanut butter
• Vanilla coconut

I’ve only tried the chocolate coconut and vanilla coconut, but both tasted absolutely delicious when mixed with plain water or nut milk. 

One tub of unflavored Collagen Fuel containing 50 servings costs $34.95 (or $0.70 per serving).

Shop Primal Kitchen

To get Collagen Fuel for less, you can use discount code MK10 and save 10%. You can also subscribe and score an additional 10% off. Primal Kitchen Collagen Fuel is also available on Amazon, but at a slightly higher price.

10. Sports Research Collagen Peptides

Sports Research (SR) Collagen is a hydrolyzed Type I/III collagen supplement made from grass-fed and pasture-raised cattle sourced from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, New Zealand and/or the European Union.

While the cattle is imported, the final product is inspected and packaged in a GMP-certified facility in the United States. (GMP stands for Good Manufacturing Practices and ensures a certain quality standard.)

When my wife and I started using this product, it was only available unflavored. As a result, we used to mix it into shakes and smoothies. These days, you can choose from a dark chocolate, vanilla bean or matcha flavor. I haven’t tried either, but Sports Research adds stevia and monk fruit extract as natural sweeteners, so I can only assume that they taste delicious.

The only downside of Sports Research is that it’s relatively expensive compared to some of the other products in this review. One tub with 41 servings costs $55, which comes out to $1.34 per serving or $1.22 per 10 grams of collagen.

Buy Sports Research Collagen Peptides on Amazon

You can also buy this product directly through the company’s online store, but the price is higher than it is on Amazon.

Other Products Worth Your Consideration

Aside from the products I mentioned above, there are plenty of other collagen supplements available that you can consider. I haven’t tried them, but I’ll mention a few of the more popular choices. 

• Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides
• Purely Optimal Multi Collagen Peptides
• H.V.M.N. Keto Collagen+ Protein Powder

Make sure you carefully read the label before making a purchasing decision to avoid buying products with artificial or unhealthy ingredients (see “How I Conducted This Review,” below).

How I Conducted This Review

Most of my reviews are based on my hands-on experience with the mentioned products (unless explicitly stated otherwise). In the case of collagen protein, my wife and I have used these supplements on and off for the past several years.

All products we use follow these strict dietary requirements:

• Keto-friendly. Low in net carbs (no added sugars or starches) and high in fat (if applicable).
• Paleo-friendly. No inflammatory or highly-processed ingredients, such as artificial sweeteners.
• Organic and non-GMO. To avoid ingesting unnecessary chemicals or genetically modified organisms.
• Pasture-raised, grass-fed or wild-caught (if applicable). Animals raised in their natural environment are healthier and happier, and they make for more nutrient-dense products. That’s why I try to avoid products that contain ingredients from feedlot animals.
• Transparent labeling. I want to be able to understand what’s in the product without having to contact the manufacturer.

If you’re considering a collagen supplement that’s not mentioned in this article, I recommend applying the above criteria and avoiding products that don’t meet these requirements.

When and How to Use Collagen Peptides Powder

The rationale for supplementing with collagen should be similar to the rationale for using protein powders. If you think your body has higher demands than you can reasonably supply through food, then go for it.

For example, your body becomes less efficient at producing collagen by breaking down dietary protein as you get older. Aging increases the rate of protein catabolism (breakdown), while protein utilization decreases. Combined with often lower protein intake, many older adults suffer from a protein deficiency. And thus, they also suffer from a collagen deficiency. 

So if you’re over the age of 30, supplementing with hydrolyzed collagen (which is easy for the body to absorb), in addition to increasing your protein intake, might be beneficial.

Additionally, if you’re an athlete or work out a lot, your body might have an increased demand for collagen. In such a case, I’d also recommend mixing a scoop of collagen powder into your coffee or post-workout shake.

My wife is pretty consistent with adding a scoop of flavorless collagen powder to the workout shake that she drinks at breakfast.

On the other hand, I try a lot of different products and write about them, but I’m not super consistent with using supplements. That’s not because I don’t believe in their benefits, but because I only eat once or twice a day (due to my fasting schedule). Since I try to fulfill most of my body’s nutritional needs with real food, I usually don’t have room for a shake or a supplement that adds additional calories.

That said, I recently started experimenting with modifying my fasting schedule so I can have a special cup of coffee right after working out. On those days, I add beef protein isolate mixed with hydrolyzed collagen peptides and heavy cream to my coffee.

Frequently Asked Questions

Wrap-Up: The Best Collagen Supplements

You can’t go wrong with any of the products I mention in this article. If your goal is to mix collagen powder with other liquids, pick an unflavored product. If you want to drink it straight up, a flavored version might be the tastier choice.

If you’re on keto and are trying to increase your fat intake or energy levels, consider a product that has MCTs or other sources of fat.

More important than anything else is that the product you choose doesn’t have artificial ingredients, added sugars or other (hidden) sources of carbs.

Everything else being equal, I usually go with the brand that I feel most comfortable with, even if that sometimes means I have to pay a few dollars extra.

Michael Kummer

Michael is a healthy living enthusiast and CrossFit athlete whose goal is to help people achieve optimal health by bridging the gap between ancestral living and the demands of modern society.