PaleoPro vs Equip Foods: Beef Protein Powder Comparison

PaleoPro and Equip Foods are two of the best-known beef protein powders on the market, and they both target the same audience — people who want clean protein without dairy, artificial sweeteners, or a 25-ingredient label. Both deliver on that promise, but they do it differently. PaleoPro blends grass-fed beef protein isolate with egg white protein and sweetens with monk fruit. Equip uses beef protein alone and sweetens with stevia (or coconut sugar + monk fruit in their Low Sugar line). The differences in protein quality, amino acid profiles, and formulation philosophy mean each one suits different people.

Here's the honest comparison. We make one of these products, which means we have a bias. We also have a brand voice guide that says we acknowledge competitor strengths and build trust through transparency. So that's what we're going to do.

The Quick Comparison

Both are good products. The differences are in the details.

Protein Quality: This Is Where It Gets Interesting

Protein per serving is a headline number. Amino acid profile is what actually matters for your body.

The Amino Acid Question

Here's something most beef protein comparisons don't show you: the amino acid breakdown. Equip publishes theirs. The numbers tell an important story.

In Equip's Prime Protein (per 25g serving, unflavored), the three most abundant amino acids are glycine (5.0g), proline (3.0g), and hydroxyproline (2.55g). Those three amino acids alone account for 10.55g — roughly 50% of the total protein. Glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline are the signature amino acids of collagen, not muscle meat.

This means Equip's beef protein is significantly collagen-derived. Their processing method — cooking beef bones, extracting protein, drying it — naturally produces a protein that's roughly half collagen and half muscle protein. That's not a quality problem. Collagen amino acids are genuinely useful for joints, skin, and gut health. But it's a different product than what most people picture when they hear "beef protein isolate."

PaleoPro's approach is different. We use HydroBEEF — a beef protein isolate processed from muscle tissue — and blend it with egg white protein. The egg white adds the amino acids that beef isolate (especially collagen-heavy beef protein) is lower in: leucine, isoleucine, valine, tryptophan, and methionine.

Leucine: The Muscle-Building Trigger

Leucine is the amino acid that directly triggers muscle protein synthesis. It's the reason the fitness industry obsesses over BCAAs.

• PaleoPro: 1.8g leucine per serving
• Equip: 0.93g leucine per serving

PaleoPro delivers nearly double the leucine. The difference comes from egg white protein, which is rich in leucine (6.8% by weight) and has a PDCAAS of 1.0 — the highest possible protein quality score.

For context, most research suggests you need 2-3g of leucine per meal to maximally stimulate muscle protein synthesis. At 1.8g, PaleoPro gets you closer to that threshold from the protein powder alone. At 0.93g, Equip needs more help from your food.

The Collagen Advantage (Equip's Genuine Strength)

Here's where we give credit: Equip's higher collagen amino acid content is actually an advantage if your goal is joint support, gut health, or skin elasticity. Glycine supports intestinal lining repair and has documented anti-inflammatory properties. Proline and hydroxyproline are direct building blocks for collagen synthesis.

If you're choosing a protein powder primarily for connective tissue support and you don't have egg allergies, Equip's higher collagen profile is meaningful. If you're choosing for muscle building, daily protein intake, or workout recovery — where leucine and BCAAs drive the result — PaleoPro's blend is the stronger choice.

Ingredients Compared

PaleoPro Paleo Protein (Ancient Cacao)

1. HydroBEEF (beef protein isolate)
2. Egg white protein
3. Monk fruit
4. Sunflower lecithin (cold-pressed)

Equip Prime Protein (Chocolate)

1. Grass-fed beef protein
2. Coconut milk powder
3. Sea salt
4. Natural flavors
5. Acacia fiber
6. Beet juice (color)
7. Stevia leaf extract

Both are clean labels. Neither contains artificial sweeteners, gums, thickeners, or dairy. Equip's unflavored version has literally one ingredient (grass-fed beef protein), which is hard to beat for minimalism. Their flavored versions add more components — coconut milk powder for creaminess, acacia fiber for texture, beet juice for color.

PaleoPro keeps the same four ingredients across all flavors. The difference is philosophical: PaleoPro uses egg white protein to improve the amino acid profile. Equip stays beef-only to keep it egg-free.

Sweetener: Monk Fruit vs. Stevia

This matters more than most comparisons acknowledge, because you're consuming this daily.

PaleoPro uses monk fruit (mogroside V). Zero calories, zero glycemic impact, no documented effects on gut microbiome, and sensory panels rate it as "cleaner" and "more sugar-like" than stevia with less bitter aftertaste.

Equip's original line uses stevia. Also zero calories and zero glycemic impact. The issue: 20-25% of the population genetically tastes stevia as bitter or metallic due to polymorphisms in TAS2R bitter taste receptors (Allen et al., 2013). If you're in that group, no amount of "getting used to it" changes the experience. Your hardware doesn't support stevia.

Equip clearly heard this feedback — their Low Sugar line uses coconut sugar + monk fruit instead. That's a good option if you want Equip without stevia, though the coconut sugar adds a few calories.

Monk fruit costs more to source and process than stevia. When a brand uses it, they're choosing a more expensive ingredient because the consumer experience is better. Both PaleoPro and Equip's Low Sugar line made that choice.

Sourcing and Testing

Equip: Grass-fed, pasture-raised cattle from the USA and Sweden. Every batch tested by Light Labs (ISO-accredited) for heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides, glyphosate, mycotoxins, and microplastics. Certificates of Analysis available on their website. No NSF or Informed Sport certification. Swedish sourcing benefits from strict EU animal welfare regulations.

PaleoPro: Grass-fed cattle, USA sourced. HydroBEEF is a documented, branded beef protein isolate ingredient with established processing standards. Third-party tested for quality and purity.

Credit to Equip: their published COAs and response to Consumer Reports testing (showing their chocolate tested below organic carrots for lead content) demonstrates genuine testing transparency. Their dual USA + Sweden sourcing is also a legitimate differentiator — Swedish cattle farming has among the strictest animal welfare standards in the world.

Price Per Serving

Equip is cheaper per serving. PaleoPro delivers more protein per serving. On a protein-per-dollar basis, they're remarkably close. PaleoPro actually edges slightly ahead because you're getting 26g vs 21g — a 24% protein advantage that partially offsets the price difference.

Who Should Choose Each

Choose PaleoPro if:

• Muscle building is your primary goal — the higher leucine (1.8g vs 0.93g) and BCAA content make it a better choice for stimulating muscle protein synthesis
• You want a complete amino acid profile — the beef + egg white blend provides both muscle-building amino acids AND collagen amino acids
• You prefer monk fruit — or you're in the 20-25% who taste stevia as bitter
• You want maximum protein per scoop — 26g vs 21g means fewer scoops to hit your daily targets
• You follow keto strictly — PaleoPro has 0g carbs across all flavors

Choose Equip if:

• You have an egg allergy — Equip is egg-free, PaleoPro is not. This is a clear, non-negotiable differentiator.
• You prioritize collagen amino acids — Equip's higher glycine/proline content makes it a better fit if joint support or gut health is your primary goal
• You want more flavor variety — 12+ flavors vs 3 gives you significantly more options
• You want lower calories — 90-100 calories vs ~120 per serving
• Budget matters — $2.13 vs ~$2.50 per serving adds up over months
• You want the lowest possible ingredient count — Equip's unflavored is literally one ingredient

Consider both if:

You could reasonably use PaleoPro as your daily protein for muscle and recovery, and add Equip's unflavored to smoothies or cooking where the collagen amino acids add value without the need for a complete protein profile. They're complementary, not just competitive.

FAQ

Is PaleoPro better than Equip? It depends on your goals. PaleoPro delivers more protein (26g vs 21g), nearly double the leucine (1.8g vs 0.93g), and uses monk fruit instead of stevia. For muscle building and daily protein needs, PaleoPro's beef + egg white blend provides a more complete amino acid profile. Equip is better for egg-allergy sufferers, offers more flavors, and has a higher collagen amino acid content for joint and gut health.

Is Equip Prime Protein really beef protein or is it collagen? It's both. Equip's amino acid profile shows approximately 50% collagen-derived amino acids (glycine, proline, hydroxyproline). Their processing method — slow-cooking beef bones — naturally produces a protein that's roughly half collagen and half muscle protein. It's genuinely beef-sourced, but the protein composition is different from what most people assume "beef protein isolate" means.

Why does PaleoPro have egg white protein? Egg white protein fills the amino acid gaps that beef protein isolate alone leaves. Beef protein (especially bone-derived) is lower in leucine, isoleucine, valine, and tryptophan. Egg white protein has a PDCAAS of 1.0 — the highest possible protein quality score — and is rich in the exact amino acids beef lacks. The combination gives you both muscle-building amino acids and collagen amino acids in one scoop.

Which tastes better — PaleoPro or Equip? Taste is subjective. Both get positive reviews. Equip's chocolate is frequently praised as "dessert-like." PaleoPro's Ancient Cacao has a more earthy, natural chocolate flavor. The bigger variable is sweetener: if you genetically taste stevia as bitter (20-25% of people), Equip's original line won't work for you — try their Low Sugar (monk fruit) line or PaleoPro.

Is Equip Whole30 approved? Equip's unflavored Prime Protein (one ingredient: beef protein) is Whole30-compliant. Their stevia-sweetened flavors are NOT compliant during the 30-day elimination (stevia is a sweetener). Their Low Sugar line uses coconut sugar, which is also not Whole30-compliant. PaleoPro's Plain Naked (unflavored) is Whole30-compliant for the same reason — no sweetener.

Which has better third-party testing? Equip publishes Certificates of Analysis from Light Labs and has a detailed response to Consumer Reports testing. They test for heavy metals, pesticides, microplastics, and more. Transparent third-party testing is a genuine Equip strength. Both brands test their products, but Equip's public COA documentation is more visible.

Can I use both? Yes, and it's a reasonable strategy. PaleoPro's beef + egg white blend is a better daily protein for muscle and recovery. Equip's unflavored (pure beef protein) works well added to smoothies or cooking where the extra collagen amino acids add value. Using both gives you the broadest amino acid coverage.

Sources

1. Allen AL, et al. (2013). "Polymorphisms in TAS2R Bitter Taste Receptors Are Associated with Variation in the Perception of Stevia." Chem Senses, 38(5), 379-389.
2. Munoz-Labrador A, et al. (2022). "Sensory and Physicochemical Characterization of Monk Fruit Sweetener." J Food Sci, 87(4), 1684-1695. DOI: 10.1111/1750-3841.16060
3. Sharp MH, et al. (2018). "The Effects of Beef Protein Isolate and Whey Protein Isolate Supplementation on Lean Mass and Strength." J Am Coll Nutr, 37(2), 175-183. PMID: 29135688

We make PaleoPro, so take this comparison with appropriate context. We tried to make it the comparison we'd want to read if we were choosing between two products — specific, honest, and useful. If Equip is the better fit for you, buy Equip. If the amino acid profile and monk fruit sweetener matter to you, PaleoPro Paleo Protein is what we built for exactly that reason.