PaleoPro vs Transparent Labs: Grass-Fed Beef Protein Compared

PaleoPro and Transparent Labs both sell grass-fed beef protein isolate, both have short ingredient lists, and both position themselves as clean alternatives to the supplement industry's status quo. Transparent Labs launched their beef protein in November 2025 — they're the newer entrant coming from a position of strength in whey protein (19 flavors, best-seller status, Informed Choice certified). PaleoPro has been in the beef protein space longer, with a beef + egg white blend designed to address the amino acid gaps that pure beef protein leaves. The core difference: Transparent Labs sells pure beef protein isolate. PaleoPro sells a beef + egg white protein blend.

Both are solid products from reputable brands. Here's what actually separates them.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Protein Quality: Blend vs. Pure

This is the fundamental difference between the two products, and it has real implications for who each one serves best.

PaleoPro: Beef + Egg White Blend

PaleoPro combines HydroBEEF (beef protein isolate) with egg white protein. This isn't random — it's designed to solve a specific problem.

Most beef protein isolates have amino acid profiles that lean heavily toward collagen-type amino acids: glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline. These are valuable for joints, skin, and gut health, but they're not the amino acids that drive muscle protein synthesis. What drives muscle building is leucine, isoleucine, and valine — the branched-chain amino acids.

Egg white protein fills that gap. It has a PDCAAS of 1.0 (the maximum protein quality score), is rich in leucine (6.8% by weight), and provides all 9 essential amino acids in ratios that closely match human needs. The result: PaleoPro delivers 1.8g of leucine per serving — enough to meaningfully contribute to the ~2-3g leucine threshold that triggers muscle protein synthesis.

Transparent Labs: Pure Beef Protein Isolate

Transparent Labs uses a pure hydrolyzed beef protein isolate — no egg white, no blending. Their marketing emphasizes that it contains glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline (collagen amino acids) alongside essential amino acids.

Here's the notable gap: Transparent Labs doesn't publish their amino acid profile. For a brand whose entire identity is transparency ("100% transparent labeling — every ingredient dosed in mg/g"), the absence of amino acid data on their newest product is a significant omission. Their website states the product is rich in collagen-supporting amino acids, which — based on the known composition of beef protein isolates — likely means a similar collagen-heavy amino acid profile to other pure beef proteins.

Without the published amino acid data, we can't do a precise comparison. What we can say: PaleoPro's published leucine content (1.8g) and egg white inclusion guarantee a broader amino acid profile for muscle building. Whether Transparent Labs' beef isolate approaches that leucine level is an open question they could answer by publishing the data.

Ingredients: What's in Each Scoop

PaleoPro Paleo Protein (Ancient Cacao)

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

Transparent Labs Beef Protein (Chocolate)

1. Grass-fed beef protein isolate (25.3g)
2. Cocoa powder
3. Natural chocolate flavor
4. Sodium chloride (salt)
5. Stevia extract (50-120mg)

Both are clean labels. No gums, no thickeners, no artificial anything. Transparent Labs does something unusual and genuinely good: they list the exact weight of every ingredient in milligrams or grams. You know exactly how much protein isolate (25.3g) and exactly how much stevia (50-120mg) is in each scoop. That precision is rare in the supplement industry.

PaleoPro includes sunflower lecithin for mixability — Transparent Labs doesn't. This means Transparent Labs relies entirely on the protein's own solubility. For some users that's a cleaner ingredient list. For others it means more clumping.

Sweetener: Monk Fruit vs. Stevia (Again)

Same story, different brand. PaleoPro uses monk fruit. Transparent Labs uses stevia.

The key facts: 20-25% of the population genetically perceives stevia as bitter or metallic due to TAS2R taste receptor polymorphisms (Allen et al., 2013). If you're in that group, it's not a taste preference — it's your biology. Monk fruit doesn't activate bitter receptors and rates cleaner in sensory panels.

Transparent Labs doses stevia at 50-120mg per serving, which is on the lower end. Lower stevia doses generally produce less bitterness. But if you have the genetic sensitivity, even small amounts register.

If you already use and enjoy Transparent Labs' stevia-sweetened whey protein, their beef protein will taste familiar. If stevia has ever tasted off to you, monk fruit is the better bet.

Third-Party Testing: Transparent Labs' Genuine Edge

This is where Transparent Labs has a legitimate competitive advantage.

Transparent Labs testing program:

• Informed Choice certified (tested for banned substances — safe for drug-tested athletes)
• Informed Protein certified (protein content verified to match label claims)
• NSF facility-level certification for allergen control
• Heavy metals testing every batch
• Certificates of Analysis published on each product page

Important caveat: Their beef protein launched in November 2025. The Informed Choice and Informed Protein certifications are confirmed for their whey protein. Whether the beef protein has fully cleared certification is not yet confirmed — the certification process takes time. The heavy metals testing and COAs apply to the beef protein from launch.

PaleoPro conducts third-party testing for quality and purity. What PaleoPro currently does not have: Informed Choice, Informed Protein, or NSF certifications.

If you're a drug-tested athlete or someone who specifically needs Informed Choice certification, Transparent Labs has an edge — assuming their beef protein carries the certification (check their product page for current status). For general consumer confidence in product quality, both brands test their products.

Sourcing Transparency

Here's an area where PaleoPro has a notable advantage.

PaleoPro: Uses HydroBEEF — a specific, branded beef protein isolate ingredient with documented processing standards. Sourced from grass-fed cattle in the USA.

Transparent Labs: Claims "100% Grass-Fed" in the product name. But the country of origin for their beef is not disclosed. Their whey protein specifies "American dairy cattle," but the beef protein does not make the same claim. They also don't specify grass-finished (only grass-fed, which technically allows grain-finishing). And they don't claim pasture-raised.

For a brand built on transparency, these gaps in sourcing disclosure are notable. Where the cattle are raised, whether they're grass-finished, and which country they come from all affect the nutritional and environmental profile. Transparent Labs could clear this up by publishing the data — the same way they publish ingredient weights.

Price Comparison

Transparent Labs is cheaper per serving and delivers slightly more protein per dollar. At $2.17 vs $2.50, the difference is about $10/month if you're using one serving daily. Over a year, that's ~$120 — not trivial, not deal-breaking.

The question is what you're getting for the difference: PaleoPro's monk fruit sweetener, egg white protein (with its leucine and BCAA advantage), and documented HydroBEEF sourcing. Whether that's worth $0.33/day is a personal call.

Who Should Choose Each

Choose PaleoPro if:

• Muscle building matters — the egg white protein adds leucine and BCAAs that pure beef protein lacks
• You prefer monk fruit over stevia — especially if stevia has ever tasted bitter or metallic to you
• Sourcing transparency matters — HydroBEEF is a documented, branded ingredient from USA grass-fed cattle
• You want a complete amino acid profile in one product — the beef + egg blend covers both muscle-building and collagen amino acids
• You follow AIP (post egg reintroduction) — PaleoPro's Bone Broth Collagen is AIP-compliant from day one

Choose Transparent Labs if:

• You have an egg allergy — their beef protein is egg-free
• Drug-tested athlete certification matters — Informed Choice / Informed Protein is a real differentiator for competitive athletes
• You value precise ingredient dosing — knowing the exact milligrams of every ingredient on the label is genuinely useful
• Budget is a factor — $2.17/serving vs $2.50 saves meaningful money over time
• You already trust the brand — if you've been using their whey and want a dairy-free alternative from the same company, the transition is seamless

The Honest Assessment

Transparent Labs is a well-run brand that makes good products. Their testing program is a genuine competitive advantage. Their transparent dosing sets a standard the supplement industry needs.

That said: their beef protein is brand new (November 2025), doesn't publish amino acid data, doesn't disclose sourcing country, and uses stevia. PaleoPro has been making beef protein longer, publishes leucine content, uses a documented beef + egg white blend for a broader amino acid profile, and sweetens with monk fruit.

If Transparent Labs published their amino acid profile and sourcing country, this comparison would be more precise. Until then, PaleoPro's blend approach and ingredient transparency tell a more complete story.

FAQ

Is Transparent Labs beef protein better than PaleoPro? It depends on your priorities. Transparent Labs has stronger third-party testing certifications and is $0.33 cheaper per serving. PaleoPro delivers more protein per serving (26g vs 25g), has documented leucine content (1.8g), uses monk fruit instead of stevia, and provides a broader amino acid profile through the beef + egg white blend.

Does Transparent Labs beef protein have collagen? Their marketing emphasizes glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline content — the signature amino acids of collagen. Like most beef protein isolates, it likely contains significant collagen-derived amino acids. The exact percentages are not published.

Why doesn't Transparent Labs publish their amino acid profile? We don't know. For a brand built on 100% transparent labeling, the omission is notable. They publish exact mg/g for every ingredient but not the amino acid breakdown. The data exists — every protein manufacturer has it from certificate of analysis testing.

Is Transparent Labs beef protein Informed Choice certified? Their whey protein is Informed Choice and Informed Protein certified. The beef protein launched in November 2025 and may still be going through the certification process. Check their product page for current certification status.

Which has better sourcing — PaleoPro or Transparent Labs? PaleoPro uses HydroBEEF from USA grass-fed cattle — a specific, branded ingredient with documented sourcing. Transparent Labs claims "100% Grass-Fed" but does not disclose the country of origin. Their whey specifies "American dairy cattle," but the beef protein does not make an equivalent claim.

Can I use both brands? Yes. If you value Transparent Labs' testing rigor and want a pure beef option alongside PaleoPro's more complete amino acid blend, the two products serve different functions in a daily protein strategy.

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.
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.

We built PaleoPro because the protein powder we needed didn't exist — a beef + egg white blend with monk fruit and four total ingredients. If Transparent Labs' approach fits your goals better, we respect that. If the amino acid profile, sourcing transparency, and monk fruit matter to you, PaleoPro Paleo Protein is what we'd recommend. Obviously.