What’s in the Tub
Our Amazon link points to Creamy Vanilla Bean in a 2 lb tub with 30 servings. One 30-gram scoop delivers 120 calories, 21 grams of protein, 2 grams of carbs, 3 grams of fat, 390 mg of sodium and 4 mg of iron. PlantFusion says it has no added sugars, but the label transcription we used doesn’t show fiber or sugar, so we left those blank rather than guess. The brand also calls the sodium naturally occurring, though sea salt is on the ingredient list.
The protein blend is the headliner: pea protein isolate, artichoke, organic sprouted amaranth, organic sprouted quinoa and whole algae protein, five plant sources in all, with added BCAAs and L-glutamine stirred in. A retailer’s amino profile lists leucine at 2,340 mg per serving and about 5.4 grams of BCAAs in total. There’s also a 100 mg enzyme blend of bromelain and alpha-galactosidase, but no probiotics and no added vitamins.
Sweetness comes from stevia (Reb A) and monk fruit, with organic lucuma and yacon powders. Stevia skeptics can grab the Natural – No Stevia flavor instead. One more thing: PlantFusion reformulated this powder. Older versions used fructose, and the current blend drops it and adds algae protein, so older reviews describe a different shake. Captain Vegan approves of any upgrade that adds pond power.
Taste and Texture: What Reviewers Say
Texture is where PlantFusion flexes. VegFAQs’ reviewer called it “very smooth, no chalkiness,” scored the taste 22 of 25 and gave it a perfect 25 of 25 for mixing after it left no clumps in almond milk. The same reviewer noted it’s a bit frothy and said the newer formula doesn’t taste as good as the old fructose version.
BarBend’s reviewer tried the vanilla back when it still had fructose, scored the taste 7.5 of 10 and described it as very sweet, closer to caramel than vanilla. BarBend also praised the very fine powder and said it mixes a lot better than competing brands. The common gripes: stevia sweetness, fairly high sodium and price. Captain Vegan’s opinion: if your shaker bottle has trust issues, this is the powder that wins it back.
Safety and Testing
Consumer Reports tested Creamy Vanilla Bean, the flavor our link points to, using samples bought from November 2024 to January 2025, and published the results in October 2025. A 30-gram serving had 0.69 mcg of lead, which CR put at 140% of its daily level of concern. CR rated it “OK to eat occasionally,” with a limit of 5 servings a week, and noted that PlantFusion responded only after publication.
A July 2025 Prop 65 notice names PlantFusion and Archon Vitamin over lead and cadmium in the Rich Chocolate and Cookies and Cream Complete Protein flavors, plus two other PlantFusion products. That’s an allegation, not a finding, and the Vanilla isn’t named. A separate October 2025 notice covers other PlantFusion products, not Complete Protein. Our research turned up no recalls or lawsuits for Complete Protein.
Certifications are thin. OU confirms kosher certification. PlantFusion says it’s certified Non-GMO and gluten-free, and a retailer shows a Non-GMO Project badge, but those weren’t independently confirmed. There’s no NSF Certified for Sport or Informed Choice listing for Complete Protein; the only PlantFusion product on Informed Choice’s November 2026 list is a different one, Elite Activated Peptide Protein. Smooth shake, thin paperwork.
How It Scored
PlantFusion scored 68 out of 100 on our formula. Protein quality earned 18 of 25: 7 points for 21 grams per serving, 6 of 10 for density because 70% of its calories come from protein, and 5 for the multi-source blend. Value scored 18 of 25, right in the middle: measured by what 20 grams of protein cost at the Amazon price on our Nov 3, 2026 scoring date, it’s the sixth cheapest in our top 10.
Purity is the weak spot at 11 of 25, tied for the lowest in our top 10. It started at the 15-point baseline, earned no certification bonus, lost 2 for CR’s 140% lead result and lost 2 more for the 2025 Prop 65 notice naming two other flavors. Taste and mixing scored 21 of 25, second only to Ritual: 16.3 of 20 for taste, averaged from VegFAQs and BarBend, plus a perfect 5 of 5 for mixing. Gold medal in the shaker, bench warmer on purity.
How It Compares
Ritual Essential Protein (No. 7, 63/100) is PlantFusion’s texture twin, with perfect mixing scores from two reviewers. Ritual scored better on purity, thanks to a Clean Label Project Purity Award, NSF Contents certification and a lower CR lead result (107%, Chocolate, Jan 2026), but it’s the most expensive protein per gram in our top 10. Vega Protein + Recovery (No. 2, 72/100) brings 30 grams per scoop and NSF Certified for Sport, though CR measured more lead in its Chocolate (185%, Oct 2025).
Naked Pea (No. 1, 84/100) wins on value and purity score and hasn’t been tested by CR, but it’s unflavored, so the smoothness is up to you. Want more powders that won’t clump? See our no-clumps guide.