Athletic Greens Alternatives | BarBend (2024)

If you’re in the market for the best greens powders, you’ve probably heard of AG1. Athletic Greens AG1 is a broad-ranging micronutrient supplement that claims to support your overall health and well-being, including energy levels, immune system strength, mental clarity and focus, gut health, and more. It does this, the logic goes, through its vegan-friendly formula of more than 50 “superfood” ingredients, such as spirulina, green tea leaf, chlorella, ashwagandha, and wheat grass — and through its “no” list, including added sugar, artificial sweeteners, and GMOs.

So what’s the issue? Registered dietitian Chelsea Rae Bourgeois says, “AG1 Athletic Greens may help boost your intake of important nutrients, but it definitely comes at a cost — and the cost ain’t cheap!” Specifically, it comes at a cost of $99 per month for 30 servings of the powder. Yikes. At BarBend, we’ve tested over 40 of greens powders, and we think Transparent Labs Prebiotics Greens, Jacked Factory Greens Surge, and Vibrant Health Green Vibrance are all excellent (and more affordable!) Athletic Greens alternatives.

Athletic Greens

Athletic Greens

This nutritious greens powder is NSF certified for sport and includes 75 absorbable ingredients and is free of gluten, sugar, dairy, eggs, and peanuts. It is compatible with vegan, keto, and paleo diets.

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Top Athletic Greens AG1 Alternatives

As Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, an RD and one of BarBend’s expert reviewers, points out, AG1 provides a concentrated source of nutrients, along with beneficial probiotics and digestive enzymes. It’s also third-party tested, which Bourgeois says is a major pro in the supplement industry — which is not regulated by any agency. The best alternatives to Athletic Greens feature nutrient-rich formulas and transparent labels:

• Transparent Labs Prebiotic Greens
• Jacked Factory Green Surge
• Green Vibrance

Transparent Labs Prebiotic Greens Vs. Athletic Greens

Transparent Labs frequently tops our guides to the best dietary supplements because our team of certified nutrition coaches, personal trainers, and registered dietitians appreciates the brand’s commitment to transparent labels — we like knowing what’s in our supplements, and we think you will, too.

Transparent Labs Prebiotic Greens

Transparent Labs Prebiotic Greens

A simple but effectively-dosed supplement that emphasizes sea greens and prebiotic fiber, and contains other ingredients in full doses backed by science. Use the code BARBEND10 for 10% off!

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Registered dietitian Chelsea Rae Bourgeois rated the formula for Transparent Labs Prebiotic Greens with 4 out of 5 points. “I’m a huge fan of the nutrition facts for Transparent Labs Prebiotic Greens,” she says. “The greens powder contains a list of health-promoting vegetables that provide 6 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein per scoop.”

And, she continues, “There are no artificial flavors, sweeteners, or preservatives. You’re paying for high-quality ingredients, not fluff!” It’s Informed Choice certified, too, meaning it’s third-party tested and certified to be free from harmful impurities like mold, yeast, and metals.

You may notice when comparing labels that the Transparent Labs label is eons shorter than the AG1 label, and therefore think AG1 is automatically better due to its longer list of ingredients. That’s not necessarily the case. The Transparent Labs formula is narrower and focused on aquatic greens and prebiotic fiber, but it still provides a respectable dose of nutrients, including electrolytes, antioxidants, and fibers.

Plus, there are no proprietary blends in Transparent Lab’s formula, so you know exactly how much of each ingredient you’re getting. The proprietary blends in AG1 are a major downfall of the product, according to Bourgeois. “Unfortunately, AG1 Athletic Greens is packed with proprietary blends, so you don’t really even know what you’re spending your money on. On a budget, I’d be more inclined to add more nutrient-dense whole foods to my diet to obtain the same effects.”

Looking at pricing, Transparent Labs Prebiotic Fiber is substantially less expensive than Athletic Greens AG1. Prebiotic Greens cost $1.53 per serving compared to AG1’s $3.30 per serving. “Transparent Labs Prebiotic Greens powder is packed with nutrients, protein, and fiber all at an affordable price,” Bourgeois says. “It’s also third-party tested, giving customers added peace of mind in its formula. And no proprietary blends!”

[Related: High-Fiber Foods]

Jacked Factory Green Surge Vs. Athletic Greens

Another green superfood powder high on our list is Jacked Factory Green Surge. Registered dietitian Chelsea Rae Bourgeois sums it up: “Jacked Factory’s Green Surge is a cost-effective way to include a greens powder in your supplement routine.”

Jacked Factory Green Surge

Jacked Factory Green Surge

This greens supplement costs only about $0.83 per serving, making it one of the most cost-friendly greens powders on the market. However, it's also loaded with digestive enzymes, probiotics, and essential nutrients.

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And it sure is, at just $1.65 per serving. The price isn’t the only appealing thing about Green Surge. The formula is chock-full of ingredients that may bring about multiple health benefits, such as fiber and antioxidant-rich barley grass and broccoli plant powder.

“I love that Jacked Factory Green Surge includes a probiotic and inulin blend — talk about a way to promote strong immune function and gut health,” says Bourgeois. “Still, we can’t be sure how much of each ingredient is included in the blend.”

That said, all of the other ingredients are present with exact doses listed, which Bourgeois says she’s a big fan of. The fewer proprietary blends, the better, because we know what we’re really consuming. All things considered, Bourgeois rates the Green Surge formula with 4 out of 5 points.

Compared to Athletic Greens, the ingredient list for Green Surge is shorter. As mentioned when comparing AG1 to Transparent Labs, this doesn’t automatically mean AG1 is better. Instead, think of Green Surge as a more focused formula that includes several high-impact ingredients, including spirulina, spinach leaf, wheatgrass, collards, green tea leaf, grape seed extract, and more.

One big thing to note is that Green Surge does not appear to be third-party tested by an independent lab, whereas AG1 is NSF Certified for Sport. While our team of fitness and nutrition professionals prefers supplements with independent testing, we still like Green Surge’s transparent label with clearly listed doses for most ingredients (as opposed to the stack of proprietary blends in Athletic Greens).

[Related: Best Multivitamins]

Green Vibrance Vs. Athletic Greens

Green Vibrance from Vibrant Health is another popular greens powder and a popular one among individuals who prefer organic ingredients: Several items in the ingredients list are USDA certified organic.

Vibrant Health Green Vibrance

Vibrant Health Green Vibrance

Dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free, non-GMO, and vegan-friendly, this greens powder provides 25 billion probiotics, and a mixture of antioxidants, essential micronutrients, adaptogens, and plant-powered superfoods.

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Like AG1, Green Vibrance carries a stacked formula with an impressive list of more than 50 ingredients. The two powders feature many of the same ingredients, and both contain probiotics, digestive enzymes, antioxidants, and mushroom blends for cognitive benefits. AG1 contains more adaptogens, while Green Vibrance contains significantly more probiotics with 25 billion CFUs per serving compared to AG1’s 7.2 billion CFUs per serving.

Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, M.S., R.D., L.D.N., explains: “Most greens powders hide their claims in proprietary blends, but not Green Vibrance. I’m still waiting on conclusive evidence that greens powders are as beneficial as they claim to be, but in the meantime, I appreciate the transparency that Green Vibrance offers in their product…Green Vibrance offers some decent transparency in their ingredients list. No proprietary blends in this greens powder,” unlike Athletic Greens.

The primary downfall of Green Vibrance compared to Athletic Greens is the fact that it doesn’t appear to be third-party tested, while AG1 has an NSF Informed Sport Certified mark. Cost-wise, Green Vibrance is cheaper, like most Athletic Greens alternatives. It costs about $1.65 per serving compared to AG1’s whopping $3.30 per serving. Plus Vibrant Health is a Black-owned company, which may be a big plus for many customers.

[Related: How to Improve Gut Health]

What Is Athletic Greens AG1?

Athletic Greens AG1 is what some would call a superfood blend. It’s a dietary supplement with more than 50 ingredients in proprietary blends, and it aims to provide all of the nutrients you’d get from a day’s worth of servings of fruits and vegetables.

In addition to vitamins and minerals, the blend also includes a probiotic blend, digestive enzymes, antioxidants, and fiber. Sweetened with stevia, it’s virtually sugar-free, with less than 1 gram of naturally occurring sugar.

It’s vegan-friendly, gluten-free, non-GMO, dairy-free, and keto-friendly, making it suitable for most dietary needs and preferences. (It is not soy-free.)

Read our full Athletic Greens Review.

Why Should You Consider Athletic Greens Alternatives?

The main reason people look for an AG1 alternative, in my experience, is the price point, and that’s a perfectly valid reason to look elsewhere for your greens powder supplement. Spending nearly $100 per month on a greens powder simply isn’t realistic for the majority of people, and there are absolutely solid options available that cost much less.

Another reason people may look to other options is the prevalence of proprietary blends in Athletic Greens AG1. Nothing on the label is listed with an exact dose, so there’s no way of knowing how much of which ingredient you’re taking.

So, though the formula is stacked with nutrient-rich ingredients like moringa, beetroot, turmeric, and alfalfa, the doses of these ingredients are unknown. According to registered dietitian Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, that’s a major con to the product, and she says she’d spend her money on whole fruits and veggies if on a tight budget.

Athletic Greens AG1 Vs. Alternatives

What Makes a Good Greens Powder?

As a potential buyer of a greens powder, it’s important to consider a few key factors in your search.

Price

Considering that the scientific verdict is still out about whether or not greens powders actually work, my advice to you as a nutrition coach is to start with budget as the primary factor in your purchasing decision. Greens powders range from as little as $1 per serving to more than $3 per serving. With this wide price range, it’s important to pick one that fits into your monthly budget.

Formula

Greens powders can contain a handful of ingredients or a list that’s dozens long. Choose based on your goals and what the greens powder claims to do. For instance, some have formulas focused on weight loss, others aim to prevent bloating or cravings, and still others simply intend to replace a multivitamin. Though it’s unclear whether fruit and vegetable powders work or not, the ingredients in them certainly do have potential benefits. It’s all a matter of investigating whether the ingredients in the formula support your health goals. (1)(2)

Dosing and Proprietary Blends

Perhaps even more important than what’s included in the powder is how much of each ingredient is present. Many greens powders utilize proprietary blends, which is just a fancy way of saying a blend unique to the manufacturer. Because greens powders are supplements and not foods, manufacturers are not required to list the amounts of each ingredient if they are present as part of a proprietary blend. So, though a lot of greens powders contain 20 or more ingredients, many of them don’t list the actual dose, leaving consumers wondering about the potency and efficacy of the powder. (3)

[Related: Best Fruit and Vegetable Supplements]

Third-Party Testing

Because supplements are not heavily regulated by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), it’s unfortunately common for supplement labels to be inaccurate. In fact, one study found that only 11% of supplements actually contain what’s stated on the label in the stated amounts. (4) Third-party testing, depending on the thoroughness, can certify that what’s on a label is what’s in the product, as well as detect harmful impurities like yeasts, molds, pathogens, and metals.

Taste and Texture

Greens taste… green. Typically, even with sweeteners and flavorings, greens powders still taste grassy or earthy. We recommend taking a quick peek at customer reviews to find out whether the taste is palatable or just plain yucky. Same with texture: A greens powder will be that much more difficult to drink if it doesn’t mix well in water or juice.

FAQs: Athletic Greens Alternatives

References

1. Lamprecht M. Supplementation with mixed fruit and vegetable concentrates in relation to athlete’s health and performance: scientific insight and practical relevance. Med Sport Sci. 2012;59:70-85. https://doi:10.1159/000341960
2. Esfahani A, Wong JM, Truan J, et al. Health effects of mixed fruit and vegetable concentrates: a systematic review of the clinical interventions. J Am Coll Nutr. 2011;30(5):285-294. https://doi:10.1080/07315724.2011.10719971
3. Office of Inspector General — OEI, H. (2012). Dietary Supplements: Structure/Function Claims Fail To Meet Federal Requirements (OEI-01-11-00210; 10/12). October. https://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-01-11-00210.pdf
4. Cohen PA, Avula B, Katragunta K, Travis JC, Khan I. Presence and Quantity of Botanical Ingredients With Purported Performance-Enhancing Properties in Sports Supplements. JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(7):e2323879. https://doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.23879