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The Best Mass Gainers for Packing on Weight
Up your calorie intake with our guide on the best mass gainers, with expert advice from a sports nutritionist
Expert consulted: Kate Neudecker
If you’re embarking on a bulk – widely considered the most efficient way of packing on mass quickly – you’re essentially going to need to consume more calories than your body requires each day: i.e. a calorie surplus.
Though upping your daily calorie intake might sound like fun, in reality, squeezing additional high-calorie meals into your daily diet can be time-consuming, costly, mentally fatiguing and, potentially, unhealthy. That's where the best mass gainers can be beneficial.
Best Mass Gainers
- Best Mass Gainer with Creatine: Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass
- Best Value Mass Gainer: Bulk Mass Gainer
- Best for Athletes: MaxiMuscle Progain
- Best Vegan Mass Gainer: Protein Works Vegan Mass Matrix 360
Essentially high-calorie protein powder, mass (or weight) gainers – when used to support a balanced and healthy diet – are a convenient nutritional supplement for quickly and efficiently 'bulking', while still giving you control over how much protein, carbs and fat you're consuming.
To help you find the best mass gainers for your training, we enlisted the help of a sports performance nutritionist to find out all the essential information you need when shopping. In line with his advice, we list a handful of our top recommended mass gainers for packing on muscle in 2026.
What Is a Mass Gainer?
‘A mass gainer is essentially a higher-calorie protein powder, with a little added carbs and fats to bolster the caloric content,’ says Yiannis Fleming, a sports performance coach and qualified nutritionist.
Mass gainers, like high-calorie protein powders, are best suited to those struggling to consume enough calories to put on muscle, or for anyone who is bulking and looking to supplement their regular diet with additional carbs and fats.
‘This type of protein powder makes it easier to consume calories on a consistent basis than having to consume those calories from whole foods,’ Fleming adds. ‘Mass gainers aren’t supposed to replace a balanced diet, but rather complement this and allow you to consume the calories you need on those busy, unplanned days when you need to rely on convenience.’
What to Consider
Along with the standard considerations you should make when buying a protein-based supplement – like taste, price and protein content – there are some extra things you should think about when shopping for a mass gainer with a view to increasing bodyweight and muscle mass.
Calories
Most decent mass gainers contain 30-50g of protein, which is all you should need from a supplement outside of your regular diet. But aside from protein content, you should also pay close attention to what else is on the nutrition label. ‘As they contain added carbs and fats, it's important to note that one downside is that mass gainers are not very filling,' says Fleming. 'Which is great if you struggle to consume enough calories daily and have high energy demands, but people tend to overestimate the amount of calories they need.'
In order to use mass gainers effectively, 'keep in mind that if you're attempting to "bulk" in order to gain muscle quickly, you may also store fat, especially if a mass gainer contains many more calories than you need'. In which case, you might be better off having a regular protein powder and focusing your 'bulk' on 'more satiating whole foods'.
Drawbacks
There are two main drawbacks to using a mass gainer powder, according to Fleming. ‘The first is that if you're not being calculated with your energy intake, mass gainers can easily take you way over your calorie target and cause fat storage. So only include one if you struggle to meet your energy demands regularly and require calories equivalent to a main meal.
‘The second is gastrointestinal stress. In other words, stomach aches, cramps or discomfort. This isn't exclusive to mass gainers, but rather applies to any type of food or drink with a large amount of calories. When you consume a lot of calories fairly quickly, sometimes this can upset your stomach. If this is the case, be sure to exclude any potential ingredients or intolerances causing this, drink your shake more slowly, and even halve the portion so you're giving your stomach time to digest.’
Accreditation
As with all sports nutrition products, choosing a mass gainer that has been third-party tested will give you the peace of mind that it has exactly what it says it has inside and nothing that it doesn’t. Look for products with either an Informed Choice or Informed Sport accreditation if you want the assurance that each batch has been tested and is free from banned substances.
How We Selected
Our team of editors and in-house nutritionists rated each of the contenders on flavour, texture, aroma and ease of use, also ensuring each followed the criteria set out above by Fleming. We prioritised brands and the more calorie-dense formulas of whey protein powders that we have previously featured in our 2026 and 2025 Sports Nutrition Awards, as well as any products that have been third-party tested.
The Best Mass Gainers and High Calorie Protein Powders
Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass
Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass
Pros
- 50g of protein
- Contains creatine
- Over 1,200 calories per serving
Cons
- High calorie content could upset digestion
- Costly per serving
The Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass Powder lives up to its name. Packing an enormous 1268 kcal and 50g of protein per serving, if you struggle to put on weight, or have a lofty daily calorie target to hit, this mass gainer will give you big boost.
The recommended serving size of 334g is about as large as you'll find, which isn't great for your wallet as you'll get through the tub quicker than you would with similar-sized alternatives with smaller serving sizes. That being said, it also includes 25 vitamins and minerals, and 3g of creatine to support muscle growth and recovery from intense exercise.
Read More: Best Creatine Supplements
Features at a Glance
| Protein | 50g |
|---|---|
| Calories (kcal) | 1268 |
| Carbs | 256g |
| Fat | 4.6g |
Pros
- 40g of protein
- More affordable per serving than alternatives
This mass gainer from Bulk is packed with 43g of protein – a blend of fast-acting whey protein concentrate and slow-acting milk protein concentrate – which Bulk says provides your body with proteins that each offer a different rate of absorption.
Ideal for gradually and conveniently building mass, this weight gainer packs 572 kcal per serving, 81g of carbohydrates sourced from ultra-fine Scottish oats, and 6.8g of fat.
It's available in a choice of seven flavours, including chocolate, vanilla, banana, strawberry, and chocolate cookies, and is suitable for both vegetarians and people who follow a halal diet.
Read More: Best Whey Protein Powder
Per Serving
| Protein | 43g |
|---|---|
| Calories (kcal) | 572 |
| Carbohydrates | 65g |
| Fat | 6.8g |
Progain All-In-One Protein Powder
Progain All-In-One Protein Powder
Pros
- Informed-Sport certification
- 38g of protein
- Added vitamin B6
Maximuscle's Progain is Informed-Sport certified, which makes it a solid option for anyone who wants extra reassurance around banned-substance testing. It has a strong macro profile, with 54g of carbs and up to 38g of protein from a blend of whey and casein per serving. Each serving provides 500+ calories, making it a convenient way to increase your calorie intake if you’re trying to gain weight, while the classic flavours – chocolate, vanilla and strawberry – taste great and mix well.
Per Serving
| Protein | 38g |
|---|---|
| Calories (kcal) | 500 |
| Carbs | 54g |
| Fat | 14g |
Protein Works Vegan Mass Matrix 360
Pros
- Protein blend covers full amino acid profile
- High in calories
Cons
- Non-endurance athletes might find it too high in carbs
If you're looking to pack on mass on a plant-based diet, this vegan mass gainer from Protein Works is a quality option. It consists of 50g of protein derived from pea, brown rice and soy proteins, giving it a complete amino acid profile – great for supporting muscle recovery while also upping your calorie intake.
Each shake contains up to 740 calories per serving, making it a great post-workout option for supporting muscle growth and boosting your calorie intake when putting on weight.
Read More: Best Vegan Protein Powder
Per Serving
| Protein | 50g |
|---|---|
| Calories (kcal) | 740 |
| Carbs | 120g |
| Fat | 8g |
Are Mass Gainers Healthy?
Mass gainers are 'essentially just powdered food', so when used correctly, yes, they are healthy. However, as Fleming explains, 'context is important'.
‘Someone who is consistently under-eating and struggling to manage their bodyweight would likely find health benefits from including a mass gainer as it contains additional calories (energy) for them,' he says. 'Remember that being chronically underweight or underfed is unhealthy, too.
‘Whereas, someone with a higher body fat percentage who is already overeating would likely make their health markers worse if they were to consume high-calorie mass gainer shakes, since they would be eliciting further fat storage.’
Are Mass Gainers Safe?
Mass gainers don't contain any dangerous ingredients, so there's nothing to worry about there. That being said, as with any typical diet, 'you should be careful not to consume too much added sugar for metabolic health or saturated fat for heart health, which is often present in moderate doses in mass gainers', says Fleming.
'However, so long as your macros and calories are in order, you shouldn't need to worry about gaining the wrong kind of gains from this powdered food.'
More Sports Nutrition Buys
Best Protein Powders | Best Whey Protein Powders | Best Creatine Supplements | Best Pre-Workouts | Best Meal Replacement Shakes | Best Mass Gainers | Best Protein Bars | Best Vegan Protein Bars | Best Electrolytes
Luke Chamberlain is the ecommerce editor for Men’s Health UK where he compiles expert-led buying guides and in-depth product reviews across gym wear, fitness tech, supplements, and grooming. Responsible for testing everything from the latest gym headphones to the best beard trimmers, Luke also enlists the help of leading health and wellness experts to help readers make informed choices when shopping online. He also covers major sales events for Men’s Health, including Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day, scouting and verifying hundreds of discounts in order to recommend only the most genuine deals on offer. A magazine journalism graduate from the University of Sheffield in 2018, Luke has also worked as assistant editor for Outdoor Swimmer magazine and as an ecommerce writer for The Recommended. When he’s not testing the latest health and fitness products, he’s busy plotting routes for his next trail run or gravel ride out of London. Follow Luke on Instagram at @lukeochamb
Kate is a fitness writer for Men’s Health UK where she contributes regular workouts, training tips and nutrition guides. She has a post graduate diploma in Sports Performance Nutrition and before joining Men’s Health she was a nutritionist, fitness writer and personal trainer with over 5k hours coaching on the gym floor. Kate has a keen interest in volunteering for animal shelters and when she isn’t lifting weights in her garden, she can be found walking her rescue dog.
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