Starbucks’ new protein drinks launched yesterday, and as committed journalists, Martha and I had to try them. We ordered two of the new protein drinks—the iced vanilla latte with vanilla cold foam and the vanilla matcha latte—and compared the sugar-free protein version with the regular version. Hopefully we’re not late to our 5th period classes.

Iced Vanilla Latte with Vanilla Cold Foam

Price: $8.75/16 oz ($6.75/16 oz w/o protein cold foam)

Comparable drink: $7.20/16 oz ($5.95/16 oz w/o regular cold foam)) 

Protein: 44 g/16 oz (29 grams in latte + 15 grams in cold foam)

We ordered the sugar-free iced vanilla latte with the vanilla cold foam, which is an add-on. Just the protein latte itself is $6.75—the protein cold foam adds a whopping $2.00 compared to the regular $1.25.

The first thing we noticed was that the protein cold foam was significantly less foamy than the regular cold foam. Whereas the regular vanilla cold foam held its shape even after half an hour in the sun, the protein cold foam started melting after just a few minutes. The regular cold foam was also lighter and had larger air bubbles, but the protein version was denser. However, the taste was virtually indistinguishable. We do think that the main draw of Starbucks Cold Foam is that it does have that light-as-a-cloud texture, but some may be willing to sacrifice that for a protein-filled, more velvety experience.

Visually, the latte and the protein latte looked pretty similar. The regular latte had started separating slightly and there was a distinct difference between the top half and the bottom. Curiously, however, the protein latte didn’t have this problem, maybe due to the way the latte is made or some characteristic of the protein milk itself. 

Unlike most protein drinks on the market, the Starbucks vanilla latte is smooth and silky with no protein powder texture. If you’re looking for a protein drink that doesn’t leave the typical chalky coating your tongue, this will probably be right up your alley.

The difference is in the flavor. We noticed that the protein latte had an extra flavor that the regular latte didn’t have, but it wasn’t entirely unpleasant. It was a little bit umami and we felt it just added extra depth to the regular drink. That being said, it probably isn’t for everyone. The protein latte was also sweeter, which is probably because of the sugar-free syrup.

Martha’s rating: 8/10 “I drank it really fast”

Lily’s rating: 7/10 “better than the regular one”

Iced Matcha

Price: $6.75/16 oz $0.42/oz

Comparable drink: $5.45/16 oz 

Protein: 36 g/16 oz

Okay, we’ll say it: the protein matcha latte is almost exactly the same as the regular. We ordered the sugar-free Vanilla Protein Matcha and a regular matcha latte, because there is no sugar-free equivalent to the regular matcha latte. 

The protein latte was a tiny bit darker than the matcha, but it was barely noticeable and could be due to slight differences in the amount of matcha or milk used. The regular matcha was slightly foamy on top, probably due to the matcha and the milk being whisked together quickly. The protein matcha was vastly more foamy, almost to the point where we questioned if we had accidentally ordered cold foam on top. It looked more similar to the vanilla protein latte, with the denser protein cold foam, than the regular matcha. Like the vanilla latte, the regular matcha latte started separating almost immediately and the protein matcha did not suffer the same effect.

However, the taste was nearly identical. Unlike the latte, the matcha didn’t have the same extra umami flavor, or if it did, it was disguised by the rest of the matcha flavor profile. The only small difference was the addition of vanilla, which was to be expected. The taste would probably be indistinguishable if we had ordered the regular protein matcha. Like the vanilla latte, we didn’t notice a significant problem with the texture of the protein matcha.

Martha’s rating: 6/10 “tastes like matcha”

Lily’s rating: 8/10 “the vanilla is like ice cream”

For us, the protein drinks are a win. But at $1.30+ more than the regular version, is it really worth it? Would it be more efficient and cost effective to put protein powder in your matcha or coffee instead? Maybe we’ll try that next.

This article was sponsored by Martha Willard (She bought the Starbucks).