ONE Bar and Think! (formerly thinkThin) have been battling for the same shelf space for years. Both deliver 20g protein. Both target the fitness-conscious consumer who wants a bar that tastes like dessert. Both cost roughly the same. So what actually separates them?
| Category | ONE Bar | Think! Protein Bar |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$2.25 | ~$2.00 |
| Calories | 220 | 230 |
| Protein | 20g | 20g |
| Fiber | 8g | 0g |
| Sugar | 1g | 0g |
| Sugar Alcohols | 5g (erythritol) | 5g (maltitol) |
| Protein Source | Whey + milk isolate | Whey + soy isolate |
| Sweetener | Sucralose | Sucralose + maltitol |
| Parent Company | Hershey's | Glanbia (also owns Optimum Nutrition) |
Both bars use sugar alcohols, but different ones. ONE Bar uses erythritol (glycemic index: 0, minimal GI side effects). Think! uses maltitol (glycemic index: 35-52, common cause of bloating and GI distress). This is a meaningful difference for anyone with a sensitive stomach or watching blood sugar.
ONE Bar delivers 8g fiber per bar. Think! delivers 0g. For satiety and blood sugar management, fiber makes a significant difference. The 8g fiber in ONE Bar contributes to feeling full longer and blunts any glycemic response from the carbohydrates.
ONE Bar uses whey protein isolate and milk protein isolate (both dairy, both high-quality, no soy). Think! uses a blend of whey protein isolate and soy protein isolate. If you're avoiding soy, ONE Bar is the cleaner option. Both deliver 20g total protein.
ONE Bar's Hershey's connection shows in the flavor engineering. Birthday Cake, Maple Glazed Donut, and Peanut Butter Cup are legitimately dessert-like. Think! flavors (Brownie Crunch, Cookies & Creme) are good but tend toward a more "protein bar" taste with a characteristic density that some find chalky.
Choose ONE Bar if: You want fiber (8g vs 0g), cleaner sugar alcohols (erythritol vs maltitol), no soy protein, and dessert-level flavor variety. Worth the extra $0.25.
Choose Think! if: Budget is the top priority ($0.25 less per bar), you don't mind maltitol or soy, and you prefer a denser bar texture. The Glanbia/Optimum Nutrition pedigree means the protein sourcing is high-quality.
Our take: ONE Bar is the better bar on nearly every dimension: better sugar alcohol, more fiber, no soy, better flavors. Think! wins on price by a small margin. For daily consumption, the erythritol vs maltitol difference alone makes ONE Bar the smarter choice for your gut.
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