What Gainful does

Gainful Health Inc., operating under the brand Gainful, is a direct-to-consumer personalized sports nutrition company founded in 2017 and based in San Francisco, with a corporate office at 137 W 25th Street, New York. The company sells protein powders and adjacent performance supplements (pre-workout, hydration, daily greens, creatine, grass-fed collagen, and three performance boosts) to U.S. consumers, primarily through its own e-commerce site at gainful.com. Its central proposition is personalization: an online quiz assesses dietary restrictions (No Restrictions, Low-Lactose, Plant-Based), primary fitness goals (Build Muscle, Get Lean, Gain Weight), and usage frequency to recommend one of seven proprietary protein blends (Everyday Whey, Everyday Plant, Collagen Whey, Isolate-Only Whey, Lean Whey, Lean Plant, and Performance Whey). All proteins are unflavored and paired with individually sold flavor packets in eight natural flavors, enabling customers to vary taste daily without committing to a single-flavor container.

Underlying the personalization layer is a proprietary dataset Gainful cites as exceeding 100 million data points, accumulated through quiz responses and customer behavior since inception, which informs formula development. A Science Advisory Board (including Chris Mohr PhD RD and Dr. David Martin) and a third-party testing partnership with Light Labs support quality and clinical positioning; per-batch test results for 4–25 substances are published on product pages. The retail product line is priced from $14.99 (Blender Bottle) to $45.99 (Daily Performance Greens), with most proteins priced $31.99–$37.99.

Gainful operates a subscription-led revenue model: customers enrolled in Subscribe & Save receive a 25% discount on every order and free shipping, with shipments dispatched every four weeks and management (pause, skip, cancel) available through the account dashboard. One-time purchases are also offered at full price. Marketing is product-led: the quiz funnels users from consideration to first order, supported by content marketing (The Edge blog), email/SMS automation, a referral program ($30 commission per converted customer, friends receive 30% off first order), and earned-media coverage in Buzzfeed, Insider, Healthline, and FittInsider. As of the most recent disclosures, the company claims 300,000+ happy customers on its homepage and over 1 million on its reviews page, with an aggregate 4.8/5 rating across 59,559 reviews, and is testing physical retail through a Chelsea Piers Fitness cafe partnership slated for 2026.

Name

Gainful

Legal name

Gainful Health Inc.

Website

https://gainful.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Gainful is a direct-to-consumer personalized sports nutrition company offering subscription-based protein powders and supplements tailored to individual fitness goals, dietary preferences, and usage patterns through its proprietary quiz-driven recommendation and flavor packet customization system.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Personalized Sports Nutrition Supplements

NAICS

Food (Health) Supplement Retailers (456191)

SIC

Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports Nutrition (Protein, Creatine, Pre-Workout/Intra-Workout) (CRADAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sports & Performance Nutrition Foods Manufacturing (Protein Foods, Energy Gels/Bars) (AFAKAJAE), Weight Management & Metabolic Supplements (CRADAGAG), Sports Nutrition & Performance Fueling (HSADAFAD)

Keywords

• Personalized sports nutrition
• Protein powder supplements
• Subscription supplements
• D2C nutrition brand
• Customizable workout supplements

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales: E-commerce sales of protein powders, pre-workout, hydration, greens, and performance boosts directly to consumers through gainful.com. Products include protein powders ($31.99-$37.99), Creatine Monohydrate ($23.99), Daily Performance Greens ($45.99), and various boosts and flavor packets.
2. Subscription Service: Automatic recurring subscription service delivering personalized protein powder every 4 weeks. Subscribers save 25% on every order and receive free shipping. Subscriptions can be paused, skipped, or cancelled anytime through account dashboard.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Gainful sells personalized sports nutrition supplements—primarily customizable protein powders in seven distinct blends (Everyday Whey, Everyday Plant, Collagen Whey, Isolate-Only Whey, Lean Whey, Lean Plant, and Performance Whey)—along with pre-workout formulas, electrolyte hydration, daily greens, creatine, collagen, and performance boosts. Products are sold direct-to-consumer via subscription (4-week delivery cycle with 25% savings and free shipping) or one-time purchase through gainful.com, matched to customers via an interactive personalized quiz.

Product overview

Gainful is a personalized nutrition company offering a portfolio of clean supplement products centered around customizable protein powders. The core offering consists of seven distinct protein blend formulations (Everyday Whey, Everyday Plant, Collagen Whey, Isolate-Only Whey, Lean Whey, Lean Plant, and Performance Whey), each designed for specific fitness goals such as overall wellness, lean muscle, weight management, or post-workout recovery. These proteins are intentionally unflavored and paired with Gainful's proprietary Flavor Packets system, allowing customers to customize taste daily. Beyond proteins, the portfolio includes pre-workout supplements (Performance, Caffeine Free, and High Intensity variants), hydration products, daily greens, creatine, and three performance boosts (Muscle Recovery, Get Lean, and Gut Health). The company differentiates through a personalized quiz that recommends protein blends based on dietary restrictions, fitness goals, and usage patterns. Products are sold via subscription with a 25% savings and free shipping.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Everyday Whey Protein A versatile whey protein blend combining fast-acting whey concentrate and isolate with slow-digesting micellar casein for sustained muscle support and overall wellness, with 23g protein per serving. Designed for individuals seeking everyday protein supplementation.
• Everyday Plant Protein A plant-based protein combining organic pea and rice proteins to form a complete amino acid profile for overall health and performance, with digestive enzymes for smooth digestion. Designed for individuals seeking a plant-based everyday protein supplement.
• Collagen Whey Protein A low-lactose blend of whey protein isolate and grass-fed collagen peptides providing 21g protein per serving with dual support for muscle recovery and joint/skin health. Designed for low-lactose users seeking muscle and joint/skin support.
• Isolate-Only Whey Protein A 100% whey protein isolate formula providing 25g protein per serving with only 100 calories, virtually lactose-free for sensitive stomachs. Designed for users needing high protein with minimal lactose.
• Lean Whey Protein A low-calorie whey protein blend formulated with green tea extract and fiber to support metabolism and satiety for lean muscle tone and weight management. Designed for individuals pursuing lean body composition goals.
• Lean Plant Protein A vegan protein powder with 20g of organic pea and rice protein, enhanced with fiber and green tea extract to promote healthy metabolism, satiety, and gut harmony. Designed for plant-based users pursuing lean muscle and weight management.
• Performance Whey Protein A higher-calorie whey protein with 25g protein, tart cherry powder, and fast-digesting carbohydrates designed to refuel and accelerate post-workout recovery. Designed for athletes and high-performance training.
• Performance Pre-Workout A balanced pre-workout supplement providing steady energy and endurance for workouts, available in caffeinated options. Designed for individuals seeking pre-workout energy and focus.
• Caffeine Free Pre-Workout A caffeine-free pre-workout formula designed to support energy, focus, and performance at any time of day without stimulants. Designed for stimulant-sensitive individuals or evening training.
• High Intensity Pre-Workout A high-stimulation pre-workout blend designed for maximum energy, focus, and power during intense training sessions. Designed for experienced athletes seeking high-stim performance.
• High Performing Hydration An advanced hydration product with four key electrolytes and no artificial flavors or sweeteners, designed to replenish fluids and electrolytes during exercise. Designed for athletes and active individuals needing hydration support.
• Daily Performance Greens A daily greens supplement made with 11 organic fruits and vegetables to support gut health, immunity, and mental focus. Designed for individuals seeking daily nutritional support.
• Creatine Monohydrate A pure creatine monohydrate supplement providing 5g per serving to support muscle strength, energy levels, recovery, and cognitive performance. Designed for athletes and active individuals.
• Grass-Fed Collagen A grass-fed collagen supplement promoting joint, skin, and connective tissue health, designed to be added to protein shakes or other beverages. Designed for individuals seeking collagen supplementation.
• Muscle Recovery Boost A performance boost featuring magnesium citrate and tart cherry powder to support muscle repair, reduce post-exercise soreness, and promote restorative sleep. Designed for athletes needing recovery support.
• Get Lean Performance Boost A metabolic support boost combining FiberSMART soluble tapioca fiber and green tea extract to promote satiety, support digestion, and boost metabolism. Designed for individuals pursuing lean body composition.
• Gut Health Boost A gut health supplement featuring digestive enzymes and Solnul resistant potato starch to support microbiome health, reduce bloating, and improve nutrient absorption. Designed for individuals seeking digestive support.
• Flavor Packets Individual flavored packets in 8 naturally flavored options (Rich Chocolate, Madagascar Vanilla, Cookies & Cream, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Cinnamon Toast, Sea Salt Caramel, Strawberry Cream, Caffe Mocha) that allow users to customize unflavored protein daily.
• Gainful Gift Card Digital gift cards available in denominations of $50, $75, $100, $150, and $200 for purchasing Gainful products. Designed for gifting Gainful products to friends and family.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1 million customers served
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Chelsea Piers FitnessminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 March 2026Chelsea Piers Fitness Hudson Square location (opening Q2-Q3 2026 at 225 West Houston Street, NYC) will feature Gainful nutrition products in their member cafe, making Gainful supplements available to their fitness community.
• Light LabscoreTechnology or IntegrationThird-party testing partner Light Labs tests Gainful products for quality and safety. Testing includes verification of 4-25 substances depending on product complexity, with results published on product pages showing testing dates.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Care/of: Care/of is a DTC personalized vitamin and supplement brand using a quiz-based recommendation engine — directly comparable to Gainful's personalization-first model and customer base.
• Persona: Persona offers personalized daily vitamin packs based on a quiz — a direct personalized-nutrition peer competing for the same health-conscious DTC consumer.
• AG1 (Athletic Greens): AG1 is a leading DTC daily greens and supplement brand with subscription recurring revenue and broad-spectrum positioning — comparable in go-to-market, target consumer, and category.
• Momentous: Momentous is a science-backed sports nutrition brand offering protein, creatine, and recovery supplements with credible advisory positioning — competing directly with Gainful's performance stack.
• Ritual: Ritual is a DTC essentials and supplement brand built on traceability, clean ingredients, and subscription — overlapping with Gainful's clean-label, subscription-led positioning.

Broad incumbents

• MyProtein: MyProtein is a mass-market sports nutrition incumbent with broad protein, creatine, and performance supplement SKUs at aggressive price points — a price-anchor competitor in protein powder.
• Optimum Nutrition: Optimum Nutrition (Glanbia) is a long-established sports nutrition incumbent dominating the protein powder category through mass retail — a benchmark for category scale Gainful must compete against.
• Thorne: Thorne is a science-led supplement brand with practitioner and DTC channels — comparable in credibility/clean-label positioning and a likely cross-shop competitor for health-conscious consumers.

Emerging players

• Seed: Seed is a DTC microbiome/probiotic brand with subscription recurring revenue and science-forward storytelling — adjacent in category and GTM motion to Gainful.
• Levels: Levels is a metabolic health brand offering continuous glucose monitoring with a subscription model — adjacent in personalized health/wellness and the metabolic performance consumer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Gainful
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gainful
• Instagraminstagram.com/gainful
• Xx.com/gainful

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds6 records

Investors15 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gainful