How much caffeine is in your coffee?
Updated
Pick your brew method and how many you drink to estimate your caffeine — and see how it stacks up against the daily guideline.
Brew method
Estimated caffeine
~190 mg
typically 150–330 mg · 48% of the 400 mg daily guideline
Per 8 oz cup: 95 mg · USDA FoodData Central; range from the FDA's brewed-coffee figures
The FDA cites 400 mg a day as an amount not generally linked to negative effects in most adults. ACOG advises under 200 mg a day in pregnancy, and sensitivity varies.
Caffeine by drink
An 8 oz cup of brewed coffee has about 95 mg of caffeine and a single shot of espresso about 63 mg, by USDA data. Milk drinks carry exactly the caffeine of their shots. Each figure below says where it comes from; the ones marked BrewSift estimate are our working numbers, not published values.
| Drink | Serving | Caffeine | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brewed / drip coffee | 8 fl oz | about 95 mg | USDA |
| Brewed coffee, FDA range | 12 fl oz | 113–247 mg | FDA |
| Espresso, single shot | 1 fl oz | about 63 mg | USDA |
| Latte or cappuccino | single / double shot | about 63 / 126 mg | USDA espresso × shots |
| K-Cup | 8 fl oz | as brewed coffee, about 95 mg | USDA |
| Nespresso Original capsule | espresso or lungo | 60–85 mg | Nespresso |
| Nespresso Vertuo capsule | Mug or Carafe size | 170–200 mg | Nespresso |
| Instant coffee | 8 fl oz | about 62 mg | USDA |
| Decaf | 8 fl oz | 2–15 mg | FDA |
| Cold brew, diluted | 8 fl oz | about 130 mg | BrewSift estimate |
| Moka pot | 2 fl oz | about 100 mg | BrewSift estimate |
Sources, read 4 October 2026:
- FDA — Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much? (400 mg a day; brewed coffee 113–247 mg per 12 oz; decaf 2–15 mg per 8 oz)
- ACOG Committee Opinion 462 — Moderate Caffeine Consumption During Pregnancy (under 200 mg a day)
- USDA FoodData Central — coffee, brewed (40 mg per 100 g; 8 fl oz = 237 g)
- USDA FoodData Central — espresso, restaurant-prepared (212 mg per 100 g; 1 fl oz = 29.6 g)
- USDA FoodData Central — instant coffee, prepared with water (26 mg per 100 g)
- USDA FoodData Central — coffee, brewed, decaffeinated (1 mg per 100 g)
- Nespresso — FAQ (Original 60–85 mg; Vertuo 70–150 mg and 170–200 mg by size)
Brew it better
Want a milder cup, or a stronger one? It usually comes down to your ratio and your gear:
If your number came out higher than you expected, the usual fix is swapping a cup or two rather than drinking less — see the decaf that actually tastes good.
Common questions
Which coffee has the most caffeine?
Per cup, cold brew and a big AeroPress or French press tend to be highest because they use more coffee per serving, and a Vertuo mug capsule is rated at 170 to 200 mg by Nespresso. Per ounce, espresso is the most concentrated, but a single 1 oz shot (about 63 mg by USDA data) has less total caffeine than an 8 oz cup of brewed coffee (about 95 mg).
How much caffeine is in a shot of espresso?
About 63 mg in a single 1 oz shot, by USDA FoodData Central's espresso entry, so roughly 126 mg in a double. The real figure moves with the dose and the beans.
How much caffeine is in a latte?
The same as the espresso in it, because milk adds no caffeine. A latte made with one shot has about 63 mg and one made with a double about 126 mg, by USDA's espresso figure. Larger café sizes often use more shots, so count the shots, not the ounces.
How much caffeine is in a cappuccino?
Again, whatever its espresso carries: about 63 mg for a single shot and about 126 mg for a double. A cappuccino is smaller and foamier than a latte but not stronger, unless it is made with more shots.
How much caffeine is in a K-Cup?
A K-Cup brews ordinary coffee, so an 8 oz cup is in the range of brewed coffee: about 95 mg by USDA data, with the FDA putting brewed coffee at 113 to 247 mg per 12 oz, roughly 75 to 165 mg per 8 oz. Brewing a bigger cup from the same pod dilutes it rather than adding caffeine.
How much caffeine is in a Nespresso pod?
Nespresso says its Original espressos and lungos contain 60 to 85 mg. Vertuo capsules range from 70 to 150 mg for the Espresso and Gran Lungo sizes and 170 to 200 mg for the Mug and Carafe sizes.
How much caffeine is in instant coffee?
About 62 mg in an 8 oz cup, by USDA FoodData Central's entry for regular instant coffee prepared with water. More granules per cup means more caffeine, so a heaped spoon lands higher.
How much caffeine is in cold brew and decaf?
Cold brew varies more than any other method because the ratio and dilution are up to you; our calculator uses 130 mg per diluted 8 oz cup as a BrewSift estimate. Decaf is not caffeine-free: the FDA says it typically has 2 to 15 mg per 8 oz cup, and USDA's figure for brewed decaf is about 2 mg.
How much caffeine is safe per day?
For most adults, the FDA cites 400 mg a day, about two to three 12 oz cups of coffee, as an amount not generally associated with negative effects, while noting that sensitivity varies widely. ACOG's guidance is that under 200 mg a day in pregnancy does not appear to be a major factor in miscarriage or preterm birth.
Does dark roast have more caffeine?
Barely — roast level has a small effect. The bigger drivers are how much coffee you use (dose) and the brew method. By weight, light and dark roast are nearly identical; by scoop, light roast is slightly higher because the beans are denser.