Last updated: September 24, 2026
How to read this chart
The values below are rounded, representative amounts for generic drink categories. They are not measurements of any specific brand or product, and no manufacturer is referenced or endorsed. Real servings vary enough that a product label should always take priority.
Rows are ordered from most to least caffeine so the top of the table reads as the heaviest sources. Use the numbers as starting points when adding drinks to the calculator, then adjust to match what you actually drank.
Representative caffeine amounts
| Source | Representative serving | Caffeine |
|---|---|---|
| Caffeine tablet | 1 tablet | 200 mg |
| Cold brew coffee | 12 fl oz / 355 ml | 200 mg |
| Pre-workout powder | 1 scoop | 150 mg |
| Americano | 12 fl oz / 355 ml | 120 mg |
| Energy shot | 2 fl oz / 60 ml | 100 mg |
| Brewed coffee | 8 fl oz / 240 ml | 95 mg |
| Energy drink | 8.4 fl oz / 250 ml | 80 mg |
| Espresso | 1 shot | 63 mg |
| Latte or cappuccino | 1 shot | 63 mg |
| Instant coffee | 8 fl oz / 240 ml | 62 mg |
| Matcha, whisked | 1 tsp powder | 60 mg |
| Chai latte | 12 fl oz / 355 ml | 50 mg |
| Black tea | 8 fl oz / 240 ml | 47 mg |
| Oolong tea | 8 fl oz / 240 ml | 37 mg |
| Cola | 12 fl oz / 355 ml | 34 mg |
| Bottled iced tea | 16 fl oz / 473 ml | 30 mg |
| Green tea | 8 fl oz / 240 ml | 28 mg |
| Dark chocolate | 1 oz / 28 g | 23 mg |
| Milk chocolate | 1 oz / 28 g | 6 mg |
| Hot chocolate | 8 fl oz / 240 ml | 5 mg |
| Decaf coffee | 8 fl oz / 240 ml | 3 mg |
| Herbal tea | 8 fl oz / 240 ml | 0 mg |
Values are rounded estimates for planning, not label data. Chocolate is included because smaller sources still count toward a total.
Why the same drink can vary so much
A drink name describes a preparation, not a fixed quantity. Several ordinary choices move the number:
- Brew ratio and dose. More grounds per unit of water means more caffeine in the cup, and cafes differ in how they dose.
- Bean and blend. Varieties differ in caffeine content, and a blend can shift from batch to batch.
- Contact time. Steep time matters for tea, and cold brew sits in contact with grounds for many hours.
- Serving size. A large cup can hold two or three times the volume of the small one without looking very different.
- Ice and dilution. The same drink served over ice or topped with milk delivers less caffeine per ounce than the concentrate it started from.
Because of that spread, a chart is most useful for the order of magnitude: which sources are heavy, which are light, and how a day accumulates.
Small sources still add up
The bottom of the table is easy to dismiss, and that is exactly where totals drift. A decaf after dinner, an iced tea in the afternoon, and a few squares of dark chocolate can add a meaningful amount across a day even though no single item looks significant. When you log them in the calculator, each one decays on its own schedule and contributes to the bedtime estimate.
Choosing a number when you are unsure
If you cannot check a label, pick the closest category and stay aware that the estimate carries that uncertainty. Changing a dose by 20 mg shifts the result less than changing the half-life assumption does, so a rough amount combined with an honest bedtime is usually more useful than agonizing over the exact milligrams.
Common questions
How much caffeine is in a cup of coffee?
A representative 8 fl oz / 240 ml brewed coffee is commonly estimated around 95 mg. Brew ratio, bean type, grind, and cup size can push a real serving well above or below that, so a label or a measured brew is a better source than any chart.
Does espresso have more caffeine than drip coffee?
Per serving, usually less. A single shot is commonly estimated near 63 mg against roughly 95 mg for an 8 oz brewed coffee. Per ounce, espresso is far more concentrated, which is why a large espresso-based drink can climb quickly.
Which has more caffeine, coffee or tea?
By volume, brewed coffee usually contains more than the same volume of tea. An 8 oz black tea is commonly estimated near 47 mg, though a long steep or a large mug narrows the gap.
Is decaf really caffeine-free?
No. Decaffeination removes most but not all caffeine, and a cup commonly retains a small amount. It is low enough to change an estimate very little, but it is not literally zero.
Related reading
- Caffeine Half-Life: How Long Caffeine Stays in Your System
- Caffeine Metabolism: How Your Body Clears Caffeine
- Caffeine Cutoff Time: When Should You Stop Drinking Coffee?
- Coffee Before Bed: How Late Is Too Late to Drink Coffee?
- What Changes Caffeine Half-Life?
- Am I a Slow Caffeine Metabolizer? A Self-Check
- How Much Caffeine Is Left? Dose by Hour Chart
- How Much Caffeine Is Left at Bedtime?
Run your own numbers
The CaffCutoff calculator turns these ideas into an estimate for your own day: add each drink, set a target bedtime, and read the remaining caffeine, the cutoff estimate, and the decay timeline.