How Much Caffeine in Starbucks Coffee? An Overview

Starbucks coffee is freshly ground and brewed to maintain its signature taste. It is made using high-quality beans, carefully selected to ensure consistency and flavor. The caffeine content in Starbucks coffee varies, but generally speaking, it's quite average. A standard espresso or latte coffee contains roughly the same amount of caffeine as it would if you brewed it at home. 

In this article, we look at the caffeine content of Starbucks’ 15 most popular beverages. We also compare the caffeine in Starbucks coffee with a few other popular coffee house chains. 

Caffeine in Starbucks Coffee (Popular Drinks Ranked)

The average caffeine content of Starbucks coffee is surprisingly low. Unlike Dunkin' Donuts, which often uses concentrated coffee syrups to craft super-strong chilled beverages, Starbucks always brews fresh. 

This “honest” approach to coffee gives most Starbucks brews 100 to 200 mg of caffeine (depending on size). However, some Starbucks beverages are much stronger than others. 

Below, we've ranked 15 popular Starbucks beverages from strongest to weakest:

1. Starbucks Blonde Roast

Blonde Roast is the strongest blend available from the chain. These lightly-roasted beans can be requested in most of Starbucks’ brews from espresso and latte to iced coffee and cold brew. 

Here's the caffeine content in a standard black Blonde Roast coffee from Starbucks:

2. Starbucks Pike Place 

Starbucks' Pike Place is a medium roast coffee made from a blend of Latin American beans. It has notes of cocoa, nuts, and praline. This coffee is typically served black, but milk, sugar, or syrup can be added. 

Here's the caffeine content in Starbucks Pike Place coffee:

3. Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew

Starbucks’ Nitro Cold Brew is crafted with the brand’s signature 20-hour cold brew coffee. It’s infused with nitrogen as it leaves the tap, creating microbubbles that give the brew a cascading, frothy texture. This beverage has all the qualities of regular cold brew coffee with a velvety-smooth finish and a creamy head of foam. 

The Nitro Cold Brew from Starbucks contains the same amount of caffeine as the regular cold brew, but it's served without ice. The lack of ice means there's a higher volume of coffee in each serving, so there's more caffeine as a result.

Starbucks’ Nitro Cold Brew is available in two sizes. Here’s the caffeine content of each serving:

4. Starbucks Dark Roast

Starbucks Dark Roast coffee is a full-bodied blend that's robust, sweet, and bold. It's typically served black, but it can also be requested in milk-based espresso beverages and iced brews. 

Here's the caffeine content in a black Starbucks Dark Roast:

5. Starbucks Cold Brew

Starbucks cold brew coffee is made with a specially crafted blend dubbed "the cold brew blend." It's made in small batches daily, and the grounds are steeped for 20 hours before straining. The result is a low-acidity coffee with a relatively high caffeine content compared to iced coffee. 

Here's the caffeine content in Starbucks’ cold brew:

6. Starbucks Americano

Starbucks’ Americano coffee is made by diluting the signature espresso coffee with hot water. This simple brew is served black and offers dark, bold flavors and a natural sweetness. 

Here’s how much caffeine is in Starbucks Americano coffee:

7. Starbucks Flat White 

The flat white is a latte-like beverage believed to be from New Zealand or Australia (debated). It gets its name from the flat, white milk foam that’s traditionally poured right up to the rim of the cup. 

Starbucks’ flat white is made with ristretto shots — “ristricted” espresso that’s highly concentrated. This, combined with steamed milk, creates a deep, creamy, indulgent beverage with a velvety mouthfeel. 

Here’s how much caffeine is in Starbucks flat white coffee:

8. Starbucks Iced Coffee

Starbucks offers a range of iced coffees on its menu. The caffeine content in these brews can vary depending on the beans and coffee-to-water ratios used. The “standard” iced coffee uses dark roast espresso as its base. It can be served diluted with water (iced americano) or with milk (iced latte). 

Here's how much caffeine is in a standard iced coffee from Starbucks:

9. Starbucks Caffè Mocha 

The caffè mocha coffee from Starbucks combines the chain’s signature espresso, mocha (chocolate) sauce, and steamed milk. The brew is topped with a generous dollop of sweetened whipped cream and is usually dusted with coffee or chocolate shavings. 

Here’s how much coffee in a Starbucks caffè mocha:

10. Starbucks Cappuccino 

Starbucks’ best coffee for cappuccino combines the chain’s signature espresso with a rich, steamed milk foam. This traditional Italian milk-based espresso beverage is big on flavor but relatively modest in terms of caffeine content. 

Here’s how much caffeine is in a Starbucks cappuccino:

11. Starbucks Latte

The latte is one of the most popular beverages in the United States. Starbucks' interpretation contains its signature espresso coffee and smooth, velvety steamed milk. This beverage contains the same amount of caffeine as the cappuccino because it uses the same amount of espresso. 

Here’s how much caffeine is in a Starbucks latte:

12. Starbucks Macchiato 

Starbucks’ macchiato isn’t representative of a traditional Italian macchiato that’s an espresso “stained” with a dash of steamed milk. Instead, Starbucks’ interpretation contains a large amount of steamed milk mixed with vanilla-flavored syrup and a caramel drizzle. 

Like the cappuccino and latte, the Starbucks macchiato uses the signature espresso as its coffee base. 

Here’s how much caffeine is in Starbucks' macchiato coffee:

13. Starbucks Frappuccino 

The Starbucks Coffee Frappuccino is a milky, iced beverage made with espresso, Frappuccino syrup, and milk. This delightfully sweet beverage is available as a freshly brewed beverage in-house or a ready-to-drink (RTD) brew in most grocery stores. 

Here’s how much caffeine is in a Starbucks Frappuccino:

14. Starbucks Matcha Latte 

Starbucks matcha latte is a creamy, delicious latte made with matcha tea. It’s a vibrant green color and is sweetened with Starbucks’ classic syrup. Although this beverage isn’t strictly a coffee, it made the list for its popularity. 

Here’s how much caffeine in a Starbucks matcha latte:

15. Starbucks Decaf Coffee

Starbucks offers most of its beverages in “decaf” — a so-called decaffeinated version. However, these decaf beverages do contain a small amount of caffeine. 

Here’s how much caffeine there is in Starbucks decaf coffee:

Note: These caffeine levels are representative of a 100% black, decaf coffee from Starbucks. Decaf lattes, cappuccinos, iced coffees, and flat whites likely contain less caffeine per serving. 

The Caffeine in Starbucks Coffee Compared to Other Brands

The caffeine content of coffee from different popular chains in the US varies drastically. Some coffee is weaker from different chains, and other brews are much stronger. 

Here's how Starbucks coffee compares to four other popular coffee house chains:

1. Dunkin’ Donuts 

Dunkin’ Donuts is a well-known chain that has built a reputation for serving a wide variety of coffee-based beverages. Dunkin’ balances quality and cost — making it a popular option for several Americans. 

Although many of Dunkin’s hot coffees are average in terms of caffeine content, its chilled coffees are exceptionally strong. 

Beverages such as frozen coffee and iced coffee have surprisingly high caffeine levels. This is because these beverages use concentrated coffee syrup rather than freshly brewed coffee. Although the quality of these chilled brews is questionable, they’re undoubtedly potent. 

Top three strongest beverages:

• Dunkin’ Iced Coffee (24 oz) — 356 mg of caffeine.
• Dunkin’ Frozen Coffee (24 oz) — 295 mg of caffeine.
• Dunkin’ Macchiato Coffee (24 oz) — 284 mg of caffeine.

2. McCafé (McDonalds) 

McDonald’s McCafé line is growing in popularity because it’s a more affordable alternative to specialty coffee chains such as Starbucks. While McCafé coffee is generally milder and lower quality compared to Starbucks, it is freshly brewed from whole beans — more than some chains can say.

McCafé offers a variety of options, from cappuccinos to ristrettos.  

Top three strongest beverages:

• McCafé Iced Mocha (16 oz) — 167 mg of caffeine.
• McCafé Regular Black Coffee (16 oz) — 145 mg of caffeine.
• McCafé Frappe (16 oz) — 145 mg of caffeine. 

3. Tim Hortons 

Tim Hortons is a Canadian coffee chain known for its smooth and mellow blends. Its coffee has a moderate to high caffeine level, and many of its beverages are stronger than those of Starbucks. 

Tim Hortons is becoming more popular in the US, with around 700 locations across the country. Its popularity is growing because it’s convenient, relatively low-cost compared to other chains, and tastes great (for the price). 

Top three strongest beverages:

• Tim Hortons Iced Coffee (20 oz) — 285 mg of caffeine.
• Tim Hortons Original Blend (20 oz) — 270 mg of caffeine.
• Tim Hortons Dark Roast (20 oz) — 265 mg of caffeine.  

4. Costa Coffee

Costa Coffee is an English coffee brand that’s slowly gaining traction in the United States. Costa offers a range of specialty beverages made from a range of blends from across the globe. There are currently over 700 stores in the US — it’s slowly growing in popularity. 

Costa is known for its strong espresso-based beverages, from regular single shots to milk-based beverages such as cappuccinos and lattes. Compared to other chains, Costa's coffee tends to have a high caffeine content, especially in the larger serving sizes. 

Top three strongest beverages:

• Costa Coffee Cappuccino (12 oz) — 325 mg of caffeine.
• Costa Coffee Iced Coffee (8 oz) — 277 mg of caffeine. 
• Costa Coffee Double Espresso (2 oz) — 200 mg of caffeine.

FAQs: Caffeine in Starbucks Coffee

Do you want to learn more about the caffeine content in Starbucks coffee and other beverages?

Check out the answers to the frequently asked questions below and head over to the Cafely Blog to learn more…

1. Does Starbucks Coffee Contain a Lot of Caffeine?

No. The amount of caffeine in Starbucks coffee is pretty average compared to home-brewed coffee. However, some beverages contain more caffeine than others — take Starbucks' Blonde Roast, for example, which contains 360 mg per 16 oz serving. 

2. Does Starbucks Coffee Contain a Lot of Calories?

Some Starbucks coffee does contain a lot of calories. Beverages such as the Mocha Cookie Crumble and Iced White Chocolate Mocha contain almost 600 calories per 20-ounce serving. To put that in perspective, a standard McDonald's Big Mac contains 550 calories. With that said, not all Starbucks’ coffees are so calorific. Cold brew, Americano coffee, and other black coffees from the chain contain very few. 

3. Is Starbucks Coffee Healthy?

No. Starbucks coffee isn't "healthy." Many beverages from the chain contain high amounts of sugar, which can be considered unhealthy if consumed regularly. However, some beverages are healthier than others. Starbucks coffee with no (or less) milk and no sugar may provide beneficial antioxidants and moderate caffeine levels without the calories and excessive sugar. 

4. Which Has More Caffeine — Dunkin’ or Starbucks Coffee?

Although Starbucks serves some beverages with more caffeine than Dunkin’ coffee, Dunkin’ Donuts’ beverages generally contain more caffeine. Take Dunkin’ iced coffee for example — a standard serving contains 395 mg of caffeine whereas the Starbucks equivalent contains 235 mg. 

5. How Much Caffeine is in a Shot of Espresso?

A single shot of espresso made with arabica coffee contains around 75 mg of caffeine, and a double shot has somewhere between 130 and 150 mg. Espresso made with arabica and robusta blends, or 100% robusta, can contain up to twice the amount of caffeine. 

6. How Much Caffeine is in Instant Coffee?

The amount of caffeine in a cup of instant coffee varies depending on the brand, the coffee-to-water ratio used, and the type of instant coffee. The typical cup of Nescafe contains between 30 and 100 mg of caffeine (depending on the coffee-to-water ratio used). Vietnamese Instant Espresso robusta coffee contains an impressive 150 mg per serving. 

7. Can You Make Starbucks Coffee at Home?

Yes. You can make Starbucks coffee at home by using beans, grounds, instant coffee, or Starbucks Keurig pods. You can also brew similar coffees using a traditional espresso machine, high-quality coffee, and steamed milk. Although homemade Starbucks coffee may not taste exactly the same as store-bought, it's delicious and much more cost-effective.

8. Why is Starbucks Coffee so Expensive?

Starbucks coffee is expensive for several reasons. First, the chain uses high-quality beans, which fetch a higher price. Starbucks boasts prime real estate — rent is high for central locations and these costs are reflected in the products. Starbucks is also a strong brand — its customers are willing to pay for the brand and the coffee, so the chain can charge a premium. 

9. Does Starbucks Sell Vietnamese Coffee?

No. Starbucks doesn’t offer traditional Vietnamese coffee on its menu. However, you can produce a similar-tasting brew to Vietnamese iced coffee by ordering four shots of espresso and two pumps white mocha. The espresso shots mimic the dark, strong flavor of robusta, and the white mocha mimics the thick, sweet creaminess of condensed milk. 

10. What’s the Strongest Drink at Starbucks?

The strongest coffee at Starbucks is its blonde roast. Espresso made with blonde roast coffee beans offers the most caffeine per mL. A single shot of blonde roast espresso from Starbucks contains around 80 mg of caffeine — 5 mg more than the standard signature espresso.