Tea vs coffee: how much caffeine is in each?
Black tea has about 42 mg a cup; brewed coffee about 95 mg. See the caffeine difference by type and serving.
Cup for cup, coffee has about twice the caffeine of black tea. About 95 mg in 8 oz of coffee versus about 42 mg for black tea and 28 mg for green tea. Matcha narrows the gap at about 64 mg.
| Drink | Serving | Caffeine | Per ounce |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brewed coffee | 8 oz | 95 mg | 11.9 mg/oz |
| Matcha | 8 oz | ~64 mg | 8 mg/oz |
| Black tea | 8 oz | ~42 mg | 5.3 mg/oz |
| Green tea | 8 oz | ~28 mg | 3.5 mg/oz |
Why tea varies so much
Steep time, water temperature and leaf amount all change the dose. Tea values are estimates; a long, hot steep can push black tea well past the typical number.
Go deeper
Related: caffeine in coffee and how to quit caffeine. See them side by side on the Caffeine Bubble Map, or add these to your day in the Caffeine Calculator.
Written by Mike Zagare · Published
Mike Zagare is the founder of Knuckle. He tapered off a 500 to 600mg-a-day habit and built Knuckle from that protocol.
Common questions
Is switching to tea a good way to cut back?
Yes. Swapping one coffee for black or green tea drops a cup's caffeine by roughly half or more, while keeping a warm ritual.
Does matcha have more caffeine than coffee?
Usually less. About 64 mg per 8 oz versus about 95 mg for brewed coffee.
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