How much caffeine is in one shot
USDA FoodData Central lists espresso at 212 mg per 100 g, which is about 63 mg for a 1 fl oz shot. Harvard's Nutrition Source puts a 1.5 fl oz shot at about 65 mg. Scaling the USDA figure to 1.5 fl oz gives the top of our range, about 94 mg. That is where caffeine in an espresso shot of about 63 to 95 mg comes from.
The shot you pull at home is not a fixed size. A dose, a grind and a yield change the cup (see the espresso ratio calculator), so treat our figure as the middle of a wide spread.
| Drink and size | Caffeine (mg) | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Brewed (drip) coffee, 8 fl oz | 75–165 mg | USDA, FDA, Harvard |
| Brewed (drip) coffee, 12 fl oz | 110–250 mg | USDA, FDA, Harvard |
| Brewed (drip) coffee, 16 fl oz | 150–330 mg | USDA, FDA, Harvard |
| Instant coffee, 8 fl oz | 60–65 mg | USDA, Harvard |
| Decaf brewed coffee, 8 fl oz | 2–16 mg | USDA, FDA, Harvard |
| Espresso, 1 shot | 60–95 mg | USDA, Harvard |
| Espresso, 2 shots | 125–190 mg | USDA, Harvard |
Ranges, not exact numbers: caffeine varies with the bean, roast, grind, brew time and serving size. Cold brew is not listed by USDA, FDA or Harvard, so it is left out. Last checked 2026-11-04.
Single, double and more
| Shots | Caffeine (mg) | Rough guide |
|---|---|---|
| 1 shot | about 63–95 | Under a small cup of brewed coffee |
| 2 shots (double) | about 125–190 | Similar to a 12 fl oz brewed coffee low end |
| 3 shots | about 185–285 | Counted by shots, not cup size |
| 4 shots | about 250–380 | Close to the FDA 400 mg daily reference on its own |
Latte, cappuccino and flat white count by the espresso in them. The milk adds volume but, in our sources, no caffeine, so a double-shot latte and a double espresso have the same range. See latte vs cappuccino.
Espresso versus brewed coffee
Per fluid ounce, espresso is about 43 to 63 mg and brewed coffee about 9 to 21 mg. Per serving, one shot (1 to 1.5 fl oz) is smaller than a mug. So does espresso have more caffeine than coffee? More per sip, not usually more per cup. A double shot (about 125 to 190 mg) overlaps with a 12 fl oz brewed coffee (about 110 to 250 mg). Read how much caffeine is in a cup of coffee for the full table.
Does a ristretto or lungo change it?
Not by a number we can give. A ristretto uses less water and a lungo more through the same coffee, but USDA, the FDA and Harvard publish no per-style figure, so we do not claim one. We explain the size and ratio differences in ristretto vs long shot.
Count your shots
Use the calculator to add shots to a day of other drinks and see the total against the FDA reference.