Quick answer: yes, decaf has caffeine, just not much. Independent lab tests published in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology measured 12 to 13.4 mg per 16 oz cup of brewed decaf, and 3 to 15.8 mg per shot of decaf espresso. Starbucks lists its grande decaf at about 25 mg. Decaffeination removes roughly 97 percent of the caffeine, and that last few percent is what you're drinking.
What the numbers actually look like
| Drink | Typical caffeine | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Brewed decaf, 16 oz | 12 to 13.4 mg (lab tested) | McCusker et al., J. Analytical Toxicology |
| Starbucks grande decaf (listed) | about 25 mg | Starbucks menu data |
| Decaf espresso, per shot | 3 to 15.8 mg | McCusker et al. |
| Regular brewed coffee, 16 oz | roughly 180 to 300 mg | for comparison |
The spread in decaf espresso is real: one lab-tested shot can carry five times another, depending on the bean and process. A decaf latte made with two shots can quietly reach 20 to 30 mg, about a third of a can of Coke.
Who this actually matters for
For most people, 12 to 25 mg is background noise. It matters at the margins: anyone told to avoid caffeine entirely, people with strong sensitivity, and late-night drinkers stacking three decaf rounds and wondering about the 2 a.m. ceiling stare. Guidance from groups like ACOG that caps intake around 200 mg daily during pregnancy is comfortably compatible with decaf's numbers, but "decaf" was never "zero," and that distinction belongs to caffeine-free herbal drinks.
Looking for a different drink? The full caffeine database has every chain and can we have verified.
Where decaf sits on the menu
Every espresso drink on our Starbucks caffeine chart and latte breakdown can be ordered decaf, including the shaken espresso, and the resulting drink lands in the single digits to low twenties instead of the hundreds.