instant coffee vs Red Bull: which has more caffeine?

Red Bull has more caffeine than instant coffee on both counts: 80mg per 8.4 oz can against 57mg per 8 oz cup, and about 10mg per fluid ounce against 7. The serving sizes differ, so the table below shows both ways of counting.

These are different categories of drink, which changes how the caffeine arrives. Energy drinks and sodas list an exact number because caffeine is a measured additive; brewed drinks vary with the beans and the brew, so their figures are compiled averages. The numbers here are the standard published values for each.

instant coffee vs Red Bull: the numbers

Sources: instant coffee's figure is verified in our instant coffee caffeine guide against Caffeine Informer (source); Red Bull's figure is verified in our Red Bull guide against Red Bull label / Caffeine Informer (source).

Which one should you pick?

Pick instant coffee when you want the lighter dose or a slower ramp, and Red Bull when you actually need the bigger hit and know your tolerance. If you are stacking either with other caffeinated drinks through the day, run the math against the 400mg reference rather than guessing.

For context, the FDA cites 400mg of caffeine a day as an amount generally not associated with negative effects in healthy adults. Tolerance and health vary, so treat these numbers as information, not advice.

Related reading

• instant coffee: the full caffeine guide
• Red Bull: the full caffeine guide
• The verified caffeine database
• Every drink compared: the comparisons index
• Compare any two of 120+ drinks

FAQ

Does instant coffee or Red Bull have more caffeine? Red Bull: 80mg per 8.4 oz can versus 57mg per 8 oz cup for instant coffee.

Which is stronger per ounce? Red Bull, at about 9.5mg per fluid ounce versus 7.1mg for instant coffee.