Starbucks Blonde Roast vs Monster: which has more caffeine?

Starbucks Blonde Roast has more caffeine than Monster: 360mg vs 160mg in the same 16 oz grande. That is a 200mg gap, and since the servings match, the per-serving number is the whole story.

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.

Starbucks Blonde Roast vs Monster: the numbers

Sources: Starbucks Blonde Roast's figure is verified in our Starbucks Blonde Roast caffeine guide against Starbucks nutrition listing (source); Monster's figure is verified in our Monster guide against Caffeine Informer (source).

Which one should you pick?

Pick Monster when you want the lighter dose or a slower ramp, and Starbucks Blonde Roast 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

• Starbucks Blonde Roast: the full caffeine guide
• Monster: the full caffeine guide
• The verified caffeine database
• Every drink compared: the comparisons index
• Compare any two of 120+ drinks

FAQ

Does Starbucks Blonde Roast or Monster have more caffeine? Starbucks Blonde Roast: 360mg per 16 oz grande versus 160mg per 16 oz can for Monster.

Which is stronger per ounce? Starbucks Blonde Roast, at about 22.5mg per fluid ounce versus 10.0mg for Monster.