Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew vs Rockstar Original: which has more caffeine?

Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew has more caffeine than Rockstar Original: 280mg vs 160mg in the same 16 oz grande. That is a 120mg 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 Nitro Cold Brew vs Rockstar Original: the numbers

Sources: Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew's figure is verified in our Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew caffeine guide against Starbucks nutrition listing (source); Rockstar Original's figure is verified in our Rockstar Original guide against Rockstar product page (source).

Which one should you pick?

Pick Rockstar Original when you want the lighter dose or a slower ramp, and Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew 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 Nitro Cold Brew: the full caffeine guide
• Rockstar Original: the full caffeine guide
• The verified caffeine database
• Every drink compared: the comparisons index
• Compare any two of 120+ drinks

FAQ

Does Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew or Rockstar Original have more caffeine? Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew: 280mg per 16 oz grande versus 160mg per 16 oz can for Rockstar Original.

Which is stronger per ounce? Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew, at about 17.5mg per fluid ounce versus 10.0mg for Rockstar Original.