Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew has more caffeine than Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte: 280mg vs 150mg in the same 16 oz grande. That is a 130mg gap, and since the servings match, the per-serving number is the whole story.
Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew vs Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte: the numbers
| Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew | Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte | |
|---|---|---|
| Caffeine per serving | 280mg per 16 oz grande | 150mg per 16 oz grande |
| Caffeine per fl oz | 17.5mg | 9.4mg |
| Servings to reach 400mg (FDA context) | 1.4 | 2.7 |
Sources: Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew's figure is verified in our Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew caffeine guide against Starbucks nutrition listing (source); Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte's figure is verified in our Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte guide against Starbucks nutrition listing (source).
Which one should you pick?
Pick Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte 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
- Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte: the full caffeine guide
- The verified caffeine database
- Every drink compared: the comparisons index
- Compare any two of 120+ drinks
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Gear from this guide
FAQ
Does Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew or Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte have more caffeine? Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew: 280mg per 16 oz grande versus 150mg per 16 oz grande for Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte.
Which is stronger per ounce? Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew, at about 17.5mg per fluid ounce versus 9.4mg for Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte.
Comparing caffeine? The caffeine comparison tool puts hundreds of drinks side by side, and the caffeine curfew calculator can check your cutoff time for tonight.
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