Starbucks Refreshers vs brewed green tea: which has more caffeine?

Starbucks Refreshers carries more total caffeine per serving (45mg per 16 oz grande vs 28mg per 8 oz cup), but ounce for ounce brewed green tea is actually the stronger drink at about 4mg per fluid ounce against 3. Which one "has more caffeine" depends on whether you measure the container or the concentration.

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 Refreshers vs brewed green tea: the numbers

Sources: Starbucks Refreshers's figure is verified in our Starbucks Refreshers caffeine guide against Starbucks nutrition listing (source); brewed green tea's figure is verified in our brewed green tea guide against USDA FoodData Central (source).

Which one should you pick?

Pick brewed green tea when you want the lighter dose or a slower ramp, and Starbucks Refreshers 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 Refreshers: the full caffeine guide
• brewed green tea: the full caffeine guide
• The verified caffeine database
• Every drink compared: the comparisons index
• Compare any two of 120+ drinks

FAQ

Does Starbucks Refreshers or brewed green tea have more caffeine? Starbucks Refreshers: 45mg per 16 oz grande versus 28mg per 8 oz cup for brewed green tea.

Which is stronger per ounce? brewed green tea, at about 3.5mg per fluid ounce versus 2.8mg for Starbucks Refreshers.