brewed coffee has more caffeine than brewed white tea: 95mg vs 28mg in the same 8 oz cup. That is a 67mg gap, and since the cans 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.
brewed white tea vs brewed coffee: the numbers
| brewed white tea | brewed coffee | |
|---|---|---|
| Caffeine per serving | 28mg per 8 oz cup | 95mg per 8 oz cup |
| Caffeine per fl oz | 3.5mg | 11.9mg |
| Servings to reach 400mg (FDA context) | 14.3 | 4.2 |
Sources: brewed white tea's figure is verified in our brewed white tea caffeine guide against Caffeine Informer / compiled (source); brewed coffee's figure is verified in our brewed coffee guide against USDA FoodData Central (source).
The concentration gap is the striking part: brewed coffee packs roughly 3 times the caffeine per ounce. Sipping speed matters at that density; a 8 oz cup finished in minutes hits differently than the same milligrams spread over a slow cup.
Which one should you pick?
Pick brewed white tea when you want the lighter dose or a slower ramp, and brewed coffee 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
- brewed white tea: the full caffeine guide
- brewed coffee: the full caffeine guide
- The verified caffeine database
- Every drink compared: the comparisons index
FAQ
Does brewed white tea or brewed coffee have more caffeine? brewed coffee: 95mg per 8 oz cup versus 28mg per 8 oz cup for brewed white tea.
Which is stronger per ounce? brewed coffee, at about 11.9mg per fluid ounce versus 3.5mg for brewed white tea.
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.