brewed coffee has more caffeine than yerba mate: 95mg vs 85mg in the same 8 oz cup. That is a 10mg 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.
yerba mate vs brewed coffee: the numbers
| yerba mate | brewed coffee | |
|---|---|---|
| Caffeine per serving | 85mg per 8 oz cup | 95mg per 8 oz cup |
| Caffeine per fl oz | 10.6mg | 11.9mg |
| Servings to reach 400mg (FDA context) | 4.7 | 4.2 |
Sources: yerba mate's figure is verified in our yerba mate caffeine guide against Caffeine Informer / compiled (source); brewed coffee's figure is verified in our brewed coffee guide against USDA FoodData Central (source).
Which one should you pick?
Pick yerba mate 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
- yerba mate: the full caffeine guide
- brewed coffee: the full caffeine guide
- The verified caffeine database
- Every drink compared: the comparisons index
FAQ
Does yerba mate or brewed coffee have more caffeine? brewed coffee: 95mg per 8 oz cup versus 85mg per 8 oz cup for yerba mate.
Which is stronger per ounce? brewed coffee, at about 11.9mg per fluid ounce versus 10.6mg for yerba mate.
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.