Caffeine vs WaterCaffeine chart
Caffeine in Soda: Coke, Diet Coke, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Dr Pepper and More
How much caffeine is in Coke, Diet Coke, Pepsi, Mountain Dew and Dr Pepper? A full caffeine in soda chart by can and bottle, plus which sodas are caffeine-free.
The short answer
- A 12 oz (355 ml) can of Coca-Cola has 34 mg of caffeine; Diet Coke has 46 mg; Pepsi 38 mg; Dr Pepper 41 mg.
- Mountain Dew has 54 mg per can, Mountain Dew Zero Sugar 68 mg, and a 16 oz Mtn Dew Kickstart 92 mg.
- A 20 oz bottle holds 1.7 times the can: 57 mg for Coke, 76 mg for Diet Coke, 91 mg for Mountain Dew, close to a cup of coffee (95 mg).
- Caffeine-free: Sprite, A&W Root Beer, Canada Dry Ginger Ale, Crush Orange, and the caffeine-free versions of Coke, Diet Coke, Coke Zero and Diet Pepsi.
Soda is where a lot of people's caffeine hides in plain sight. Per can, the caffeine in soda is modest, usually a third to half of a cup of coffee. But sodas tend to come in bigger bottles, get refilled, and get drunk in the evening, and that's where they add up.
Below is a brand-by-brand chart using the values in the Caffeine vs Water drink catalog, then a list of sodas with no caffeine at all.
How much caffeine is in Coke?
A 12 oz can of Coca-Cola Classic has about 34 mg of caffeine, the same as Coke Zero Sugar, Cherry Coke and Vanilla Coke. Diet Coke is the stronger one at about 46 mg, roughly a third more. That matches independent lab testing, which measured 33.9 mg in Coca-Cola and 46.3 mg in Diet Coke per 12 oz.
| Coca-Cola drink | 12 oz / 355 ml | 20 oz / 591 ml |
|---|---|---|
| Coca-Cola | 34 mg | 57 mg |
| Coke Zero Sugar | 34 mg | 57 mg |
| Diet Coke | 46 mg | 76 mg |
| Coca-Cola Cherry or Vanilla (incl. Zero Sugar) | 34 mg | n/a |
| Coca-Cola (UK), 330 ml can | 34 mg | n/a |
| Caffeine-free Coke, Diet Coke, Coke Zero | 0 mg | 0 mg |
Caffeine in soda: the full chart
| Soda | Size | Caffeine |
|---|---|---|
| Mtn Dew Kickstart | 16 oz / 473 ml | 92 mg |
| Surge | 16 oz / 473 ml | 69 mg |
| Mountain Dew Zero Sugar | 12 oz / 355 ml | 68 mg |
| Mountain Dew Baja Blast | 12 oz / 355 ml | 59 mg |
| Mountain Dew Voltage | 12 oz / 355 ml | 55 mg |
| Mountain Dew, Diet Mountain Dew, Code Red | 12 oz / 355 ml | 54 mg |
| Mr. Pibb | 12 oz / 355 ml | 54 mg |
| Mello Yello | 12 oz / 355 ml | 51 mg |
| Olipop Vintage Cola | 12 oz / 355 ml | 50 mg |
| Diet Coke | 12 oz / 355 ml | 46 mg |
| Pepsi Max (UK) | 330 ml | 43 mg |
| RC Cola, Shasta Cola | 12 oz / 355 ml | 43 mg |
| Dr Pepper, Diet Dr Pepper, Dr Pepper Zero | 12 oz / 355 ml | 41 mg |
| Poppi Classic Cola | 12 oz / 355 ml | 40 mg |
| Pepsi, Pepsi Zero Sugar, Pepsi Wild Cherry | 12 oz / 355 ml | 38 mg |
| Coca-Cola, Coke Zero Sugar | 12 oz / 355 ml | 34 mg |
| Diet Pepsi | 12 oz / 355 ml | 34 mg |
| Big Red | 12 oz / 355 ml | 34 mg |
| Irn-Bru | 330 ml | 30 mg |
| Barq's Root Beer | 12 oz / 355 ml | 22 mg |
| Sunkist Orange (and Zero Sugar) | 12 oz / 355 ml | 19 mg |
A few surprises: Sunkist orange soda has caffeine (about 19 mg) even though most orange sodas don't, and Barq's is the one mainstream root beer with caffeine (about 22 mg). The "healthier" newcomers aren't caffeine-free either: Olipop's colas have about 50 mg and Poppi Classic Cola about 40 mg.
Mountain Dew caffeine: why it tops the soda list
Mountain Dew is the highest-caffeine mainstream soda. A regular 12 oz can has about 54 mg, and the Zero Sugar version is stronger again at 68 mg. Bottles are where it climbs:
| Mountain Dew drink | 20 oz / 591 ml bottle |
|---|---|
| Mountain Dew Zero Sugar | 113 mg |
| Mountain Dew Baja Blast | 98 mg |
| Mountain Dew, Code Red, Voltage | 91 mg |
A 20 oz Mountain Dew Zero Sugar has more caffeine than an 8 oz cup of coffee. Mtn Dew Kickstart (92 mg per 16 oz can) is marketed next to energy drinks and sits between soda and a small Red Bull (80 mg). For the real energy drinks, see the energy drink caffeine comparison.
Soda vs coffee: how much caffeine per can?
| Drink | Size | Caffeine |
|---|---|---|
| Coca-Cola | 12 oz / 355 ml | 34 mg |
| Black tea | 8 oz / 240 ml | 47 mg |
| Mountain Dew | 12 oz / 355 ml | 54 mg |
| Single espresso | 1 oz / 30 ml | 63 mg |
| Red Bull | 8.4 oz / 250 ml | 80 mg |
| Drip coffee | 8 oz / 240 ml | 95 mg |
One can of Coke is roughly a third of a coffee. Three Diet Cokes (138 mg) are more than a double espresso (126 mg). Soda rarely pushes an adult past the 400 mg daily limit on its own, but it's easy to forget when you're adding up the day. More on limits in how much caffeine is too much.
Soda and sleep
A single can of Coke (34 mg) or Diet Coke (46 mg) is already under the 50 mg bedtime line our app uses, so on its own it's unlikely to matter much for most adults. The trouble is stacking. With a typical 5.5-hour half-life:
- A 20 oz Mountain Dew (91 mg) takes about 5 hours to fall under 50 mg.
- A 20 oz Mountain Dew Zero Sugar (113 mg) takes about 6.5 hours.
- A Diet Coke with dinner on top of an afternoon coffee can keep you above 50 mg at bedtime, even though each looks harmless alone.
If you like a soda in the evening, the caffeine-free versions taste almost the same. The full cutoff table by dose is in when to stop drinking coffee before bed, and you can test your own evening soda in the bedtime caffeine calculator.
Caffeine-free sodas list
These have 0 mg of caffeine in the Caffeine vs Water catalog:
- Lemon-lime: Sprite, Sprite Zero Sugar
- Root beer: A&W Root Beer, Barq's Zero Sugar Root Beer (regular Barq's has 22 mg)
- Ginger ale: Canada Dry Ginger Ale
- Orange: Crush Orange (Sunkist has 19 mg)
- Cola: Coca-Cola Caffeine Free, Caffeine Free Diet Coke, Coke Zero Sugar Caffeine Free, Diet Pepsi Caffeine Free
- Sparkling water (plain or flavored), unless the label says otherwise
Always check the label on new flavors and limited editions, and be aware some "energy" sparkling waters do contain caffeine. More surprises like that are in hidden sources of caffeine. Soda also counts toward your fluid intake, though water is the better everyday choice; see what counts as water intake.
Soda and kids
Soda is one of the most common ways children and teens get caffeine. A 20 oz Mountain Dew is a meaningful dose for a small body, especially in the evening. If you're a parent, the caffeine-free list above is a good default, and caffeine for teens covers the guidance in more detail.
Frequently asked questions
How much caffeine is in a can of Coke?
A 12 oz (355 ml) can of Coca-Cola has about 34 mg of caffeine. A 20 oz bottle has about 57 mg. Coke Zero Sugar has the same 34 mg per can.
Does Diet Coke have more caffeine than regular Coke?
Yes. Diet Coke has about 46 mg per 12 oz can versus 34 mg for Coca-Cola, and about 76 mg versus 57 mg in a 20 oz bottle.
How much caffeine is in Mountain Dew?
Regular Mountain Dew has about 54 mg per 12 oz can and 91 mg per 20 oz bottle. Mountain Dew Zero Sugar has more: about 68 mg per can and 113 mg per 20 oz bottle.
Which soda has the most caffeine?
Among mainstream sodas, Mountain Dew Zero Sugar leads at about 68 mg per 12 oz. By container, a 20 oz Mountain Dew Zero Sugar (113 mg) or a 16 oz Mtn Dew Kickstart (92 mg) carries the most.
How much caffeine is in Dr Pepper and Pepsi?
Dr Pepper has about 41 mg per 12 oz can (Diet and Zero Sugar are the same). Pepsi and Pepsi Zero Sugar have about 38 mg, and Diet Pepsi about 34 mg.
What sodas are caffeine-free?
Sprite, A&W Root Beer, Canada Dry Ginger Ale, Crush Orange, and the caffeine-free versions of Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Coke Zero and Diet Pepsi all have 0 mg. Watch out for Sunkist (19 mg) and regular Barq's Root Beer (22 mg), which do contain caffeine.
Sources
- Chou KH, Bell LN. Caffeine content of prepackaged national-brand and private-label carbonated beverages. J Food Sci, 2007.
- U.S. Code of Federal Regulations. 21 CFR 182.1180: Caffeine.
- U.S. FDA. Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine is Too Much?
- Mayo Clinic. Caffeine content for coffee, tea, soda and more.
- Brand nutrition pages and caffeine databases, as compiled for the Caffeine vs Water drink catalog (September 2026).
General wellness information, not medical advice. If you're pregnant, have a heart condition, or take medication that affects caffeine, check your limits with a doctor.