Low Caffeine Drinks
Find the best low caffeine drinks across Starbucks, Dutch Bros, and Dunkin'. Picks are under 80 mg at the smallest available size — with links to full nutrition, caffeine timelines, and size-by-size breakdowns for every drink.
Low Caffeine Drinks by Brand
Each brand guide below lists every low caffeine drink for that chain — ranked from lowest to highest, filterable by category and caffeine range, with links to full nutrition pages for every drink listed.
Starbucks Low Caffeine Drinks
53 drinks ≤ 100 mgFull ranked list with filters by category and caffeine range. Caffeine shown at Tall size. Click through for milk-by-milk and size-by-size breakdowns.
Dutch Bros Low Caffeine Drinks
145 drinks ≤ 100 mgDutch Bros is known for high caffeine, but several options come in well below 100 mg. Shown at Small size with hot/iced breakdowns.
Dunkin' Low Caffeine Drinks
23 drinks ≤ 100 mgDunkin' options ranked by caffeine at the smallest available size. Includes sweetener and dairy breakdowns where applicable.
Starbucks Low Caffeine Picks
Lowest caffeine Starbucks drinks at Tall size. Click any card for the full nutrition breakdown.
Dutch Bros Low Caffeine Picks
Lowest caffeine Dutch Bros drinks at Small size. Known for high caffeine — these are the exceptions.
Dunkin' Low Caffeine Picks
Lowest caffeine Dunkin' drinks at the smallest available size, across all sweetener options.
What Counts as a Low Caffeine Drink?
There's no universal definition — but here's how this page works and what the numbers actually mean in context.
Under 80 mg for picks, under 100 mg for full brand lists
The picks on this page are all under 80 mg caffeine at the smallest available size. The full brand guides linked above use 100 mg as the threshold. Both are well below the FDA's commonly cited 400 mg daily limit for healthy adults.
Low caffeine is not the same as caffeine-free
Most drinks on this page still contain some caffeine. Even decaf espresso typically retains 5–15 mg. If you need to avoid caffeine entirely, herbal teas and certain non-coffee drinks are the only reliably zero-caffeine options at most chains.
Size changes caffeine significantly
Caffeine shown here is at the smallest available size. Ordering a larger size — especially for espresso-based drinks — can add 50–100+ mg. Click through to any drink for the full size-by-size breakdown, including when caffeine clears from your system.
Milk and sweetener do not affect caffeine
Switching between dairy options or sweetener choices has no impact on caffeine content. Caffeine comes entirely from the coffee or tea base. Customisations that add or remove espresso shots will change caffeine; everything else will not.
How Much Caffeine Is in Common Drinks?
A quick reference to help you understand where the drinks on this page sit relative to everyday caffeine sources.
| Drink / reference | Typical caffeine | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Decaf espresso | 5 mg | minimal residual caffeine |
| Herbal tea | 0 mg | truly caffeine-free |
| Green tea latte | 55 mg | from matcha |
| Standard black tea | 47 mg | per 8 oz cup |
| Single espresso shot | 75 mg | typical Starbucks shot |
| FDA daily limit | 400 mg | for healthy adults |
Values are approximate. Exact caffeine varies by preparation, bean origin, and brewing method. Use the caffeine calculator tool to model how any specific dose affects your system over time.
Who Benefits from Choosing Low Caffeine Drinks?
Reducing caffeine isn't just for people who can't tolerate it. There are several practical reasons to reach for a lower-caffeine option.
Afternoon and evening orders
Caffeine has a half-life of around 5 hours in most adults. A 200 mg drink at 3 pm may still have 50+ mg active at 11 pm. Choosing under 80 mg in the afternoon significantly reduces the risk of sleep disruption.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
A lower limit of around 200 mg per day is commonly recommended during pregnancy. Choosing lower-caffeine drinks makes it easier to stay within this range while still enjoying a coffee-shop order.
Caffeine sensitivity
Some people experience anxiety, palpitations, or jitteriness at much lower doses than the average adult. Genetic variation in caffeine metabolism means sensitivity differs significantly between individuals.
Reducing tolerance
Regular caffeine consumers who want to lower their intake or reset tolerance often find it easier to switch to lower-caffeine drinks gradually rather than stopping abruptly. This approach reduces withdrawal headaches.
Related Tools
Use these tools to understand caffeine's effect on your body and find your personal safe limit.
Caffeine Calculator
Enter your dose and drink time to see how caffeine decays over the day — and find your sleep cut-off.
Daily Caffeine Limit Calculator
Find your estimated daily caffeine limit based on body weight and profile.
Water Intake Calculator
Calculate your daily hydration target based on weight, activity, and climate.
Low Caffeine Drinks FAQ
Common questions about finding and choosing lower-caffeine options at major coffee chains.
Starbucks tends to have the broadest selection of low caffeine options because of its extensive tea and non-espresso menu. Herbal teas, certain Frappuccinos, and milk-based drinks without coffee can all be near zero. Dutch Bros has fewer low-caffeine options since most of its menu is built around high-caffeine espresso and cold brew bases.
The lowest caffeine options at most coffee chains are herbal teas and hot chocolate made without espresso. These can be as low as 0 mg. Steamed milk drinks (sometimes called "steamers") also contain no caffeine. Decaf espresso-based drinks are the next step up — typically 10–25 mg depending on the number of shots.
Yes, significantly — but not to zero. Decaf espresso shots still contain roughly 15–30 mg of caffeine each, compared to around 75 mg for a regular shot. A decaf latte at Grande size contains 30–60 mg total rather than 150 mg or more. It is a meaningful reduction, but not caffeine-free.
Most sleep researchers suggest stopping caffeine 6–8 hours before your target bedtime. For a 10 pm bedtime, this means no caffeinated drinks after 2–4 pm. At lower doses (under 50 mg), the cut-off can be a little later for most people. Use the caffeine calculator on this site to model your specific dose and timing.
It depends on the tea. Herbal teas (such as Mint Majesty or Peach Tranquility) are caffeine-free. Black teas (such as English Breakfast or Earl Grey) contain 40–70 mg per cup. Matcha-based drinks contain caffeine from green tea — typically 50–80 mg at Grande size. Chai lattes contain caffeine from black tea, usually around 40–70 mg depending on size.