Coffee Subscription Price per Cup: Calculator + Comparison
- Prices checked Oct 8, 2026
- We buy what we test with our own money
- How we make money
How this comparison works: The comparison table uses published prices from each brand’s own site, or the retailer named, checked on the date shown. It’s just the math: it says nothing about taste or freshness.
A cheaper bag isn’t always cheaper per cup. It depends on how many ounces are in it, what shipping costs, whether the discount lasts past your first order, and how strong you brew.
This calculator puts all of that into one number: what each cup actually costs you, delivered. Pick a subscription from the list to fill in its published price, or enter your own numbers. Then scroll down to see how 15+ subscriptions compare at the same dose.
Calculator
How the math works
We keep the math simple and show every step, so you can check it.
1. Convert the bag to grams. 1 oz = 28.35 g. A 12 oz bag is 12 × 28.35 = 340.2 g.
2. Work out cups per bag. Cups per bag = grams in bag ÷ grams per cup. At 15 g, a 12 oz bag makes 340.2 ÷ 15 = 22.7 cups. A 16 oz bag makes 30.2 cups.
3. Work out the delivered price per bag. Delivered price = (price per bag × (1 − discount)) + (shipping ÷ bags per delivery).
4. Divide. Price per cup = delivered price per bag ÷ cups per bag.
5. Monthly cost and schedule. We use 30.4 days per month (365 ÷ 12).
- Grams per month = cups per day × grams per cup × 30.4
- Bags per month = grams per month ÷ grams per bag
- Monthly cost = bags per month × delivered price per bag
- Days per bag = cups per bag ÷ cups per day, rounded down to the nearest whole day
Worked example, using published prices (checked Oct 8, 2026): Volcanica’s Mexican Dark Roast (labeled USDA Organic) is a 16 oz bag at $18.39 on the first subscription order, with free shipping. 16 × 28.35 = 453.6 g. 453.6 ÷ 15 = 30.2 cups. $18.39 ÷ 30.2 = about $0.61 per cup. On later orders ($20.69, price checked Oct 8, 2026), it’s about $0.68 per cup. At 2 cups a day, one bag lasts about 15 days.
Our assumptions, stated plainly
- 15 g per cup is our default. It’s a common starting dose for an 8 oz cup of drip or pour-over coffee. It isn’t a rule. You can change it to anything from 10 to 20 g (or custom).
- “Cup” means one brew at your chosen dose, not a fixed volume of liquid.
- No waste. We assume every gram gets brewed. Spills, dialing in a new grinder, and stale leftovers would raise your real cost.
- Prices are before sales tax.
- Shipping is split evenly across the bags in a delivery.
- Net weight is taken from the label or product page. We use the brand’s published weight.
- Pods, capsules, steep bags and concentrates are priced per serving instead, because grams per cup doesn’t apply.
Price per cup, ranked (at 15 g per cup)
Ranked by price per cup, lowest first (ranges ranked by their low end). Prices checked Oct 8, 2026.
How we rank (assumptions):
- 15 g of coffee per cup. A 12 oz bag (340.2 g) makes 22.7 cups, a 16 oz bag (453.6 g) 30.2 cups, a 10 oz bag (283.5 g) 18.9 cups.
- Published subscription price for one bag, from each brand’s site (or the retailer named), before sales tax. Ranked on the ongoing subscription price; first-order discounts are noted, not ranked.
- Ranked before shipping, for every row, so each brand is compared on the same basis. The “With shipping (one bag)” column adds the published shipping for one bag where the brand publishes it; where it doesn’t, your delivered cost will be higher. Brands with equal per-cup cost share a rank.
- No waste: every gram is brewed. Cost only, not taste or freshness.
| Rank | Subscription | Bag | Subscription price (checked Oct 8, 2026) | Shipping (checked Oct 8, 2026) | Per oz | Per cup at 15 g, before shipping | With shipping (one bag) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Starbucks Pike Place via Amazon Subscribe & Save | 28 oz | $22.13 (Amazon, 5% Subscribe & Save tier) | Not confirmed | $0.79 | $0.42 | Not stated |
| 2 | Café Don Pablo, Subtle Earth (organic line) | 12 oz | $11.89 | Free at $75+ | $0.99 | $0.52 | Not stated |
| 3 | Dean’s Beans | 16 oz | $17.63 | Free at $89+ | $1.10 | $0.58 | Not stated |
| 4 | Death Wish | 16 oz | $19.99 (volume discounts on recurring orders not shown) | Free on subscriptions (contiguous US) | $1.25 | $0.66 | $0.66 (free) |
| 5 | Jim’s Organic Coffee | 12 oz | $15.29 | Calculated at checkout | $1.27 | $0.67 | Shown at checkout |
| 6 | Volcanica, organic Mexican Dark (ongoing price)† | 16 oz | $20.69 | Free on subscriptions | $1.29 | $0.68 | $0.68 (free) |
| 7 | Peet’s Major Dickason’s (1 bag, list price) | 16 oz | $21.95 | Free on subscriptions | $1.37 | $0.73 | $0.73 (free) |
| 8 | Black Rifle Coffee | 12 oz | $16.99 | Free on every Club order | $1.42 | $0.75 | $0.75 (free) |
| 9 | Groundwork Coffee | 12 oz | $18.00 | Free over $50 | $1.50 | $0.79 | Not stated |
| 10 | Kicking Horse | 10 oz | $15.30 (10% off; 15% at volume) | Free at $75+ | $1.53 | $0.81 | Not stated |
| 11 (tie) | Bean Box (1-bag plan) | 12 oz | $19.50 to $21.50 | $5.45 per 1-bag delivery* | $1.62 to $1.79 | $0.86 to $0.95 | $1.10 to $1.19 |
| 11 (tie) | Larry’s Coffee | 12 oz | $19.55 | $3.50 to $6.50; free at $89+ | $1.63 | $0.86 | $1.02 to $1.15 |
| 13 (tie) | Atlas Coffee Club | 12 oz | $20.00 (first shipment $10 during Fall Sale; checked Oct 12, 2026) | Not shown before checkout | $1.67 | $0.88 | Shown at checkout |
| 13 (tie) | Equator, Fair Trade Organic curated | 12 oz | $20.00 | $5 under $50 | $1.67 | $0.88 | $1.10 |
| 15 | Counter Culture, single-origin plan | 12 oz | $21.00 | Free over $30 | $1.75 | $0.93 | Not stated |
| 16 | Purity Coffee, FLOW | 12 oz | $23.20 | Free at $65+ | $1.93 | $1.02 | Shown at checkout |
| 17 | Lifeboost | 12 oz | $25.51 | Free over $50; $9.99 otherwise | $2.13 | $1.12 | $1.57 |
| Not ranked | Trade | about 10 to 12 oz | $16.99 to $21.99 | Free over $30 or on prepaid plans; otherwise $3.99 | varies | n/a (bag size varies) | n/a |
†Volcanica’s first subscription order is $18.39 (20% off), about $0.61 per cup with free shipping (checked Oct 8, 2026). We rank the ongoing price.
*Bean Box 2-bag plans pay $7.50 per delivery, and 2 lb plans $8.50 (checked Oct 8, 2026).
Note on Counter Culture: a single 12 oz single-origin bag ($21.00, price checked Oct 8, 2026) can fall under the $30 free-shipping line. Check the shipping line at checkout for a single bag.
Want the reasoning behind our picks, not just the math? Read the Best Coffee Subscriptions of 2026 guide.
FAQ
How many cups of coffee are in a 12 oz bag? About 22 to 23 cups at 15 g per cup (12 oz is 340 g). At a lighter 10 g dose it’s about 34 cups, and at a strong 20 g dose about 17.
How many cups are in a 1 lb (16 oz) bag? About 30 cups at 15 g per cup. That’s 453.6 g ÷ 15 g.
What’s a good price per cup for a coffee subscription? In our comparison of published prices (checked Oct 8, 2026), most subscriptions came in between about $0.52 and $1.12 per cup at 15 g before shipping (up to about $1.57 with published shipping on a single bag), with Starbucks via Amazon lower (about $0.42 before shipping) and per-serving formats like steep bags higher. What’s “good” depends on what you value; a pricier bag can be worth it if you like it more.
Is a coffee subscription cheaper than buying at the store? Sometimes. Free shipping and subscription discounts close much of the gap, but grocery-store and Amazon prices are often lower per ounce. Use the calculator with a bag you’d buy locally to compare.
Why does shipping matter so much? Because it’s spread over a small number of cups. At the time we checked (Oct 8, 2026), a $5 fee on one 12 oz bag added about 22 cents to every cup. Two bags per delivery halves that, and often clears a free-shipping threshold.
Why do you use 15 grams per cup? It’s a common starting point for an 8 oz cup and keeps every brand on the same footing. If you brew stronger or weaker, change the dose and the numbers update.
How often do you update the comparison table? We plan to re-check published prices monthly; every price shows the date we checked it. If you see a price that’s changed, tell us.
Does a lower price per cup mean better value? Not by itself. This page measures cost, not taste or freshness.
About these numbers
The calculator and comparison table use prices published on each brand’s website, before tax, as of the date shown on each row. Prices, discounts, and shipping terms change often; always check the brand’s site before you buy. Results are estimates and depend on the numbers you enter. Right now no link on this page earns Morning Regular anything. If that changes, it won’t affect the calculations or the order of the table (it’s sorted by price per cup). This page compares published prices only; see How we test. How we make money.