Cappuccinos and Americanos are two of the most common espresso drinks on any US coffee menu. Both start with a shot (or two) of espresso, but after that, they go in very different directions.
The main difference between a cappuccino and an Americano is milk. A cappuccino is built from espresso, steamed milk, and milk foam in roughly equal thirds. An Americano is just espresso and hot water, with no milk at all. The result is that a cappuccino tastes creamy and balanced, while an Americano tastes closer to a black coffee with espresso depth.
This guide breaks down what each drink actually is, how they compare on taste, caffeine, and calories, when to order one over the other, and how the less common Americano Misto fits into the picture.
Cappuccino vs Americano at a Glance
| Feature | Cappuccino | Americano |
|---|---|---|
| Base | Espresso | Espresso |
| Milk | Steamed milk and foam (two-thirds of the cup) | None |
| Water | None | Hot water (most of the cup) |
| Traditional size | 6 oz | 6 to 12 oz |
| Taste | Creamy, balanced, milky | Smooth, coffee-forward, no sweetness from milk |
| Caffeine | 64 to 128 mg | 64 to 128 mg |
| Calories (whole milk) | Around 80 to 150 | Around 5 to 15 |
What is a Cappuccino?
A cappuccino is a classic Italian espresso drink made with three equal parts: espresso, steamed milk, and milk foam. It’s served hot in a small cup (traditionally 6 oz) and built on one or two shots of espresso.
The drink has a long history. Its direct ancestor was the Viennese Kapuziner, a mix of coffee, cream, spices, and sugar. By the 1930s the name had evolved into cappuccino, and once espresso machines became common in the 1950s, the modern version of espresso, steamed milk, and thick foam took over.
A well-made cappuccino has a thick, airy foam cap, a creamy middle layer of steamed milk, and a strong espresso base that cuts through the milk. If you want to go deeper on the drink itself, our cappuccino vs latte guide covers it in detail.
What is an Americano?
An Americano is espresso topped up with hot water. That’s it. No milk, no foam, no sugar by default. It’s one of the simplest espresso drinks on any menu, but it’s one of the most popular in the US.
Standard ratios vary slightly by shop, but most Americanos are built from one or two shots of espresso plus 4 to 8 oz of hot water. The water is added either to the cup before the espresso (to preserve the crema on top) or after the shot is pulled.
The drink gets its name from US soldiers in Italy during World War II. Italian espresso was too strong and too small for their taste, so they started asking baristas to dilute it with hot water. The result was a longer, milder drink that baristas eventually called caffè americano.
Today, the Americano is the go-to order for drip coffee drinkers who want better quality than most drip machines can deliver. For a deeper comparison with regular black coffee, see our Americano vs black coffee guide.
The Real Differences Between a Cappuccino and an Americano
1. Milk vs water
This is the headline difference. A cappuccino is two-thirds milk. An Americano is mostly water. That single swap changes almost everything about how the two drinks taste and feel.
2. Taste and body
A cappuccino tastes creamy and smooth. The steamed milk softens the bitterness of the espresso, and the foam adds a pillowy top layer. It’s a drink that feels like dessert even though there’s no added sugar.
An Americano tastes much cleaner and more coffee-forward. You get the full bitterness, acidity, and roast character of the espresso, diluted just enough by hot water to make it easy to drink over 10 to 15 minutes. There’s no milk to hide a bad shot, so the Americano is a good test of how fresh your beans are.
3. Caffeine
Caffeine depends on the number of shots, not on what you add to them. A cappuccino with one shot has the same caffeine as an Americano with one shot: around 64 mg. A double shot pushes both drinks to about 128 mg.
At Starbucks, the numbers look a little different because Starbucks uses different shot counts at each size. A Tall cappuccino and a Tall Americano both contain one shot and around 75 mg of caffeine. A Grande Americano jumps to three shots and about 225 mg, while a Grande cappuccino stays at two shots and 150 mg. For a deeper breakdown, see our caffeine in a shot of espresso guide.
4. Calories
This is where the drinks split the most. An Americano is basically calorie-free: around 5 to 15 calories for a standard serving, depending on size. A cappuccino made with whole milk lands at 80 to 150 calories because of the milk and foam.
| Drink (whole milk where applicable) | Size | Calories | Caffeine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional cappuccino | 6 oz | 80 to 120 | 64 to 128 mg |
| Grande cappuccino (Starbucks, 2%) | 16 oz | Around 140 | Around 150 mg |
| Traditional Americano | 6 oz | Around 5 | 64 to 128 mg |
| Grande Americano (Starbucks) | 16 oz | Around 15 | Around 225 mg |
5. Temperature and serving size
Cappuccinos are traditionally short (6 oz) and served very hot, because the small cup keeps the drink warm longer. Americanos are typically bigger (8 to 16 oz in US coffee shops) and are often served a little cooler, closer to a drip coffee temperature.
How to Make a Cappuccino
To make a traditional cappuccino at home, you need a 6 oz cup, freshly ground coffee, an espresso machine with a steam wand, and cold milk.
- Pull one or two shots of espresso directly into your cup.
- Pour cold milk into a steaming jug (about a third full).
- Purge the steam wand, then insert it just below the surface of the milk.
- Stretch the milk for a few seconds, then lower the wand deeper to build texture.
- Stop steaming when the jug is just too hot to hold (around 149 F / 65 C).
- Tap the jug to remove bubbles, swirl to combine foam and milk, then pour over the espresso.
- Aim for roughly equal thirds of espresso, steamed milk, and foam.
A good cappuccino starts with good beans. See our best coffee beans for cappuccinos and best home cappuccino machines guides if you’re setting up at home.
How to Make an Americano
An Americano is simpler to make than a cappuccino because there’s no milk steaming involved.
- Heat water to around 195 to 205 F.
- Pour the hot water into your cup first (this keeps the crema intact).
- Pull one or two shots of espresso directly on top of the hot water.
- Use roughly 1 part espresso to 3 parts water for a balanced drink. Adjust to taste.
If you like a slightly bolder cup, use less water. If you want something closer to a regular drip coffee, use more.
What About the Americano Misto?
The Americano Misto is a less common variant that sits between a cappuccino and an Americano. It’s an Americano with steamed milk added.
A standard Americano Misto is one-third espresso, one-third hot water, and one-third steamed milk. It’s lighter than a cappuccino (less milk, no foam cap) and creamier than an Americano (real steamed milk softens the espresso).
Don’t confuse it with the similarly named Caffè Misto, which is brewed drip coffee cut with steamed milk, rather than an espresso-based drink.
How to make an Americano Misto
- Pull one or two shots of espresso into your cup.
- Add an equal volume of hot water.
- Steam milk until it’s smooth and hot, then pour in an equal volume on top.
- Skip the foam cap – this drink is about blending, not layering.
An Americano Misto is a good option if you enjoy the coffee depth of an Americano but want the softness milk brings without committing to a full cappuccino or latte.
Cappuccino vs Americano: Which Should You Order?
- Order a cappuccino if you want a creamy, balanced espresso drink with a thick foam cap and a small, rich serving.
- Order an Americano if you want a longer, coffee-forward drink with almost no calories and none of the fullness that comes with milk.
- Order an Americano Misto if you want the depth of an Americano with a splash of steamed milk, but not the full milk volume of a cappuccino.
- Order a latte instead if you want something creamier and milkier than a cappuccino, with less foam.
For most people the choice comes down to milk. If you want milk, go cappuccino (or latte). If you want coffee on its own, go Americano.
If you’re comparing other espresso drinks, our cappuccino vs espresso, Americano vs latte, and Americano vs espresso guides are useful next reads.
FAQ – Cappuccino vs Americano
The main difference is milk. A cappuccino is two-thirds milk (steamed milk and foam) with a shot of espresso. An Americano is espresso diluted with hot water, with no milk at all. A cappuccino tastes creamy, while an Americano tastes closer to a smooth black coffee.
It depends on how many shots of espresso each drink uses. A single-shot cappuccino and a single-shot Americano both contain around 64 mg of caffeine. At Starbucks, sizes are different: a Grande Americano has three shots (around 225 mg), while a Grande cappuccino has two shots (around 150 mg).
An Americano Misto is an Americano with steamed milk added. It’s one-third espresso, one-third hot water, and one-third steamed milk. It sits between an Americano and a cappuccino on the menu: creamier than an Americano, but lighter and less milky than a cappuccino.
In terms of caffeine, no – they’re the same if they use the same number of espresso shots. In terms of flavor, an Americano tastes stronger and more coffee-forward because there’s no milk to soften the espresso.
Yes. Both are on the standard Starbucks menu. A Tall cappuccino and a Tall Americano are both 12 oz and contain one shot of espresso. A Grande Americano contains three shots, while a Grande cappuccino contains two, so the Americano often has more total caffeine at the bigger sizes.
Explore more in our coffee drink guides, or read 26 types of coffee drinks explained.
Hey there! I’m Austin and I love coffee. In fact, I drink about 5 americanos a day. I started BrewingCoffees because I wanted to share my love of coffee with the world. Before starting BrewingCoffees, I worked as a Barista for 7 years.
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