How much caffeine is in Nescafé Decaf Instant Coffee?

A 12 fl oz cup of Nescafé Decaf Instant Coffee has 15 mg of caffeine.

That's about a quarter of a cup of brewed coffee, and 4% of the 400 mg a day the FDA cites for most healthy adults.

Source: nescafe.com · checked 10 Nov 2026

When did you have it?

Had at 3 pm, about 5.3 mg is still in you at an 11 pm bedtime. That should not affect most people’s sleep.

Bedtime

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Latest time to drink it

For an 11 pm bedtime, a 12 fl oz cup of Nescafé Decaf Instant Coffee stays under the 50 mg most people sleep fine with, even late in the evening. The table works it out for other bedtimes and for how sensitive you are: it is the latest time to start one so that the caffeine left stays under the line all night.

Bedtime	Very sensitive under 25 mg	Average under 50 mg	Not very sensitive under 100 mg
9 pm	Any time	Any time	Any time
10 pm	Any time	Any time	Any time
11 pm	Any time	Any time	Any time
Midnight	Any time	Any time	Any time
1 am	Any time	Any time	Any time

For a 12 fl oz cup of Nescafé Decaf Instant Coffee, average clearance (half-life 5 h), 8 hours of sleep. "Any time" means even one at bedtime stays under the line.

How long it lasts

The caffeine from a 12 fl oz cup of Nescafé Decaf Instant Coffee peaks in your blood about 75 minutes after you start it, at roughly 13 mg. Half of it is gone in about 5 hours for an average adult; that ranges from roughly 3 to 7 hours, and longer in pregnancy or with some medicines.

Time after	3 hours	6 hours	9 hours	12 hours
Still in you	11 mg	7 mg	4.6 mg	3 mg

So one had at 3 pm leaves about 5.3 mg at 11 pm. How long caffeine lasts explains the curve.

How it compares

Nescafé Decaf Instant Coffee is stronger than 5% of the 22 coffees made at home we track, by caffeine per serving.

Per fluid ounce (1.3 mg) it is stronger than 6% of them.

To reach 400 mg in a day you would need about 27 of these.

Less caffeine

Decaf Coffee 2 to 15 mg, 8 fl oz cup

More caffeine

RYZE Mushroom Coffee 48 mg, 1 cup, medium roast
illy Espresso 60 mg, 1 shot
Instant Coffee 62 mg, 8 fl oz cup

FAQ

Is Nescafé Decaf Instant Coffee high in caffeine?

No, it is low. A 12 fl oz cup of Nescafé Decaf Instant Coffee has 15 mg, which is 16% of the 95 mg in an 8 fl oz cup of brewed coffee.

Can I drink Nescafé Decaf Instant Coffee at night?

For most people, yes: even late in the evening a 12 fl oz cup of Nescafé Decaf Instant Coffee stays under 50 mg at an 11 pm bedtime.

How long does the caffeine in Nescafé Decaf Instant Coffee last?

It peaks about 75 minutes after you start it. Of the 15 mg, about 7 mg is still in you 6 hours later and 3 mg after 12 hours, for an average adult with a 5-hour half-life.

Does Nescafé Decaf Instant Coffee have more caffeine than Red Bull?

No. A 12 fl oz cup of Nescafé Decaf Instant Coffee has 15 mg; an 8.4 fl oz can of Red Bull has 80 mg.

Method and limits

The caffeine figure comes from nescafe.com; recipes, brewing and batches vary, so a real serving can differ. The curves use a standard one-compartment model with an average 5-hour half-life and a sleep-friendly line of 50 mg; your own body may clear caffeine faster or slower. How it works has the details.

These are estimates for information, not medical advice.