Cups to Milliliters Converter (US, Metric, Imperial)
1 US cup equals 236.59 mL, 1 Imperial cup equals 284.13 mL, and 1 Metric cup equals 250 mL. Pick the standard your recipe uses before scaling.
Open the cups to milliliters calculator →Worked example
An American chocolate chip cookie recipe calling for 2 1/4 cups flour means 2.25 x 236.59 = 532.32 mL by US measure. The same recipe in Australia would use 2.25 x 250 = 562.5 mL. The 30 mL gap is enough to shift the dough's hydration noticeably.
Conversion reference
| Cups | Millilitres |
|---|---|
| 1/4 cup | 59.15 mL (US) / 71.03 mL (Imp) / 62.5 mL (Metric) |
| 1/2 cup | 118.29 mL (US) / 142.07 mL (Imp) / 125 mL (Metric) |
| 1 cup | 236.59 mL (US) / 284.13 mL (Imp) / 250 mL (Metric) |
| 2 cups | 473.18 mL (US) / 568.26 mL (Imp) / 500 mL (Metric) |
| 4 cups (1 quart US) | 946.35 mL (US) / 1136.52 mL (Imp) / 1000 mL (Metric) |
American recipes default to US cups, British recipes to Imperial cups or weights, and modern Australian, New Zealand, and Canadian recipes to the Metric 250 mL cup. Arch Convert's Capacity tab shows all three cup standards alongside mL, fluid ounces, teaspoons, tablespoons, and grams by ingredient, so you can scale any recipe to whichever cup your measuring set actually uses.
Frequently asked
- How many millilitres are in a cup?
- A US cup is 236.59 mL. An Imperial (UK) cup is 284.13 mL. A Metric cup (Australia, NZ, modern Canadian recipes) is 250 mL. The right answer depends on which standard the recipe assumes, so check the country of origin before scaling.
- What is the difference between a US cup, an Imperial cup, and a metric cup?
- US customary and British Imperial measures diverged after the US adopted its own system in 1824. A US cup is 236.59 mL (8 US fl oz). An Imperial cup is 284.13 mL (10 Imperial fl oz). A Metric cup is exactly 250 mL and is standard in Australia, New Zealand, and modern Canadian baking. Using the wrong cup can shift a recipe by 6 to 20 percent.
- How many mL is half a cup?
- Half a US cup is 118.29 mL. Half an Imperial cup is 142.07 mL. Half a Metric cup is 125 mL. Arch Convert's Capacity tab shows all three cup standards plus mL, fluid ounces, teaspoons, and tablespoons in sync, so you can scale any sub-unit at a glance.