CyanSunPaper Cup Size Calculator
Enter a cup's dimensions to get its real capacity, the trade size it is closest to, the lid family that fits and a typical export carton. Start from a standard size or type your own measurements.
90 × 60 × 110 mm
These are typical industry dimensions, not a factory specification. Board weight, rim style and the factory's own die all move the numbers by a few percent. Use the result to choose a size and compare quotes, then confirm the final dimensions on a drawing or a physical sample before you print.
How paper cup sizes actually work
Paper cup sizes are written in ounces because the US food-service market set the convention. The number on the carton is a trade size, not a measured fill volume. That is why a “12 oz” cup can hold close to half a litre when you fill it to the rim, and why two cups with the same name from two factories can have different dimensions.
What actually defines a cup is three numbers: top diameter, bottom diameter and height. From those you can calculate the volume of the conical frustum exactly:
V = πh / 3 × (R² + Rr + r²)
where R is the top radius, r the bottom radius and h the
height. The calculator above runs that formula in millilitres and converts to US fluid ounces.
It assumes a perfect frustum; the rolled rim, the seam and the board thickness reduce the usable
volume by a few percent.
Standard paper cup sizes and dimensions
The table below is the reference set used by the calculator. Brimful capacity is calculated from the dimensions; the nominal column is the trade size printed on the carton. The gap between the two is headspace, and it is larger on big cups than on small ones.
| Cup | Nominal | D × d × H | Brimful (calc.) | Lid | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 oz hot | 120 ml | 60 × 45 × 60 mm | 131 ml | 62 mm | Espresso, tasting cups, kids' drinks |
| 6 oz hot | 180 ml | 68 × 50 × 70 mm | 193 ml | 73 mm | Small coffee, tea |
| 8 oz hot | 240 ml | 80 × 56 × 92 mm | 338 ml | 80 mm | Standard coffee, flat white |
| 12 oz hot | 355 ml | 90 × 60 × 110 mm | 492 ml | 90 mm | Regular coffee, tea, hot chocolate |
| 16 oz hot | 475 ml | 90 × 60 × 135 mm | 604 ml | 90 mm | Large coffee, soup |
| 20 oz hot | 590 ml | 90 × 60 × 155 mm | 694 ml | 90 mm | Extra-large hot drinks |
| 12 oz cold | 355 ml | 90 × 60 × 115 mm | 515 ml | 90 mm | Iced coffee, soft drinks |
| 16 oz cold | 475 ml | 98 × 65 × 120 mm | 635 ml | 98 mm | Iced coffee, smoothies |
| 20 oz cold | 590 ml | 98 × 65 × 145 mm | 767 ml | 98 mm | Iced tea, bubble tea base |
| 24 oz cold | 710 ml | 98 × 65 × 165 mm | 873 ml | 98 mm | Large iced drinks, milkshakes |
| 32 oz cold | 950 ml | 98 × 65 × 190 mm | 1005 ml | 98 mm | Sharing cups, movie drinks |
| 4 oz ice cream | 120 ml | 75 × 50 × 45 mm | 140 ml | Dome | Gelato, sorbet, dessert samples |
| 8 oz ice cream | 240 ml | 90 × 60 × 60 mm | 269 ml | Dome | Ice cream tubs, frozen yoghurt |
| 12 oz soup | 355 ml | 98 × 70 × 70 mm | 392 ml | 98 mm | Soup, noodles, takeaway meals |
| 16 oz soup | 475 ml | 98 × 70 × 85 mm | 475 ml | 98 mm | Large soup, pasta, rice bowls |
| 24 oz soup | 710 ml | 105 × 75 × 110 mm | 706 ml | 105 mm | Family portions, food delivery |
Cold cups are usually taller than hot cups at the same nominal size because ice displaces volume. A 16 oz cold cup is not a 16 oz hot cup with a different lid: the wall, the rim and the coating are all different.
Hot cups, cold cups, ice cream and soup
Four families cover most orders, and they are not interchangeable:
- Hot cups — 4 to 20 oz, single or double wall, PE or water-based coating, rolled rim for a heat-seal lid.
- Cold cups — 12 to 32 oz, taller, often 98 mm rim, coating chosen for condensation and long contact with cold liquid.
- Ice cream cups — 4 to 8 oz, short and wide, designed for a dome lid and a spoon rather than a sip lid.
- Soup and food cups — 8 to 24 oz, wider base, heavier board, vented lid.
If you are switching a product between families, check the fill line and the lid before you approve artwork. The same printed design rarely fits both a hot and a cold cup without re-laying it out.
Lid sizes: 62, 73, 80, 90, 98 and 105 mm
Lids are matched by rim diameter. The ounce number on the cup tells you nothing about the lid, and a “90 mm lid” from one supplier may not seal on another supplier's 90 mm cup because the rim profile differs. Always ask for a lid fit sample with the production order.
| Rim family | Fits | Lid types | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62 mm | 4 oz hot | Flat PS / PP, sip lid | Small espresso cups |
| 73 mm | 6 oz hot | Flat PS / PP | Less common outside Europe |
| 80 mm | 8 oz hot | Flat, sip, dome | Most common coffee rim |
| 90 mm | 12–20 oz hot | Flat, sip, dome, straw slot | Standard 12/16/20 oz family |
| 98 mm | 16–32 oz cold | Flat, dome, straw slot | Cold-cup family, also 12 oz cold |
| 105 mm | 24 oz soup | Vented flat, dome | Soup and food containers |
Lid material matters too: PS is the cheapest and clearest, PP tolerates heat better, PLA is compostable but more brittle in the cold, and paper lids avoid plastic entirely at a higher unit cost. The lid is often 15–25% of the delivered cost of a cup programme, so it belongs in the quote, not in a separate email.
Why the same ounce number can be a different cup
- Wall thickness — a 350 gsm double-wall cup uses more board and has a slightly smaller internal volume than a 250 gsm single-wall cup with the same outside dimensions.
- Rim style — a rolled rim adds 2–4 mm of height and changes the lid fit.
- Fill line — cafés rarely fill to the brim; a safe fill line is usually 10–20 mm below the rim.
- Ice and foam — a cold cup sized for 16 oz of drink plus ice needs more volume than 16 oz of liquid alone.
For procurement, the practical rule is: specify dimensions and board weight, use the ounce number only as a shorthand, and keep a signed sample as the reference for every reorder.
Know the dimensions? Next, work out the flat blank for your artwork or the carton count for freight.
Open the blank size calculator →Frequently Asked Questions
How do I convert paper cup ounces to millilitres?
One US fluid ounce is 29.5735 ml, so a nominal 12 oz cup is 355 ml and a 16 oz cup is 475 ml. That conversion gives the trade size, not the brimful capacity. The cup itself usually holds more than its name: the calculator above shows both numbers from the actual dimensions.
Why does a 12 oz cup hold more than 355 ml?
Because 12 oz is a trade name inherited from US food service, not a measured fill volume. A cup with a 90 mm rim, 60 mm base and 110 mm height measures about 490 ml to the brim. The gap is headspace for the lid, foam, ice and a safe fill line. If volume matters, specify the dimensions and the fill line on the purchase order, not just the ounce number.
How do I measure a paper cup for reordering?
Measure the outside rim diameter, the base diameter and the overall height in millimetres, then check the rim with a caliper if you can. Ounce numbers alone are not enough: two 16 oz cups from different factories can have different rim diameters and will not share lids.
What lid size do I need?
Match the lid to the rim diameter, not the cup volume. The common families are 62, 73, 80, 90, 98 and 105 mm. An 80 mm lid fits most 8 oz hot cups; 90 mm covers the 12–20 oz hot family; 98 mm is the usual cold-cup rim. Always request a lid fit sample with the cup order.
Does the coating change the volume?
Slightly. PE, water-based and PLA coatings are all thin films on the board, so the internal volume is within a few percent. What changes is heat resistance, leak performance and what you can claim in your market — see the coatings guide.
Can I use this calculator for soup containers and ice cream cups?
Yes, any tapered round container works with the frustum formula. Ice cream and soup cups have shorter walls and wider bases than drink cups, so the same ounce number gives a different shape. Choose the shape by how the product is served and how it is stored.