It depends on which cup you are using: - 1 US Customary Cup = 236.588 mL (most common for US recipes) - 1 US Legal Cup = 240 mL (used for US nutritional labeling) - 1 Metric Cup = 250 mL (common in UK, Australia, Canada, and NZ)

Cups to Milliliters Converter (cups to mL)

Q: Is 1 cup 240ml or 250ml?

Both can be correct. 1 US Legal Cup is exactly 240 mL, which is used for nutrition and food labeling in the United States. 1 Metric Cup is exactly 250 mL, which is the standard in many countries, including Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. For everyday US cooking, the 'US Customary Cup' (236.588 mL) is the standard, which is often rounded to 240 mL for simplicity.

Q: How many mL is half a US cup?

Using the standard US Customary cup, half a cup is 1/2 * 236.588 mL = 118.294 mL. This is often rounded to 120 mL in recipes.

Q: How do I convert 1/3 cup to mL?

For a US Customary cup: 1/3 * 236.588 mL = 78.86 mL. For a Metric cup: 1/3 * 250 mL = 83.33 mL.

Instantly convert cooking cups to milliliters (mL) and back. The most important step is selecting the correct type of cup. A "US Cup" is different from a "Metric Cup" used in the UK, Australia, and Canada. Select your unit below for a precise conversion.

Select Cup Type

US Customary Cup
(~236.59 mL)

US Legal Cup
(240 mL)

Metric Cup
(250 mL)

Cups

Milliliters (mL)

1 US Customary Cup = 236.588 mL

Common Cooking Conversions (US Customary)

For quick reference, here are the most common fractional cup conversions for US recipes.

US Customary Cups	Milliliters (mL)
1/8 cup	29.57 mL
1/4 cup	59.15 mL
1/3 cup	78.86 mL
1/2 cup	118.29 mL
2/3 cup	157.72 mL
3/4 cup	177.44 mL
1 cup	236.59 mL
2 cups	473.18 mL

Which Cup Are You Using? US vs. Legal vs. Metric

The "cup" is one of the most confusing units of measurement for cooking. The correct conversion depends entirely on where your recipe or measuring cup is from.

US Customary Cup (~236.59 mL): This is the standard measuring cup used for cooking in the United States. It is technically defined as half a US liquid pint. When a US recipe calls for a "cup," it means this one.
US Legal Cup (240 mL): This cup is defined by the FDA for nutrition labeling in the US. It's slightly larger and rounded for convenience.
Metric Cup (250 mL): This is the standard used in most of the rest of the world, including the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. It is equal to one-quarter of a liter (1000 mL / 4 = 250 mL).

Always check your recipe! A US recipe (like for American pancakes) will use the ~236.59 mL cup, while an Australian or UK recipe (like for scones) will use the 250 mL cup.

Cups to mL Conversion Formulas

The conversions from cups to milliliters are based on these exact definitions:

US Customary Cup to Milliliters:

$1 \text{ US Customary Cup} = 236.5882365 \text{ mL}$

US Legal Cup to Milliliters:

$1 \text{ US Legal Cup} = 240 \text{ mL}$

Metric Cup to Milliliters:

$1 \text{ Metric Cup} = 250 \text{ mL}$

Dynamic Conversion Chart

Based on your input, here is a chart of nearby values for the selected cup type.

US Customary Cups	Milliliters (mL)

Cups to Milliliters Converter (cups to mL)

Common Cooking Conversions (US Customary)

Which Cup Are You Using? US vs. Legal vs. Metric

Cups to mL Conversion Formulas

Dynamic Conversion Chart

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is 1 cup in mL?

Is 1 cup 240ml or 250ml?

How many mL is half a US cup?

How do I convert 1/3 cup to mL?