How Many Ounces in a Pint?
16 fluid ounces in a US pint — 20 in a UK (imperial) pint. That difference catches people constantly, and it matters because most recipes online don't say which pint they mean.
Why US and UK pints differ
A pint means "one eighth of a gallon" in both systems — but the gallons themselves are different sizes. A US gallon is 3.785 liters while a UK imperial gallon is 4.546 liters. So the US pint lands at 473 ml and the UK pint at 568 ml. Same word, ~20% different volume. British pubs serve 20 fl oz pints; American bars serve 16.
Fluid ounces vs weight ounces
There's a second trap: a pint is a volume, so these are fluid ounces — not the ounces on a kitchen scale. The old saying "a pint's a pound the world around" is only roughly true for water-like liquids in the US system. A pint of honey or flour weighs very differently.
Quick conversions
- 1 US pint = 16 US fl oz = 2 cups = 473 ml
- 1 UK pint = 20 UK fl oz = 568 ml
- 1 US pint ≈ 0.83 UK pints
When it matters
Scaling recipes between American and British cookbooks, measuring beer servings, and canning/preserving (US canning jars are sized in US pints) are the everyday cases where mixing the systems up ruins a batch. This tool converts instantly in your browser — nothing is stored or sent anywhere.
Formula
Answer: There are 16 fluid ounces in a US pint and 20 fluid ounces in a UK (imperial) pint. The US pint is the standard in American recipes.
Example
Question: How many ounces in a pint? Answer: There are 16 fluid ounces in a US pint and 20 fluid ounces in a UK (imperial) pint. The US pint is the standard in American recipes.
How to Use
- Read the direct answer at the top of the page
- Check the conversion table for common values
- Use the related converter for custom values
- Browse the FAQ for common follow-up questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is a UK pint bigger than a US pint?
The UK imperial system was standardized in 1824 with a larger pint (568.3 ml). The US kept the older English wine pint (473.2 ml).
How many ounces in a pint of beer?
In the US, a pint of beer is 16 fluid ounces. In the UK, a pint is 20 fluid ounces (imperial).
How many cups in a pint?
There are 2 cups in 1 US pint.