15 Caffeine-Free (And Low Caffeine) Starbucks Drinks, Ranked

Starbucks may be the go-to destination for your caffeine fix, but there are plenty of options if you're looking for something on the more mellow side. Whether you're trying to avoid caffeine for your health or want an afternoon pick-me-up that won't disrupt your sleep, there are still many of options at Starbucks. Of course, you can always choose a decaf coffee, but if you're looking for some of the coffee chain's more creative choices, we've put together a list of 15 menu items with little to no caffeine.

To rank 15 Starbucks drinks, I taste-tested a variety of beverages from Frappuccinos to hot tea and from very sugary drinks to ones that were sugar-free. The number one criterion was to find drinks with either no caffeine or low caffeine (which we defined for these purposes as 25mg or less.) The second rule I followed was to order each drink standard, as it came, without substitutions or additions. Whether you're looking for an iced, refreshing drink for a hot summer day or a warm, cozy beverage to keep you toasty this winter, check out the following list for inspiration when you're craving a treat minus the caffeine.

Starbucks Lemonade is completely free of caffeine. With a simple list of ingredients including water, lemon juice, sugar, and lemon oil, it sounds like it could be a promising choice for a light and refreshing beverage. Unfortunately, Starbucks Lemonade is lacking in the flavor department. 

A good lemonade should have a strong lemon taste with a balance of sour and sweet, leaning on the sour side. It's the sour and tart flavor, with a bit of sweetness that makes a lemonade such a refreshing summertime treat. However, Starbucks Lemonade tastes more like watered-down lemonade without much lemonade left in the glass. I know the drink must have had sugar in it because the Starbucks ingredients list shows 19 grams of sugar. For a drink containing that amount of sugar, though, it didn't taste sweet. It also wasn't very tart, which is important in a lemonade. Overall, there are plenty of other much tastier refreshing choices at Starbucks for a caffeine-free drink. 

There isn't anything much cozier than a steaming mug of hot cocoa on a chilly day. Because it's made with chocolate, Starbucks Hot Chocolate does have a little bit of caffeine (20mg in a 12-ounce serving) which is something to keep in mind if you are trying to steer clear of caffeine altogether. Since I love a rich, chocolatey cup of hot chocolate, I was excited to give this one a try. 

As I took off the lid, the drink had a lovely chocolatey aroma, upping my expectations for the taste. Unfortunately, Starbucks Hot Chocolate just didn't do it for me. Hot chocolate doesn't need to be overly sweet to be good, but if it's not sweet, it needs a rich, chocolate flavor to make up for it. This had neither sweetness nor rich flavoring but was fairly bland. I felt it could have benefited from a topping of whipped cream, which would have at least added to the sweetness. At the cost of $3.95 for a tall, I'd rather save my money and drink a hot chocolate mix at home.

If you're looking for a hot chocolate with no caffeine, Starbucks White Hot Chocolate is completely caffeine-free. According to the ingredients on the Starbucks website, it's made with milk, white chocolate mocha sauce, and whipped cream. However, my White Hot Chocolate did not have a whipped cream topping, which turned out to be a shame as the drink needed a little something more. Although Starbucks' white chocolate mocha sauce is a popular addition to many Starbucks coffee drinks, it's lacking in flavor when only paired with milk.

My tasting of the white hot chocolate was a little disappointing. It was not a bad-tasting drink, but was rather bland and I couldn't help but think of ways this drink could be spruced up a bit. Maybe a pump of peppermint syrup or sugar cookie syrup would make this a festive no-caffeine drink for the holidays. Indeed, there is a seasonal Peppermint White Hot Chocolate which might be worth a try, but I don't plan to buy the plain version again.

I thought I would love the Caramel Ribbon Crunch Crème Frappuccino Blended Beverage more than I did. With whipped cream piled high and ribbons of caramel drizzled on top, it's one of the prettiest drinks on the menu. Although it's a frappuccino, it's a creme version, which means no coffee. This completely caffeine-free drink wasn't bad at all, but I was expecting more flavor.

Perhaps this one was too sweet for my taste buds, but the sugar overpowered the caramel flavor. The 12-ounce serving has 33 grams of sugar, which is a little less than what's in a can of Coke. This was also one of those frappuccinos that melted quickly, giving it a texture more like melted milk than a frozen beverage. All in all, the caramel flavor wasn't as strong as I hoped, leaving this drink a little bland. When ordering, note that there is a Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino, which is made with coffee. Be sure to order the Crème version for a caffeine-free drink.

Don't think you have to forego a morning latte just because you're trying to limit your caffeine intake. Starbucks Royal English Breakfast Latte is a sweetened hot tea mixed with frothy steamed milk. A 12-ounce drink only contains 20mg of caffeine, perfect for people who can have a little bit of caffeine but want to keep the amount low. It's made with milk, hot tea, and Starbucks classic syrup. 

If you like black tea and want to avoid coffee, this makes a great choice for a latte. The steamy milk mixed well with the bold, sweetened tea for a cozy drink perfect for a morning pick-me-up. It does have a little bit of caffeine if you're looking for a small amount to get you going. Overall, this is a creamy and tasty drink, perfect for tea lovers. If I were to order it again, I would try it with a shot of vanilla in place of the sugar syrup for extra flavor.

Starbucks Chamomile Mint Blossom Hot Tea is made with green tea, so it has a small amount of caffeine (16 to 25mg in a 12-ounce serving). Other ingredients include apple, rose hips, lemon verbena, spearmint, chamomile flowers, licorice, and lemongrass. The herbs and spices all combine to make a lovely, fragrant hot tea. With only five calories and no sugar, this is a healthy choice compared to the many sugary, highly caffeinated drinks offered at Starbucks.

When I tasted this drink, I enjoyed the soothing cup of green tea with its blend of chamomile and mint. Although chamomile is often used to help with sleep, the green tea adds a little pick me up if you're looking for something to get you through the afternoon. If you enjoy Starbucks Chamomile Mint Blossom tea but can't find the tea bags to make it at home, one Starbucks barista suggested on Reddit that you buy a hot tea, but ask for extra tea bags on the side. Be aware, though, you will probably get an extra charge for the tea bags.

With 16 to 25mg of caffeine per 12-ounce serving, the Jade Citrus Mint Brewed Tea has a small amount of caffeine. Starbucks describes the drink as an infusion of green tea, spearmint, lemon verbena, and lemongrass. With no calories and no grams of sugar, this green tea is a healthy option.

The Jade Citrus Mint Brewed Tea is a soothing hot tea with lots of flavor. An enjoyable drink with a strong minty taste, it's perfect for a bit of energy when you've already had your caffeine fix for the day or are avoiding caffeine completely. While the mint was strong, I could also taste a more subtle hint of lemongrass and lemon verbena. If you like your tea on the minty side, this makes a great choice on the low-caffeine side of the menu. Even better, some studies have shown lemongrass may lower blood pressure and decrease anxiety, although more research is needed.

Starbucks Vanilla Bean Crème Frappuccino Blended Crème is completely free of caffeine. Like all the frappuccinos, it's a pretty drink to look at with its whipped topping and little flecks of vanilla throughout the drink. When you order something vanilla, it's always nice to see those vanilla flecks, letting you know you've got real vanilla bean on your hands. According to the website, the Vanilla Bean Crème Frappuccino contains vanilla bean powder which is made up of sugar, natural flavor, and vanilla bean pieces.

On my first sip, I instantly tasted those little vanilla pieces floating around the icy drink. The sugary sweetness with the real vanilla bean didn't need fancy flavors added in, but tasted great as a simple vanilla milkshake. This drink is similar to the Caffè Vanilla Frappuccino but without the coffee. Both feature the delicious vanilla bean powder. If you'd like to try making this one at home, you can try this very easy 3-ingredient copycat recipe.

The Blended Strawberry Lemonade is a refreshing, sweet choice for a hot day with zero caffeine. The drink is made with ice, lemonade, creme frappuccino syrup, and strawberry puree sauce. Admittedly, this one is on the sugary side, although at 31 grams of sugar for a 12-ounce serving, it has less sugar than many other menu options. 

Because the standard lemonade was so lackluster, my expectations weren't especially high when I gave the frozen strawberry lemonade a try, but I was proven wrong. This is a refreshing, icy drink with a sweet flavor and just a hint of the lemon's acidity. Starbucks strawberry puree sauce is the star of the show and turns the boring lemonade into a delicious summer treat. Since many Starbucks refreshers contain caffeine, this is a great alternative to those popular drinks, minus the caffeine. However, I'd recommend drinking it quickly, especially on a hot day. I noticed after awhile that my drink began to separate, which seems to be a common problem, according to baristas on Reddit.

Starbucks Chocolate Cookie Crumble Crème Frappuccino has a small amount of caffeine (10 mg for a 12-ounce serving) due to the chocolate, but it's still a low-caffeine choice. It's blended with ice, milk, mocha sauce, and frappuccino chips and topped with whipped cream and a chocolate cookie grind topping. It's a decadent, frosty drink for a sweet treat without a lot of caffeine. In case you wondered, frappuccino chips are tiny chocolate chips that are easily blended into icy drinks.

I wasn't surprised that this chocolatey delight was delicious. It looks like a chocolate cookie milkshake, and it tastes like one too. If you're looking for a frosty frappuccino, but you don't want the coffee, you can't go wrong with this sweet, chocolatey, beverage. Perhaps it's a personal bias due to my love of chocolate, but this crème frappuccino had more flavoring and richness with the mocha sauce and chocolate chips than the plain vanilla crème frappuccino, although I wouldn't say no to either drink.

The Mint Majesty is Starbucks' only herbal tea on the menu. If you are looking for a tea with no caffeine, note that all of the tea on the menu containing green tea will still have at least a small amount of caffeine. However, the Mint Majesty is not made with tea leaves, but with herbs, and it's completely caffeine-free. It's a simple drink and according to the ingredients list the tea contains spearmint leaves, peppermint leaves, and lemon verbena. It also has no calories and no sugar.

This tea had a wonderful, minty aroma, which didn't let me down with the flavor when I tasted it. If you like herbal mint tea, you can't go wrong with the Starbucks version. It's exactly what I look for in a mint tea, refreshing, soothing, with a mildly pleasant flavor. While brewed peppermint leaves are stronger than spearmint and typically have a bite to them, combining the peppermint with the spearmint mellows out the stronger flavor for a cooling and refreshing tea.

Out of all of the Crème Frappuccinos I have tried, the Strawberry Crème Frappuccino Blended Beverage is the best. Like the Blended Strawberry Lemonade, it's made with Starbucks strawberry puree sauce, which has the sweet and slightly tart flavor of very fresh strawberries. It's also completely caffeine-free. 

This is a refreshing drink and the strong strawberry flavor held on even as the ice began to melt. The strawberry puree sauce is an underrated delight and gives any drink a bright taste of summer, although I'd drink the Strawberry Crème Frappuccino any time of the year. It's also a pretty drink, with a pink color and little chunks of strawberry floating around the cup. If you're looking for an alternative to the refreshers, which do contain caffeine, you should give this one a try. Overall, this was a creamy, sweet, and very strong strawberry-tasting frosty drink.

Starbucks offers steamers for those craving steamed milk without the java. If you'd like to try a steamer on the sweet side, the Vanilla Crème makes for a delicious choice. This drink is made with steamed milk and vanilla syrup and topped with whipped cream. Oddly, my drink was missing the whipped cream, a sad occurrence that happened to me repeatedly while making my way through tasting this list. Despite the missing whipped cream, this warm and creamy beverage still made it high on the rankings.

For me, the level of sweetness was the perfect balance with the creamy milk and vanilla flavor. However, you can customize the vanilla syrup based on your preferences. This drink gives the comforting feel of drinking a latte without the jittery feelings caffeine can bring. It's a warm cup of comfort that I can imagine would be perfect for sipping before bedtime on a cold winter's night.

Emperor's Clouds & Mist Hot Tea is a green tea, so it does have minimal caffeine (1 to 15mg per 12-ounce serving). This is a specialty tea with an elegant name. The description on the Starbucks website describes the drink as a, "gently smoky, softly sweet green tea—  cultivated at 3,500 feet and shrouded in ethereal clouds and mist." Cloud tea is a Chinese tea leaf originally grown on the Nanyue Mountain that was historically cultivated solely for the Emporer.

Admittedly, Emperor's Clouds & Mist is a divisive drink. People on Reddit either love it or hate it. I am in the camp of really loving this unique tea. It has an earthy flavor, slightly smoky, but delicate. It's a smooth cup of tea, refreshing and soothing. If you'd like to make this one at home, it's hard to find it sold online for reasonable prices, but you can follow the advice we mentioned previously and ask for extra tea bags with your order. If you like your green tea on the earthy side, I highly recommend this one. I can see why it was once the prized drink of Chinese Emperors.

This was not a hard decision to make. Starbucks Caramel Apple Spice is the number one, most delicious, and amazing caffeine-free drink on the menu. It's a common misconception that this drink is a seasonal beverage available only during the holidays, but the Caramel Apple Spice is available year-round. According to the menu, this drink comes with whipped cream, though sadly, mine did not. However, even that didn't prevent it from tasting delicious and making its way to the top of our list.

When I removed the lid to taste the drink, the wonderful aroma of sweet spiced apple juice filled the room. The ingredients list reveals this drink is made with apple juice, cinnamon dolce syrup, whipped cream, and caramel sauce. If you're looking for a cozy, fall drink any time of the year, this is a great choice whether you drink caffeine or not. Hopefully, the next time I order one, I'll get the whipped cream topping drizzled with caramel, which truly makes for a decadent tasty treat.

When selecting items for this list, I wanted a wide variety of different types of beverages for every mood and season. Nothing on the list is seasonal — every drink here should be available year-round. The beverages I ranked were limited to those with either no caffeine or a small amount. No drink on the list has over 25mg per 12-ounce cup. As a frequent Starbucks customer, I had some drinks I knew I wanted to include here. I also took to social media for inspiration on popular caffeine-free drinks.

I determined the rankings completely by taste and ordered each drink as it appeared on the menu with no substitutions or modifications. Although any list ranked by taste is going to be somewhat subjective, I did my best to provide you with some tasty ideas for your next Starbucks run sans the caffeine.