Cups to Pints Converter
This calculator converts between cups and pints in either direction, which matters because "a cup" is not one fixed measure - New Zealand and Australia use a 250 mL metric cup, the United States uses a smaller 236.588 mL cup, and the old imperial cup is 284.131 mL, so following an overseas recipe with the wrong cup size can throw off your baking. You choose which way to convert, cups to pints or pints to cups, enter the amount, then select your cup type (US, metric/NZ or imperial) and your pint type (US or imperial) to match the recipe or packaging you're working from. The calculator returns your main result in pints or cups depending on the direction chosen, along with the same volume shown in millilitres, litres and US fluid ounces, plus a full conversion breakdown showing the exact cup and pint sizes used. A comparison table lists common cup amounts (0.5 to 8 cups) converted to pints, millilitres and litres for quick reference, and a reference panel shows the fixed millilitre value of every cup and pint definition. Use it when scaling a recipe up or down, converting an American recipe for New Zealand kitchens, or checking how a British pint measure compares to cups. Since these are all fixed unit definitions rather than estimates, results are exact for whichever cup and pint types you select.
1. Amount to Convert
2. Measurement System
Common Cups to Pints Conversions
| Cups | US Pints | Millilitres | Litres |
|---|
Conversion Detail
Quick Reference
How to Convert Cups to Pints
Converting cups to pints depends on which cup and pint definitions you are using, because "a cup" is not a fixed international unit. New Zealand and Australia use a metric cup of exactly 250 mL. The United States uses a customary cup of 236.588 mL. The old imperial cup, based on 10 imperial fluid ounces, is 284.131 mL. Pints also differ: a US pint is 473.176 mL, while a UK (imperial) pint is 568.261 mL, which is why a British pint of beer looks noticeably bigger than an American one.
To convert, this calculator multiplies your cup amount by your chosen cup size in millilitres, then divides by your chosen pint size in millilitres. For US cups and US pints, the maths is simple because a US pint is defined as exactly 2 US cups, so you can just divide the number of cups by 2.
Worked Example
Converting 4 US cups to US pints: 4 cups × 236.588 mL = 946.35 mL. Dividing by 473.176 mL (1 US pint) gives 2.00 US pints. This matches the simple rule that 2 US cups always equals 1 US pint.
Cup and Pint Reference Table
| Unit | Millilitres | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| US cup | 236.588 mL | Standard in US recipes |
| Metric / NZ cup | 250 mL | Used in NZ, Australia and most of the world |
| Imperial cup | 284.131 mL | Historic UK unit, rarely used today |
| US pint | 473.176 mL | Equal to 2 US cups or 16 US fl oz |
| Imperial pint | 568.261 mL | Used for UK beer and milk measures |
Why New Zealand Recipes Can Be Tricky
New Zealand recipes typically measure in millilitres, grams or metric cups (250 mL), while many overseas recipes (especially from the US) use cups and pints without specifying which type. If a US recipe calls for "2 cups of stock", using a NZ 250 mL cup instead of a US 236.588 mL cup gives you about 27 mL more liquid, which rarely matters for stock but can matter for baking ratios. When following an overseas recipe closely, it pays to check whether it means US or metric cups, and to use the matching definition in this converter.
Frequently Used Amounts
- 1 US cup = 0.5 US pints = 236.588 mL
- 2 US cups = 1 US pint = 473.176 mL
- 4 US cups = 2 US pints (1 US quart) = 946.352 mL
- 1 metric cup (250 mL) = 0.528 US pints
- 1 imperial pint (568.261 mL) = 2 imperial cups (about 2.4 US cups)
Related Calculators
- Essential Calculators: browse all conversion and everyday tools.
- Cups to Gallons Converter: convert cups to US gallons.
- Cups to Oz Converter: convert cups to fluid ounces.
- Grams to Cups Converter: convert ingredient weight to cups.
- Ounces to Millilitres Converter: convert fluid ounces to mL.
Sources: NIST Handbook 44, Appendix C (General Tables of Units of Measurement, US customary volume definitions). UK Weights and Measures Act 1985 (imperial pint and cup definitions). Australian and New Zealand metric cup and spoon standard (250 mL cup, as used in NZ recipe publishing).
This calculator provides a standard volume conversion. Cup and pint sizes are fixed by definition and do not vary by ingredient, but the density of an ingredient affects how much it weighs per cup. For weight-to-volume conversions, use a dedicated ingredient converter.