Volume Converter
Convert between mL, L, fluid ounces, cups, pints, quarts, gallons, and cubic meters.
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How it works
Volume conversions translate between metric (mL, L, m³) and US customary (fl oz, cups, pints, quarts, gallons) units. The biggest gotcha is that US and UK gallons are different: 1 US gallon = 3.785 L, 1 UK (imperial) gallon = 4.546 L. Same word, ~20% size difference. This calculator uses US units; for UK measurements convert via the metric values.
Common conversions: 1 US gallon = 4 quarts = 8 pints = 16 cups = 128 fluid ounces ≈ 3.785 L. 1 cup = 8 fl oz ≈ 240 mL (often rounded to 240 in nutrition labels, even though the technical value is 236.6 mL). 1 fl oz ≈ 29.6 mL. 1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons = 0.5 fl oz ≈ 14.8 mL. 1 teaspoon ≈ 4.93 mL.
These US fluid units are different from the dry/measuring units used in non-recipe contexts. For example, a "cup" of dry pasta is by volume; a "cup" of milk is by fluid volume — same conversion factor (~240 mL) but the kitchen utensils differ. Recipe scaling uses these volume measures interchangeably.
Cubic measurements (cubic meter, cubic feet) are common in construction and shipping. 1 m³ = 1000 L = 264.2 US gallons. 1 ft³ ≈ 28.3 L. A standard 20-foot shipping container has about 33 m³ of internal volume, while a 40-foot container has roughly twice that.
Watch the difference between "fluid ounce" (volume) and "ounce" (weight). They're not the same thing — 1 fl oz of water happens to weigh ~1 oz, but for denser or lighter substances they diverge. Recipe units in the US are nearly always volume; in metric countries (and in baking generally), weight is preferred for accuracy.
Frequently asked questions
US gallon vs UK gallon?▾
Different. US gallon = 3.785 L. Imperial (UK) gallon = 4.546 L. About 20% larger.
Is a fluid ounce the same as an ounce?▾
No. Fluid ounce is a volume; ounce is a weight. They coincide only for water at standard conditions.