Volume Converter
Convert between milliliters, liters, cubic meters, teaspoons, cups, pints, gallons and more.
How volume conversion works
Volume measures the three-dimensional space a substance occupies. All conversions on this page use the liter (l) as the base unit β a metric unit equal to one cubic decimeter (1 dmΒ³ = 0.001 mΒ³). Every unit is stored as its liter equivalent, so converting between any two units is a single division.
Result = Input Γ (From unit in liters) Γ· (To unit in liters)Worked examples:
Convert 2 gallons (US) to liters:
2 Γ 3.78541 Γ· 1 = 7.571 l
Convert 500 ml to fluid ounces:
500 Γ 0.001 Γ· 0.0295735 = 16.907 fl oz
Convert 3 cups to milliliters:
3 Γ 0.236588 Γ· 0.001 = 709.76 mlMetric vs. US customary volume units
The metric system uses the liter and its decimal subdivisions (ml, cl, dl). US customary units β teaspoons, tablespoons, cups, pints, quarts, and gallons β are based on a separate historical system where the relationships between units are not multiples of 10.
| Unit | In liters (exact) | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Teaspoon (US tsp) | β 4.929 ml | Cooking measurements, medicine dosing |
| Tablespoon (US tbsp) | β 14.787 ml | Cooking; 3 tsp = 1 tbsp |
| Cup (US) | β 236.6 ml | Baking and cooking in North America |
| Pint (US) | β 473.2 ml | Beer servings, deli containers |
| Gallon (US) | β 3.785 l | Fuel, milk, large liquid containers |
| Fluid oz (US) | β 29.57 ml | Drinks, food labels, cosmetics |
US vs. UK (imperial) volume units
A critical source of confusion: US and UK units share the same names but have different values. A US pint is 473 ml; a UK imperial pint is 568 ml β about 20% larger. The same gap applies to gallons, fluid ounces, and cups. When following a British recipe or reading a UK specification, always verify which system is being used.
US gallon = 3.785 l (128 US fl oz)
UK gallon = 4.546 l (160 UK fl oz)
US pint = 473.2 ml
UK pint = 568.3 ml
US fl oz = 29.57 ml
UK fl oz = 28.41 mlThis converter uses US customary units throughout. If you need UK imperial values, multiply US gallons by 1.201 to get imperial gallons, or US pints by 1.201 to get imperial pints.
Common real-world uses
Volume scales with the cube of length
Like area scales with the square of a linear unit, volume scales with the cube. This makes volume conversions between unit systems especially unintuitive.
1 m = 100 cm β linear factor: 100
1 mΒ² = 10,000 cmΒ² β squared factor: 100Β² = 10,000
1 mΒ³ = 1,000,000 cmΒ³ β cubed factor: 100Β³ = 1,000,000
1 foot = 30.48 cm
1 ftΒ³ = 28.317 liters (not 30.48 liters!)Tips for avoiding volume conversion errors
- One teaspoon β 5 ml exactly. The US teaspoon is 4.929 ml; 5 ml is actually closer to a metric teaspoon used in medicine and some Commonwealth countries. The difference matters for precise drug dosing.
- A "cup" is not universal. The US cup is 236.6 ml. A UK cup is 284 ml. A Japanese cup (ε, gΕ) is 180 ml. Japanese rice recipes in cups will produce wrong results if measured with a US cup.
- Cubic meters and liters differ by a factor of 1,000. A tank holding 5 mΒ³ holds 5,000 liters β not 5 liters. This confusion causes significant calculation errors in engineering and pool chemistry.
- Fuel: mpg uses US or UK gallons. When comparing fuel efficiency, US mpg and UK mpg refer to different gallon sizes. A car rated at 40 mpg in the UK achieves the equivalent of only about 33 mpg on the US scale.
Frequently asked questions
How many liters are in a US gallon?
One US gallon equals about 3.785 liters. A UK (imperial) gallon is larger, at about 4.546 liters.
How many milliliters are in a cup?
A US cup is about 237 ml, while a metric cup is 250 ml. The tool lets you pick the unit you need.
What is the difference between US and imperial volume?
US and imperial units share names (gallon, pint, fluid ounce) but differ in size β an imperial gallon is about 20% larger than a US gallon. Always confirm which system a recipe or spec uses.
How do I convert liters to cubic meters?
Divide liters by 1,000. One cubic meter holds 1,000 liters of volume.
All volumes convert through liters as base unit. Click any tile to use that value as new input. Uses US customary units.