Gallons to cups converter

Gallons and cups are both US volume units, so this conversion is exact. The tool above converts gallons, cups, quarts, pints, fluid ounces, and liters. Gallons show up in big-batch cooking, drink recipes, and bulk measurements.

Pick units or type in either box.

Common gallon and cup conversions

US liquid gallon:

  • 1 gallon = 16 cups
  • 1/2 gallon = 8 cups
  • 1/4 gallon = 4 cups = 1 quart
  • 1 gallon = 4 quarts
  • 1 gallon = 8 pints
  • 1 gallon = 128 fluid ounces
  • 1 gallon = 3.79 liters
  • 2 gallons = 32 cups

How the tool works

A US liquid gallon is 16 cups, 4 quarts, 8 pints, or 3785.41 milliliters. The tool converts to milliliters internally, so gallons, cups, quarts, and pints all interconvert.

The whole US liquid system nests cleanly: 2 cups to a pint, 2 pints to a quart, 4 quarts to a gallon. That makes 16 cups in a gallon.

US gallon vs UK gallon

A US gallon is 3.79 liters. A UK imperial gallon is 4.55 liters, about 20 percent larger. The two are not interchangeable.

If a recipe is British and lists a gallon, it is the bigger imperial gallon. Most home cooking does not use gallons, so this comes up mainly with drinks, brining, and large-batch work.

When a recipe gives both gallons and cups, follow the cups; a gallon could mean either system depending on where the recipe was written.

Gallons in metric terms

A US gallon is 3.79 liters; a UK gallon is 4.55 liters. Neither is a round metric number, which is why metric recipes use liters. For a rough mental conversion, a US gallon is just under 4 liters.

Common gallon and cup mistakes

  • Using a US gallon for a UK recipe, or the reverse. The UK gallon is about 20 percent larger.
  • Forgetting that a gallon is 16 cups, not 8. Eight cups is a half gallon.
  • Mixing dry and liquid gallons. The US dry gallon exists but is rare; recipes mean the liquid gallon.
  • Scaling a recipe to gallons without checking the pot size. 16 cups is a lot of volume.

FAQ

How many cups are in a gallon?
1 US gallon is 16 cups. 1/2 gallon is 8 cups.
How many cups are in a half gallon?
A half gallon is 8 US cups, which is also 2 quarts.
How many quarts are in a gallon?
4 quarts make 1 gallon. A gallon is also 8 pints.
Is a US gallon the same as a UK gallon?
No. A US gallon is 3.79 liters; a UK imperial gallon is 4.55 liters, about 20 percent larger.
How many liters is a gallon?
1 US gallon is 3.79 liters. 1 UK gallon is 4.55 liters.

Related tools and guides

¿Necesitas esta herramienta en español? Ver galones a tazas.

Where these numbers come from

The US liquid gallon is defined as 231 cubic inches, exactly 3785.411784 milliliters. It contains exactly 4 quarts, 8 pints, and 16 US cups. The UK imperial gallon is 4546.09 milliliters.

Sources

Our numbers and methodology cross-reference these authorities:

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