Nespresso Pods vs Coffee Beans: The Cost per Cup (2026)

Whole beans cost less than Nespresso pods for almost every drink, because the coffee in Nespresso's lowest-priced pods costs 1.3 to 2.5 times as much per gram. The one exception is the Vertuo double espresso, which holds less coffee than a double made from beans. Nespresso makes two pod systems: Original, for espresso, and Vertuo, for espresso and mugs. All prices are regular Canadian prices from September 2026.

An Original pod holds 5 g of coffee, and a Vertuo pod holds 6 to 17 g

Nespresso sells two kinds of machine, each with its own pod size. Original machines take small pods and make espresso. Vertuo machines take larger pods and make everything from an espresso to a large mug.

The grams of coffee in a pod decide its cost per cup, and Nespresso lists them on each product page. An Original pod holds about 5 g of ground coffee. A Vertuo pod holds about 6 g for an espresso, 10 g for a double espresso or a 150 ml gran lungo (a long, milder espresso-style coffee), 12.5 g for a 230 ml coffee, and about 17 g for a 355 ml Alto, Nespresso's largest single mug.

Nespresso's lowest-priced pods cost CA$9.63 to CA$19.00 per 100 g of coffee, and our beans cost CA$7.60

Nespresso prices are regular prices on nespresso.com/ca for its lowest-priced coffees, checked September 2026.

The smaller the pod, the more you pay per 100 g of coffee. An Original pod costs CA$19.00 per 100 g, two and a half times our CA$7.60. The Alto, the largest Vertuo pod, comes closest at CA$9.63.

Whole beans cost less for every drink except the Vertuo double espresso

The table prices each drink the way it is usually made. Espresso from beans uses the dose an espresso machine takes: about 9 g for a single and 18 g for a double. A mug from beans uses the same grams as the Vertuo pod, which is about what a drip coffee maker uses.

The Vertuo double espresso pod costs CA$1.19, against CA$1.37 for a double from beans, because the pod holds 10 g of coffee where the double from beans uses 18 g. With 8 g less coffee, the Vertuo double tastes lighter. Our Nespresso vs espresso machine guide explains the difference in the cup.

One Vertuo mug a day costs CA$41.70 a month in pods and CA$28.50 in beans

One 230 ml Vertuo coffee a day uses 30 pods a month, which cost CA$41.70. The same coffee from whole beans uses 375 g, which costs CA$28.50 from us. Two mugs a day cost CA$83.40 a month in pods, or CA$57.00 in beans.

A double espresso every day costs CA$57.00 a month with two Original pods per double, CA$35.70 with one Vertuo double espresso pod, and CA$41.04 with 18 g of beans.

Nespresso's Subscription+ plan lowers some pod prices. The Melozio pod, a 230 ml Vertuo coffee, drops from CA$1.39 to CA$1.25, which is still more than the CA$0.95 of beans for the same mug.

The pod price also pays for the sealed capsule and the one-button routine

Part of a pod's price pays for the aluminium capsule and its airtight seal, which Nespresso says keeps the coffee for 12 months after production. The pod price also pays for the convenience of dropping in a pod and pressing a button.

Whole beans need a grinder, or a machine with one built in. At one mug a day, beans save about CA$13 a month over Vertuo pods. You can set that saving against the Magnifica Start's price on its card below. You can buy beans from any roaster, and the grinder grinds them seconds before you brew.

For pods: Nespresso Vertuo Pop+

If you stay with pods, Vertuo pods cost less per gram of coffee than Original pods: CA$9.63 to CA$17.03 per 100 g, against CA$19.00. Per drink, one Vertuo double espresso pod costs less than two Original pods, and an Original pod costs less for a single espresso. Vertuo is the system that brews a mug. The Vertuo Pop+ is the least expensive Vertuo machine Nespresso Canada sells, and it brews every size up to the 355 ml Alto.

For whole beans: De'Longhi Magnifica Start

The Magnifica Start grinds whole beans and brews them when you press one button, much like a pod machine, so your coffee costs the whole bean price. The Magnifica Start makes an espresso, a coffee or an americano (espresso topped up with hot water), and has a steam wand, a metal pipe that heats and froths milk.

Frequently asked questions

Is Nespresso cheaper than coffee beans?

For most drinks, whole beans cost less. Nespresso Original pods cost CA$19.00 per 100 g of coffee, against CA$7.60 for our whole beans, and a 230 ml mug costs CA$1.39 in a Vertuo pod against CA$0.95 in beans. The Vertuo double espresso pod costs less than a double from beans because it holds 10 g of coffee, where a double from beans uses 18 g.

How many grams of coffee are in a Nespresso pod?

An Original pod holds about 5 g of coffee. A Vertuo pod holds about 6 g for an espresso, 10 g for a double espresso or gran lungo, 12.5 g for a 230 ml coffee and about 17 g for an Alto.

How much does a Nespresso pod cost in Canada?

On nespresso.com/ca in September 2026, many Original pods cost CA$0.95 each, and some cost up to CA$1.39. Vertuo pods cost from CA$1.09 for an espresso to CA$1.65 for an Alto.

Are Vertuo pods more expensive than Original pods?

Per pod, yes. Per gram of coffee, Vertuo pods cost less: a 230 ml Vertuo coffee pod costs CA$11.12 per 100 g of coffee, against CA$19.00 for an Original pod, because the Vertuo pod holds more than twice as much coffee.

For more, see Nespresso vs espresso machine, our best home espresso machines guide, and which De'Longhi espresso machine is right for you. For office costs, see Nespresso Pro vs bean-to-cup for the office.

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