Matcha tea bags vs powder: which should you buy?

Matcha tea bags vs powder looks like a choice between two ways of making the same drink. The labels say otherwise. The tea bags we checked are mostly ordinary green tea with some matcha mixed in, while matcha powder is just matcha. This comparison covers what’s in each, how you make it, what each cup costs and which suits a quick cup or a latte. We haven’t tested this in person. Our basis is Twinings’ and Clearspring’s own UK shops and Morrisons’ listings, including their ingredients lists and directions, all checked 3 Oct 2026. Read how we compare.

For more matcha powders by price per 100g, see our matcha hub.

Matcha tea bags vs powder: the short answer

Choose tea bags for an easy cup of green tea with some matcha in it. Choose powder if you want a drink that is all matcha, or a matcha latte.

Choose Twinings Superblends Super Green Matcha tea bags for a quick everyday cup with no whisk. Twinings lists green tea (84%) and matcha (15%). Check price at Twinings.

Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants the taste of matcha on its own. Most of each bag is green tea, and the bag also lists added manganese.

Choose Pukka Supreme Matcha Green for an organic green tea blend with a small amount of matcha. Pukka lists green tea (98%) and matcha (2%). It’s £5.00 for 20 bags at Morrisons, checked 3 Oct 2026 (prices can change), about 25p a cup.

Who it isn’t for: anyone buying it mainly for matcha. At 2%, it’s the smallest matcha share of anything here.

Choose a pure powder such as Clearspring Premium Grade for whisked matcha, lattes and baking. The ingredients list is 100% matcha. It’s £10.99 for 40g at Clearspring, checked 3 Oct 2026, about 27p for Clearspring’s 1g serving.

Who it isn’t for: anyone who doesn’t want to whisk. Powder needs a whisk or frother to mix smoothly.

What’s in a matcha tea bag vs a tub of powder

The front of a box says “matcha” either way. The ingredients list tells you how much:

Twinings Superblends Super Green Matcha: green tea (84%), matcha (15%), manganese. Each box is 40g for 20 bags, so about 2g a bag, of which about 0.3g is matcha by our sums.
Pukka Supreme Matcha Green: green tea (98%), matcha (2%). Pukka says it blends three green teas, including sencha, with matcha from an organic farm on Jeju, South Korea. Each box is 30g for 20 bags: about 1.5g a bag, or about 0.03g of matcha.
Twinings Matcha Green Tea Powder: organic green tea powder, 100% matcha powder. Twinings says the 30g tin makes about 30 servings, so 1g a serving.
Clearspring Premium Grade: organic matcha green tea powder (100%), shade grown in Uji, Kyoto, according to Clearspring.

So a Twinings bag holds roughly a third of the matcha in one serving of powder, mixed with green tea. A Pukka bag holds about a thirtieth. Neither is wrong. They’re green tea blends with matcha, not matcha in a bag.

How you make each one

Tea bags. Twinings’ directions are to use freshly boiled water, infuse the bag for at least 3 minutes, give it a stir and a gentle squeeze, then take it out. Pukka gives 100°C for 3 minutes. It’s the same routine as any tea bag, and you throw the bag away afterwards.

Powder. Twinings’ directions are to put 1g in a bowl, add 70ml of water boiled and cooled to 70–80°C, and whisk in a W motion with a bamboo whisk. Clearspring suggests 1/4 teaspoon (1g) in 30ml of hot water, whisked well. The powder is mixed into the water and you drink all of it. Clearspring describes its matcha as made from finely milled whole tea leaves. You’ll need a whisk or a frother; our matcha whisk set guide covers the options.

What each cup costs

All prices checked 3 Oct 2026:

Twinings Super Green Matcha bags: Check price at Twinings for 20, and at Morrisons.
Pukka Supreme Matcha Green: £5.00 for 20 at Morrisons (prices can change), or 25p a cup.
Clearspring Premium Grade powder: £10.99 for 40g at Clearspring, or about 27p per 1g serving. The 100g pack is £23.99 (24p a serving).
Twinings Matcha Green Tea Powder: £15.99 for 30g at Twinings, or about 53p per 1g serving.

Per cup, tea bags tend to cost less than a powder serving. But a Twinings bag gives you about 0.3g of matcha alongside green tea, against 1g of matcha in a powder serving. Counting the matcha alone, Clearspring’s Premium Grade powder works out at about 27p a gram, while Pukka’s matcha costs over £8 a gram, because so little of each bag is matcha.

Which suits a quick cup, a latte or baking

A quick cup at work or at home: tea bags. There’s nothing to measure or whisk, and the bag comes out when you’re done.

A matcha latte: powder. Twinings says its powder can be added to lattes and smoothies, while its tea bag directions cover only infusing in hot water. A bag steeped in milk won’t give you the green, whisked drink most people mean by a matcha latte. For latte powders and mixes, see our guide to the best matcha powder for lattes.

Matcha whisked with water: powder. This is the traditional way to drink it, and the grade matters more here. Our ceremonial vs culinary matcha explainer covers what the grade labels mean.

Baking: powder. You can’t bake with a tea bag, and recipes ask for grams of matcha. Clearspring lists muffins and ice cream among its Premium Grade’s uses.

Things to know before you buy

“Matcha” on a tea bag box doesn’t mean pure matcha. Of the bags we checked, the matcha share was 15% (Twinings) and 2% (Pukka). Check the ingredients list.
Some matcha tea bags add other ingredients. Twinings’ Super Green Matcha includes added manganese. If you want only tea, check the list.
Powder costs more upfront. A 30g or 40g tin is £10.99 to £15.99 at the sellers we checked, against under £5 for a box of 20 bags.
Powder needs kit. A whisk or frother is an extra cost if you don’t have one.
Bag prices change. Check price at Twinings or Morrisons for the Super Green Matcha bags on the day.
Flavour notes are the brands’ own. We haven’t compared how these taste.

FAQ

Do matcha tea bags contain real matcha? The two we checked do, but as a minority ingredient. Twinings lists 15% matcha and Pukka 2%, with green tea making up the rest.

Are matcha tea bags the same as matcha powder? No. You infuse a tea bag and remove it. You whisk powder into water or milk and drink all of it.

Can you make a matcha latte with tea bags? Not in the usual way. Twinings suggests its powder for lattes, and gives only hot-water directions for its tea bags.

Which works out cheaper per cup? Usually tea bags. Pukka’s bags work out at about 25p a cup on our sums, against 27p to 53p for a 1g powder serving; check price at Twinings for its bags. Per gram of matcha, Clearspring’s powder was far lower than Pukka’s bags.