Disclosure: TopShelf Mushrooms and Pilly Labs are operated by the same team. This page includes promotional links to Pilly Labs. Product comparisons are based on current labels, prices, policies, and cited research.
Two Mushroom Coffees, Two Very Different Labels
Mushroom coffee has become crowded enough that most shoppers can’t tell one bag from another beyond the front-of-package claims. So instead of describing how either coffee tastes (we haven’t brewed either one for this comparison), we pulled the actual label data — servings per bag, disclosed mushroom amounts, caffeine, and price — from each brand’s own product page and compared them item by item, using the same units for both.
Before reading the specifics, it helps to know what a supplement label can and can’t tell you. Our guide on how to read a mushroom supplement label walks through what “proprietary blend,” “fruiting body,” and “mycelium” actually mean, and our dose math breakdown explains how to judge whether a disclosed milligram amount is close to what’s used in published research.
Four Sigmatic Original Mushroom Coffee: What the Label States
- Format: instant, freeze-dried
- Servings per bag: 30
- Listed serving size: 1 Tbsp per 8 fl. oz. water; the brand’s page doesn’t disclose the exact gram weight of a serving
- Mushroom species listed: Lion’s Mane, Chaga, Cordyceps, Reishi, Turkey Tail
- Per-mushroom milligram amounts: not disclosed on the page we reviewed — the blend is not broken out by species
- Other added ingredients: Vitamin B12, probiotics (Bacillus subtilis, 500 million CFU), organic coconut milk powder, organic yacon powder
- Caffeine per serving: about 50 mg, per the brand’s own FAQ
- One-time price: $50.00 for 30 servings
- Subscription price: $35.00 first order (30% off), then $40.00 on recurring orders (20% off)
- Satisfaction guarantee: 60-day money-back guarantee, per the brand’s site
- Organic claim: USDA Certified Organic, per the brand’s site
Pilly Labs Premium Mushroom Coffee (Medium Roast): What the Label States
- Format: instant, freeze-dried
- Servings per bag: 27
- Listed serving size: 1 teaspoon (~2g) per 8–10 oz water
- Mushroom species listed: Lion’s Mane, Chaga
- Per-mushroom milligram amounts: disclosed — approximately 300 mg Lion’s Mane and 300 mg Chaga per serving, alongside roughly 1,400 mg Arabica
- Other added ingredients: none disclosed beyond coffee and the two mushroom powders
- Caffeine per serving: described as roughly equivalent to one standard cup of coffee; an exact milligram figure isn’t stated on the product page
- One-time price: $47.99 for 27 servings
- Subscription price: $40.79 per bag (15% off)
- Satisfaction guarantee: 30-day satisfaction guarantee, per the brand’s site
- Organic claim: individual mushroom powders described as organic; no USDA Certified Organic seal referenced on this specific product page
All prices, serving counts, and label claims above were confirmed directly from each brand’s own product page on August 6, 2026. E-commerce pricing and promotions change often, so double-check both pages before this goes live.
Price-Per-Cup Math, Same Basis for Both
Using each brand’s listed one-time price divided by servings per bag:
- Four Sigmatic: $50.00 ÷ 30 servings = about $1.67 per cup
- Pilly Labs: $47.99 ÷ 27 servings = about $1.78 per cup
Using each brand’s listed subscription price:
- Four Sigmatic: $35.00 first order ÷ 30 = about $1.17 per cup; $40.00 recurring ÷ 30 = about $1.33 per cup
- Pilly Labs: $40.79 ÷ 27 = about $1.51 per cup
On a pure per-cup basis at list price, Four Sigmatic’s larger 30-serving bag comes out slightly cheaper than Pilly Labs’ 27-serving bag, and that gap widens on subscription pricing since Four Sigmatic’s introductory discount is steeper. Whether that price difference matters more to you than the ingredient differences below is a judgment call, not something either brand’s marketing can answer for you.
What the Ingredient Differences Might Mean
The two coffees are built around different design choices. Four Sigmatic’s blend includes five mushroom species plus Vitamin B12 and a probiotic strain, but the site doesn’t break out how many milligrams of each individual mushroom are in a serving — so it’s not possible to compare its lion’s mane or chaga content directly against published research doses. Pilly Labs uses only two mushroom species but discloses the ratio and approximate milligram amount for each, which lets a reader compare it against clinical study ranges directly.
That comparison is worth doing carefully. Lion’s mane research — including a 2009 randomized trial by Mori and colleagues and more recent work by Docherty and colleagues — generally used daily doses in the 1,000–3,200 mg range to observe cognitive effects. A serving that provides roughly 300 mg of lion’s mane, as Pilly Labs discloses, sits well below those study doses. Research on chaga at supplement-level doses is more limited overall, with most available data coming from preclinical or traditional-use sources rather than controlled human trials. None of this means either coffee “won’t work” — dose-response relationships in botanicals aren’t always linear, and coffee-format products are inherently lower-dose than capsule stacks meant to hit research-level amounts. It does mean that a single cup of either coffee, taken alone, is unlikely to replicate the doses used in the studies these mushrooms are known for. Readers who want dose specifics can walk through our mushroom supplement dose math guide to run their own comparison for any brand, not just these two.
Who Each One Might Fit
If disclosed dosing per mushroom matters most to your decision, Pilly Labs’ labeling gives you more to work with — you can see exactly what 15% Lion’s Mane and 15% Chaga translate to in milligrams. If a wider mushroom variety, added B12, and a probiotic strain matter more than per-ingredient transparency, Four Sigmatic’s blend covers more ground on the label, even without individual mg breakdowns. Neither approach is inherently “better” — they’re different formulation philosophies, and which one fits depends on what you’re trying to get out of a morning cup.
For a deeper look at Pilly Labs’ formula specifically, including full ingredient sourcing and the research citations behind it, see our Pilly Labs mushroom coffee review. If you’re ready to compare the current listing directly, you can check current pricing on the Pilly Labs mushroom coffee page.
Limitations, Cautions, and Who Should Be Careful
Neither brand’s finished coffee formula has been evaluated in its own clinical trial — the research cited above and on each brand’s site is at the ingredient level, not on the specific blended product. Individual results can vary for reasons that have nothing to do with the formula, including diet, sleep, and overall caffeine tolerance.
Both products contain caffeine, so people who are sensitive to caffeine, pregnant, nursing, or managing a heart condition should talk to a healthcare provider before adding either one to a daily routine. Pilly Labs’ label specifically flags that chaga may interact with anticoagulant or blood-thinning medication and with blood sugar management medication, and that people with a history of kidney stones or oxalate-related conditions should check with a provider first, since chaga contains oxalates. Four Sigmatic’s page doesn’t list species-specific interaction warnings in the sections we reviewed, which is worth asking the brand about directly if you’re on medication. When in doubt, bring the full ingredient list to your pharmacist or doctor rather than relying on either company’s FAQ page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does either coffee taste like regular coffee?
Both brands describe their products as tasting like standard medium-roast coffee without a noticeable mushroom flavor. We haven’t tasted either product for this comparison, so treat that as a manufacturer claim rather than a verified result.
Which one has more caffeine?
Four Sigmatic discloses about 50 mg of caffeine per serving. Pilly Labs describes its caffeine level as roughly equivalent to a standard cup of coffee but doesn’t list an exact milligram figure on the product page we reviewed, so that comparison can’t be made precisely without more information from the brand.
Is one of these “better” for focus?
Research suggests lion’s mane may support cognitive function when taken consistently at doses generally higher than what a single cup of either coffee provides. Neither brand’s finished coffee has been tested in a clinical trial of its own, so any focus-related benefit is based on ingredient-level research, not proof about the specific product.
Can I drink these if I’m on medication?
Possibly, but check with your healthcare provider first — especially if you take blood thinners or blood sugar medication, since chaga may interact with both. This is general safety information, not a substitute for advice from your own doctor or pharmacist.
Which is the better value?
At list price, Four Sigmatic works out to roughly $1.67 per cup versus about $1.78 for Pilly Labs, based on servings-per-bag math using each brand’s own listed price. Subscription pricing changes those numbers further in Four Sigmatic’s favor. Value ultimately depends on whether per-cup cost or disclosed per-mushroom dosing matters more to you.
These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Ask a qualified healthcare professional about supplements, medications, pregnancy, or health conditions.
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