ChilliFacts

Habanero vs Cayenne

Habanero is hotter, at about 225,000 SHU against 40,000 SHU for Cayenne: about 5.6× as hot, using typical values. Across the measured ranges the gap runs from 2× to 14×.

Data checked October 20, 2026 · How we rank and verify

A single orange habanero pepper, close up
A single orange habanero pepper, close up. Photo: The original uploader was H at English Wikipedia ., CC BY 2.5.
225,000 SHUHabanero
40,000 SHUCayenne
5.6×Heat ratio
HabaneroHotter
Pepper X: 2,693,000 SHUDragon's Breath: 2,480,000 SHUCarolina Reaper: 1,641,183 SHUTrinidad Scorpion Butch T: 1,463,700 SHU7 Pot Primo: 1,400,000 SHUKomodo Dragon: 1,400,000 SHUNaga Viper: 1,382,118 SHUTrinidad Moruga Scorpion: 1,200,000 SHUInfinity: 1,176,182 SHU7 Pot Brain Strain: 1,175,000 SHU7 Pot Douglah: 1,170,000 SHUDorset Naga: 1,032,310 SHUGhost Pepper: 1,001,304 SHUNaga Morich: 1,000,000 SHUDalle Khursani: 393,950 SHUFatalii: 262,500 SHURed Savina: 248,556 SHUScotch Bonnet: 225,000 SHUDatil: 200,000 SHUKanthari: 80,640 SHUBird's Eye Chilli: 75,000 SHUTabasco: 40,000 SHUGuntur Chilli: 36,160 SHUKashmiri Chilli: 20,800 SHUSerrano: 15,000 SHUByadgi Chilli: 10,000 SHUJalapeño: 5,000 SHUHabanero · 225KCayenne · 40,0001K SHU10K SHU100K SHU1M SHU
Habanero and Cayenne on the Scoville scale. Each dot is a pepper in our dataset, on a log scale.

Side by side

HabaneroCayenne
Typical heat225,000 SHU40,000 SHU
Measured range100,000–350,000 SHU25,000–50,000 SHU
StatusLab testedLab tested
SpeciesCapsicum chinenseCapsicum annuum
OriginYucatan Peninsula, Mexico (species from the Amazon basin)Named after Cayenne, French Guiana
FlavourBright tropical sweetness under the heatSharp, clean heat
Coloursorange, red, white, brown, pinkred

The Scoville maths

The Scoville scale is linear: a pepper at 2,000,000 SHU has twice the capsaicinoids of one at 1,000,000 SHU. So the ratio is a simple division, 225,000 ÷ 40,000 ≈ 5.6×. Real pods vary, so the gap between any two fruits can be smaller or larger (2× to 14× across the measured ranges).

In between

3 peppers sit between Cayenne and Habanero by typical heat.

About each pepper

Habanero: Now most closely tied to Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.

Cayenne: It shares its name with Cayenne, the capital of French Guiana.

Compare either pepper with another →

Questions

Which is hotter, Habanero or Cayenne?

Habanero. It averages about 225,000 SHU against 40,000 SHU for Cayenne, about 5.6× as hot.

How many times hotter is Habanero than Cayenne?

About 5.6× using typical values (225,000 ÷ 40,000). Comparing the extremes of each measured range gives anywhere from 2× to 14×.

How hot is Habanero?

Habanero: 100,000–350,000 SHU, lab tested.

How hot is Cayenne?

Cayenne: 25,000–50,000 SHU, lab tested.

Are Habanero and Cayenne the same species?

No. Habanero is Capsicum chinense; Cayenne is Capsicum annuum.

People also compare

Sources

  1. UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions, 'Peppers Ranked by Heat': Habanero: 100,000-350,000 SHU
  2. Texas AgriLife Extension (Dr. Joe Masabni), 'Jalapeno & Other Hot Peppers': Habanero: 200,000-300,000 average
  3. NDSU Extension FN584 'From the Garden to the Table: Salsa!': Cayenne: 30,000-50,000
  4. UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions, 'Peppers Ranked by Heat': Cayenne: 25,000-50,000

Full source lists are on each pepper's page.