---
title: "American alligator vs king cobra — size, speed and bite force"
description: "American alligator and king cobra compared on mass, length, speed, bite force and lifespan — every measure side by side, with why the numbers cannot settle an encoun"
url: https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/american-alligator-vs-king-cobra/
site: "At One Place"
---

# American alligator vs king cobra

**American alligator vs king cobra: American alligator leads on 2 of 3 measures**

Measured comparison — not a prediction

A broad-snouted crocodilian of the US Southeast, recovered from near-extinction to over a million animals. The longest venomous snake, delivering enough neurotoxin in one bite to kill an elephant. On the measurements below, American alligator leads on more of them — but they do not all point the same way, and the ones that disagree are the interesting part.

## The measurements

|  | American alligator | king cobra |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mass | 70–500 kg | 4–12.7 kg |
| Length | 2.6–4.6 m | 3–5.85 m |
| Bite force | 1,000–2,980 psi | — |
| Lifespan | 35–70 yr | 17–22 yr |

## Where each one leads

- Mass: American alligator is 38× heavier.
- Length: king cobra is 1.1× longer.
- Lifespan: American alligator is 2.5× a longer life.

## What this does and does not tell you

These are measured averages with real ranges behind them, and every figure links to its own page. What they cannot do is settle an encounter. Outcomes between animals turn on circumstance — who initiates, whether either is hungry, defending young, injured or cornered, and what the terrain favours. Size and bite force are not decisive on their own, and most of these pairs never meet in the wild in any case, because their ranges do not overlap.

> Every figure here is an average with a substantial spread. Individual animals vary enormously — a large individual of the smaller species routinely exceeds a small individual of the larger one.

## Common questions

### Is a American alligator bigger than a king cobra?

American alligator is heavier — 70–500 kg against 4–12.7 kg.

### Who would win, a American alligator or a king cobra?

That is not something measurements can settle. The comparison above shows which animal leads on each measure, but an actual encounter depends on circumstance, motivation, health and terrain — and most pairs like this never meet in the wild.

## Related pages

- [How much does a American alligator weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/american-alligator/)
- [How much does a king cobra weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/king-cobra/)
- [domestic cat vs king cobra](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/domestic-cat-vs-king-cobra/)
- [giant panda vs king cobra](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/giant-panda-vs-king-cobra/)
- [African elephant vs American alligator](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/african-elephant-vs-american-alligator/)
- [African elephant vs king cobra](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/african-elephant-vs-king-cobra/)
- [Asian elephant vs king cobra](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/asian-elephant-vs-king-cobra/)
- [blue whale vs king cobra](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/blue-whale-vs-king-cobra/)
- [great white shark vs king cobra](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/great-white-shark-vs-king-cobra/)
- [American alligator vs lion](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/american-alligator-vs-lion/)
- [American alligator vs tiger](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/american-alligator-vs-tiger/)
- [American alligator vs leopard](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/american-alligator-vs-leopard/)
- [American alligator vs jaguar](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/american-alligator-vs-jaguar/)
- [American alligator vs cheetah](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/american-alligator-vs-cheetah/)

## Sources

- Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Smithsonian Institution (https://naturalhistory.si.edu/)
- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place (/about/)