Margin Calculator

Enter cost and selling price to get the profit, profit margin and markup percentages.

How the margin calculator works

Margin and markup describe profit differently, and mixing them up is a common pricing mistake. Enter your cost and selling price and this calculator returns both: margin (profit as a share of price) and markup (profit as a share of cost).

Retailers and freelancers use these to price products and services consistently.

A worked example

On the values this calculator opens with, the profit margin is 40%. Underneath, Profit comes out at $40 and Profit margin at 40%. Change any field and every figure updates as you type.

Getting your answer

  1. Enter the item’s cost.
  2. Enter the selling price.
  3. Read the profit, margin and markup.

The calculation

profit = price − cost margin = profit ÷ price × 100 markup = profit ÷ cost × 100

FAQ

What’s the difference between margin and markup?
Margin is profit as a percentage of the selling price; markup is profit as a percentage of the cost. A 50% markup is only a 33% margin.
How do I price for a target margin?
Divide the cost by (1 minus the margin as a decimal). For a 40% margin on a $60 cost, price = 60 ÷ 0.6 = $100.
Which should I use?
Retail and finance usually think in margin; many trades quote markup. Know which one a figure refers to before comparing.