Margin & Markup Calculator — Profit, Margin % vs Markup %
Turn cost and price into profit, margin % and markup % — and work backwards from a target margin to the price you need. See clearly why margin ≠ markup.
🔒 Runs entirely in your browser. Your input and output are never sent to a server or stored — fully private.
Margin & markup from cost and price
Margin ≠ markup. Margin is profit as a share of the price; markup is profit as a share of the cost — so markup is always the larger number.
Required price from a target margin
Estimates only — not financial advice.
About this tool
This margin and markup calculator takes a product's cost and selling price and works out the profit, the profit margin and the markup all at once. Margin is the profit as a percentage of the selling price, while markup is the same profit as a percentage of the cost, so the two figures differ even on the same sale. Enter your numbers and compare both instantly. Everything is calculated in your browser as you type.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between margin and markup?
They describe the same profit against different bases. Margin divides profit by the selling price, while markup divides the same profit by the cost. If an item costs 80 and sells for 100, the profit is 20: that is a 20 percent margin (20 ÷ 100) but a 25 percent markup (20 ÷ 80). Markup is always the larger number, which is why mixing the two up quietly inflates your expectations.
How do I set a price for a target margin?
Decide the margin you want and divide the cost by one minus that margin written as a decimal. For a 40 percent margin on an item that costs 60, divide 60 by 0.6 to get a selling price of 100. Aiming for a 40 percent markup instead would give only 84, so always be clear about which percentage your goal refers to before you set the price.
Is this financial advice, and is my data kept private?
It is not financial advice. The results are a general arithmetic guide for pricing and study, not financial, tax or accounting advice, and they ignore fees, shipping, taxes and overheads that affect real profit, so treat them as a starting point. As for privacy, the calculator runs entirely in your browser, so the cost and price figures you enter are never sent to or stored on a server.