Price Calculator
Enter what something cost you and the markup you want to add. Get the selling price, the profit, and the margin that markup really gives you, which is always smaller than the markup itself.
Selling price
Profit
0
Price minus cost
Margin
0%
The same profit over price
Multiplier
x 1
Cost times this is the price
Margin to markup, converted
Working backwards from a margin you need. Find the margin, read across for the markup that produces it and the number to multiply your cost by.
1% to 25% margin1% to 25% margin and the markup and multiplier that produce it.
| Target margin | Markup needed | Multiply cost by | Cost share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1% margin | 1.01% markup | x 1.01 | 99% is cost |
| 2% margin | 2.04% markup | x 1.02 | 98% is cost |
| 3% margin | 3.09% markup | x 1.03 | 97% is cost |
| 4% margin | 4.17% markup | x 1.04 | 96% is cost |
| 5% margin | 5.26% markup | x 1.05 | 95% is cost |
| 6% margin | 6.38% markup | x 1.06 | 94% is cost |
| 7% margin | 7.53% markup | x 1.08 | 93% is cost |
| 8% margin | 8.7% markup | x 1.09 | 92% is cost |
| 9% margin | 9.89% markup | x 1.1 | 91% is cost |
| 10% margin | 11.11% markup | x 1.11 | 90% is cost |
| 11% margin | 12.36% markup | x 1.12 | 89% is cost |
| 12% margin | 13.64% markup | x 1.14 | 88% is cost |
| 13% margin | 14.94% markup | x 1.15 | 87% is cost |
| 14% margin | 16.28% markup | x 1.16 | 86% is cost |
| 15% margin | 17.65% markup | x 1.18 | 85% is cost |
| 16% margin | 19.05% markup | x 1.19 | 84% is cost |
| 17% margin | 20.48% markup | x 1.2 | 83% is cost |
| 18% margin | 21.95% markup | x 1.22 | 82% is cost |
| 19% margin | 23.46% markup | x 1.23 | 81% is cost |
| 20% margin | 25% markup | x 1.25 | 80% is cost |
| 21% margin | 26.58% markup | x 1.27 | 79% is cost |
| 22% margin | 28.21% markup | x 1.28 | 78% is cost |
| 23% margin | 29.87% markup | x 1.3 | 77% is cost |
| 24% margin | 31.58% markup | x 1.32 | 76% is cost |
| 25% margin | 33.33% markup | x 1.33 | 75% is cost |
26% to 50% margin26% to 50% margin and the markup and multiplier that produce it.
| Target margin | Markup needed | Multiply cost by | Cost share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26% margin | 35.14% markup | x 1.35 | 74% is cost |
| 27% margin | 36.99% markup | x 1.37 | 73% is cost |
| 28% margin | 38.89% markup | x 1.39 | 72% is cost |
| 29% margin | 40.85% markup | x 1.41 | 71% is cost |
| 30% margin | 42.86% markup | x 1.43 | 70% is cost |
| 31% margin | 44.93% markup | x 1.45 | 69% is cost |
| 32% margin | 47.06% markup | x 1.47 | 68% is cost |
| 33% margin | 49.25% markup | x 1.49 | 67% is cost |
| 34% margin | 51.52% markup | x 1.52 | 66% is cost |
| 35% margin | 53.85% markup | x 1.54 | 65% is cost |
| 36% margin | 56.25% markup | x 1.56 | 64% is cost |
| 37% margin | 58.73% markup | x 1.59 | 63% is cost |
| 38% margin | 61.29% markup | x 1.61 | 62% is cost |
| 39% margin | 63.93% markup | x 1.64 | 61% is cost |
| 40% margin | 66.67% markup | x 1.67 | 60% is cost |
| 41% margin | 69.49% markup | x 1.69 | 59% is cost |
| 42% margin | 72.41% markup | x 1.72 | 58% is cost |
| 43% margin | 75.44% markup | x 1.75 | 57% is cost |
| 44% margin | 78.57% markup | x 1.79 | 56% is cost |
| 45% margin | 81.82% markup | x 1.82 | 55% is cost |
| 46% margin | 85.19% markup | x 1.85 | 54% is cost |
| 47% margin | 88.68% markup | x 1.89 | 53% is cost |
| 48% margin | 92.31% markup | x 1.92 | 52% is cost |
| 49% margin | 96.08% markup | x 1.96 | 51% is cost |
| 50% margin | 100% markup | x 2 | 50% is cost |
51% to 75% margin51% to 75% margin and the markup and multiplier that produce it.
| Target margin | Markup needed | Multiply cost by | Cost share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51% margin | 104.08% markup | x 2.04 | 49% is cost |
| 52% margin | 108.33% markup | x 2.08 | 48% is cost |
| 53% margin | 112.77% markup | x 2.13 | 47% is cost |
| 54% margin | 117.39% markup | x 2.17 | 46% is cost |
| 55% margin | 122.22% markup | x 2.22 | 45% is cost |
| 56% margin | 127.27% markup | x 2.27 | 44% is cost |
| 57% margin | 132.56% markup | x 2.33 | 43% is cost |
| 58% margin | 138.1% markup | x 2.38 | 42% is cost |
| 59% margin | 143.9% markup | x 2.44 | 41% is cost |
| 60% margin | 150% markup | x 2.5 | 40% is cost |
| 61% margin | 156.41% markup | x 2.56 | 39% is cost |
| 62% margin | 163.16% markup | x 2.63 | 38% is cost |
| 63% margin | 170.27% markup | x 2.7 | 37% is cost |
| 64% margin | 177.78% markup | x 2.78 | 36% is cost |
| 65% margin | 185.71% markup | x 2.86 | 35% is cost |
| 66% margin | 194.12% markup | x 2.94 | 34% is cost |
| 67% margin | 203.03% markup | x 3.03 | 33% is cost |
| 68% margin | 212.5% markup | x 3.13 | 32% is cost |
| 69% margin | 222.58% markup | x 3.23 | 31% is cost |
| 70% margin | 233.33% markup | x 3.33 | 30% is cost |
| 71% margin | 244.83% markup | x 3.45 | 29% is cost |
| 72% margin | 257.14% markup | x 3.57 | 28% is cost |
| 73% margin | 270.37% markup | x 3.7 | 27% is cost |
| 74% margin | 284.62% markup | x 3.85 | 26% is cost |
| 75% margin | 300% markup | x 4 | 25% is cost |
76% to 95% margin76% to 95% margin and the markup and multiplier that produce it.
| Target margin | Markup needed | Multiply cost by | Cost share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 76% margin | 316.67% markup | x 4.17 | 24% is cost |
| 77% margin | 334.78% markup | x 4.35 | 23% is cost |
| 78% margin | 354.55% markup | x 4.55 | 22% is cost |
| 79% margin | 376.19% markup | x 4.76 | 21% is cost |
| 80% margin | 400% markup | x 5 | 20% is cost |
| 81% margin | 426.32% markup | x 5.26 | 19% is cost |
| 82% margin | 455.56% markup | x 5.56 | 18% is cost |
| 83% margin | 488.24% markup | x 5.88 | 17% is cost |
| 84% margin | 525% markup | x 6.25 | 16% is cost |
| 85% margin | 566.67% markup | x 6.67 | 15% is cost |
| 86% margin | 614.29% markup | x 7.14 | 14% is cost |
| 87% margin | 669.23% markup | x 7.69 | 13% is cost |
| 88% margin | 733.33% markup | x 8.33 | 12% is cost |
| 89% margin | 809.09% markup | x 9.09 | 11% is cost |
| 90% margin | 900% markup | x 10 | 10% is cost |
| 91% margin | 1011.11% markup | x 11.11 | 9% is cost |
| 92% margin | 1150% markup | x 12.5 | 8% is cost |
| 93% margin | 1328.57% markup | x 14.29 | 7% is cost |
| 94% margin | 1566.67% markup | x 16.67 | 6% is cost |
| 95% margin | 1900% markup | x 20 | 5% is cost |
From cost to price in one step
A selling price built on a markup is one multiplication. Take the cost, multiply by 1 plus the markup as a decimal, and that is the price. A cost of 60 with a 50% markup is 60 times 1.5, so 90.
The multiplier is worth learning as a habit rather than doing it in two steps. 25% markup is times 1.25, 60% is times 1.6, 100% is simply doubling.
Going backwards, if you know cost and price and want the markup, take the cost off the price, divide by the cost, and multiply by 100.
The margin will be smaller, always
A 50% markup does not give a 50% margin. It gives 33.3%, and it never gives more, because markup divides the profit by the cost while margin divides it by the larger price.
This matters at the moment a price is agreed. Quote a client a job at 40% expecting 40% of the invoice to be profit, and if the 40% was a markup you are actually keeping 28.6%. On a large job that gap is the profit.
The pairs worth memorising: 25% markup is a 20% margin, 50% markup is 33.3%, 100% markup is 50%. Past that, chasing a high margin gets expensive fast, which is why the chart's multiplier column climbs so steeply near the bottom.
Price from your cost, not from theirs
Copying a competitor's rate tells you what they charge and nothing about whether you make anything at it. Their costs are not yours, and the markup that works for them may not cover your week.
For service work the cost that goes into this calculator is hours, and it has to include the ones nobody bills for: the scoping call, the revisions, the admin. Price from billable hours alone and the markup silently pays for all of it.
The labor cost calculator works out what an hour of someone's time really costs, and the billable rate calculator turns that into a rate. Once the job is running, reports show whether the hours matched the price you set.
Frequently asked questions
Common queries and answers about the price calculator.
- How do I work out a selling price?
- Multiply the cost by 1 plus the markup as a decimal. A cost of 60 with a 50% markup is 60 times 1.5, so the price is 90.
- How do I calculate markup?
- Take the cost off the price, divide by the cost, then multiply by 100. Cost 60 sold at 90 is a 50% markup.
- What is the difference between markup and margin?
- Markup is measured against the cost, margin against the price. A 50% markup is only a 33.3% margin, so they are never the same number.
- What margin does a 100% markup give?
- 50%. Doubling the cost means half the selling price is profit, which is where the two numbers finally line up neatly.
- What markup gives a 50% margin?
- 100% markup, which is doubling the cost. To hit a margin you divide the cost by 1 minus the margin, not multiply by it.
- Why is my margin lower than my markup?
- Because they use different bases. Markup divides the profit by the smaller number, the cost, so it always looks larger than the margin.
- What is a standard markup?
- It varies hugely by trade, from a few percent in wholesale to several times cost in retail. Compare against your own past jobs rather than a general figure.
- How do I price service work?
- Start from what an hour actually costs you, including the hours nobody bills for, then add the markup. Pricing from a competitor's rate hides whether you make anything.
- Should I mark up materials as well as labour?
- Usually yes, because buying, storing and handling materials costs you time even when the materials themselves are passed through at cost.
- Does the price include tax?
- No. This gives the price before any sales tax or VAT, which is added on top at the point of sale.
Tired of doing this by hand?
TimeTracker captures every hour automatically and turns it into timesheets, invoices, and live profitability.