Markup Calculator

Set a price from markup on cost, inspect an existing price, or work backward to a list price that preserves your target markup after a sale discount.

CurrencyUse one currency for all amounts. This changes labels only; it does not convert money or change local rules.

Pricing taskMarkup uses cost as its denominator. Margin uses revenue; they are not interchangeable.

Cost per unitUSDUse the relevant per-unit cost consistently. Must be greater than 0 to calculate a meaningful markup percentage.

Markup on cost / target markup%Used in pricing and target modes. Negative values down to −100% represent selling below cost.

Existing list price per unitUSDUsed only in analyze mode, before the entered sale discount.

Sale discount%One discount off the list price. Target mode requires less than 100%.

Selling fee on sale revenue%Optional percentage fee applied to the discounted selling price. It does not change the gross markup target.

Identical units soldunitsWhole units for the totals. This is not an estimate of sales demand.

Calculation results

Calculated selling price

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How to use this calculator

Choose the pricing task

Use the standard mode to mark up cost. Analyze mode evaluates a list price. Target mode raises the pre-discount list price so the discounted sale retains the requested markup.

Enter cost on a consistent basis

Use the same currency for every amount. Decide what belongs in the per-unit cost before interpreting gross profit; the calculator does not choose an accounting policy.

Apply discount and optional fees

Discount reduces revenue. The entered percentage fee is then deducted separately to show contribution after that fee, not to redefine gross margin.

Inspect the breakdown

Compare list markup, realized markup after discount, gross margin and totals. A positive gross profit can still leave less contribution after fees and other unmodeled costs.

Formula and worked example

List price = cost × (1 + markup ÷ 100)
Sale price = list price × (1 − discount ÷ 100)
Target-mode list price = cost × (1 + target markup ÷ 100) ÷ (1 − discount ÷ 100)
Gross profit = sale price − cost
Realized markup = gross profit ÷ cost × 100
Gross margin = gross profit ÷ sale price × 100
Contribution after entered fee = gross profit − sale price × fee ÷ 100

A cost of 100 with 25% markup gives a list price of 125 and, without a discount, a gross margin of 20%. A 20% sale discount on that list price reduces revenue to 100 and gross profit to zero. To keep 25% markup after the same discount, target mode gives a list price of 156.25, so the sale price remains 125. A 3% selling fee then leaves 21.25 per unit after cost and that fee.

Markup and margin use different denominators

No discounts or selling fees in this table. Amounts are currency-neutral examples, not recommended prices.
Markup on cost	Price at cost = 100	Gross margin
10%	110.00	9.09%
25%	125.00	20.00%
50%	150.00	33.33%
100%	200.00	50.00%

Frequently asked questions

Is 25% markup the same as 25% margin?

No. On a cost of 100, 25% markup adds 25, giving a price of 125. The profit is 25 ÷ 125 = 20% of revenue, so the gross margin is 20%.

Can I calculate the list price before a planned sale?

Yes. Choose target mode and enter the markup you want to retain after the discount. It divides the desired sale price by one minus the discount rate. This target is before the optional selling fee.

Why can the result show negative profit?

A discount can push the sale price below cost, or an entered fee can consume the gross profit. Those losses are displayed rather than clamped to zero.

Why is margin undefined when sale revenue is zero?

Margin divides gross profit by revenue. Division by zero is not a valid percentage. Markup remains calculable when cost is positive, even if the selling price is zero.

Is contribution after fees my net profit?

No. It subtracts only the entered unit cost and percentage selling fee. Tax, overhead, shipping, refunds, fixed payment fees and other expenses are not included unless already part of the entered cost.

Methodology and sources

Currency-neutral arithmetic for a single item type. It does not convert currencies, determine tax, allocate overhead or recommend a profitable markup. It assumes one sale discount and a percentage fee on discounted revenue. Target mode preserves gross markup before fees, not net profit. Negative markups are permitted down to −100%; cost must be positive.

Intuit QuickBooks — markup calculation — Markup as profit relative to cost and its distinction from margin. Discount and fee scenarios here are explicit arithmetic extensions.

Sources checked September 1, 2026. Referenced organizations do not endorse Efficienco. Money is displayed to two decimal places, but calculations use unrounded values. Real invoices may round each line differently.