VAT Calculator
Add VAT to a net price or take it out of a gross price in seconds. Works with any rate, and for sales tax and GST too.
How to use the VAT calculator
- Choose a direction: Add VAT puts tax on a net price, Remove VAT takes it out of a gross price.
- Type the amount. Commas for thousands are fine (1,250.50).
- Pick a rate (5%, 10%, 20%) or type any rate in Other. You can also tap a country in the side table.
- The net price, the tax and the total appear instantly, with the formula.
- Use Copy result for one number or Copy breakdown for all three lines.
How to calculate VAT
VAT (value added tax) is a consumption tax charged as a percentage of the price. Businesses add it to what they sell, deduct the VAT they paid on their own purchases, and pass the difference to the tax office, so the final customer ends up carrying the tax. Many countries call it GST (goods and services tax); the math is exactly the same.
Adding VAT to a net price
VAT = net price × rate ÷ 100
gross price = net price × (1 + rate ÷ 100)
A net price of 250 at 20% VAT becomes 250 × 1.20 = 300, of which 50 is VAT. At 5% you multiply by 1.05, at 10% by 1.10. Try it in the calculator.
Removing VAT from a gross price
net price = gross price ÷ (1 + rate ÷ 100)
VAT = gross price × rate ÷ (100 + rate)
A price of 300 including 20% VAT has a net price of 300 ÷ 1.20 = 250. The classic mistake is to take 20% of the gross price: 300 × 0.20 = 60, while the VAT inside the price is only 50. A handy shortcut is the VAT fraction: at 20% the VAT is one sixth of the gross price, at 5% it is one twenty-first, and at 10% one eleventh. Try it in the calculator.
VAT vs. US sales tax
The United States has no VAT. Instead, states, counties and cities charge sales tax, which is added at the register and usually left out of shelf prices. To find what you will pay, use Add VAT with your combined state and local rate, for example 8.875% in New York City. To see the pre-tax amount on a receipt, use Remove VAT.
VAT rates around the world
Standard VAT and GST rates range from 5% in places like the United Arab Emirates and Canada (federal GST) to 25% or more in the Nordic countries. Most countries also have reduced rates for everyday items such as food, books or medicine. The side table lists standard rates for popular countries; tap one to use it. Rates change from time to time, so check an official source before filing.
Amounts are rounded to the cent, and the tax is calculated as total minus net, so the breakdown always adds up exactly. Everything runs in your browser and nothing you type is sent anywhere.
Frequently asked questions
How do I remove VAT from a price?
Divide the gross price by 1 plus the rate. For 20% VAT, divide by 1.20: 120 ÷ 1.20 = 100, so the VAT is 20. Taking 20% of 120 gives 24, which is wrong.
How do I add 20% VAT to a price?
Multiply the net price by 1.20. For example, 80 × 1.20 = 96, so the VAT is 16. For 5% multiply by 1.05, for 10% by 1.10.
What is the VAT fraction?
It is the share of a gross price that is VAT: rate ÷ (100 + rate). At 20% that is 20/120, or one sixth; at 5% it is 5/105, or one twenty-first.
Can I use this for sales tax or GST?
Yes. The math is identical. Use Add VAT to put sales tax or GST on a price and Remove VAT to find the pre-tax amount; type your exact rate in the Other field.
Is anything I enter saved or sent?
No. The calculator runs entirely in your browser and no amounts are sent. Only your last direction and rate are remembered on your own device.