Percent Off Calculator
Quickly calculate the discount amount, sale price, and total savings on any item. Enter the original price and discount percentage to instantly see your final price — and optionally add sales tax for the exact amount you'll pay at checkout.
Percent Off Calculator
What Is Percent Off?
"Percent off" is a price reduction expressed as a percentage of the original price rather than a fixed dollar amount. A 20% off tag on a $50 item means the price drops by 20% of $50 — $10 — leaving a sale price of $40. Because it scales with the price, percent off works the same way whether the item costs $10 or $10,000.
How to Calculate Percent Off
Two steps: find the discount amount, then subtract it.
Step 1: Discount Amount
Multiply the original price by the discount percentage, divided by 100.
Step 2: Sale Price
Subtract the discount amount from the original price to get what you'll pay.
Shortcut: One-Step Formula
Skip the middle step and go straight from original price to sale price.
Examples
Three quick calculations at different discount levels.
Example 1 — 20% Off $50
Example 2 — 35% Off $89.99
Example 3 — 50% Off $120
"Percent Off" and Discount
Same idea, different words on the price tag.
"Percent off," "discount" and "markdown" are generally used interchangeably at retail — all three describe a price cut expressed as a percentage. The term "discount" is also sometimes used for a flat dollar amount (like "$10 off"), which is a different calculation: a fixed discount subtracts the same amount from every price, while a percent-off discount scales up or down with the item's price. When a coupon or sale is only labeled with a dollar figure, convert it into a percentage of the original price first if you want to compare it against a percent-off deal.
How to Figure Out Percentages
The three core percentage calculations, beyond just discounts.
Percentage of a Number
Example: 15% of 200 = 200 × 0.15 = 30.
What Percent One Number Is of Another
Example: 30 is what percent of 200? (30 ÷ 200) × 100 = 15%.
Finding the Whole
Example: 30 is 15% of what number? 30 ÷ 0.15 = 200.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about percent off and discount math.
How do I calculate percent off?
Multiply the original price by the discount percentage divided by 100 to get the discount amount, then subtract that from the original price to get the sale price.
What is the formula for calculating discounts?
Discount Amount = Original Price × (Discount Percentage ÷ 100). Price After Discount = Original Price − Discount Amount.
How much is 20% off $100?
20% of $100 is $20, so the sale price after a 20% discount is $80.
How do I calculate 50% off?
50% off means dividing the original price by two; the discount amount equals half the original price.
Does sales tax apply before or after a discount?
In most jurisdictions, sales tax is calculated on the discounted price, not the original price, so the discount is applied first.
What's the difference between percentage and fixed discounts?
A percentage discount scales with the price, while a fixed discount subtracts the same dollar amount regardless of the original price.
How do coupon codes affect the final price?
If a coupon code applies a percentage discount, enter that percentage directly; if it's a fixed amount, convert it to a percentage of the original price first.
Can I calculate discounts for bulk purchases?
Yes, enter the total original price of the bulk order and the discount percentage to see total savings and final cost.
Further Reading
Go deeper on percentages and pricing math.
- Percent to Fraction CalculatorConvert any percentage into a simplified fraction.
- Percent to Goal CalculatorTrack progress toward a numeric target as a percentage.
- Cost Price CalculatorWork backward from sale price and margin to find cost price.
- Price CalculatorGeneral pricing math for retail and resale.
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