Discount calculator
Percentage off and price in, sale price and saving out. Plus the truth about stacked discounts before the checkout surprises you.
Guide
How to use it
- Enter the percentage off and the original price, in either order.
- The tile shows what you pay; the line beneath shows what you save.
- For an extra X% off an already-reduced price, run the result through again, the discounts multiply rather than add.
- Suspicious of a was-now claim? Check it with the percentage change calculator.
Examples
Worked examples
80 × 0.75 = 60, saving 20. The multiplier form (1 − 25 ÷ 100) is quicker than working out the slice and subtracting.
A 120 coat: 30% off leaves 84, then 20% off that leaves 67.20. Total saving 44%, not the 50% the signs imply.
15% off 65 leaves 55.25. A flat 12 off leaves 53. The flat amount wins here, run both when a shop offers a choice.
Method
How it works
Sale price = price × (1 − discount ÷ 100). The saving is the remaining slice. Stacked discounts multiply their factors, which the note under the answer spells out with your own numbers, because adding them is the single most common checkout miscalculation.
Runs in your browser as you type, with nothing sent anywhere.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do I work out a sale price?
Multiply the price by one minus the discount over 100. 25% off 80 is 80 times 0.75, which is 60. The saving is the other slice, 20.
What is 20% off in my head, quickly?
Find 10% by moving the decimal point one place, then double it. 20% of 34.50: 10% is 3.45, doubled is 6.90, so you pay 27.60.
Do two discounts add together?
No. 20% off then an extra 20% off multiplies: 0.8 times 0.8 leaves 64% of the price, a 36% total saving, not 40%. Retail extra-off promotions rely on people adding.
Is 50% off then 10% off the same as 10% then 50%?
Yes, multiplication order does not matter. Both leave 45% of the original price.
How do I check a was-now price is honest?
Run the percentage change between the was price and the now price. If the shop claims 50% but the numbers say 31%, the was price was inflated. UK retailers must show a genuine prior price.
Does this include VAT?
Shelf prices in the UK already include VAT, so a discount on the shelf price is a discount on everything. Business net pricing is different: apply the discount first, then VAT on the discounted amount.
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