Sales Tax and VAT Calculator

Add tax to a net price or strip it out of a gross one.

%
$120.00Total including tax
$20.00Tax
$100.00Net (before tax)
Gross per unit
$120.00
Tax as a share of the total
16.67%

Multiply the net price by 1.2 to add 20% tax.

About the Sales Tax and VAT Calculator

Sales tax in the United States is added at the till, while VAT and GST elsewhere are usually built into the shelf price. That difference makes two calculations necessary: adding tax to a net figure, and the reverse operation of extracting the tax already contained in a gross total. This calculator does both, which is what invoicing, expense claims and cross-border shopping actually require.

The reverse case is the one people get wrong. To remove 20 percent VAT from a 120 total you divide by 1.2 to get 100, not subtract 20 percent, which would wrongly give 96. The tool shows the multiplier and divisor it used so you can apply the same figure to a whole invoice, and the quantity field scales everything for multi-item orders.

How to use the Sales Tax and VAT Calculator

  1. Choose whether your amount excludes tax or already includes it.
  2. Enter the amount, the tax rate and how many units you are buying.
  3. Read the net, tax and gross figures, plus the multiplier used.

Frequently asked questions

How do I add sales tax to a price?

Multiply by 1 plus the rate as a decimal. At 8.25 percent, a 100 item becomes 100 x 1.0825 = 108.25.

How do I remove VAT from a total?

Divide the gross amount by 1 plus the rate. A 120 total at 20 percent VAT contains 100 net and 20 VAT, because 120 / 1.2 = 100.

What is the difference between VAT, GST and sales tax?

VAT and GST are collected at each stage of the supply chain and are usually included in displayed prices. US sales tax is charged once at the point of sale and is normally added at checkout, and rates vary by state, county and city.

Do I use the same rate everywhere?

No. VAT rates differ by country and by product category, and US sales tax varies by locality, with many places exempting groceries or medicine. Check the rate that applies to your item before relying on the result.