What is VAT / Sales Tax Calculator?
How It Works
Choose a mode: Add Tax (enter net price), Remove Tax (enter gross price), or Find Rate (enter both prices). Select a preset tax rate or enter a custom rate. The calculator instantly shows the net price, tax amount, and gross price. A comparison table shows the same calculation at common tax rates for quick reference.
Formula
Add Tax: Gross = Net ร (1 + Rate/100), Tax = Net ร Rate/100 Remove Tax: Net = Gross / (1 + Rate/100), Tax = Gross โ Net Find Rate: Rate = ((Gross โ Net) / Net) ร 100
Formula Explained
Adding tax is straightforward multiplication. Removing tax requires division โ a common mistake is subtracting the percentage from the gross. For example, removing 20% VAT from ยฃ120: correct is ยฃ120 รท 1.20 = ยฃ100 (not ยฃ120 โ 20% = ยฃ96). The "find rate" formula divides the tax amount by the net price, not the gross price.
Example
Add 20% VAT to ยฃ100: Tax: ยฃ100 ร 0.20 = ยฃ20.00 Gross: ยฃ100 + ยฃ20 = ยฃ120.00 Remove 20% VAT from ยฃ120: Net: ยฃ120 รท 1.20 = ยฃ100.00 Tax: ยฃ120 โ ยฃ100 = ยฃ20.00 Find rate: Net ยฃ100, Gross ยฃ121: Rate: (ยฃ21 / ยฃ100) ร 100 = 21%
Tips & Best Practices
- โAlways divide (not subtract) when removing VAT from a gross price.
- โUK businesses must register for VAT if turnover exceeds ยฃ90,000.
- โUS sales tax varies by city โ check your exact local rate.
- โEU VAT rates range from 17% (Luxembourg) to 27% (Hungary).
- โB2B EU sales may be VAT-exempt under the reverse charge mechanism.
Common Use Cases
- โขAdding VAT to invoices and quotes for UK/EU clients
- โขRemoving VAT from receipts to find the net price
- โขCalculating US state sales tax for online purchases
- โขComparing prices across countries with different tax rates
- โขDetermining the tax rate applied to a purchase