Price Calculator
Enter your cost and target profit margin to calculate the selling price, profit, and equivalent markup.
Last updated: September 5, 2026
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between margin and markup?
Margin is profit divided by the selling price; markup is profit divided by cost - the same dollar amount of profit produces two different percentages depending on which base you divide by. A 30% margin corresponds to about a 42.9% markup.
How do I calculate a selling price from cost and margin?
Divide cost by (1 - margin as a decimal). A $50 cost at a 30% target margin: $50 ÷ (1 - 0.30) = $50 ÷ 0.70 = $71.43.
Why can't margin be 100% or more?
Margin is profit as a percentage of the selling price, and profit can never exceed the selling price itself (that would mean the cost was negative) - so margin approaches but never reaches 100%, no matter how low the cost is relative to price.
Is this the same as the Discount Calculator?
No - the Discount Calculator works backward from a sale price and discount percentage to find savings. This tool works forward from your cost and a target profit margin to find what price to charge.
If I want a 50% markup instead of a 50% margin, do I get the same selling price?
No - a 50% markup means selling price = cost × 1.50, while a 50% margin means selling price = cost ÷ (1 − 0.50) = cost × 2. On a $40 cost, a 50% markup gives a $60 price, but a 50% margin gives an $80 price, since margin is measured against the selling price, not the cost.
What margin do I need to double my cost as the selling price?
A 50% margin. Selling price = cost ÷ (1 − margin), and setting that equal to 2 × cost means (1 − margin) = 0.5, so margin = 50% - the same margin percentage that maps to a 100% markup.
Can this calculator be used to price a service instead of a product?
Yes - the math is identical whether 'cost' represents your material cost for a product or your total cost to deliver a service (labor, overhead, etc.); enter your total cost and target margin and the formula works the same way either way.