Quik-Calc Everyday Tool
Calculate selling price, gross profit, and margin from cost and markup — or work backwards from a target price.
Home / Finance / Markup Calculator · Last updated May 21, 2026 · Expert reviewed
Enter the cost of a product or service and either the desired markup percentage or the desired selling price. The calculator shows the corresponding selling price or markup percentage, plus the gross profit and profit margin. Use it to price products for retail, services for clients, or determine wholesale pricing. A 50% markup on a $100 cost gives a $150 selling price and $50 gross profit. The margin view shows this as 33.3% — a common point of confusion that the calculator clarifies.
A contractor buys materials for $800 and wants a 35% markup to cover overhead and profit. Markup amount: $800 x 35% = $280. Selling price: $1,080. Gross profit margin: $280/$1,080 = 25.9%. If the contractor instead wants a 35% profit margin (not markup), the selling price would be $800/(1-0.35) = $1,231 — a very different number. The calculator shows both markup and margin side by side so you never confuse them.
Markup = (Selling Price - Cost) / Cost x 100. Margin = (Selling Price - Cost) / Selling Price x 100. The calculator supports bidirectional entry: enter cost + markup% to get price, or cost + desired price to get markup%.
Markup is based on cost. Margin is based on selling price. A 100% markup = 50% margin. Always know which you are discussing with clients or suppliers.
50-100% markup (33-50% margin) is common for retail. Groceries: 15-30% markup. Clothing: 50-100%+. Jewelry: 100-300%+. Electronics: 10-30%.
Service businesses typically target 40-60% margin. Factor in billable hours, overhead allocation, and desired profit to find your true cost per hour.
Higher markup means more profit per sale but may reduce volume. Lower markup moves more units with thinner profit. Test both scenarios with the calculator.