Free markup & margin calculator

The mistake that quietly costs you money

Ask for a "50% margin" and apply a 50% markup, and you've just undercharged. Markup is profit measured against your cost; margin is profit measured against the selling price. They describe the same profit from two angles, so the percentages never match — a 50% markup is only a 33.3% margin, and a 50% margin needs a 100% markup. For freelancers and agencies marking up materials, subcontractors or pass-through costs, that gap is real money.

This calculator keeps the two straight. Enter a cost and a markup % to get the price, margin and profit; enter a cost and a target margin % to get the price and the markup you need; or enter cost and price to get both percentages. It always shows markup and margin side by side so you can see the difference at a glance.

Markup vs margin at a glance

Markup on cost	Equivalent margin on price
25%	20%
50%	33.3%
100%	50%
200%	66.7%

Markup = profit ÷ cost. Margin = profit ÷ price. The bigger the markup, the wider the gap.

What it works out

How to use it in 3 steps

1. Pick a mode — price from markup, price from margin, or percentages from cost and price.
2. Enter your numbers — cost plus one other value.
3. Read the result — price, profit, and markup % next to margin % so the difference is obvious.

From price to sent

Once your marked-up price is right, the rest stays offline too: drop the figure into a line-item quote, set your base rate with the rate calculator, turn the accepted quote into an invoice, and check what you net after payment fees. All offline, one-time purchases, no subscription. Get the core five in the $39 Freelance Tools Suite · also on Payhip.

Frequently asked questions

Is this calculator free?

Yes, completely. It runs in your browser with no account and nothing uploaded. There is no paid version of the calculator itself.

What's the difference between markup and margin?

Markup is profit as a percentage of cost; margin is profit as a percentage of price. A 50% markup on $100 gives a $150 price — a 33.3% margin, not 50%.

How do I get selling price from cost and markup?

Multiply cost by (1 + markup%). $100 at 50% markup = $150. To hit a target margin instead, divide cost by (1 − margin%).

Why does this matter for freelancers?

Marking up materials or subcontracted work using margin maths as if it were markup (or vice versa) means under- or over-charging. Getting it right protects your real profit.

Is my data private?

Completely. Zero network requests — your costs and prices stay on your computer.

More free tools for freelancers

Part of a set of offline, no-subscription tools that cover the whole freelance workflow: