Discount Calculator
Find sale price and savings from any discount percentage.
Enter an original price and discount percentage to instantly see the sale price and how much you save. Switch to reverse mode to find the discount percentage from any original and sale price.
How Discounts and Markdowns Work
The basic discount formula
To find the sale price, multiply the original price by (1 minus the discount as a decimal). A 20% discount on 50 USD gives a sale price of 40 USD, saving you 10 USD. The savings percentage is just the discount percentage itself — so 20% off always means you keep 80% of the original price.
Stacking discounts and coupons
Two discounts applied in sequence are not simply added together. A 20% discount followed by a 10% discount yields a combined savings of 28%, not 30%. This is because the second discount applies to the already-reduced price. Knowing this helps you compare stacked coupon deals accurately, especially during Black Friday or bulk order promotions.
Finding the original discount from a sale tag
Use reverse mode when you see a sale price and want to know what percentage off it actually represents. Divide the savings (original minus sale price) by the original price, then multiply by 100. Retailers sometimes advertise misleading markdowns, so calculating the real discount yourself is a smart habit when comparison shopping.
Sale price = Original × (1 − discount%) | Savings = Original − Sale price Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate a discount percentage from two prices?
Subtract the sale price from the original price to get the savings amount, then divide by the original price and multiply by 100. For example, if an item costs 80 USD but sells for 60 USD, the savings are 20 USD and the discount is 25%.
Do two discounts stack by adding the percentages together?
No. Two sequential discounts multiply, not add. A 20% discount followed by a 10% discount is equivalent to a single 28% discount, because the second percentage is applied to the already-reduced price.
What is the difference between discount and markdown?
The terms are often used interchangeably in retail. Technically, a markdown permanently reduces the selling price, while a discount is a temporary reduction. Both are calculated the same way: savings divided by original price.
Can I use this calculator for bulk order pricing?
Yes. Enter the per-unit original price and the discount percentage your supplier offers. The sale price card will show the discounted unit price, and the savings card shows how much you save per unit.
Why does switching to reverse mode require a sale price lower than the original?
If the sale price equals or exceeds the original price, there is no discount — the tool would return zero or a negative savings figure, which has no meaningful interpretation in this context.
What is the formula for the Discount Calculator?
Sale price = Original price × (1 − discount% / 100). Savings = Original price − Sale price. Savings percentage = (Savings / Original price) × 100. In reverse mode: discount% = (Savings / Original price) × 100.