VAT Calculator
Split any figure into its net, VAT and gross parts at whatever rate applies to you. In most of Europe prices are advertised with VAT already inside them, so the number you usually have is the gross one and the figure you need — for an invoice, an expense claim or a margin — is what sits underneath it. This tool goes in both directions.
A calculation, not a ruling. Which rate applies — standard, reduced or zero — depends on the goods or services and the country of supply, and rates are changed by governments from time to time. Check yours with your tax authority or accountant. Works in any currency.
How to work out VAT
- Type the figure you have: a net price to add VAT to, or a gross price to break down.
- Pick the rate that applies, or type your own in the rate box below the buttons.
- Read the net, VAT and gross figures — the three lines an invoice needs.
When you'd use this
- Raising an invoice — You quoted a net price and need the VAT line and the gross total to bill.
- Expense claims and bookkeeping — A receipt shows only the gross total, but your accounts need the net figure and the VAT separately.
- Pricing a product — Deciding what to put on a shelf edge when the displayed price has to include VAT.
- Checking a supplier's bill — Confirming that the VAT charged matches the rate and the net amount on the document.
Good to know
- Working backwards is a division, not a subtraction — To pull VAT out of a gross price you divide by 1 plus the rate. At 20% that is a division by 1.2, which turns 120 into 100. Taking 20% off 120 gives 96 — a different, and wrong, answer, because the 20% was charged on the smaller net figure.
- Rates are a local matter and they move — Standard rates across VAT countries run from the mid-teens to the high twenties, and most systems also carry reduced rates for things like food, books, transport or children's clothing. The presets here are common standard rates, not a ruling on what your goods attract.
- All three figures are shown at once — Net, VAT and gross appear together rather than one at a time, because that is the shape an invoice line takes and it saves running the sum twice.
- It calculates; it does not advise — Registration thresholds, reverse charge on cross-border business supplies, partial exemption and margin schemes all change what you actually owe. Those are questions for your accountant or tax authority, not for a calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How do I remove VAT from a price that already includes it?
Switch to Remove VAT and enter the gross figure. The tool divides by 1 plus the rate, so at 20% a gross of 120 gives a net of 100 and VAT of 20. Subtracting 20% instead would give 96, which is the mistake this mode exists to prevent.
What is the difference between net, VAT and gross?
Net is the price before tax, VAT is the tax itself, and gross is what the customer actually pays. Net plus VAT equals gross. Invoices normally show all three, which is why this tool prints them together.
Which rate should I use?
Whichever one applies to what you are selling, in the country where the supply takes place. The preset buttons cover several common standard rates, but reduced and zero rates exist almost everywhere and the correct one depends on the goods or services. If you are unsure, check with your tax authority.
Can I type a rate the buttons don't cover?
Yes. Type any figure into the rate box below the buttons — including 0, and including decimals — and it takes priority over whichever button is selected. Clear the box to hand control back to the buttons.
Does this work for GST or sales tax as well?
The arithmetic is the same for any percentage tax applied to a price, so yes. For India's slab rates the GST Calculator has the right presets, and for US-style tax added at the till the Sales Tax Calculator is a closer fit.