Discount Calculator
Calculate the sale price after any discount. Add optional sales tax to see your true final price and total savings.
Free Discount and Sale Price Calculator
The SmarterSources Discount Calculator helps you quickly determine the sale price of any item after a percentage discount. Optionally add your local sales tax rate to see the true final price including tax. Results update instantly as you type, making it easy to compare different discount levels before making a purchase.
How to Calculate a Discount
To calculate a discount manually, multiply the original price by the discount percentage and divide by 100. This gives you the discount amount (how much you save). Subtract the discount amount from the original price to get the sale price. For example, a 30% discount on a $150 item means $150 x 0.30 = $45 savings, resulting in a $105 sale price.
How Sales Tax Works with Discounts
Sales tax is always calculated on the discounted price, not the original price. This means you benefit twice from a discount: you pay less for the item and less in tax. For example, if an $80 item is 25% off, the sale price is $60. With 8% sales tax, you pay $60 x 1.08 = $64.80. Without the discount, you would have paid $80 x 1.08 = $86.40, saving you $21.60 total.
Common Discount Percentages
10% off: A modest discount commonly offered for email sign-ups, first-time purchases, or student and military discounts.
20% to 25% off: Standard promotional discounts during seasonal sales or limited-time offers.
30% to 50% off: Common during clearance events, Black Friday, end-of-season sales, and major promotional periods.
50% to 75% off: Deep discounts typically found during final clearance, warehouse sales, or when retailers are liquidating inventory.
Tips for Maximizing Savings
Stack discounts when possible. Some retailers allow coupon codes on top of sale prices. Sign up for loyalty programs and email lists to receive early access to sales and exclusive discount codes. Compare the per-unit price when items are sold in different quantities. Use browser extensions that automatically find and apply coupon codes at checkout. Track prices over time to know whether a "sale" price is genuinely lower than the item's typical selling price.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you calculate a discount?
Multiply the original price by the discount percentage divided by 100 to get the discount amount. Subtract that from the original price to get the sale price. For example, 25% off $80: discount = $80 x 0.25 = $20, sale price = $80 - $20 = $60.
How do you calculate the final price with tax after a discount?
First apply the discount to get the sale price. Then multiply the sale price by (1 + tax rate / 100) to add sales tax. For example, $60 sale price with 8% tax: $60 x 1.08 = $64.80 final price.
Is sales tax calculated before or after a discount?
Sales tax is calculated on the discounted (sale) price, not the original price. You first apply the discount, then calculate tax on the lower amount. This means discounts also reduce the amount of tax you pay.
How do I calculate the original price from a sale price?
Divide the sale price by (1 - discount percentage / 100). For example, if the sale price is $60 after a 25% discount, the original price is $60 / (1 - 0.25) = $60 / 0.75 = $80.
Can I stack multiple discounts?
Some retailers allow stacking coupons with sale prices. When stacking, each discount is typically applied sequentially. For example, 20% off followed by an additional 10% off a $100 item: $100 x 0.80 = $80, then $80 x 0.90 = $72. Note this is not the same as 30% off ($70), since the second discount applies to the already-reduced price.
Is my data safe with this calculator?
Yes. This calculator runs entirely in your browser. No data is sent to any server, and nothing is stored. Your information remains completely private.