WorldCalcs

Markup Calculator

Turn a cost and markup into a selling price, or find the markup between any cost and price.

Reviewed by the WorldCalcs team · Methodology · Last reviewed: July 2026

Selling price

50.00

Profit

10.00

Margin

20.00%

Results are estimates for general information only, not financial advice. See our Disclaimer.

What is markup?

Markup is how much you add on top of an item's cost to set its selling price, written as a percentage of the cost. Add a 25% markup to a 40 cost and you sell at 50. Because markup is measured against the cost rather than the final price, the same money profit always shows up as a larger percentage when you call it markup than when you call it margin — a useful thing to remember when you compare the two.

How markup is calculated

Going from cost to price:

  • Selling price = Cost × (1 + Markup% ÷ 100)

Going the other way, from a cost and a price you already have:

  • Markup % = ((Price − Cost) ÷ Cost) × 100

Worked example

A 40 cost with a 25% markup sells for 40 × 1.25 = 50.00, a profit of 10.00. Expressed against the 50 selling price, that same 10 is a 20.00% margin. Run it in reverse: buy for 200 and sell for 250 and the markup is (250 − 200) ÷ 200 = 25.00%. Markup and margin describe the same profit from two different angles — markup from the cost side, margin from the price side.

Related: flip to the price-side view with our Margin Calculator, judge returns with the ROI Calculator, price a sale with the Discount Calculator, or run generic ratios in the Percentage Calculator.

All calculations happen in your browser. Nothing is sent, stored, or tracked.

Results are estimates and may contain errors — for general information only, not professional advice. Always verify before relying on them. Disclaimer

How to use

Pick a mode: enter a cost and markup to see the selling price and profit, or enter a cost and price to see the resulting markup.

Markup is measured against the cost, so it is always a larger percentage than the margin on the same sale.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between markup and margin?+

Markup measures profit against your cost; margin measures the same profit against your selling price. A 25% markup is a 20% margin on the identical sale.

How do I calculate a selling price from markup?+

Multiply the cost by (1 + markup ÷ 100). A 40 cost at 25% markup gives 40 × 1.25 = 50.

What markup gives a 20% margin?+

A 25% markup. In general, markup = margin ÷ (1 − margin), so 0.20 ÷ 0.80 = 0.25.

Is a 50% markup the same as a 50% margin?+

No. A 50% markup is only a 33.33% margin, because the profit is measured against the larger selling price instead of the cost.

How do I find the markup from a cost and a price?+

Subtract cost from price, divide by the cost, then multiply by 100. Use the "cost + price" mode above to do it instantly.

What does keystone markup mean?+

Keystone is a 100% markup — doubling the cost to set the price. A 40 cost becomes an 80 price, which is a 50% margin.

Can markup be more than 100%?+

Yes. Unlike margin, markup has no ceiling — a 40 item sold for 160 is a 300% markup.

How do I convert a margin into a markup?+

Markup = Margin ÷ (1 − Margin). A 20% margin becomes 0.20 ÷ 0.80 = 0.25, i.e. a 25% markup.

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