How do I calculate a percentage discount?

Sale Price = Original Price × (1 − Discount% ÷ 100). For a 30% discount on $80: Sale Price = $80 × 0.70 = $56. You save $24.

How do I find the discount percentage from two prices?

Discount% = (Original Price − Sale Price) ÷ Original Price × 100. If an item was $120 and is now $84: Discount% = (120 − 84) ÷ 120 × 100 = 30%.

Does the discount apply before or after tax?

Discounts are always applied to the pre-tax price. Sales tax is then calculated on the discounted (sale) price. This calculator follows that order.

What is a compound discount?

A compound discount applies multiple discounts successively. For example, 20% off followed by an additional 10% off is not 30% off — it is 28% off (you pay 80% then 90% of that = 72%, saving 28%).

What is the difference between discount and markdown?

A discount is a temporary price reduction (a sale), while a markdown is a permanent price reduction because the item no longer sells at the original price. Both result in a lower selling price but have different retail accounting implications.

Discount Calculator

How the Discount Calculator Works

The Discount Calculator helps you instantly find out how much you will pay after a percentage-off sale, or figure out what discount percentage you received when you already know the sale price. It also applies sales tax so you can see your true out-of-pocket cost.

Discount Percentage Mode

When you know the original price and the discount percentage, the calculator uses:

Sale Price = Original Price × (1 − Discount% ÷ 100)

For example, if an item costs $120 and is 25% off:

Sale Price = $120 × (1 − 0.25) = $120 × 0.75 = $90
Savings = $120 − $90 = $30
Final price after 8% tax = $90 × 1.08 = $97.20

Final Price Mode

Sometimes you see a price tag showing both the original and the sale price, and you want to know the implied discount. Enter both prices and the calculator computes:

Discount% = ((Original − Sale) ÷ Original) × 100

Savings Percentage

Savings percentage equals the discount percentage in most cases. It confirms how much of the original price you are keeping in your pocket.

After-Tax Price

In many regions, sales tax is applied after discounts. The calculator multiplies the sale price by (1 + Tax Rate ÷ 100), giving you the total amount you will pay at checkout.

When Is This Useful?

Black Friday and seasonal sales: Quickly verify advertised savings are accurate.
Coupon stacking: Calculate one discount at a time to see combined savings.
Retail price comparison: Determine whether a “sale” item is actually cheaper than a competitor’s regular price.
Budget planning: Know your exact spend including local tax before heading to the register.

Tips for Smart Shopping

Always confirm whether the discount applies before or after tax — most retailers apply tax on the post-discount price.
Compare the final after-tax price, not just the sale price, when shopping across different tax jurisdictions.
For percentage-off coupons on items that are already on sale, apply each discount sequentially, not combined — a 20% coupon on a 20% sale item does not give 40% off.

Formula Summary

Scenario	Formula
Sale price from discount	`Sale = Original × (1 − Discount/100)`
Discount from prices	`Discount% = (Original − Sale) / Original × 100`
After-tax total	`Total = Sale × (1 + TaxRate/100)`
Savings amount	`Savings = Original − Sale`