Discount Calculator
Calculate sale prices, savings, and final costs with discounts and tax
Enter the original price before any discounts
Additional Options
Optional: Enter your local sales tax rate
Optional: Enter a second percentage discount applied after the first
Enter a Price
Enter the original price and select a discount to see the calculated savings and final price.
How to Use the Discount Calculator
Enter the Original Price
Type in the full retail or listed price of the item before any discounts are applied. This is the sticker price you see on the tag or product listing.
Choose Discount Type and Amount
Select either percentage off or fixed dollar amount off. Use the quick-select buttons for common percentages (5%-75%), or type a custom discount value.
Add Tax and Stacked Discounts (Optional)
Enter your local sales tax rate to see the true final cost. If you have a second coupon or additional discount, enter it in the stacked discount field to see the combined savings.
View Your Savings
See the final price, total savings amount, savings percentage, and a full breakdown including tax. The quick comparison chart shows prices at different discount levels for easy reference.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate a discount percentage?
To calculate a discount, multiply the original price by the discount percentage expressed as a decimal. For example, 25% off a $80 item: $80 x 0.25 = $20 discount, so the sale price is $80 - $20 = $60. Our calculator does this instantly. Simply enter the original price, select or type your discount percentage, and the tool calculates the discount amount and final price. You can also work backwards: if you know the sale price and original price, the savings percentage is (original - sale) / original x 100.
How do stacked or successive discounts work?
Stacked discounts are applied sequentially, not added together. If a store offers 30% off plus an extra 20% off, the second discount applies to the already-reduced price, not the original. On a $100 item, 30% off gives $70, then 20% off $70 gives $56. That is a total savings of $44, or 44%, not 50% as you might expect by adding 30% + 20%. Our calculator shows the price after each discount step so you can see exactly how the math works. This is important when comparing a single larger discount to two smaller stacked ones.
Is sales tax applied before or after a discount?
In the United States, sales tax is almost always calculated on the discounted price, not the original price. If an item is originally $100 and you get 20% off, your taxable amount is $80. With an 8% sales tax rate, you would pay $80 + $6.40 = $86.40 total. This is good news for shoppers because discounts reduce your tax burden as well. Our calculator applies sales tax after all discounts have been subtracted, which matches how retailers process transactions. Some states have no sales tax at all, such as Oregon, Montana, New Hampshire, and Delaware.
What is the difference between a percentage discount and a fixed amount discount?
A percentage discount takes a proportion of the original price, while a fixed amount discount subtracts a specific dollar value. For example, 20% off a $50 item saves you $10, but 20% off a $200 item saves you $40. The dollar savings scales with the price. A fixed $10 discount always saves exactly $10 regardless of the item price. Percentage discounts are better for expensive items, while fixed discounts can be better for cheaper items. Our calculator supports both types so you can compare and choose the best deal for your purchase.
How can I tell which sale or coupon gives me the best deal?
To compare deals, calculate the final price for each offer using our discount calculator. Sometimes a smaller percentage discount on a higher-priced item saves more money than a larger percentage on a cheaper item. Also compare stacked discounts versus single discounts: 25% off once may actually be better than 15% off plus 10% off (which equals 23.5% total savings). Use the quick comparison feature at the bottom of the results to see prices at 10%, 20%, 30%, and 50% off side by side. Always factor in sales tax for the most accurate comparison between different stores or websites.