VAT Calculator
Enter a net (ex-VAT) price — we'll add VAT to find the gross total.
The price before VAT is applied.
Enter any rate or pick a preset. Use the country selector for automatic rates.
Enter a Price to Get Started
Enter a net or gross price and a VAT rate. Results — including net amount, VAT amount, gross total, and a visual breakdown chart — appear instantly.
How to Use the VAT Calculator
Choose Add or Remove VAT
Select 'Add VAT' if you have a net price and want to find the gross total. Select 'Remove VAT' if you have a VAT-inclusive price and want to extract the original net price and the tax portion.
Enter the Amount
Type your net or gross price in the amount field. The label changes based on your selected mode to avoid confusion.
Set the VAT Rate
Type a custom rate or click a preset button (0%, 5%, 10%, 20%, etc.). Alternatively, click 'Select by Country' to automatically load the standard or reduced VAT rate for your country — choose from 29 major countries including the UK, Germany, France, Australia, and more.
Review Results and Export
Results update live as you type. Click 'Calculate VAT' to save the entry to your session history. Use the Copy buttons to copy individual values, or click 'Export CSV' to download results for use in spreadsheets or accounting software.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between adding VAT and removing VAT?
Adding VAT means you start with a net (pre-tax) price and calculate the gross (total) price that includes the tax. This is what a business does when pricing products or raising invoices — the customer pays the gross. Removing VAT (also called reverse VAT or ex-VAT calculation) means you start with a VAT-inclusive gross price and work backwards to find the original net price and the embedded tax amount. This is useful for consumers checking how much tax they paid, or businesses reconciling VAT-inclusive receipts. The mathematics differ: adding uses multiplication, while removing requires division by (1 + rate/100), not simple subtraction.
Why can't I just subtract 20% from the gross to remove VAT?
Subtracting 20% of the gross is a common mistake. If the gross is £120, 20% of £120 is £24, giving a net of £96 — which is wrong. The correct net is £100 (£120 ÷ 1.20). The reason is that the 20% VAT rate is calculated on the net, not the gross. The VAT is 20% of £100 = £20, not 20% of £120. To correctly reverse VAT at rate R%, always divide the gross by (1 + R/100). For 20%, divide by 1.20. For 23%, divide by 1.23. This calculator does this automatically so you always get the right answer.
What VAT rate should I use?
The correct rate depends on your country and the type of goods or services. In the UK, the standard rate is 20%, the reduced rate is 5% (for domestic energy and some children's products), and zero rate applies to most food, books, and children's clothing. In the EU, standard rates range from 17% (Luxembourg) to 27% (Hungary). Australia uses 10% GST. Canada uses 5% federal GST (with additional provincial taxes). Use our country selector to load the correct standard or reduced rate for 29 major countries, or type any custom rate you need. Always verify with your national tax authority for the most current rates.
Does this calculator work for GST (Goods and Services Tax)?
Yes. GST is functionally the same as VAT — it is a value-added consumption tax applied at each stage of the supply chain. Countries including Australia (10%), Canada (5%), New Zealand (15%), India (5%/12%/18%/28% depending on category), and Singapore (9%) use GST instead of the VAT label, but the mathematics are identical. Simply enter the GST rate and use Add GST or Remove GST exactly as you would with VAT. Our country selector includes Australia, Canada, and New Zealand with their correct GST rates pre-loaded.
Can I use this calculator for invoicing?
Yes, this calculator is ideal for quickly computing VAT amounts for invoices. Enter the net price of a product or service, select the appropriate VAT rate (including country-specific rates via the country selector), and the calculator will show you the VAT amount to add and the gross total to charge your client. You can copy individual values to paste directly into your invoice software, or export all results to a CSV file for record-keeping. For multi-line invoices, use the Calculate button repeatedly and review the session history below the results to compare multiple line items.
How do I get a VAT refund when traveling internationally?
Many countries offer VAT refunds to tourists on eligible purchases. To claim a refund, you typically need to: spend above the minimum threshold per transaction (which varies by country — e.g., £30 in the UK, €100.01 in France), request a VAT refund form from the retailer at the point of purchase, present the form along with your receipts and purchased goods at customs when leaving the country, and submit the form at a refund kiosk or mail it to the refund agency. Our calculator can help you estimate the VAT embedded in a price — use Remove VAT mode to see how much tax is included in a gross retail price, giving you an idea of your potential refund before you travel.